tempestfan

Downloaded - that looks impressive! Thanks for sharing!

It's possible the wing changed position during the development (or at least the upper shoulders' geometry was changed), as the initial Italeri kit (1/72) had a distinct step down from the intake trunks upper to the shoulder fairing, while the Airfix had it level (IIRC), and the final product had the shoulder fairing slightly proud of the intake trunks at its highest point. I think @Giorgio N may be able to clarify this, in particular for the Italian protos.

Not sure if this adds anything valuable, but from the 2000 edition of Air Britain's AA/AZ book (which I think was compiled from yet a different source): - AK739, missing, presumed shot down by Bf 109s near Gazala, 21. (sic)3.42 - AK759, soc 1.6.43 - AK767, missing 15.2.42 [only ME indicated, not 94 as with the others] - AK807, stalled and spun into ground during practice dogfight 20m SE of LG.115, 15.3.42

Rob, I think your pics show pretty clear what the posts quoted by Tommy @Tailspin Turtledescribe as „fat“ in the Hase kit. Among the top 3 of my list is a bulgeless -1 „The first of the last of the Gunfighters“ from the 65 years old Lindberg kit in an attractive livery if only I can find a correlation of BuAer/VF/no bulge for the one I would like - Ginter has only stbd. pics for the livery I‘d like. I‘ll get back to this someday after 15+ years dormancy

I am pretty convinced the Hase canopy (and the canopies in its offsprings) suffers from being too wide at the rear and hence having an excessive (and very noticeably at that) taper. One of the Ginter books upstairs should have dimensioned drawings in it (though probably only for the stations) - not sure if the Vought publicity drawings are helpful?

You are cruel, man, you make me want to have this one... I haven't looked at the other for fear of a heart attack seeing the postage. Have you looked into other services? Just as a suggestion, I ordered a parcel full of books from HLJ recently, and it cost less than 50 € from Japan to Germany with FedEx, arriving on my doorstep in 4.5 days (!) within placement of the order.

I mostly agree with the Esci kits mentioned except the F-100; I never checked myself but the kit got rather bad reviews when new, with mention of looking more like a Super Mystère in the fuselage... BTW, the Su-7 is not an Esci kit but was only briefly reboxed by them in 1991 or so - It's an OEZ original that was also reboxed in the 90s by Revell. The F-5 is OK but I'd prefer Monogram. The A-7 also is one of their oldest moulds but I think better than the F-100. Not mentioned and for a good reason is the F-18. I will repeat "most of Monogram jets", exceptions have been detailed above. As OEZ has been mentioned, I'd say all three kits released by them may be found worthwhile (MiG-21 late, Su-7, Su-25), even though they are somewhat chunky. I am pretty convinced the same design team was also responsible for the Smer MiG-17 (and derivatives) and KP Su-17/22, two kits that should be available quite cheaply (probably in a MisterCraft box). I have always been rather fond of the Revell F-16. It's old, has raised panels, but later issues were upgraded with a Monogram-sourced ACES and other stuff. With its long production life and plenty of competition, you should be able to get one at a very affordable price. In contrast, I'd NOT consider Revell's 70s toolings for the F-4, F-14, F-15 and F-18; not sure about their A-10, but it may be quite tough to get one anyway, as I don't think it was in production in the past 30 years (which may be due to Revell-Monogram considering the Monogram mould to be better). Hasegawa had a rather good A-7, which was reboxed by Revell some 20 years ago (god, I am getting old!), and I guess it should be possible to find one at an acceptable price; similar for the Hase Brit Phantom - you can hardly do anything wrong buying one in a Revell box.

Indeed - Starfix kits used to be something you had to give money with to get rid of them until not too long ago (in particular the "black" 80s boxes), but I have seen some older boxings go for astonishing amounts. Chances are that their "F-5E" is a copy of the Matchbox kit, as are their P-51D, A6M2 and Alpha Jet - but it may be a Hase copy. The "T-38" is a copy from the early 70s of the Hase kit, I think. Would have to check if the Hase (or its Frog rebox) contains the tanks, but probably if they are included in the Starfix "T-38". The Hase F-5A used to be around cheaply in older boxings as well. Indeed, they do not look particularly convincing with their super-bulbuous nose. And they appear to have a "symmetric" waist on their entire circumference, when I am quite convinced the waisting was much more pronounced inboard than outboard in plan view. Besides, while PM kits (or certain of them) used to be similar to Starfix in that you had to accompany them with cash, that seems to have changed after the company founder's death and the decision of the heirs to stop producing kits. However a couple of years back a number of them made a surprise reappearance, including some reboxings of (Italeri, I think) new kits.

