Ventora3300

Oops, that's interesting. I thought the Mini Paint Plan was just for the details which they couldn't show because of the limited space on the back of the box. I was going to just 'embellish' the bare model with any slight painting of various details I could do after completion - as an impatient kid might do. I've missed the boat on painting the interior and the crew as they are all in and are now shadowy figures behind the transparencies.

Not many takers here so far - it seems a bit too daunting for me to kick off right now, given the work that tonyot is putting in. I'm surprised someone has all these old kits in one place. Best of luck if you go ahead.

Are you sure about the decals being wrong? I did a bit of research and it looks like the document AMO A926/40 (12 December 1940) 'Aircraft Colouring and Recognition Markings' seems to have originally said: Code letters are carried by service types in operational units, and operational training units. The two code letters, and one letter to indicate individual aircraft, are to be painted in grey paint and placed before and behind the roundels on the fuselage. The, code and individual letters may be placed two before and one behind the roundels or vice versa. If fact, one of my favourites, the Airfix P-40 Kittyhawk has 'Y-GA' on one side and GA-Y' on the other. Good old 'JE-J' had that on both sides but I thought that was because it was especially written that way for Johnny Johnson. However, an update ' The order quoted above has been amended to AMO A687/41 issued on 28 August 1941, A.664 Camouflage, Colouring and Markings of Aircraft (2 July 1942) said: Code letters and Special markings.-(i) In addition to national markings, code letters are carried by service types in operational units and operational training units. The two code letters, and one letter to indicate individual aircraft, are to be painted in the appropriate colour and placed before and behind the roundels on the fuselage... Maybe you can say that the ground crew had not received the update??

Some more progress on the 'bare' He.115. Had a go at pulling up the starboard stabiliser - still not perfect but I think the whole tailplane may have a slight twist - I wonder if this comes about during the my gluing process? Lower elevator balances on. Had a go at removing smudges with micromesh and toothpaste - works a treat, even with an electric toothbrush - just need to spend time on the polishing. Front canopies on - no smudges, thank goodness, but it looks like the pre-assembly of front canopy halves was a bit out of line so a gap has been created to the fuselage on one side - I'll deal with that later by popping apart again. Machine guns on and managed to break the barrels of both of them - front one repaired and the rear will be done later. Aerial mast on. The whole sequence of how the floats go on had me a bit puzzled as the Instructions don't give a clear front and side view of the angles of the main and secondary struts. It seems that you put all the struts on the floats at exactly the right angles and then glue to the wings and fuselage simultaneously - that seems a recipe for disaster to me. Rather than follow the Instructions, I had the great idea of putting on the floats with just the main struts, angling slightly inwards, letting dry, and thereby creating a bit of tension to hold the secondary struts in place when I put them in. Otherwise, how will things line up? - since the secondary struts just 'locate' in indents on the floats and I assumed the same on the fuselage - very difficult to see once the floats are on.... However, what I didn't notice was that I was happily cutting off some tiny locating spigots on the fuselage ends of the secondary struts when I was removing them from the sprue. Suffice to say, after the photos above, I proceeded to struggle trying to put in the secondary struts, gobbing glue in all sorts of places and generally made a mess of the whole thing. The floats have come off and I'll try again by following the Instructions. (I have since checked for other builds of the Matchbox He.115 to see how the floats were done but the only one I can find has a picture 'Floats are on!' giving no clue as to how it was done). I think the glue on the struts on the floats will need to be part dry to allow adjustment without falling off. Even more micromeshing and toothpaste required....Now I'm starting to think that this will be the 'practice' model, making way for a perfectly built beige/green/blue version. We'll see.

Having had the masking issue several times, especially on kits where the detail is raised rather than recessed, I actively used the tip from others to first give a coat of the colour being masked i.e. under the masking tape, let dry, before applying the new colour. That way, any bleed through is in the colour being masked. (Hark to me, beginning to sound like one of you BM experts! Seriously though, that tip really works and is a boon to a 1/72 brush painter like me.)

Love it - especially the 'soft' demarcation between top and bottom colours on the fuselage. Excellent.

Yes, that is another idea, thanks. That would apply further pressure to get the Matchbox GB entr(ies) done in reasonable time.

Good thinking - the timing could be good if I can get the He.115's through in this GB. Thanks.

