TheyJammedKenny!

That's looking really nice, especially now that it's up on the landing gear. This kit needs careful attention to avoid one wing tip resting lower than the other. Regarding Red Beard, that's a really nice rendition, but I'd encourage you to print a U.S.-built Mk.7, which was far more common for RAFG-based aircraft, or so I understand.

Ray at 26 has done us the great favor of producing a new set of decals, sized to fit Valom's recent release of the Viking VC.1: http://www.26decals.com/epages/62035508.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62035508/Products/72-210 For those who follow the 1950's "independents" Hunting Clan evokes lengthy, storm-tossed trips to British East, West, and Southern Africa, as well as trooping flights to the nearer regions of Empire. In my opinion, it's one of the prettiest schemes ever fitted to the Viking.

Beautifully executed, sir! Now you know the trials and tribulations of building and painting civilian jets!

Really cool that the fuselage bands went on well. About those fuselage roundels, though--the red centers appear much too small. Is it possible to get larger meatballs to put inside them?

No such thing as "oil tight" on a big piston! The nearest you can get is to slow the rate of leakage, but by design, these big engines become tighter as they heat up. When they are run up on the ground, they tend to splatter oil, and the prop carries it backward along the external skin. It's not as obvious on contemporary warbirds, because the owners wipe them down frequently, but you can imagine how it would have been under the circumstances of Guadalcanal, which was a touch-and-go campaign for the U.S.

Beautiful, and you make it look so easy! Those "hoopy bits" as you refer to them were designed to right the airplane if the wing neared the ground during a landing due to wind gusts or pilot error, and prevented the whole contraption from ground-looping. They served as "bumpers" and protected the wing itself from damage. A staple of early biplane designs, they seem to have disappeared on the mid-30s Western designs, like the Swordfish, Gladiator, and such.

That is outstanding! I think you captured it well. Will you do a similar panel job on the engines? Keep in mind that the turbocompressor "humps" atop each of the engines had a dark panel located about 3 scale feet (7mm) aft of the nose section. The panel itself was about 3 scale feet (7mm) in length. Alex

Beautiful paint job on this--so many variations in tone! You'll need to provide us a lecture on how you got from point A to B on this, because the effect is persuasive. The only thing that makes the top views NOT look like the real thing is the depth of the panel lines, but that's not on your account. One thing that surprises me about this version of the Birdcage F4U is the little bump-out up top. I'd never seen that before.

Depends on what you mean by "little." If it's antennas and landing gear, then yes. If it's the engines, then no. You should attach the "power eggs" and smooth out the joints before you start painting.

All: this is more like it. It's not an Indian Airlines jet, but it is a -420 (Rolls-powered) one quite similar to what Indian Airlines flew. Note that the wing body fairing is painted grey, which is more typical of 707s in general. The spar area underside is corogard. https://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airtours/Boeing-707-436/1731787?qsp=eJwtjEEKwjAQRe8ya4WiYqE7vYAuvMAw86nFasJkQEPp3U2iu/f/g7eQhJfj47ccQQMlsMmdNhTZ%2BJloWOiB/A6mhanv%2Bu1hfyw6BfNzLpey4ySC6ND/fzGFVYUkrTTW8q4i7PpbLaJTijO3Cpynmdb1C2QoLkg%3D Here's the top of another -420: https://www.airliners.net/photo/BOAC-Cunard/Boeing-707-436/9802?qsp=eJwtjEEKwjAQRe8ya4WCxUJ3egFdeIFh8qnFasLMgIbSu5tEd%2B//B28liS/Hx285gUYysMqddpRY%2BWk0rvRAfkcNhWnohn1/OBZtUf2cyxXYcRJBcoT/f9EArQomrTTVcl8Rev2tFgmzpYVbBc7zQtv2BWR0Lko%3D

From the one photo in Jetliners that shows a side view of one of the Indian Airlines aircraft, VT-OJI, the wing-body center section was polished aluminum (surprisingly) instead of BCAC707 grey. The leading edges of the wing were polished aluminum. The wing inboard area, top and bottom, was overcoated in corogard, which you can achieve by mixing silver and light grey, because it never appeared uniform. I am pretty darn sure the areas immediately aft of the wing spar would have been flat aluminum, and the control surfaces the same. It is possible that the speed brakes and spoilers atop the wing were BCAC707 grey. Kruger flap high lift devices underneath the wing would have been BCAC707 grey or something close. Wing tips outboard of the outboard set of ailerons and HF antennas were painted gray. Hope this helps.

Noice! That's a great looking Blenheim, and deservedly awarded, too!

Outstanding! I love it. Do another, this time with the Shrikes!

Can't wait to see more of this! You've really done this aircraft / model kit a kind favor by making it look so good!

Beautifully done! I'm really impressed by the steadiness of your freehand airbrush work. Remember that the top color does wrap around the leading edges of the wings and tail surfaces, though. Will you opt for a glossy, or a flat finish?

Argh. That's frustrating! It's happened to me on other projects, and I feel your pain.

Beautifully rendered, both. The rivet detail, though sometimes unwelcome, seems to add to the "feel" and "ethos" of these tough machines. I never built the old Heller kit, but I can only imagine what you had to work with. Outstanding!

This is really beautiful in every respect. The photo of the stern quarter makes the plane look like it's raring to get airborne! I have not seen pictures before of this version or paint job, but one thing strikes me as quite different besides the obvious mod: the VHF/UHF antenna fairing on the vertical fin is painted over. Usually it was left in radio-transparent green, or am I wrong?

This is great, and so glad that ICM surprised you! The first word in red is "Mstit" which is "to avenge," so the women being referred to in the white lettering are the fallen pilot and observer from another aircraft. This is cool.

Now you're talking! That's really nice.

Hoooo--nice! Kudos to Valom! Pity that the film-makers of "Darkest Hour" did not at least TRY to mimic a DH-95 in their depictions of PM Churchill's multiple Channel crossings. Instead, they used a lend-lease C-47, which was not even in use in 1940. Ahem....must have this! I'd say this augers well for releases of other British multi-engine types. Please, everyone, do your part to support Valom!

Beautiful conversion! I had no idea the RAN used these. You did a great job with the Airfix kit.

Great job on this conversion! Ach, the Bordurians! They're at it again...

Another DC-3! Bring 'em on.

This is looking really good! Regarding paint, I'd for whatever makes you happy on the underside. If it looks silver-grey, then mix the two and see how they look. I'll keep in mind your work as I modify my own into a PR.7.