fightersweep

Yeah! Ditto. Somehow just managed to accidentally click the pre order button on Big H's website for a couple.

I'd certainly echo the above. I picked up a mini folding tool myself quite cheaply. May not be as versatile as the expensive versions, but it does come in really, really handy sometimes. I'm no expert with PE though, and I'm still struggling myself to find a glue that actually sticks PE to where you want it to go. The PE part will stick to anything, fingers, workbench, the tools I'm using, anywhere except for where I want it to go on the kit. I've tried various super glues, and even the white glues, and still find the process frustrating. Might be just Eduard stuff as someone once said to me that Eduard PE will refuse to stick to anything.

That's superb! Looks so realistic too, and likewise, I didn't know this existed. Must show my old drummer. Still a devotee of Pearl drums. Although the cymbals will need to be Zildjian to keep him really happy! Steve

Often wondered about the progress of the Viscount too. I exchanged a few messages with Densil as he was asking me which era of BAF decals would be the best choice to include with the kit. I naturally suggested the classic "Bumble Bee" BAF livery. Apparently, there was also a HP Herald in the pipline too. I really hope both materialise as these are two types I would love to have in 1/72. All in lovely BAF colours too. Well, I am a Southend lad after all.

Never thought it would be something I would ever say, but the Starfix Mustang looks more accurate than the Revell kit!

For me, it's got to be the old Revell 1/72 P-51D. Awful! I think it looks more like a model of a half scale homebuild version of a P-51 built in some guy's shed and fitted with a lawn mower engine.

Britains also did a Mk 3 Transit in 1/32 scale, which I think the photo above is (owned a couple myself). There were two different grilles for that mark though and I think the photo is the earlier grille. The Britains model is quite nice and came in a variety of guises. Without Googling, I'm not sure if the Britains model was a Mk 3, 4 or 5, but it would still make a useful starting point. Steve

Looks superb! Great build and a great finish. Always loved the look of the Dornier 17Z, and it is the classic Battle of Britain German bomber from my perspective. Got the ICM kit in the stash myself, so really nice to see how the kit builds up.

I love Matchbox kits just as much as the next fellow Britmodeller but....

I think it's the booze talking

Glad you enjoyed it. Do take the time to check out his channel. The "Drinker" is very funny, but always spot on in his critique and very observant of how recent times have affected our entertainment. Steve

@Beermonster1958 My feelings exactly, and seems to follow a seen before pattern for most similar shows these days. I could try to explain why I felt underwhelmed, but this guy does it better; (Some fruity language content, but that's his style!)

Love the Blue Steel servicing crew. Sure I've seen them before somewhere.....

Thanks Steve! Hope to take it up a few more notches yet, but the big problem is knowing where to stop! Still, I've got until June I suppose.

Hi all you busy Matchbox beavers! Another quick update on the Marauder build that is quickly becoming anything other than quick! The more I look at this kit, the more I want to add to it, so this one may be a long slog. One thing is for certain, there's been a lot of measuring, cutting and hacking and my workbench is now a right shambles of bits of hacked up Marauder and sanding dust. My only concern is that this poor Matchbox kit is going to end up looking like Father Ted's raffle car by the time I've finished with it: So what has been happening? Apart from starting work on the main wheel wells (to follow), I got distracted by the fuselage, and decided that it all looks a bit boring. Something like this... There's really not a lot going on here is there? A large expanse of green plasticky 1970s nothingness. What's needed here is some interest, and my eye was caught by a box containing scrap parts from an Airfix B-26. Hmmm? That kit has some rather nice bomb bay detail. Wonder if it would fit into a Matchbox B-26? First off, would shoe horning a great big chunk of Airfix kit into a Matchbox kit contravene the GB rules? A quick shout out to @JOCKNEY confirmed that enough "Matchboxyness" would be retained to make this ok. So! With the thumbs up given, I decided to whip the razor saw out and attack the plastic. Would this scheme work? Well, yes! I think it did! Apart from a few more minor tweaks, it all fits remarkably well. I only used the front bomb bay of the Airfix kit as the rear bomb bay was rarely used operationally, usually used instead to house additional fuel. However, the two missing windows in the rear doors will need to be added. I will also be making side walls to add missing detail to the bomb bay and to hide the wing attachment points on the kit. So far, so good! I know this thread is a real plod fest, but I hope the end result will be worth it. Back soon with another update! Cheers! Steve

