roym

Decals probably, as the old ESCI decals while very crisply printed are prone to "silvering" when put on. A good way around this is the Johnsons Klear (the floor polish) technique; dip decal in water as normal, brush on some Klear on where decal is to go, place decal, brush on more klear over to seal, allow to dry. I used these very decals on an old Matchbox Sea Harrier because I liked the scheme so much. (My Esci got aftermarket decals for the grey/white scheme). Middle of this photo; Nothing else is needed for the ESCI kits, apart from maybe a seat. They are still amongst the best Harrier kits ever. If you are just starting out, keep it simple. And above all, have fun!

1/24th? Motoring website? It's a Mk4 Cortina. Yeayyyyyy!

Liam. Email inbound. And I have something to help you build this car.... but be prepared for a bit of work... and some searching..

Irish Fougas were only ever fitted with the larger tip tanks a-la heller kit. Only one aircraft was ever seen flying- once- without tip tanks of any sort. According to Joe's book. HTH Roy

I've put up a few varied suggestions that i thought would garner more support. 1/720 CVN-65 kit retooled to a final fit version (no sign of dragons promised one so maybe steal their thunder- and come in at half the price); 1/24 Ford Cortina Mk4 (who here didnt have one in their extended family? Left hand drive becomes German Ford Taunus); 2015 Ford Mustang; 1/72 FG.1 Phantom (i.e. affordable and available); my own cars (SEAT Leons mk2 & 3); reissues of 1/32 F-4E and Matchbox 1/72 Provost & F-86A. I've also voted for HS125, HMS Ark Royal, Ford Capris, AEW Gannets and more than i can remember.....

As a postscript to this, I recently finished a Revell Hunter in the 4FTS red-white-grey scheme. I used Xtracolour Red arrows red as instructed on the decal sheet. During construction I also tested Hu 174 as apparently it's a close match. Well, they are identical to my eyes, only Humbrol is matt/satin and Xtra is gloss. When doing touchups I used the Hu174 over the X19 and I can't see the difference after final varnish. The best bit though, when I parked finished Hunter next to my T-2 and T-45 that I used the above quoted mix for, it looks too close to call. So for international orange, if you can't get a straight tin without mixing, try Xtracolour X19 OR Humbrol 174. HTH. Roy

I always thought as these were built in UK that they were BS 381C; 697 gloss light blue grey same as the RAF ones. This is also what's quoted by Modeldecal for a US Marines AV-8A. I also assume that aircraft uppers were not painted FS 16440 light gull gray but it's BS equivalent, which I think is BS381C; 627 Light aircraft grey. Happy to be proven wrong though. HTH Roy

Matchbox 125 is already up there. I know cos I voted for it!

Thanks Richard, IPMS Stockholm quote 36081 as Humbrol 32. Sounds about right. Now for the serial mystery!

Ok, Xtradecal say 36081 grey; 34102 green and 34092 green. I now also have 36118 grey and 34079 green quoted. For simplicity can someone translate these to Humbrol? Cheers, Roy

Just got the xtradecals X72010 sheet and plan to do 68-0567 as per the instructions and this photo; http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/McDonnell-Douglas-RF-4C/0971920/&sid=321d1f3d7a91807f362f3c87cf3125e2 However, thanks to google I've also found several pictures of 68-0583 as Starize including this one from Wiki; http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:F-4G_A-10A_RF-4C_USAFE_in_flight_1987.JPEG So my question is was "Starize" given an incorrect serial at one point, and if so which is the correct one? Or was there two "Starizes"??? I've also read somewhere that the Xtradecal sheet quotes the wrong FS numbers for one of the greens, can anyone confirm the correct ones? And on this, has anyone got a spare 1/72 Italeri RF-4C (or ESCI) kit for sale? I keep getting outbid on evilbay for even the Italeri kits. I have a Fujimi JASDF RF-4E but it's got the rounded nose and long exhausts. Cheers, Roy

Both!

I asked this very question recently on Scalemates and got this mix as an answer; 3 parts 209 flourescent fire orange, 5 parts 69 yellow, 16 parts 220 ferrari red Tried it and it looks perfect. It is actually more red than orange. HTH Roy

78.....

That Sword one looks nice, but if the fit and build is anything like the Special Hobby/Airfix Pucara I'll take the Matchbox kit any day. Falcon/Squadron do a replacement Vac canopy for the MB kit which is recommended, esp if your gonna take advantage of all the cheap MB Skynights that will appear on ebay as soon as this is released. (Like I probably will be...)

Cheers for that Irish251. Will do. Why do I get the feeling I know you?

Thanks. Will give it a go....

