Peter O

Does anyone have a good drawing or photo of the RAE crest, as shown here? http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results...amp;imagepos=28 This is the only image I've found so far. It would be great, except it's wrapped around a Gnat. With my lack of photo editing skills, it'll be very hard to un-distort it. I'm creating decals for the RAE's Hunter for a Brit buddy. Here's the plane, showing the crest: http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/Ha...-T12/1412495/L/ http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/Ha...-T12/1218863/L/ Thanks for your help! Peter

I've read somewhere - maybe here - that Whirlybird Decals is going to release a T.4/T.5 conversion for the Trump kit. Does anyone have any information about the set? I've tried Googling Whirlybird, but as far as I can tell, they don't have a website or email contact, and I haven't found the kit listed by any retailers that carry them. Thanks! Peter

I don't know how rare these are, but they're certainly esoteric: Comet "Boeing 707 Jet Airliner", actually the proof-of-concept Model 367-80 AMT USS Akron / USS Macon Rareplane Detective Convair XF2Y-1 Sea Dart 299 Models BD-5J Cutting Edge NF-104A conversion Yes, I do have peculiar modeling interests Peter

Outstanding! That's what SAC needed instead of the FB-111As I worked on. Peter SAC vet 1975-1979

In the words of my Brit mates, I'm chuffed! I scored a Revell "Enterprise Space Shuttle with 747" on eBay a few minutes ago, for the ridiculous Buy-it-now price of $16.00. And it's still shrink wrapped to boot. I've lost several auctions in the past few weeks when they went over $30. Must be my lucky day... I'm off to buy a lottery ticket now Woohoo!! Peter

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll keep on the lookout for a Revell kit. Kev1n, I'm looking forward to your article too! Peter

I would like to build one of NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. What would be the best 1/144 747 kit to start with? Of course, there's the Revell kit complete with shuttle, but that's usually rather expensive on eBay. I've already got an Orbiter, and there is enough reference material online to scratchbuild the Orbiter mountings, stabilizer endplates and tailcone. Draw Decal does the current SCA livery, so I'm set there too. Thanks! Peter

Thanks for the great photos! This would look great next to my KC-135. I'll have to start hunting for the kit. Peter

I'm an old SAC tanker mechanic - I love it! Are there any other photos showing the full markings? Peter

Which Eagle Strike sheet is that? Squadron doesn't list any for the 379th. The Square K B-17G shown on sheet 48-158 is a different unit at a different base. http://www.squadron.com/ShowProfileImage.a...48/EP48158a.jpg My research has concentrated on Olive Drab over Neutral Gray B-17Fs. In 1943, USAAF markings were changed several times, so that left a real mish-mash of national and squadron markings by October. The bars had been added to the stars earlier in the year, first with a red border, then changed to blue. There are photos of the 379th's aircraft with a combination of red and blue surrounded insignias, and with the bars applied over the aircraft and squadron letters on the aft fuselage. It was common in the 8th AF for the surround on the upper wing star to remain red for months after the official changeover, just because it was difficult to reach, and the ground crews had more pressing problems than repainting insignias every few months. My uncle was at Kimbolton in September and October 1943, and was KIA on the Black Thursday mission to Schweinfurt on 14 Oct 1943. His aircraft was hit by an out-of-control Fw 190 whose pilot had apparently been killed by the lead B-17 in his formation. I've spoken and corresponded with the pilot of the lead bomber. His crew arrived in Kimbolton the same week as my uncle's crew. Unfortunately he did not remember my uncle. However, he quoted an excerpt from his navigator's diary describing the loss. My uncle flew only three combat missions at Kimbolton, and flew a different B-17 each time. At that time, few crews had their own aircraft. The loss rate of both crews and aircraft made that impractical. Each aircraft was "owned" by a crew chief, and B-17F nose art was normally done by the ground crews, not the aircrews. As each mission was posted, the most senior aircrews got the best aircraft, and the rookies got the worst ones. Oh, and just to muddy the waters even further, there were several factory-built differences in the nose and cheek windows and armament of the F model, plus literally dozens of field-applied modifications on base or at depot level. Peter

As far as I know, nobody has produced a Triangle K decal for the 379th. My uncle was a pilot with the 379th, and I've been researching the B-17s he flew for quite some time. Feel free to PM me if you'd like more info or have questions about their markings. Peter

