Stu

Hi, Straight out of the box from Revell's version of Hase's 48th Sabre. Only addition was a pilot from the spares box. Shortening the wings was interesting as it came with two sets of replacement wingtips, one undersized, one oversized...........! Apparently a Canadair Mk 5 of 3.Staffel WaSLw 10 which I'm assuming was some sort of training unit. I'm sure someone can confirm this (or otherwise !) that this is the correct model as I'm not very clued up on the various Sabre subspecies. Finished in my take on NMF using Tamiya matt aluminium thought it was a bit different from the more commonly seen camouflage scheme. Thanks for looking. Stu

Hi, Re the Wessex SAR colours. Just to confirm the HAS1's were RAF Bluegrey with orange day glo. Some of the HU5's used later were ex junglies with red panels. I might be wrong but I don't think these ever got on Ark Royal. Unless I've gone totally senile Ark's rescue flight was a detachment from 771sqn. As for the day glo I would use orange as the dayglo colours don't look right IMHO but whatever you use a white undercoat is worth the effort. I've got models of both types stored away - Revell/Italeri kits with Modeldecal markings - I can dig them out and get some shots if it's any use but just to give you an idea EDIT - remembered there's some pics here http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...906&hl=expo Somewhere down the page is my take on a Whirlwind SAR cab. HTH Stu

Hi, My first experience of a Special Hobby kit. It was like going back 30 years in some ways and I have to confess chucking it back in the box about half way through wondering why I bothered. But after a couple of other projects and a bit of encouragement from another BM member who had finished one I dug it out again and persevered. The big stumbling block, for me at least, was the canopy which took some fettling/bodging to get fitted. It's OOB and painted with Tamiya acrylics mixed up according to recipes I found in different places. Thanks for looking Stu

Hi, After a rather unsatisfactory attempt at a 48th Canberra decided to try my hand at a 72nd one with I hope rather better results. It's OOB apart from a replacement seat and MA decals for an Indian Air Force BI58. I've always have a soft spot for the less usual users and this appealed to me even if a little less exotic than some of it's South American counterparts. A bit disappointed in the MA decals the white was quite translucent so needed a bit of judicious touching in but overall I'm pleased with the result. Thanks for looking Stu

Hi, Thanks for the comment Gents, much appreciated :-) Nils, Ihave tried paper masks before but perhaps it's time to try again. I may do better next time! Would like to do an early Australian based RAAF P-40 so perhaps that would be a good one to try. Cheers Stu

Hi, After looking at the two previous posts in this topic I nearly bottled this but what the heck, I might learn something It's completely OOB apart from some seatbelts. Now I know that the camouflage should be hard edged but I've not had a great deal of success doing this in the past. Any hints, tips or foolproof methods out there ? I've also been told that one door was also wired shut but was only told that after I've finished. Anyhow any plaudits, brickbats or guffaws gratefully received. Cheers Stu

Hi, Getting this done has been a bit of a struggle as I kept doing a bit and then sticking it to one side. Apologies for the dodgy pics but it turned out to be the first really sunny day for weeks. The decals are Aztec which I'd hoped being from that neck of the woods would be accurate. Certainly the stencilling looks fine but then comparing their sheet to the Model Alliance one there seems to be a number of differences. For example the national marking on the wing is a lot smaller on the Aztec sheet than it is on the MA one. Hardly a major blip on the world stage but one of them is probably wrong and I know it might not be right. I'm sure others have had the same experience and know how niggling it can be. As for the kit. Well I'm in no great hurry to dig out my B20. I found it quite hard work at a time when I really could have done with a shake-the-box project so perhaps I shouldn't be too critical but on my tightish workbench it was a bit of a handful. Perhaps i should stick to 1/72nd......! One thing I will say is that Airfix's relatively modest surface detail doesn't really suit single colour schemes IMHO. I think it looks a bit bland and perhaps a camo scheme would suit it better. Cheers Stu

Thanks for the positive feedback Gents, glad you like it. Stu

Hi, French Corsairs do seem pretty popular, there's was a really good one on here not so long ago. Anyhow here's my effort at doing one based on the original Hase boxing hough I believe that the Revell boxing has a much better decal sheet. I wanted to do an early 60's one without the tail markings and large numbers on the fuselage and upper right, lower left wing hence the modernish pilot. It's a scheme I don't think I've ever seen modelled. A sheet including them came with a Polish book about late Corsairs. Sadly they didn't really work either curling up or disintegrating though that was probably my hamfisted techniques as much as the decals fault. So being the impatient sort I did a "normal" one. This is not my first attempt at this type of weathering but it is my most successful even if it did take a couple of goes scrubbing it off and starting again. One pic was taken with flash, the other with natural light - there's a lot to learn in this photo business. Stu

Hi, I've used their railway colours for years and find them very good. You do need to practise a bit with the thinning ratios if airbrushing and they can sometimes be a little slow in drying but otherwise never had any problems. I use white sprit for thinning BTW. Got some of their aviation colours and they seem to be the same quality. HTH Stu

