Troffa

That's looking fabulous Alistair, really great work so far, home straight now! Cheers, Troffa

Welcome to BM Ralph, from an uncommonly hot and sunny Somerset, UK

That looks amazing Faud, great skills and excellent presentation. Well done!

Replacements in 2026? Blackhawks? AW139?

Thanks for this HL-10, I've been looking for the decals for this Cab for a while- as previously stated this Aircraft was one of two despatched to evacuate a USN submariner off a an at sea boat to Lajes, in the Azores I must have been around 9 when this was aired in the UK on BBC's "Sailor" series. Inspiring Airmanship, and not without incident! Great clip here on youtube: https://youtu.be/5LpsbXUK9r0?si=vFya-oR8KViYmZIH Cheers, Troffa

Good morning Phellow Phantom Phans!😀 According to "The Phantom in focus" by former Phantom.and Tornado F3 Navigator David Gledhill, the RAF Phantom was armed with the AIM-7E-2 Sparrow III until superceded by Skyflash. Edit: Skyflash entered service in the early 1980's but not in large numbers- Phantoms that had been modified to fire Skyflash had three yellow pennants painted on the ECS intakes on each side of the aircraft's forward fusleage, just aft of the Radome. (Hardback first edition, Chapter 12, page 217, edit: Page 232) Thanks for an excuse to browse the book during a quiet Sunday morning in the kitchen with a coffee! Troffa

Welcome to BM Lewis, I too spent several yeara at Leuchars during my now distant RAF career, Phantoms and F3 on my watch. I look forward to seeing your work here on Britmodeller. All the best, Troffa

Mmm, I may be thonking of the Tamiya canopy...I am quite middle aged now...😐

I've built the European theatre boxing a couple of times, but not this particular one. A great little kit, seam on the canopy, that carb intake fit and the radiator exhaust seam are issues that come to mind, and that "to fill or not to fill, that is the question" quandry for the wing panel lines... Still the Cadillac of the Skies though, good luck, and I'll be following. Troffa

Greetings Jag fans! Some more work on the Airfix Jaguar, really, really enjoying this build. Things that cross my mind when I'm at the bench. The Jaguar was one of the pinnacles of the Royal Air Force of the time- Young guys would have spent literally years aiming for this Single-Seat fast jet cockpit, or one like it. From their Secondary School A level selections, through University, having achieved the correct qualifications just to be even considered, and then vaulting every hurdle, physical and medical, through Officer selection and Pilot training. To have got to that glorious day, sat at the end of a runway at Lossiemouth, Adour's roaring, ready for their first solo must have been a life defining moment for all of them that made it. ( I could pretend that it was my eyesight that resulted in me taking the Groundcrew route, but I'd be fooling no-one 🙂 They were a breed apart) Anyhoo, enough of my ramblings, Fuel tanks glossed, decals applied and a matt coat over the lot. Wings on, assembly glossed and ready for some stickers! Same for this pussycat's belly... Pylons glossed and Explosive warning decals applied- the aircraft I'm modelling has all Grey pylons, so I'm sticking with that. A bit of a wash to pick up that exquisite detail and we'll be ready for some 'Plumbers' to fit them 🙂 The cast gather backstage: And a dress rehearsal to finish: Thanks for looking, more to come, hopefully soon. Cheers, Troffa

Surely 43(F) The battling bantams would look good in F35's? Probably not senior enough. 🙄

Missed this when you posted it initially, delighted to catch it now- what an excellent example of the art, and not a subject that I have seen in model form before. Inspirational stuff sir!

So when do we get the AAR capability with "Flying Boom"? A small purchase of F-35A, whilst a very capable platform, won't work very well in my opinion. Apparently these Jets are to be in place of planned F-35B buys, so on paper would be cheaper, but the additional costs of integrating with the USAF controlled B61 program and maintaining a credible serviceable fleet out of just 12 jets will be challenging. Interesting times. Informed thread here: RAF to get F-35A

Good to have you here Whirly Bird, love your work- I look forward to seeing more! Thanks also for reminding me of my school summer holidays back in the 1970's and the BBC daytime Re-runs of "Whirlybirds" on the telly. It was 20 years old even then. We got all the classics, cheap, black and white syndicated schedule fillers "Champion the wonder horse", "Casey Jones", and for those of a more European bent, "Robinson Crusoe" and "White Horses"! anyway, enough of my wittering. Welcome aboard! Troffa

Welcome aboard Alexk from Somerset in the UK. I look forward to seeing your work here on BM. Cheers, Troffa