Silver Fox

The Ventura book on Merlin engined PR Spitfires, states the PR 1G was used to photograph the first Freya siites in France in Spring 1941. I'll confirm the dates when I get back to my references, but well before May.

Used a thin brush to highlight the major panel lines and then blended in the direction of the airflow with a blusher brush 'borrowed from the wife. Randomly brushed in stains, Hurrinut, of course you can have a lift to Berlin. The bomb bay has been filled with Thwaites Lancaster Bomber bitter. Regards Paul 'Borrowed from the wife' , thats the oldest excuse in the book Paul, we know where you got it from and where the guy liner is.

Used a thin brush to highlight the major panel lines and then blended in the direction of the airflow with a blusher brush 'borrowed from the wife. Randomly brushed in stains, Hurrinut, of course you can have a lift to Berlin. The bomb bay has been filled with Thwaites Lancaster Bomber bitter. Regards Paul 'Borrowed from the wife' , thats the oldest excuse in the book Paul, we know where you got it from and where the guy liner is.

I built the Heritage kit a couple of years ago and it was an easy build, fitted well except for the wing roots, which neededsome filler. My pal who bought one at the same time found his wing roots fitted perfectly!!! For me a better way to get the Prettiest Spitfire ever than any conversion.

Tony, just had chance to see the photo. I think that the anti dazzle panel is either Olive Drab with a section of paint removed back to the metal or as you decided a very pale colour. You are right the Fuselage roundel looks to have a red cenr#tre to me also. Not like Ventura to get it wrong but theirs looks more the one on the link Cheer s Andy

Glad you finally made it, Aeroventure is an unheralded little gem. Four Falkland veteran airframes and the best kit shop in South Yorkshire.

Fabulous model, I thought it was 1/48th scale. I'm fascinated by the yellow anti dazzle panel, I know you will have researched it and I'd love to know the source. Ventura decals V4885 shows '83 having an Olive Drab panel and no red centre to the fuselage roundels. I concur with your comment about home based machines not having the White bars, these were only applied to machines heading for the SW Pacfic or if the machine was delivered in US markings.

Very nice indeed, glad she turned out so nice.

V6864 was part of the same order from Glosters so Sky it is.

If you mean either V6555 or V6962, both of which were built By Glosters in August/September 1940 then Sky rather than one of the unit applied approximations. White is very unlikely.

I think the Fireball XL5 was actually a offer from Lyons Maid Zoom ice creams. There was also a Stingray a couple of years later. IIRC both were moulded by Airfix but never ever issued as mainstream kits.

First kit I built myself was the Airfix Skyhawk, bought around 1960 from Pudsey Wolworths. First kit I painted was a Frog box scale (1/96th ?) Blenheim bought at the RAF Finningley display in 1964, it came with capsules of matt green and dark earth.

75 Sqn for me Wellingtons, Stirlings, Lancasters, then over to NZ with Mosquitos, Vampires, Canberras, Vampires again and finally Skyhawks. Darn that Helen Clark( edited for language)

In yesterdays' Daily Telegraph (08/08/09) here was on obituary of Lt Commander Ben Breese. Amongst his exploits was the fact he had to land is floatplane Swordfish on the deck of HMS Ark Royal during the action against the French Fleet at Mers-el Kebir in July 1940. Apparently he was actually on HMS Valiant and after being launched, HMS Valiant was chasing Strasbourg and couldn't stop to pick him up, hence the diversion to HMS Ark Roal. HMS Ark Royal also couldn't stop so he landed on the deck with little damage. It seems a few dents in the floats were bashed out and the machine, which was nicknamed 'Mitzi' was taxi'ed over to HMS Valiant a couple of days later. Anyone have a starting point for the serial and colour scheme? There is a small photo with the obituary and it looks like either the Swordfish was still overall Cerrux Grey/Aluminium dope or possibly has the Sky Grey sides with the high demarkation line. It looks as if she was carrying the stores light carriers under the wings. I have a Tamiya Floatplane, bought of about a fiver when Beatties went bust, that I have never got round to building and this seems like a good machine to do. Thanks for any help you can offer.

