Enzo the Magnificent

I'm considering this.

That was lovely stuff. I was also partial to Warsteiner. However my absolute favourite was Dortmunder Union.

Crazy!

Greeblies ready for fitment. Once they are done, there are still more decals to apply. 😮

Greeblies ready for fitment.

Bodyshells primed with grey plastic primer from a rattle can. The warning panels on the noses were then sprayed with Fiat Broom Yellow, again from a rattle can. They have been masked off with Tamiya tape and Copydex. I acknowledge the utter lunacy of masking a yellow surface with yellow tape...

I'm still cleaning up the Mallard bodyshell but I have done some work on the first carriage. I found a video on Youtube where the chap was using Citadel Shade Seraphim Sepia as a wash to provide a better finish, so I gave that a try. I also used some Reikland Fleshshade on some panels. Compare it to an untreated carriage (at top). After viewing the references posted by @Mjwomack it's clear that I will have to repaint the roof to a much darker grey. I have also started to restore the lining on the beading around the windows by drybrushing them with yellow paint. I don't think I can make a good job of the rest of the lining, so that will be represented by yellow stripe decals. That will take a long time!

It's England. Whaddaya expect?

Unfortunately that means it will go even more woke than it already is... I don't mind diversity in telly progammes - in fact I support it - but I do object to being constantly beaten over the head with The Message.

... yet. It's your first attempt - and a very creditable one at that. . Stick with it and have fun along the way.

Now I want to build a Sentinel railcar!

I'm not sure that it should. I believe that the German-style smoke deflectors are now a mandatory safety requirement. TLTSNBN didn't carry them in LNER livery, so seeing that would just make me all pedanty. Likewise with Royal Scot. It was rebuilt with a taper boiler by British Railways and so should never be painted in LMS red.

Excellent find!!! I really like the LNER grass green (not "apple green") liveries which are nowhere near as bright as presented on modern models.

Could you not scratch build one using a different medium...?

WH Smith are repurposing staples for use as nose ballast.

A Blitzbuild is an ideal mojo restorer.

It's been pretty good. I got a fair amount of modelling done. I've just had a roast dinner and now I'm having a Can't get better than that.

Was the prototype built before 1939? If so, you can do a bit of work on it in the current Golden Years of Transport GB. Then you can do a bit more in this year's KUTA GB. A bit more in the Railways 200 GB and a bit more in next year's KUTA. Just keep chipping away at it.

Building commenced this morning in parallel with the Sturmtiger. Lower hull with details added and ballast weight (included in the kit) fitted. Upper hull and turret built. As with the Sturmtiger, this was about forty minutes' work. Some of the parts in this kit are identical to ones in the Tiger I kit: the wheels and tracks and the lower hull. However, the differences between the two are covered with different parts which are added. The two models have different hardpoints for the towing cables. Sturmtiger in front and Tiger I behind.

Off we go. Hold on tight, rider! I like my tank models to have a bit of heft, so I add ballast. Mr Tamiya obviously agrees with me as there are four metal ballast weights included in the kit. The upper hull and casemate mostly complete. It builds up quickly. This is about forty minutes work! Some of the parts in this kit are identical to ones in the Tiger I kit: the wheels and tracks and the lower hull. However, the differences between the two are covered with different parts which are added. The two models have different hardpoints for the towing cables. Sturmtiger in front and Tiger I behind.

Let's look at the sprues. Lovely Tamiya goodness! The lower hull moulding is identical to the one in the Sturmtiger kit that I am building at the same time. There are two of these sprues Again, they are identical to the Stumtiger kit. The parts do not have zimmerit moulded on as some of them are used in the kits of early production vehicles built before zimmerit was introduced. Tamiya produce an aftermarket sheet of stick on zimmerit.

I'm already building a Sturmtiger in this GB, but it would be rude not to build a Tiger I. After all, that is the spirit of this groupbuild. I will be building one of the 1/48 Tamiya releases. This kit was given to me by a mate. He loves German tanks and I encouraged him to have a go at building a kit. This kit is an ideal first build. He got himself all ready to go and was quite excited about it. Sadly, his teenage daughter started to have some behavioural issues, which included self harm. She swallowed razor blades on a couple of occasions. Not good. My mate made the entirely reasonable decision that he couldn't have modelling knives in the house. I pointed out that you don't actually need a knife for modelling. A set of safety nail clippers and an emery board will work just as well. However, he decided to use an overabundance of caution and got rid of everything in the house with which his daughter could harm herself. In my opinion, he had his priorities absolutely correct. He gave me the kit. I am going to build it and then the finished model goes straight back to him.

I have been fascinated with the Sturmtiger ever since I saw an article about it in Military Modelling magazine in the early 70s. The author converted the 1/35 Tamiya kit of the time. He used a number of household items to create the mortar, including a table tennis ball for the mantlet! Nowadays, of course, we don't need to convert anything. According to Scalemates there are at least seven 1/35 kits that have been available. There are three kits in 1/48, at least seven in 1/72 and even kits in smaller scales. We're truly living in a Golden Age! I'm going to build one in 1/48, using the Tamiya kit. I love these 1/48 Tamiya armour kits. They are perfect mojo restorers. There are two of these sprues The model does not have any zimmerit moulded in, but Tamiya produced an aftermarket set which you peel off and stick on. I have used these before and had good results. This is gonna be fun.

Old Speckled Hen.

I've always liked the Alpha Jet but, oddly, never built one until the Matchbox GB in 2022. Now is the time to build a couple more. The Alpha Jet was designed for the same role as the HS Hawk and became just as ubiquitous. There are dozens of interesting colour schemes for them. However, for this build I am going to build French and West German aircraft in 1980s classic colour schemes. I will be using the KP kits. The plastic parts are identical in both boxes. These shots are taken, with permission, from the Britmodeller review. The full review is here.