Richard Tucker

I've begun with the internals. This really is a plane on its mother could love.... I've used some of the ModelAir Aluminium. It isn't quite as good as the AK XTreme Metal. On the other hand, it doesn't smell and need bad chemicals to clean everything so it is perfect for the cockput colours. The PE was quite well behaved. It needed painting though. I didn't think the wheel well internals werre very good. The fit isn't great and I think it is a little small.

I've done quite a bit more on this over the last few days and have really enjoyed it. It is most unlike me when doing a biplane. I started with the walkways and tail. Everything got a couple of coats of Yellow. I decided that while I had improved the sink marks, I didn't have the skill to sand them flush and keep the wing ribbing so I've made them less pronounced.

I was more meaning that they looked like they were at different angles as the drawing was terrible!

I started this a few days ago but my photo hosting wasn't working. Now I've found an alternative, I can post all the photos. I started with some cockpit colour and aluminium colour for the engine. The cockpit is totally sparse. There is no IP so I decided a little detail is needed. I made the IP from thin plastic sheet. I painted it black and then drilled into it to reveal the white plastic. Another dab of blank paint and it looked enough like a IP through the hole in the fuselage. I also added some seatbelts too. The wings have really bad injection marks which I've been slowly filling. The underneath made me smile. I can to sand away the words "Revell 1982" from the underside of the wing. A quick spray of primer and it is ready for some more filling.

I bought this kit recently in the excellent North East Model Centre near Durham. The kit only has one scheme is yellow with red and blue. I'm not sure that the wheels in this drawing are right though

I got this on offer from Special Hobby direct last year and thought it was perfect for this GB. I think I'll do the one with the full canopy. It looks a little less like an ugly duckling. The Canadian Car & Foundry Company acquired a manufacturing license for the Grumman G-23, and improved FF-1, of which it completed a total of 52, some of which were assembled from US-built components. Although initially rejected as a fighter by the RCAF as outdated and too slow, with the advent of war, the last 15 of the CC&F production batch were taken on strength as the Goblin I. The aircraft type served with the RCAF from 17 September 1940 until 21 April 1942. "A" Flight of No. 118 RCAF Squadron was equipped with Goblins at Rockcliffe in Ottawa, and subsequently became No. 118 (Fighter) Squadron, later stationed at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where the Goblins for a time constituted the sole fighter force on the east coast.

This one!

I've been a bit lax with the updates as I've been away to Prague and then been busy on other kits. I managed to call in to a model shop in Prague and buy a couple of kits - I left space in my case specifically for this I'm now the proud owner of a Dewoitine D510 and Cessna Bobcat - both new aircraft aircraft to me. Before I went away, I sprayed the Black Green. Once I came back, I had some time to spray the clear coat and stick the decals on it. They went on surprisingly well. The white sighting lines on the tail were one piece and went on surprisingly easy! That left me with no excuse - time for the rigging. The wings were done without the top wing on. The floats were done the same way. The came the moment of truth. The struts in the centre were too long so some trimming was needed. Even after that, they aren't the best. The end result though looks like Dave. It is nearly done. It needs the prop completing.

I have a really stupid plan next. I've got a C47, JU52 and a SM81 in my stash. I thought I'd build the 3 transport planes together in one go. I don't think I have a Japanese transport aircraft. Not sure what they used.

I've sprayed the bottom Light Grey from the Vallejo IJN Model Air Set and then masked it up. I then sprayed the top surface Brown from the same set.

Lots of progress on the Val. I think it is nearly done now.

Manshu KI-79 B 1/72 by RS Models. Airbrushed and paint pen painted.

Over the weekend I've had fun with decals. The white sighting lines were individual white decals which went on quite well. I decided to chop the wing decals as it seemed the easiest way to get the 2 parts on the wingtips.

I'm calling this one done now that I have put all the remaining parts and the rigging on it. I'm pretty pleased at how the paint pen experiment has turned out.

The fuselage was sanded and the lower wing trimmed and fit into place.