PaulR

Cheers chaps! Well, that's the prop question sorted out then! Paul

Evening all, am predominantly an aircraft builder, but occasionally venture into the 'dark side'! The Porsche turreted King Tiger is my all time favourite tank, and when I saw the Trumpeter edition with Zimmerit in my LHS, it mysteriously leapt into my pocket . . . anyway, I also wanted to do a small diorama to go with it. I've already started this project, in so far that I have glued this bits together and primed it using Tamiya primer; I have also mixed my own version of the red oxide primer the Germans used with a Tamiya red and black mix and airbrushed that on. I'm hoping this will act as a pre-shade, as well as allowing me to chip the topcoats back to the primer. The diorama base is a rectangular plinth I bought for a couple of quid about 10 years ago. I want to have the tiger moving along a country track with raised slopes either side, so I looked around the house to see what I could use. In the end, I found some old 'Oasis' green block (the sort used for flower arranging et al, not that I flower arrange you understand!) and carved this into shape before PVA gluing it to the base. I used plasticard to edge the sides. I then applied a quick layer of ModRoc (the stuff railmodellers use) to smooth it all out. I've placed the tank on it to give an impression of the diorama when finished. Not that you can see it, but I pressed the tracks into the plaster to make track marks in what will be mud. Lastly, I am using five Revell German army figures to animate the scene. Three of them will be a machine gun team to be placed on the slope, firing in the same direction as the tank gun; the other two will be placed behind the tank, with one soldier describing the skirmish up ahead to his commander. These have got their first coat of Humbrol 66. Anyway, there it is! More updates as I move along. By the by, any tips for painting tracks?!? Paul

Well, this build has stalled quite long enough! To be honest, all my modelling time - and there is precious little of that - has been taken up with another Tornado in the recent single type group build. However, with all the painting done, as per the last set of pics, I am onto decalling and weaponry. Here are a couple of pics of the Sky Flash missiles. These are the kit missiles, but with the jet pipe drilled out, spurious trench lines filled and sanded, and wiring covers fabricated with plastic strip. Painted Light Aircraft Grey with Xtracrylix paints. Will post the last stages asap, in order to get this finished once and for all! Paul

Evening all, am beginning to get into this group build thing! Anyway, standard pics of sprues etc. Kit is the extremely good value for money Revell version, which, as I understand it, runs a very close second to the much more expensive Tamiya kit. The sharp eyed will see the extra props which I have nabbed from the not-so-hot academy kit; I am not very clued up on the P-47, and I'm not sure what prop to use for a SEAC Thunderbolt. I am going to use the some of the Academy decals for this camouflaged scheme. I know there are many more flamboyant schemes for the P-47, but being now an almost exclusive RAF modeller this is a scheme I don't currently have in my collection. Anyway, more updates in due course! Paul

Evening all, recently finished this Revell GR1 in GW1 colours and with Foxy Killer nose art. If you haven't tried a group build before, I'd highly recommend it; keeps you focused on a kit, and a great place to pick up tips! Cheers, Paul

Cheers all for the responses guys. I now feel a little more clued up . . . although I'd love to have used the bazooka tubes! Paul

My finished work, for what it's worth! Paul

Morning all. Right - the photos I wanted to post last night! First off is the final masking and oil wash, which I was really pleased with. I sometimes find oil washing on 1/72 a waste of time because the panel lines aren't deep enough for it to work properly, but seemed to go OK this time. Then . . . decalling, matt coat using Xtracrylic matt varnish which goes on beautifully, and the addition of the undercarriage, stores and final details such as aerials and landing lights. I am ammzed that not one of these tiny parts went pinging off into the ether - I guess I just got lucky! The finished item! I've put two shots here - the other four are in the completed entries section. Am in generaly really pleased with how this came out. I really like the colour scheme and nose art, and I only have one other Desert Storm aircraft in my collection ( a 1/48 Jaguar -the 'pink Spitfire') so this is a worthwhile addition. I've really enjoyed the whole group build - picked up some really good ideas and seen some super work. If any of you guys are joining the P-47 build in September, well I'll see you there! Best regards, Paul Really need to learn how to take better shots - the first one is a bit over-exposed . . . !

Hi all, am joining the P-47 groupbuild with a SEAC P-47. I was wondering what armament and drop tank combinations these typically carried. I seem to have bombs, tube rocket launchers (which I'd like to use if historically accurate) and either cylindrical or 'flattened' drop tanks to choose from; any guidance in this regard would be great. Cheers, Paul

Just a quick post to Steve and Merv who have kindly hosted this group build and made it all happen. It's the second GB I've done, and have enjoyed it immensely. Thanks for giving you time, chaps!Best regards, Paul p.s. anyone joining the P-47 GB?

