JohnT

Yeah heard it on car radio on way into work and nearly crashed laughing when the ex instructor was asked his call sign and he said "Haggis" er - "Viper", "Iceman" and "Maverick" - pee your pants, "Haggis" is after you Wonder Brit understatement as ever

Its an interesting topic. When I was a boy the term we are referring to was used in a descriptive rather than a perjorative sense but growing up I realised that in "American" English it was used only as a term of abuse. So seeing paint commonly described as ****** brown just faded away to avoid causing offense. My parents always told me not to cause offence to others and be considerate so I don't have a problem with dropping the dogs name and replacing it with something else. It shouldn't be beyond the wit of the producers to find a name that refers to the dogs character without causing offense. I doubt that the dog was called his name for any reason other than his colouring and that it was ever intended to cause offence to anyone in the 1940's. Given the cosmopolitan nature of Bomber Command I suspect that there was not that much prejudice around in any form except from a few individuals and BC was probably more akin to todays culture than that of the general public in the UK at the time. You can also bear in mind the forces habit of calling someone by a nickname that reflects their origins without intending any derogatory prejudice. Lots of examples spring to mind. So i am sure the problem really comes from the increasing "Americanisation" of English which puts the dogs name in a different context to that of RAF Bomber Command WW2. Having said that I can see that to change the name does distort the historical accuracy of the film - mind you did that ever bother film producers ??!!!! What I am perhaps more intrigued about is that on reading a biography of Guy Gibson I found out that he was not perhaps exactly (remotely?) like Richard Todd. The bio I read rather had him come across as a chap for the ladies and a strong character you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of. There was a suggestion that he had his favourites and could be quite brutal with subordinates if I recall - its a few years since I read the book now. I won't even get into the subject of how/why he got himself into a mosquito on his final flight but suggestions that his strong charcter played a part keep surfacing. Worth a read as, assuming its an accurate bio, you see the human frailities we all have ( yes I have had a tantrum with the odd ill fitting part but I will deny it if you tell anyone that ). So will we see Gibson warts and all as a real person or will he gets the "Hollywood" treatment again? Thats maybe just as important as a dogs name and being PC ? John PS Douglas Bader wasn't like Kenneth More either but he and Gibson were still two of the greatest heroes the country has produced despite of (because of?) their own personal failings and I wish we had a few more of them about today.

Bother got a reply this am and its no longer for sale - oh well back to the drawing board !! Dont expect Trumpy to do one soon - no rivets to punch on it ! Anyone come across one please let me know - I would be eternally in your debt ! John

Thanks for the ref. I have sent them an e-mail so hopefully you have just saved me hours of heartache and girning. I did Google a search but came up with nothing. I have been looking for this to complete a list of 1/48 aircraft to do a run of the types used by 111 Squadron over the years. Once again

Have had no luck trying to find a 1/48 Gloster Grebe. Aeroclub have no re-release plans as yet. Would it be possible to back engineer a Grebe from a Gamecock? The wings look similar at least though the fuselage looks a different story. Might need lots of scratchbuilding ! Any thought much appreciated John

Thanks Bill and Stephen comments and memories much appreciated sorry about wrong forum still getting the hang of this site ! regards John

Hi I am doing the background spade work before starting a Blue Diamonds Hunter aircraft. Anyone know what colour is a good match for the blue they sprayed them in ? I have several colour photos but wonder about the reproduction processes and if I can rely on the prints in the book or whether to look at some modern re-incarnations doing the airshow circuit? I think I saw them at a Turnhouse airshow when I saw 13. (er 1966!) I checked and I thought I'd seen the Black Arrows but they would have disbanded by then so it must have been the Diamonds. Not an unusual error I am told but 13 was a very long time ago now Any help much appreciated John

If you had to build a Dambuster Lanc OTHER than Gibson's which one would it be and why? A-JJ Flt Lt Maltby, as it was that crew that seems to have dropped the upkeep exactly right and blown the Mohne. But if I had the money and space I'd do the lot - heroes all John

Your welcome sorry about being a luddite technophobe ! Now if only Susan will let cut down the hedge, dig up the front border, demolish the drive and..................

BBC Scotland web site Hope this link works but if not try BBC News site - Scotland - South of Scotland - Chocks away for garden spitfire Way to go ! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_...and/default.stm ok then I'll try this !!

Thanks guys much to mull over I think I will buy the Hasegawa one and also the ICM one and have a look at both - build one and the other to the stash ! I guess you can always find an excuse to build a spit without trying too hard Meantime parental duties call to set up the train set yet again. In a year or so he can do it for himself but whenever the track gets a knock I have to drop everything! And the boss wants some wardrobe door handles changed before tea time regards John

Following on the Hurricane question can anyone advise who makes/made the best Spit 1X C in 1/48. The consensus on the Hurri was that it was hasegawa by a mile. How do they stand up in the Spitire stakes? Thinking about the next build so any useful steer as to purchase would be very much appreciated Thanks John

Hi if it helps I just ordered a hasewgawa hurri mk 1 on line from Wonderland Models in Edinburgh - they are listing them under best sellers so probably have some in stock While we are on the subject of best in 1/48 does hasegawa do the best spit mk ixc or who? As I am about to add one to the collection it would be good to get a steer from the spit experts out there John

I am trying to locate a Grebe in 1/48 to complete a 1/48 line up of Squadron types for 111 Sqn build which I hope to start soon. Pete at Aeroclub says they stopped producing this about 10 years ago and might re-produce it but have no plans for anything definite. Anyone got one they might part with ? In passing I see that Aeroclub are doing an AW Siskin 111 injected on Hannants future releases so I am passing on the vac form currently up on E Bay Also did anyone do/ is planning a BE2 in 1/48? Any pointers most welcome Thanks John

Many thanks for the pointer - just got to find one to buy now !

