Hepster

I built the Revell 1/72 Tornado GR1 some years back, and came away from the experience convinced that it was the best Tornado kit that you can get in that scale. I didn't have any of the problems that you mentioned, but I did have problems with warping on some fuselage parts which, although a serious problem, I regarded as a one-off and couldn't blame the kit, and would love to build another one day.

Lovely job, much better than my attempts at this tank. Minor issue, I think that the secondary armament should be an MG 34 Panzerlauf with the shrouded barrel

I agree with Jure that whilst the Fw 190D prop is the way to go, it may need a minor rework. I have built Fw 190Ds in 1/72 by at least five makes, and they all seemed to have slightly different interpretations of the prop, an needed minor rework just to meet their intended purpose in some cases. For example, I think the Academy props had pointy tips... Also, Pavla do a set of replacement blades for the Fw 190D-9 and D-11, that is two sets of blades and two spinners. Also IIRC,an old Airfix mag article converting an Me 109G into a Mule used a prop and spinner from a Ju 87G, but I guess accuracy standards were a bit lower back then (1960s).

Which kind of illustrates that most people will accept bad CGI in SF/Fantasy, but not in a WWII movie. I suggest that Jackson calls the dog 'Gollum', just so that the movie has one of these unsubtle nerd references that all modern movies are obliged to have..

It is indeed 'Waste Paper', as in Waste Paper Bin. Too many years spent working in an office.

File them under 'WP' and move on to the next build. Too many kits in the stash to waste time on failures...

Very nice, although I would suggest for realism not obstructing the viewing ports for driver and machine gun operator and the sights for the main gun...

As I acquire guite a few bagged kits at shows etc, the tougher boxes sometimes get reused for them. Some of my boxtops have been used to decorate the storage boxes that I transport models to shows in, it gives that personal touch.

Other way 'round. The Airfix FAW9 was derived from the Heller T3. This accounts for the daft narrow tailpipes on the Airfix FAW9. The Heller T3 mould was permanently altered to achieve this, so this means Airfix or Heller T3 kits are getting scarce, although I found them both going for £10 at the IPMS Avon Show last year...

Lovely job, but I suspect that all that dried grass stalks around the business end would catch fire as a result of the muzzle flash! Superb.

It's got lovely decals, certainly worth £1.20!

Some Stugs made it to North Africa, Ausf Ds and maybe others. Nitto used to do an Ausf D in 1/76. Does the Italian Semovente count? I've seen pics of it in German markings, but they could have been taken in Italy.

I did my P-40B in Humbrol 66 - okay for the faded look I suppose...

I suspect that the first book is the 1990 original edition, whilst the second is the 1995 'Promotional Reprint Company' edition. Buyer beware!

Just noticed this thread - now that's what I call modelling! I've had two goes at this kit in the past, in its other boxing with the Wittmann decals. I didn't make any of these amazing improvements that you have described, which is a pity. I do recall that the vinyl tracks were so tight a fit that they would only fit if I moved the back wheel in a tad, so replacing them is good thing.

The US does things differently to us. Their carriers are expected to last 50 years or more and (arguably) get worked a lot harder whilst in service. And yet didn't they sink one a few years back to create an artificial reef?

When you say 'the flying example' I guess you mean the real plane rather than the movie props. Just for info, please note that the Vulcan seen in the air has different serials from the aircraft that the crew are seen climbing into.

Thunderball, whilst an excellent Bond movie, really messes about when it comes to Vulcans and the nukes that they carried. The fact that Bond manages to get into the cockpit through a door at the front of the bomb-bay tells you that. In reality, there is no such door in a Vulcan B.1A, and the space between cockpit and bomb-bay is occupied by four substantial fuel tanks. The mockup that they used in the movie has many inaccuracies and the bombs carried follow the same ethic.

You are quite right, my apologies. And I thought the box-art pic was a badly made kit with an unpainted canopy...

I think that there is a cheap Hobbyboss kit in their 'easy assemble' range of the car-door Typhoon, reference HB80232. Might scrub up well...

The photos (there are loads on google images) do show what look like very bright undersides, they must have been overpainted as they would have been messed up a bit when it first belly landed. Also, since the Staffel emblem is still on the nose in the pics, it suggests that the original top scheme has been retained apart from overpainting the crosses, swastikas and codes and adding the roundels. I would assume that RAF colours were used for the painting over of the markings, eg DG.

I'm glad you mentioned the barrel that you replaced, I've been saying it was out of proportion for ages and getting 'Revell can do no wrong' replies. Lovely job on the (arguably) most charismatic tank ever!

How about the world's first Air Force drone aerobatic team! Leading edge or what!

You are probably right, except they would likely lease the Cessna's!

Just brilliant, they can wow the crowd with forthcoming releases like this and still continue their age-old fixation with new-tool Spitfires (at least 6 since Hornby took over). This is having your cake and eating it! Must be a big improvement on the 1/48 Smer Shagbat, although I have seen the Smer kit suitably improved by good modellers on occasion.