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TonyW

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Everything posted by TonyW

  1. Another build from me gets added this evening, Hellers old Potez 63-11 This one was destined to be built way back in time, during the Heller GB. Just for a change I over extended myself in that GB and the kit has been in the loft ever since. It's a recent boxing with updated decals from Heller. I had added a Techmod decal and mask set that I had completely forgotten about. It was a nice surprise to find the set when I opened the box! There's no shortage of schemes to think about now. I'm leaning toward AX673 in dark earth and stone and RAF roundels. I'll be making a start this evening while sat in front of the computer indoors, the shed being a bit on the cold side today! Tony.
  2. More progress. Only one picture though and that was taken at the close of play this afternoon. Engines were given a dusting with a metallizer powder, although once the cowls were fitted only the front of the fans can be seen. Turret gunners seat installed on one fuselage side and the cockpit assembly was painted black awaiting a bit of detailing. Wheels and tires painted along with the spinners and props. The whole airframe got a satin black undercoat to see what's needed in the bodywork department. A bit of attention is needed here and there but fortunately nothing major. The fuselage is dry fitted together at the moment to help the turret gunners seat dry nice and square inside. Tomorrow should see the fuselage buttoned up and a tiny bit of filler added to the mid wing joint on one side. The canopy top is just propped into place in the picture. Fit is near perfect and it's very clear as well. The fit of the kit parts so far has been very good indeed.
  3. Thanks Pat. That one was a joy to build. I hope these near wrecks can be bullied into something similar.
  4. A bit of a catch all thread title to encompass a potential couple of builds. I have the bones of two built kits and a broken down to parts one. All need a full restoration and new paint and transfers. All three have seen rather too much tube glue used on them and none have complete undercarriages. I think I have enough spares but if all else fails there are a couple of early stands I can use. These are pretty simple kits, with minimal parts count. I have what I hope are usable later decals that can be used for two of them, shown above. They are to 1.100 scale but I don't anticipate anything unsurmountable. The broken down parts plane will be refinished as a red wing BEA one. One of the others will get broken down and cut up to give me a short fuselage conversion to something resembling the prototype. That will need a bit of thought as to markings, being a white fin scheme but I'll worry about that once I get there. I could finish it as I did with a Heller Arc en Ciel a while back, as a desk top model. If the Comet gods are with me I might even get a third out of the pile and do another BOAC one. Best I get the red wing one cracked out first and see where the thread runs after that! Tony.
  5. A few of mine, also from the last FROG GB... A FROG Penguin Spitfire restoration. The 1.96 scale Comet. And a selection of 1.72 planes.
  6. I follow the path of least resistance when I build, rather than the instructions. Builds happen in no particular order, just what feels right at the time. That attitude has tripped me up more than once though. Adding the wings today means I can probably get the airframe together tomorrow. Once the fuselage is secured while drying, I can assemble the engines etc. I'm not in a race with myself but I don't like waiting on paint drying so to speak. I usually have more than one build on the go to keep a flow going while I'm in the modelling mood. Past GB experience shows me that I start off well, taper off midway and then have a concentrated charge when the deadline is looming. GB extensions are often my lifeline! The FROG GB kicks off soon and overlaps this one. That will no doubt throw a spanner in the works. I'm working on a cunning plan though.
  7. More vault raiding... A FROG Penguin Dornier dating from WW2. Not the most accurate Dornier but not a bad effort by FROG considering we were fighting the Germans at the time. References were a bit thin on the ground. I restored this one from a scruffy original years ago. Most of the work required was straightening up the terrible warping these old models suffer from. The paints used were all period oil based but still usable. Transfers were all old stock and the cammo pattern was copied from an early forties Flight photo. From the Heller GB, a pair of French AF twins, The Airfix SM79
  8. I've knocked off on the Dornier for the day . The light in the shed was fading fast and the temperature was starting to drop. I like working in daylight in the shed and I'm too tight to run heating in there. Progress was smooth. The fit and finish of the kit parts is a joy so far. The wing root join is pretty much invisible. The outer wing joints might need a smear of filler once dry, but that's probably down to my prep work. A bit of black was added to the tyres, props, engines and so forth. Weathering will follow tomorrow.
  9. Thanks Pete, a very informative reply. Greens book mentions a 225 gallon fuel tank in the forward bomb bay for this Mk. The text says the Fritz X was mounted inboard between the engines and fuselage. I don't have the Griehl book but a second mention of two bombs being shown is reassuring. I think I'll cover all bases and build the model with one bomb mounted and the other on some sort of trolley nearby. The trolley, the obligatory oil drums and maybe a figure or two should make a decent enough display.
