DaveyGair

Yes, thoroughly Pat! Depending how I get on I might chuck in an Aussie 'Halibag' as well! (Apparently not a good many Aussie's in the squadron, erm, one I think, but there were some Kiwi's amongst the rest!) Davey.

'Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no maw'ah !

Well, you can't have too many Mossies now can you! The B.Mk. XVI will appear in the Aircraft section RFI when finished so keep an eye out Davey.

Here's my second choice for this GB, SH's nice looking P40N as a Kittyhawk IV of 450 Sqn RAAF based in Italy. Don't know a lot about these aircraft so need to do a bit of research methinks. Will again be using markings from an Xtradecal sheet 'Fighters over Africa and the Med.' Will most certainly be OOB as the kit seems well stocked with detail. Having had experience of kits from this and other 'short run' manufacturers I'm not expecting a 'click together' 'TamiGawa' build. More soon. Davey.

Can't believe I didn't have my name down for this. Here's the first of two P-40's I have to build using Xtradecals 'Fighters over Africa and the Med.' sheets. Smers P-40k/Kittyhawk Mk. III seems simple enough, won't add much apart from seatbelts so will be OOB, unless there is something untoward that needs fixing? Davey.

Ok, so since completing my MTO builds I decided to have a look at this. Started to put the flaps and wheel bay doors into place but found these very fine resin pieces really difficult to work with so left it alone for a bit. A couple of weeks later here's where we're at. The doors and flaps aren't perfect and the etch wing fences were a job to seat properly, the small intake fences (splitters?) were easier! I gave it a spray of Vallejo Grey Primer which shows up every fault but I think once I get a couple of bombs and rockets on (although I have read a typical 'Firedog' mission would be '4 V

A bit more done on the 'Mossie' over the weekend after a slight lull, although I did do some sanding of the raised detail. I have left enough on, especially on the bottom, to pick out with a dry-brush. Did coat of Vallejo Black Primer which dries to a fantastic, smooth finish. This aircraft will of course have a Dark Green/Grey upper camouflage applied. While I've been getting on with this, and in light of Airfix announcing a new two-stage Mossie, I decided to build a Mk.XVI with bulged bay using the Tamiya kit with Bren-Gun resin engines and a Blackbird models Bulged bomb-bay an

Magnificent beast Vinnie, justice done I would say! Had one back in the day and never built it, sold it on in the early eighties but would give it a crack now, hopefully Revell(?) will 're-pop' it? Davey

It seems I haven't signed up for any of this years builds, so if I may I have a couple of entries I fancy doing. Post-war Lancaster, probably OOB in the RCAF scheme supplied. Also this seemingly fairly simple build in Spanish markings. See you in April! Davey.

I have yet to build an Airfix Beaufighter so looking forward to looking in on your build, I did do a Merlin engine conversion using one so only half a one . Curiously they include the early frameless rear canopy which neither boxing uses, so a future boxing as a 1f or a VI? Davey.

Thanks for the tip Steve, lovely job by the way. I test fitted the parts yesterday, first clipping in the leg that the wheel goes on, then clipping in the the other leg and that seemed to work fine using the lugs and holes as is. I refuse to buy resin wheels for the kit, nearly costing what I paid for the kit itself, I may mould some myself from one of the Tamiya kits I have, the Airfix wheels look kind of 'bloated' as well! Davey.

I must have bought a Pavla vacform canopy sometime, I found it in the box, haven't tried it yet though. The kit canopy is thick but actually quite clear. We'll see how it goes. Davey.

Thanks mate, I thought I better make some effort, especially with the space behind the seats. I forgot to take shots before closing up the fuselage so here's where I'm at right now. I forgot to add the tail-wheel before closing up but easily remedied. The wings were a good fit after just some slight shaving of plastic here and there. In the process of sorting joins and sanding down the over-size rivets. Still mulling over the undercarriage 'problem', seems a tight fit to get them in afterwards. More soon. Davey.

Lovely job. I just got this kit on Wednesday from Am*z*n, I had resisted getting the Hercules engined one as it doesn't look 'right' but on special offer at £24.99 couldn't resist, and it was my 60th birthday so what the heck! I now have all the new tool Airfix ones, yet to build one. Davey.

I remember just before decimalisation an Airfix series 1 kit was 2 shilling/11 pence and went to 15 new pence after. I started getting regular pocket money in 1972 at 10p a week so was a struggle to save for something bigger! Davey.