Simon

Hello again Back with another quick progress report, and this time with a bit less doom and gloom... First up, I noticed that the rudder seemed a little on the short side. Maybe short-shot? Anyway, a strip of plastic card along the top edge has sorted that: Oh, and the fin seemed to be missing the hinges on the trailing edge - I can't remember if I cut them off by mistake or not, but I've replaced them with short strips of plastic card...d'oh! So, back to the fuselage, and everything's buttoned up and seems to fit a bit better. I still have some slight gaps, but I reckon they are down to me over-sanding the intakes trying to wrestle with the resin intake ramps to get everything to fit: It still looks a bit of messy there, but much, much better with the wings added and under a coat of primer and some careful filling: I've added the three grey camouflage colours, all using Xtracrylix paints, airbrushed on. Light Aircraft Grey for the undersides (with a little overlap from the top colours on the wing and intake leading edges): And Medium Sea Grey and Barley Grey for the uppers: It looks loads better with some paint on, thankfully. I did a bit of pre-shading for the undersides, which didn't quite work as I'd hoped, so I didn't do any for the uppers and there'll be some work to do to make the greys look a bit more weather-beaten. I'm going to try a new method (for me), so it will be a bit of an experiment... I've also painted the two wing tanks. Airfix have on the instructions to do the tops of them Barley Grey, with Light Aircraft Grey on the undersides, which I did. However, the two greys are so similar they just looked the same colour all over. I've seen a few photos which seemed to show much more contrast on the tanks' colours, and did wonder what was wrong, but I then saw this thread: and noticed that the tanks should be Medium Sea Grey on the topsides, which looks a lot better contrast-wise: So, main paintwork done, and I think I'll have a go at the metal areas around the rear fuselage and the horizontal tails, which should be fun... Oh, and the rear end of the fuselage need a formation light and one of these, which for some reason Airfix have omitted: More soon... Simon

Airfix, like other manufacturers, seem to release kits, then discontinue them for a while which makes some stuff like go for relatively silly prices on Ebay. As Chris says, Hannants have the Motorhead one, or try someone like Kingkit. Kingkit have an He-111 H-6 (their typo in Heinkel, not mine!): https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/airfix-aircraft-1-72-07007-henikel-he-111-h-6 as well as the Motorhead one: https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/airfix-aircraft-1-72-07007b-heinkel-he111-h-6-40th-anniversary-of-motorhead-s-bomber Cheers Simon

Thanks for that @Phone Phixer Sounds like you needed to be a bit of a contortionist. As I mentioned in my post, there's neither the re-positioned light nor the hole on the Airfix kit's tail 'chute door. Was the "vent" or handhold fitted originally, or was it a modification? Simon

Hello everyone I'm busy with the Airfix 1/72 FGR.2, and I see that 'later' RAF Phantoms had a formation light and also a small semi-circular vent/hole on the rear of the brake parachute housing, which are missing from the kit. I'm assuming (rightly or wrongly ), that the light was moved from the rear of the fin just above the top of the rudder when the Phantoms got their fin-top RWR fairings fitted, but what's the vent for? Just out of interest... There's a nice clear piccy of it on this thread: Thanks Simon

Well, having taken a deep breath and gone several steps backwards, I'm back with another update. Here are the two kit intake ramps with the etched grilles from the Eduard 72686 undercarriage set: and in place and test-fitted with the port intake front: I'm really happy with them - I wish I'd known about them before I started trying to fit the resin intake ramps. Here they are painted up in Barley Grey and white: Of course they're missing the distinctive patterns of bleed holes, so I've tried to replicate them with a darker grey. Masking them up was fun and painted with Dark Gull Grey as per the cockpit interior: They need a slight touch-up but I'm happy with them, I think. They should have rounded corners, but my eyesight just ain't up to masking that shape that small! I've glued re-glued the fuselage halves back together, so some actual progress (or re-progress). More soon... Simon

