Muddyf

Jadlam in Glastonbury is missing off your list. Bit of a drive from Oxford though. Decent store with a decent mix of kits, stuff with wheels, tracks as well as flying and floaty stuff.

1/56 scale tends to be used for wargaming in 28mm scale (Bolt Action etc). Having built several (many years ago) from several brands I find that, and this is not a hard and fast rule, these models tend to be built more ‘robustly’ to allow handling.

Thanks all for the handy information and photos. All very useful! Matt

I’m looking for information on Bolingbroke turrets, specifically information for the twin Browning turrets. Does anyone have drawings, diagrams etc for the turret, guns, installation etc. Photos clearly showing the guns and internal turret configuration would also be great (I have most of the easily accessible IWM etc photos already). Thanks in advance!

Wow. Stunning build, and scratch built in 1/600 to!

Gorgeous.

Rob, Thanks for the info regarding Columbine. I intend to at least overhaul a lot of the kit parts, or replace where necessary with things like spare etch, plastic rod etc. Please note that as far as nautical terms go, i know my port from my starboard, but that's pretty much about it so forgive my ignorance if i mention 'pointy bits' etc... I did watch 'The Cruel Sea' for inspiration though! Having looked at the sprues and based on Rob's comments above, i have come up with a list of some amendments/improvements, although this is likely to change/increase: - Open up holes where required in hull (portholes etc) - Rounded gun shield - Railings around 4" gun (covered with splinter mats as per IWM photo) - Type "C" bridge - Replace bridge railings etc with spare etch so more to scale thickness, rather than the kit plastic. - Bridge 20mm Oerlikons - Lattice bridge supports - 16 ft boats - Tidy up/replace Carley floats - Replacing kit davits etc with metal where possible - Open up funnel and tidy up or replace cover A few queries remain: - Im assuming twin depth charge racks as per other Flowers rather than a single? - Colours, standard western approaches, but i can only make out two colours as opposed to three, so either which two, or where are the different colours? - I have images of the port side (from three different angles bow to stern) but any images of, or idea how the starboard side was painted? Now, unlike the excellent HMCS Eyebright, mine will be modelled as though it has just sailed out of drydock in Bristol (i.e. ship-shape and Bristol Fashion!) So, obligatory sprue shots: Now, the sharp eyed may notice that at this point i opened up portholes etc in the hull. Several will be filled with plastic rod as they are in the wrong place for Columbine, and several more opened in the correct places.

Having been gifted a 1/350 Flower Class Corvette of HMS ANCHUSA by Mirage. Having seen some wonderful builds on here (and being inspired by @robgizlu wonderful build of HMCS Eyebright) I have been inspired. As an aircraft modeller at heart, and being Bristol born and bred I have a passion for anything with a Bristol connection (so Beauforts, Blenheim etc). Bristol also was the construction port for several warships during the Second World War, of which seven were Flower Class corvettes. Bristol built counts! My first choice (HMS MEADOWSWEET) was a no-no due being a later version. So I have chosen HMS COLUMBINE K94. HMS COLUMBINE. © IWM (FL 6065) This build will be OOB with no aftermarket, but will be using my spares/etch etc to try to make some slight improvements. So first job is to work out what needs changing to turn ANCHUSA into COLUMBINE.

Fantastic looking ship, with great weathering. An inspiration for my future build.

Thanks for the link, I have found that wonderful little resource. Some nice photos on there of my target ships (now narrowed down to the 'C's, Clematis - K36, Columbine - K94 and Convolvulus - K45).

Thanks for the prompt reply, The info regarding the fact she is a modified flower will probably mean i will change to one of her earlier sister ships (possibly Clematis or Columbine), as being a newbie to the wonderful world of maritime will put me off any substantial modifications. Its a pity, as i think she is a lovely looking ship with a fantastic camouflage scheme.

