Nigel Bunker

Looking at the proportions of the roundel, the lack of dorsal turret and the absence of anything under the chin, along with the possible date and location, as detailed above, I suggest it is Gen Marie Pierre Koenig's personal B-17F. I can see no way that is a 100 Group RAF machine, and surely RCAF machines were using the same proportion roundels as the RAF?

Exactly the same reason.

Spike if you want to paint with acrylics, your surface must be really clean. Plastic mouldings have a thin sheen of the release agent on them that lets the moulding pop out from the mould. Enamels are more tolerant of this than acrylics, so give your parts a thorough wash - I use hot water & washing up liquid with an old 1" brush to ensure it is all cleaned, then I have no trouble with acrylics. For some reason, Korean and Chinese kits seem to have more release agent on them, so they need a really good clean.

Just a thought that I think all RAF 100 Group B-17F & G models retained their dorsal turrets, and as I recall, the few F models they had were used for training with only the G models being ECM equipped.

Just a thought, but could it be a French roundel?

Now let us assume I am going to set up Bunker models, a mainstream kit manufacturer, who are going to make the the most wonderful, accurate kits, with more decal options than you can imagine. As MD, the kit I want to make is the Scruggs Wonderplane because it is my favourite of all time. But I need to get the company moving and sell kits. So my first releases will be 109, Spitfire, F-16, F-4 and any other planes the marketing department tell me will sell. I need those kits to sell consistently every month to keep my company in business. Then, occasionally we can put in more esoteric subjects, but the fact is they will not sell as well as those mainstream subjects. Companies need kits that sell in large volumes, and the Spitfire will always do that. So as long as Spitfires sell, there will be new Spitfire kits marketed.

Dan This is currently avasilable from The Aviation Hobby Shop : FJ35102/F29 OA-4M Skyhawk USMC "Samurai" £9.45 p&p free. They have a good range of Fujimi in stock. Nigel PS - In my humble opinion, the 72 scale Fujimi A-4s are the best 72 scale A-4s currently available.

Try Roy at Southern Sky Models. He has a rapid mail order service, with competetive prices.

Paul 43 Squadron flew FG.1 Phantoms, so you could finish your kit as one of these, if you want to finish it in RAF markings.

I am building a model of the S-3B Outlaw Viking based on the Hasegawa 72 scale kit. The basic airframe is painted and decalled as it appeared when serving with VS-38 on the Constellation.I now come to the problem of what to hang under the wings - the photographs I have (WAP 34) only show the port side where it is carrying an active AGM-64 Harpoon missile or what appears to be a training round AGM-64 with an ACMI unit under the starboard wing,(and I am guessing this combo was not used operationally). Does anybody know what was carried under the starboard wing - my guess is another AGM-64 or a fuel tank, but does anybody know FOR CERTAIN? Thanks in advance.

Gloster Gladiator by Alex Crawford (Mushroom Pub. 2002) has a section on Greek Gladiators, but alas no pictures.

Conversely, if you can't wait, I am informed by my son that Fat Slags can be found on any UK High Street at 3 am on a Saturday morning.

I saw one once - any similarity between the kit parts and the real thing is purely coincidental, and I suspect a great many animals have been hurt by this kit - when the buyer opens it and is so angry they kick the dog or cat.

Steve, flex your muscles, take a deep breath and go for 72 scale. Who knows, with a little patience, the RAF Rivet Joints might get kitted by Airfix (via AMT moulds). If not, a KC-135R would form the basis.

Oh no it isn't, Alex. The Airfix E-3 Sentry is based on the original Heller Boeing 707 kit ( the windows are blanked out, CFM -56 engines added as an option,Radome & support plus assoeted aerials). It has nothing in common with the AMT (Italeri, Heller et al reboxings) KC-135 Stratotanker series, and a quick comparison of the two kits side by side will tell you this. Don't forget, as no doubt Jennings Heilig will reiterate, there is almost nothing in common between the Boeing 707 and KC-135 except they are similar size and configuration but designed for totally different tasks, but then the Tu 160 Blackjack and the B-1 are similar size and configuration too.

Now here's the question - should it be restored, or just conserved and diaplayed "as found", like the Halifax. I gather they propose to do the latter, but what do you think?

Nice model, but wrong section, Ron. Try WWII section instead.

There are so few pictures that it is impossible to be pedantic. My guess is that the front and upper turrets were faired over to increase speed, as most of these Mk VIs were used as pathfinders, I believe.

I think L&S made the first 144 Tornados - these may have been re-issued by ARII. I believe the L&S kit dates from 1980-1983.

Never trust a preserved airframe as being typical of the types when they were in service.

1:72 A-4F by Fujimi? It is excellent - Fujimi made (in my opinion) the best 72 scale Skyhawks.

If you want a 72 scale Skyhawk, then Fujimi is the best. I believe they have kitted most of the variants. The Airfix Skyhawk is typical of it's time, and does not hold up today. About time Airfix recycled the moulds to make a better set of moulds. Spitfire, Hawk, Harrier, Gnat, etc, why not a Skyhawk?

Thinking of buying a PM Mirage? Stand outside the model shop and drop a £5 note down a drain - it's the same as buying one.

I, for one, wish they had made their C-17 in 72 scale as they are planning to do with their A400M. I am willing to gamble that a 72 scale C-17 would sell far better than a 72 scale A400M.

Hi Dan just a note to say that Jordan was not supplied by the Soviet Union - King Hussein was too canny for that. As I recall, during the 67 war, they used Hunters with most of their Air Force having been supplied by Britain.