Ghostbase

Good to see this Canberra finished so early in this GB. I agree with other posters, the SEA camouflage really works well and the nose 'cap' has gone on well, better than I expected. I admit have put my B-57G kit back in the stash for now, I want to build it in the future the same as you have here. Michael

The 'Vigi' was an aircraft way ahead of her time and your build really has captured that look. For some reason we don't see the Trumpeter kit completed that often, good to know that yours went together without any problems. Michael

Very nice build Robert, the colour scheme turns the stalky 'scooter' into an aggressive little beast! Michael

Just wanted to say thank you to Black Knight, Seahawk and stever219 for the help and suggestions. I had forgotten about the Fantasy Printshop and that looks to be an excellent alternative source of decals for the future. I thought that the suggestion to look at Spitfire decals for the same time frame was really helpful as well. I have since found the book 'The Hawker Tempest' by Richard A. Franks which is aimed at scale modellers and it seems that there are some grey areas regards the markings for post-war BAFO based Tempest V because it seems that some squadrons had differing interpretations of Air Ministry stipulations, making this a somewhat complex subject. Going back to my list... Fuselage serials are definitely 8" black letters 8" so Xtradecal X32021. Under wing serials are 24" black (or 'night') . The white squadron code letters, definitely EG-V, are 24" sky so Extradecal are good. The upper wing roundels needed are Type C 50". Also interesting that for the later Tempest V series II the sky spinner was changed to black (and possibly flight colours such as red or blue) and the sky band on the rear fuselage was painted over in camouflage colours. Now I have a better idea of the markings needed and where to find them so, again, thank you. Michael

I have just purchased the Revell 1/32nd Hawker Tempest V kit (formerly Special Hobby) and I would like to build it in the markings of a 16 Squadron Tempest V based at Fassberg in late 1946 just before they were replaced by the Tempest II. The kit decals represent two Tempests from 1944 so I am going to have to source some decals to build the Tempest that I want. These would be for the serials on the fuselage and under-wing, the white squadron codes, and the upper wing roundels. I just want to check that I am looking for the right decals because I am not at all knowledgeable regards RAF markings around this time frame. Starting with serials for the fuselage I understand that I need RAF serial black letters 8" so Xtradecal X32021 should be perfect. For the black serials under the wing I am not sure what size I am looking for or indeed who makes them. 😟 The white squadron code letters, probably EG-V, are supplied by Xtradecal but I have to choose between 24" and 30" letters. I don't know which ones apply, I think the larger ones but that is just a guess. The upper wing roundels supplied in the kit are blue and red Type B however I understand that the post war Tempests wore 56" Type C roundels. Again, are these available anywhere? I have searched for all the above using the Hannants web site. Any pointers or advice would be appreciated 👍 Michael

Thanks for the photo, her paint has faded but that is definitely air superiority blue. Very tempted to break another kit out of the stash and build it with these markings. Based upon your very kindly offered information I did edit the location in my original post above. Sadly I have been unable to obtain the photo which Caracal Models' based these markings on. Michael

Thank you, the offer is much appreciated 👍 This is the 'research' phase of the build which I love, considering all the possibilities and options and I always end up learning a great deal. I do have the Robert C. Mikesh book "B-57 Canberra at War 1964-1972" in my library however it tends to be light on detail regards weapons used. I have ordered the Osprey Combat Aircraft book "B-57 Canberra Units of the Vietnam War (Combat Aircraft)" which will arrive in a couple of days and maybe that will give me some useful pointers. Michael