Marty, could you point me to the digital edition? I've just received the printed book, and I'd be interested to compare them. On first glance, the book is excellent. The bulk of it comprises two sections, one on the prototype Rotodyne, and one on the proposed production version. It includes systems descriptions, drawings, photos (some better reproduced than others) and a so-so copy of the Flight International cutaway (unfortunately split over 2 pages). Oddly enough, the legends have been removed from the drawing. All in all, an excellent addition to the library. The Flight International cutaway drawing can also be downloaded here: http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/photo...away-14208.aspx I have the Revell kit incoming from eBay... hopefully it'll arrive tomorrow. Peter

I don't have access to Xtracrylics, so I couldn't say. I used MM Acryl Buff, which looks very close to the color shown in the walkaround. Peter

Thanks, Daz! Peter

If late-war armor colors are anything like late-war Luftwaffe colors, I'm probably opening a can of worms here, but I have a couple of questions about the Sturmtiger. I'm really an aircraft modeler, and this is one of the first AFVs I've done since the mid-1970s. In other words, I'm clueless The tank I'm modeling has a three-color ambush scheme. It has hard edges, so it appears to have been applied in the field. What color would have been used for the inboard parts of the suspension, and the sides of the hull behind the suspension? Would they be primer, or the base color of the camouflage? I assume (bad idea ) the base color would have been sand, with green and brown applied over it. Is the interior white, or a light beige? The photos of the restored Sturmtiger appear beige, but that could be aged white. http://krimi.tripod.com/sturmtiger/sturmie.html Thanks very much for your help! Peter

Thanks, Doug. PM inbound! Peter

Hi all, I need a copy of the instructions for Dragon's Jagdtiger kit #6285. I'm usually an aircraft modeller, so I can't fumble my way through on my own. Unfortunately HobbySearch does not have these instructions online. Could some good Samaritan scan and email them to me? Many thanks! Peter

Thanks everyone! The problem turned out to be the air after all. I disassembled and cleaned the water traps and hose, replaced the thread tape and reassembled it, and now it works fine. After all the cleaning I've done, the airbrush will never be this squeaky-clean again! Peter

After a year of problem-free use, I've developed a paint flow problem with my Iwata Eclipse CS. When I first push the trigger and pull back, I get the usual paint flow. However, almost immediately, within less than a second, the flow decreases to almost nothing and becomes erratic, with occasional bursts of paint. The initial strong flow actually looks almost like a puff of paint, it stops so quickly. Sometimes once the paint flow decreases, there is a very slow bubbling (1 bubble per second) from the nozzle end back into the paint cup. Other times there's no bubbling. If I release the trigger and repeat immediately, it once again starts out with a "puff" of paint as before, then drops to almost nothing again. This happens even if I completely remove the needle, giving it the maximum airflow. It also happens regardless of the regulator setting on the compressor. I have a moisture trap on the compressor and an inline trap attached to the airbrush. It's not a paint problem. I got tired of cleaning it, so now I'm using plain distilled water when I test it, and it still happens. Back when I used to use paint in it, I only use acrylics - Tamiya, Polly Scale and MM Acryl, as well as Future. So far, I've: 1) Stripped and cleaned the brush thoroughly with lacquer thinner, several times. (In fact, many, many times.) I use a tiny bottle brush to clean the paint path and nozzle. I've inspected every piece, and there's no residue on anything, and all the packings and o-rings look intact. 2) Lubed the needle and trigger with Iwata SuperLube. 3) Inspected the nozzle, needle and paint path with magnification. I don't see any damage or residue anywhere. I'm at a loss. Before I order a new needle and nozzle, is there anything else I can try? Thanks! Peter

PM sent. Peter

I noticed this book recently, and I'm wondering if it's a new title, or a reprint of an earlier one. The new book is: http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/?product_id=1693 The old book that I have in my library is: Operation Grapple: Testing Britain's First H-Bomb Group Captain Kenneth Hubbard and Michael Simmons ISBN 0711015147 Copyright K.G. Hubbard & M.J. Simmons 1985 Published by Ian Allan Ltd. I've emailed Pen & Sword, and they "think" it's a new book, but can't say for certain. (Er, how can the publisher not know for certain?) I'm skeptical though, since Group Captain Hubbard passed away in 2004. I also think using the same co-author again 20 years later is a stretch. Does anyone have both to compare them? Thanks! Peter

Try this search: http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php...62&EXACT=on If that doesn't work, put me 262 (with a space between me and 262) in the keywords box, and check (or tic, if you prefer) exact match, and you should get the above results. Peter