PaulR

Well, back from hols, digging sandcastles in Norfolk beaches. . . thought I'd better get going with an update. Fuselage and wings are now together and canopy masked, attached and sprayed tamiya german grey. I've been playing around with paints for the dayglo, most recently Tamiya gloss orange. Can't seem to find a suitably easy to spray paint out of the tin, so might have to resort to mixing that deep orange that photos seem to show. I might try the tamiya orange mixed with a little red to deepen it a little, but I'd be interested to hear any suggestions! This is where I am at . . . I am hoping to get this done in the next 10 days so I can maybe start another FAA subject . . . or that JG27 BoB Me109 . . . or . . . well, you get the idea!

I'd be very interested in this too. Aside from the insane pricetag of the hasegawa kit, I have been put off by the very poor seat, closed exhausts, unrealistic detailing on the u/c doors, poorly shaped stormshadows and the fact that it still doesn't have the centreline pylon and laser designator pod despite having the other pylons. I am still surprised hasn't done a simple, complete pylon update update set( I know olimp do, but this includes bombs and decals which pushes the price up). On the other hand, does the fit of parts makeup for the problems mentioned above? Inquiring minds wanna know! Look forward to your opinions.

Well, armed with a brand new scalpel, fine grade sandpaper and master caster polishing sponges I have managed to remove offending canopy frames and restore clarity! luckily, the clear plastic is of that slightly softer variety that responds well to this kind of abuse. A quick application of future and I think all will be just so. Onwards and upwards...

In further news... I have just noticed that the canopy framing is wrong on the starboard side. Aaargh! If it is one thing that I hate it is canopies being wrong, since they are the hardest to fix, or at least that's my experience. The main problem is the starboard window second from the back. On the port side it is split into two horizontally; however, the starboard side mirrors this when it should be one single pane. There is a similar but smaller problem with the starboard quarterlight inthe windscreen. So far as I can see it, there are two options; one, mask it correctly, and quietly ignore the hopefully not too obvious frame. Luckily the frames are clear, and are not frosted, so I might get away with this in this scale. Option two is to attempt to shave the offending frame away and polish it out; I can see that going horribly wrong! Any opinions?

Cheers for the pics. To be absolutely honest, I agree with you. I can't see the number in that first pic being anything other than white, given the similarity with the white in the roundel. However, it does show the VL code on the tail- you just have to squint hard! The ventral tank will be done in silver- I have found pics in the meteor warpaint that also show this.

Looking good... the hellcat looks the definitive muscle fighter!

I have the dual combo version of this kit, and think the plastic looks fab... although the photo etch rather puts me off! I think Eduard tends over engineers its kits, so might just have to leave off the majority of the etch when I finally get round to attempting it!

Well, am busy sanding down fuselage seams whilst watching movies and downing cold coke... life, occasionally, is alright. Will be playing with dayglo later... I have some revell 209 acrylic to try out. Any acrylic recommendations out there?

Fantastic build! Are those decals still available in 1/48? Paul

Very handsome!

Although I mainly do RAF, I would definately be up for doing something Italian... having been engaged and then having honeymooned there, it would be rude not to! I am thinking either a typhoon ( hopefully someone will do those checkerboard rudder decals for the latest italian unit by then!) or an all over grey TF104G... or if revell pulls their finger out, a sharkmouthed tornado ECR! Hope this goes ahead! Paul

Great choice of subject! I have a revell 1/48 f/a-18f to do in vfa-11 marks; would like to enter it in this GB, but given close dates might have to put it in the US Navy GB...

Interesting choice of subject! Can you show the colour scheme you are planning to do? Paul

Finally got moving forward! So far, I have futured and masked the canopy (thankfully, the masks are supplied with the kit, although the black vinyl isn't as user friendly as yellow Kabuki tape - I might have to replace a couple of the masks so they fold round curves), assembled the wing and finished the cockpit. I am more of a markings kinda guy, so cockpits tend to be functional; in any instance, given that meteor cockpits are mainly black, and that the canopy will hide most of it anyway, I have simply airbrushed it Tamiya NATO black and added tamiya tape seatbelts painted blue. Am now just hoping that I have put in enough weight to prevent a tail sitter . . .

Wow- many thanks for the informastion chaps! greatly appreciated! Paul

Evening all, I have been looking at Eduard's Me110 for my annual BoB build, and one option is for an a/c shot down on the 18th August by the CO of 64 sqn, Sqr ldr MacDonald. The events of 18th August are a particular interest, so I was wondering how I might go about finding the serial and code of Macdonald's spitfire for that particular action. I have found a profile for his plane a couple of days up to the 18th, but that plane was shot down prior to the 18th. How would I go about it? Would his log book be online, or is there another source of info about 64 sqn that might show what I am looking for? As ever, any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Best regards, Paul

Well, better get cracking! Box shots and decal option. More tonight, as have got the cockpit and wings together.

Many thanks for all the info chaps! Large intakes it is! Paul

Right ho- T7 it is! And the swordfish if time...

Evening all, Well I haven't taken part in a group build in for a while, and as FAA subjects are shamefully thin on my display cabinet shelves it seems this might be the time and place! It will either be an xtrakit T7 with xtradecal marks for the black and dayglo '709', or an airfix swordfish in pre-war marks... whichever is the nearest to the top of the stash! Pics to follow... Paul

It does if that is Wl135! Would you be able to confirm if it is? Many thanks for your time, Paul

Hallo there, A bit of obscure question, but does anyone have a period photo of 245 sqn yellow tailed f8 wl135? I recently managed to get a classic airframes kit and the xtradecals sheet, but am at a loss as to what intakes to fit. The xtradecals sheet and the Warpaint monograph profiles show small, but I am also aware that WL and WK serials had the bigger intakes fitted in the production line. I have found a pic of WL113 that shows the larger intakes, so that might indicate that WL135 had them, but having spent 60 quid on the kit and decals I want to get it right. Could anyone advise in this regard? Many thanks in advance. Paul

Cheers chaps! Paul

Evening all, have finally managed to get a classic airframes meteor F8 at a reasonable price, and have been looking at decal choices. I like the look of the pink tailed 245 sqn meteor (WL135) on the 1/48 xtradecal sheet -the one with the pink/blue fuselage checks and blue lightning tail marks. However, I have also seen this plane illustrated (ironically on the 1/72 xtradecal sheet, amongst others) that show it with a yellow tail, and yellow/blue checks. Anybody have any idea which is correct? Thanks in advance, Paul

Terrific idea! I do wish the RAF would do this rather than th rather insipid silver fin scheme they've gone for. I've built a 144th Revell typhoon in BoB colours as a trial run for the 75th anniversary; a typhoon or tornado in WW2 desert scheme would be very inspiring! Paul