72modeler

Just found this- I think there's something here for just about everyone. Enjoy! Love the USAF Heritage Flights! Mike http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/AirShows/Nellis2006/Highlights/

This might not be new to some of you, but found this while looking for something else- natcherly! Great period color and b&w photos of B-50's. I hope you enjoy them. Might have to change my mind about doing the Academy kit's box art scheme! Mike http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/97thBW/97thBW.html

Easy for you, Gorby, but not so much for these clumsy digits- especially in my preferred scale! I have done this, however for a Finnish Fiat G50bis and a Fokker DXXI Mike

Milo, I did some thinking (Always dangerous in my case!) as well as re-examining actual photos and also interiors of the larger scale Avengers, and I don't see how it would have been possible for a bomb sight to have been fitted in the observer's station of FAA Avengers that was created by removing the radio/radar equipment located behind the pilot on USN aircraft and putting the observer's seat there. That seat looks like it was basically right above the center of the bomb bay, and even with bombs located on either side of the bay, they would interfere with the view from a sight; in addition, there would have to be an aperture or sighting window cut in the floor for a bomb sight, as well as a mount, and I have yet to see any evidence that this was done by Blackburn. My guess, and it's an uneducated and unsubstantiated one, is that the ordnance was sighted and released from the aft position inside the rear cabin, or by using pilot's sight, which, IIRC, had settings for level bombing/rocket firing on the later sights. Maybe Tailspin Turtle has some references or thoughts on this subject, but since the Avenger you want to do is an FAA example, maybe not. Regardless, the FAA Avengers are sure pretty, and I can't wait to see the finished product! Mike

Am I correct in assuming that you mean the antenna masts that are basically airfoil-shaped in cross section and taper from the base to the tip? Two thoughts come to mind. One, cut a rectangular piece of plasticard and scrape the leading and trailing edges to get the taper/airfoil shape desired. Two- many combs and hairbrushes have 'teeth' that are pretty close in cross section and shape to aircraft aerials; snap one off and thin, if necessary and/or sand to the correct profile. I have seen this done for 1/72 models, and they look pretty good. Not sure if they would be long enough in your scale, however. Etched aerials are two-dimensional and are very hard to 'fatten up' to an airfoil cross section, I would think...a flat tooth pick might even be a better alternative! Best I can come up with...too many years of being exposed to Diosol fumes, I fear! Mike

Giorgio, I have the Hasegawa A6M5c, kit D23. The two markings choices in this kit are for the 203rd and 252nd squadrons. The upper surface color listed is Gunze H36 (IJN Nakajima green) and the underside is listed as Gunze H61 (Mitsubishi green) The lower paint demarcation is shown in the diagram for both as sweeping up in a gradual curve from the wing trailing edge to the horizontal stabilizer. I think Nick Millman would be your best bet for a more definitive answer and perhaps some FS close matches. Sorry I can't do better, but IJA/IJN colors are definitely not my area of expertise. (As if any areas are!) Mike

Sorry- forgot you wanted info on the FAA-flown Avengers, my mistake! Mike

Do these help? The second link shows the sighting window in the bulkhead at the rear of the bomb bay, as does the last one, which also shows the mount for the bomb sight. Mike http://legendsintheirowntime.com/LiTOT/Content/1944/TBF_AirTech_4411_DA_fuselage_p021_W.png https://www.google.com/search?q=TBM+Avenger+bomb+sight+installation&tbm=isch&imgil=ZLLoiQD7r0kiiM%3A%3BgjXncoIsmUd_LM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rockymountainwingcaf.org%252FTBM_ovw.asp%253FmenuID%25253D7~7~8~8&source=iu&pf=m&fir=ZLLoiQD7r0kiiM%3A%2CgjXncoIsmUd_LM%2C_&usg=__A4UaiGB9r8Ho86t1dKt9DGfAn24%3D&biw=1280&bih=654&ved=0ahUKEwjA2_Sdzs_WAhUPymMKHaPPDq0QyjcIMw&ei=fvjQWcCkMo-UjwOjn7voCg#imgrc=W1YST3Zo3M3ivM:&spf=1506867700650 https://www.google.com/search?q=TBM+Avenger+bomb+sight+installation&tbm=isch&imgil=ZLLoiQD7r0kiiM%3A%3BgjXncoIsmUd_LM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rockymountainwingcaf.org%252FTBM_ovw.asp%253FmenuID%25253D7~7~8~8&source=iu&pf=m&fir=ZLLoiQD7r0kiiM%3A%2CgjXncoIsmUd_LM%2C_&usg=__A4UaiGB9r8Ho86t1dKt9DGfAn24%3D&biw=1280&bih=654&ved=0ahUKEwjA2_Sdzs_WAhUPymMKHaPPDq0QyjcIMw&ei=fvjQWcCkMo-UjwOjn7voCg#imgrc=x_NK_Bpuw6ZVxM:&spf=1506867838650 https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6103/6389623767_949f49d4a3_b.jpg

We've got 'em covered, coming and going! I also posted this in the Aviation Photography section...great minds think alike! Mike

You are correct, sir! Like the F8F Bearcat, F7F Tigercat, and the Sea Fury, just a little too late! They would have been deadly had they made it into the war! Mike http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_supermarine_seafire_XV.html While we're on the subject of Seafire XV's, here's a short video of the one that was recently restored; they don't come much prettier, and they sure as heck don't sound any meaner than a Griffon in full song! I love the scheme they chose, as well. I hope you enjoy this- turn the sound up! Mike https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TneYPcyGbbY

