Fifer54

always effing and jeffing

He's a crazy fool

It's been a strange year, hasn't it? We've all faced so much disruption to our normal lives, and at times it's been difficult to keep going. I've had major changes to my life- I reached retirement, had a life(style)-changing medical diagnosis, and my emotional health has suffered from the Covid restrictions But enough of that! Here is my output for 2020. I remain a careless and impatient kit assembler, I've made the move from 1/72 to 1/48 and the move has given me my mojo back. I managed to finish 16 so far, but while there are another two on the bench, I can't see either of them being finished before the New Year. So, in no particular order, other than the order I come on them in PostImage today, here are this year's builds: A Pegasus Hobbies 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I- a nice easy build for a BoB GB. A 1/72 Airfix Messerschmitt Bf109E An ancient (and badly photographed!) X-Wing fighter from MPC in supposedly 1/56- fiddly build! KP's 1/72 Aero L-29 Albatros was a fun build of a primitive little kit (no wheelwells, etc) finished as the prototype at the Paris Air Show Airfix's 1/72 Fw190A was built as a well-known captured bird. The Airfix 1/72 BAe Hawk with some aftermarket decals The AZ Models 1/72 Saunders-Roe SR53. Special Hobby's 1/72 Commonwealth Boomerang- fiddly litle kit, and a satisfying build. Also from Special Hobby, a 1/72 Folland Gnat F.1 fighter, finished as the Oscar Phallus from "Hot Shots, part Deux"! Fujiml's 1/72 Hawk in the marking of Finland's Ilmavoilmat. And carrying on the Finnish theme, Zvezda's 1/72 MiG-21bis. Maintaining the MiG moment, the Eduard 1/144 Mig-21, finished as an Iraqi machine. Tamiya's (old tool) Spitfire Mk.1 in 1/48 was built for a BoB GB This year's most satisfying build was Revell's reboxing of MPM's 1/72 Lockheed Hudson, a kit with a terrible reputation, which it fully lived up to(!), finished as a machine in an in-flight photo found in Aircraft of the Fighting Powers. The old Monogram P-51B Mustang in 1/48 was built for BM's "Interceptors" GB. As was the venerable SMER 1/50 (but claiming 1/48) Macchi-Castoldi MC.200 Saetta. And that's my 16 so far. As I've said, that's probably all there is until New Year. Thanks to Mike and all the Mods for running this forum so well and keeping us all in order, and thanks to all the helpful and generous (in giving of their knowledge and their "stuff") BM members who make this place such a pleasure to frequent. Members have sent me canopies, wheels and (electronically) books during the course of this year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

I've been looking for the 2020 yearbook thread for a while now, so glad it's here at last!

and potato soup served

Thank you so much!I've not been able to find one, that is so helpful.

First coat of "silver" is on! . . .

overboard was the cry

"Oo-er, missus" said the

I've started on the "silver" paint, in various shades and tones. I've not taken a photo because it's only a Mustang partly painted in different "silvers", so not a lot to show! When she's all silver, I'll take a pic! Brush painting silver is very tedious . . .

Finished my second entry, although actually it's my third entry! Monogram 1/48 P-51B Mustang finished in the kit scheme as Colonel James Howard's "Ding Hao!" of the 356th Fighter Squadron, US9th AAF, based (I think) at Debden. Here she is: Well, that's two down, one to go! My P-51D will take a bit longer, it's a labour of love, and will appear in due course.

This is now finished, and can be found in the gallery.

served in half a

where angels fear to

of Earthly Delights, Professor

Thanks, Col. The X-1 is for a "Movie Stars" GB elsewhere. Humbrol gloss Orange needs an awful lot of coats . . .

Ooops! I continue to forget to photograph this as I build! She's well on the way now. Paint : Gloss coat: Decals: Matt coat Still lots to do. I think she'll need another matt coat next . . .

"Hello? . . .Hello? . . .What? . .Oh,"

served in half a

Thanks for those links, Kari & Ian! Type-specific books are very helpful, once I've got more general references, the more "focussed" books will help me "drill down" to the information I need. I hadn't heard of the MBI series, and only have a few Ospreys, most of them more general, or on more modern subjects

I've ordered a copy of The History of Soviet Aircraft from 1918 by Nemecek, to be going on with. Other purchases will have to wait until after Christmas (13 grandkids, you know!). I've also had a kind offer from a fellow BMer in connection with Russian aircraft books. Thanks again to all who have contributed.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this topic. Your input has been very useful to me. I now know what to look for! Soviet Air Power in World War 2 appears to be exactly the book I'm looking for, but I'm afraid it's price is beyond my reach. Learstang's books look very interesting, and I will definitely be investing in some of those.I I'll have to wait for his "Fighters" book! The Red Star series look to me like "Скопа" (Russian Ospreys!) to me, and I'm sure that some of those will be very useful to me. My library will be richer for your contributions. I'll make good use of Massimo Tessitori's website too, looks packed with good info!

Parp! "How rude!" said

I've recently become aware that there is a gap in my WW2 aviation library. I have books on British aircraft, American aircraft, Axis aircraft, but I don't have any books on the aircraft of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War. I'm thinking of books like the Putnam or Harborough series, or even the Hamlyn books. Can anyone recommend any books that are readily available at prices that aren't too extortionate? Other than looking for generic "Soviet Aviation" I wouldn't even know what books to look for!