JohnT

Just looked at the photo again but this time on the big screen. Is it just the light or my eyes but is the grey colour under the open wing leading edge slats (ie the areas normally concealed when slats not extended) a lighter shade of grey than that on the "exposed" wing surfaces? My suspicion is its the way the light is hitting the colour but it does look at little lighter in shade.

Good luck Kyle @davecov can you change the title? “Highland Games Bits and Bobs” had folk running for the hills in case you were about the answer the centuries old question what a Scot wears under his kilt. Er bits and bobs???? That what we are calling it ?

could be a stage set for a prequel for the next Transformers movie ! Right colour scheme for the Andover and Hercules too

Sad to see them go but whenever I thought "they look good- fancy some of those" I swiftly changed my mind when I saw the price tag and I don't often saw that about my hobby. For me the cost benefit analysis didn't work out in favour of buying them. I do hope that they are successful, in their next venture and that we have not seen the last of them and wish the all the very best going forward.

Careful. Doing things like that could start a trend for liking the F-35 when everyone “knows” it’s hideously ugly Great pic by the way

It’s the perpetual illusion that we will have an over abundance of free spare time next week/month/year to make this new kit as well as the all those in the stash and those on the shelf of doom which is inevitably going to be wrecked on the jagged rocks of reality. To borrow from the thoughts of many aircrew on their chances - It’s the other chap that won’t get his model done, not me - I will be alright A bit like dating and marriage then ……..

Thanks @hendie . That’s very instructive to say the least.

picked Naomi cause I can’t spell Linda Evanjel Evangelly. Evan….. Kate Moss

Adam off to the naughty step Naomi Campbell too pricy for the job then. What on earth is that anime stuff anyway. Bizarre IMO. However I do acknowledge the words curmudgeonly and old fashioned are often applied to yours truly

Amazing ladies all RIP.

If you go to the BBC news web site and look at the section on whats in todays papers it enlarges enough to read whats on the front page - sneaky !!! then it continues on page 5. From what is on Page 1 it seems a re-hash of what has been said in the press earlier. I wonder why the prominent re-hash then ? Someone with an agenda and influence or an axe to grind maybe ?

It’s back as lead front page story in todays issue of The Times. Surprised tbh what with everything else that’s going on but what do I know about what sells newspapers

PM sent - Ive a set you can have

Dotage? Nurse, nurse. Michael in the next bed is being cheeky again. When do I get my meds? I remind you that you called me a cheeky rapscallion once. I badge I wear with pride.

Not The Ten O’Clock News then??!!!

Also bear in mind how the market has changed in 50 years. When I was nowt but a nipper… enough of the nostalgia! In the mid to late 1960’s when I was moving from primary to secondary education nearly every boy bought “Airfix” kits (That is Airfix, Frog and Revell) from hobby shops, toy shops, Woolworths, newsagents, hardware stores, one art shop I can think of and I suspect other types of outlets. The turn over in kit numbers must have been huge and ranges were always available- at least I think so but I was not paying too much attention to that side of the hobby. I can’t see that same retail scenario existing today and competing with electronic games etc. I imagine that makes manufacturers leery of keeping big ranges and large stocks that might not sell that quickly hence what we see today

Well for once I think I might be able to participate though there is no way I will get finished within the time frame. At least I have collected most of what I need to complete the project which is encouraging. So this is what is going on the desk with apologies for the iPhone camera quality. I am without a camera at this time so its a tad foggy there. (Great as it will cover up my build mistakes if I am lucky) Its going to be a backdate of the L to a G-15-LO of Ken Ladd with his Windy City Ruthie that he carried on his later P-38's. Much to ponder as to how quite to tackle this but the Grey Matter backdate set will assist considerably. Also i cant recommend the quality of the replacement undercarriage legs from Synthetic Ordnance Works in the US highly enough. Their produce won't come cheap but by golly it really looks the part. I also have a copy of Mike Ashley's publication on "How to..." build one of these and I saw with interest his concern that the Trumpeter plastic on the twin booms is a bit thin and might flex leading to seam opening problems. When he did his one he added strips of reinforcing plastic card on the inside of the booms like an internal frame support. Something to ponder methinks. I might try making a start. It will still be inside the 25% rule and I wont get finished before the end but rather just treating this as jogging along the real runners for company. So where to start.......... Probably the cockpit area which will need changed from the kit. Luckily I have a book on early P-38's by Robert Peczkowski [MMP Books] and I'd say its ideal for modellers for an early P-38. He does the same in another volume for later Lightnings PS - I have the Kagero decals in 1/48 too so if anyone could use them just drop me a pm and they can go to a good home. I have stopped building in 1/48 (so why did I buy that 1/48 Gannet AEW then???)

