Trenton guy

At last! For the first time in 65 years of plastic modelling (it was a Hawk 1/48 Mustang), I am giving up on a kit, the CMR Buccaneer, a gorgeous resin kit, it has proven impossible to extract neatly from it’s casting blocks and align properly. Mating surfaces seem to be the Achilles heel of CMR kits. After nearly two years of stop and start frustration, I packed it up this morning and took it to the stash in the cellar. No longer will it sit there and reproach me from it’s position on the bench. THANK YOU Airfix!!! May yet serve a purpose as the world’s most expensive source ot detail parts, when September comes. Can hardly wait.

Can’t get on the Airfix website from any direction. Would appear that interest in the Airfix announcements exceeds the capacity of the trans-Atlantic cables. Who says it is a dying hobby!

Whose molds are all those 1/35 armor from? Based on the selection, and willingness to share molds, my money is on Academy.

Brilliant! Amazing that an accurate modern tooling of this important aircraft took so long. I recognize that calling it accurate at this early date is something of an act of faith, but at this point I feel Airfix is entitled to that bit of confidence. Surely will be better than combining an AZ fuselage with Dragon wings to come even close. Watch that wingspan and sweep angle Airfix!

Thanks to all. If Michael Ullman says it, I’m buying.

Santa brought a copy of Claes Sundin’s “Luftwaffe Bombers, Profile Book No. 7”. Gorgeous profiles, as usual, but two of them bear an overall blue finish with wave mirror squiggles. The color is described as being RLM 83, Dunkelblau. A new one on me. Up until now I had thought RLM 83 to be one of two greens (dark or light, opinions seem to differ) used with RLM 81, so described by virtually every Luftwaffe colors source. I think I have them all starting with the Karl Reis books. Sundun describes RLM 83 as being an overwater color. Both aircraft illustrated in the scheme are Ju-88’s in naval roles. Has anyone seen or heard of any other support for RLM 83 being “Dunkelblau”? Would make a fun model, if there is some additional basis for it.

The difference is there. Pretty noticible if you examine some photos of the nose areaand then the kit. Was a deal breaker for me, as I have quite a collection of HPM/PJ kits which share the problem but are otherwise very nice. Don’t need another one with the same mistake.

Since Academy did Accurate Miniatures mold and production work, and appears to own or control the Accurate tooling, it seems highly unlikely that they would develop a new tool for a model that is well outside their normal wheelhouse when they already own the excellent Accurate tooling. Sorry for the run on sentence. The thoughts just kept on coming.

Revell USA had a B-1 in 1/144. Got mine in a combo set with a B-52H And a B-2. Long since sold on so I can’t remember how nice it was. All I can remember is that one of the kits was a real dog and the other two were very good.

Amen on the resin canopy. Vac-form doesn’t really do it in 1/48th. Despite being a very committed 1/72 modeller, I have secured the 1/48 Hunter T.7 decal sheet from Fantasy Printshop in anticipation of getting my hands on this conversion. There can’t be a better looking aircraft than the T.7, ever, IMHO.

Thanks for the confirmation, Ridge Runner and Laurent. Not an original observation on my part. It was pointed out to me by you, Laurent, just a few months ago in the context of the improved ( surface detail ) HP kit. Special Hobby has been known to make corrections in response to comment here. Let’s hope this is one of those times. It’s surprising that no aftermarket supplier has jumped in to address this Mirage nose issue. Seems a perfect fit for Quickboost.

Looks as good as a Hasegawa kit in the box but not an easy fit. Biggest problems were that the nose glazing was wider than the corresponding fuselage front and the wing roots were not as deep as the wing root fairing on the fuselage pieces. Both easily resolved with a little careful shimming if you know about it before you have the fuselage and the wings firmly assembled. Guess who didn’t. Sorted in the end but I had to resort to sanding down the sides of the nose glazing, polishing it back to clarity and re-scribing the framing. Not for the faint hearted but the glazing was thick enough to permit it. Fixed the wing root problem by matching the top and creating a putty fairing on the bottom. Just don’t turn it over. Seems like fuselage/glazing mismatch is a common issue with MPM/Special Hobby kits, especially older ones. Always a good idea to check before committing to glue.

Is it me, or is the nose/radomes a little slim and lacking the kink (rather than a continuous curve) so apparent in photos of the real thing.

Never miss one of your posts. Absolutely stunning, as usual.

Oh dear! Looks to be gorgeous but 1/48. Sigh! Got a real one just a mile away at the former Willow Grove Naval Air Station, all yellow with a red band around the center fuselage. Would love to model it but in my scale. It is pretty small - perhaps I could make an exception.