Jon Bryon

I always apply decals to a horizontal surface (or as close as I can): I will paint all bands. I find the decals are usually pretty static and don't move about. Jon

I also use Microsol, Daco Red, UMP Strong, UMP Extra Strong and Mr Mark Softer (again, not the Neo version) as needed. This is to aid conformation with gross surface features, such as panel lines, rather than anything to do with silvering. But generally I find the Mr Mark Setter (MMS) to be quite powerful. Here is a 1/48 Airfix Walrus instrument panel with the kit decal. The decal was just left in a puddle of (MMS) and left alone directly on the paint and no other products applied. There is no silvering despite the matt black paint and it conforms very well to all the raised detail. Just a shame I didn't get the alignment quite right 🤪 Jon

I don't really know what to say. Below are examples of decals applied directly to paint with no gloss or polishing (MRP, Mr Color, Hataka lacquers, Akan lacquers). All are in 1/48. I generally use a lot of Mr Mark Setter (not the Neo version) and don't wick any water or decal solution away. I find the adhesive fills the gaps and the solution reduces the elastic strength of the decal to close to zero so the microscopic perturbations are not an issue. It seems to work for me, I think Jon Phantom FG.1: RF-84F: Spitfire Mk.16: Be-4: Spitfire PR.19 (the serial is airbrushed and intentionally misaligned, as per the original): F-2A: F-CK-1C:

Apparently I'm so lucky I should play the lottery 😄 Plenty more examples on my website... Generally more variables increases the risk of something going wrong. I prefer to cut out the gloss and can't see why a beginner couldn't either. Jon

Old Revell decals applied directly to matt paint (1/48 Bo105 and silver at Telford): Since discovering a gloss coat is not required, I'm generally happier 🙂 Jon

I tend to apply decals directly to the paint without any clear coats in between and let decal softeners do their work. I usually then add the clear layer over the top to get the sheen I want. Clear coats rarely damage decals, although I did apply Gunze GX100 very heavily over some Academy decals a couple of years ago and they wrinkled - completely my fault. Jon

It's a shame it can't be pre-ordered through the UK warehouse with UK RM postage. I'll wait till it's available through there - postage is much cheaper. Jon

So would I! Seriously, I think it's more by accident than design. I started with a black base and then mottled MRP EDSG over the top of it in a patchy manner. Then there's some post-shading with this paint plus or minus small quantities of black and white, and also some mottling with Mr Color Dark Sea Grey (which is very similar in tone to the MRP EDSG but different in hue). Jon

I've never had it affect any plastic. I bought a bottle off Amazon and you need a UV light (I bought a UV torch) to cure it. It's not perfect - never cures quite hard enough for me and even when cured has a greasy film over the top that means sanding and polishing are compulsory - but I find it extremely useful and use it on most builds now for things like instrument panel dials and airframe lights. I've also used it successfully as a filler for clear parts, but that's a bit more tricky. HTH Jon

He just means no model manufacturer appears to be showing any interest in making a model of the C (unlike the A and B). KH are the only company to attempt it and there are none announced. Jon

Thanks Mark. They are a difficult fit, and I dealt with it by removing all the seams with CA and then rescribing. Pretty tense stuff! Cheers Jon

Thank you all for your comments. They are much appreciated and I've enjoyed reading all of them. Jon

Hello all, I finished this yesterday after a couple of months working on it: Hasegawa's 1/48 Phantom FG.1. I actually used the 111 Sqn/Black Mike boxing, but wanted an early RN airframe, so managed to get hold of some Hasegawa decals from the 2008 Ark Royal edition. They weren't great, so most of the larger markings have been masked and airbrushed, including me replicating the incorrect letter spacing in the ROYAL NAVY legend from the decals. The roundels are from Aeromaster. I chopped the serial up so I could model 010/XV588, which was not provided. There are a few modifications - Quickboost seats, Aires wheels (painted the wrong colour!), rebuilt fuel vent mast into a 'v' shape, anti-collision light cut out and made from clear UV resin, and braces between the splitter plates and the fuselage sides added from strip styrene. I don't like pylons, and since RN Phantoms often flew at air shows with them removed, decided I could leave them off. Because Hasegawa moulded the recessed detail incorrectly on the underside of the wing leading edge, I also painted this incorrectly. I enjoyed this build, especially the challenge of the multi-piece canopy and filling the shutlines with CA before rescribing them all. This is the tenth Hasegawa 1/48 Phantom I've made, and hopefully the last. I hope a full build article will be published in due course. More photos at https://jonbryon.com/hasegawa-1-48-mcdonnell-douglas-phantom-fg-1-2/ Comments welcome and thanks for looking. Jon

I hope is the case with their 1/48 T-34A/B kits! Jon

This is absolutely standard behaviour in England and Wales (don't know the rules elsewhere in the UK). Convictions are a matter of public record and police forces will publicise the photo, name and street address of convicted criminals along with their sentence as good publicity to show they're doing their job. It's considered a disincentive to offending - every Christmas my work will publish photos, names and street addresses of drink/drug drive convictions, for example. Jon

Here's where my collection (started in 1994) has got to: Blue line is cumulative total bought (351), red cumulative line is total built (161), and the green line is the difference (190 - i.e. the stash!). These are all 1/48 post-WWII aircraft. Jon

They published his photograph... Jon

I don't think SAM does this...does it? I know that Airfix Model World does, and I agree it's irritating. Jon

Thanks everyone for your replies. It was a challenging build, but the paint work was very enjoyable. Cheers Jon

Hello all, I finished Tanmodel's 1/48 Republic RF-84F Thunderflash (second boxing) at the end of February and I believe it will be featured in the May 2023 issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling. More photos are at https://jonbryon.com/tanmodel-1-48-republic-rf-84f-thunderflash/. Additions are CMK resin ailerons and flaps (not worth it IMO), refuelling probe from the spares box, anti-collision light cut out and replaced with UV resin, pitot from Albion Alloys brass tubing and decals (mostly) from Caracal. Paint is a mixture of Mr Color and Hataka airbrushed freehand (except on the wing LE). It's an ambitious effort from Tanmodel that requires a lot of work from the modeller. Comments very welcome and thanks for looking, Jon

He'll need a 100 posts before he can post there... Jon

TBF, you don't even need 'British'. 'The McDonnell Douglas F-4K Phantom FG.1 in service' is functionally equivalent Jon

I've only just noticed that discrepancy! The book does indeed cover RAF use, with photos, model builds and profiles of RAF FG.1s, but it's not mentioned in the title... Jon

Thanks everyone for the input on this question. @KLP Publishing It's a great book and very good value. I picked it up as soon as I heard you interviewed by On The Bench a while ago. @EELightning Thanks for the explanation. I look forward to the updated version - you might also want to incorporate this (if not already done so): http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234969364-boscombe-down-phantom-questions-questions/#entry1770841 Best Jon

Indeed. The other strange omission is no mention of made of the unique fuel dump mast fitted at the base of the rudder of Brit Phantoms. On the whole though, it's a good publication and excellent value. Jon