Martin, Dan Hagedorn would be the man to answer your question, if anyone can, but I don't know if he visits this site much. Hopefully he will see this and offer his wisdom; from what I have read about him, he's forgotten more about Latin American Air Forces than the rest of us know. You might try contacting him at the site listed in the link I have attached below. Mike http://www.museumofflight.org/user_area/content_media/raw/dan_hagedorn.pdf

Those are some butt-ugly tanks! Mike

Stuart, The 1b, LF II , III, XV, 17, and 47 would be my favorites. I have the CMR resin 1b, although you could easily convert an injected Vb into one; I agree the Sword II and III are very good, and they are going to release a new-tool 17; for the XV Sword does the early and late versions, as well as the 46, and for the 47, I have the CMR resin kit as well as the SH one, but it does have the issues mentioned, but is much cheaper than the CMR kit. IIRC, I read somewhere that one of the kitmakers is planning a 1b, so you might hold off on that one. I have attached a link to a great website that I think will help you in your Seafire quest. I haven't really pulled all of the available kits out to compare to one another and scale drawings, as I'm not ready to start building a Seafire right now, but there has been a lot of very good discussion and kit reviews already on this site- do a search and see what the others have said. Good luck! They sure are pretty, every one of them! Mike http://www.armouredcarriers.com/seafire-variants/

Julien, I couldn't tell from your post if you managed to get the Airwaves cable cutter set you needed, but I just now saw that H is going to re-release the set in the near future. I have attached a link to the information and perhaps you could pre-order the item for when it is released. I have this set and it is very nice! Mike https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AEC72066

I would love to see these four on a ramp! Mike

Troy, These photos are outstanding! Thanks for putting them up! Mike

Oh, great! Now you tell me! Back to the reference library, lads! (Life was a lot simpler when I just glued 'em together, brush-painted them, and slapped on the decals!) Mike

Gotcha! IIRC, the fabric control surfaces on the aircraft that had bare metal undersides were painted with a grey-green dope. I think Nick Millman or one of the other BM IJA/IJN enthusiasts can help you with a good source from one of the paint manufacturers and/or a close FS equivalent. I'm away from my references at the moment or I could look it up for you. Mike I remember saving information on this subject that Nick Millman provided on another forum. I think what I remember is that the IJA grey used for fabric-covered control surfaces was approximately FS 34424 or 34426. Gunze H62 and Tamiya XF-14 were listed as readily available acrylics that were good matches. Aeromaster and Xtracolor also had enamels that were good matches, but will be pretty hard to find. Best I can do. He's the man when it comes to IJA/IJN colors, not me!

If you look at thumbnail #20, you can see that the fuselage halves have been engineered to take an insert for the fin; the fin assembly in thumbnail #29 is one of the two DFF types fitted to the P-51D. It may be that Airfix is going to do a 2nd boxing that has the sprue for the non-filleted fin, although in their workbench articles, they state that all versions of the D can be built from the kit- I guess we will have to wait and see if the initial boxing has both (actually three) fin types or will be in a subsequent release. There are two types of fin fillets fitted to C/D Mustangs- one has a straight upper edge and the other has a lightly curved upper edge. Lots of discussion/drawings/photos on the P-51 SIG regarding the two types, but I'm not really allowed to post them without their OK. Also, I will be curious to see what gunsight, seat, radio, exhaust, and prop options they include, as everything I have seen so far are test shots. Like many of you, I would really like to see the non-filleted option so I can do Jack Ilfrey's P-51D-5NA Happy Jack's Go Buggy, but if not, whacking off the fillet is no big deal, as RJP has said. Mike

I think I screwed up, Chris- it appears it is the Mercury engine installation on the Lysander that has the oil cooler trumpet intakes on either side of the crankcase, and the Blenheim/Bolinbroke Mercury engines have them stacked vertically alongside the crankcase. I apologize for misinforming my fellow modelers and I thank you foe setting the record straight. (I will now fashion a dagger from sprue and thrust myself upon it!) Mike BTW- great photos! Thanks for sharing them!

This photo was the best I could find. Maru Mechanic #21 in the N1K1/2 would probably have detail photos and drawings on the undercart, but long OOP and hard to find. I don't have this volume but maybe somebody out there does and can help you more than I. The control surfaces were metal-framed and fabric covered. Mike https://i.pinimg.com/736x/70/ac/ea/70aceaf82cff0d7781b7ef5c9b54be59--fighter-aircraft-aviators.jpg

Brad, From what I have read and from the sprue shots I have seen, this one included, it appears both fin types are supplied in the kit. Now I can finally do 20th FG P-51D-5NA Happy Jack's Go Buggy in 1/48! Mike http://imodeler.com/2016/11/new-airfix-148-p-51d-mustang-sprue-preview/

Nick, Awesome job- you nailed the colors and got the fuselage scoops right, too! There's something about the TSS that was made for the Corsair! I like everything you did on this one- subtle and not over the top. Well done, sir! Mike

What James said- goes double for me! Best build I have seen of this kit! Mike

Wow- impressive model! They even got the oil coolers correct for a Blenheim-powered Sea Gladiator, as IIRC Blenheims had the intake trumpets for the coolers on either side of the crankcase and Bolinbrokes had them both on the same side, one above the other. I bet Graham will know, for sure, if he sees this. Mike