I probably wouldn’t have noticed, but it looked like there was an „extension“ visible on the port tank. Thinking about it, an overhead view may be best for your purpose, as the waisting was most pronounced inboard. It’s a pity there’s no really comprehensive single-source account of the F-5 to my knowledge - probably due to its „poor man‘s fighter plane“ tag line.

Looking at the „footprint“ shadow in that pic, her tanks show a fin each side that was not carried forward into production. From that angle, I would not bet the overall shape is the same in the first place - so perhaps it would make sense to look for a profile pic first (if you haven’t already) to establish whether a kit tank is the best starting point.

What you describe must be the Merlin Stagger. I have one too (yes, there was another one who found a poor fool to buy it off him at some convention. At least it was cheap...).

What about the Revell kit from the late 80s? I don't think accuracy was high on their list, and as the "main" kit was for H-34s, it may well have had the small windows. What may otherwise rule it out (apart from it looking like being tooled by Heljan, which translates to an euphemistic "rather crude") is the nose, but the HCC 4 boxing may be suitable.

A pretty logical opposite/contrast to "smooth" would be "coarse" (for the Special Night), but I doubt it is that simple... The initial explanation for "Type S" (as in Authentics Sky) I have read was to relate to the surface characteristics, but later I've also read references to denoting "synthetic". And while the "Type S" apparently was not part of the official paint name anyway, I fail to see why Sky would be the only paint where a particular reference to the chemical base was required.

Whatever you do, avoid the Lindberg. Their mid 60s range of mainly German 1/72 kits is mainly horrible. Say about their 50s kits what you will but at least they have charme (and some are rather good IMHO). I am pretty certain they did at least 3 or 4 boxings, including trainer and Nightfighter.

I have a faint recollection of a Master conversion in an early edition of SAM (first 8 volumes), but it may have been for a Master I before the Pegasus kit appeared.

Ouch Ouch- thanks but no thanks There’s another 2nd hand copy in Germany close to the original retail, which I’d prefer…

Seems you got the last one - now "temporarily out of stock", but as it was on clearance at Sylvie quite some time ago (I bite myself now not buying it), this will be permanent I guess.

Their first Tempest was released in 1997 or thereabouts and was one of their first non-WW I kits - one could say it was an entirely different Eduard then. It was short in the forward fuselage by some 5mm, and the plastic cockpit parts were useless - the resin in the ProfiPack was indispensable for the basic cockpit. The rest not really, as e.g. the wheels were simple single part copies of the plastic parts, with pathetically shallow „slots“.

I can understand this - obviously they rate quality far more important than quantity; had there not been the rave reviews of the Dora books which I missed when originally released, I wouldn't have considered spending the amount on them I did. The 262 book is still available from their website at EUR 33.00.

I guess it depends on the base of the Squadron - if in Scotland, most likely green or brownish-green (e.g. I think all of the Islays), but some excellent single malts come in uncoloured bottles (Scapa, Highland Park, a lot of the Speysides). South of the border - no clue. Slainte !

Many thanks, your edit was simultaneous with my post, and answers that question. BUT - if Rote 31 was from the same unit and wore red tactical markings at the same time - wouldn't that leave both options, possibly? One thing in favour of blue ***might*** be the top photo @SafetyDad posted - the stripes on the extending footstep which should be red (unless it's a Ford T) show a discernible difference in tone to the "18" to my (admittedly bad) eyesight; no expert in RLM red tones, and ignorant whether there were different shades for different purposes as in the case of 04 and 27, but may this have been a factor in the re-interpretation?

You are very welcome There must be a reason why I spent 250 € for those books (well, there is another one, but don't hold your breath...).

Sorry, I misquoted Deboeck/Larger/Poruba, in that the colour photo analysis was NOT of the S-8 but of Rote 31 (an A-6/8 hybrid, as they identify it). Their wording suggests that (a) colour photo(s) of "31" exist that confirm the pale yellow. As Poruba has co-authored both the Dora and EKG(J) books: Does he give any more background to his change in interpretation from red (which appears very logical) to blue, e.g. newly found documentation?

Ohhhh, Ted Hooton's Spitfire Special issue - Vol. 5 #5 IIRC? Some good things don't die

So do I JaPo Dora C&M Vol. 1 covers -115 on pp. 140-144 has several photos and a profile. The authors' conclusion from photo analysis and colour pics of an S-8 from the same unit (I./EKG (J)) is that 18 and wavy line are red; the fuselage band on the S-8 is described as a washed-out pale yellow, much paler than 27. They conclude this also applyies re -115, which fits with the photos - though I'd have expected the depiction in the profile much less saturated than it is, as the band is really very pale in the pics.