Wez

Sten! Didn't your Mum tell you that cans marked "Worms" don't have resealable lids! I think you're right though... Wez

Looked at doing this myself, there seems to be a school of thought that says they all had the 2x .50 cal gun Rose-Rice rear turret fitted but most of the photo's I've seen show them with the 4x .303 rear turret fitted - without guns (FN turret - not sure of the exact type). Most had a fairing immediately beneath the rear turret which was I beleive for a rear facing camera fit (others may know more). I've not seen a picture of an MR.3 with an upper turret. Many MR.3's were fitted with Lincoln wheels and rudders. The Lincoln's rudder featured a deeper trim tab and lower rudder, if you look at the Lanc's rudder the bottom of it curves up and the trim-tab sticks out of the back - a Lincoln's rudder doesn't curve up, the line of rudder bottom meets the trim tab in a straight-ish line - this may not make sense until you look at some pictures you'll see what I mean (incidentally the BBMF Lanc has Lincoln rudders). All MR.3's had additional observation windows in the rear fuselage, the starboard one in the rear crew-entry door and a pair of square windows in a similar position on the port side. The Modeller's Datafile is a useful reference. HTH Regards Wez

Regardless of which persuasion of governement that cancelled it (if you read the history of the times we as a nation were living on extended credit and were looking both east and west to extend those lines of credit even further to avoid the devaluation of the pound which finally came in the early 1970's so we would have had to appease either the Americans or Russians or both to get that credit), the fact remains, it was a travesty. 1970/71 is still 15 years ahead of any aircraft with similar capability merely in terms of capability (e.g. Tonka GR.1A's with the linescan capability). In the meantime the analogue, mini-valve technology within the TSR.2 would have been upgraded with modern digital systems that would have taken up less space and provided greater capability that would have kept the aircraft in the fore-front twenty years later. It's a shame we never got to find out and I think that's why it's still held with great affection and esteem. Regards Wez

Thanks all for your replies - it looks as though I shall have to whittle some exhaust shrouds out of purest plastic But then again, maybe an enterprising white metal or resin manufacturer may take pity upon us Here's hoping! Wez

Bob, Is this the 1/72nd or 1/48th Mossie? I'm looking at 1/72nd. Wez

Yup, that's the babies (just looked at the In Action book), the pictures give me a vague idea - I'd prefer a drawing (engineering first, scale second). Quite taken by the grey over black scheme of the 199 Sqn NF36 in the colour section of the In Action book. Regards Wez

Thanks, I think you're right in terns of shape, the Bullnose was universal however, I've seen pictures of post-war Mossies with a clear radome that you can see the scanner through rather than a painted one - it was a clear one I thought I might need although I'm ready to be corrected! I should have said that I'm looking at 1/72nd scale here, I have the Paragon two-stage Mossie donk's but I can't find any decent info on the 'zorst shrouds, when I looked at this before I think I found both references you quoted shall we say, suitably vague in this respect. Thanks for the info. Wez

The forthcoming sheet from Freightdog features an NF.36 - now I have the Tamiya NF.XIII(?), but, is that nose the same as the post-war radar nose or are they different? I had it in my head the nose on the later marks was more bulbous than the mid-war night fighters and a lot of them were in clear perspex too! Can anyone verify this? If so, who makes a later NF nose (right now I'm guessing Aeroclub)? Also, does anybody make the exhaust shrouds applicable to these later Mossies or can point me in the direction of a decent set of plans and photgraphs so I can whittle my own? TIA Regards Wez

Oh Bugger! Firstly let me fifth or sixth what Bex said. Secondly, I'm gonna have start saving for another 12 1/72nd scale Lightnings on top of the 70 I currently need to match the real life colour schemes - gonna hve to find a bigger house! Better not tell my wife why we need to move - she's a finance manager in real life as well as at home, she'll veto it! Bugger, bugger, bugg... Wez

So will I but I've calculated I'll need at least 70 kits to cover all the marking options I currently have - that includes T-Bird conversions and export models! Somehow I think 70 1/72nd scale kits would take up a bit more room thean the half a dozen or so 1/32nd scale kits I'd like! Regards Wez

I've got one from when it was first released - the roundels were off centre then too! Definitely like the look of the Singapore jet though! Regards Wez

My first thought was Meteor TT.8 conversion (and was beaten to the drop by a cackin' interweb connection). My later thoughts are the same, why interfere with the ventral tank drop mechanism? Still think it's a Meteor TT addition regardless of the 2 Sqn photy (they'd still need to practice AA gunnery regardless) Regards Wez

This just keeps getting better and better! Brilliant profiles Richard, interesting to see another variation on the theme. Glad the information on the Wokkas was useful. Looking forwards to the next instalment. Keep up the good work! Wez

