phat trev

what a good site! thanks for the infomation everyone. Yes it is a pity Academy do not include the 2 seat canopy, but then if they did no one would buy the D model!

The links work fine, thats a great looking early Typhoon! I love the car door versions which reminds me I still want to make an 12 gun fighter version!

I'll be happy to build another one also!

Is a P-40A/B basically a Curtis Hawk fuselage, re-engined? (I have a Revell Hawk and am considering using the engine parts on either the new Airfix P-40b or a Trumpeter P-40b so I do not have to so any major engraving!) also, I am sure someone here (or somewhere on the net) posted pics of the new airfix P-40b sprues?? does anyone know where they are to be found?

thanks Ed, managed to get one from heepdrutt on ebay, used his service a few times and very good.

Anyone know of a firm who makes 1/72 TF-51D Canopies for models?

Cool looking F-86 mate

Final scheme choosen: FF-625 Rotation Blues

I used a 6B pencil as it was the softest I have. I am sure any B pencil will be fine, different hardnesses giving total variations prehaps? It is important to grind the leads down first and not apply the pencil directly (ie. draw on) to the model. I only say this because I tried the direct approach first as I thought it might be quicker and ended up scratching the wing surface to pieces! A quick sand down and re-paint sorted this. I took a quick pic before I applied the ground lead, any 'over spill' of the colour was wiped off with a clean cotton bud before sealing.

A bit more work on getting a NMF sorted. A 6B Pencil was scraped with a blade and areas masked with tape. The dust then worked into the model with a cotton bud, sealed with light brush of future.

thanks Dave

Wanting to make an 'upto date' 1/72 Spanish Hornet using the Academy mouldings (after reading glowing reviews on here and other www sites) I am a bit confused over what type of F-18 the Spanish use? Academy do the F-18C which I guessed may be the current type (The Super Hornet looks only to be used by the US Navy and Marines? will the Spanish be given these?) Then I stumbled over the Academy F/A-18A with Spanish markings, being 'A' I thought this type may have been older? but then some info I have found show the Spanish still using 'A' Models? Confused.com (me) any helpers? cheers

Thanks for the tip! Had a look and I must have the updated version- I am going to use the revell exhausts as the kit parts looks a little too chunky.

Thanks Arnaud, I used masking tape to cover the clear canopy areas and carefully sanded the 'filling' with a squadron tri-grit stick (my fave tool of the moment) Still unsure of what the final scheme should be. It is an F-51D so it will either have USAF Korean era markings or a ANG machine -of what state I cannot choose- I would like to try markings that are seldom done and am furiously looking though websites and books for nice markings.

Heres an update of my Academy 1/72 F-51D. Painted in good old Humbrol 11 (silver) I am going for a 'sort of' chromed museum kept finish. Main parts glued together and flaps dropped, just the tail parts to go on. The Academy rudder was a awful shape so this was sliced off and replaced with the rudder from a Revell P-51B (at a slight deflection) Primed with a cheap grey acyrilic primer from a spray can found in the garage (warmed under the hot tap and shaken a hell of a lot!!) The area around the canopy was causing me a headache, the clear framed part was slightly narrower than the fuselage section creating a gap that I filled with Revell Plasto. And then another layer of cheapo primer- actually really good coverage and finer than I expected- Still a horrible mess under the canopy so out with more filler (and some super glue - thanks to those who offered support and input into managing CA glue) Another coat of primer and then a coat of Humbrol silver. Still a mess under the canopy out with the sanding stick -also the wings needed a little smoothing down- Two more coats of silver and BLING BLING.

Just bringing this thread up again. Would a Squadron Tri-grit sanding stick do the same job? ie. course/fine grain and smooth finisher (maybe with a little colgate toothpaste?)

thanks for the knowledge theadbear. Decided on a US Navy AD5 in dark sea blue. armed to the teeth...not sure yet (could Skyraiders really carrry a fully loaded wing when it was folded!? heck the struture must be strong if so!)

tsnks for the suggestions guys! I will give these a go later on.

Having a bit of trouble with filling an area by the cockpit of my Academy F-51D. I have been using Revell Plasto (ran out of squadron green stuff) to eaven up the joint between the windscreen and fuselage. Not having too much joy with sinkage I decided to use a bit of thick CA glue to plug the gap. well now the gap is well and truly filled but with me sanding the area smooth I have a very slight raised area of super glue which so far will not 'flatten out' (see photos) sorry the second image is slightly fuzzy.. I have primered the aircraft before applying CA glue. Any hints what to do next would be great, I am going to spray the final coats silver so I wanted a good smooth finnish so I have been using squadron sanding sticks for the final sanding/polishing of the filled areas.

Just looking into starting a Revell A-1E/AD-5 Skyraider project and I have a few questions. Whats the general feeling about the Revell/Monogram AD-5 kit? Anygood, what needs altering and improving? WHY is the glazing a 'blue' tint in the back of the cockpit area? and did all multi crew Skyraiders have this tint? Does anyone know of any PE sets for this kit? Maybe I can use parts from other/ similar aircraft to boost the look of the cockpit.

Does Xtrakit make it possible to get spare parts? I have managed to get a 1/72 Swift from ebay but the main fuslage sides have been crushed in the post..

Looks a good start

sorry MODs did I have to ask permission to join the Spitfire GB first!!!

Managed to hack the highback and chin areas off with a powertool, with the top of the nose glued into position, the rest of the fuselage will be coaxed into shape to take the new pieces. My early Mk.IX built using the Hasegawa Mk.IXc is at a similar stage in the background (but with more cockpit details finished)