AAbshier

Navsource is your friend: http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08214.htm The hard part will be determining when the sail was altered from the higher-profile unit as commissioned; all Gatos received the alterations, but whether or not your boat was altered on the war patrol in question is an open question! I suspect they were done at yard availabilities, but someone with better references may have a more definitive answer. Andy Alton IL

I've built two Airfix Lightnings, so I can help with some of your questions: 1. No comment, I used the kit exhausts. 2. The kit decals are thick and have a lot of carrier film; they do work well with setting solutions, but you might hold out for a bit for aftermarket stencils, which may come out when Airfix reissues the F2A/F6. 3. On my Lightnings it was a bear to close the fuselage forward of the windshield for some reason; I don't know why that is, but I'm attributing it to modeler error! Be very careful placing the radar tower/nose gear bay combo into the nose; it is VERY easy to get it a few degrees off vertical if you're not careful. Since you're doing the F2A, you'll also need to make better gun openings for the upper fuselage. I used the blank plates intended for the F3 and F6 and a dental burr on a Dremel, and got much better openings that way (the pucker factor is strong, though). 4-5. No comment, I didn't use those parts. 6. I didn't measure the weight, but lead shot filling the radome and it's receptacle was sufficient nose weight on mine. 7. I haven't used the Aires set but experience with other Aires sets suggests that it will be far from a drop-in fit. I have the Neomega cockpit for my F6 when it's turn comes up and it LOOKS like a drop fit, but we will see! BTW Neomaga makes a good replacement seat available separately that does fit in the cockpit, so that is one alternative for the QB seat that doesn't. Andy Alton IL

I'm building the new Cybermodeler Type 45 destroyer (HMS Daring) and plan on finishing it with the hangar bay and one of the RHIB bays open. What color are the interiors of these areas? Andy

The sheet looks great; I'll pick one up when I'm ready to build my MiG. Sorry about the loss of your friend. Andy

While you're here (and to get back on topic from gorgeous salsa dancers!) do you have plans for decals for this model? I'd love to see some small air forces coverage for the MiG-21, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! Andy

For that price I'll want the MiG, the Trumpeter 1/200 Arizona with aftermarket barrels, all of your Otaki TriStars, and Aracely (inside joke). Andy

Great news! At the rate things are going, a County-class cruiser can't be far away, right? Right? Andy Alton IL

Of course the big question with any HB release is: Did they get the shapes right? I've battled the Hasegawa kit and lost, so I'm interested in this one, but ONLY if they got the look right. I had high hopes for their Tornado series until I saw how effed up the outline was. Andy

I had a contact who was supposed to send me his 5 Sqn. markings and stencils from the Grand Phoenix boxing, but I never got them. 5 Sqn. is still top of my list for an F6, though your other options wouldn't hurt my feelings either! Andy

Hi folks....I have the original issue Lightning F2A/F6 in 1/48 scale, and have everything I need for it except a good set of markings. I have an old CE sheet that has some F2A/F6 stuff on it, but it lacks stencils and the ones in the original issue kit are borderline hideous! I also have an F2 that is 99% complete, but somewhere along the way I lost all of the gear doors, and need to replace those (and no, the Aires WW set doesn't give all of the doors I need--I checked). So: how is Airfix about selling decals and sprues? If the decals in their forthcoming F2A/F6 reissue are the same quality as I'm seeing with the Sea Vixen, it looks like those will do fine. I might even then be able to sell my CE decal on eBay for some stupid amount of money! Thanks Andy

I have one on pre-order! Mine will be the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30), named for the battle that won Texas her independence from Mexico, fought just outside my home town of Houston. I'm usually not a ship guy but the kit looks so stunning there was no way I was going to pass it up! US modelers, Dragon has a good deal for pre-orders; link is given in the review linked above. Basically its the kit with free shipping AND your choice of 1/700 Kirov-class battlecruisers free of charge! Andy

I'm usually the most non-Me-109 building airplane modeler out there, but I had to have the Airfix BoB 109, and now I'm going to buy this one. The small airforces markings are a real bonus for me, because I don't build Luftwaffe. I hope Airfix continues with that! Andy

Hi folks, Topic question says it all. The Ultracast propeller/spinner sets would be an elegant solution to the too-narrow propeller blades in the kit. I just want to make sure the spinner diameter matches the diameter on the Airfix kit! Andy

This is an interesting story! I normally don't build Luftwaffe at all, but a Geschwader who stood up to the high command is intriguing. I'll have to consider it. I have the Airfix 109E and was considering Bulgarian markings for it. Thanks for posting this! Andy

I did check them, but they didn't have the instructions for this kit. I've since tracked down references for the airplane I want to do, so I think I'm set. Andy

Hi folks, I have the decal sheet from this kit, with markings for aircraft from Romania and Hungary. I need a scan of the painting instructions for these markings from the kit. Please email to aravm98@yahoo.com Thanks! Andy Alton, Illinois

The Tamiya F-16C "Aggressor/Adversary" boxing has all the parts needed to make a Block 30 (largemouth intake, GE exhaust, lightweight gear) plus if the modeler is doing an early Block 30 the kit has four of the early-type 510 launchers for Sidewinders for Stations 1, 2, 8, and 9. I'm not a hyper-expert on the Viper, though, so correct me if I'm wrong! Andy

Quite true--I have a 92 Sqn. F2 that's 99% complete and an F6 with all the goodies (Neomega cockpit, Eduard exterior/WW set) in the "to do" pile, both in 1/48 scale. I am quite through building Trumpeter Lightnings after just one! Andy

Lovely film, but the only way I'm building another Trumpy Lightning is with the aid of adult beverages! Andy

I did a full build review on Modeling Madness, which will give the full run-down of what I did and didn't do: http://www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/viet/gb/ab48lite.htm Andy Alton, Illinois

Finally, something from Burger King that's actually worth having! (That place makes me gag usually). Beautiful work on your M; I have a B in the stash I was going to sell, but now I'm reconsidering! Andy

WOW. Great site! Bookmarked it for future reference. Andy

Hi folks, I did some searching, but couldn't come up with the type. I want to replace the kit seat in my Eduard kit with a resin one. Thanks Andy

I built the Trumpy kit as an F3: And I reviewed it for Modeling Madness: http://www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/viet/gb/ablite.htm I didn't do most of the corrections listed; I fixed the intake trunk problem (also moving the nose gear bay forward), shortened the main landing gear struts by 2.5mm (5mm would be right, but then the ventral tank comes close to touching the ground) and semi-disguised the wrong canopy by painting on a thicker canopy frame than Trumpeter indicated. I also added Eduard brass and a replacement seat from AMS Resin. Even leaving out all of the structural issues the pig still took me almost 3 months to finish! Bill Clark was working alongside me with his F6, but he was doing a lot more fixing than I was, so his still is incomplete, as he wrote earlier. If I do a big F2A/F6 I'm finding the Echelon kit. 'Nuff said! Andy

A quick check showed that there are no 1/48 scale tanks out there generally....I thought the ESCI kit came with one, but I could be mistaken. I'm set on decals, I think--I have the set from the ESCI reboxing a few years back. Andy