Hi Can anyone advise where I might get my hands on an old Vac Form of the Meteor F7/8 (?) in 1/32 ? I think it was either ID Models or Combat Mobdels that produced this decades ago. And even if you can get one is it worth it? Any pointers most appreciated Thanks John

I see a photo of a camouflaged Hunter of 111 Sqn in the Squadron Entry for 111 published in Fighter Squadrons of the RAF but I think they are F4's and its an F6 thats wanted? Anyway it shows the camouflaged scheme with Black bars either side of the fuselage roundel if this helps?

I dont know if this will help at all but I have been reading Mercers book "Black Arrow, Blue Diamond" and while he does not mention how/when etc the Hunters were painted on 111 he writes that the Blue Diamonds aircraft were delivered in their new blue paint scheme after it had been finalised and that previously practise was on standard a/c. If this was standard practise one could reasonably assume that 111 had a/c in standard schemes like the F4's shown on page240 of Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their a/c by John Rawlings until replaced by other a/c painted in the teams colours either at factory or the paint shop !

I was allowed to climb in a Canberra nose section in the Dumfries Museum last year and bounced off every sharp edge. It was tiny inside. I am 5'10" so not exactly huge. Very dark and dingy. I suppose the pilot can look out but the other crew members exist in a black hole dungeon. I did wonder how Beaumont and crew managed the record cross atlantic trip - legs well crossed I'd guess. JohnT

Sorry this is not a straight answer but more of a supplementary question really. I have the Echelon lightning from way back and wonder what might be used from that ? Or would it be worthwhile doing it as a comparative build. My vac form experience is limited so I had put the Echelon bird aside till I felt I could do it justice but now maybe thats not as important as getting my hand in on a decent quality vac form. Thoughts ?

Now if I had only asked sooner I would have saved myself a pile of trouble hunting through ref trying to find a non existant item - duh ! Serves me right. Many thanks I shall go ot to East Fortune and have a look at the two seat meteor there but as its an ex Ferranti hack I had better take care to make sure its relevant to my build thanks again thanks Graham I'll trawl the net and see what I can find

I bought this a while back and am looking to start it soon. I have ordered the Xtradecal set to enhance it and wondered if anyone could advise on anything else that might need attention other than the usual fit issues with these models ? Anyone know what Mark of seat Martin Baker put in ? I'd guess it was a Mark 2 from whats on their web site - a great source of their seat histories, pics, specs and a/c fitted by the way. Also any links to cockpit pics, and the like would be much appreciated. Thanks

I want to say that I am not the most experienced modeller being a newbie as work has had my attention the last 25 years or so but each night I read a chapter or two of aviation based histories and can recall several examples of aircraft manufacurers pre computer cut days assembling component parts, or not as the case may be, only to find one factory assembly would not mate to the others. I'd guess that there can be many differences in tolerances and measurements from one airframe to another airframe and all the more so in older aircraft. (Any ex RAF technicians care to comment ?) Maybe especially Brit ones due to our aviation cottage industry practises compared to say, the US mass assembly plants?? Anyway I am reminded or reading a heated debate on paint and scale colour and tones etc etc etc Went the next week to a wet airshow and saw a Danish F104 which at one time in its life was painted overall in the same green colour but with the exception of flourescent lime now had every tone of green imaginable on it. The moral - God loves infinite variety So if it "looks" right it probably is near enough chaps

I dont suppose anyone on here paid the seller on E-bay USA the princely sum of $2,500 US plus posts etc - thats about £1,828. plus posts to you and me ! The bidding details were interesting. It just makes me think that someone out there already producing resin sets etc could do a better job without some of the concerns that this set seemingly has and improve on it and make a small fortune in the process Or is Trumpy sales dept looking ??? Meantime back to making a living in the real world

Frankly I was shocked to learn that these sets have quite silly money being paid for them. Honestly its not just green cheese. I have paid serious money in the past for the likes of a hasegawa 1/8 scale SE5 museum series to add to the Camel and Tripe I picked up cheaply but it strikes me as odd that such a high price would be paid for what might end up being duplicated by someone like David Parkins at Flightpath or similar. Maybe for those of us wanting a UK 1/32 Phantom other than a Tiger, some company might just decide to take this on. After all if they can get this sort of money a run of say 500 sets must retail out at what, £150 each, thats £75,000 gross and I bet they would all sell in 12 months Now if only I had the skill !!!!!! Alternatively I have read with awe some of the work done by my peers. Some of you - and you are all too modest to say Me Me - can produce results that deserve to be called works of art. Astonishing. So maybe one or two of the "top dogs" and F4 experts might just talk us mere mortals through what amounts to masterclass in doing the job for ourselves. I'd be happy to recommend the volunteers for the next birthday honours list and post suitable refreshments for consumption along the way to encourage them onwards !! Any heroes/takers ?