Antti_K

Hello Simon! I believe that you are using Quick Boost set QB 48 597. Here is some information for your project: For FAW.1 use only QB parts 2 and 3 for FAW.2 use only QB parts 2 and 3 for FAW.4 use QB parts 2 and 3 and only the outer "Control Feel Simulator" pressure heads (kit parts G23 & G24) for FAW.5 use QB parts 2, 3 and 4 and only the outer "Control Feel Simulator" pressure heads (kit parts G23 & G24) for FAW.6 use QB parts 2 and 3 ( I'm not sure about 4) and only the outer "Control Feel Simulator" pressure heads (kit parts G23 & G24) for FAW.7 use QB parts 2, 3 and 4 and all four pressure heads (kit parts G23 & G24) for FAW.8 use all QB parts but note that some aircraft didn't have the scoop under front fuselage (QB part 4) for FAW.9 and FAW.9R use all QB parts. Scoop on the port intake (QB 1) is the air outlet for the missile control cooling system. As mentioned scoops 5 and 6 are the cold air intakes for the re-heat system. Note also that only FAW.8 can be built from the kit with minor modifications. FAW.7 and earlier marks had different wing leading edge (they didn't have the cambered section) so they require much more work. For example FAW.4 had totally different panels in the fin than let's say FAW.8 or 9. Best Regards, Antti

Hello Korean! You may find this useful. Unless you have already seen it http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235002927-green-for-soviet-aircraft/ Best Regards, Antti

Hello all! Gabor, once again thank you for the photo and information. There has never been such varieties in Finnish MiGs. I think we have a factory fresh antenna plate (just like in your photo) somewhere... Now I must find it for a closer look We have also original factory drawings for MiG-21 BIS; fascinating stuff! They look like they originate from the 1920s. BR, Antti

Hello all! Thank you Gabor and Serge! Very interesting and good information. I made my comparisons from port main wheel, radome and both dorsal and ventral fins. The MiG is still in it's original paint and in very good condition as it has been in the hangar all the time. I used "Mk. 1 Eye-ball" under day light and the hue is the same at all places. Of course the paint have to be a different type for different purpose. Slightly off-topic but interesting detail all the same: at least one of the Finnish Air Force Il-28s had it's wheels painted in olive green completely different than used in MiGs. This took place in the late 1980s when the aircraft was going through a major overhaul at the USSR. BR, Antti

Hello again James! I just opened my note book. The green for wheels and and antenna panels is NCS S4550-G20Y. It is quite close match for F.S. 595a 14090 but the actual colour is a little bit more darker. In the RAL system RAL 6002 is a very good match. Model colours then; I use mainly Humbrol enamels and the closest equivalent is Hu 131. It's hue looks good but Hu 131 is too light. BR, Antti

Fantastic model! The paint work and weathering look great. The navigation lights caught my eye: Red should be on the left (port) wingtip and green on the right (starboard). Best Regards, Antti

Hello James! I made a colour comparison from a Finnish Air Force MiG-21 BIS. I have a NCS (Natural Colour System) code for that green. Using that code you can find out paint that looks best to your eye. I will post the information later today as I am at the office right now. Best Regards, Antti

Hello 28ZComeback! Years ago (in the 1990s) Paul Lashmar wrote an article for Aeroplane Monthly about post war RAF PR operations. He mentioned briefly that No. 39 Squadron used PR.34 at the "Canal Zone" (Suez). I have that magazine somewhere... I have seen a photo of 39 Squadron PR.34 in PRU Blue overall scheme with blue/red roundels. As such the plane could have been either war time or post war Mosquito. Best Regards, Antti

Hello Duncan! I would go for Dark Green cockpit coaming. Note that there is also a Dark Green band on the nose between radome and NMF fuselage surface. Here is one colour photo of XH898: http://www.pienoismallit.net/galleria/referenssi_13662/ Once again, great picture Dennis. Thank you for sharing! BR, Antti

Hello Dennis and Duncan. A nice photo of "Oscar" Dennis, thank you for sharing. It seems we have a little bit of a mystery in our hands: that black triangle. I spent some time (again) with Javelin Pilot's Notes but there is absolutely nothing about this triangle. I was thinking that it could have been a cover for some recessed antenna. EE Canberra had an "arrow head" shaped cover on the bottom in front of the nose gear bay. Nice work with the roundels Duncan! I might try this technique also with my XH766. This will be much easier if there is no need to paint a white circle on the wing. BR, Antti

Hello Duncan! Check my Javelin underside: http://www.pienoismallit.net/galleria/malli_12755/kuva_117667/ You can easily see the black triangle on port side close to the "bosom" tank. It has been and still is a mystery for me. You can see that triangle on FAW.7s also. I had insufficient photographic reference when I built this model. A photo discovered later showed clearly that XH961 had "round" serials at that time. I mentioned a photo in Warpaint series book. It was XH890 on page 22, not XH960 as I said earlier. Sorry BR, Antti

Looks great Mark! I didn't realize that you are building a model in1/72 scale; somehow I got the impression that this will be in 1/48 scale. Well done! BR, Antti

Hello Duncan! I've seen photos of operational Javelins with square type wing serials. One example of a FAW.9 (XH960) is in "Warpaint no. 17 Gloster Javelin". I think that these square codes were used along with original camouflage. A question came to mind: do you know what that "black triangle" under port air intake trunk is? When planes were re-painted this triangle was "deleted". BR, Antti

Duncan, it was well worth the effort. The paint work looks really amazing. I hope to master NMF some day. I'm measuring and drawing masking templates for XH766. It is great fun because I have good photos from all four sides. This will be even more accurate than my XH961. And I have a new good quality photo of the wing tanks. I've got the lightning flashes already wrong twice. I made the canopies to be movable. It was a little harder job than I anticipated. BR, Antti

