[Best Israeli Kfir?]

Wow, thanks for the quick and comprehensive answer. Just checked and the decals I have are Revell, not Italeri, but I take your point on sizing for the particular kit.

Thanks again😁

[Best Israeli Kfir?]

Seeing as we are talking Kfir, I have a (probably dumb) question. 
Which Israeli Kfirs had the big yellow and black triangular identification markings on the wings and tail? I have the AMK kit (C2/C7) and it lacks these markings….but I really like the look of them and would like them on my model. I have a set of Italeri decals, which include the markings I want, but not sure how incorrect they would be for a the AMK version🤷‍♀️

[Airfix 1:72 Beaufighter - Israeli Air Force]

Yes! It’s a fascinating story of how the Israelis obtained them. Basically set up a film company and pretended to be making a movie, so they could buy war-surplus aircraft. Then whilst supposedly filming the climax of the movie, the aircraft all disappeared over the horizon, to reappear in Israel. One method of beating the arms embargo!

[Lufthansa 737-500 (1/200 Hasegawa)]

Old 737 driver here. From 1988 I was flying for Ansett New Zealand, equipped with 737-100s. Our aircraft included the 2nd 737 off the production line, which began life with Lufthansa. We were a new airline, competing with the national carrier, and we needed new aircraft. I remember when it was announced that in 1990 we were to be one of the launch customers for the 737-500…in fact I still have my copy of the Boeing brochure that we all had delivered to our work mailboxes. We had dreams of flying them across the Tasman to Australia, as well as domestically in NZ. Unfortunately it didn’t happen, and we became victim of Ansett Australia’s CEO’s infatuation with the British Aerospace 146 instead. The company always struggled, and finally went out of business in 2001. 
Subsequent to that I got to fly the 737-300, as well as the 767-300ER, and 777-200 and -300ERs, before a COVID enforced move back to the A320/321/CEO/NEO. 

It’s great to see your model of the -500….an aircraft I had great hopes for.

[Bugatti T 50 1:18 scratch]

Wow, just wow! That is absolutely gorgeous. 

[A NOSTALGIC TRIBUTE TO FROG MODEL KITS]

Fascinating thread. I don’t really remember much about Frog kits....I was a Matchbox loyalist, but I think I recall spending some pocket money on a P38 that may have been Frog. The P38 was always a favourite of mine after I saw a picture of one in one of my Dad’s WW2 aircraft magazines.

I don’t remember much about the kit other than it was possibly green plastic, with a light blue stand included....the base of the stand was dome shaped with a map of the world embossed on it. Funny the things that stick in your mind from nearly 50 years ago!

[BAE Hawk Red Arrows Hobbyboss 1/48]

On 1/22/2019 at 3:51 PM, ZHOU Kun said:

Thanks for the recommendations. I took a look at gear bay photos, yes they were white indeed. One more question: I have been converting a Hobbyboss EMB-312 Tucano into a Short Tucano (https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235049777-148-short-tucano-converted-from-hobbyboss-emb-312/). Are the wheel bays of Short Tucano also white ? Googled for a long time but can not find photos who show wheel bays clearly

 

Regards

I’ve been reading this with interest as I’m currently building a 1/72 Airfix Red Arrows Hawk. Rightly or wrongly, I’ve been using the Revell 1/32 kit instructions (via Scalemates) for colour references, and they also say gray for the wheelwells, but white for the inside of the nose gear doors. 
I must say the Airfix instructions aren’t great when it comes to colours, and the Revell ones need quite a bit of de-coding too. One would have thought such well photographed and viewed aircraft would have been simple to get right, or did they vary over time?

Edit: I’m going to stop using the Revell instructions, as I just found this:

having said that, I’m still a bit confused about the wheel wells being gray, or dirty white!

cheers

Tania

[1/48 Tamiya F-14D VF-2 Bounty Hunters]

This is a magnificent looking model...I love the worn weathered look you have achieved. I’m no expert on the F14, but one thing that stands out is the exhaust nozzles...they seem too shiny to me, especially when compared to the rest of the airframe. Might just be my eye. 
I’d certainly be proud to be able to produce something half as nice.

Cheers

Tania

[1/144 Rc-135]

I read somewhere how these were sent out around the Baltic just before the SR71 went out on it’s regular Baltic jaunt....knowing that the Soviets would try and light up the Blackbird with every Radar they had, and the RC would gather all the frequencies so they could be jammed on the next trip. It must have been an interesting time for all involved. 
Lovely looking model of a rather un-lovely looking aircraft!

[303 Sq Special Hobby Spitfire Mk V 1/48th scale]

Had to laugh when I saw the codes on this aircraft....RFQ, first introduced to me on my commercial pilot’s course (many years ago).

Stood for Read the F...ing Question!, something a lot of us were guilty of on several occasions....but we all passed in the end😇

Cheers

Tania

[Bristol Beaufighter in IDF service]

Found this with a Google search, but it may be “Beaufighter generic” as opposed to Israel specific, but says rockets too.

