PlasticSoldier

Can’t veiw it right now on my phone, but will look later thanks!

Hi all, This may be a slightly unusual topic to discuss, but I wanted to know if anyone watched a Red Pelican display back in the late 60’s. I have the airfix kit of the Jet Provost, but I would like to know exactly what the pilot would be wearing. I have found a video of them in red flight suits and helmets in 1963-4 but I’m not sure if they were still wearing that when they were no-longer the main RAF display team around 1969. If anyone could help with this, would be much appreciated! Many thanks, PlasticSoldier

The Beaufighter I had was a 1944 varient, and it was a previous model that I had trashed, so was trying to reuse it

Hi all, I’m constructing a diorama on an RAF crash scene atm with a Beaufighter and the airfix emergency set kit (don’t get me started on the problems with that K6 being post-war). Just wondered if anyone has some pictures on crash rescues taking place, ideally hoses being used, extracting the pilots from the cockpit, would they just smash the canopy? And would they use ladders to get to for instance the observer in the Beaufighter? Any pictures that can answer these questions would be much apretiated! many thanks, PlasticSoldier

I've done a Korean War diorama and I painted my Americans with humbrol colours. Helmets-117 Jackets and trousers-86 Webbing-102 Boots-186 Paraks I would probably paint in 155 or 102. Hope this helps! PlasticSoldier

I don't know of anything immediately, but if all else fails and you're up for a bit of improvising, maybe buy a set like Airfix English 8th Army and cut the arms off and stick them on your figures? Presuming your figures are Second World War. PlasticSoldier

As far as I'm aware, the use of camouflage smocks in the German military was predominantly used by the SS Waffen and the second pack of soldiers can be identified by Waffen by their black collars, so that's a good start. It would have been unusual to see a group of soldiers fighting together, some in smocks and some out of them. It would have also been a bit unusual to see them fighting together in different patterned smocks, but there were multiple patterns that were worn to blend into different terrain. The marching boots went out of service in 1943, but you would have still seen the odd soldier wearing them if they hadn't had the new kit. You would've even seen some with bottle green collars on the uniform which was meant to be replaced with mouse grey in 1940, but that was rare. The shield that can be seen on the side of the helmet in the second picture wouldn't have been common to see, as these were meant to be removed by 1940 as well. Some painted over them, scratched them off or even covered them up with mud if needs are. Late war German uniform was very much a copy of the British army's, which going back to the boots, they were replaced by boots similar to the British. However, going back to what you said, everything was carnage to the end so in many cases anything goes, and mixing stuff up making soldiers unique makes a diorama authentic I think. PlasticSoldier

Hi, Just doing an LVT 4 at the moment, intending it to be a USMC one, ideally Pacific, 1945, but if not, Europe, 1944 at least. It’s all going well, but I cannot find out what colour they would of been. The instructions say Humbrol 86, but that’s a light green, when it would appear most where Olive drab, 155. However I also see pictures over grey American vehicles which would be 66! Yet still there are vehicles in 86. So I’m kind of clueless at the moment. If somebody could give me a decent insight or source to American vehicle paint scheme that would be very much appreciated. Many thanks, PlasticSoldier

Hi I'm currently working on some RAF ground vehicles from Airfix Vehicle Set and Refuelling Set, however I wanted to make them into 1950's vehicles, not Second World War. As far as I can find, vehicles around that time would be blue/grey with yellow tops. Is this correct for every vehicle, and are the vehicles I'm building from the sets ones they would use in the early 50's in Germany? And would the markings they have in the set still be the same? Many Thanks PlasticSoldier

Thanks guys this helped, I'll probably look into getting the Albion, if that doesn't work I'll go for the tractor

Hi, Just a quick question, I'm working on a spitfire maintenance diorama in 1940 and I wondered what type of fuel tanker(s) would of been used to fuel a spitfire at this time? Many thanks, PlasticSoldier

Thank you so much, I'll get looking straight away

Hi, I've just started a new model which (funnily enough) is the Airfix Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat. Problem is, I know literally nothing about this type of boat, so I'm wondering if people could help me with the following... 1) I need some colour pictures of the wheelhouse of a WW2 RN torpedo boat, or at least some good description of one so I can get the colours right 2) Some detailed description of the crew number, roles, ranks and uniform (colour pictures or paint guides would be appreciated) 3) What do all the different types of flags mean? eg: there is a red and white thin stripe one, green and white stripes, white and black cross, and a white square flag with a smaller blue square in it Links to information websites are helpful, but if you could just explain that'd be fine Many thanks, PlasticSoldier

Thanks, but my diorama base and budget isn't big for that. I am using the figures though

That's actually quite cool. I love the film, it's what inspired me to do this diorama

Ha ha! Yeah I thought about the making the hut but I thought that might be too much of a tricky task for my standards

Hi, I have had my birthday recently so I've decided with the money I have received, to spend a bit on a diorama of the Battle of Rorke's Drift. At first I thought I would have a really hard time trying to find figures and accessories for it, but I didn't do too badly with the help of Ebay and Italeri, HOWEVER, as hard as I try, I literally cannot find some sort of hut or cabin anywhere. The ideal one I found was in BUM's set 'Cabin Attack' but I couldn't find a set for sale. If anyone knows of a website or anywhere where I could find a 1/72 hut/cabin like the one in BUM's set 'Cabin Attack,' (log walls, no pretty windows, any type of roof as I'll be covering up with straw) at a reasonable price, please comment below, Many Thanks, PlasticSoldier

Hi, Ok, so basically I have a load of questions to ask about RAF recovery in the Second World War, and other RAF vehicles, because I'm doing the RAF recovery set. Am I right in thinking that in the 1940, RAF vehicles were a blueish grey, and it was changed to khaki and black pattern in 1943? If so, was it the same for the recovery vehicles? Was the khaki RAF combat dress issued in 1943 with the beret, and if it was, should I paint my recovery vehicle drivers like that because they have berets, or should I replace them with drivers with forage caps? Can somebody please direct me to a website where I can buy plenty of RAF drivers with forage caps at a reasonable price Are there any other WW2 RAF vehicle patterns that I haven't mentioned above? If anyone can give me any useful sources as well as answers, that would be great. Many thanks, PlasticSoldier

So when was the RAF combat dress actually introduced and in what circumstances was it used? Would crash recovery crew wear it, because I was going to build that set soon.

The British Hercules pilots don't carry paras, however as far as I know, the americans do. I'm not sure about the Globemasters, I think not.

Amazing! Thank you so much!

Ok thanks, just one more thing, whats a yelllow May Wests?

Thanks, very helpful. What about the helmets?

Ha ha, that's funny. I'm a corporal in the ATC and it's still all berets

Hi, Just a quick question, I know a fair bit about RAF uniform, and as I was doing a Battle of Britain Diorama, my knowledge proved to be quite useful. However, Airfix seems to give most of it's RAF drivers berets with them wearing overalls. As far as I know, berets in the RAF are meant to be worn only with combat dress, and it would be forage caps worn with something like overalls. Am I right, or were berets worn with overalls as well? On google I can only see forage caps. Many thanks, PlasticSoldier