Stu

Here’s my stab at Airfix’s Do-17z. Anyone doing one would be well advised to look at Alan Price’s build in Airfix mag. There’s an issue with getting certain cockpit parts to fit if you follow the instructions and he’s approached the engine install in a different way. I did things differently and a lot less elegantly, he did some modelling, mine were bodges pure and simple. Additionally I’d look very carefully at the ventral gun and how your expected to install from the top of the cockpit after the ventral glazing has been fitted, quite how you’re supposed to do that…… I had to enlarge all the gum apertures to get them to fit. On the subject of guns Mr Prices build has them missing when he installs the cockpit canopy but they’re there on the completed model though the windscreen gun looks a bit wafty in one shot. Pity he didn’t explain what he did. It’s a good kit with a well detailed cockpit that it’s best to take more time over than I did installing. Glazing is good though the framing on the sides of the canopy is a bit vague. One thing I can’t fathom is that there is detail behind the engine that’s blanked off by the wheel well forward bulkhead when it’s all put together so, zoukei mura style, totally hidden, odd. A kit the experts will make look a million dollars, my own view is that it might be a bit over engineered. Stu PS apologies for the rubbish shots

Very very nice Dick, another interesting plane for your increasingly off piste collection....... :-) Stu

Another happy camper here. Will be very interested to see the breakdown of the Beau and anything that indicates we'll get a family. Actually quite interested by a lot of what's been announced. At least now with Airfix we have a clear idea, in general quality terms at least, of what well get and can be pretty confident. Stu

Brave man so good luck with this. Any reason you've chosen 1/32nd rather than the "usual" railway scales ? Stu

Thank you to everyone who's commented or tagged this, just deciding what to do next from the Red teams bargain bin. Yes, very nearly got that wrong. Put on one of the underwing roundels and sorting out the serial decal when some (very) small part of my brain that was working said have you got that right?. The way they should actually go somehow looks wrong. Thanks again. Stu

Something of a mojo kicker the kit was picked for £3.00 at the Hornby shop sale. Recently a couple of projects have ended up on the Shelf of Doom and at least one in the Wastebin of Oblivion. Thought this would be nice and simple, which it was.. Did a bit of faffing around in the cockpit, put it together and then looked at my Xtradecal sheet. Then thought keep it simple, do it OOB. It's never going to win any prizes but nice to finish something. Stu

Ah. No, think there would be some merit in a totally new 48th effort. Italeri re-scaling their 32nd one, a new one from someone else, Revell, Eduard, whoever. The Hase kit is something of a curates egg as a kit plus being a tad expensive for what it is. And adding Daco's admittedly stunning set costwise certainly outstrips my pocket money. I'm mildly surprised Revell haven't done their own 48th one considering the 104's European connection but then their 72nd one seemed to be fairly short lived. Stu

Well that handover was almost seamless well done Wez Another vote for the 72nd Beaufighter though I'd settle for a 48th if I had to. What I won't settle for is neither appearing. Plus something railway, apart from the obvious candidates did wonder whether a 48th WD Austerity would appeal to the AFV crowd as well. Stu

My understanding is that the Airfix moulds, some of which were the original Kitmaster ones, were copied and cleaned up by Dapol for some reason. And whilst I agree there's probably little for Airfix to gain from going back into the "OO" kit market there might well be a market for a larger scale kit of an iconic British steam loco. 1/48th would be good in terms of size and that it's very near "O" gauge. They wouldn't have to walk very far to get a set of plans either. Allan, your mystic mog, any good with lottery numbers.....? Jenko, "train of thought" Very good, you'd better go and have a lie down now Stu

Railway stuff ? Whilst they could resurrect anything they have left from their old "OO" range as apparently the Dapol moulds are copies I do have an unsubstantiated rumour from next doors goldfish they were seriously considering a large scale Gresley A4 a la Trumpeters BR52............. Stu

Another absolutely lovely model Arkady but it's a sinister looking piece of kit though. Stu

Very nice Dick, look forward to seeing sometime. Sporadically getting on with mine, doing the Malta one and found the fuel tank/cockpit coaming part a bit of pig to fit nicely though could easily be me. Stu

Some info here http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?47724-Russian-P-47-Thuds Stu

Thanks again to everyone who has commented or hit the like button. Somewhat taken aback by the response to be honest. I'm sure there are those more qualified to give a full answer but as far as I know the wells were painted underside colour. Cheers Stu

Thank you to everyone who's commented or hit the like button. Eduard's Hellcats are nice kits and in their FAA duo guise are really good value whether in 72nd or 48th. I've still got one of each still to do. Quite fancy either an early US or even a Paraguayan one. Not schemes you see very often. Anyhow many thanks again, rather inspired to get on with the next project. Cheers Stu

Ye gods! You're not cutting any corners doing this are you. Interesting technique and I'll look forward to see the end result. Stu

Eduard's FAA Hellcat duo boxing has to be something of a good deal. 2 kits, etch, masks and a decent decal sheet. So here is my attempt at a sea blue version, a scheme I don't find very easy as I'm never really sure how best to make it look "interesting". I also bottled quite a bit of the etch sticking to, literally sometimes, the major bits. The smaller bits I found far too fiddly. Thanks for looking, Stu

They're all really good but another vote for the Hayate, stunning. Stu

Digging around trying to find what that hook is for - still no idea - came across this which may be of interest http://www.marklin-users.net/forum/yaf_postst18081_Wutachtalbahn.aspx#post270637 Stu

Hi, Trumpeter appear to have left out the tender brakes, probably because they weren't really visible. On the third pic showing the tender underframe detail you can make out the brake block through the holes in the frame. Lord knows how you adjusted or changed the blocks.... German loco's were air braked and a bit of light (!) reading make help if you need to find out more. Here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_brake and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_air_brake HTH Stu

You've done two exceptional looking 104's. One's Italeri in Luftwaffe markings and this one's Hase. Any preference between the two ? Stu

At one time all driving wheels had sand pipes to them. At some stage they were removed from one set of drivers. Quite why ?, could be lots of reasons. It was far from unknown on British locos. The probability is that it's a class wide mod and not specific to 333. Fantastic work, pity Airfix don't do something similar for a UK prototype. Stu

As a Thanet resident I'm not really surprised. The place has been talked up more times than I care to mention but none of the aspirations have ever become reality. Reading the media I'm not totally clear if they mean the whole thing or simply the "airport" bit. There's a number of businesses that are aviation related and if the whole thing goes assume they'll have to move as well which will be bad news for the local economy. Part of the problem has been a very vocal opposition to increasing the number of flights and the issues of night flights. Suspect they may faced with a "careful what you wish for" situation. You could build an awful lot of houses on the site. Stu

Seems the FBI are examining the Captain's Flight Simulator prog. http://abcnews.go.com/International/fbi-examining-malaysia-airlines-pilots-flight-simulator/story?id=22965244 Stu

Even 1/35th coal Aaagh! Please don't use moulded coal, it's usually far too regular and difficult to get looking right. Use either real coal or barbecue charcoal, stick it in a plastic bag and pound into irregular lumps. It "scales down" surprisingly well and looks real. Stu