Tail-Dragon

I decided to touch up the semi-translucent grey paint with a bit more heavily thinned green to accentuate the patchy paint on the real machine. I think it captures the look a bit better. I also added the fuel feed lines off the belly tank, and realized that Gabreski's machine had the NMF prop dome, but a black hub ... more touch ups!

Just to give you an idea of how that looks ... From what I've read, McNab's Spit did not have the antenna wire from the mast to the tail, but did have the IFF 'cheese cutter' antenna's.

I built this kit and, noting the fact that the mixed grey was applied in Malta hurriedly, I overpainted the wing walk stripes and stencils with the grey. It is a very nice kit, second only to the Eduard! Looks great so far!

Thanks, it doesn't show well in the photo's, but the way it was painted helps, solid green first, then highly thinned grey on top (same way the real airframe was painted), sprayed lightly and repeatedly, so it'd semi-transparent in places. Two of the difficulties are that there isn't any definitive scheme for the wings, and the subtle overspray seen on the serial number masks, and the black invasion stripes on the fuselage. Yellow overspray was airbrushed, then oversprayed with more thin grey, white overspray was done with pastels, sealed with Future.

Thanks, the Ultracast seat is the way to go (IMHO), realistic belts and buckles that stand out far enough to ease painting, nice details and thin side plates.

Summers over, and it's time to head back to the modelling room! With the imminent release of the Minicraft P-47, it seems like a time to work on the Tamiya Thunderbolt. This is almost 'out of box', I just wired the engine, added an Ultracast seat, a gun sight and a few details in the cockpit, and riveted the airframe. I'm going to use the Techmod decals, and paint with Tamiya's acrylics, the way the real one was painted, cockpit in Dark dull green, delivered in natural metal, and finished with RAF green, and then mottled with RAF Ocean grey with metal lowers. I prefer to paint my invasion stripes, and give a white background to the major decals (I've been bitten by translucent decals in the past). Hope you like, so far ... (yes, I know there is controversy about the lower finish, I believe it was left NMF based on photos)

The later P-47D's and the M's had the landing light relocated to the wing tip, and small dive brakes in their place by the wheel well, also.

I also have one of those vacuform contraptions, and was troubled by the bubbles/blisters that seem to form out of the ether using PTEG. I talked to a commercial plastics retailer, and was told that PTEG is hydroscopic, and the bubbles were the result of steam forming in the plastic! He told me that stripping off the protective film, and drying the PTEG for 1 -2 hours over a low heat should eliminate the blistering. I haven't tried it yet, but I thought I'd pass it along. Magnificent work on both the Hamptons, by the way! P.S. I found another article that talks of PTEG ... https://www.therpf.com/forums/threads/vacuum-forming-clear-petg-problems.205666/

If it's of any help, after as much research as I could accomplish, here's what I came up with for my Blenheim IV ...

The Hobbycraft 1/48 DHC-2 Beaver kit "Viet Nam L-20" HC1675 came with wheel and wheel/ski gear.

Here's a cut away, if that helps

If it's any help, here's how I do invasion stripes. Paint the whole area white, then cut a strip of tape the exact width of the stripe. Cut it up into 1/8" (approx.) pieces. These are used just for spacing. Start with the stripe that lines up with the tank and put 3 or 4 pieces back along the wing to define the width and location of the stripe. (This will be a black stripe eventually) Do this again for each of the stripes, and for the outside edges that will be camo. (you end up with 7 columns of small tape pieces that define the exact width and location of the stripes, as well as the edges) Now, remove the tape pieces for the white stripes only, cut long thin (1/8"?) strips of tape and apply them lengthwise in these gaps, butted up to the edges of the spacing tape pieces, and burnish them down. Fill the rest of the white stripe area with tape and burnish. You now have 3 white strips completely masked. Now remove the rest of the spacing tape pieces on the black stripe portion and the outside edges. At this point, you may want to add disc's of tape to go under the roundel decal locations (to prevent translucent decals allowing the black/white edges showing through) and paint the black stripes. Tape over the black stripes, and paint the camo.

That was marvelous! I've had the soundtrack in my CD collection for years (RAF BAND) but never had a chance to see the film until now. Thanks much! Colin

The DC-8 series -10 to -50 had a fuselage length of 150 feet, 8 inches (original fuselage). The DC-8 series -62 (and -72) had a fuselage length of 157 feet, 6 inches (a 6 foot, 10 inch stretch over the -10 to -50). The DC-8 series -61, -63 (and -71, -73) had a fuselage length of 187 feet, 5 inches (long fuselage), (a 29 foot, 11 inch stretch over the -62, and a 36 foot, 9 inch stretch over the -10 to -50) The DC-8 series -10 to -50 and -61 (-71), and wingspan of 142 feet, 5 inches (short wing). The DC-8 series -62, -63 (-72, -73) a wingspan of 148 feet, 5 inches (long wing). ... six different engine combinations! P&W JT3C, P&W JT4A, RCo 12, P&W JT3D-3B, P&W JT3D-7, CFM56-2

Here's an excellent article with lots of reference details on converting to a DC-8-73/F (same fuselage as a DC-8-63). No conversion set, but lots of detail ... DC-8-61 had the long fuselage, but early short span wings, the DC-8-62 had the short fuselage with the later, extended wings, and the DC-8-63 had the long fuselage and the extended wings. The -71, -72 and -73 were the same airframe combinations, but with CFM engines. Freighters designated by an /F. https://airlinercafe.com/modeling-articles/converting-mach2-dc-8-into-a-dc-8-73-freighter-182045/

Here's a link to the original photo ... https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211292

I've done that scheme using the 'Experten' decal sets and research book. The only disagreement with the color scheme above is the dark grey lower leading edge and the unpainted remaining lower surface of the wing. Makes it even MORE patchwork!

Very nicely done, the finish and the photography are excellent!

I'm not sure which forum to put this in. Has anyone heard from, or had success communicating or purchasing from Sanger Vacuforms? I've sent multiple Emails regarding a 1/48 Sunderland Mk III. Gerald Elliott replied to one, saying they had stock, and gave a shipping quote, but has gone radio silent since I responded with a purchase request. I've tried by replying to his Email, and using the Email link on the website.

The letter 'J' is confirmed by photos. The reason, there are as many theories as there are modelers. Manufacturers radio call sign, previous squadron usage, who knows. Some decal and kit makers show a complete 4 letter call sign (but not T6+DP), some show 2 'J's inboard of the crosses. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/luftwaffe/aircraft/Ju-87/T6+DP.html

Excellent! You need a Kingfisher beside it!

I have the SBS set, but I wanted to save it for the Eduard (original flawed) kit. I did use it as a reference and measurements for correcting the almost cartoon like Academy/Hobbycraft kits. (lot's of work). I feel you can make almost anything work with time and patience!

I can't see why it wouldn't, if you willing to do some adjusting. It's made as a drop fit replacement on the Tamiya kit, and the Eduard is rated just as high accuracy wise. Kit breakdown being different, you have to do some fitting and adjusting, but it shouldn't be overwhelming. I plan on using an original issue (inaccurate) G-6 kit, since it already need a lot of work to put right. Also, I'm not getting the "not so good Tamiya' reference, I thought the Tamiya is very good!

Lodestar I believe ... Hudson is shorter, shall we say, heftier, and different window spacing ...

Here's some detail photo's that were sent to me by the always gracious, and incredibly helpful Carl Vincent ... My thanks (as always) to Carl! Colin