If it is a J number it is likely to be the original boxing c1988, with the incorrect cowling and, IIRC, no poseable leading edge slats. When it came out everyone raved about it but then the doubts started appearing. The kit was corrected in the 90's and given a JT number. Therefore it depends on price and how you feel about the shape issues. Hope this helps

New engine cowl, shorter wing tips, shorter fin and rudder, new rear canopy with a single gun on an eye mount or two single guns on swivel mounts. MDC do a conversion in 1/48 and I think AIMS do one in 1/72nd. Others will know more.

Has anyone seen the new ARK Huricane in the UK? It is supposed to be a new tool from ARK of Russia, using an ICM tool? It gets good review on other forums suggesting a slightly less well engraved but easier to build model than the Hasegawa. Better quality than Airfix and not a re-box of the Pegasus. Priced at $14.95 on some US web sites. markings for Stanford Tuck and Douglas Bader. There is also supposed to be a VVS version which I take to be a MK IIb?

If you are doing an NZPAF machine, none of them were ever fitted with guns. Might save you a bot of research.

General M, yes thats what happened to Mildenhall and all the other great shows from Finningley onwards, but if we are putting an extra, unnecessary strain on our armed forces then we have to think about it. True the flying display did go on to 17:00 on Saturday, the sun shone and the kids loved it, but there we huge holes in the flying program and only one true noise maker flying. I enjoyed the BBMF as usual and the Arrows were top notch but a single single-engined aerobatic aircraft about a mile from where you are sat isn't exactly thrilling, at least the Chinook driver came to see us. Sorry I can't afford the VIP enclosures and the littlest one couldn't walk that far. I saw all this in sadness not anger, I love air displays, I've been hooked since my first Finningley in 1964, and would love them to be back to the days when a base like Coningsby could put on a days show but I guess that'll never happen and you can't have a slap up meal, go to the theatre have 7 pints and get a taxi home for ten bob anymore either.

Thanks for the photos, showed me what was actually miles away on the other side of the airfield. We sat in traffic for nearly three hours, no police presence was visible and when we got in we were so far from the 'action' it was a big disappointment. The price structure was interesting to say the least and the complete lack of toilets at our end of the flightline was a disgrace. The volunteer bus service was a fabulous idea and has worked well in the past, but there was a minimum 25 minute wait most of the morning and early afternoon. This is the biggest and only RAF open day in the north of England and I will seriously have to think about returning, which is something I would never have believe I would ever contemplate. I fully understand the operational issues for the RAF and thank all our servicemen and women for their sacrifices, three more dead this weekend puts things into context, and fully understand that an air display is a minor consideration and a distractiion in a serious operational situation. I am not having a pop at any of them. Perhaps it would be better not to try to run such an event until we can revert to more peaceful times?

From R.L. Ward's Phantom Squadrons: 1977-78 892 NAS XV590/001 XV568/002 XT872/004 XT864/007 XT870/012 XT863/014 Hope this helps alittle.

As late as 1966, gosh I though it was about 1964. Thanks for that just what I needed.

Thanks for your replies chaps, that was my view as well. I always think of HSS on Hunters until the mid sixties and the RNZAFs B(I) 12 were delivered in 1959/60 in overall HSS, but 75 Squadron flew leased Canberras I just wanted to ak the well informed people here if it was possible.

I'm building a Canberra B2 of 75 Squadron RNZAF in Malaya around 1959. The Model Alliance decals give Light Aircraft Grey as the underside colour but I think this is far too early and High Speed Silver is correct. Any thoughts? Thanks

Just thinking out loud but if she was forced down maybe some of the panels are not original? Maybe they were any spares the Luftwaffe had to patch her up? No evidence, just a suggestion.