Looking to try to ID a HH-53C/HC-130 combo that flew right over my head way back in the day, whilst performing an air-air refuelling. This was a cool sight to a young teen in Ireland back in the day. They flew right over my house while plugged in. A conversation with a fellow modeller who saw them as well that day and has been trying to research it put me on the case as well. There was a rescue mission planned from Ramstien to rescue a sailor from a US Navy nuke sub approx 200 miles off the south coast of Ireland, on or about the 1st July (or possibly the 8th July) 1983. The mission was launched from Woodbridge, Suffolk, using 2 HH-53Cs (the local paper had them as CH-53s, but I do remember them air-air refuelling so they had to be HH-53s) quoted as being from the 67th ARRS supported by one and possibly 2 HC-130s. No info on their unit. Is there any way I can ID the helos used (serials??) as well as the Hercs? Even cooler would be the name of the sub, as this might help narrow down the aircraft involved as there may be more literature of the event from that side. I have the name of the sailor, but don't know how I can use that info to ID the aircraft. Any help in pointing us down the right road would be appreciated. Cheers, Roy

Top man RoofRat, top pics too! What in the world is going on in the last one? It's on the roundown off the waist cat, but looks like it's being dragged up out of the water. Thanks to everyone else too, I'll prob go Italeri then as the MB will have to come from ebay, and the italeri/Revell is in the local shop. I was hoping for a simple build though. Which version is recommended? On a similar note, I have decals for a Sea King from Ark on a modeldecal set, recommending the Airfix kit. Can I use the Revell one with a lot of leaving bits off or is it a mark too far developed without major surgery?

Thanks lads. What about this one, maybe has all I need? Wonder if it's Ark Royal? http://www.matchboxkits.org/product_info.php?cPath=100_101_103&products_id=100 If not I'll go the other route. The modeldecal sheet has Ark in 1962, I'm looking for the 70's Phantomised wing.

I figure that I'll need either Matchbox/Frog or maybe Italeri for a Westland version, but knowing nothing about wessexes apart from they have turbines and S-58s don't. So what kit OOB makes the correct version and do Modeldecal or anyone else make the markings? TIA, Roy

Looking for a Humbrol (or Revell/Tamiya, that's all I can get my hands on here) paint match for the new all grey scheme on French Marine Super Etendards as per pic here; http://www.airliners.net/photo/France---Navy/Dassault-Super-Etendard/1372476/L/ I've got the decals thanks to Olimp but there is no info on what to paint the model.... Cheers in advance, Roy

Lovely, well executed model and I wouldn't have known it's brush painted. I can't brush like that.... yes, the nose cone is painted, it should be clear. If you want to correct that (and remember it's your model, up to you!) the best way is to carefully remove it, soak in a bath of oven cleaner (maybe IPA will work on Revell acrylics, I don't know) in a closed container overnight and it will be clear again. Regardless, lovely model.

Beers are already in the fridge cooling, posh crisps bought from Aldi and stashed in cupboard. TV has been block booked for the weekend; and as I type I can hear Martin Haven and Mark Cole on Eurosport downstairs at the start of Qually 2.... Must go... By the way, they were funny yesterday in Qually 1 talking about Dempey's spin (Browns Anatomy now?) and Bertrand Baguette (AKA Bertie breadstick...no cheesy jokes, will only get me in a pickle..) I spit my coffee out my nose at one point... Hope Toyota have been sandbagging, otherwise looks like it's going to be an Audi whitewash in LMP1. My loyalties are divided in GT though, between the gorgeous Astons, the gorgeous sounding Corvettes, the even better sounding Vipers and the screaming Ferraris.... apparently there is some dude in a Porsche 911 called Dr McDreamy who is making Justine (Yvan Mullers' squeeze) constantly sound and look like a hormonal pre-teen at a boyband concert, but I suppose you can't have it all...

Recently got a couple of Lindberg car kits, 1963 Ford Mustang concept car (prototype for the 64 model), Ford Crown Victoria police car and a Dodge Charger police car. The Mustang is a 60s tooling, with opening doors and boot, and looks very accurate, well tooled and quite buildable. Like a nicer version of a 60s Revell car kit. The Crown Vic is a late 90s/early noughties tooling, and is a curbside, almost snap kit. Clean and well detailed tooling. Lovely model. The Charger is a newish (less than a couple of years-old) tooling, and is as good if not better than any of the new Revell or AMT tools. Lots of optional parts, mutiple versions of roof lights and other police bits. Can even be built as a private car. Superb modern tooling, fab kit for a very reasonable price. Then there is the old chrome B-17 in the LMS. Horrors! Just saying, not all the Lindberg are nostalgia kits or for the collectors.