TonyOD

Nice work. If your chopper goes up in flames, the crew have a fighting chance. If mine does, they're doomed.

I think I'm going to do a double build - Sea Hurricane + SM.79 Sparviero. Maybe some kind of wheels-up diorama (flyorama?) I'm trying to find out if there are any actual historical encounters between specific FAA and RAI units that I could represent with available kits and decals. I still have time...

Looking great. Love the little fire extinguisher! Haven't got my head around how I'm going to do those tiny windscreen wipers yet...

I use hairy sticks too. Nowt wrong with that!

Going to follow with interest. I have some target tug decals for one of my Special Hobby kits in the stash (forget which one, might be a Firefly or a Roc or something) and those yellow/black stripes will take some mad masking skillz.

I'll look out for your build then! I bought a Modeldecal sheet with loads of options only to revert back to the OOB ones for reasons outlined above...

Normally it's a matter of hours, not days between the fuselage halves going together and the primer going on, but I had that nose to deal with, also I'd drybrushed the mesh bits on the nose and around the rotor in (as it turned out) the wrong shade of green after three runs at it (new technique for me) - only then to have to take it off again and do it in a different green. It's a nice enough kit in terms of fit and buildability but it's marred by some sloppiness on Italeri's part in the moulding and the instructions. Speaking of which, I'm going to have a go at correcting that wrong-way tail rotor later...

After a week of muckaboutery I've got some primer on ready for some slap. I like this bit when the filler disappears forever.

Beautiful job!

Mind if I ask what the family significance is?

Doesn't take long, I remember when I decided I was into FAA planes I hoovered up every 1/72 kit along that theme I could lay my hands on in a matter of weeks! Lovely looking plane, enjoying your build. So is Geoff, clearly.

Great pics!

On this, the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain, I can't resist sharing this one. It actually dates from Easter 2010. It was my then 10-year-old son's entry for his school Easter Egg craft competition (which he won). I helped him with some cutting and sticking but otherwise it's his work. (He's a great bearded brute now, not modelling nowadays, too interested in the stuff 20 year lads are interested in...)

I’m doing the Smer one which is a Heller rebox, not the same as the Airfix mould. I did one of those recently and it was a mutt.

Fascinating, thanks. I used to do more or less exclusively Spitfires and I reckon they all had a walk line across the roundel

I've sometimes wondered this. Were national insignia painted on in the factory per the specification of the purchaser, or were they painted on once they were delivered? As suggested by the name, were spare stencils issued with the airframe so the end use could repaint them on if needed? Reason I've pondered it is because more than once I've put a stencil on top of a roundel only to see it silver in an ugly fashion. Maybe a further coat of Klear on the roundel is needed before I put the stencils on...

Yeah, my modelling has been blighted by a chronic lack of patience, but I'm trying. I'm enjoying your build, I will be doing an FAA Corsair for the upcoming Heller Classic GB so am on the lookout for tips

I've had that on decals when sloshing too much Klear on them. Scared the bejeezus out of me first time it happened but it disappeared overnight.

That front end in the different colour is interesting, is it an aftermarket part? I had glued mine together per the kit when someone pointed out the ski-jump nose (I hadn't even noticed it, but couldn't NOT see it once it was pointed out!) I pulled the nose off and went at it with a dremel and files to shorten it to something more resembling the real thing.

That's too pretty to spoil it by covering it in paint. Just frame the sprues!

Many thanks, I'll give it a look.

Fantastic job. That Italeri kit really is the gift that keeps on giving though. I've dealt with all sorts of nonsense on the one I'm doing at the moment, but the tail is a new one. Mind if I ask what's wrong with it?

Nope. Nor will you.

My out-the-box seats are a distant memory by now, and are hiding away in the dark as all my windows are masked up. Looks great, I like the little table! Been having all sorts of aggro with mine...

It occurred to me this morning that not only are the serial numbers missing from the sheet, but also the codes. I quote from Modeldecal: "you will need to make up the serial numbers and (most of) the codes from various Modeldecal sets (mainly nos. 36A, 58, 59 & 60) or other sources". Now maybe I'm just spoiled, but I'm kind of used to having everything I need to complete a particular aircraft in one place (as is the case with every other aftermarket decal sheet I've ever bought) without the need to find and purchase yet more decals. At this point I can't justify the additional expenditure on more decals to indulge myself with RFA Olna, so back to HMS London and Buzby I go. I take @perdu's point about Modeldecal wishing to cram as many different options onto a standard sheet though. I think this is one of those things that separates "proper modellers" from rank amateurs like me. I guess I'm just not Modeldecal's target market. All part of the learning curve...