Rob G

Well, I did a search online, and found this photo from the Royal Aeronautical Society's files https://www.maryevans.com/search.php?prv=preview&job=5451491&itm=1&pic=10992957&row=1 It was quite difficult to find, took me nearly 3 minutes. Just remember not to fold her wings, that wasn't a feature. (And beware of photos of the one that's flying with that serial, she ain't SR661).

Lovely job of masking there. Well done, that man! Re the thick decals - you've most likely run foul of the issue that faces everyone who wants to make fluorescent decals, the requirement for thick layers of fluoro ink to give any real colour, on top of white to give some depth, which makes the whole thing thick and prone to cracking. Ask anyone who's built an Airfix Vampire or Jet Provost with the Dayglo orange patches.

No, it can't. All that can be done is to surmise, from what is actually known, as to what the colours might be, and use the b/w pattern as a guide. Guessing, even with software, won't even get you into the league, let alone any particular ballpark. Of course, the best way to colourise someone else's photo is to not do it, at all. If it's your own work, do as you will.

Thanks Reini. Ah, the good old 'worn out sanding sponges' trick. If only I had some... I don't, so as I proposed above, I used Tamiya coarse polishing compound to clean things up - not perfect, but the water was quite grey when I washed it away, and things look much better. I'll probably give it a second go, just to see if it can be further improved before work recommences. And yes, it's almost there, as it has been for a number of years. No photos, as essentially nothing's changed. It's been a busy couple of weeks. More anon.

You had to... oh what has the world come to, when people need to look up what the Goon Show is. It seems that the education system is sadly lacking these days. Yes, it's very funny (albeit confusingly madcap until one groks it), and episodes are available through online streaming radio. Highly recommended. Edit to add (because my brain is green jelly) - those are lovely little buildings, quite delightful.

I'll see your bamboo steamer and raise you a leather bombardon! Ying-tong-iddle-I-po!

That's the beauty of the hobby, there's no requirement that you only build one type of thing. Aircraft today, motorcycles tomorrow, scifi next week. Although the options have expanded, the hobby is basically the same as it's ever been - sticking bits of plastic together and bunging a coat of jam over it all. Don't let the profusion of amazing stuff overwhelm you, buy a couple of inexpensive kits and just enjoy doing it again, before you start expanding into all the detail stuff. Tamiya are still issuing some of those kits from way back when, and they're still mostly good kits that can be had for not too many dinero. Also, see if there's a club local to you, meeting others and participating in that way is a great way to (re)learn the skills. Welcome to BM.

I've just noticed. Fixed.

And a couple more photos of what could possibly be a different airframe, with the same set-up. Toward the bottom of the page. https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/hawker-hurricane.42739/page-2?amp=1 A shame that there's no serials visible.

And that's what it's all about. Have fun!

I'm late, too late to actually be of use, but my memory of vehicles of the period (thankfully not too many Transits) are that the engine bay proper was body colour, while the radiator and all its mounting members, including and side panels, were black. I'd say that black is about right (although it's radiator black, which is an odd sort of not-matte-not-satin gloss level).

Right, on with the carnage! Next one on the list is a bit older than the 104, as I said earlier. This build dates back to somewhere in the early 2000s, which makes it of age to vote and drink in most of the world. It's the 1/144 Revell BAe 146, here presented in Australian air Express livery - I used to be able to watch these from my kitchen window, on short finals for my local airport. Don't know if I ever saw this exact one, but close enough! This one's been dragged out and had bits done to it from time to time over the last 20 years, but has been stalled like this for at least 5. All that's needed are a few decals, including the cockpit windows, a few minor repairs to the aerials that I added back when, a bit of painted detail and white paint touchup and the engine interiors and undercart. And then a satin coat and some mild weathering. So not much to do at all, really. Before I make a serious start though, I need to find a way to smooth the paint - it's been washed in warm soapy water, but the dust that settled over the years has marked the paint surface, leaving it rough. I'm thinking about a gentle and 'careful of the decals' polish with Tamiya polishing paste, but I'll take advice. Over to you guys... While I wait, I'll see if I've still got the wheels and such...

