bobsyouruncle

Don't know how I missed this (probably too busy doing other stuff), but just been doing some catching up reading the pages. What an awesome build. Love all the details you've been cramming in here. Inspiring stuff. Love it.

To me, (although I feel the pain when things go pear shaped like that), it's also a bit of a source of comfort to me that even some of the most talented guys on here can also be faced with these little 'hurdles' to have to get over. I've been loving watching your build and getting inspired to try things myself. 'Per ardua....' and all that. (Says him that should pay for everyone in the house to have noise cancelling headphones for each time I drop something into the carpet for the fifth time!). Excellent stuff.

Another small update from this week and she's actually starting to resemble an aircraft now, I think. I've used some filler and plenty of sanding to get the body to sit how I'd like it to and will be replacing some of the detail before starting on the paint. I wanted to make sure everything was aligned around the radiator fairing and have altered the braces that fit over the wing spar, so that the fuselage rear section moved up forwards, so as not to leave the gap behind the firewall that I'd noticed in some pics. The wing/fuselage filet had to be filed down to a thin edge to try and get a convincing look too. Some extra filing and riveting to be done around the transport joint for the tail section. I didn't like the seam that ran down the centre of the plates over the joint, so have added a layer on these and will file down and re-rivet. Also nearly forgot, but remembered to add something or the rudder tabs to actuate. Anyway, now looking forward to getting some paint on her and have been looking at the threads on Ocean Grey, etc., and have been trying out some combination experiments of my own on plastic card to see what 'looks right' to my eyes (being green colour-blind doesn't help either) and comparing with colour photos (although they look different from one photo to the next). The colours will lighten up with some 'Normandy dust' added, but Humbrol 106 still looked too dark to my eyes, for the Grey. Cheers Bob.

Managed to finally get back to some modelling again after finishing off the Lightning painting, so I thought it would be good to spend some time sorting out the bomb load, as I'd been wondering how to sort out some of the small details with these. The second mission of the day on August 11th 1944, for Johnnie Button and Zipp X, was an attack on Beauvais Radio station, for which the aircraft were loaded with the 1000 pounders. Looking at the kit bombs, I thought the tail section that bolts onto the rear of the bomb looked a little short, so I filed and sanded the demarcation ridge back, to make the joint further forward a touch. This removed some of the mushroom headed rivets by the apertures for the wing nuts that hold the tail on (which were added using wire insulation and plastic strip), so these were replaced by Archer raised rivet heads. Extra rivets were added around the tail vane. Mr surfacer was stippled over the bomb body to simulate the rough cast look. Airfix don't provide a tail vane (small propeller) for the bomb and I didn't know what to use for those. I wanted something that would hold it's shape when the blades were bent into shape, which I could also cut, but not be too fragile. My solution was to use the ring-pull lid from a tin of soup (tomato in my case). I used an 8mm olive and a hammer to make a circular imprint, which I was then able to cut out using scissors and then filed. I drilled a small hole in centre, wide enough to push a lace pin through. The blades were then marked off and very gingerly cut out using the scissors (had to be very careful not to get too close to the centre hole). The blades were then twisted to make the prop shape and the whole thing threaded onto the lace pin. They I also wanted to add the twin mounting points on the underside of the bomb (which I believe are how the Americans hung them? - please correct me if you know more). These were made using bent fuse wire into drilled holes through a plastic card base. For painting, I went for Humbrol 30 on the bomb body, with some sand and white added or the tail sections (they look lighter to me in some photos). The nose rings, particularly the red ones, from what I could see in photos, looked to be quite roughly painted on and so I decided to paint these on myself rather than the perfect edge of decals (which are included). From the photos I'd found, the stencilling looked different to that provided in the kit, so I was looking for a solution to this. I got two Archer dry transfer sets (letters and numbers), which very closely matched the size and font I was after. It must be the way I was doing it (I tried to follow the video instructions on how to use them), and my hamfistedness, but I couldn't get them to stick where I'd put them and then I was accidentally scraping off ones I had managed to get on. In some places, I used a brush to replace bits of the stencils that had come off and that's when the missus said 'I don't know why you don't just paint the whole lot on' (she'd heard my 'frustrations'). So that's what I did, scraping off the letters and replacing them with paint instead. This also gave me some comfort in thinking that painted letters would be more suited to the weathering that'd follow and painting was much easier than trying to position on the curved, tapered part of the bomb. They're a little raggedy, but I quite like them. I wanted to try out some weathering powder for the Normandy dust but hadn't got any and haven't used them before. I found some at Transport models in Preston and got a small set. I really quite enjoyed this part, using a mix of sand and white and added some chips around the tail section. I might add more but this is the weathered version so far against the unweathered one (I left the two dust-free 'rings' around the bomb body to replicate where they're held in transit cradles). The wires for the safety pin on the arming vane that goes into the wing, will be added when the bombs are hung on the aircraft. Back to the front end of the aircraft now. Cheers Bob.

I've been doing this one on and off since March '18. I got it at Telford for forty something pounds and couldn't believe it was on sale for that price. I'm not in a position where I have lots of spare time to be able to give it, hence the time I'm taking (and I've had to do at least 3 oil paintings for people in that 'spare' time too). I think it's a superb kit. You can build a super model straight out of the box, or let yourself go all the way into as much detailing as you want. I think £60 is awesome value. Today I'm absorbing myself with a pair of 1000lb bombs for it. Always takes my mind away from the real world for a few hours each time. Great fun.

