Geo1966

Count me in please. I haven't got anything in my stash as i only got back into aircraft modelling this year, but i like shopping 🙂 I am thinking maybe an Airfix 1/72 EE Lightning at this point, but that could change. George

Thank you kindly Gents. I've not forgotten about this one. I was just doing the finishing details when I managed to drop it. Broke off the pitot tube and one of the guns. Managed to glue them back on ok and just glad there wasn’t any major damage. Apart from that I think I am finished. I have decided I am going to make up a simple base and add a Jeep as I found one in Lidl for a bargain price of £5.66 (with the Lidl App). Although it is boxed as a British Para version there are the parts, instructions and decals for an American version. So with that said I am going to complete the base and Jeep before posting in the Gallery. Anyway here’s a few pictures of my version of “Devastatin Deb” George

Wow, thats looking the dogs bits! George

Wow, this is looking good! Excellent work on the 109 and the figure. The figure is well detailed for 1/72 btw. Should look great when the vignette is finished. Keep up the great work. George

Great result Loren, looks fab! Your post about using the different shades of OD got me thinking....... Several Companies do these different shades for AFV’s i.e. Dark OD, faded OD, Shine OD, etc but none of them do it for Aircraft. There could be a couple of different shades of USN blue for instance. I appreciate you can mix them, but if your lazy like me its nice to have them in a bottle. Are Manufactures missing a trick 🤔 George

Please add me to the list. I just opened my Legends of WWII calendar 2024 to be greeted with a Beaufighter for January, so it is written in the Stars (well the calendar) for me. I have the Hobby 2000 (Hasegawa re box) ready to go. George

Looking very smart Patrice! George

Amazing work Bob. I would never think to mix and match kits. One question, how did you actually scribe the 'D' doors? Did you make a template? What do you use for scribing? The reason i ask is because i have enough problem rescribing straight panel lines that i have sanded off, let alone curved ones. Thanks in advance, George

Rapid progress and a great start Loren. I have never heard of ProModeller btw. George

Sorry for your loss AW. My Mother passed away ealier in the year so I know how hard it can be. Best regards, George

I found a great painting/drawing of this aircraft, so decided to have a go at a bit of weathering. Firstly, I gave the whole thing a coat of really thin very light brown oil paint to try and tone everything down a bit. I used to sometimes spray a thin coat of buff on AFV’s but was scared I might stuff this up so I used oil paint as if needed I could wipe it off. I then did a bit of paint chipping with acrylic aluminium using a paint brush and a AK aluminium weathering pencil. Also added a few engine oil streaks, exhaust stains and cordite with oil paints. Then a coat of VMS flat before a few more bits with Tamiya weathering Master stuff. Made a bit of a boob (am I allowed to say that in 2023?), I usually fit and mask the canopies prior to spray painting, but for some reason I left it till last on this build and hand painted it. This might have been ok if I had dry fitted it to ensure it fitted ok. Anyway, I didn’t and it didn’t. I have tried to fill it a bit at the front, but was worried about messing up my paint work. It sort of looks too big to me with an overhang at the sides and a big lip at the back. Also having toned down the camo on the aircraft i then struggled to get the canopy to match. Lesson learned. Anyway, apart from the canopy i am reasonably happy with this one and will post some better photos in the gallery soon. Thanks to the Mods and all who have participated in another great GB. George

Thanks Alan, that is one way of putting it. A ridiculous camouflage scheme really, but I guess in May 1945 there was no need to try to hide aircraft on the ground. I suppose our American friends went to town a bit with the paint jobs on these. It will certainly catch the eye in my display cabinet! George

Just caught up with this Mark. Great work on the cockpit, very impressive! Keep up the good work. George

Not much progress on this one, but I have managed to get a coat of VMS satin varnish which has sort of unified the paint work and got rid of the silvering. Managed to take some photos in the rare (these days) Suffolk sunshine. Next up a panel line wash. George

I like how this turned out Craig, but what did you do to achive this please? I have applied a thin coat of oil paint to my Tomahawk to try to tone down the camo colours, which has sort of worked. George

Thank you kindly @Peter Lloyd, @Cookenbacher and @stevej60, much appreciated. I did a tidy up of the camo and painted the guns, lights, etc. Then I painted the rudder in AK blue/grey, not quite a match for the decals as I later realised, Doh! A coat of VMS gloss varnish and then the stickers. It's looking like a really 'Chaved' up P-47 now! The decals went on ok with some VMS set/fix and then softener, but there's still a bit of silvering in places, most noticeable on the “Devastatin Deb”. Hopefully a coat of VMS satin varnish will sort it out. George

Looks spot on to me James. I see a lot of builds where they pre shade but over do the top coat so it is obliterated, yours is just right. George

Thanks Peter and James, i was referring to the bit of dark blue i had missed just below the canopy, which i have now added. George

Nice work on this one James. I think spraying roundels and fin flashes is definitely the way ahead and something i need to do/invest in. George

Applied the blobby stuff and then sprayed a coat of AK 3rd Gen Dark Sea Blue. Didn’t turn out too bad, few touch ups needed here and there but that is normal with my masking. I think the masking putty definitely sagged on the sides of the fuselage as I am sure there was more of a gap between the dark blue and aluminium. Also, I masked up for the dark blue around the cockpit, but then proceeded to fill it in before spraying 🙄 Next up is to tidy up the paint work and also paint the rudder yet another shade of blue. George

Very true Peter. I think a bit of artistic license is allowed with this one. George

That turned out fantastic Cliff. Really well done. George

I like how that AK True Metal looks. Adds a nice variation to the paint work. George

Bit more progress and much happier with this now. The decals went on nicely with no apparent silvering, although the Tigers teeth are a bit tricky to get right. Seeing these starter kits are aimed at kids, I think the 10-year-old me would have struggled with them. Anyway, the much older then 10-year-old me managed with the help of some Microsol. BTW the exhausts were a perfect fit. I had already painted them before dry fitting (luckily) as once they were in, they didn’t want to come out again, so no glue required. After my earlier disaster with the Varnish, this coat of VMS satin went on lovely! George

Thanks James, yeah they say you don't need to thin it, but i always put in a few drops of VMS thinner which apart from the above has worked well previously. Thanks Gents. Me too. It is sometimes very tempting to take the easy option and give up, but i am glad i didn't. George