Courageous

Good work with the repaint, looks good. Pity about the 'step' but as you have said, once seen, cannot be unseen. You'll sort it I'm sure, already looking less pronounced. Stuart

I haven't forgotten about this, just needed to get the painting and decals done on other builds. To help with wing security, I had a little chat with Greg @greggles.w. So, out with the mini disc cutter and cut some slots into the metal fuselage to receive some brass rods. Currently experimenting with 5-minute epoxy to see how it works, not sure if its mixture or curing time but it doesn't feel solid enough to file/sand...does it actually go hard? Stuart

And away we go. Due to this numpty not having any interior green, this will be a little disjointed until I get a pot. So I jumped step 5 and built up the wings. Top blisters fitted. Holes drilled to receive cannons. The bit in the middle is the cockpit tub that has a seat and a control stick... As @Col. has mentioned, Fujimi have made this very modular, obviously to accommodate other variants. The carb intake, top engine covers and radiators were assembled. Smaller parts were removed from sprue and cleaned up. The observant among you will have noticed a pilot figure, so yes, this will be in a flying configuration. The pilot will fill the hole, forcing me not to detail the sparse cockpit although I will need to do add an armoured plate behind the seat. There was a section of the fuselage behind the pilot that was a solid platform, this should be open to interior, so this was removed and a little detail (whatever that is) will be added there. Because it's going to be airborne, I haven't fitted the propeller blades, the holes will be filled...sorry, no blurry disk. Just got to think about how to mount it . Test fit of bits...looking very Spitfireish. Stuart

@JWM @RidgeRunner @Terry1954 Thanks guys, much appreciated. Enjoyable build except for the undercarriage. Stuart

@flashlight @JWM @RidgeRunner @danntheman @shortCummins Cheers guys, much appreciated, it was quite fun. Stuart

Fresh off the press is this Zlin XII 2-seater sports plane using RS Model's mixed media kit in 1/72 for the Prototypes, Racers, Research, Record Breakers, Special Schemes mega GB. Thanks for popping by. Stuart

Here's my third completion for this GB: Zlin Z-XII 2- Seater Prototype Sport Plane 1/72 RS Models Build log here: Stuart

Hi all, here is my recently completed Zlin XIII Sports Plane by RS Model's mixed media kit in 1/72 for the 'Prototypes, Racers, Research, Record Breakers, Special Schemes mega GB', build log here: Stuart

Update time. With the decals done it was time to move onto the undercarriage which wasn't very pleasant. For some reason, RS Model decided to make this a three-part affair which wasn't easy. Also, the rearward support strut terminated on the wing which was wrong according to photos and should be on the fuselage in-line with the forward support strut. To make it all correct, a new rearward strut was made as the kit option was now too short. Much swearing was involved, a bit stressful and I forgot to take a pic Eventually the undercarriage was on. Before fitting the propeller it was first painted a sandy colour before some Burnt Umber oil paint applied. To complete the build a PE pitot was added to the starboard upper wing. Mounted on a simple base with a fuel drum (no figures left) for scale. Thanks for following. Stuart

Here's my second completion for this GB: Zlin Z-XIII Sports Plane 1/72 RS Models Build log here: Stuart

Hi all, with three builds nearly in the bag, the F6C will be next for some dirty attention, thought I'd get this going. This will be a Spitfire Mk XIV in 1/72 by Fujimi and will have the scheme of a 41 Sqn aircraft that reputably flew in the Kings Cup Race, Blackpool, 1946 (Scalemates) but according to Wiki, no Kings Cup Race happened in 1946... go figure. @Col. pointed me in the direction of a Mk XIV (RN201) that had this livery and many pics of her exist, thanks Col. Col says its legal, so onwards with the obligatory stuff... The box. The sprues, still in their bags. Instructions, glazing and decals. After completing the Kingcobra, I am now aware of stripping off the unnecessary on these warbird racers. Just wondering if they would've done this on this bird as the Kings Cup Race was a handicap race so... Stuart

I should imagine that if you're going to have 'pram' sitting on its wheels, the majority of the sag would be along the bottom of the track...that's what happened when if lifted one of old metal tracked tanks? Stuart

I have the same kit on the shelf, so I'll tag along and take notes. Stuart

Looks like an interesting subject there Bertie, looking forward to seeing how you handle it...especially the track building. Stuart

@Vesa Jussila @Toryu @Samuraiwarrior @112 Squadron @ModelingEdmontonian @Roberto, thanks guys, much appreciated. Stuart

@Wings unlevel @Terry1954 @Col. Cheers guys, much appreciated. Thanks P, as to whether it was fast, I'm not sure but it was claimed to have a speed of 190mph (300kph). Stuart

Hi folks, update time... With a number of Sol visits to the wheel spat decals, they're done and the model was given a gloss coat o seat the decals. The canopy and windscreen were moulded as one and I wanted to pose the canopy open but wasn't sure how it opened. Anyway, the saw came out and the edges tidied-up. I found an image on the 'net of a XIII with its canopy open thus . The museum XIII has a venturi fitted on the right side and indeed there is a location marked on the fuselage but no part was in the kit. B/w photos also show the XIII with no venturi fitted but I decided to fit a resin one . Almost forgot to fit the aileron mass balances that are a PE option, so I fitted them. So, like the Kingcobra this is all but done, only needs to go onto its base with a suitable figure. Job done, next stop...the gallery. Thanks for following. Stuart

Here is my recently completed P-63 Kingcobra in 1/72 by Dora Wings for the 'Prototypes, Racers, Research, Record Breakers, Special Schemes mega GB', build log here: A lovely kit with it mainly being injection (by ANG), resin wing modification, PE and kit decals. The kit was let down by not turning it into a proper racer; radio and seat armour plate shouldn't be fitted (too late for me) MG ports and hub cannon should be filled/removed are the now obvious ones. The decals took an age to come off the backing paper too. Painted overall with Humbrol 15 and finished as the winner of the Sohio Handicap Trophy Race, 1948. Thanks for looking. Stuart

Here's my first completion for this GB: P-63 Kingcobra Racer Winner of the Sohio Handicap Trophy Race, 1948 1/72 Dora Wings Kit Build log here: Stuart

Very true but getting the right figures is a pita. Get one, you know you want to . Thanks P, appreciated. Definitely finished now. Stuart

Cheers Col. Searching for the above, I found this https://www.aircraft.com/aircraft/28402651/rn201-1945-supermarine-spitfire-mkxiv ... Stuart

Well Alan, I was rather sceptical when I saw the 'hacking' of the poor sheepskin but it seems to be coming together okay in this layman's book. As for the Fushimi Maru build, I'll be returning to that in the New Year after doing a bit of stash reduction via the GB's. Stuart

With a number of builds in the GB nearing the end game, I'm looking at other candidates for the next... and this was on the top of the pile. The thing is, I can't find any images on the 'net to support this, Fujimi must have got the info from somewhere? The kit mentions it as a racer for the KIng's Cup, a handicap race. Can I take it that in this type of race that aircraft raced 'as is' and not adapted for the race, so would retain their armament, armour, radio, etc. If this is okay, then I'll build it but... Stuart

Nice subject...start when you're ready. Stuart

My advice would be to fit the windows before joining the halves, they should be easy enough to mask for painting. Carry on with your weird build good sir. Stuart