Not got started yet but have been taking another look in the boxes to see what my options are for a pair of B-57B Canberras. In the past I have built the Italeri B-66 and B-58 bombers and I recall them as pretty straightforward kits which go together well. As stated above I would like to complete a B-57B in aluminium marked for the 8th Bomb Squadron very early in their involvement in the Vietnam War, as well as a B-57B of the same squadron later in the campaign in the SEA camouflage scheme with black undersides. The instruction sheet below shows the options available however, sadly, the cool all black version with red markings was not used in Vietnam. The SEA version was the only B-57B in Vietnam to sport nose art as 'Hell's Angel' and that is a 'must' for me. IMGP3961 by Ghostbase, on Flickr A couple of sprue shots:- IMGP3962 by Ghostbase, on Flickr IMGP3963 by Ghostbase, on Flickr The second B-57B will be from the Italeri B-57G "Night Hawk" kit (which PeterB is putting together on this GB) and I have marked the sprue area that has been modified in grey. This means that I will be missing a couple of weapons pylons with rocket launchers so I am going to have to find a way round that or just ignore it. IMGP3964 by Ghostbase, on Flickr Looking forward to getting started! Michael

Thanks, I think I might have made an incorrect assumption because what you say makes perfect sense. I have asked for clarification on the board where the photo was posted regards the location of 71-0284 when she was in these markings. Michael

Yes I have been watching the Canberras being added to this GB and I was delighted to see an Australian addition, a participant that tends to be forgotten as time passes by and memories fade. I have a week at home this week so hoping to make a firm start 👍 Michael

Thanks, that is interesting, I did wonder exactly where Iowa Park is. I do know that this F-15A was based at Goodfellow AFB in Texas at some point in her career as an instructional airframe though she was in the later Compass Grey colour scheme at that time. I wonder it there is any connection with that? Caracal Models do have this decal sheet in 1/72nd scale as well. Michael

My entry for this group build, the Martin B-57B Canberra operated by the 8th Bomb Squadron out of Bien Hoa AB and then Da Nang AB in 1964/65. It didn't take the Canberra long to become well-known on the tactical scene and they picked up the call sign 'Yellow Bird' based upon the squadron colours (the sister13th BS were 'Red Bird'). I am building the 1/72nd Italeri B-57B Canberra OOB and it will be finished in aluminium. I will be using the decals from the kit. I will also 'ghost' build a second B-57B which will be in the later SEA camouflage scheme coded as 'PQ'. I am looking for a straight forward build of these kits which I have had in the stash for many years now. Michael. Canberras2 by Ghostbase, on Flickr

A 1/48th Monogram F-15A Eagle painted in the very early and short lived air superiority blue colour scheme. Humbrol enamel paints applied with an airbrush, decals by Caracal models. The kit dates back to 1979. I have always wanted to build an F-15 in this scheme and despite a few small mistakes I am very happy with the result. 20200819_141334 by Ghostbase, on Flickr The story behind this bird is interesting. She was F-15A serial 71-0284 and she was the fifth full scale development Eagle. She was used for armament development including the rotary cannon and when her test career ended she became an instructional airframe. She was photographed in these markings at an airshow (possibly Sheppard AFB, TX, date unknown) with "City of Iowa Park" nose art. Her FF code stands for 'First Fighter' for the then 1st Tactical Fighter Wing based at Langley. How she kept her blue colour scheme is unknown but it was very unusual and it certainly adds some interest to this model. 20200819_141449 by Ghostbase, on Flickr I used Humbrol 47 which is enamel gloss sea blue as that looked to me to be the nearest to air superiority blue in their range. I would say that it is just a tad darker and 'richer' than FS35450 however for some reason the camera on my phone has processed the photos to a lighter shade! I do have the Hataka acrylic Air Superiority Blue (HTK-A155) in my paint stash but I am really struggling with acrylics at the moment and just wanted an easy paint without my airbrush clogging up after 60 seconds. This coat went on well and just one application too. 20200819_141509 by Ghostbase, on Flickr I must also mention how impressed I was with the kit. It was first released in 1979 and it went together very well, I only needed a little filler where the nose section slots into the main fuselage. I did like the detail around the cockpit and also the radar as well as the open air brake and I think they really add to the model. Yes, it is raised panel lines and for this build I was comfortable with that. 20200819_141756 by Ghostbase, on Flickr This is the first time that I have used Caracal decals and I am very impressed, they were really easy to apply and they make an average model look good! These were from their F-15 "The Early Years" set and I am building a second F-15A using this set as well. 20200819_141808 by Ghostbase, on Flickr Apologies for the rather makeshift photo studio but these were taken at my alternate man cave! 😊 This build really has helped get my mojo back. Michael

