Muzz

Hi Shaun I bought myself a good mini razor saw set from Little-cars which goes through the plastic really well in nice straight lines, so cutting the wings up has been the easy bit, you've just got to take a bit of time to measure what your cutting off, you get quite good diagrams in the instructions showing you what you need to cut off. I found the difficult parts going to be sticking on the resin bits so it looks like the real thing! You've got to be really careful cutting the resin parts from the moulding blocks and 'touch wood' I've not broken anything yet. I'm only hlf way through so I'll let you know how I get on. I'm pretty certain Paragon do them in 1/32 as well, you could have a go yourself with your upcoming build!! Muzz

Hi Graham Good to see another Edinburgh man on here! The Tornado force (Including whats left of the F3 fleet) started to change to MSG probably a couple of years ago now, as has the Harrier force. I believe the jets only being resprayed when they go through deep maintenace, hence the patchwork of panels as there interchanged between aircraft. Muzz

Thats fantastic guys, Tom I looked for some of your photo's on Promodeller too but those are great, Spike I thought you would have something in your collection. Know what you mean about them looking as if there on the wrong wing and I think it's a common mistake people make with them but I'm pretty certain there on the right way round, the mouldings could just do with having a bit more of a curve to them. Thanks again.

Can anyone tell me if the positioning of the parts is correct before I start sticking bits together, can't seem to find any good referance pics of the flaps in the dropped position.

Cheers Glen, your right it is a beast, a lovely big beast! Muzz

New scheme on a Holloman jet to celebrate 55,555 hours on type, maybe overdone it on the panels lines a bit! Who's going to be first to give it a go? http://www.airliners.net/photo/Germany---A...d0eb791ef6f703c

Glen Thats a stunning looking build, any chance of a photo with something beside it to get an idea of the size? Muzz

They look like dummy 500lb bombs fitted with some sort of parachute retarded tail unit, definately not rockets or missiles. Just a demo fit by BAC and weapons not necessarily used by the RAF.

I know the Aviation Workshop do the CBLS100 which is very similar and I believe used by the Tornado force before the 200 (Spike can confirm this?). You can see the differance between the 100 and the 200 in the photo's in Spikes link above. http://www.theaviationworkshop.co.uk/resin...ries/CS-113.php

Ah, I've never seen that before, the practise bomblets are differant too, the modern RAF ones are more of a rocket shape.

Hi Shaun Hasegawa don't do the CBLS 200, they do an American training weapon thats a totally differant shape from the British ones, thats perhaps what your thinking of. The Flightpath ones are great, I have a set for my current Tornado build, resin body with etched brass sway braces and white metal bomblets, very well detailed and worth the money.

Hobby Boss are now advertising the ECR release on their website, I assume this will be the same kit with differant decals. hopefully the releases will continue at the same pace! http://www.hobbyboss.com/80354.htm

Hi Matt I've got a GR4 on the go at the moment using the Italeri kit, I'm also using the same Paragon parts as you've listed at the moment I've got as far as the flaps & slats. My one piece of advice would be to invest in a good razor saw (if you don't have one already), I bought one from Little Cars for this projects and couldn't have done it without it. I've cut the flaps and slats from the wing parts before fitting them together and it was pretty effortless with the saw. Also, follow the diagrams provided by Paragon, it's easy to get lazy and cut along the kits panel lines which are wrong in some places.

I might be mistaken but I'm pretty sure there's no Sea Eagle missiles with the Airfix Gr4 kit, there's Storm Shadow and Alarm but no Sea Eagle.

Hi, 12 Sqn and 617 Sqn were the only squadrons that operated the GR1B, I'm not sure if all the jets they operated were all converted to the B. Airfix used to do a weapons set with PE detail, think I still have some built and painted missiles about. If your stuck I could send them over, it would be a few weeks before I could get them though.

Yes, just checked the site too, looks like the first boxing's going to be a late 80's GR1.

Out in about 2 weeks according to Hannants!!

Great looking build, did the intake covers come with the kit? Makes me want to add a Fulcrum to the stash!

Your quite correct the undercarriage is the same silver colour as all the other jets but the RAFG Lightnings had an anti-corrosion grease type coating which gave them a gold 'ish colouring. I just stuck to the silver colour for my 92 Sqn machine.

The full sets for sale on e-bay for £27.50, seems very pricey Think I'll just be getting one of their seats for a couple of quid, unless you open everything up thats about all your going to see. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pavla-1-48-Resin-Com...id=p3286.c0.m14

Ale Your right, it's not a good one! It's basically the moulds from their old 1980's kit with some extra sprues for the GR4 bits and updated decals. The kit has raised panel lines, poor cockpit detail, no nose gear bay (at all) and no detail on the main gear bays, the main underwing stores are poor copies of the fuel tanks and skyshadow pods. On the plus side you now get new sprues with RAPTOR pod, TIALD pod, BOZ pod 2 x Storm Shadow, 2 x ALARM, 2 x Paveway II and 2 x Paveway III, it would be up to your own opinion as to quality of these bits. The markings are for 2 jets both in two tone grey with 9 & 13 Sqn markings, the examples on my sheet are in register but not as crisp and sharp as the norm. Hope this helps.

Could be quite expensive by the sounds of things, apparently releasing it under their "Royal Class" range.

No mention of the F Mk2A /F Mk6 but you would have to imagine that it'll be along a few months later, I'll be getting at least one of each to add to the stash. There also releasing a range of resin bang seats with the F Mk 1 seat being one of the first released, this makes sense as the seat and other resin / PE will be in with the kit.

Despite recent news that Eduard had ditched plans to release Airfix's Lightning range, this months SAMI reports that the F Mk1 / 2 will be out in September. Good news if it's correct!

Ale I asked this same question not long ago, I was given H022 Gray as a close match, but I've not tried it myself. Muzz