Colin W

Wow, quite a while since my last update, how time flies! More slow progress on the Grifon. These FM kits do take a while. Although it looks the same as the previous picture, this is actually silver. Nothing shows imperfections better than a silver scheme! Canards added and undercarriage made. Some more rescribing and aerials to add then I can think about a final scheme.

Filling and sanding phase 1 complete and primer looking good. Canopy and foreplanes to fit then to tackle the exhaust and undercarriage. I was printing the decals for my Skyray (a prototype but not cancelled so in the Fleets In, Navy GB) so took the opportunity to reprint the Grognard decals based on previous experience of FM decals exploding in contact with water. Of on holiday to Sweden next week so no more updates for a week or so.

As a special treat the kit has the Thai markings included!

Hi All, I'm running out of Thai planes to build but I do have a Special Hobby kit of this which, (when I find it) will be my contribution to this GB. Colin

Good to see you 'building 'em all' Enzo

Here's some of my pictures of the dark grey Harrier in the RTAF Museum. I never saw this scheme when the Harriers were flying but a few of the preserved ones carry it. Note the light grey canopy the funky rudder stripes and the 4 drop tanks.

Should be good. There are a few spitfires in museums in Thailand but only the Bubble top PR14 has a camera window. Here's the PR14 from back in 2003 when it was immaculate and stored in the museum hanger. It has cannons, PR windows, and a bomb carrier and 3 zero length rocket rails under each wing. It has never carried any ID in my experience and I've seen it regularly since 1993. For the last 10 years its been parked outside and is starting to look a bit tatty. The PR19 is in a private museum at the old airport. It carries no insignia, guns or PR Camera windows. Hope these are interesting. Colin

For a bit of nostalgia, here's my F35 in a retro scheme. I built this from a 1/48 Chinese Panda kit in 2006. At the time the New Carriers were being tagged as HMS Unlikely and HMS Improbable. I guessed HMS Eagle or Elizabeth so not too far out! With the RAF Typhoons sporting brown and green camo and invasion stripes this scheme might yet see the light of day. Remember you saw it here first! Interesting that the intake leading edge and fan cover designs changed between this (presumably based on a prototype) and the production machine.

Well some cracking models in the gallery already so I humbly post my F-4D-1 Skyray. This was built as a tribute to Bill Allen. Bill was known to many as an air traffic controller, initially in the RAF and later in civilian life. He used to regail us with tails of daring do and dealing with 'upperty' Squadron Leaders not following proceedure. Bill was a keen modeller for many years and his theme was US Navy aviation. He was a member of the Tail Hook Association and a keen member of the IPMS USN SiG. I'm sure many on here will have known Bill and miss his dry sense of humour. I'm not really a USN modeller but I had the Tamiya F4D-1 Skyray 1/48 in the stash since I liked the plane and I'm sure Bill would approve. This is a great kit, fitting together beautifully. Tamiya at their best. I therefore decided to do something slightly different..... It came to my attention that the Skyray was one of 5 aircraft to hold the World Air Speed Record in 1952. In keeping with my 'record holders' personal build theme I therefore decided to model the appropriate record holding airframe. I soon learned there were a lot of differences from the record breaking prototype and the production machine in the kit. Modifications included -building fairings around the exhaust nozzle -Removal of splitter plates and their vents as these had not been invented, -closing several scoops on the underside -deleting the wing fold mechanism, guns, pylon locators and locking the slats in the retracted position -deleting the tail hook and associated bumper. -decals of course were different and had to be home made. So once you do all of that you end up with this... An interesting addition to the record holders for a relatively unknown aircraft but one which took its place in the line of greats. I'm sure Bill would have been happy F-4D Build thread Thans to the mods and all those who dropped by with a comment or 2. Colin

A bit of a break there from posting but I finished the Skyray on Saturday ready to display at the BDAC model show today. This was quite appropriate as we were selling off a lot of books and models Bill donated at the BDAC show. I'm sure Bill would have approved. Thanks to @LorenSharp & @Corsairfoxfouruncle for mopderating and all those making comments along the way. More pics in the Gallery.

Hi, earlier this week my tablet (Samsung) asked me to log on again to BM. Having being logged on for about 5 years this was a surprise. The screen then updated to the home page but the only buttons are 'home' and 'Forum home', neither of which do anything. Do you have any suggestion? My desk top works perfectly. Colin

Do you use any of the Swift parts for the 545 kit? I have a plan to build the 545 from an Attacker in the future but using a Swift might be a helpful shortcut.

Ive seen the kit a few times but never a built one. I didnt know it had 4 wheels or the hook on top so really looking forwards to seeing the finished model.

Under carriage painted and fitted over the weekend. The prototype had a GE logo on the fin so I copied this and printed with the rest of the decals. The National Insignia came from the kit but the 'NAVY' was slanted so I had to print it as I have nothing in the spares box. I note from the pictures of the preserved aircraft that the slanted legends have been replaced with standard font so clearly too hard in the real world.

Several applications of filler later the fuselage is looking round so I decided to put the wings on. Oh dear. A classic FM kit. What did I say about being better than building from scratch! In the Jig