Steve Coombs

Gotta have something decent to put the soon-to-be released Xtradecal sheets on!

You'd think they'd have learned how not to make fizzy helicopters by now. I wonder how the RN's ex-RAF Merlins are doing?

The Italeri kit is from the 1990s, or, at least, I built one in 1992. The current Revell kit is about a quarter of a century younger, and quite different.

Just seen in the news that Rutger Hauer has died. Time to watch Blade Runner again.

And there's this: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/raf-1990-tornado-gr1-6sq15sq16sq-75th-ann-x018-72-xtra-decal-x72018-aircraft-scale-modelling-decals/product/?action=prodinfo&art=3606 https://www.aviationmegastore.com/raf-tornado-gr1-9sq-hawk-t1-4fts-c1p-gr5-1sq-x012-72-xtra-decal-x012-72-aircraft-scale-modelling-decals/product/?action=prodinfo&art=2624 Better get in quick, they're the last ones!

There were some Fineline decal sheets with some nice colourful Tornado markings, but they are none too common now. I had a look at the inventories of the usual suspects online and drew a blank, but then found this: https://www.aero-spezial-modellbauversand.de/Decals/Fineline/Massstab-1-72/FD72006-Meteor-Tornado-Sea-King::2742.html Postage may be a punisher, though. Perhaps we should ask those nice people at Hannants if they would repop some of the early Xtradecal sheets. Perhaps they could cunningly be tailored to the Revell GR1 kit, which is arguably the best on the market.

This build is going to be interesting. But I have to get rid of this earworm first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFAhXvX0fHM

Ooh, that's good. If you don't mind my asking, what did you do regarding the wing-sweep airbags?

Interesting. That means someone is confident it won't be needed as a lorry park if the Dover roads get clogged up.

Congratulations on your engagement! You didn't do the deed on the Bedruthan Steps, I hope? This is where my mother accused my father of trying to do away with her after an adventurous climb...

My V-bomber stash is precisely half the size! I suspect I am in a SABLE state (third definition down), but would readily make room for a 21st century Vulcan kit. Airfix, you know it makes sense. (Why not? My pleas for modern Phantom and Buccaneer kits were answered...)

I still have my Valiant in the stash, and will get round to it sometime in the 2020s by the way my builds are going at the mo! In the interim, I will watch this build with interest. When my turn comes, I shall refer to the General's build as a guide and for inspiration.

Please be very careful with the air intakes, not just with the joins to the fuselage but to the wing too, to avoid irritating steps.

I don't know if this is my inner INTP speaking, but I put stencils on first and finish with larger squadron markings and so on. For me, psychologically, this works better than putting on the flashy stuff to begin with and then fretting over the small stuff later. Your mileage may vary.

Isn't the paint sequence LEA (as in lacquer, enamel, acrylic)? You can use enamels and acrylics over lacquer, and acrylics over enamel. Doing it the other way gives you a Cocteau Twins EP cover