I really enjoyed the annual mooch around SMW this year. Lots of superb models to inspire and impress (and encouragement to finish mine off). I was a little disappointed when the Airfix leak was announced, as I'd been quite excited about what it might be (but not enough to have to take extra meds) and I wasn't as excited about going after that. I was happy that the Vulcan will please so many and hopefully do well for Airfix too, but the dark side of my mind wandered into thoughts like 'won't it just be two parts - top and bottom?'. Anyway I was glad that when I saw it, it certainly looked the part and came with a tail, undercarriage set and crew access ladder too. (It looked suitably more complex than my dark fears suggested and I loved the wing leading edge kinks). Big thanks also to Nick at the Harrier SIG stand for leaving a baggage pod to pick up. Too many great models on show to list. I was pleasantly surprised by the 32nd scale Italeri F35A in the competition area and it gave me hope that their forthcoming 32nd Scale Tornado GR4 might be pretty good too? Will have to wait and see. In the style of Jesse's diets:- This year,.. I arr mostly been buyin'.............brushes!

Thanks for the generous comments, gents. Actually, it's had a few amendments added since this 'finished' shot was posted. Somehow, I'd missed the UHF antenna that sits near the starboard side of the forward undercarriage bay (added now, but not seen in that image), plus some extra stencils on the rear fuselage. I'm not sure what 'FYP' is, mackem, sorry. I just tried googling it and it said 'fixed your post'? I'm lagging a bit with these abbreviation things. I might get some prints done of various subjects. A good chap left the printers I was using before and I'm looking for another one which will be nice quality without being overly expensive for anyone. Also, the paper has been hit and miss regarding remarques, so I'm looking for a nice paper that will handle remarques well. Cheers guys, Bob.

Prompted to post here by mackem01, thanks, I've been reminded that this painting is now considered finished. Oils on canvas 60 x 91cms (36" x24"). The subject here is Lightning F6 XS933 of 5 Squadron, August 1987, firing a live Red Top missile at a Jindivik-towed flare package, low over Cardigan Bay, Wales. Backdrop is looking towards Cadair Idris. Not pulling too much 'G' whilst firing, hence the absence of wingtip vortices. Cheers Bob.

Firstly, I've got a cupboard full of kits that will make up into fine models as soon as time permits and have already been spoilt by these, so I acknowledge that I have no right to be asking for any more to be produced for me. That said, I always enjoy the bit of fun that this thread brings at this time of year and have to make my contribution to get it to 30 pages by Telford. Others have already pointed out that Airfix only do their 24th scale subjects every few years, but these are the real eye catchers for me. As I said, I've already got what I wanted, but I'd be very sorely tempted (in fact I'd just have to get the card out again), if I was confronted by brand new, up to date, state of the art,....... 24th scale kits of either the Harrier or Hawk. What's not to like about these? They've already shown that a Harrier's not too big in 24th, but can you imagine an up to date tooling version? An airshow icon, proven in combat and known to everyone. Then there's the superb little Hawk trainer. Again, not too big and with all the bells and whistles of an up to date tooling. They are British classics and have 'Airfix' almost written on them. All the colour schemes: camouflage, grey, gloss black and specials plus weapons fits......and then there's also the Reds. A new line in state of the art 24th scale figures (resin?) to match would be a perfect complement. I think they'd sell.

Yes please. Will pm you when I get back home on Friday. Thanks.

Thanks guys that’s great, thank you very much. Yes it’s the Kinetic T4 I’m using and the baggage pod sounds great. Thanks for all the help. Cheers Bob.

Thanks very much for that Ian. I've just mailed them so will see what they say. Last shot I found of her in 233 OCU markings was dated 1987 and the first one I can find in 1 Sqn markings so far is Dec 1992. I found the yellow outlined number style I was after was also in shots on the 1 Sqn Harrier GR5s, so that's that one sorted. I was reading in 'Harrier Boys' that 1 Sqn had T4 XZ147 until September '91 when that aircraft suffered a low-level birdstrike and was destroyed (crew thankfully got out but not without serious injuries to Cadet pilot Kate in the rear seat). I don't know how many T4s were on the Squadron, but the replacement for that could have been XZ145? I'll see what I can get from Hendon. Thanks again. Bob.

Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

Hi Gents, I've been trying to find out to which Squadron T-bird Harrier XZ145 was in the markings of in August 1991? I've searched quite a bit online and have found shots of her in 233 OCU markings in 1987 and in 1 Sqn Markings in 1993 but think she was with 20 Sqn somewhere in between? I found a shot online in those markings but can't find it again for the date. Also, has anyone got any close-up shots of the tail numbers of 1 Sqn in that era to confirm\deny that they look like Red numbers with Yellow outlines? (or do you know if these markings are in the Airdoc British Harriers book, as I've already ordered that one). Thanks for any help. Cheers Bob.

Thanks for that too Motley. Yes I've been looking at shots of ZA412 and it looks like it's got the right and left side panels as per the raspberry ripple one Mozz linked to, with the centre one looking like in this video (you can see the instruments better when it's turned off the runway with the light coming from behind). Cheers Bob. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDwktPbqUIg