DaveyGair

Gotta like a MiG-21 and this one's a cracker! Davey.

Helicopter's aren't normally my thing but this looks superb. Great photo's as well, must look into this lightbox studio. Davey.

If it helps, before and after shots of the last blade with the flash still intact. I snapped off the flash which leaves the tip intact, I reckon the thicker portion will sand off leaving the shape of the tip. I'll get back to you on that one! Or I'll leave you to give it go Davey.

Just had a look at the blades in my set Mark, most of the excess flash had broken off but still left a crisply shaped tip, I gently 'snapped' off one on another blade and it left the tip intact, so I reckon there's not much to worry about. I think it's just a bit of 'engineering' of the mould to help the resin flow to the tip. Davey.

Looking at those pics, I'm guessing the tabs are there to prevent short moulding of the tips and you have to carve/file the shape? I haven't even given the ones I've got a good look yet! Davey.

Better get started on this! Been starting on some sub-assemblies, the Ford Flathead V8 and chassis. The instructions have you fiddling with PE stuff, but that can wait! The engine is assembled complete with Radiator which is a bit finicky with attaching four hoses and lining everything up. The chassis could have been engineered better, it is made up of loads of parts, the two long chassis rails and the cross members, they moulded the front springs and hangers in place but not the rears. Went together OK but needs care to line up, and the cross members don't have fool-proof positive locations, just small tabs inside the rails to attach to. Added the first of the loads of PE to the inside of the screen armour, some of this will probably not make it onto the model! The front radiator armoured doors are made up of 3 parts each, both the screen and these doors are realistically thin. Painting of the engine isn't a priority as it will be mostly hidden when fully assembled. Davey.

Watching this with interest as I have two of these to build (sometime) and have AML stuff for both of them, although I didn't realise there were two different front rad. cowlings! One is a complete boxing of resin, decals and etch for a 138 Sqn B II/1a, which I am doing L9613 NF*V. The other an Xtradecal decorated B II/1 of 462 Sqn RAAF, W/Desert in Mid-Stone over Dark Earth over Black, just to be different. I too was a bit bamboozled looking into interior colours and will go the route you have taken. Not sure I'll be adding Eduard detail set's, I think they look great but I always end up not using half of the parts! Looks good so far, very neat. Davey.

Thanks for all the positive comments, much appreciated. Cheers Mark, it probably won't get changed, even if I don't use the decals, far too many models to get on with! I do fancy doing an overall Foliage Green one though. Davey.

Wow! Looks superb. I think you've got the finish just right. I'm always wary of weathering and often start off OK but chicken out half way through! Don't think I've ever done a 'Jug', maybe when I was a young'un, but this makes me think I should maybe add one, looks good in the French markings as well. Davey.

Nice, neat builds. I'm always worried about weathering and either overdo it or you hardly notice it! Just trying now not to obsess about it and enjoy modelling, but you can get some good tips on this site. Davey.

Started this just after Christmas as a relaxing, no-stress build. I bought 3 different MPM boxing's of Hasegawa's Beaufighter when a seller on E-bay had them at a fairly cheap price, each one has several different marking options, Montex masks and PUR exhausts. The kit instructions cover ALL the decal options and are the same in each box, with colour Markings instructions with the variants in each boxing. This is from the RAAF box and covers Mk I, Mk VI and Mk21 in RAAF service. Each kit includes all parts to do early and late tail-planes, long and short intakes, tailwheels, AI aerials, etc. Also the Sperry Auto-Pilot housing. I chose to do an overall Aluminium finished Mk.21 and on doing a bit of research (unusual for me!) I discovered several Beaufighter's were stripped of their Overall Foliage Green finish. An interesting article here; http://www.adf-serials.com.au/newsletter/ADF Telegraph 2018 Autumn.pdf A8-196 is pictured if you scroll down the page. Of note was the fact that the instructions tell you to fit the long filter intakes and long (PUR) 'Hedgehog' type exhaust's, but the photo shows short intakes and the Mk I type short exhausts. I removed the framing from the later type rear canopy to try to represent the Australian style frameless type (not in the kit), it's not perfect but it'll do me. I left off the rear gun. Modified the starboard wing to the two gun type. Basically filling and re-scribe. Modified the wing tips to show the rearward 'Stem' type navigation light. Vallejo ModelAir Aluminium was used overall with a bit of AK Extreme to a couple of panels to add variation. A light wash into the panels while varnishing, doesn't show up much in the photo's but I'm still learning. The call out for the small Roundel's in the instruction's for the upper and lower wing I think is wrong, but I didn't spot this till this evening while putting this together! I think the photo shows the Larger style. I may change them later, but I might just leave them for another RAAF build (Overall Foliage Green) The kit went together well, hardly any filler used. I think the pilot's canopy looks a bit too tall and the whole fuselage is a bit 'pinched in', especially towards the rear. But, it looks the part I think. Last photo's show comparison with a High Planes kit I did last year. Criticism's and comment's welcome. Davey.

Thanks Chris, whilst they are probably the most expensive of plastic kits, they are what I would regard as the pinnacle in terms of quality of moulding, detail, the instructions read like a reference book, the number of options (one reason why this kit in particular is dearer than other single seat fighters, Four big decal sheets for the Lozenge), even the boxes are superb quality! I'm contemplating their Lancaster when they come out later this year, got to run that one past SWMBO first though! Thanks Lee, the oil is simply Vallejo Umber Wash liberally brushed on. I had some difficulty with the large roundels on the camel which I have read others had a similar experience. Just about to look on the 'net to see if anyone has posted about applying these very large lozenge decals. Davey.

A year on! Several other projects have interfered with this, not that I haven't lost interest in it. So here's where we are now. Built up the engine, painted, added fuse wire plug leads, well, after a fashion anyway! The fuselage was put together along with mounting the engine, also assembled and painted the wings and fuselage. Ready for a coat of Gloss Varnish, before attempting the large decals simulating the roughly applied camouflage and the wing multicoloured hexagonal type covering.

Nice, neat build so far. I'm not generally a WW1 builder either but have bought one or two WnW's kits purely because of the quality. I did the Camel Br.1 in last years Centenary of the RAF GB and it was a fairly easy build, just all that rigging! Got to get on with the Fokker D.VII I started before that (last March I think!). Davey.

Unfortunately not, I have a Mk I, Mk II and a DAP Mk VIII. I have done one of their Beaufighter's which went OK, and looks the part I think. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235042611-beaufighter-mk1-r2198-252-sqn-egypt-1941/&tab=comments#comment-3118511 Davey.