Simon Cornes

Thanks Julien

I know this is not a Britmodeller question but I’m sure that a few of us use LSP. Any idea why their site is down? Almost 24 hours now. Probably having a software update as happens with BM from time to time but I’ve noticed it with LSP before.

Alan, your technical ability leaves me completely floored - I have no idea what you have to do! Talking metal gear though, yes, I agree with you. SAC make nice looking metal gear but in most cases it is just a direct copy of the kit plastic and, yes, can be frighteningly soft! By comparison, G-Factor in the USA use brass - no doubt the alloy mix is a secret! - and that is highly thought of - and expensive. There's absolutely no chance of it bending though, I'm confident about that. Paul Fisher used brass gear for some of his kits, although the earlier ones were normally resin. Its a good evolution in model design, providing a) its necessary to have the strength and b) it does what it says on the tin, ie doesn't bend! Simon

I think I could resist an S.1 but I quite fancy another S.2 !! But you are right, he is mad and he is impetuous! Thank goodness. I can see crowd funding coming in to play here - but that might put too much pressure on Alan.

I think Alan needs to specialise in just brass undercarriage legs at this rate!!

Never mind Alan. If anyone is mad enough to return a kit to you then I’ll have it off you like a shot! I wouldn’t mind an RAF 12 Sqdn jet as well !! Cheers Simon

Good for you Alan!!

Absolutely!! I think Alan would be well advised to have a word with Ali at Aerocraft as he's had some pretty useful brass castings done recently so he'll know a man (or woman?) who can!

And me please . Strange how we all doubt the resin is strong enough!! Bet it is really!!

Ah, I see you manipulated your wife’s good character!! Sounds like the job is just about done then! You’ll need to write an idiot guide for the rest of us to follow I think! How did you find the undercarriage? I was concerned that it might not be up to the weight of the model but I recall Alan saying that was all factored into the design. I almost feel the need to get cracking with mine but there are at least 2 projects (1 I’ve not started yet) that I need to finish first.

Grief Colin, is she not civilised? Too much of the old 'Heavy' eh? Thanks for the tip!! Just checked - you might mean Freightdog sheet FSD 72-006 Anti flash roundels and codes. Thats certainly the right shade of blue anyway. I think a 4" serial using 1/72nd decals would be a 9" serial in 1/72nd so maybe not quite right but maybe close enough! Not sure if they're 4" or 8" now though. I reckon the underwing serials are 48", based on ratio-ing up the 8" serials on the KW Bucc sheet, with 48" roundels. I think I'm going to be looking at stencils for those, and the RN titles. Damned pity you can't just photo-enlarge the 1/72nd sheet! Might be easier using the Airfix 1/48th or Model Alliance 1/48th Bucc decals as a starting point? I havent even decided which jet I want to build yet, just that its the 809 final scheme.

Mine turned up today but now I'm a big vexed because Nigel didn't tell me last week that he had the HOSM sheet on the verge of being released but he did mention the Gulf War, hence my comments above. So, in the belief that the RN Test squadron sheet would not materialise in 1/32 I bought the first sheet! To be fair, it's a case of 6 of 1 and half dozen of another. I have gained red/blue tactical roundels but lost pale blue/grey 48" underwing serials and an 8" fuselage serial - but I don't know if those letter/number combinations would have been of any use to me anyway. What I can say is that both sheets include the same stencils - to S44 - and I think that it would be possible to decal two airframes from one decal set, possible with an additional sheet of yellow and red Xtradecal pin linings to make up walkway limits, etc? You can also get 8" serials in black or white from Xtradecal but I think it will have to be stencils to do the pale blue/grey 8" or 4" and 48" underwing serials and RN titles for a late FAA jet, but thats do-able whereas the real issue was a stencil set, which we now have. The only stencils that I can see that are missing are the 6 (or 7) white star NATO refuelling point symbols that go along the right hand side of the fuselage spine - presumably to indicate fuel tank connections? Marked also F34 and F40 fuel grades. Are they available on the Hawk stencil sheet I wonder? Don't think so, certainly not 6 or 7 of them! Probably easier to just make a stencil and to paint them on and ignore the F40/F34 bit? Wouldn't it be nice if there were a few more of Alan's kit around so you could do an RAF one and an FAA one?!!

I'm wondering how much swapping of Wingnuts will take place? I suppose we all know what we want to acquire - or did - but I for one have a few multiple that I'd be happy to swap for ones I don't have yet. We aren't allowed to use the Buy/Sell/Trade section I know but if anyone happened to PM me about possible swaps it might make an interesting conversation when the only cost involved is that of postage? Cheers Simon

Thanks Alan. The only thing I noticed that wasn't on this sheet was a pair of red and white Fire Access panel markings. Not sure if thats a problem or not for an EDSG Bucc - I haven't looked that hard at the Airfix sheet - but a bit of white decal film might sort it!

Just had a proper look at the 1/72 images of the two sheets I had in mind and then the 1/32 sheet to see what you actually get and I'm now happy that there is enough stencilling to do an overall EDSG machine. The only thing I will lack is the pale blue/grey serials and RN titles for an 809 airframe. I'm thinking I may need stencils to sort that out but I know a man who can! So I am ordering a set, having just spoken to the chap at Kits World. He mentioned that a Gulf War sheet wil be coming out - I didn't ask when - but I doubt very much that he intends to do the sheet with the HOSM lettered bomb bay door in 1/32 so I could have been waiting forever!!