fox1_BE

The tail bands (with the “71” integrated) were the only black theater bands I used from the decal sheet, I painted the other ones. But you are right, these are slightly mispositioned - well noted 😊

Thank you all for your kind comments, much appreciated 👍 Cheers, Patrick

Hi all, Here is my Tamiya 1/72 Thunderbolt Razorback, a kit that requires little introduction I guess: great fit, with lovely detail all around. I just added a few details (PE seat belts in the cockpit, brake lines on the main landing gear, vacform canopy, brass gun barrels and DF loop antenna on the spine). The drop tank is from a Pavla armament set. The model represents an aircraft from the 1st ACG, that provided close air support and resupply operations to British troops (the so-called "Chindits") that were dropped behind Japanese front lines in Burma. For this "Operation Thursday" aircraft, I used the DP Casper decal sheet. The sheet provides fuselage stripes and theater bands in both dark blue and black. Reading through Squadron's "Thunderbolt in the Pacific Theater", the fuselage stripes are described as dark blue and the bands on wings and tail surfaces in black, so I settled for this combination. First time I used DP Casper's decals: these are very thin and break easily, so care is needed in handling them but they give a nice result. For the NMF I used a few Alclad shades, other paints are mostly Tamiya acrylics. Weathering was done with oils and pigments. Here is a Wikemedia picture of the real thing: United States Army Air Forces, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Credits background picture: freepik, https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/beautiful-scenery-green-tree-forest-cloudy-sky_9185373.htm Hope you enjoy the pictures, thanks for looking! Best regards, Patrick

Sharp looking Scooter, Chris! Great work 👍 Indeed, the Fujimi Skyhawks are great kits to work with. Patrick

Another wonderful finish Russ 👍

Very nice build, great paint work and finish 👍

Thanks! Actually, I thinned the engine cowling from the inside: using a rolled up piece of sanding paper gave good control of the sanding process. Regards, Patrick

Thank you @georgeusa - interesting reading material and useful reference pictures 👍

Thanks for your comments! Actually, I used some pigments for this dusting effect: simple to use and, as you say, very effective. Very true Roman; I used a slightly “greener” background, as it makes it easier to photograph a dark green subject. Indeed, I have the Pilatus Porter in my stash for such a future build! Thanks again all, comments much appreciated 👍 Patrick

Hello all, This is my DHC-2 Beaver, as operated by the Royal Lao Air Force, in the '60s. I came across pictures of this aircraft, in its gunship configuration, on these 2 sites: https://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Arts/Art9878.htm https://dhc-2.com/id855.htm Thakhek West was also used by Air America, being designated "Lima Site 40". The armament of this aircraft, described as 4 small underwing bomb racks and a .50cal machine gun in the port cabin door, is also mentioned in the recent Warpaint Series publication on the Beaver. Here is another photo of a different RLAF Beaver, better showing the bomb racks: http://www.wings-aviation.ch/73-Laos/2-Aircraft/DHC-Beaver/Support.htm This Airfic classic has a pretty good fit, considering its age, but I did rework a few items: Removed most of the raised rivets and panel lines and rescribed the model; Added a few simple details in the cabin: a bit of floor structure and seat belts mainly; Replaced the entry steps on the landing gear struts and those below the main cabin doors; Sanded down the clear parts (except windscreen) as these were very badly molded, then polished them to get the clarity back - not perfect, but better than it was; Thinned the engine cowling; Scratchbuilt the pitot tube, a few small fuselage details and various antennae on the roof/bottom; Added a machine gun from a spare Hobbyboss H-34 kit. Paints were Tamiya/Gunze acrylics mostly, with a bit of Alclad on the engine parts. Markings were put together using bits and pieces from several decal sheets as well as a few stencils from the kit. Weathering with oil paints and pigments. Hope you enjoy the pictures: Credits background picture: freepik, photo by Kireyonok_Yuliya, https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/nature-background-dense-tropical-vegetation-palms_24172944.htm Thanks for looking and comments always welcome! Cheers, Patrick

Great looking Skyhawk, Russ - top finish👍

Thank you Col. I may want to give a go at KP's Cessna U-17B Skywagon, likely in VNAF colours: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/kovozavody-prost-jov-kpm0235-cessna-u-17b-skywagon--1422534

Same here: plenty of suitable subjects in my stash, so please could you add me to the list! You also have my vote! Cheers, Patrick

Great job Russ👍

A bit late to the party, as I don't do a lot of modelling during the summer period 🙂 But let's see where I can get in 2 months time with this "Italian Classic": Italeri's Vespa. The original tooling is from Protar, Scalemates dates this back to end '70s. The kit has also seen an earlier repop by Italeri and one by Revell. Looking online, I came across some great builds of this kit. As I mostly build aircraft/helicopters, something of this size - and on 2 wheels - will definitely be different! Here is the kit's contents, I hope to start the build shortly: Thanks for looking, Patrick

Hello to the mods: @JOCKNEY - I would like to participate with this kit: do you agree this is an eligible item, pls? According to what I could find on Scalemates, this is an Italeri repop of a kit originally tooled by Protar - somewhere in the 70's / 80's: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/italeri-4633-vespa-125-primavera--101611/timeline The kit has also seen a release by Revell in the '90 prior to Italeri's first release of 2008. But the original kit - also looking at the Protar kit's instructions and comparing with Italeri's- is clearly of Protar origin. Cheers, Patrick

I’ve got several choppers in the stash - and would look forward to building one next year! Please count me in - cheers! Patrick

Great finish and weathering - Really nice job on the Hellcat 👍 Cheers, Patrick

Great finish Dragan, lovely weathering indeed 👍

Good continuation Reini 👍

Great result and good save on the canopy: would have been too bad not to have finished it👍

That is a great looking Vindicator, Russ - I really like the weathering effects around the panel lines: top job 👍

Really neat trick with the hairspray technique for the camouflage blobs - great work👍

Cheers again, mates 👍

Thanks again, mates - your comments are really appreciated 👍 Cheers, Patrick