I tend to keep out of group builds now. I never finish in time (except the KUTA events for some reason 😉) or I lose my mojo however the US involvement in Vietnam is probably the conflict that most fascinates me, mainly because it was always on the news from as long as I can remember up to my mid teens, it was sort of the newsreel of my childhood I guess. So I am going to give it a try. So much choice! I want to move away from fighter jets (Phantoms!) and do something a little different. It needs to be a straightforward build and preferably a kit that has sat in the stash for years. I think I have the answer:- Canberras by Ghostbase, on Flickr I have always liked the Martin B-57 Canberra, especially in the SEA scheme, so I might go for a couple of 8th BS B-57B Canberras, one in camouflage and one in aluminium. I am going to think it over this week and maybe make a decision next weekend 🙃 Michael

I started this 1/48th Academy F-86F Sabre in February and after some long time gaps have completed her 🙂 20200805_184347 by Ghostbase, on Flickr The kit is the c. 2000 Academy F-86F "Mig Killer", I was quite impressed with the kit for the detail and how easily it went together, it proved to be an enjoyable build and I am reasonably pleased with the finished model. 20200805_184408 by Ghostbase, on Flickr She was painted using a spray can, I think it was Humbrol 11 silver, and all other colours were brushed using Vallejo acrylics. In reality she is much shinier than in my photos. 20200805_184426 by Ghostbase, on Flickr So why "vanilla"? She was supposed to be finished as F-86F 51-12958 "The Paper Tiger" flown by Capt. Harold E. Fischer in Korea in 1953. The problem was the kit decals and specifically the yellow bands on the wing and the fuselage. As much as I drowned them in Decalfix they refused to settle, Inevitably I got frustrated and ham-fisted and they ended up in the bin. I checked my references and found that the F-86F was operated in Europe with buzz codes as well as U.S. Air Force titles on the forward fuselage so I decided to go for a just-out-of-depot look and add a couple of U.S. Air Force decals from the spares box. 20200805_184309 by Ghostbase, on Flickr My next 1/48 Sabre will be the new Airfix kit when it is released. Michael

Definitely interested, my first 747 flight was in a TWA 747-100 in 1987, then an iconic Pan Am 747-200 'China Clipper II' a year later and would love to make one of these. I have the Revell 1/144 Boeing 747 SCA and Space Shuttle in the stash, also the E-4B, both released around 2012 ish. I think I read that the base 747 in both kits can be built as a civilian 747-100 which would cover the TWA Jumbo at least. Just to say, personally this GB would need to be sooner than later for me, I tend to be a spontaneous or impulsive scale modeller and can go 'off the boil' pretty quickly and move on to a new obsession 😎 Michael

Thanks, I did wonder why it was 1/570 scale, the kit certainly wasn't sophisticated or too detailed! A set of decals to show the windows on the top deck would have added so much more detail but I guess that wasn't the market that this kit was aimed at. The instructions were occasionally somewhat ambiguous regards paint colours and I did look at a couple of completed builds on this forum to get some idea regards many details. I am just amazed at the detail available on several modern Titanic offerings and the quality of those builds on this forum. One day I would like to try a proper detailed maritime kit; I do have a Trumpeter 1/350th scale Russian Navy Udaloy in the stash which I bought after visiting the Vice Admiral Kulakov in Portsmouth Harbour a few years ago, one day... Michael

I have just found your F-8E build Arnie, I have a couple of these old ESCI 'Sader kits in the stash so I got one out yesterday with the idea of maybe scribing the wings and other flat surfaces, adding some weathering and finishing her using a decent set of modern day decals. I was wondering what it might come out like (the 1/48th ESCI kits tend to be somewhat variable in buildability) so I did a Google search for a build and found this one - you have answered my questions! A very impressive build sir! Michael