Wow, deep. I just get distracted by new and shiny, nothing more than that.

Any completion is a win, in my book, shelf of doom resident or not. Thanks for the compliment, unwarranted as it is.

Me too, and with the same kit (and I'm allowed to start it, but won't until I've effected a bit of a clear up on the half-built.) One day... If you plan on doing the Tiger version, from what I've read the cartoon tiger was only on the port intake, not the starboard, and Matchbox have the aircraft's number wrong - it should be 846. There's a (very) few photos of her available online in the Tiger scheme. I'll wait to see yours before I start on mine!

A rough count shows somewhere in the vicinity of 60 in my shelf/drawers/cupboard collection, so it's probably time that I did summat abart it. Thanks for the comment Colin, I will go and have a wee peek at your dessert frog (sic).

29? When I were lad, you weren't allowed into a toy shop unless you had 29 unfinished kits on a shelf... (some of you may get the mis-quote). Thank you for the compliment.The 104 is OK-ish. It's a Matchbox kit, with all the issues of a Matchbox kit, but it is done, which is more than can be said for the many others hanging about here.

Isn't that thing from a movie? North end of south bound camel ugly, wherever it comes from.

Thanks Andre. It was an early one for me, as well.

Also @Beardybloke , the product can be removed with any cleaning product that contains ammonia - I tend to use Windex, but anything will work. Even a good long soak in the original product will usually dissolve the previous layer - just make sure that you use a different jar of it to your 'good' dipping jar, don't want lumpy.bits on your canopy.

I have a small plastic food container that sits upside down with a piece of well shaken (to get rid of loose fibres) kitchen towel in it. After I've dipped and drained, the canopy is carefully placed on the towel, and the top (which was the bottom) is put on. Then I move it carefully to somewhere where I'll never find it again it'll be safe, so that it doesn't get knocked onto the floor... that keeps the dust off, and protects it while it waits. The product cures fairly quickly, but I leave it as long as possible so that it sets hard, to keep it from getting damaged by handling.

I made myself a commitment a couple of years ago that I wasn't going to start a new model until I'd cleared at least two shelf of doomers away beforehand. That didn't last long, because of reasons. (Mostly to do with the allure of new kits - don't judge me.) Earlier this year, I had a long hard think and recommitted myself to the clearing of the half-built, the abandoned, the unloved waifs and strays. This is because frankly, the quantity of space that they take up on my bench, in the drawers and on the 2 bookshelves is both an embarrassment and an intrusion. So, to that end, I've recently completed (only a year late, which is some sort of speed record for me) my entry in last year's Matchbox GB. I'll drop a picture in here just to prove the point. Yay me. Don't look at it too hard, 12 months of being shoved around the bench hasn't been kind to the Humbrol Metalcote finish, even under a layer of clear, and I've handpainted bits that should've been masked and sprayed, but it's now done and in the display case, which is what's inspired this thread. (I AM somewhat chuffed with the spiral on the pitot though, it worked out a treat.) I intend this thread to be my personal record of my own KUTA, a way of reminding myself that I have things to finish. As I select each to-be-finally-completed candidate, I'll throw a new post up here, and add such updates as seem appropriate. If anyone wants to follow along and cheer (or jeer, either works), you're welcome. Don't expect world class modelmaking, you won't get it. You'll be lucky if I get the right colour crayons and stay inside the lines... Now that the year old F-104 is done, I'm going to move on to the next target, which is... somewhat older than the Zipper. Details in the next post.

I would, but I'd have to kneel, and my knees are crook.

And sneaking in under the wire, I'm announcing that it's done. Not very well, but marginally better than my first attempt back in 1980 or whenever. I'm not going to do an RFI, so what's here is what you'll get. Don't look too hard, it's pants. Thanks.

Nice! While I'm not much of an armour builder, there's a few that catch my eye, and this'uns one of them. There's something about the Boarhound... I'd love a 1/35th kit in plastic.