Good question! We tried setting an aerial up when we bought the place in 2010. Couldn't get it to work despite the help of the father in law who's usually a whizz with these things. Decided then to get a Sky box in to get around the reception problems by having a dish nailed to the outside of the house. It's ironic really. Being a new build back then, the council advised us that we weren't allowed to put a tv aerial on the roof (had to go in the loft), yet it was perfectly ok to stick an ugly great satellite dish on the side of the house. Didn't make sense to me really.

I used to have that Monogram kit. Shame I don't still have it otherwise I could have checked for you. So far, the fit of the Airfix parts to the Matchbox kit seem quite promising. Steve

Thanks Pat! That's great. Save's me building it from scratch. Just one of those instances where I thought I'd see if the parts fit and it will improve the Matchbox kit a lot.

I picked up a shrink wrapped Matchbox Lightning a few years ago. It seems it's a more recent Chinese made version and I have read somewhere that some kits were still being made there more recently. I'm not sure on the accuracy of that story, but it might explain why these shrink wrapped Lightnings seem quite common. I've certainly seen a few.

GB rules related question. Still beavering away at the Marauder (update coming soon) and it occurred to me that the bomb bay from my scrap Airfix Marauder could be made to fit the Matchbox kit. Now, I've already decided to go silly with the detailing on this kit with scratch building and AM stuff, but is adding the Airfix bomb bay allowed under GB rules. Thought I'd ask before using it as a template to make one myself instead. Cheers! Steve

Thanks! I'll give that a look. It just struck me watching Bald and Bankrupt that here was one guy and a camera making far more entertaining, educational and watchable viewing than the mainstream tv companies. I also love how he effortlessly interacts with the locals he meets on his travels.

I gave up on all terrestrial tv (and i player) years ago. Now, the only reason that happened is because we gave up on our Sky box. Initially, they lured us in with a good package, then gradually took everything away until about the only viewing choices we had was the 1000th rerun of Bargain Hunt or Storage Hunters. So we ditched them. Now, we can't seem to get a reception with an ordinary tv aerial here for some reason, so we went without terrestrial TV. We soon realised here in fightersweep mansions, that we weren't missing it at all. Nothing. There wasn't anything that we craved or missed. To be honest, I had gotten tired of all "reality" tv, biased news reporting and that's without all the constant virtue signalling. All my viewing is on Youtube now. I can happily sit for hours and watch anything from old episodes of Top of the Pops (when it was good), endless footage from WW2 I haven't seen before, somebody's rare cine footage of the S&D railway filmed in 632 BC, or some guy reviewing a model kit or teaching me dot filter techniques. So much niche stuff on there for the discerning anorak. Or there's the endless great content from some very talented individuals with my current favourites being Bald and Bankrupt and his travels around the former Soviet Union or Victorialucas38 with their endless spoofing of 1970s television. It's hilarious. I really don't need terrestrial tv anymore Edit: Mrs Fightersweep did sign up for Netflix. I can't get on with it though as it reminds me of an old video rental shop where the only choice you had was all the stuff no one else wanted to rent. Just my take of course. Steve

Well that's good news. I think I will be partaking in a couple of sets of the P-51 Candyman/Moose decals.

Once again, I know that Buchon Scale Models have done a bulged cowl for the Mk IX/XVI. Hopefully, that would fit the new kit. Interesting to learn about the development of the later cowling. Am I right in thinking then that the bulged cowling was introduced to accommodate the larger blower of the late Merlin 66s, this having previously been accommodated with two small blisters either side of the flatter cowling. It's surprising how many books I have that attribute this to the Packard built Merlins. I guess if the new kit has the blisters to the rear of the cowling, then the flatter profile would be correct...or am I just getting confused now! Steve

Isn't that cowling bulge forward of the upper fuel tank associated with the Packard Merlin Mk XVIs? I'll have to have a look through my Monforton book re: the Mk IXs.