roym

Whatever happened to F-16A, B, C and D (respectively single/two seat early, single and two seat late) there are nearly as many variations as there are in Ford Transits...

There's J-79s in the Revell FGR2? Are they long or short? Well if they are short then I'm sorted! Got an FGR2 in the stash, but didn't know it had J-79s as well as Speys! Hang on. It does have Speys, doesn't it?

Thanks folks. Bex, your Monogram exhausts are no use to me as they are the same. Would like a pair of ESCI or Italeri exhausts as I know these have some turbine detail. Yes, it does look like Revell have the wrong wing mould. Cheers again, Roy

Just picked this up. I have built a few 1/72 F-4Js from monogram and I understand that the 1/72 kits are almost direct scale downs of the respective 1/48 kits. (i.e same parts count). However, I'm wondering if there are a few bits missing from my model, or every issue of the RoG kit. I remember that the 1/72 F-4Js had some turbine detail for the burner cans (known in the old Monogram instructions as the "jet flow straightener"), while my 1/48 kit has none on the sprue and none mentioned on the instructions, just blank ends in the exhausts. Were these ever supplied in the 1/48 kits in Monogram boxes? Also, while my kit is a C/D it appears to have J wings, as there are catapult hooks under the intakes. I gather that the original 1/48 J kit had the C/D cockpit (where the 1/72 was correct) but did the original 1/48 C/D kit have these hooks or has Revell got the wrong set of wing moulds? And lastly, has anyone used aftermarket burner cans and now got a spare set of short exhausts from a 1/48 ESCI/Italeri/Hasegawa R/F-4B/C/D/N? TIA, Roy

Thank you thank you BTW folks, I'm here all week. Thank you thank you.....

Why scratchbuild when Mustang wheel centres would do? Just a thought....

Was this ever released on DVD? And thanks for posting, one of the best clips I've ever seen on the web. Never saw the series on TV... Wanna see more! Cheers, Roy

Hi Graham, as a member of an Irish Branch of IPMS, and with a strong personal interest in doing a -700, I can say for certain that it would be worth your while to bring several sets to Telford. As the Irish Air Corps used both -600 and -700 series (with the latter in service for a considerable length of time) there are plenty takers for -700 engines amongst our members. Decals exist for the IAC 125-700, only engines have been holding us back all along. I was thinking of using a modified set of spare engines from a Revell 1/144 Airbus A-320, but with no 1/72 scale plans of Garrett TFE-736s to work from, it would only be an approximate guesswork conversion. PM me if you plan to go ahead with this, and I'll find out how many would be interested in buying sets off you. Cheers, Roy

Me too!

Hi all, The Airfix kit of the 1/72 Chinook, with a sort of above view of a Spanish aircraft, says on the side it has decals for a RAF machine. Does anyone know if it is the famous BN of Falklands fame? One in my LMS still clingwrapped. Also, is this the Italeri kit and is it any good?

True, but isn't it more interesting than getting hit by a boy racer in a crappy tricked out Civic, or even a white van. If my car was to get whacked by another driver, while parked, I know which I'd prefer.... Only able to say that because there were no serious injuries here of course....

Thanks for that. The two were serialed 13243 and 13269. If anyone else wants to do these in 1/72, the decals were in the old Matchbox and a later Hasegawa release for 13269 (with the big red 69). There are beautiful pictures on the web of these birds... Yes, they really were that shiny! 13243 http://www.916-starfighter.de/Large/Luke/63-13243.htm http://www.airfighters.com/photo_2279.details http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/096096.html 13269 http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0700649/L/ http://www.916-starfighter.de/Large/Luke/63-13269.htm http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1039954/

Lovely. I did this too in 1/72, using the ESCI kit. Great movie too by the way. Not only were the wings white on top, they were light grey underneath. Even more interesting, they both (they used 2 in the movie) were actually Fokker-built Luftwaffe F-104Gs, belonging to the Luftwaffe training squadron at (I believe) Luke AFB. Never could quite understand why they (and the German F-4Fs that followed) were in USAF markings. Cheers, Roy

Hi all; currently on a Falklands click. Just finished Sharkey Ward's book, just started Vulcan 607, and have Hostile Skies waiting on the bedside locker. Realised I have a good collection of 1/72 kits, including Shar, GR.3, Victor, Vulcan, Pucara, MB-339, Etendard, and a few Skyhawks on the way, along with decals for the A-4s. Can anyone tell me if the Italeri Wessex has decals for Humphrey, and is there a kit with decals for Chinook 'Bravo November'? (Italeri, Revell, Matchbox?) Hermes/Invincible Sea Kings? I'm guessing Modeldecal here, but which ones? Cheers, Roy

Is it possible to get the forward and rear fuse separately as a conversion for the Italeri/ESCI kit? Really, I'd prefer to do it that way, as that means no vacform canopy! There are some significant air bubbles on the fin and tailplanes, and it's a pity they didn't fill the ejector pin marks from the ESCI undercarraige before they made the moulds to cast them. Other than that, I like it.

Don't use mr muscle on diecasts. (Ask me how I know). Cellulouse is best for metal, not good for plastic. Mr Muscle or fairy power spray for plastic.