So, another update. And be warned - those of a nervous disposition should look away now... First up, I had a look at the fin and rudder. The kit's fin part with the RWR on the top was loose in the bag when i got the kit, and the pitot and the other tube slightly amaged. No problem, thinks I, i can use the older fin and the RWR from Quickboost. However, when i looked at the two fins, I noticed the panelling was different: This is the Quickboost part, a bit of an improvement on the kit part: I'd already removed the two blade aerials, and will use the Quickboost items instead. On to the rudder, and it's a bit short shot: An easy enough fix, though: Meanwhile, I got the inside of the two lower engine vents in and painted: And so, on to the two engine intakes, which as I'd mentioned earlier, were proving a right faff-on. I got everything in position, everything glued, clamped together, and still had some very nasty gaps and steps between the intakes and ramps, and also steps between the intakes and fuselage: Not a problem, thinks I, I'll just fill 'em in and sand 'em. No, it didn't work - I ended up starting to lose the detail on the resin intake ramps, which was the whole point of using them in the first place: The port intake ramp also seemed to tilt inwards at the top, and the starboard one outwards, meaning everything looked very odd when viewed from the front. I got to the stage where everything I did to fix and fettle was making everything worse, no matter what I tried. So, what to so...? So, I took a deep breath and wondered what might work - and came up with this: Everything came apart relatively easily (thanks to using Formula 560 glue for the resin bits) and no broken parts thanks to sparingly used Revell Contacta, which means the joins should clean up okay. I've got a spare set of resin intake ramps, and the option of using the kit parts with upper and lower grilles from the Eduard undercarriage etch set. I'll see what they look like, and I can start all over... Happy days...at least I know what might go wrong now. Simon

Thanks for the replies John and Iain. Think I'll go for red for all the relevant bits. I did notice that the Phantom at Hendon seems to have one of the lower engine vent door interiors red, and other what appears to be yellow - primer maybe? Starboard door yellow: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mosh70/7739236570/ Port door red: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52287882@N05/11948884053/ Simon

Hello I'm busy with the Airfix Phantom FGR.2, doing it as XV415 from 1986 in air defence grey and have a couple of questions: Would the interior faces of the airbrakes and the insides of the upper and lower engine vent doors be red or pink at that date? And was the inner edge of the wing dog tooth pink too? I'm sure I've seen a photo of one with a pink inner edge somewhere... Thanks Simon

Back with a quick update. I had the Deveils' own job trying to get the Aerocraft intake ramps to fit, or rather get everything else to fit around them. The instructions state that "a few areas on the kit parts benefit from a little scraping and sanding to assist in obtaining a good overall fit" and they ain't wrong. Lots of test fitting with the fusleag halves, intakes, lower fuselage and intake ramps and trunking, lots of fettling, a fair amount of cussing and it's just about there. I think the best way could be to fit the ramps to the fuselage sides after cutting them from the casting blocks, then get everything else to fit around them. Not the way I did, it, but they're in. The big problem I had/have is getting the intake outers to fit round the ramps, and blend into the fuselage. An ongoing issue, it has to be said... Anyway, the intakes are in: I also found it was a good idea to fit the engine fans, (but not glued), so the intakes went in the right position relative to each other while the glue dried. After that was done, the fuselage halves were glued together, and the engine rear interior bit added, with the Eduard bits inserted and the lower fusleage held in place while everything set: I've removed the lip around the ends, as the resin exhausts fit flush. Next up was the spine, again which needed a fair bit of test fitting and and a severe talking to in order to get it in place: That's going to be left for a while, and prayers to the almighty and all-seeing Gods of Modelling perfomed in the hope it all stays lined up... So, while that sorts itself out, on to things under wings. As has been mentioned elsewhere, for some reason Airfix moulded the prominent seams on the drop tanks on both sides, and they should be just on the port side. So, and easy job to remove the ones on the starboard side, but first make sure you get the right half, or you may remove the wrong one...ahem. So, if you do that, you'll probably need to remove all four, which is a bit of a chore, then replace the two port ones. Like I did : The tank pylons are also missing the outer sway braces, so I've added some from plastic card: So, that done, I've had a look at the inner pylons, which need some chaff and flare dispensers adding to the rear for my Phantom. I've made these out of plastic card, and they should look okay when they're in place. Shorter ones are chaff to go on the inner face, longer ones are flares to go on the outer face: And finally for today, for some reason the outer wing panels are missing the prominent front formation lights on the wingtips. I've had a go at replicating them using a short length of 1mm plastic rod, round off at the front. Fortunately you get some spare outer wing panels in the kit to experiment on. Anyway, here's my attempt: Needs some blending in, and under a coat of primer they should look okay, I think. More soon... Simon

Slight thread drift, but on Key Publishing's Forum news was posted that a 1/1 scale Wapiti apparently arrived in the UK from India in August for restoration to flight... https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/westland-wapiti-airframe-uk Simon

Yes, it is of course Aerocraft... At least the link's right. @Gondor44 I started to use Formula 560 Canopy Glue for my etch bits a while ago - the drying time gives you a bit of leeway if you get the bits slightly out of place, unlike Super Glue. It's also easier to remove bits if they do end up a bit skew-whiff. And it doesn't stick your fingers together... Simon