  10. And we're off! First GB of 2024 is well and truly underway. The Dornier has seen a bit of glue this morning with the wingtips cut off for the longer span parts needed. The inner halves are glued together and the undercarriage roofs added. The fuselage parts have had a quick squirt of black for the cockpit area. The amount of extra detailing, if any, will be decided once the cockpit parts are assembled and painted and then tried under the canopy. What's visible will decide how far I go there. The guided weapons are nearly assembled, with the fins on the Fritz X bombs yet to be added. They look suitably busy as they are, with the racks and steady braces looking good as well. I've also made up a few bases for potential use on GB builds. A couple of questions need answers already. An earlier discussion about the weapon load of these planes mentioned only one Fritz X being the likely loadout due to weight/range issues. Add to that, the difficulties of launching and guiding two missiles in one mission, I have to say I agree with only one X being carried. However: the alternative loadout is a Hs guided bomb under one wing outer and a fuel tank under the other. Given that weight carried, would two Fritz X bombs also not be achievable in theory? The kit provides two inner pylons and two outer. If one bomb would be carried, could/would the second inner pylon carry a drop tank or would the just outer one be plumbed and used? Any help regarding weapon load would be gratefully received.
  11. Right, I'm off to the shed for a bit of quality model time. I shall embrace the diversity of kits awaiting me, in a gender neutral and vegan sort of way. Normal speech will hopefully return at some point. I won't start the day reading the Guardian again either.
  12. I can see Brazilian builds overtaking the Airfix 410!
  13. No need for sorry, I bring it all on myself! I had a quick look on the internet for Brazilian stuff just now, hoping they used Bolo's or something like that. It's early days yet, something might turn up. I'm off to the Hannants website now, to see what the decal options are for obscure WW2 airforces.
  14. Push it right down the list and hope the GB ends before my bluff is called.
  15. That Kid before Christmas feeling is upon me again. It's the same for every GB. I'm counting the sleeps! As befits an impatient and greedy kid, I'm ramping up my expectations. I'm going to have a crack at covering a plane from each of the combatants and see how many I can get done over the GB. So far I've sorted out and have ready to go... A Dornier 217, A Camproni CA 313 or 314, not sure which one yet. An A20 Havoc in Russian markings. Other possible builds, yet to be dug out of storage include a Heller Breguet 693. That one could be axis or allied, depending on who's side the French were on at the time. I have an old Airfix Hudson that could be pressed into service, and so on and so forth. Over extending myself? Of course! Shotgun tactics brought to a GB near you.
  16. Here's the first one from me, the 1.72 Italieri Do 217 K2. Somehow all the bits cut themselves off the sprues and cleaned up their edges! I've wanted to build the plane ever since seeing this view in William Greens Luftwaffe book back when I was at school. It's about time I got around to it really. More than fifty years have passed since having the idea! .
  17. One of Monograms finest car kits, it's good to see one being built. I built one back in the seventies, finishing it in dark green Humbrol enamel. No pictures survive, just fond memories. Tony.
  18. Monogram had things covered pretty well in the early sixties with a ton of build options in some of their kits. The 1.24 scale they finalized at seems a bit big against the 1.25 AMT and Revell picked and some of their models have a somewhat chunky look about them. When they got it right though, Bingo!
  19. Thank you. I have a few car related builds lined up for the Baby Boomer GB and I can't wait to get stuck in. Tony.
  20. T Buckets you say? Have another Little T shot then. This time sat alongside a boxed one and a few accessories. The paints are maybe a bit late for an early sixties kit but I thought they looked nice. So there. ... and here's the Big T again. Also sat alongside an unbuilt boxed kit. I found the kit at Telford one year. I spotted it across the hall as I first walked in. I vaulted over the heads of the crowd between us and emptied my wallet in exchange for it. It's one of the nicest kits in my collection.
  21. Thanks Matt, here's a few more from the vaults. Monograms Little T with a home brew dealer display base. This one must be 25 years old now, which makes me feel very old indeed. Moving up a gear, here's a built Big T this time. And to finish with another colour bomb, here's most of the Monogram motorized kits. Monogram have a bit of a hold on me... Those three are old pictures. I'll be taking a few new ones over the next few weeks. I'll add anything suitable to the thread. Tony.
  22. Not the most detailed of posts, but I've been sorting out some early Monogram Hot Rod builds and boxes. The urge to pose three of them together with the original boxes was too much to resist. One picture captures the feel of the trio without going overboard. I can see a few more like this appearing as the sort out progresses. Tony.
  23. Only a few days before the kickoff, there's been a bit of prep going at this end. Four definite builds are ready and waiting. Over the course of the GB I'm pretty confident they will get done, although I make similar rash predictions at the start of every GB I've taken part in. There are a few other contenders that might get a look in, we shall see. Reading the Airfile Operation Torch reference threw up a few interesting ideas. The French used pretty much the same kit against the Germans early in the war, and then against the good guys in '42! I have a few builds that didn't get started during the Heller GB a while back. I'll dig them out and see what's possible. Probably a bit much to achieve, but a Breguet 693, crashed in France, with Germans checking out the wreck and another of the same type with Brits or US personnel checking things out would have an almost surreal feel about them if sat side by side. I do tend to get overexcited at the start of a GB though. French technicolor finished DB7's vs USAAF drab A20's would also be a different take on things. Plenty to think about, some of it might even happen.
  24. That look really good. Printed wheels and tyres look to be the way forward with model cars. They seem to look so much better than even the best kit provided version. Thanks for the print offer, it's very much appreciated. I'll pass for now though as I have far too many other projects to clear up before I can even think about this one. Have you seen this sports roof Mustang with printed rolling stock? https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/185691-revell-1971-ford-mustang-sportsroof/#comment-2790468 Tony.
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