Brilliant. Thanks for ripping it to shreds. I mean you can really tell how wrong it is from a few photos. Yeah, I've got my magical measuring tape/calculator here that can accurately measure a plastic model kit and compare it to the real thing from a few grainy photos. Come on, that could be a 1/144 kit for all you know from photos. I wonder how long we'll be waiting for another new 1/32 kit, if this is how it's greeted. p.s. welcome back Tim. Yes, it might indeed be wise to wait, and stop trolling.....

Ok, got my Pucara yesterday. Looks good, but there are no rocket pods or any other armament. So a question to those in the know, what weapons (and where can I find them) to make a Falklands/Malvinas aircraft? Also, while the decals are better than I was expecting, are there any alternatives for an Argentine 1982 aircraft? Cheers, Roy

Grey, slightly lighter grey, and a slightly darker grey.

Thanks guys. Fujimi it is then.

I know Fujimi do an A-4B, but did anyone else? Esci? Italeri? Were the 1982 CANA and FAA A-4s Bs or Cs? Can a humpless E make a B? How bad is the Airfix kit? Thanks in advance. Roy

Austrian? No, wait, that can't be a whif, they're buying it.....

The Skyraider is Monogram, and while a little basic, it does have a 'cockpit', (seats, floor, consoles, dashboard- no pilots on pins here....) finely raised panel lines, and good overall shape. It's also the only option for a 2 seat in 1/72 (or 4 seat????). The F-4 is also Monogram, but again is a good kit with good detail. To my eye it looks better (more brutish!) as an F-4 than the Hasegawa. Raised panel lines, if that bothers you (doesn't me) and apparently, this issue has both the F-4D and F-4J parts in the box (or is that the Accurate Miniatures release of the 1/72 kit?). The Sabre I have no idea.

Once again, thanks to all. So here I go again... My main issue is with multiple options on sheets, but having to use other kit decals to finish even one of the options. I paid a premuim for a Meteor Prod F-4 Phantom decal sheet years ago from Hannants. Advertised as having about 8 options, I bought it as there were at least 4 I wanted to build. But you can actually only build one aircraft from the sheet, and even then you need National Insig, Stencils and USAF markings from other sources. I never bought that brand again. MA and Xtradecal are not as bad as this, but even on the sheet Jonathan mentions above, there are still not all stencils for even one option. Granted, I'm still tempted! Humming between it and the Xtradecal Falklands 25th sheet for 1st gen harriers (but will still need roundels for the GR3s), and either the MA ML72137 and Xtra X72066 sheets for the GR7s (RAF/UK Air Arm Updates for 2005-06). Which is the preferred option of the esteemed Britmodellers? One seems to have Stencils, the others got a Typhoon! Ok, then, does anyone know are the Aztec sheets any good? They do a Harrier GR1/GR3 sheet, as well as another for Argentinian A-4s. I can't find pics of the sheets to confirm there are all needed markings. Lastly, is there any online references for the Modeldecal range? I.e. somewhere I can look at all the sheets?

Thanks all for the replies. I'll guess I'll pass. If the roundels are wrong there's no point. Most of what I need are roundels. I thought it was good value. Too good to be true. What I'd like to do is the following; GR1 RAF; Matchbox kit (only decals I have are Matchbox; red dots in roundels are off centre) AV-8S Spain; ESCI (ESCI decals; sorted). AV-8A USMC; (Modeldecals, sorted- need another ESCI kit) GR3 RAF; 1 Matchbox, 1 Airfix, 1 Italeri reissue of ESCI kit. Want to do at least one Falklands bird, one winter camo, one with light grey underside. Airfix and Matchbox decals have off centre roundels. Need a matchbox canopy. Sea Harrier RN, got 2 Italeri/ESCI and one Matchbox kits. Want the ESCIs as one EDSG/W and one MSG/BG. The Matchbox was going to be Indian Navy. Again though, apart from the MSG/BG Falklands bird (Modeldecals) the roundels are off center (matchbox) and wrong proportions (Italeri). GR5 RAF Airfix; Airfix decals uninspiring. Can I build a GR7/9 from the parts in the box? It's got the nose at least. Otherwise, it was do this as a GR.5, and I was looking for the Revell release of the Hasegawa GR.7 and build it with it's 20 SQN decals OOB. AV-8B+ Hasegawa. Scheme to be decided. The USMC decals in the box don't do it for me. Maybe Italian? T.10/TAV-8B Airfix. Leaning on doing an Italian bird on this, as apart from the Thai Navy, it's the only Harrier operator not already mentioned above. I like the Model Alliance decals for the SHar EDSG/W, and the Xtradecal Falklands 25th sheet. But I'll still be short roundels for the GR3s, and they are expensive. I have the old Microscale sheet for the SHar EDSG/W schemes, but again the colours of the roundels are all off. The usual story. Hundreds of kits in the stash. Hundreds of decals too. Have kits with no decals. And decals with no kits! Rant mode on; AND WHY IS IT DECAL COMPANIES NO LONGER GIVE YOU ENOUGH DECALS TO DO ALL THE SCHEMES ON THE SHEET? Rant mode off. Both MA and Xtradecal are guilty on this count. Lovely decals, matched with 30-year old kit roundels....... Mind you, Meteor were the worst for this. Bring back Modeldecal. All is forgiven... Thanks again.