Vingtor

Not the same aircraft. Same registration, but different colours. I think Boeing had three Sabre chase planes, all registered N8686F.

The Colour Conundrum series are my favorite articles as well. As were the Ian Huntley Column back in the old days. Nils

Norwegian Sabres were also fitted with Martin Baker seats. As well as slatted 6-3 wings..... Nils

Interesting to follow this build. I did a similar conversion some years ago, basing my model on the Koster vacuform Ventura kit. I wrote an article in Model Aircraft Monthly about my build. I might find it somewhere.... Nils

The Norwegian authorities have given their AW101 helicopters a new "Norwegian" name - SAR Queen. What a silly name. It will never stick.

As Nigel says, Travelodge has two prices, and you get what you pay for. I did the same, booking a non-refundable night at Travelodge (in Oxford) from Sunday (after the show). Although I had not booked flight tickets yet, I had paid most of my trip by travel card (rental car + other hotels). So I am hoping the travel insurance will cover the loss. Nils

Bringing this thread back to life.... I am studying Paul Lucas article on Sunderlands in Model Aircraft Monthly. It says that AMO A.664/42, dated 2 July 1942, specifies the serial number to be black (Night) on the white fuselage sides. However, on some photos, and many profile drawings, these are clearly Light Slate Grey. Is there a directive specifying the change of colour for the serials? I cannot find anything about this in the article. Nils

No problem with letters and parcels. Postal services go nearly as normal. Unfortunately I cannot help with the Vingtor sheet. Sold out long time ago. Nils

I have tried the orange line lacquers, and they are just fantastic to use. They cover well and dry quickly. I have also compared the actual colours (for British colours) with paint chips in the RAF Museum book, and they match better than other paint manufacturers. I am using the Tamiya lacquer thinner (yellow cap). Nils

During WW2 (I don't remember the exact dates), the Swedish Air Force did not display national insignia on the upper wing surfaces. Special Hobby has apparently not got this correct. Nils

In the Queen's English, the title was (and still is) Scale Aircraft Modelling.... As a regular reader of SAM, and doing research for my own articles, I had much interesting correspondence (by letter) with both Alan Hall and Ian Huntley. Nils

Following up a previous tread, I wonder if there exists an "official" drawing of the RAF (and Commonwealth) Catalina camouflage pattern. On most b/w photos the camouflage colours Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey are more or less impossible to distinguish. Tear and wear, both for the aircraft and the photos, makes it even worse. Furthermore, there seems to have been two variants of the camouflage scheme, being mirrored to each other. This was common with RAF aircraft early on, but the practice was abandoned early 1941, about the time first RAF Catalinas were delivered. Nils

From my book "The Stockholm Run": The three LOT aircraft were impressed by the NAC. SP-BPM was lost during the Battle of France in June 1940. It was reportedly abandoned at Paris Airport with a damaged engine and was captured by the Germans. Some sources state that it was shot down near Paris on 15 June. The other two aircraft were eventually transferred to BOAC and used on the Stockholm run. SP-LMK Lublin became G-AGAV on the British register, while SP-BNF Łowicz became G-AGBG. Both aircraft retained their Polish names in BOAC service since their first letter corresponded with the Corporation’s “L” Class designation. G-AGBG, often referred to as “BG”, was nicknamed by those who flew her as “Bashful Gertie, the Terror of the Skagerrak” She would survive the war and eventually end up on the Swedish register as SE-BTN, based at Bromma from where she had made many flights to during the war. She was destroyed in an accident at Bromma 14 July 1951, killing four people. Nils

You did a very good job with this one. I have built the Hudson myself, and the Special Hobby Lodestar which shares most parts (both in BOAC markings). They are not easy kits to build. Nils

If they even bothered about changing the colours while being in combat at sea. Who would have cared?