fubar57

A handy reference to have if you're interested in Spitfires is a PDF that was made from the ponderings from this site of the late Edward Brooks. I have it but can't post to this site but someone should be able to set you up

Great looking seat now

A Mk.V seat from the Spitfire site

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/reviews.php?scale=1%3A48&topic=Grumman+F-14+Tomcat

Hello Tom. As you can see, a lot of different responses with everyone meaning well. I haven't built their 1:72 version but I have build the 1:48 kit and it pretty much falls together https://www.ebay.ca/itm/233169073941?hash=item3649f5b715:g:0VgAAOSwyi5cjLeZ As mentioned above, start a Work in Progress thread and then before committing to glue and paint, ask lots of questions. Getting answers beforehand is easier than prying glued pieces apart or removing the wrong colour. Again you will get lots of different answers as everyone has their own methods which work well for them. Don't be overwhelmed and have fun.

How about FS 26231. https://www.migjimenez.com/en/acrylic-colors/1104-french-modern-jets.html

Brigade Model's made a Spitfire Tr.IX conversion years ago. Not sure its the same as the Grace mod

Awesome job with the paint work. I always find these builds too late but one note that I would like to add that may be of use to builders of both 1/72 and 1/48 kits by Tamiya. The blue oxygen regulator on the right wall is actually an American one used on a captured Ki.61. A photo can be seen in "Monogram Close-Up 14 - Japanese Aircraft Interiors Part 1." The caption reads, "....This captured TONY was flown by American pilots for evaluations. For this purpose an American made oxygen system was installed and all instruments and gauges were marked in English...." Tamiya probably used the photo for a reference.

Thank you gentlemen

According to Aero Detail 20, its a FuG350 Naxos Z search radar antenna

This is an Esci/AMT repop. The kit went together pretty well but pay attention to the instructions as Italeri mis-numbers several parts; they are pretty easy to figure out though. Another error was that a clear canopy was include and every photo I've seen has the smoked one. An easy fix for me as I swapped it out for the smoked one in their S-3A kit. The cockpit is pretty barren so the canopy hides this nicely. I had to remove and re-position some of the antennae. These things were all over the place so references are needed. I used Vallejo Model Air Barley Grey as it looks pretty close to the photos. I'm pretty much stuck on paint I have in stock due to this COVID thang. Italeri wants you to paint the canopy/glare panel Black but the photo shows Grey; I used Tamiya XF-53 Neutral Grey for this. I used the kit decals and I'm not sure if its my choice of lo-viz paint or their choice of lo-viz markings but they all but disappear. The tail marking...yes...that's singular. Its one piece except for the formation lights. There was no problem getting them into position as they were very sturdy. I got them to snuggle into the panel line but not completely. I made the FOD covers as I didn't feel like fiddling around with the intake seam; not completely accurate.

I wonder if the taller tail wheel strut had something to do with the external fuel tank

Beauty. And a nice clear shot of the tail wheel extension

If you are going to do one of the -3s in Post #2 and not "Jane" try and acquire just numbers from spares or a friend. Alley Cat provide the decals for mine, one set of Stars and Bars and then a bunch of numbers. The numbers for the tail are about 9mm and for the cowl about 5.5mm. No other special markings

Alley Cat Decals makes a 1:48 set but mistakenly call them F6F-5Ks. There is one F6F-5K on the sheet which is the one I modelled using an old Monogram kit, the one with the folding wings and no interior. Two things to note. The antennae coming off the cross beam on the tail both enter the left fuselage at the same location. Look at the second photo down in sabrejet's second post, the tail wheels have extensions. I added 2mm of round stock for mine. Decals https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/post-war-test-f6f-5k-hellcats-4247-p.asp

Love it....woof woof

Great to see one that's not shiny and silver

Just a small dab of superglue (CA) is required to attach the thread I posted. It grabs almost immediately and will hang on like a frightened limpet to a rock. Very stretchy as well

Great job. I used the decals as well on my build. If you look at them under a magnifying glass they look like they're sprayed on. For the antennae I used https://www.uschivdr.com/products-in-detail/rigging/ I chose to use the Superfine for 1:48 but Fine works just as well

The Osprey book, "56th Fighter Group" has a profile of P-47D-28 with Donald Duck on the nose, code LM✪J, s/n 44-19780. There is also a photo of said aircraft but no markings can be made out. The caption says, "....outside No 2 hangar at Boxted on 11 October1944. Jackson had four air and four ground victories at the time this shot was taken....". The appendices for the profile says, "....Teddy entered service with a Dark Green and Light Sea Grey disruptive pattern on the upper surfaces, which was the commonest form of 'in-the-field' camouflage applied to 62nd FS aircraft. The undersurfaces remained in natural metal finish...." Superscale Decals 48-937 has a P-47M-1RE "Teddy" also listed as LM✪J, s/n 44-21117. This one with camo listed as Dark Green and Medium Sea Grey over NMF. No Donald Duck on this one. How accurate the camo colours are, I have no idea

Very cool. I have the RCAF "Checkerbird", NMF CF-104D Twin Seater, and a NMF single seat CF-104G in my 1:48 collect. This would be a nice one to add for a camo bird

Very nice and love the photography

"Douglas A-4A/B Skyhawk in Navy Service" by Steve Ginter has two photos of your aircraft, one from the left on the ground and one from the right in the air. On the ground the slats are open and to me it looks like no red underneath. The date is 1957. The airborne shot is from 1959 and the battle efficiency "E" has been added to the fuselage side above the intake warning. The book calls the aircraft an A4D-2 EDIT: In the same book I see aircraft of the same time frames with and without red under the slats. Sorry I can't help out more

According to 4+ Publication, "Fairey Gannet Anti-submarine and Strike Variants AS Mk.1, AS Mk.4", "The colour scheme of Federal German Navy aircraft did not differ from the later FAA pattern of EDSG and Sky Colours, with the former wrapping around the wing and tailplane leading edge onto the lower surfaces...." This was, "....6" of the undersurface, back from the leading edge of the wings and tailplane, the same colour as the upper surface, i.e. Extra Dark Sea Grey"

Thank you