I am looking at straying from my usual comfort zone of WW2 era aircraft and potentially straying into the murky waters of maritime. Whilst going down a rabbit one day i came across this great image on the IWM site showing HMS Meadowsweet: Now the main reason i am considering this is largely due to the fact Revell do a decent scaled ship (1/144 Flower Class HMCS Snowberry) and the fact that i tend to concentrate on things that are Bristol built or have a link (i.e. Beaufort's, Beaufighter's etc). As a Bristol born and raised chap, i immediately recognised the area this photo was taken (the 'canopy' covered area behind the stern is the dry-dock in which the SS Great Britain now sits). The ship was constructed in Bristol by Charles Hill & Son, who also built HMS Clematis (of chasing off Admiral Hipper fame). So, to do a 'Bristol Built' i would like to build one of the 8 ships built during the war, with HMS Meadowsweet being the preferred option (as in this photo). Apart from a small wiki article, and this one photo i have not seen any other images of this ship. I therefore have a few questions: a) Do other images exist? (i find at least two or three for her sister ships, but just the one for her) b) Is she the same as all the other Flower's built by Charles Hill & Son (i.e. Clematis, Columbine, Lotus, Mimosa, Rockrose & Saxifrage) c) Is she in the 'standard' colours used in western approaches camouflage? Many thanks in advance.

Are you sure that's a tank, and not one of your ancestors paying us mere earthlings a visit? Very good work, liking the finish to the exterior!

Bit late to the show, but here is a photo showing the gun bay (minus some 'gubbins'). Leading edge is to the bottom of the photo. http://

I have 'access' to a Bolingbroke airframe and seen the various internal surfaces. Bare in mind this is a Bristol-Fairchild Bolingbroke, and would have spent a lot of time exposed to light, temperature and weather. All internal surfaces are, to my eyes, a yellowish green (zinc chromate?), which has faded almost to an olive drab. The internals that i can see for the engines are aluminium, and the bulkhead again in green. Engine nacelles and wheel-wells, the parts i have seen are again in green. Haven't seen inside the rear sections for the wood sorry, although there were a few panels of thin ply in the cockpit. Now, this doesn't answer your question regards a Bristol built Blenheim, but may explain the colouring you have seen on restored aircraft.

The IWM collections have several colour photos of Beau’s in the MTO, for example this one from Libya 1943, and is azure blue. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205188546 And these based on Malta in ‘43 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205188638

Worth looking on this site, has aerial photos taken 20th June 1944 - https://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/geoportal/raf The photo in question is Flight 343, run 05, photo 3031, i wont link due to copyright. Hopefully may be useful to people in th know.

Couple of things over the weekend. Saturday I picked up James Holland’s Sicily ‘43. Loved his Burma ‘44 book about the battle of the Admin Box and the podcast he does with Al Murray. Sunday I went to the Avon IPMS show and amongst other things picked up the Tasman Beaufort I/IV kit - https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tasman-model-products-ug2004-bristol-beaufort-mk-i-vi--1101906 and the MPM Blenheim mk V kit https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mpm-production-72501-bristol-blenheim-mk-v--112189 to add to my collection of Bristol’s (no sniggering at the back!).

I’ve had my eyes on this kit, always wanted to build a mk31, have the Airfix mk32 ready to build. Will watch with interest.

I have opened the bag and looked at the contents. So the plastic is actually looking good. A bit of flash around a few parts, easily cleaned up, most of the flash though is around the sprues themselves. One small sink hole in the lower wing, but easy to address with a splash of filler. So i have slapped some glue on the main components and blasted some primer. Some minor cleaning up of filler on the upper wing joints. Just need some free time to break out the airbrush before i proceed. Thanks for looking.

Damn, modern energy saving tech 😂 May have to stick in the car 😁

Ohh! I have one as a long-term build in the stash. A CedB build will definitely be an inspiration! For the decals, mine have been a in the window for an entire summer, no unyellowing (is that a word?!!) and no luck with finding Silver City decals either.

A great little helicopter. I managed to get up close during a flying visit of the Redbull Sycamore to Bristol a few years ago. One word can describe the sound of the engine - “agricultural”. Had my eyes on this kit, watching with interest.

I built one of these (and have the similar Valom Buckingham in the stash). Things i noticed and had to address include the shape of the cowlings (oval as opposed to circular) and various other fit issues. Nothing significant that someone of your skills cannot easily address.

That’s a great decal sheet (purchased one to build a Beaufighter, ended up buying a Gladiator and Beaufort based on the decals). Looking on with interest as I have two Beaufort’s to build myself.