757flyer

Per Scalemates, that should be based on the Zvezda kit... https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mistercraft-d-110-mig-29-9-13-ghost-kyiv--1409230 And that Ghost nose art is great!

Should there be any difference between the actual plastic in the new Sharak boxing (72062) and the original IIIC release (72061)? Thanks!

To resurrect an older thread, what are those wingtip pods on XV206? They are noticeably different than the rails seen on Dutch Hercs... Thanks!

Jabba, Did the Xtradecal sheet have that shark's mouth? If so, which sheet? Which aircraft was this? I had been leaning towards MiG Eater markings for my kit, but this one had grown on me...

I think I just found it. I believe Belle II became Black Magic - ZD745 / BM. Memphis Belle would make sense if you reversed the tail letters I guess. The top few palm trees (the 5 at the very top, and the three faded ones in row 2) are exactly where they are on the photo of Memphis Belle II, and the painted out horizontal rows above the witch's head in the photo above are exactly where groupings of 5 bombs are marked on Belle II. The two big pod stencils on Belle II are right above the CUE in RESCUE, which is a painted out area in this photo of Black Magic. Thanks to everyone who responded and researched their refs on this one!

Found this image from Muharraq of a variation of the shark's mouth I haven't seen before:

Thanks Jabba for looking. I too wondered if it might have been an early art that was later overpainted, but as you can see, it has a pretty hefty mission tally. Many of the ones I saw that might have been contenders for having been overpainted have fewer mission marks - would they have dropped mission marks and shown less than an aircraft had shown before? Hard to tell from a black and white photo, but it does not look like the Memphis Belle markings were painted over something else. Below the RESCUE stencil is where many of the more colorful nose art markings were applied, and in this photo, that doesn't look freshly painted as if something had been there before. The Triffid Airways ones all have their banner above the RESCUE stencil, right where the mission marks are on this one... On a related note, what do the palm tree mission markings denote?

The caption says XV (Composite) Squadron. I went through all the photos I can find of what I have found were XV Sqdn aircraft, and none fit the bill. Based on the number of mission markings, I can rule out the three that were lost in first few days of combat action. The fourth one lost on 2/14 had Gulf Air markings where the Memphis Belle name would be (and different mission markings), so I think that one is out as well. I would post a scan of the image, but I am not sure if that would be a copyright violation?

exdraken, Thanks for the reply. I did check the Desert Storm website, with no luck. I also checked the mission markings on the various Tornados on that site, and couldn't find any that were close to what is in the WAPJ photo. The Memphis Belle name has indeed been used on a slew of aircraft since the original B-17F of WWII fame. These have included an F-105D, four B-52s (three -Gs and an -H), two FB-111s, an F-15E, a B-1B, a C-141B, a C-5A and a C-17A. There have been two well-known warbird B-17s that wore the name (but incorrect nose art lettering on at least one of them), and even a Northwest Airlink CRJ commuter airliner that was named "Spirit of the Memphis Belle" (the name reappeared on that one in Delta Connection colors after the merger of Northwest and Delta).

World Air Power Journal Vol 5, Spring 2001 has a small photo of an unidentified Tornado with the name Memphis Belle II and a stick figure added. It is not painted artwork (appears to be permanent marker) , and below includes "Happiness is a missile called Patriot" Above are black painted bomb (23 vertical bombs), palm tree (8), and several unidentified mission markings (JP233?). There doesn't appear to be a shark's mouth. Does anyone happen to know which Tornado this was? Thanks!

Many thanks for that Ossington!

Does anyone happen to have copies of the markings guides for the early C-130s? Specifically, the original tan/brown and subsequent gray/green schemes? Thanks in advance

Thanks for the replies. I am certain Hasegawa will supply a good mix formula for the colors. Was trying to finish up a project in a different scale before the Hasey kit is released. I'm guessing the eyeball matching technique will be the best call for folks that don't have access to Gunze paints. Mike

The Aoshima kit is on my list too, but the $60+ (US) pricing at this point is keeping it on the back burner. It would look great next to my Revell C-17, since it is a C-17 Lite.... Mike

Does anyone know what the specific colors are for the new JASDF grey/blue camo scheme? https://www.planespotters.net/photo/1042923/45-1074-japan-air-self-defence-force-jasdf-lockheed-c-130h-hercules-l-382 https://www.planespotters.net/photo/724788/68-1203-japan-air-self-defence-force-jasdf-kawasaki-c-2 I assume they are indigenous Japanese colors (i.e. NOT FS-Standard). The overall light blue of the previous C-130 scheme was specified as S28-852, but the lower blue on this new scheme almost looks a touch paler... Does anyone know of good color matches for these new colors? I have the Gunze Mr. Color recommended mixes from the Aoshima C-2 kit instructions, but wanted to check to see if anyone had ventured to try to match them from other paint lines... Thanks!