There's a picture - only one, on Cybermodeller, it looks silver paint to me. Follow the link to the F5A/B page, there's another link to the picture of the Phillipines jet... Cybermodeller Freedom Fighter link HTH Wez

Bill, I'd go for 92 as the F2 - the arrowhead marking they used in that scheme was far more attractive than the chequerboard they used later and 23 for the F3a (white fin)! As for the F3 surely 111Sqn (close call between that and 56). So many choices! Regards Wez

Aren't Trumpy doing some early mark Lighnings too - Hannants are certainly showing them as future releases. Regards Wez

Thanks Bill for the extra detail, I had to go and rummage in the cellar for the gen - didn't think of using the interweb! Personally, I think all of the aircraft painted up for the anniversary make interesting and valid schemes. Bring on the 72nd scale kits - that's what I say! Regards Wez

No, you're not wrong - 23Sqn didn't have any of their Lightnings painted in grey/green when they owned them, the aircraft in question (XR726/K) actually belonged to 5 Sqn but was painted in 23Sqn markings to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Lightnings first flight in 1979 - there's a photo on the front of Scale Aircraft Modelling 2/2 which shows other grey/green Lighnings in the markings of 92, 74, 56, 29 and 19 Sqns long after these squadrons had transitioned onto the Phantom or disbanded in the case of 74. My point was the aircraft flew in these markings (it even went as far as losing its rudder on the way back from Norway) and so the box art as painted is correct, just not representative. I am thankful to be getting a large scale Lightning - never thought I'd see the day and that was the other point of my post. I'm not going to crtitcise a kit that I haven't seen in the flesh, maybe the photos distort those areas of the kit that others have mentioned, maybe when they've got it in their hot and sticky mits they may no longer see a problem - after all those were photos of test shots too, not the definitive article. I personally will like what I see. My only criticism of Trumpeter is that the 1/72nd scale kits aren't out yet Hope this clarifies things Regards Wez

It was the old Frog Sea Venom - I've got a couple in the stash, the upgrades were simple but effective - transfers were good too. I don't think there's any way a Merlin kit would ever be marketed in such a way - they're just way too basic, they resemble the subject insofar as they're vaguely the same shape! In addition to the Vampire T.11 we REALLY need a new Venom/Sea Venom. Regards Wez

Nev, I agree with you - it IS to hard to tell at this stage, these are only test shots and the photos may not show the sprues in their best light. If the crticism is justified hopefully Trumpeter will take note and address the issue but until we get the sprues in our grubby mits we may not know for sure. Regarding the coulour scheme - yes you are correct, I believe IIRC, it was for the 25th Anniversary of the Lightning - it was featured on the cover of the first ever copy of Scale Aircraft Modelling that I bought. It's a valid scheme nonetheless although somewhat unrepresentitve - maybe a 5 or 11 Sqn jet would be more appropriate. Definitely want one of these big babies though, never thought I'd see the day, however, I am more excited about the prospect of seeing new mould Lightnings in 1/72nd scale (I could buy more of them)! Now then, where are my Modeldecal sheets? Regards Wez

Dave, This is certainly the case of the FAAM Corsair KD431. Incidentally, I can't heap enough paraise on the book on KD431 - both interesting and extremely useful as a modelling resource, a treasure trove of information on FAA Corsairs. Regards Wez

Phil - looks good How does this baby fight? Queensbury Rules or Downright Dirrty Bar-Room Brawling? Got one in the stash so I'd like to know. Regards Wez

Haydn, Good job - looks well done I was thinking of doing just what you've done but then I saw the Xtradecals were on the way for the TA-7C so I thought I'd wait... Any snags with the kit? Again, superb effort. Regards Wez

Yes Rodrigo - I changed it from "London Calling" by the Clash whan I saw that Clashcityrocker had beaten me to it! In the words of Father Jack "bottom!" Back to the Invader - Shaun is that the 1/72nd Italeri/Revell/MPM beastie or the Monogram 1/48th baby? Now for more Father Jack "Fek!" "Drink!" "Nuns!" "Knickers! Women's Knickers!!" Regards Wez

Richard, Fantastic narrative - definitely more food for thought! Don't want to be a party pooper but Wokkas don't have a forward left door - just a fairly large escape hatch through which bullet chuckers various are pointed! What colour scheme are you thinking of for the Wokkas? In that time frame they would have been dark green and dark sea grey uppers with black lower surfaces but as this is a What If they could have been anything! Just a thought though, the Mk.1 Wokkas used to leak oil like a sweetheart, we had a lot of trouble getting the ARTF to stick to certain areas during Gulf 1 (under the engines and the underside behind the doppler aerial). Looking forwards to the next instalment and the next profiles - as I'm off to sea in a couple of days I can wait. Keep up the good work! Regards Wez