 

“IAF Aircraft Inventory:IAF Aircraft Inventory: Table of Contents

Known as the "Whispering Death" by the Japanese in the far east during WWII, the Bristol Beaufighter was instrumental in driving the Japanese from South East Asia and in the defeat of the Luftwaffe's night bombing offensive against Britain. 4 Beaufighters were purchased for the IAF in Britain on the pretext of being used for a film. In front of the director, the cameras and the whole filming "crew" they took off from a British air field — and never returned. By the time British authorities came to, the four bombers were somewhere over the Mediterranean, on their way to Israel. They took part in operations to drive out invading Egyptian forces on the southern front and also against the Egyptian navy during the War of Independence. On October 22, 1948, a Beaufighter on a sortie to bomb the Egyptian flagship "The Emir Farouk" encountered an Egyptian Hawker Fury. Aware that the Beaufighter stood little chance in a dogfight, the pilot put his bomber into a dive, followed by the Fury, and pulled up in time to see the fighter crash into the sea behind him. Unfortunately, the pilot of the Beaufighter was killed the next day, bombing an enemy stronghold on the southern front. The remaining aircraft were put out of service shortly after the end of the war. 

Specification: Bristol Beaufighter TF.Mk X
Type: three seat anti-shipping strike fighter.
Powerplant: 2 * Bristol Hercules XVII.
Performance: max speed — 303 mph at 13,000ft, operational range — 1,470 miles.
Weights: max takeoff weight — 11521kg.
Dimensions: span — 17.63m, length — 12.70m.
Armament: 4 * 20mm cannon and 1* 7.7mm machine gun with 2 * 113kg bombs or 8 * 41kg rockets under the wings. 

Sources:IAF Inventory”

[Bristol Beaufighter in IDF service]

8 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

You wouldn't happen to recall the title would you Tania? It sounds like something worth tracking down.

Steve.

It was Angels In The Sky, by Robert Gandt. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Tells of why the Israelis ended up with Me109s (S199s) fighting the Egyptians in Spitfires, where they got their pilots (including Malta hero Screwball Buzz Beurling) and other fascinating stuff. It actually reads like a spy thriller...it’s great.

[Bristol Beaufighter in IDF service]

I read a great book about the early days of the Israeli Air Force. It included the story of how they came by the Beaufighters.

Briefly (and summarising) in 1948 Israel faced an embargo on importing any military equipment, even though there were a lot of war-surplus aircraft available. The Beaus were available for a song in the UK, but not to Israel. As a result, the Israelis set up a movie production company, to make a film about the Kiwi Beaufighter pilots based out of Scotland during the war. The “film company” bought the aircraft, and spent time flying them around “for the movie” (pilot training), before they disappeared off into the distance, to appear again in Israel!

Some of the things that went on during that period beggared belief. 
cheers

Tania

[my 2019 kits]

Lovely work....and for 1/32, extremely prolific! Your output gives me hope that I may actually be able to get through more of my stash than I thought...especially as my scales are 1/72 for aircraft, and 1/43 for cars😀

[P-Dirty 8 (and about time too!)]

Wow! That sure gives new meaning to the term "kit bashing"!! 

It's a bit like looking at the Millennium Falcon or a Gerry Anderson model, trying to pick out which different kit pieces are used.

Great job producing something VERY different...and authentic to the original picture too. Love it!!

Cheers

Tania

[First completed kit in months: Airfix 1:72 Gloster Gladiator]

3 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Also the Markings carried by Cobber Kain while with 73 squadron.

Steve.

I wasn’t aware of that Steve....and now I need one and it’s been superceded 😩

you don’t have a spare do you?😂

Tania

[1/72 Arsenal-Delanne 10C.2, Planet Models]

What a great model of a truly bizarre aircraft. I can’t imagine how the pilot managed to taxi it without running off the taxiway/runway, let alone land the thing!

[MiG-21MF 1/72 Eduard]

I really like this....looks fantastic. Nice work👍😀

[ACE Alvis Salamander crash truck]

That is so cool! And an Alvis Stalwart...I had a BP Exploration Matchbox toy of that too. Wasn’t aware of the connection. 

Great information. Thanks!

Tania

[ACE Alvis Salamander crash truck]

Steve I was about to say the same thing! I had one as well....an “Alvis  Foamite Crash Tender” apparently produced by Matchbox between 1964 and 1968. 

There is a real one on display at the RAF Museum at Hendon.

[Fly Models 1/72 Bf 108]

That is beautiful. I had to re-check the scale, and if you’d said it was 1/48, I’d have been impressed....but 1/72? Wow, that is really something. 

Very cool build. Congratulations 😀

Cheers

Tania

[Saab JAS 39 Gripen]

Thank you for some really useful tips and information. I’m a big fan of the Saab jets, and plan on building several Gripen. I’ll definitely be bookmarking this page.

Thanks again😀

[Grumman F-9F5 Panther]

Nice build.

Out of interest has anyone dealt (or tried to deal) with Fisher since the Paradise fire last year? My understanding is Paul and his wife lost everything, so was wondering if he has started up again.

If, as I had read elsewhere, all his stock, workshop, moulds etc were lost, I can't imagine how devastating that must have been for them, and also how great a loss to the modelling world.

Cheers

Tania

 

[F-15C GWH in 1:48 "493nd FS" RAF Lakenheath]

Absolutely fabulous👏👏

[1/72 Spitfire Mk.VII conversion]

Charlie, 

you are in luck!

Italeri kit details here: https://www.super-hobby.com/products/Supermarine-Spitfire-F-Mk.VII.html

MD114 is indeed an option.

I have a bunch of these kits as one of the other options, YQ-W, Isobel II, was flown by my grandfather’s brother, Jack Cleland.

cheers

Tania.