Another quick update. The Airfix Spares Dept have come up trumps, and the replacement parts arrived this morning. Lower wing. Behold its remarkable lack of bendy distortedness And a much straighter Part D20: Meanwhile, I've been cracking on with the cockpit and seats. Here's the cockpit tub with all the lovely Eduard etch in place: I think some extra detailing in the area between the pilot and navigator may be a good idea. For the two ejector seats, I've used Quickboost seats with the Eduard etch for the kit seats added. I'd bought a pair of Air Graphics AC-150 MB Mk. 7A seats, but I think they must be for the early R.A.F. Phantoms? Ejector seats not my specialist subject, unfortunately, but the QB ones look more like the ones in the later R.A.F. Phantoms I've seen photos of... (the slightly rough texture is due to my painting them, then thinking they might not be right, stripping them, then re-priming them even though the paint didn't all come off...it could do with another dip in the paint remover again ) These are the Quickboost seats, with etch bits added: They look busy enough, I think. I might do a test fit with the closed canopy on to make sure the two pull handles actually fit inside. I'm busy with the intakes at the moment, using the Aerograph intake ramps to replace the kit's ones. More soon Simon

A couple of other parts have the 'Airfix Twist' going on. The outer wing panels on Sprue C are doing a passable impression of Boeing 787 wings. And the central spar, Part D20, is all over the place: Here's how much the lower wing/fuselage is affected... Wing panels level, rear end a couple of mm out, and I think you can see the front end out too: But with the rear end of the fuselage lying flat, the wings are a good 4mm off-level, the bits behind the intakes off by a couple of mm, but the front end of the fuselage is pretty much level: It's all over the shop really. I'm not even go to think about fixing that...who knows what else it may pull out of true At least I can get on with the cockpit... Simon

Thanks for the link. There's a photo on Flickr which shows the overlap inside a bit better: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lrv890/37862014311/sizes/6k/ Simon

A bit of thread hijack, but I'm busy getting ready to start the 1/72 Airfix FGR.2 in the 3-tone grey, and wondered about the interior of the intake outer surfaces (as opposed to the intake ramps). Would the white go right to the front edge of the inner lip of the intake outers? If you know what I mean - I think that make some sort of sense. Or does the camouflage grey extend into the inside of the intakes a bit? Thanks Simon

Hello everyone I'm just getting started on my next build. To continue with a theme after the Airfix Blenheim and Beaufighter, Tamiya Mosquito and Airfix Mitchell (x 2 ), it's another R.A.F. twin, but a little more modern. I'm doing the new 1/72 Airfix Phantom FGR.2, and to keep the local connection, it shall of course be XV415, which has been the gate guardian at R.A.F. Boulmer up here in Northumberland since around 1993. I've been collecting images of it for a few years, and have photos of it in everything from the original dark green/dark grey/light aircraft grey livery with 228 OCU in 1972 to the three-tone grey livery with red tail it wears now. I've opted for the three greys livery, but when it was with 23 Sqn in the Falklands in 1986, coded B. Here's the obligatory box photo: And some extra bits and bobs: New intakes (with the upper and lower vents) and exhausts from Aerocraft, gun pod and seats from Air Graphics, etch from Eduard, fin top RWR and ILS aerials from Quickboost. I'll need some AIM-9L sidewinders, and maybe some replacement Sparrows (well, Skyflashes - does anyone make them in 1/72...?). I hate to start with a moan, but a quick look at the sprues and it's a case of 'Warp Factor 9, Mr. Sulu' for a couple of them: It's not a problem for the sprue with the smaller parts, but the lower one is Sprue C which has the lower wing/lower fuselage section (part C14), and it's not good. At all. I've done a 'quick and dirty' test fit, and the front part is somewhat awry: I'd be tempted just to glue it and clamp it til it's set, but I'm worried it will pull other parts off-skew too, as it's actually bent and twisted. E-mail to Airfix Spares Dept on its way... The later fin with the RWR on top has a small issue too, with the ILS aerials being short-shot: Luckily I think I can use the older fin and the Quickboost RWR and ILS bits - the ILS aerials on the kit part look a bit clunky anyway. So, onwards and upwards, and we'll see how this one goes... Simon

