Ngantek

Amazing work. So much detail executed beautifully. Andy

Ah interesting. Sorry being entirely out of the loop on this, please could you elaborate a little on the implications? I always (rightfully or wrongfully) tend to subconsiously infer a certain 'style' for each manufacturer. That of IBG feels quite well formed in my mind, and ships, vehicles and aircraft of theirs that I've build do, I feel, have a certain intangible similarity, despite no doubt being the creations of different designers. Would you suggest that the IAR 80 and dora kits have no great similarity in design therefore, aside from the IBG tooling and boxing strategy?

Thanks for the photos! So many wing variations! Interesting what they've done with the canopies, presumably we have two different designs, and the pair with the rear fuselage faired in are for closed, with the simple bubble for open? interesting approach, I wonder how the seat-back detail is achieved with the single part? Be interested to see how the hole in the windscreen for the aerial mast has come out. Yeah I wonder what that means for the approach IBG have taken in comparison to the Dora. I loved it, but one of the complaints was excessive detail and over-engineering, so perhaps it's an indication of pulling back a bit? Andy

Whoops, missed the start. I'm all about this, my grandad was in Hunts most of the war, so it's a real treat to see one done to your standard. Looks like a great start, you've got that confounded wool to come out really well this time on the sea base; and all that jubbliness around the bridge looks really sharp. I never could work out how those twin Oerikons fitted on Hunt wings, so you've very much solved the problem for me! Thanks! The front of the bridge, I've always found hard to pin down. That close in view that you have is one of a series taken by the Manchester I assume during Operation Substance in July '41 (several more can be seen in Man'o'war #4 by Raven and Roberts). She's also in that earlier scheme of what I assume is 507A hull, 507C (?) upperworks and that entirely flat bridge front. I'm not utterly convinced that the raised ridge running vertically down the sides of the bridge face isn't still there in that later photo with the bow chaser. Does anyone know what the purpose of those was in any case? I've never quite worked out when they started being fitted or why they existed. I suspect you're right about that picture from the stern (IWM; it's on wiki as 'Malta 41') actually being post refit in 42-43. Eridge (see below) was still in the 507A/507C at the time of her near- sinking in Aug'42, after 2nd Battle of Sirte where Avon vale was first damaged and headed off to the UK for refit. That HACS tower looks really good. I notice Micromaster are doing this one now (mkV** 285p (5pointed) ?? or something 🤷‍♂️) where they didn't before, but I can only see 600 and 700 scale, not the 350. How did you come by it? If you haven't already, you should check out 'Red Tobruk' by Frank Gregory-Smith, who commanded HMS Eridge. She and Avonvale, along with Farndale and Heythrop formed a group of four from about May '41 and spent a lot of time together in the Med. It's a really good account of the desperate period in the Eastern Med from the second half of 41 to mid 42. Andy

You're doing God's work with this hard-mode conversion. Looks great so far. EDIT: The area under the flaps is just lightly recessed to house the one-part 'loop' over the top I always thought they were slightly recessed, but looking again, the recessed bit increasingly looks to be an illusion created by dirt buildup. I have more pictures harvested off google, but not knowing the source, I probably shouldn't post. There are a good few of XP924 at airshows with everything down, and some in a dirtier state which helps highlight the detail. https://www.facebook.com/aviationmt/photos/a.735829616779034/875862112775783/?paipv=0&eav=AfYHapVGjtJWRBvaybI7QKwjodTnK_IawkjuR9nf9QDwi27Uff7X7c32N2y52wdpJ0Q&_rdr https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1841452826216702&set=a.735829616779034 This one here, though (half way down the page) makes it seem flush. https://vintageaviationecho.com/flying-the-sea-vixen/ Given it looks pretty flush when raised in all the photos, perhaps there's just a small recess? Does the airfix leave a gap here? CH did the same despite having separate flaps, oddly (just as they have a poseable air brake but nothing to fill the hole it reveals) Yeah the shortcomings of the CH one is a shame (not to mention frog and xtrakit). I don't think (😳) of myself as someone who fusses over the little stuff, and the (well Revell actually) buildups looked perfectly sea vixeny to me at first glance; but the more you look at it the worse it is, and the whole nose section just looks too 'not right' sitting there on the shelf now I've built it. Andy