Hi Al Aye just had a re-read of my Dads unit history more carefully and edited my post above. Like your Dad mine is not in the photos either. There is a chance he was on her for Salerno. While he was on the Sicily and D Day landings too it wasn't on 299. He did Walcheren Island landings in a Buffalo. The Alec Guinness connection is interesting. Must look that up as I didn't know he was there. Dad had an officer who was the brother of John "Cats Eyes" Cunningham - the nightfighter ace. I am going to have a bash at one of these but will absorb all the build techniques and tips. Every day a school day and something new to learn

Oh thanks for that and no I hadn't. I pulled the book about 41 RM off the shelf again and looked at the caption for the photo and its misleading. It says 299 was one of two LCI's that took 41 RM to Salerno boarding the Seaforth Highlanders. Reading on the photo shows not Salerno but its for the Sicily Landing earlier. The photo taken on 6 June 44 has the caption "299" repaired after Salerno, back in business on D Day, on Juno beach at Bernieres" IWM 123938. I had assumed it showed 41 RM but the caption does not say that so i am guessing its included as showing a typical beach shot. 41 RM were tasked with heading for and through Lion-sur-Mer just along the coast from Bernieres So 2 photos of 299 but neither for her trip to Salerno with 41 RM - Some of the photos in the book showing LCIs are almost the same as the ones on the site and clearly come from the same camera but perspective and human beings in shot have moved slightly. Fascinating stuff - thanks. Watching the build here with great interest

The reason my 1/32 F-100 stays in the box.

Sorry to hear about your health problems Greg. As the others have said I hope you decide to change your mind and stay even if you are stopping the plastic bashing. You know you will miss the banter and general nonsense as much as we’d miss you. Enjoy the flight sims.

Very rare and not that well received though I don’t know the merits either way. If one come up it easily sells north of several hundred pounds

Mike if going down the F-4J ex USN from storage used by 74 Sqn as a stop gap till Tornado F3 arrives then Yellowhammer Decals did all the aircraft markings and series for such a beastie. Tricky to find them these days I think Sadly no Spey engined UK birds other than cutting and slashing a US bird. Not an easy conversion at all but some brilliant ones done on here

Oh I've wondered if anyone ever did a model of one of these. My father dropped into Salerno and again into France on one but his unit history that has photographs of them have confusing captions and perhaps you experts can resolve please? One photo shows an LCI(L) at Salerno number 299 and it appears again in a photo of Juno beach on D Day after being repaired, apparently. Another photo of the same day shows what is described as an LCI(S) on D Day unloading the RM 41 commandos with one poor chap falling into the water right on cue. So two questions really - is the LCS(L) really a typo and should be described as an LCI(I) and what is the difference between the two types - an LCI(I) or (L) and LCI(S)? The photos are not really good enough to see. The D Day ones have a partial bow shot in one and a head on shot in the other while the Salerno photo is another bow on shot. I do fancy getting one of these and to build it for Dad even if he is long gone now. TIA as always John

Interesting. If true then someone who is supposed to be in charge hasn't nipped it in the bud when it should have been. One never quite knows with journalism however. I did see the seven ship team perform at RIAT this year. The display seemed somewhat lacking tbh and I had attributed that to the limitations imposed by the seven ship formation. The sub par display IMHO (and I've had the privilege of watching them for some 50 years now) wasn't exactly helped by being followed later in the day by a truly stunning display from the South Korean Black Eagles. Unless socks are pulled up, if and where they need to be, I can see the bean counters rubbing hands and saying well "not value for money anymore so lets save a few ££££'s" and that is certainly not welcome. One saving grace is the Daily Mail have it that down way so its probably wrong then