TallBlondJohn
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Posts posted by TallBlondJohn
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Superb build. Sorry If I've missed a story but why not rig it?
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Here's a thought, The USA and the Soviet Union/Russia have taken a liking to twin tail jets - but I cant think of any European ones - apart from the twin boomers (Vampire/Venom/Vixen, Saab 21). Any others? I wouldn't count the T-7 as that's got the septic touch again.
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5 hours ago, exdraken said:
If I look at RAF jets, including jet bombers, the more pure British they were, the more "unique" as well....
Just look at Vampire, Hunter, Lightning, Harrier, Canberra, Victor, Vulcan, Comet, ...
There are hardly any very similar planes out there..
That's a very good point. Maybe because the British had (just) enough money to experiment, but not enough to build whatever they liked. So the USA built many alike jets, the French mostly variations on a proven design (such as deltas). The only British case I can think of is the Swift and the Hunter (discounting the Vampire - Venom - Vixen, as they were closely related). And nobody copied the British designs - they either bought them, or err, didn't.
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39 minutes ago, Bandsaw Steve said:
I gave up reading Airfix workbench years ago for exactly this reason. The writer seems keen on ‘why use five words when twenty will do?’ ☹️
Airfix writer #1 - He's got a degree in Marketing from a new university and is young, so he knows all that social media stuff. His dad made Airfix, and he used to make and paint Space Marines (little secret: he still does) so he knows about plastic modelling. Airfix doesn't pay too well, and is desperate. He gets the job.
Write 100 words to sell the DH Vampire. Hmmm. It looks... different. Anything like it? Not in the RAF - apart from that fat thing which must be the nightfighter version. "The RAF's most unique jet fighter!" Job done.
Come into work Monday. Marauding packs of middle-aged modeller nerds are gathering outside pitchforks ready. They want blood (but may settle for grey plastic).
Sorry son, Airfix needs to keep them happy, they are all it has left. Here's the door, good luck out there. Didn't you wonder why this job has a high turnover rate?
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The iconic cold war RAF jet is surely the Lightning. The middle one. English Electric.
The Vampire had the most unusual configuration of the RAF jet fighters (If you roll the Venom into the family). Sea Vixen was RN 😉
The SR/A1 was probably the "most unique" in numbers + concept + design features, with the SR53 not too far behind?
But if Airfix really want to sell Vampires, retire the boriiiiiinnggggg trainer and do a new FB5 in 1/72.
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I think I only built 3 of these - Gladiator, Tunnan and Strikemaster - but several times for some odd reason. Probably all Chorleywood Toys and Sports stocked!
Thanks for the post, great fun.
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When I did my RN Bucc, I needed H196 for Light Admiralty Grey but it was the start of lockdown and I couldn't get it for love nor money. Then I though to meself - light grey with a blue hint - a bit like Airfix plastic then...
So I didn't paint the gear at all. It took care (and varnish) to make the bare plastic look 'finished' but it took a wash perfectly and looks just right. Very pleased with it.
Now I have a Sea Vixen to do (Revell) and the plastic is the wrong colour - Drat.
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Pretty sure you are posting previews not the original pictures - they are 500x375 and only 37k. A bit bigger would do justice to this build - looking good so far. (Though not helping me with my must-not-buy-the-Occre-Prinz-Eugen problem.)
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Very impressive. Nice bridge in the background too - did you make it yourself? 😉
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No front wheel light - that was an RAF addition. Airfix LIDARed a museum bird, so got all the life changes and didn't mark up the instructions on what to omit or scrape off. This often happens- Matchbox did the same mistake back in the day, adding an entire door to their Short Stranraer.
Nice build though - it is a lovely kit.
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1 hour ago, Jagdtiger1 said:
Thank you Jeff, Bertie, S-boat and Vin!
Very good point about sawing it, would NEVER have thought of that myself, so thank you Bertie! I'll try that tomorrow, will probably need gluing as the hull is under quite a bit of stress due to warpage.
James.
What a project - top marks for dedication. Superglueing the sawn bull brace should work nicely as the bond will be tension, not shearing.
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Superb. I might have to build one of these one day.
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4 minutes ago, IanC said:
The Chi-Ha and Scorpion weren't bad either.
The Airfix scorpion! Madelaine moment of green plastic and too much glue,. But you didn't have to paint it!
The Stug II was good too, but its gun was much thinner than the 75 on the Panther. Maybe it was cold?
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Very nice build and beautifully presented and photographed. Lousy kit though! 😉
I added storage boxes to the back of mine and hid the tracks with mud. Though maybe that should be sand?
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A fairly typical Roden Experience I'm afraid - they are not easy kits. But rewarding if one has the skills, and you've done a superb job so far.
Next warning: depending on your rigging technique you may find the interplane struts too thin and liable to flex or just snap under compression. I've got a Roden Albatros W4 on the bench and I plan to replace them with brass rod sanded to shape.
You've figured this out I think, but the reason the interior parts don't fit is they are all done to scale, but the fuselage walls are far too thick, a limitation of the medium. But it gives options.
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Superb and such a beautiful ship - even the long railing runs just look better and Thim216 is right about the grey-green hull- red and white stripes combination looks so good. Lovely ship's boats as well.
You are right about Italy - have you been to the Sud Tyrol? Swiss scenery, Italian food and German organisation, best of all worlds!
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Should have given the pilot the VC. Very few have faced the gunfire of a Fruitbat and lived to tell the tale. Even fewer behind the gunfire, come to think of it.
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Splendid stuff, always like Irish Whiffs and a naval strike Javelin makes sense if there is no Buccaneer
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This one looks almost practical. Most unfarley...
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This explains a great deal.
A great deal of what is the next question.
Fine build and congratulations on the paint scheme, guaranteed to repel any interception. Shocking how few of Farley's splendid creations have been kitted.
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AK's metal paints are usually superb, I've never had any issues with them - for what its worth. AFAIK they are technically enamels, but so hot they are best treated as lacquers.
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For what its worth, Alan Raven in Warship Perspectives Vol 2 gives the following:
HMS Jamaica 1942-1944: MS1, B5, B6 and 507C. Decks probably grey. Turret roofs: A&B light grey, X dark, Y medium.
HMS Sheffield July 1942 - March 1943: 507A, B5, 507C. Decks may have been painted. Turret roofs 507A
But I think a lot of his call-outs have been superseded by more recent research.
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A survivor of the sinking said the flight deck was pink - a the result of an experimental non-slip coating made from natural latex and brick dust. Revell show this on their box art. But there would have been a deck before the latex, so no worries.
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Not just remember - my very earliest memory is looking out of the window of one of these at fishing boats as we flew into Guernsey. I was about 4 years old. I know it was a Viscount as I got a big plastic toy one as a momento of the holiday.
Superb model!
Airfix 1/72 Westland Whirlwind (fighter)
in Ready for Inspection - Aircraft
Posted
Gorgeous wee plane, splendid build