"Take her to sea, Mr. Murdoch. Let's stretch her legs." Captain E. Smith. My favourite quote, and scene, from the 1997 film set aboard the RMS Titanic which was the largest ship afloat on 15 April 1912. She was a beautiful greyhound of her time and her incredibly sad fate still captures our imagination today. This is the Revell 1/570th scale kit of the RMS Titanic, it was first released in 1970 and my parsimonious wife snagged it for £10.50 from M&S on Boxing Day, 2012. It isn't a detailed kit but I have enjoyed building it as one of my 'Covid-19' projects with very few scale modelling resources to hand at the start. The hull and superstructure were mostly airbrushed using the acrylic paints supplied with the kit. The decks, funnels and details were all hand painted. She was finished with a coat of acrylic satin varnish. I really enjoyed putting this kit together, only my third 'floaty thing' since I was 10 years old! My wife likes it but is demanding a 1/570 scale pair of binoculars for the crows nest as well as a scale polystyrene iceberg 😙 IMGP3938size by Ghostbase, on Flickr IMGP3937size by Ghostbase, on Flickr IMGP3932size by Ghostbase, on Flickr IMGP3942size by Ghostbase, on Flickr IMGP3940size by Michael Baldock, on Flickr

It goes without saying that I think this is a great choice Wez 😉 Michael

Many thanks for all the replies and especially for the various references, I think I have got enough details to be able to build something that looks realistic anyway. I think that 102 FRS, along with 103 FRS which was based at Full Sutton, were such sort-lived units formed in such a hurry with such a collection of hand-me-down aircraft that there is likely no definitive answer to my question above. It certainly was the swansong for the Spitfire 22 in Royal Air Force service which is what makes it so interesting. Michael

Thanks for looking, Robert, is appreciated 🖕 Michael

Sorry, sadly I don't have a code for this beauty, my father didn't fly PK 328 so it isn't in his logbook. It would have been M, I do know that. Yes there is some great detail in that photo! Michael

Great idea! I have started a thread in the Cold War section of BM. Michael

Can anyone help with this Spitfire puzzle? I have several photos taken by my late father when he was posted on a six-week course for 'G' Class reservists at North Luffenham, this was in September/October 1951 and was with 102 Flying Refresher School. This was a very short-lived unit (I believe just 6 months) and they were intended to train reservists to fly modern aircraft. They started with 20 hours on Spitfires and then went on to the Vampire FB.5. According to my father's log book he flew the Spitfire F.22 and he noted all the aircraft codes and serials that he flew. He also took a camera with him and took some photos which I have posted below. The Spitfire F.22s had mostly been sourced from the Auxiliary squadrons, I suspect at quite short notice, and 102 FRS was in effect their swansong. The question I am asking is regards their colour schemes. Some were painted in overall aluminium, some wore camouflage and had different markings as well, and it is the camouflaged Spitfire F.22s which I need help with. On to the first photo: Spitfire22M30NLuffenham51DWB by Michael, on Flickr This is believed to be Spitfire F.22 PK 567 as 'M-30'. Her service history was 33MU 13-10-45 VA EA 6-12-46 mods 502S 'RAC-J' 18-10-48 226OCU 5-3-51 102FRS 24-4-51 nes 16-6-53 sold scrap J.G.Williamson 24-5-54 (taken from airhistory.org.uk) The second photo is believed to be Spitfire F.22 PK 353 as 'M-21'. Her service history was 33MU 28-7-45 VA KEE 8-7-46 mods and Cv 8-7-46 613S 'Q3-H' 'RAT-H' 6-1-49 RCMSU 25-8-49 nea 16-6-53 sold scrap MoS 13-4-54. Interesting because airhistory.org.uk does not list her as serving with 102 FRS but that is what the serial looks like. nluff3 by Michael, on Flickr My specific question is regards the colour of the spinners, the canopy frame on PK 567, and the rudders on both aircraft. I asked this question a long time ago, way before Britmodeller, and I was told by a very well-informed source that the rudders were most likely to have been painted yellow. However, this has been queried in another post in the Spitfire Group Build and I just wondered whether anyone here can help me further with this? Just for the record, one of 102 FRS Spitfire F.22s PK 328 in aluminium: Spitfire22PK328NLuffenham51DWB by Michael, on Flickr Thanks Michael