Tony C

Been watching from the shadows but just wanted to jump in and add my praise! I haven't built a ship for many years but watching your work is certainly inspirational

For RAF4EVER, someone would offer a cigarette from a packet, saying "Cigarette?" to which the answer was "Yes, I know!"

Oh dear , queue more Police Squad cracks... Cigarette?

Its good to see that you haven't given up on the model, sometimes it good to step away, do something else then come back, guess that's why its so far taken me 3+ years! I've put mine to one side as I found that I was studying pictures too much, getting caught up in trying to get everything spot on, with the end result being no modelling was getting done

More for subscribers I guess, but a list of those areas affected by postal delays, has been released by the RM on the BBC News website, pasted below... Ashford (TN23-TN27) Barnsley (S70, S71, S72 and S75) Basildon (SS13-SS16) Bow (E3) Bury St Edmunds (IP28-IP33) Chelmsford (CM1-CM3) Christchurch (BH23) Daventry (NN11) Debden (IG7-IG10) Enfield (EN1-EN3) Grays (RM16-RM20) Hampton (TW12) Highbury (N5) Hornsey (N8) Horsham (RH12, RH13) Ilford (IG1-IG6) Leeds City (LS1-LS5) Lewisham (SE13) Magherafelt (BT45, BT46) Margate (CT7-CT9) Rugeley (WS15) Somerton (TA11) South Ockendon (RM15) South Woodford (E18) Upper Holloway (N7) Wandsworth (SW18) Wellington (TA21) Widnes (WA8) Link to the report... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55591063

Just out of interest, is there an inventory anywhere, which lists which airframes that the RAFM holds at Hendon, Cosford, the reserve collection and what has been loaned and too whom? Ta

Humpf, I've been married for 36 years, all I'm allowed is the edge of the bed!

In an 'ideal world', I'd shut Hendon, sell the land and move the entire collection to Cosford and use the money from the sale, for purchases, maintenance . I'd then make the position of Director of the RAF Museum, a Service position to be run by either a Air or Air Vice Marshall, thereby getting rid of the 'public/private sectors from running the site and would want to make the position seen as a premier position within the RAF. I would also make it a Recruitment centre and might even consider having just RAF personnel and volunteers, in all the other positions on site. As for space and I realise that this would mean the relocating of the Engineering section on site, there are currently 3 additional hangars which could used for display purposes plus space for two more to be built, if required, 1 on the grassed area behind the 'Test Flight' hangar and another where the Hercules is currently situated! These would be built in line with the other hangars already there and NOT an Architects' fancy! On top of this, there are various buildings dotted around the site which could be used for the paintings, medals and all other display items! I would also keep the airfield open for the purposes of airshows, maybe two or three a year, to allow a form of additional income and may even allow a third party aviation related company, similar to TFC/Air Leasing/OFMC, to lease land on the airfield, south of the runway, build maintenance hangars and too operate flights! As for the collection, I would have a BoB Hangar similar to the one now disposed off, at Hendon, a Test Flight Hangar, A World War One and Inter War period Hangar along the lines of the Grahame Whyte building, a hangar for the Axis aircraft currently owned by the collection, a Bomber/Coastal Command Hanger, a 1945-1960's Hangar and a 1970's to date Hangar! As for the 'Disposals' List, I'd pretty much go along with TEXANTOMCAT's post! Happy to be shot down in flames but please 1) I am no architect, 2) I have no building experience and 3) note my opening line, 'In an ideal world'

Definitely just "Cat"!

Closest I can get a groan emoticon

Seems that the November 2020 Issue of SAMI is no longer on the MA website https://www.modelaircraftmag.com/webshop/scale-aviation-modeller-international/sami-latest-issue/ Are we watching a magazine die a slow death?

Better start calling mine the in-laws again!

Looking good but a word of warning, both the front screen and canopy in my kit are/were rather fragile, so I would caution using too much force, as both pieces of mine cracked and I had to order replacements from Airfix!

Chased my subscriber issue of SAMI earlier this week and after the second request for an update, was told that "another has been sent because it should have arrived by now!". Fully expect that I will have to chase the next two issues as well, then my subscription ends and I also won't be renewing! Its a shame as SAMI was always my favourite modelling magazine and have every issue from No.1 to date but my gut feeling is that there is a problem and I'm not currently prepared to loose money, should the magazine cease publication!

Thanks Trevor

Ooo, I currently building the same kit, albeit 'long term' and have the Flightpath Detail set, Heritage Intakes, gun pods and am scratch building the rear electronic bays and the undercarriage bays, so I keep popping in for any tips! Only issue I've really had, is with the Windscreen and canopy, they are quite fragile and have had to order a replacement set from Airfix.

My father served on HMS Jed, I don't yet have all his service records but he was apparently in the Signals room! He was also based at Scarborough, as he could speak German, listening to the German transmissions.

Just out if interest, did the WE177 bay rotate or was it fixed?

Just want to add my compliments as well, a brilliant build of a weapon of war, that I think everyone would not want to be on the end off!

I'm pretty certain that I received an email, following my enquiry about the late arrival of the October issue of SAMI, and was told that the delay was down to an issue with the printers breaking down! Must admit I'm getting a bit concerned about SAMI, given the ongoing issues about the supply since the change of ownership - none arrival of the March issue, replaced by a 'double' March/April issue which at 114 pages, is hardly a double and the late arrival of at least 3 issues since and then there appears to be different reasons given for the delays! Hopefully, I'm reading something between the lines that isn't there but, I'm not convinced that I'll be renewing my subscription when it expires...

Can I just say 'Thank You'! I recently lost almost all my reference pictures, due to a virus which fried both my PC and my back up external drive, which was connected at the time but it seems that I have an Amazon Prime Photo account, which I don't remember setting up, and lo and behold, when following your link, I'm taken to my account which holds many, but not all, of the pictures I had previously saved! Guess I need to keep a record of all the sites I have or will use, rather than relying on fading grey matter 🙂

Can recommend Banggood, the drill bits below 0.4mm can break quite easily, especially the 0.1/0.2mm bits but the rest are pretty good! I've used them for over 6 years now and delivery can sometimes taken about 2 weeks but if stock is UK based, then delivery is normally 3-4 days (Pre-Covid days).

Thanks for all the comments, much appreciated Maurice, the WIP pictures, such as they are, have been found and added to the initial post, as for references/sources for the auxillary engine bay, these came from the book "From the Cockpit No.1 - Wyvern" (0-946958-53-X), Scale Aircraft Modelling (Vol 14 or 16, issue 6) and the internet! Everything from the rear of the kit plastic is scratchbuilt BUT, I must stress that my interpretation of this area, should be considered inaccurate, as I was unable to find any clear pictures, which show the area fully! Thanks for the interest, Tony C

Hi Maurice, Thanks for the comment, I haven't yet been able to find any WIP pictures! Although I had everything backed-up on an external hard drive, I am told that a particularly nasty virus attacked my system, despite using AVG Ultimate and as the external drive was attached, everything, and I mean everything was lost (actually the engineer used the word 'fried'! Fortunately, all my photographs were also backed up on CD-ROMs but not my modelling photographs, so only a minor hic-cup but I do still have my Windows 7 machine stored away and am hoping that I may still have the modelling stuff stored on that but it will take sometime until I can gain access to it, but I haven't forgotten! With regard to the engine, yes it is scratch built and not necassarily accurate whilst the paint, yes it is RailMatch 306 BR Maroon but is enamel, not 'spawn of the devel' sorry, Acrylic I'll drop you a line, if I do manage to find the WIP pictures!

I hope its recoiless otherwise he'll going to loose a couple of items