Bedders

What’s the best thing for NMF these days? I’ve been using Alclad over the last few years but I’d like to find a less smelly and more user-friendly alternative. Any thoughts? Justin

Good prints of the belly of Lou IV. They appear to show a lamp just forward of the tailwheel. I knew that at least some Allison Mustangs had that, but this the first time I've seen one on a D model. Were they common? Justin

Delighted to see Thunderbird in the air again. Worth noting that the propeller used now is different to the racing original, which had paddle-shaped blades with rounded tips. I think I read somewhere that they were modified Mosquito blades. In Any case, one of the prettiest Mustangs ever, with added magic through the James Stewart connection. justin

Is there any chance that the hosts can send a message to all those signed up to Group Builds that the start date has arrived? As a means of reminding us to get weaving? J

Lovely jobs both of them Shaun.721 is an absolute peach in the PRU Blue. Justin

No it doesn’t have both canopies unfortunately.

Looking forward to the Spitfire I/II/V when they come...?

The PR X seems to have disappeared from retail. Any news on a new batch? JB

V interesting indeed, and these later pics clear up a lingering doubt in my mind that G’s undersides were repainted light blue to remove the unloved black & white. They weren’t, which means my model can now be finished, finally. J

Benvenuto Stefano!

Wishing you all the best as you get this thing licked Bill! JB

Managed to get this one finished between two house moves, so it's currently the only model I have that is not in a packing box. It's the Xtrakit Spitfire XII which was re-released recently and which I had long coveted given it was impossible to find for too many years. Given my temporary circumstances it's mostly an OOB build but I opted to avoid the much-modelled MB882, or MB858 which I built in the 80s using the Aeroclub vacform conversion. That too remains in a packing box so when I can find it I'll dig it out and if I'm brave enough will post a pic here. In any case for this model I've chosen to represent MB878, the fifth-last XII to be built, and which initially served as a trials aircraft for centreline bomb racks. Eventually it went to 41 Squadron in June 1944 and was used by Flt Lt Terry Spencer to destroy a V-1 on 19 August near Appledore in Kent. Philip E West's beautiful painting depicts the scene with the aircraft wearing codes EB-L. Ultimately in September 1944, with 41 converting to Mk XIVs, MB878 went to the Fighter Leaders School in Northumberland. Happy finally to lay my hands on this kit I really enjoyed building it, despite the extra work that Sword kits (they produced it for Xtrakit) require. The cockpit decals are fiddly but nice, and the canopy mask is handy. The only real change I made was to use an Eduard Mk IX non-tropical carburettor intake as it seems to represent the original rather better than the Xtrakit version. The frame for the snow guard (seen in photos of 41 Sqn machines) came from an old AZ kit. I also added an Eduard mast antenna and a spare 30 gal slipper tank, stuck on with BluTack so it's not a permanent feature. And I chopped up the kit decals to make the codes/serials I needed. Paint was Xtracrylix for the main colours, with Tamiya Sky and Yellow. Anyway, please see some quick iphone photos below, and hope you like it. Finally here's that wonderful Philip West painting depicting MB878 in action. Justin

Good decision: if in doubt, build a Mustang. And this looks like an interesting subject with the red trim. Enjoy! Justin

Must say Steve it’s actually revived my mojo and I’ve really enjoyed making it. A fair amount of work as ever with the Sword kits but they do reward it. As a way of getting back into the Sword brand before starting this I made a bit of progress on a Seafire XVII which had lain untouched for a couple of years but is now at the paint stage. And I’ve invested in their PR IV to build at a later point. When this gets to RFI I’ll also post a pic (if I can find it) of my previous XII attempt, circa 1986, using an Aeroclub vacform nose on a Matchbox IX…. It’s been a relatively productive winter as far as my Spitfire collection is concerned - I also bit the bullet on a Mk VI which I’ve converted from the Airfix Vc using some KP wing inserts, cannon etc. and Eduard wing extensions. That too is in the paint shop with yellow leading edges and sky fuselage band sprayed. More on that one in due course I hope. Justin

Today was decal day

That's looking magnificent already. Great work. Justin

Just to show I'm a man of my word!

Another beauty. The panel line filling really paid off and the paintwork is excellent. We'll done for sticking at it! Justin

I love 'em both - the I and the 22. Excellent jobs on the pair of them. I like the 22 kit, though as you've shown it has its flaws. But you've really brought out the best in it. Justin

Very nice. Excellent weathering. One day I hope to do their P-40F and will bookmark this build as a reference. J

Good luck with it and I'll be following. I've started something similar in a not-too-systematic way, but have so far only covered 6 Groups. Got decals for most of the rest though. An old friend of my father's once did a representative from each 8th FS - an even greater task. Justin

Ha! Good thought. Actually we might both be half-right, half-wrong, because on a Seafire XV/XVII you had short-barrelled MkV cannon in the inner (and by that point only) bay...! J

Absolutely beautiful. Not much else one can say!

I think the rule is that if you see a short cannon barrel shroud, you're looking at an e wing. The outer cannon was positioned further aft inside the wing, hence it uses the short barrel shroud. If you see a long barrel shroud, then it's because the cannon is further forward, hence it's in the inner bay, hence it's a c wing. Justin

Long live the 1/72 Revolution. And looking forward to the P-51H in due course!