Speechless ! Stu

Hi. I might have remembered this totally wrong but I recall hearing that towards the end of the war Lancs were fitted with IR devices possibly as a form of IFF. Stu

Hi, Thanks for the comments gents. I am inordinately pleased with the 08. It was done from a selection of picures and I made a conscious effort to try and copy what I saw rather than what I thought I saw if that makes sense. Far easier though with trains as there are plenty of decent colour photo's about to work on. Recently did a French Corsair which has come out so-so but have realised I was working mainly from other models rather than decent references. Rather envious of those who can do convincing weathered planes with limited references. Yep! I'm digital and wouldn't go back. I use tension locks though tend to get rid of the ones on locos so I can detail the ends. Replace them with a wire loop. Stu

Hi, For some reason only just twigged this section was here. As I dabble in railways a bit here's a couple of photo's of recent projects. First up a renumbered and weathered 350hp shunterfrom the very good Hornby model Second a backdated, repainted and weathered Heljan Crompton. Stu

Hi, Not much but http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynam...B-111A.2FF-111G http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=HA00952 Sure I've seen decal sheets for RAAF F-111's somewhere........ Stu

I like tha a lot, you've done a good job on the weathering. Can I ask what paint you used for the blue and how you did the exhaust stains. Stu

Dave, They look as good here as they do in real life. Even better actually as I don't need to put on my glasses! Stu

That looks very nice. I'm sure you know where the "flaws" are but I can't see anything obvious. You say it's a lovely kit so I take it you wouldn't have any hesistation doing another ? The reason I ask is it's something I quite fancy doing. This might be heresy but I think the Rafale is a more "interesting" looking aircraft than the Typhoon........... Stu

Firstly many thanks for the positive comments, it'll encourage me to get on with the next one. I was surprised at just how rusty I'd got and finding myself re-learning things. It was. I try not to get too hung up over colour and tend to take the "if it looks........." approach. I suspect ggc took a similar approach with his "Kate". Without getting too deep into the philosophy of this while I'm deeply in awe (and a bit envious it has to be said) of those who go the extra mile(s) to get their models absolutely right this for me is a hobby and I suspect something that stops me going completely barmy at times. Enough of my drivel though! Quite right, that'll teach me to make assumptions! I should have read the box properly :-( It's actually boxed as "Battles of the South Pacific". Will google it later. Finally just out of curiosity took a pic in natural light today just for comparison to the ones under artificial light. Thought it would look at lot greener but in fact it looks greyer...........................!!! Stu

Hi, It's been over 12 months since I last put a model on here and there's been a fair number of aborted or stalled projects in between. I'd thought that semi retirement would give me more time but work seems to be doing exactly the same but in half the time for half the money and domestically everyone thinks that you've plenty of spare time and therefore the ideal person to help with problems decorative/horticultural/automotive/insert request here. I shouldn't be too cynical as things could be a lot worse but it has been frustrating at times. Dug the Zero out of the stash on the grounds it should be a nice simple project. Looked to be a relatively simple build and no complicated camouflage schemes. That was largely true. It was built straight out the box with a set of now barely visible belts the only addition. The only problem was the colour. I'd vaguely remembered some stuff about early Zero colours from somewhere so did start digging around to get some clarification. Didn't have to look far as there's some mind boggling stuff over on ARC forums where it's a pinned subject. It's pretty heavy stuff and left me more confused than when I started. In the end I took the easy way out and used Tamiya IJN grey-green. It's nothing much to get excited about but I enjoyed doing it and got a real buzz at actually finishing something and that's enough for me. Incidentally it's a Zuiho based plane from the Battle of the Coral Sea. Cheers Stu

Hi, You've done a very nice job there, it's nice to see the 57th modelled. Can I ask whose decals you used on the 102 ? Cheers Stu

Hi, Thanks for the info. I know the Danes threw out the C2 and replaced them with MB seats almost as soon as they got their 104's and the German did the same sometime later but I'd be interested to know what the problem with the C2 was especially from the potential user's point of view. Cheers Stu

Hi, Thanks for that Gents, now I can get on. Cheers Stu

Hi, Did the Canadian Starfighters always use the Lockheed C2 ejection seat or did they also change to MB ones at some stage ? I've looked in the few references I have, had a google and searched on the forum but not got a conclusive answer so any guidance appreciated. Thanks Stu

Hi, Keef, just had a sudden nasty feeling These are the 2 Sikorsky's that Italeri do. I'm not so sure now which one is right because I had both of them. http://www.italeri.com/product.aspx?item=1206S http://www.italeri.com/product.aspx?item=1267S My nasty feeling is the canuck one has a straight boom and it was the USAF one I used. I'm sure the artwork on the back is pretty clear but it might be worth Googling for a review just to be sure or perhaps someone here can clarify - a senior moment I'm afraid Airfix are just up the road from me so next time I see someone from there I'll suggest a nice range of 48th helo's. At Manston History club they've got a RN Wessex HU5 done up in RAF SAR yellow (agggh!) and a HAS7 (I think) Whirlwind done up as USAF SAR H55 so they don't have far to go to measure the things up. Sorry for the confusion Cheers Stu