Eric Mc

And, of course, some "older" kits were little gems. Airfix produced some great stuff in the mid 1970s. Revell really picked up their game in the 1990s, especially their German branch. Revell, over the decades, either absorbed other companies (such as Monogram), acquired tools from companies that had ceased production (e.g Frog and Matchbox) or carried out extensive licensing deals with other manufactures, in effect renting their moulds for limited periods (Italeri, Hasegawa and MPM/Special Hobbybeing examples). Revell also established a number of overseas moulding centres. The European division used to be in Potters Bar and later moved to Germany. There was also a Mexican company (Lodela) which released Revell kits. As a result, when you buy a kit in a Revell box you could be buying - an original American Revell classic from the 1950s/early 1960s a mid to late 1960s Revell America kit a 1960s/70 Monogram kit (some of which were very good for the period) a British, German or Mexican moulding a modern US moulding a modern German moulding a current kit from another manufacturer Airfix has also indulged in similar practices over the decades although the range of other companies kits that have appeared in Airfix boxes is less chaotic than Revell's. The period when Airfix and Heller were in common ownership (Humbrol) and the kits were being moulded in the same factory is the period where you were most likely to see a non Airfix kit in an Airfix box. Kits like the 1/72 Gloster Javelin T3 and the Dragon Rapide were originally Heller kits but I have examples of these in Airfix boxes in my stash. As I said, if you find yourself being drawn to buy a certain Revell kit, check out the provenance of the mould before you decide to part with your cash.

As has been pointed out, both Airfix and Revell have existed for decades with a long history of kit production and corporate ownership behind them. In recent years, both companies have been releasing pretty good kits overall. When you go back in time, however, you are entering a whole different world and, unless you do your homework, you could get caught out - by products from either manufacturer.

I actually built that 109E back around 1980 and thought it was a nice little kit. It was streets ahead of their original 109G. Obviously, the new Hornby era 109E is much better.

If your local GP is disinterested, try another. Getting second opinions (or even third) on medical matters is not unusual and is also worthwhile. I'm amazed at how lazy some GPs are.

Get the medicine. No point in suffering when there are options to make things better.

I've never had any luck with spraying decal sheet in order to make canopy frames. I always find that the paint cracks when the decal is soaked or when it is applied to the canopy.

Well, office workers share desks.

I too thought that the current 109 included in the Starter Pack was the modern 109E moulding.

Three F-35 pilots is probably all we can afford now.

There is a monster estate in the process of being built not far from the airfield.

First time it had happened to me so it caught me by surprise. I can't understand why people would be so small minded as to carry out attacks of this sort.

"Server Existential Crisis". Just had that message and some wittering about "The Antiques Road Show". What's all that about?

Note that this model is very, very inaccurate for a genuine Apollo Command/Service Module. The detail on the Service Module in particular is more akin to that on the original Block I design, which was never used for any manned flights. The Lunar Module looks like it is missing the support struts for the downward pointing RCS thrusters (like the Airfix kit).

The conversion was not part of a trial to see if a turboprop powered DC-3 was feasible. The aircraft was converted to allow future Viscount crews experience in handling turbine engines. Once the first Viscounts began to enter the fleet, the need for the Dart Dakota faded and they were eventually "de-converted" back to piston power.

Great to see a Froggie finished. I too would go easy on matting the sheen down. The early schemes on RAF Buccaneers were actually gloss although the shine would have gone off over time. In 1973 the RAF started applying a more matt finish to the grey/green camouflage and toned down the roundels and fin flashes too by removing the white elements.