npb748r

following with interest, I love building and enhancing older kits, it is proper modelling, lovely to see and even better to do. I'm sure the tamiya kit is nice (also way out of my price range and light years beyond my value for money level !) but it probably wont be as enjoyable as what you are doing.

Hataka do an RAF light grey (I have it in their modern RAF set) for both brush and airbrush. Code is HTK-A217 (for airbrush, it's a slightly different code for brush)

It's a personal thing this. Wings unfolded for me, you need to see those beautify lines of the wing, even with the ugliest aircraft (and the FAA had a few of those - albeit with propellers !). I also won't open canopy or bomb bays and rarely put any external loads on my builds. Great idea for a collection, I had a friend who did similar with anything FAA related from any era back in the 1980's and it looked fantastic. The Scimitar is my all time favourite looking aircraft, I'd love a injection one in 1/32 scale but feel it will never happen.

thanks both, on the look out for these books now !

you might as well add a firefly to go with the seafire and sea fury to complete a fleet air arm triple. For me I'd add an Aussie meteor, I think they also deployed Mustangs and Dakota's.

thanks will have a look, I'm not that great at the French written word.

Hi Junchan, you are right, the black and white scheme was just used in the Algerian War. Thanks for the links, much appreciated. neil

I could be wrong as I've only just stumbled across the history of this as a research the build but I've seen it stated on several web sources so far (and we all know how accurate the web is !!). Apparently the Indochina ones were ex-USAF machines that flew with the US serial numbers unchanged and French national insignia whereas the Algerian machines were picked up under the US MDAP and flew with French serial and markings. The following was taken from the Worldatwar.net...... "Given the relative success of the B-26 Invader in Indochina, the French were anxious to obtain the aircraft for use in Algeria (the Indochina aircraft were CIA-owned and, at the conclusion of hostilities, were returned to secret Agency depots on Taiwan and at Clark Field in the Philippines). In 1956, France requested B-26s under MDAP, the US Mutual Defense Aid Program. The aircraft were ostensibly stopgap equipment for France's European bomber squadrons, pending availability of the Vautour twin-jet bomber. They were overhauled by Fleetways in California and Fairey in the UK, then ferried to France."

thanks - it turns out the black and white scheme were from the Algerian War - I've learnt a lot over the past few days. The aircraft from the Algerian War were owned by the French, unlike the Indochina ones which were provided on loan by the CIA. The Algerian colour scheme was originally all black but the white tops to the fuselage were painted on to reduce the heat inside the aircraft.

thanks Mike, appreciate the links and suggested contacts. I found Frenchwings yesterday and it's got some useful photos - one of which is the upper surface of a white and black plane which I needed as I had no idea of the demarkation between the colours. I also found out that the white and black aircraft were only used in the Algerian War so learnt a lot yesterday based on peoples responses. regards neil

thanks Patrick, so far I've only found two photo's showing the upper surfaces but it's enough to help me. It looks like some of these aircraft were heavily weathered which will test my skills. I will have a look out for that book - I've been trawling french websites today and have found some great reference material - more interestingly for me is the details of both the Algerian war and Indochina wars both of which I knew little about.

thanks Russ, will do more research and spread the net to Africa. You forget how far spread out the French interests were. I was expecting far more phots on the net of these aircraft and the build of the kit - I haven't seen mention of a single build yet. Plan B for me will be an all black example but I'd rather do Plan A !! Thanks for responding.

Hi all, I'm about to start the hobbyboss 1/32 invader and plan on building it as a french machine from the Indochina war that lasted 7 years and ultimately led to the Vietnam war with the US. I'm hoping to depict one of the black and white painted machines but have been unable to find any pictures taken from above that show the demarkation lines between the black and white. I just wondered if anyone had seen any pictures or reference material of those coloured planes, I've been searching the web with no luck (however it has been interesting reading about this war, I knew about it but had little in the way of detail). I'm aware of the issues with the kit but not too worried about them, having looked it over pre-build it looks like it will be an imposing model in those colours. Thanks in advance neil

really great build and lovely story. A real shame you never got chance to ask those questions at the time but that, I think, is common to a lot of us. There aren't many people lucky enough to have a backstory like that (my dad was in 298 squadron - rear gunner on halifax Mk 9's) and the chance to chat to those WW2 hero's is nearly lost unfortunately. Your build has inspired me - I have the 1/32 liberator and have been wondering about colour schemes and markings. Looking at how good yours is I think I've found the answer !

thanks for posting, you have piqued my interest - I wasn't previously aware of this piece of history. I like building unusual country airforces 1/32 aircraft (those stars and strips, black crosses or RAF roundels make my modelling mojo sink !), I have a feeling I might join you on one of those greek builds.

brilliant story - enjoy the build. I have done similar - my dad's halifax (298 squadron - he was a rear gunner) and my uncles ship - HMS Mourne, unfortunately sunk in 1944, he never made it as well as a V1 (one of which which destroyed my nan's home along with several others in late 44), all of which have a personal attachment. You will get great joy from this build as it means so much to you and your family. We are so lucky that we live as we do due to everything they did.

the weathering is in the correct place it's just the wrong colour, add more weathering product on top of what you have done already in a darker colour. I know we all do things slightly differently but I had the same issue as you once on one of my models. After that happened on all of my kits (planes, ships and armour normally in 1/32, 1/200 and 1/16 or 1/35 respectively) I never apply a varnish over my weathering. Much happier with the results, it seems more realistic and easier to control. Good luck, don't give up. neil

really looking forward to this build. My uncle was lost on HMS Mourne when it was sunk (he was only 18, way too young) and I have the Nadder kit ready to build as Mourne. I normally build 1/32 things with wings so this will be something different for me. I'm hoping to learn a few things watching this !

truly stunning display of skill, your work is incredible. I'm always left feeling inadequate when I come across this level of craftsmanship, I should stop looking at the internet !!

I'm speechless, incredible skills and outstanding work.

on this day in 1944 HMS Mourne, a river class frigate, was sunk by U-767 which was itself sunk three days later. One of those who did not survive the Mourne sinking was my dad's brother, a 19 year old stoker first class. A few months after the sinking, their home in London was hit by a V1 and destroyed along with virtually everything they owned. I am lucky enough to have his last letter home to my nan (which was sent a few days before his death), the telegram from the king informing her of his death and his service records, etc. Last year I picked up the Sterling Models 1/350 river class resin kit which is moving to the top of my "to build this year" list, it will be my first resin kit and I wondered if anyone else on Britmodeller had built it ??

I've stopped using Eduard pre-printed soviet interiors. My experience (mostly 1/32 scale but assume it will be similar across scales) is their green/blue is way too blue and doesn't match any ready mixed soviet interior greens. The ones I've used I have had to tone down the pre-printed stuff to match which sort of defeats the object of pre-printed.

thanks, very much appreciated - will start shopping !!!

I've never built a truck kit and fancy giving one a go - articulated and modern preferably. What would you recommend, I'm starting from a knowledge base of zero when it comes to this area of our hobby. thanks in advance neil

Sebastien and Murph, thanks. I now need to work out what to follow which is a better position than "I don't have a clue" mode I was in last week. thanks neil