mick b

One of the traders at Telford had a number of the TF4s for sale and they were shifting fast, despite being tempted I didn't bother as my CMR one is still sat in the stash... Mike

IIR Combat Kits intend to next year according to their stand at Telford but assume it will be resin mike

Excellent as ever Tony, had the stripes worn away or been scrubbed off, apart from the fuselage underside, as per the directive ? mike

What made it all the more remarkable is that it is the twenty year old Koster vacform kit. The airline pamphlet was a work of art too showing the work involved, superb stuff! Mike

Predictable but I fully appreciate it is a very difficult job in a relatively short time and that they get to scrutinise the model more than I by being able to lift it up etc. I just think maybe IPMS should review the number of ‘commended’ etc handed out as some outstanding work appears to be unacknowledged?

Having spent both days there another great show and very tiring. As usual some strange decisions in the competition but best not go there... Mike

Agreed, like the Nimrods that we’re being sold for a tenner in modelzone at one point ...a dull announcement in my opinion; if true. Mike.

Probably gone the same way as the 48th Beaufort we’ve been waiting on....

I wonder which other ships they robbed the crews off to man it, probably all the 45s alongside In Pompey? Or like the POW at the time of the Bismarck still got civvies on board?

Excellent as always Neil and at least you have managed one build this year which is 100% more than me! Like Charlie I’m curious to know the make of paint? All Tamiya? Mike

I’m guessing it’s fold down shades for his goggles? Didn’t realise they had them? Mike

Personally I find it to be complete tosh, a soap opera in uniform that’s even worse than the Winds Of War! One character on the Exeter after joining the Navy weeks before, tosh, ENSA sending out concert parties of young women overseas in May 1940, tosh, officer punching young soldiers and getting away with it, tosh, all that effort to CGI a ship that looks sod all like the Exeter, tosh, Sean Bean must need the money but personally I think he’s far better in the Yorkshire Tea ad. Oh and judging by the trailer for this week the Exeter bloke is next at Dunkirk...tosh It could and should have been so much better... Mike

One of my school mates had a five gear version and we thought he must have really rich parents to afford that ! Mike

A company called Scratchbuilders did a resin kit that was 32nd last seen in 2011.Wonder what happened to the moulds? Mike.

Hi All, another month passes since my last post and some progress to report. Lower wing and separate tips added together with gunbay detail on the one side I will have on view, painted out to represent the leather lining although this is disputed but it breaks up the aluminium finish a bit. Also added fuel tanks, again the colour of which is often debated but I went with the early war finish of brick red as opposed to black ( seen on Hendon example) or the aluminium suggested by the instructions. I later realised I should not have drilled out the recognition lights as seen either side ahead of the wheel bays for an early car door tiffing. I will fill in at some point. Some more detail added to the engine including ignition harness and more pipes. These are the kit ammo boxes and Eduard Resin Hispano cannons. The latter were said to be superior to the kit examples and this is the case as it avoids having to remove seams from the kit versions but my resin barrels were warped and needed straightening after dipping in hot water. I have also had to rub down the barrels as can be seen in order to get them to slide through the holes in the wing spar but that section will not be seen. I intend to build a short cannon shroud version which will have the recoil spring on show hence me buying these and apparently the Master versions although probably better again are not the best of fits? All comments welcome, moving onto the fuselage fitting stage soon so will update soon and hopefully before another months passes. Cheers Mike