APA

Nice work there Ned. Lots to take in 👍🏻 ANdrew

Well this was fiddly with a lot of tweeking and cleaning up but very satisfying indeed. Just need to add the valves. The kit has two different ones per wheel but I can't find any real ones with two in so I'm just going to do one each. Also beginning to see how big this thing it. Back to the actual kit now and getting the very fiddly and awkward front forks sorted. Andrew

Cheers Keith 👍🏻 Andrew

Excellent work there Nenad 👌👍👏 Andrew

Great work ! I soooooo want one 😜 A

Lovely work. Can't beat a Gecko and whats not to like about a Quad 😁👍🏻 Andrew

Hi Roger, bit belated but thanks anyway 😂👍🏻 Sorry Keith, I missed this one! Its 125mm x 60mm so you were close. Note that there is a bench the full length on each side but this should be able to be omitted if needs be. Good luck. It's a great kit 👍🏻 Andrew

So after a brief dabble with some entry level Airfix Spitfires which were going nicely until I started weathering them and my 1/35 scale grime and mud brain kicked in. We shall not be going there again in a hurry 🙄 On with this growing nemesis. I gave up very quickly on the original idea as it was getting too fiddly. I made a jig. Heres the process: I cunningly cut the 0.4 rod inside some 0.6OD / 0.4 ID tube set to the red marks on the mat then pulled the next one out to length. This saves trying to thread 20 little bits of tube onto 20 little bits of rod. The cut is cleaner as well. 20 spokes cut and bent with the rim tubes all sorted. This is one side of one wheel's worth. 10 spokes on one side held in place with a teeny weeny dab of masking fluid. This is an excellent temporary glue as it peels of very easily afterwards. This bit is about to be turned 180deg hence the gluing. Placed in the jig with the other 10 spokes fitted, centre CA glued and filler added to all the cut outs. Luckily the join face of the hub matches the rim inner face so I just shimmed the central post until everything was flush. Hell of a difference. Dry fitted for now. Will sand the faces and glue together before tidying up the excess filler. Front wheel next using 0.33mm wire. They had different gauge wires! Cheers all Andrew

Cheers Stef. Yep, long but it should be wortyh it! Hi John. In it's defence this kit is from 1972 so I'm not going to criticise too much. My main grip is it looks like they are still using the original moulds 🙄 Thanks Keith 👍🏻 I hope so 😂 Hi James, I gave up and made a jig 🤣 Cheers All Andrew

Hi All I'm usually found in the AFV section but had the urge for a spot of light relief as I'm in the depths of a 1/9th Triumph 3HW build which is getting me down. Long story. Anyway what better than an Airfix Spitfire Starter Kit....... or three 😁 I hace to say I have never been an Airfix fan as they don't realy do the AFV's however this is a lovely little build. Nice and crisp with very little flash All Mk1a but with three different schemes and a dash of modding on the aerial recognisance Pink one with the three additional camera windows. All the paints are mixed with what I've got. Just to let you know I have no idea about winged things, I'm sure there is a lot wrong with all of them. I did do some googling but as with WW2 British AFV colours there are a lot of opinions 🤣 Would genuinely be interested to know what I've got wrong so knock yourselves out 😉 Also I do tend to go overboard on weathering and I'm particularly annoyed about the exhaust streaks especially on the Pink one. Here they are........... Cheers all Andrew

Brilliant build MM. Those extras! Apples with the bite out and that bucket is first rate. All those bits bring it to life and nice to see on big scale stuff. 👍🏻👏😁 ANdrew

Bit of an epic build but coming along really well. Great work 👍🏻 Andrew

Weathering is bob on Darryl. Excellent job. inspiring for mine😁 Andrew

Nice work Roger The paint has really pulled it together 👍🏻 Looking forward to doing mine now 😁 Andrew

Nice detailing John 👍🏻 Don't worry, we've all been there on a few occations. In a little dip myself but it comes back😉😁 Andrew

Nice start there Stef. This is quite a way off in the distance as a build for me but will watch with interest to see how it should be done 😁👍🏻 Andrew

Well made a little progress over the weekend. I've left the front suspention for now and started on the wheels. I had a few methods in my mind but decided on drilling out the central hub holes to match the kit soke locations then cutting all but a few away and drilling then filing out the rim locations. The idea is I can position the spokes correctly , fill in the slots with filler then sit the spokes inside. Finally sanding back into shape. Might be a bit laborious but hopefully it will work. The kit wheels. Spokes are way out of scale. Most of the spokes removed. Just a few to keep everything in position. First test spoke installed. Hook at hub end through hole and resting in slot at rim. 0.4mm rod with 0.6mm tube Will start re-spoking in anger 😳🤓 Andrew

Ha! Thanks Pete. Pity I didn't watch this before I started doing my wheels. Good stuff init 👍🏻 Bit of a fan of A4 Garage who does amazing car builds. Andrew

Thanks John. I'm going through the blades but getting there 😊 Thanks Francis might take a few kicks but I'm sure she'll be purring at the end 😉 It's so old and not been re tooled. I'm not complaining as such as I was expecting this. I was just a bit shocked at how bad it is! Ha ha yes pretty accurate I'd say 🤣👍 Cheers all Andrew

My goodness! Never mind doing any extra detail on this thing it's taking me all this time just to get the kit bits into some sort of reasonable condition. The moulds are out my millimetres and with everything being round they all need scraping and sanding. I mean everything! At least it's staring to look a bit like a motorbike now. I'm trying to assemble this in sections so that all the painted bits will be together and I can do the engine and metal bits painted before they go inside the frame. Next will be the wheels which I'm re spoking. Cheers all Andrew

Hi kipsley Excellent start to an excellent kit. Built this myself and it's a corker. As for eyesight, since you already wear glasses like me. Pop down to your opticians and ask for some close work glasses. They will increase your prescription by a factor of 2 or 4 or what ever. Show them how close you want to be from your subject and they will run you up a pair. Get the cheapest frames. Just make sure the bridge sits snuggly on your nose so they don't slip. I have two pairs, one for general 8inch distance work and the other for 4inch detail work. 🥸😊 Andrew

Starting to come together now. Lots of added nuts and bolts. Next the chassis.......... Cheers all Andrew

Detailing has started. First up is the starter motor and brackets. This was very simplified so I added a few bits and bobs 😁 There are a few versions used. This is just one. Needs a lot of cleaning up but it's done. Cheers all Andrew

Warriors for the working day - Peter Elstob Brilliant book. Title sums it up perfectly. I love the bit where his hardened old lag 8th army crew were reluctant to shell the bocage. It just meant more shells to lift up and store in the evening 🤣 Note that it's "based on" and "inspired by" the authors experiences so........... Oh and great work Rob 👌 can't beat a bit of rust 😉 Andrew

Carrying on with the big bits. I can see myself remaking some of this. There are multiple parts all lumped together. Need to get the plasticard and brass rod out 😁 Surprisingly little filler needed but I do have to flatten and remove ejector and flash on all the faces before assembly Cheers Andrew