I assume it was some sort of deflector for rain/ice. I've seen a few photos of FL*** serialled Mitchells with it fitted - FL-192 and FL-686 of 305 Sqn, FL-185 EV-R and FL-707 EV-Z of 180 Sqn, and this photo which I'm 99% sure sure is FL-210 EV-T: https://1000aircraftphotos.com/MilitaryProp/1530.htm There are a couple of photos of FL-176 Grumpy' which show it had been removed, so maybe it wasn't that effective? Simon

Thank you for the kind words everyone, that's very kind. I started off intending to do FW199 EV-P, but as I got further into the build and more info came to light about the detail differences of the early/later Mitchell IIs, I thought 'what the heck' and I may as well do FL-210 EV-T as well as I'd done the work for both of them (some of it inadvertently, it must be said) and it sort of got a bit out of hand... I'm glad it did, as they're sufficiently different from each other and they do make a nice pair together. Simon

I'm a member on there, and the Forum seems to have been offline for a couple of days (at least - I haven't been on a for a while). I'm getting the following error message: Content Encoding Error The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression. Means absolutely nothing to me, I'm afraid... Simon

Thanks for the link Giorgio, that's very helpful indeed. Simon

Many thanks @stever219 much appreciated. Thanks for the heads up about checking the tailplanes and outer wing panels. One of the options I'm considering is to do XV415 as it was around late 1986/early 1987 when it was in the Falklands with 23 Squadron and carried the code letter 'B' on the tail and U/C door. Some might say its time there prepared it well for its retirement to Northumberland... I've already ordered some of the intake ducts from Aerocraft, having read a couple of reviews, but I think a couple of engine nozzles might be worth getting too, especially considering where the sprue gate attachments are on the kit... Simon

Hello everyone Now that I've finally finished off my pair of 180 Sqn Mitchells, next along onto the workbench will be an Airfix 1/72 Phantom FGR.2 (just the one at the moment... ), which will of course be XV415, which currently resides at R.A.F. Boulmer here in Northumberland. Livery and markings to be confirmed, as there's quite a choice from the original Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey/Light aircraft Grey with red/white/blue D type roundels all the way to Barley Grey/MSG/Light Aircraft Grey with red fin it wears now. The last R.A.F. Phantom I built was the Matchbox one way back in the early 1980s, so it's going to be fun to see how the Airfix one compares (I think I know the answer to that already...). I've been having a look at the reviews of the Airfix kit to see what aftermarket bits are available, and had a dekko at the plastic in the box. First impressions are very good indeed, save that a couple of the sprues seem to have suffered some warpage, which hopefully won't affect the build. Anyway, a couple of questions... There are two lower wing options in the kit: Presumably an original wing, and a revised one with strengthening added. When would the strengthening strips have been applied to the airframe, roughly? And secondly, I see that Air Graphics have replacement 370 gallon underwing tanks: https://air-graphics.uk/shop/ols/products/ac-309-mcdd-f-4-phantom-correct-370-gal-fuel-tanks These are the ones in the kit: The Air Graphics ones look pointier (without getting too technical, ahem...). Is there much wrong with the kit ones? (This is very much my presumption that they are to replace the Airfix ones, of course...) Many thanks Simon

Thank you. The transparncies on FW199 masked much more cleanly than those of FL-210. not sure if it was the paint I was using or not. The eagle-eyed might notice that the medal on the base is a D.F.C., and should of course be a D.F.M. I noticed after I'd taken the photos, but have made a new version with the correct medal: Simon

All done now: Thank you to everyone for their help and encouragment - it's been very much appreciated. Cheers Simon