Hi Dermot, having just finished mine (at 11 at night) was wondering how you are getting on with yours! Are you going to make the deadline tomorrow? Best regards, Paul

11.10 in the evening and I am finished . . . although it wouldn't have done if the model had had its way! Lost a wheel to the carpet monster (had to filch another pair from another kit) left undercarriage kept falling apart and I had to scratch build the airdata probes as the kit's went pinging off, never to be seen again! To cap it all, I have come to upload the last few construction photos and to post in the 'finished section' - and my camera battery goes dead! I am, therefore, off to the pit, where I shall arise refreshed and ready to go, and hopefully my camera battery will be in a similar state! Paul

That was jolly quick Steve!! I just misted on a couple of thin coats. I tend to spray a coat, used the airbrush as a hairdryer and apply another thin coat, misted on. I'll randomly mist on the Tamiya buff as well to get different shades and tones. Then a coat of Xtracrylix gloss varnish and a light oil using burnt umber oil paint. Then the risky bit; airbrushing the exhaust stain on the fin! Very easy to overdo, and a pain in the rear to correct! Paul

Morning all, right - quick update. Preshading done . . . . . . followed by a reasonably thin overspray of Xtracrylix Desert Pink. I am pleased with how this has come out; with selective misting of Tamiya Buff and an oil wash, this should produce the patch work weathering effect I am after. There's lots of Tamiya tape on the airframe; I tend to do all the fiddly masking before the final coats to stop overspray disasters later! I am in the throes redecorating today, but have promised myself tonight to get everything ready so that I can decal it tomorrow. Paul

Cheers for the info Spike. I guess mine is going to be one of those with pink hindenburgers! Paul 00:45 hours. . . and preshading complete!More photos and updates as events warrant . . .

Thank God for that! Looked at the calendar today and found that I have been 'volunteered' for several social events over the w/e which could have made Sunday a challenge! Cheers, Paul

Morning all, I'd like to join in too! Have got about 4 1/72 P-47s I've collected over the years, and as I now almost exclusively model RAF stuff, and have no SEAC colour schemes in my collection - well, descision made! A revell one I think . . . anyone got ideas for armament/drop tank options for SEAC thunderbolts? Paul

Suitably beaten up Dermot! Particularly like the shine on your canopy - was it a dip in Future/Klear? See you at the finish line! Paul

Evening chaps! Grinding my way to the finish line, but it's going to be tight! Anyway, have completed and painted all the boring fiddly bits as per this photo. . . . . . and have sprayed all the metallic areas prior to masking. Here is the hot end, which is Xtracrylix Silver made dirty with a very thin wash of grey/black. Lastly this is a not-very-good close-up of one of the LGBs. I have tried to replicated the bottle green body, drab green front end and fins, and that curious red-brown between the forward fins. The photo doesn't show up the tonal variations very well, but am well pleased with the result. Some fiddly masking - thank God for Tamiya tape! The airframe is now all primed and masked up - that took one movie to do, so tomorrow is pink day! I figure tomorrow to paint and gloss varnish, Friday to decal and weather, and Saturday to bung on the landing gear etc . . . nothing like leaving it close! I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed this group build, so many thanks to the organisers and fellow participants. I find it focuses my model building; instead of fiddling with 3 or 4 models on the go, I have really been motivated to stick with this! More updates tomorrow, all other things being equal . . . Paul

Quick update - but no pics! It's 11.00pm and my eyeballs are falling out . . . but I have managed to finish painting all the fiddly bits, like u/c and doors. Cockpit is installed and fuselage closed up, canopies are being polished prior to dipping in future and masking, and after that I can do the priming and painting, which given it's all one colour makes things a bit simpler. Am now v. glad I chose an option that has about six decals in total and no stencilling; I think I'll have it finished by the deadline, but it's going to be close! Pics and further progress tomorrow! Paul

Looking good Martin! Are you going to be able to finish her in time for the deadline? I think mine will be, but it's going to be close! Best regards, Paul

Afternoon all, I was comtemplating my increasingly ridiculous stash and deciding what to do next. I have an Academy FW190D, which I seem to recall winning IPMS Germany's (or something similar, anyway) prize when it was first brought out. However, how does it compare to other Doras on the market? I am aware of the old Airfix kit, Tamiya and possibly Hasegawa, but there may be others. Anyone know the relative merits of each? I am mainly concerned with an accurate outline, and canopy shape. Thanks for any guidance! Paul

Some good scratchbuilding there! The only thing I might add is that the photo angle is a little deceiving. I stand to be corrected, but I understand that the pylon is almost exactly the same length as the pod, so your pylon needs a little shortening. Hope this helps, Paul

Looking good Dermot! I see you have used the wine bottle foil method for the wing gloves as well! Am pushing hard with my own 1/72nd pink Tornado, so all things being equal we should have two Gulf War birds to pair up in the 1/72nd category! Paul

Hi all, am planning a one man, mini-group build of Austrian airforce fighters (specifically J29, Draken and Typhoon) and was looking at the different marking options. I found the badges for the 1st and 2nd staffels (below) and they seemed very familiar, especially the second staffel. Digging around showed that a virtually identical badge was used on WW2 era JG54's 2nd Gruppe, and I am pretty sure that the 1st staffel badge was used as a badge on Me109s or similar. Can't find it yet! Anyway, do the current units have any lineage back to WW2 units, or are the badges derived from something else, like a town badge? Sounds a bit pedantic, but this sort of heraldry interests me in a bizarre way! 1st and 2nd staffel badges of Austrian airforce Link to WW2 JG54 badges# Regards, Paul