redcap

Cracking build. Gary

The build, composition and overall presentation (burst pipe is masterful!) is just superb; great dio mate! Gary

This is brilliant news and a'must buy' for me. Let's hope Border Models don't produce the very 'so-so' QC kit that MENG did when let loose with the WNW 1/32 Dr1 tooling which with banana shaped wings and broken parts really spoilt the anticipation and enjoyment of (that) kit for me. I would rather Border Models do the Lanc 'right'; even if that means it puts an extra 10 or 20 quid on the price rather than cutting corners for a non-WNW standard kit and which given what it will RRP at anyway, will be peanuts in the scale of things. Gary

That's a top build and a great overall result. Gary

I agree and it looks like they have just about given up on aircraft kits. If they are keeping the car modellers happy with their new productions then perhaps that is where they should focus their R&D because they are becoming increasingly irrelevant as a model company to the aircraft modellers. Gary

Hasegawa are the ultimate model company for "old wine in new bottles" with some new decals thrown into the box to call it a 'new release'. They were once brilliant and lots of their stuff (especially their 1/32 single seat Japanese WW2 fighters) still stands the test of time. That said, I can't recall the last time I got excited about a Hasagawa release and the UK retail prices are just ludicrous for what is in the box and especially so where other manufacturers compete; e.g. a 1/48 (40 years old tooling) F4 Phantom for just 10 quid less than the Z-M ones and I see the Big H has an equally old 1/48 Bf 109F listed for 50 quid when the far superior Eduard 'Profi' 109 kits can be had for half that price with careful shopping .......come on! Still, someone must still buy them at full UK RRP or they wouldn't still be around or imported would they. Gary

Welcome aboard Phil and glad you have decided to take the plunge back into the hobby! Gary

Lovely build and a 1/72 Japanese Navy figure (if any are available?) would be the icing on the cake for scale perspective. Gary

Lovely start. You don't see too many of these Roden DI kits built and so I look forward to seeing this progress and how it goes together. Thank you for the pics and commentary. Gary

EURO 120 from Andy's Hobby HQ (EU) inc. P&P and taxes to the UK. Brilliant deal when you consider what price some old re-popped 1/35 DML kits are priced at these days. Ordered one! Gary

I already have a set of each of the engines from Mark and they are jewel-like after some (very) light sanding to remove the backing excess to give that correct3D look; the difference when looking down the intake is night and day. Cheap as chips for what they are and the QC is great with Mark being a stickler for accuracy and details and a top bloke to deal with. Buy with 100% confidence! Gary

Lovely work as always from Ali and also, very reasonably priced. Gary

Some good points well made Tony and a really interesting thread and read - cheers mate! Gary

(QUOTE) "I still think that mass parachute drops of a battalion or even brigade size have their place,..." Some really interesting comments Tony as you clearly know your stuff and provide a great read - thank you. I agree that a battalion drop (say in a like situation to what the French REP found at Kolweizi) would still have it's place but a brigade+ sized operation deployed by parachute...? Given they had limited use in large scale deployments 75+ years ago in WW2, how could anyone envisage, say, a brigade or certainly an AB Division ( by those like the US who still have them) being deployed in the future; certainly if deployed against a first rate and modern military power anyway? Even the Germans who effectively pioneered airborne operations quickly saw the limitations of large scale deployment after the WW2 early war disasters and unacceptable casualty rates in the Low Countries and Crete and effectively, then used them for the remainder of the war solely as what they were/are; i.e. elite infantry units. Let's hope our young men never have to find out if large scale airborne operations still have a future in modern war. Gary

You don't see many of these G-10 versions built; nice model mate! Gary