Mike McCabe

In the shop today are some amazing 3d printed Royal Navy AA weapons by 3dmodelparts in 1/700 and 1/600 scales. These include 8 and 4 barrel pom poms, quad Vickers machine guns, twin bofors, 20mm oerlikons and twin 4.5" mounts as used on Ark Royal. It is no exaggeration to say that these are the best weapon accessories I have seen in small scale, and of course they don't need any fiddly folding so are ideal for those who find working with etched parts a challenge. Just the thing for those RN battleships, cruisers, carriers and destroyers. Once again, Starling Models is the only UK retailer for this company so take a look at www.starling-models.co.uk Mike

Paul Send me the files to [email protected] and I'll sort it out for you. I'm still working on some stuff and turn around from the manufacturer is usually about three weeks. It might be a little while then before I get them to you but I think it will be easier than you making them yourself. Cheers Mike

If you can send me the drawings, I'll put them onto my next etch order, there is always a bit of space and they look fairly small. Mike

Now that I have had time to unpack and put the kits into the shop here is a taster of what is currently in stock HMS Iron Duke Kresta I class Admiral Zozulya French cruiser Jeanne d'Arc HMS Royal Sovereign HMS Tiger HMS Invincible Many more available at http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss9/mikemccabe1962/bs70249_Invibcible_zpsqjthlciv.jpg Mike

It's often the thickness of bulwarks, screens etc which are the failing of plastic kits due to the injection moulding process, so it would seem. Mike

A few suitable kits are in the shop as of today, HMS Renown, HMS Royal Sovereign and HMS Mars would all fit the bill for Victorian battleships. http://www.starling-models.co.uk Mike

I'm very pleased to announce that a range of kits from Combrig are now in stock at www.starling-models.co.uk These include the typical range of Combrig subjects, pre-deadnought battleships and cruisers, Great War Royal Navy, German and French ships and modern Soviet / Russian Navy. These are of course high quality resin kits from this Russian producer, many come with a small photoetched fret and all are high quality castings of some truly unusual subjects. If you aren't aware of Combrig, they produce some very high quality kits but can be hard to find. As far as I am aware, Starling Models is the only UK importer of Combrig kits. Mike

New stuff is coming in thick and fast now, some more Lion Roar etch was added yesterday and today we have our new arrivals from AJM Models. Currently in stock, all at £29.00 are - HMS Queen of Thanet - paddle minesweeper HMAS Stuart - Royal Australian Navy Scott class destroyer leader HMS Campbell - Scott class destroyer leader HMS Mackay - Scott class destroyer leader with twin 6 pounder mount Ascot class WW1 paddle minesweeper Also a range of weapon accessories at £3.50 http://www.starling-models.co.uk Mike

My order arrived a couple of days ago of the IBG kits, they look good, quad pom pom could do with replacing but otherwise looks a first class effort. I have them in stock at £10.50 by the way http://www.starling-models.co.uk In terms of pricing of resin kits, actually if you look at the quality of some kits, Orange Hobby for example, which come with etched parts as well, then they are not really much more than their plastic equivalents. I do appreciate that it is quite a bit more to spend but I think the cost gap between plastic and resin is narrowing. Mike

A few more etched items from Lion Roar are in the shop today Mike

You can get resin version, I think Regia Marina or maybe Delphis. Mike

More new arrivals from Poland at Starling Models today, this time kits and accessories from Poland from IBG Models and Niko Models. We have in stock new kits from IBG of the Hunt class II escort destroyers ORP Slazak and ORP Kujawiak. These ships were transferred to the Polish Navy and can equally be modelled as any RN ship of this class. £10.50 From Niko we have a range of RN kits and accessories including - HMS Exeter, heavy cruiser 1942 £42.00 HMS Nizam, N class destroyer £25.00 HMS Daring, 1940 D class destroyer £25.00 HMS Harvester 1940, H class destroyer £25.00 ORP Conrad, D class light cruiser £28.00 Empire B catapult armed merchant ship, £25.00 Various resin accessories to improve kit AA guns Much more to come hopefully later this week on www.starling-models.co.uk Mike

Yes, I can see the logic in that, my brain mostly thinks in 1:700! Mike

It all depends on how far you want to go with a representation. I think the methods mentioned above are all absolutely fine for 700. Personally I've yet to be convinced by wooden decks but as with all things they seem to be improving so perhaps I will be brought round. Mike

Well, you will probably get a wide range of views on other forums and end up more confused than when you started. You won't go far wrong with Humbrol 103 or 148. A little dark brown wash to pick out the planking will also work well. Mike

Decal strips are ok until it comes the the stern, where usually there is some curvature that the strip won't go around. That will need to be masked off. Mike

Some more reviews USS Whidbey Island http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234980084-uss-whidbey-island-lsd-41-1700-orange-hobby/ HMS Victorious http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234978579-hms-victorious-r38-1700-orange-hobby/ HMS Cambeltown http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234962861-hms-campbeltown-f86-type-22-frigate-batch-iii-orange-hobby-1700/ Mike

In case you aren't aware of Orange Hobbies kits, here is a review of their HMS Hermes kit. http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/hms/cv/hermes-700-ohb/ohb-review.html and another unfortunately without photos any more on this site. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234927767-hms-hermes-orange-hobby-1700/ Mike

I'm not sure yet, I will see how it goes with smaller scales first, early days. I know that Sovereign Hobbies are carrying Pontos though. If not luck there and you want something in particular, drop me a line and I'll see what I can do. Mike

I'm very pleased to say that Starling Models is now stocking fine kits and accessories from Orange Hobby. If you don't know this company, they mainly produce kits of modern subjects in both 1:700 and 1:350 which are of very high quality at a reasonable price. Some highlights of the newly arrived order include - 1/700 HMS Hermes 1982 HMS Victorious 1966 DKM Graf Zeppelin HMAS Canberra HMS Cornwall & Cambletown Type 22 destroyers USS Newport LST HMS Ocean 1/350 Knox class frigate Tarantul class corvette Visby class corvette Plus lots of weapon and aircraft accessory packs. All are in limited quantities so get them while you can, they are in the shop now. http://starling-models.co.uk/index.php Mike

You do, and another for making me aware of some really interesting kits to come. Mike

Lord Nelson is too late for Victorian era though. Mike

They have hundreds of kits in their catalogue, the vast majority are available but there are no importers in the UK. I will be getting a number of kits in to kick off the stock but obviously won't be able to stock everything. The kits are very high quality resin, very finely cast although most don't include photoetch. I have built, and have in the stash, quite a number of them. Mike

You're quite right, there is a Lord Nelson there too, who would have thought it! Mike

That was Combrig. Mike