72modeler

As already stated, that is a very unusual but attractive color scheme, Very, very nice build of the new-tool Airfix kit, which is not all that new, now! Mike

OK, Giampiero- now yer just showing off! I agree with the comment above- this has to be the 1/48 Eduard Freidrich! But seriously, nice to see a scheme other than the Afrika Corps one for a change.. The yellow leading edges are very unusual- did this pilot have them painted to prevent his airplane being shot up by friendly flak crews, or was it common in the staffel? Very nice job, and thanks for sharing the improvements you made to the already outstanding Eduard kit. Mike

Wow! For such a nice kit, you see so few built along with the Martin Maryland. Very nice model! Thanks for sharing your work. Mike

Roger that!

What the others have said; it's not an easy kit to build, and time has not been kind to the molds, but you ended up with a pretty nice model of an Airfix classic; I have no idea why they have not done a new-tool of this one and the Bristol Bulldog. Mike

What the others have said- If you hadn't identified the kit maker, I would have been tempted to believe it was the 1/28 scale Revell kit. (Yes, I am that old!) Well done! Mike

As the others have said, all three are beauts- I really find it hard to pick one above the others, but RN Korean War aircraft are all beautiful, regardless of type! Some observations: the Seafire 47 is such a brute, compared to the earlier variants- very nice weathering on this one! the Sea Fury is so handsome in Korean War markings; I had read account that Carmichael's kill might not have been the first, but appreciated your research and narrative; the backstory always gives the model a real life connection;; you also nailed the color of the primer that Hawker used on late Tempests and Sea Furies.. you just need a Firefly to go with the Seafire and Sea Fury for the RN Korean war trifecta! Mike

What a horror! That you were able to turn those awful lumps of resin into something that can be recognized as an He-116 is a tribute to your skills and tenacity! This 'kit, and I hesitate stretching the definition of that word in this case, makes a Mach 2 kit look like a Tamiya release! A real shame, as the real aircraft was an attractive design. Wondering how many bottles of alcoholic beverages it took to get you through this disaster? Thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations with us- we feel your pain! Way to hang in there! Mike I bet you felt like this all through this build!

A beautiful build of an airplane that is one of the most beautiful prop aircraft of all time! Incredible workmanship made all the more incredible by being a vacform. Gordon Stevens would be so proud of what you have done! Museum quality in all respects! Mkie

Graham, I don't know it this one would interest you,, or even how available the kit might me, but Revell of Ger,many did a 1/72 Fw-200A first released in 1991, and it appeared as a civil airliner and also as a Lutfwaffe Fw-200c transport. I had the Revell Luftwaffe transport boxing, and it was a pretty nice kit, but I sold it. See the link to a build article. Happy New Year to you and yours! Mike https://www.hyperscale.com/2023/features/fw200a72rs_1.htm

I think I stated that in my first post, but it ,might not have been clear; as stated on the F-106 website, only 75 of those F-106's that had the tape instrument panel upgrade received the M61A-1 cannon and the other associated changes listed. I can edit the first post if you think that would make things more clear. Mike

Jim Rotramel, an ex-F-111 WSO, is regarded by many to be THE modeling authority on the F-111. He has posted an eight part series on the F-111 which has all of the information you might need to model any and all variants of the Aardvark. I have posted a link to the first installment below, titled F-111 in Detail, Part One. IIRC, all eight parts can be found on the Hyperscale website, but you can also do a search for each installment on the internet by typing F-111 in Detail Part Two, Part Three, and so on. This should get you started. Hope this helps; we can sure use more F-111's around here! Mike http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/f111indetailjr_1.htm You can also go to this website to download a copy of the EF-111 flight manual that also might have some useful information: http://aviationarchives.blogspot.com/2020/02/general-dynamics-ef-111a-raven-flight.html

This just in! After repeated internet searches and after changing the wording of the search a couple of times, I found a website that has detailed photos of the optical gun sight fitted to the F-106A six shooters! I don't think I have ever seen any photos of this sight, so I was one happy camper! Had to share it with all of you that might have an interest in building one. The 1/72 Meng kit comes with a very nice M61A-1 cannon that can be inserted in the rear weapons bay, or with the modified doors also included, you can model the doors closed, with just the fairing covering the gun barrels exposed. The kit also has two canopies, one of which is the frameless hood fitted to the six shooter Delta Darts, as well as what looks like a very simplified representation of the gun sight, part E1. I hope this information will be useful- especially to @Hook and @Jure Miljevic! Mike. https://www.mcchordairmuseum.org/PIC PG F-106 gunsight.htm

