Wez

Steel - although all of the stuff I've worked with has taken on a distinctly rusty patina, it can be painted too for local camouflage. Wez

I've come to a decision on this one, I'm going to build the two Academy 1/72nd kits side by side, the P-51 will be built as FD472/M of 268Sqn based at Odiham circa June 1944, the P-51C will be built as an F-6C as R7-D of GR2/33 "Savoie", Armee de l'Air, Colmar, 1945. The decals for the RAF aircraft will be courtesy of Modeldecal, the French aircraft is from ModelArt 72/030. Wez

Curtis' book on the Sabre details plenty of aircraft delivered straight from the manufacturer with the hard wing fitted - many in the earlier XB serial blocks (in fact a quick check in the book shows 90 out of the 431 were delivered thus). Wez

Thanks Paul! Wez

Dunno if I'll have the time, might do 2 out of the 3 though - but which? I was thinking of one of these in 1/72nd - be interested to see what information you come up with. BTW are the spinners yellow or NM? Wez

I've only got three months! Are you crazy man? At my glacial rate I'll be lucky to get the cockpit of one of them done! Wez

I'll have to check Curtis' book but I think 66 may have had a slatted wing Sabre or two. Wez

The Hobbycraft Sabre was rated quite highly back in the day - does the Mk4 come with the hard or slatted leading edge? Mine has the slatted l/e and was going to end up as a 20Sqn jet until Modeldecal released sheet 97 and covered the remainder of the RAF squadrons that they hadn't already covered - it gave me so much choice! I can't recall whether Hobbycraft released a hard l/e winged Sabre (although Academy did with the same mould later). It's really worth getting hold of Duncan Curtis' book on the Sabre in RAF service. Wez

Can I play too? The trouble is I'm torn between a Tamiya 1/48th F-51D in Uruguayan markings OR an Academy 1/72nd F-6C in French Markings or an Academy 1/72nd P-51 as a RAF Mustang Ia (I think - can't remember for the life of me what mark the cannon-armed, Allison engined Mustang is). Choices, choices, choices - what is a chap to do? Wez

Ian, You make a fair point about the Canberra, I'd much prefer this over anything else. Totally disagree about the markings for a 1/48th Gnat though - anything but the reds. Wez

Thanks for the tip John Wez

So it looks like the opening for the camera lens had a raised lip around it but did it have any glass or was it open to the elements? Wez

Trev - apologies for hijacking your thread but... ...John, I saw the Eduard 1/72nd Il-2M3 in my LMS - what's that like? Wez

Probably - most instructional airframes were pulled off the line and given a maintenance serial number... ...like Merv, I remember working on them at Cosford in the early 80's, ex Red Arrows ones were used for taxying and starting practice, I remember working on one in the hangar during the airfields phase but that was in the red/white/LAG scheme - nearly tipped the thing on its bottom! Dayglo and LAG would look cool too! Got it, it's a very nice sheet, well printed. Wez

I think the Gnat missed the trainer yellow bands (although I've seen pictures of a restored one in those colours), dayglo was in vogue by the time the Gnat came along (a quick search on the Air Britain site says silver and dayglo was the original scheme). I'm not sure I've ever seen them in LAG and dayglo (willing to be proved wrong though), but they look quite fetching in the red/white/LAG scheme. Wez

Not in Redarrers markings - much rejoicing! Wez

I'd say that was pretty conclusive then! No apparent change between the Mk.I and II in HB's post either. Interesting that the Sutton Harness was supplied as GFE too. Thanks for posting. Wez

No criticism from me only a comment - bloody hell that's nice! And a question... ...What did you do with the prop? IIRC the blades on the Trumpy Gannet are fully feathered and look a bit, well, odd! These look perfectly natural to me. Wez

Lovely job so far! I'm in awe of that cowling. Wez

Bill, Lookee here, this may shed some light on things for you. Wez

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure the Mk.43 box only has the 5-blade tail rotor, which is only any good for a HAS1? Wez

I think a Lancaster and Halifax are unlikely given the recent Revell Lanc' and forthcoming Halifax, also, in spite of their faults there's the Trumpy Wellingtons - although the latter could be improved upon. Stirling and Hampden would be nice but unlikely, even more unlikely would be the Whitley, now a Blenheim, I could see that. Wez

I've just received this kit today, I like what I see, it pleases me greatly. I've only had time for a cursory look but the panel lines are nicely restrained and there's plenty'o'detail going on. I'm looking forward to building this one - I might have to reschedule things and not take part in the Mustang STGB. If I've got a criticism it's the box - it's one of those flimsy types, not a proper box at all! Wez

Selwyn, That's what I thought but Stephen's description made me think otherwise. Actually the watchword in the military is whatever word you want to use to reinforce your point - I've lost count of the amount of times I heard the phrase "The first rule of warfare is...", followed five minutes later with "The first rule of warfare is..." invariably something completely different. Wez

Stephen, I've seen pictures of Hunters with tiered rockets - how did they work or were they not used operationally? Wez