593jones

Was in MZ in Meadowhall on Saturday and they had about a dozen on the shelves. Was tempted to get a couple, but only got one!

Don't do Hawk's (sorry!) but if anyone in South Yorkshire needs one (!), they have one left in Argos Extra, Barnsley Peel Retail Park. Dave

Damned if I can find it on their website! Only kit I've found is a Revell 1/144 Tornado. Have to check their catalogue next time I'm in town.

Think I can wait a couple of years and pick up a Heinkel in the Modelzone sale, lol. Dave

Probably means the box is now a collector's item

Be nice if they got into the country before the VAT rate goes up

Ah, Curved Air, saw them a couple of times at Sheffield City Hall. Great band, great songs.

When WNW announced the Ninack I thought I could resist the temptation, but now they've released the RE8, I couldn't resist. Ordered the Ninack, too. Well, why not, it's only money.

I was hoping Amazon might have made a pricing error as they did with the Illustrious some time ago. I was unlucky then, but, hey, it was worth a try!

Mine arrived from Relish Models this morning, post seems to be getting back into gear. I was looking on Amazon last night and found Sea Vixen's on there, take a look at the one from Toy Chest. At least you get free shipping! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Airfix-A11002-Havi...0618&sr=1-7 Only got 4 left if you want one from them.

Still waiting for mine to arrive from Relish Models, not had any parcels for days due to the snow. Mind you, the wife's catalogue seems to be able to deliver without difficulty.

A very good book which includes an account of the use of Fortress III's by the RAF is 'A Thousand Shall Fall', by Murray Peden, who flew with 214 Squadron. Something which may be of interest, from page 365: "Special traps were designed and fitted to the underside of the turbo superchargers to hide the tongues of blue flame that would otherwise be a dead giveaway at night. Later on we found that painting over the bottom half of the side windows of the cockpit with black paint enabled us, if we were caught in searchlights, to duck our heads below the blinding glare for at least part of the ordeal, and with luck, see what was happening on our instrument panel. This expedient actually helped quite a bit if only one or two lights were involved." The book also has a photograph of one of 214's Fortresses and the side window can be seen to be painted black to around a quarter of the way up the window. I don't know if this was general usage by RAF Fortress III's or just on 214 Squadron. The book, incidentally, is superb, probably the best Bomber Command memoir I've read. Dave

Thanks for the link, Enzo, must have missed that thread. Hope it is a new tool, I'm willing to give Xtrakit the benefit of the doubt until I see some reviews. I do like two seat Hunters, though.

Just noticed on the Hannants site a future release of Hunter T7 from Xtrakit, does anyone know if this is a new mould or a repop of the old Matchbox kit?

Thanks for the advice, everyone, I've ordered a set of Fujimi and one set of L'Arsenal, they should keep me going for some time. Dave

I've just started ship modelling after being exclusively an aircraft modeller; I'm doing the Trumpeter 1/350 USS England and I'd like to put some figures on the kit. I've seen that there are figures in this scale and I wonder if anyone out there has used them and can comment on them. The L'Arsenal figures I've seen on the WEM site look very good. but what about the set of Fujimi figures. I know these are supposed to be Japanese, but in this scale I don't think that's too important. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks, Dave

Wayne, I've got a spare Hobbycraft B-36 in my stash if you're interested. PM sent. Dave

Would that be the South Yorkshire silent 'w', as in Cuddoth? Also in Dodworth? Doesn't apply in Wombwell, though, the exception that proves the rule

There's a Nichimo 1/200 Yamato on Ebay right now: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IJN-YAMATO-1-200-Sca...172552340509107 Good price now, but I wonder what it will go for. I'm tempted, but it would be a bit big!.

That is pretty big, nearly 3' 6" long, but imagine how big the 1/10 model in the Yamato museum would be. You could probably walk around on that! Really, depending on the level of detail you get, which looks pretty good, it doesn't seem that pricey (although out of my league). And you do get a free tool kit!

It would be nice if I could actually get hold of one! I see from Hannant's web site that they seem to have sold out of the consignment they recently got in. (I was on holiday when the hot news came, so missed my chance ) Hopefully they will get some more in soon.

What on earth is purgatory store? Sounds like the worst posting in the world!

The figure does look like a saint (with wings) so Kearns' aircraft is a distinct possibility, so it looks as though the instructions are in error as they show AJ.N in November 1943 and AJ.S in May 1943. I suppose it would depend on when, post Chastise, the code letter was changed. Anyway, it would seem, that if I want to do a Chastise aircraft I should use AJ.N and no nose art. (Probably!) Does seem like a decent little kit, though, apart from the deliberate mistake in the rear turret (two machine guns instead of four!). Thanks for all the input.

Thanks, Edgar, that's probably the one. Full marks to Amodel for their research!

I've just got the 1/144 Amodel Dambuster Lancaster, the kit comes with markings for ED912 in May 1943 and November 1943, different code letters. What surprised me is that there is nose art for the May 1943 aircraft, a winged figure in white. I've never heard of Dambuster aircraft with nose art, and certainly never seen any pictures of them. Does anyone know if this is accurate?