Hello everyone I've just finished my pair of Airfix Mitchells, so thought I'd post some piccies. I didn't intend to build two, it just sort of got out of hand a bit. As happens, you know... I've been doing a W.i.P. thread, and the following intro is copied from it: Both these Mitchells were flown by Edward 'Ted' Burn D.F.M., from Alnwick in Northumberland, so another local connection. He was involved in the following two incidents in these Mitchells: On August 6th 1944 he was flying FW199, and from the 180 Sqn ORB Form 540: In the morning eleven aircraft took part in a medium level bombing attack on an ammunition dump at LIVAROT and in the evening eleven aircraft attacked a concentration of enemy tanks at T.985412 in Northern France. Mitchell FW199 returning from the latter raid was hit by flak and had to make a forced landing at B.7 – 123 Wing in Normandy. The crew, all unhurt, were as follows: 1672857 Sgt. Burn, E. Pilot, 154612 P/O A.C. Kirk, Nav.B Aus419507 Sgt C.V. Smith, WO(AIR), and 1250048 Sgt. Freeman, J.R. Air Gunner. On August 9th 1944 he was the pilot of FL210: This morning eleven aircraft went on a bombing mission to an ammunition dump at Foret de Lyons. Intense accurate flak was encountered and casualties were sustained. In the Mitchell FL210 the Pilot and Navigator were wounded on the way to the Target, they made every endeavour to catch up on the formation and carry on with the job, but as the navigator was fast losing blood they had to turn for home and made an emergency landing at HARTFORD BRIDGE where the Navigator, P/O A.C. Kirk was taken to hospital and his left leg amputated. The pilot, Sgt E. Burn suffered only minor injury while the others Sgt. G.V. Smith (WO/Air) and Sgt J.E. Freeman (Air Gunner) were uninjured. Ted would fly some 43 Ops with 180 Sqn, and was awarded the D.F.M. in April 1945. However, his R.A.F. career had been brought to an abrupt halt in very odd, almost tragic, cirumstances in late 1944. From the ORB Form 540, December 3rd 1944: 1672857 F/Sgt BURN E. resting in his room was shot in the head when a revolver was accidentally discharged in an adjoining room. He was instantly removed to hospital and placed on the dangerously ill list. An investigation was ordered. Apparently another airman had just got a photo of his sweetheart, and wanted to pin it on the wall. Rather than using a hammer, or even his shoe, he decided to use his revolver, which went off and the bullet passed through the wall, hitting Ted Burn. He was taken to hospital, and somehow survived, although he lost the use of his left arm and leg. He died in 1990, as reported in the Newcastle Journal, April 14th 1990: Wartime pilot dies after heart attack Wartime pilot from the region has died suddenly at the age of 67. Mr. Ted Burn, of Branding Court, Jesmond, Newcastle, died in Newcastle General Hospital after suffering a heart attack. Mr. Burn, who won the Distinguished Flying Medal, survived a head wound caused by a gun injury to go on to careers in business and the civil service. Born in Alnwick, he joined the RAF in 1942. Two years later, he was injured when a fellow serviceman accidentally shot him. Mr. Burn who was left with a bullet lodged in his head, made a remarkable recovery, despite losing the use of his left arm and leg. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ So that's the intro, and the build has been interesting, to say the least. I can safely say I know much more about the Mitchell than I did before starting (which isn't that difficult, to be honest!). The devil is in the detail, and it's been interesting finding out about the foibles of the Mitchell II versions. FL-210 is an early Mitchell II, with the Bendix lower turret, and FW199 is a later version, refitted with an FN64 turret (spare from my Airfix Lancaster II). There are a host of minor detail differences - cockpit and rear fuselage glazing, nose gun, aerial fit, formation lights and wing tip lights in different positions, fuel dump pipes on the nacelle rears, camouflage paint used (Olive Drab 41 and Olive Drab 613) and the roundels on FL-210 are larger than on FW199. FL-210 also had replacement engine cowlings and exhausts fitted at some stage. The Airfix Mitchells have also proved 'interesting' but not always for the right reasons. The kit is really nicely detailed and very cleverly designed, but I have had several issues with the mouldings, with several short-shot parts and some odd moulding artefacts on the parts that made the fit of some of the parts a little 'relaxed' to be polite. The Airfix spares department have been very helpful, and I've also had the benefit of some very helpful posts from @don f on the W.i.P. thread, and some parts I needed were supplied by @vppelt68 both of whom I'm greatly appreciative to. I've also had lots of help from Dave Poissant of the 2nd Tactical Air Force Medium Bombers Association. I've used a few aftermarket bits - I've used photo etch parts for both kits (the Big Ed set for FW199, which has an open bomb bay), plus wheels from CMK for both kits. Decals are a mix of Xtradecal national markings, some of the kit decals and DK Decals 72043 Mitchell set for the serials and codes. I also added some scratch-built detail to the interior of both turrets and the nose interiors, as well as bracing the mainwheel legs. One observation about the two Mitchells - Airfix recommend 25g of weight in the nose. I didn't keep track of how much I put in FW199, but kept a list of the total for FL-210, which ended up having over 40g of ballast added in various parts. Both kits will STILL sit on their tails, given half the chance, and I think it's only the flat bottoms of the CMK weighted wheels that help them balance on the nose gear...I guess the weight needs to be as far forward as possible. Anyway, enought prattling, here are the photos (there are some detail photos on the W.I.P. so I'll not re-post them). So, all done and dusted. I think they've been worth all the time, effort and indeed money spent on them...! Cheers Simon