Wow! This looks absolutely beautiful Duncan! The NMF makes this model to turn heads. I'm speechless when I'm thinking the masking you have done. Thank you for the compliments for my Jav BR, Antti

Hello all! I just double checked the roundel sizes for upper surfaces. This information goes for XH707, XH961, XH766 and XH893 of No. 64 Squadron from late 1966(?) / early 1967 onward. These pictures were taken over Singapore on 13 April 1967. XH766 has very faded roundels (blue is almost completely faded away). XH707 in turn looks like it has it's roundels painted only recently. When studying photos of 60 & 64 Squadron Javelins it looks like the roundel blue faded away in one year or so. Using this information we may say that this roundel size was in use (at least in FEAF) from spring 1966 onward. The Airfix decal is in correct size and Xtradecal too small for these four Javelins. Duncan: I painted a white disc on the upper surface before applying camouflage colours. Then I cut the roundel in two, removing a band containing the holes for vortex generators. Finally I cut an aperture for the stall warning vane. Then some touch up work with blue and red paint. I used white Caran d'ache crayon to create the sun burn effect. Unfortunately I used Humbroll enamel Matt Cote (glass bottle) for the matt finish. It is still sticky after two years. Maybe it is intended only for air brush work and I only use paint brushes... Here is the outcome: http://www.pienoismallit.net/galleria/malli_12755/ Best Regards, Antti

Oh dear I have that book... It seems that I must read my books more carefully. Which plane are you building? I have the Alleycat conversion set for a FAW.4 so XA636 of No. 41 Squadron might be my next one... or the colourfull FAW.9 XH897 from Boscombe Down or... FAW.4 requires quite a lot of work because many panel lines has to be filled and then new ones scribed in new positions. BR, Antti

Hello Duncan! I just painted the canopy frames of my second "big" Javelin! This will be XH766 of No. 60 Squadron. As you mentioned this is a superb kit; maybe the best Airfix ever produced. I have noticed the same discrepancy with the roundels. According to photographs FAW.9s had "bigger" and "smaller" roundels on wing upper surfaces. For example the former 64 Squadron FAW.9Rs (XH766, XH895, XH843...) had the bigger ones (straight from the kit decal sheet) after they were re-painted in Singapore. Some maths with photos taken directly above confirms this. Undersides then. I have only one good quality photograph of a FAW.9 (XH960) taken directly below. Some more maths says that Xtradecal has it right. I have eight books about Javelin, magazine articles and hundreds of photographs (yes, I'm a big Javelin fan) and not a single reference mentions roundel sizes. What book can I buy next? Waiting also someone to produce yellow stencils for my third Javelin... Best Regards, Antti

Helo all. In the manual the seat is named Bombenschutzensitz with umlaut (those little dots above u); I can't find that function on my keyboard. Sorry for the confusion Best Regards, Antti

Hello V-P! This is guess work, but: the part #96 (JU-88) could indeed be a bomb sight for level bombing. Original airplane manual names the seat (part #143) as Bombenschutzensitz (Bombardier's seat). Look here: http://www.deutscheluftwaffe.de/archiv/Dokumente/ABC/j/Ju%2088/Schusswafenanlage%20Ju%2088.pdf For level bombing you need a view ahead of the plane more than just down wards. The same goes for vertical photography. That's why I think your comment about the covered window is right. Best Regards, Antti

Hello all! Some measurements for the original (large) registration codes in 1/72nd scale: Diameter of Finnish roundel 13,5 mm Length of the code "FF-1" 26 mm Height of the code "FF-1" 10 mm Width of the letter "F" 6,5 mm Here are some detail shots of FF-3: http://www.pienoismallit.net/galleria/referenssi_13656/ Best Regards, Antti

Thank you Trojan Thunder That's my model all right. The famous "Ansa" SIGINT plane which is still in service (for the last 25 years already). Replacement (CASA) is getting ready for operational work in great secrecy. For the old scheme there is one decal that is difficult: the red and white propeller warning sign and band. I used decals intended for Piper Chieftain so the text is far too small but at least it is in Finnish language. All other markings can easily be found on Galdecal sheets. However you have to purchase several to get all main stencils. Camouflage colours are all from British Standard range: Light Bronze Green, Very Dark Drab and Light Aircraft Grey. Best Regards, Antti

Hello TOPGUN! I've built one. I used old decals made by "Suomen Lennokki". These decals are out of print but you might still find them in the internet. Suomen Lennokki provided only the original style registration codes (FF-1, FF-2, FF-3). All stencils and warning markings are general and you can find those in multiple sheets (for example: Galdecal). For the registration codes you can use suitable British letters and numbers. I will check the size and inform you later today. Two of the Fokkers are sitting in a hangar couple of hundred meters away so if you need information about details don't hesitate to ask. Best Regards, Antti

Hello Mark! Thank you for the great MB Mk.1C photo. I wish I had this when I was building my Airfix Canberra... There is a leather covered back cushion visible in your photo behind the lighter brown canvas covered cushion. That reddish brown leather covered cushion was the one I meant. Actually in Gnat it was more sand brown coloured than reddish or tan brown. Sorry... If I remember correctly the cushion was against one's lower back. For sure it wasn't all the way up. Was it something that was added later I'm not sure. It certainly looked like an original part of the seat. Best Regards, Antti

Hello Mark! You are wellcome One thing you mentioned caught my eye: in Finnish Gnats the head rests were black with an oval aluminium data plate on them (see photo in post 10). So no dark brown for the head rest. The lower part of the back rest had a leather covered cushion (colour close to Humbrol 62). My friend bought GN-113 (ex. XN326) some ten years ago and he is restoring it to a flying condition. It may take some time because he also bought two former Finnish Navy gunboats! Best Regards, Antti