A very nice first build Andy. As you say, a good kit to start on get a feel for ship models. I agree with Jeff, a bit of brass rod and wire or for masts will make a big difference, and a few more experiments with the rigging will certainly bear fruit. The sea base has come out very nicely. One thing you might try is painting before gloss so it's easier to achieve the colour you want, since the tamiya clear colours are quite vivid and saturated so it's easy find yourself chasing all over the colour spectrum when what you're trying to achieve is near the middle. But great stuff, I've enjoyed following the journey a lot. Andy

Beautifully done Rob. So much detail brought out immaculately. Your experiments with a more active base have worked out really well too. No space in the house but solely tempted to get into these Black Cat shenanigans. Andy

IIRC re sling points and catapult spools, two protruding stubs above the wing behind the cowling, and another pair at the aft end of the longeron reinforcements are for lifting and seen here, reinforced by plates. The catapult spools are the similar protruding stubs at the bottom of the rear airframe, to the stern of the roundels on the camo demarcation. They're reinforced with several layers of kite shaped plate. There's another pair under the rear end of the wing attached to fuselage, sticking down. Can't quite remember if and which marks and modifications these existed or were added and or removable. (I suspect from the iib onwards). (Thanks to @Grey Beema

'Feels' a bit off, doesn't it? This would suggest the length is actually right (75ft -> 318mm), but wingspan a little long (129ft ->546mm) though possibly this is due to the clipped nature of the prop. Quick dodgy person-to-length measurements from some film frames gave about 20m length so perhaps it's not too wrong. I suppose given it's such a long slender tail, and the cabin is large enough to hold 4 actors and a film crew (see the video), it's not unreasonable. Still, I think I'll go for the mini one! Little bit of a shame they haven't also tooled the Kynes ornithopter, which I thought was pretty cool as well.

Good news, but that's a big old thing, even folded. 23 metre fuselage really? A sea king is what, 17 or so. Lot to be said for the small one, seeing this!

Oh yes, love this choice. 1946!!? 🤯 A beautiful aircraft, I was considering finemolds' R3C for this, but being the porco rosso version, probably better to save that for a 'cartoon' style build. Good luck! What is the R3 x-2 variant anyway, I can't find anything about it beyond the model? Andy

No need to apologise Rob, I barely post here these days! But thanks, I appreciate the encouragement. It's not worked out quite right, but valuable experience gained. I've stolen a lot of ideas and inspiration from your builds, so thanks for giving us something to aim at (however unrealistically!). Thanks Adrian. The Ion ones are quite nice (if rather pricey), lots of more interesting poses to work with. There's not quite the choice at 700 scale that you get at 350 Thanks that's very kind. Mostly I like the choice at 700, and the small possibility that they will fit into the house! I'm also hoping that the masochism will make the inevitable step up to 350 more enjoyable! Andy

This one is going to age well 🤣

Lovely work Jon. Your models somehow find a way to keep getting better. Love the sharp work on the dazzle, it looks great and somehow turns the ugly old 4 stacker into quite an attractive ship (shots fired!). What's up next? Andy

Sorry Jeff, I've been lurking on this thread for a while, and have really enjoying watching it coming together. Beautiful sharp work throughout. I work at 700, but that photoetch gives me the shivers and much more fiddly for all the detail at this scale. Also glad to see you hold off on the hull dissection; it would be a shame to damage all the fantastic work that has come before, and although it scuppers your glass plan, styrofoam bases are pretty easy and rewarding by comparison I think. Even with the cut going well, perhaps there'd be a fair problem to deal with mating the flat cut hull to the wavy glass in a convincing and easy manner. In many ways, waterline is a bit limiting. Only for stationary subjects in the calmest of seas is the lower hull not revealed in some way, and I always find with such models, one either ends up raising the waves or having to hide voids, which is more forgiving at dinky scales, but I suspect not so easily achieved for larger ones. Anyway, lovely work so far, the detail and weathering is wonderful. Andy