We had a discussion a few years back on the Project Six Shooter program, which was a 20mm Vulcan cannon fitted in the armament bay of those Delta darts that had the tape intrument upgrade; the mods included the cannon, ammunition tank, NACA ducts on the armament bay doors to purge gun gasses, an optical gunsight, and a blown canopy. Just this evening, I found a video that shows the gun in operation during testing. I thought some of you who have the Hasegawa or Meng F-106A kits might be interested in the footage as a reference for building six shooter Delta Dart. Mike video via You Tube You can also go to the F-106 website for photos, text, and serials; an excellent site for all F-106 variants: https://www.f-106deltadart.com/

Thomas, Not much help as to colors of the weapons bay doors/launch rails, but e pretty interesting short video on their operation! Mike https://packaged-media.redd.it/97cqbzo6lc9a1/pb/m2-res_360p.mp4?m=DASHPlaylist.mpd&v=1&e=1703628000&s=9f365248767237ddc8af0aac6113833c928fbfac#t=0

I am no expert on USN aircraft colors and markings, but almost all of the color photos I have seen of the first one built, BuNo 37970, show it to be in overall insignia red, FS11136, and in the photos the red bar of the national insignia matches the red of the airplane; I also have been to the NMNA at Pensacola where the 1st prototype is on display,, and it is finished in insignia red. I have seen in some color photos that it looks to be a red-orange, but that might be due to lighting, film, or camera filter. The second one built, BuNo 37971 was also painted in insignia red, and was destroyed in a crash, and the third and last one built, BuNo 39792 was delivered to NACA and was finished in gloss white overall, and was placed on display at the Marine Air Ground Museum after its retirement, IIRC. If he isn't too busy with other projects, maybe @Tailspin Turtle could shed more light on the finish. Red or white, it was a very handsome airplane! Mike

I'm so glad I could be of help. IIRC, the same author is also working on another volume that will cover all of the versions from the prototype to the B-24D. Keep an eye out for it! Mike

Very nice build, FB! So nice to see one in something other than the standard IJA colors and markings. It reminds me of that b&w photo of several of the captured IJA/IJN fighters in flight, with a Seafire escort, if memory serves. All of which were shipped back to the U.S. on an escort carrier, were tested, and unfortunately almost all were scrapped when the old Douglas C-54 plant in which they were being stored for a proposed museum was re-activated for the Korean War. I have read that many of those Axis aircraft ended up as landfill for what became Chicago O'Hare Airport. But, I digress- you did a bang-up job on this one. I bet all those Allied airmen who flew it really enjoyed it, as it hand wonderful handling characteristics. Mike This link might be of interest to those considering a similar build; it lists the known Axis aircraft captured and evaluated by the U.S. after the war; what an impressive and priceless collection this would have been. Hap Arnold had the right idea- a shame his plans fell through. https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/Captured_Axis_Aircraft.html

I thought I felt a disturbance in The Force! Something that is not a Sabre and doesn't have slats? What is this world coning to? That being said, Duncan, that's a very nice vacform done very well. Gordon Stevens gave the modeling world many types that had never been nor will be ever released- in any form. Best holiday wishes to you and yours from the Lone Star State! Mike

Sigh....so pretty, and so easy on the eyes and ears! Thanks for making my day! Mike

Not like this one, and not nearly as good or as informative or collegial! (Julien made me say that!) Mike

Thank you so much for sharing these great photos! Taiwan and South Korea always seem to take great care of their gate guards and preserved aircraft. The way things are going in that part of the world right now, I hope they aren't sorry that they retired many of them! Mike

You don't see too many SBD's modeled, and done this well! There's just something about a USN airplane in Kiwi markings! Betting Alan @LDSModeller is going to like this one! Well done! Mike

Beautiful Viper! The upper surface paint is very realistic and subtly done! Mike

As already stated, the weapons, weapons bays, and cockpit are outstanding! Beautiful workmanship and museum quality all the way! Mike