Ended up getting a 1982 boxing P-40N from ebay, £14.99 inc postage. It has the '2-Colours' logo so should be OK. If no one else puts in a P-40 then I'll enter it in this GB so it can get crossed off the Master List!

Yes, I thought it was too good to be true. However, a very interesting subject for a model , though. 12 engines!!

Looking good, Beard. When we say SWMBO, we mean it and 'she' can change the world as we plan it in a second!!

Thanks stevej60 and I have had a look- looks like a Revell re-issue though as there is no 'x-colour' logo on the box. I am holding out for an original Matchbox boxing......

Love the shape of the Me262. Looks like bombs have been supplied for the fighter bomber version? Box art has no bombs!

A little more progress - wings on, stabilisers and struts on and main canopy on with PVA. Wings went on beautifully although had to be held in place while the cement 'took'. The stabilisers interlock inside the tail and I eventually remembered to fit the supporting struts to aid alignment. I think that the starboard side will need some adjustment though as it seems slightly low. I had to glue the two halves of the nose glazing together with the cement as the PVA seemed too weak to hold while drying. No more smudges although there was a suspicion of glue oozing at one of the wing joints. Floats next....

You are welcome, although buying from ebay is not everyone's ideal shopping trip. I must say though, all this modelling of Matchbox has got me looking for the old boxings and I picked up a Wellington Mk.X recently to add to my meagre collection. On the lookout for an original boxing P-40 Warhawk.

Matchbox Comet on ebay right now at 'buy now' for £10.00 plus £3.95 postage - can't be bad! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Matchbox-1-76-Scale-A34-Mk1-Comet/172993460534?hash=item284736b936:g:oRcAAOSwzppaFYR5

Some Fireflies on ebay right now: One is 'buy now' at £19.99 plus £3 postage? The others are 'bidding' lower at the moment. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Matchbox-Sherman-Firefly-1-76-Scale/172993407003?hash=item284735e81b:g:bVYAAOSwZB9aFXj https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MATCHBOX-1-76-SHERMAN-FIREFLY-tank-Model-Kit-40071-vintage-rare/142556128037?epid=1605633342&hash=item213101e325:g:-lgAAOSwOAZZiNgw https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Matchbox-Sherman-Firefly/202122875641?hash=item2f0f7652f9:g:2jcAAOSwTf9ZSpAQ https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REVELL-SHERMAN-FIREFLY-TANK-MODEL-KIT-1-76-03211/222723136884?hash=item33db555d74:g:7BAAAOSwNWxaDxTz

Wheww! All this talk of Revell Kits in Matchbox boxes had me scurrying into the loft to check my only other Matchbox kits, the HP Heyford, HP Victor K2. and Dornier Do-X. Thank goodness the Heyford is one of the original boxings - three colours (looks like dark green, even darker green and black) and the Victor is in grey/grey/green. The Victor boxing has a lower section in black but it does carry the '3 Colours' logo the same as on the 'original' boxings. Maybe this is the way to ensure it is a Matchbox moulding? However, looking at the outside of the Dornier Do-X in a Matchbox box, there is no 3-colour logo so I must assume....

Fantastic - my first build and a recent retro build. It was the retracting undercarriage and moveable turret that did it...

I love this kit - the graceful Seahawk. (yours has a few enhancements? - the first jet I built - no prop to spin but I made sure the arrestor hook worked!

Congratulations, superb build, first one or not, and a great subject to start with. Now that the bug has bitten, looking forward to more!

Dave, thanks for your excellent (as ever) input. I did wonder if the Tempest had been polished up as it is definitely looking pristine! Also, I was under the impression that the plastic had a kind of skin or surface on it which came from the moulding process - once you interfered with that then there would always be evidence of abrasion. A shame to then paint it but you'll have the pictures to remind you of the work put in. I have added 'wet'n'dry' glasspaper to my modelling tools so ready to go. Also, plenty toothpaste about. What I will do is continue to try to keep the first time quality of build up and then see how much polishing is required before the transfers go on. I did get it into my head that this He115 may float so the floats will required a seal along the seams - these would then need a polish. I'll be putting the canopies on with PVA to keep the joints 'clear' and to also give me the option to remove the front one and slide any balancing weights which may be required inside the fuselage. Great fun as always... Mike

Many thanks, I shall try that although I did say that I wanted to keep 'repairs' to a minimum, i.e. do a good job on the gluing!

Is that next door to Vibrania?