gregair

This is my 1/35 resin “Red Carpet Models” Ratel 20 IFV of the South African Defence Force while being used by Natal Mounted Rifles in 1988. Although tank crew, I spent a month as crew on this particular Ratel. It is not fully complete, I still need to complete the registration numbers, add callsign’s (T10) and the vehicles name (Diesel & Dust), also a few details need adding on, more antenna, indicator light guards and some weathering/ paint touch ups.. All the hand holds, railings and the rear turret gun mountings were made using various thickness wire supplied with the kit. I drilled out the solid crew commander position and vacum molded a new hatch lid. The turret has not been fixed in place yet and I have I noticed after I took the photos that the turret was out of alignment (see darker brown unweathered section around top of hull near turret ring). It was a great kit to build, unfortunately this company has closed down and this particular kit is unavailable. There is however a 1/35 Ratel available by Baxmod (http://www.baxmod.co.za)

This is my 1/72 Supamodel Impala MK2 of the South African Air force. I built it at least 10 years ago but have dusted it off and thought I should post it. The only modification was that I "dropped" the flaps. Unfortunately I broke off one of the 2 pitot tubes on the nose and could not find it! I also have just realised that I have not painted the natural metal panel in front of the cannon barrel which is visible on the background photo of this aircraft in my first photo! And have not added the serial number on the rear fuselage...DOH! This Impala carries one of the early experimental colour schemes and some of them flew Operations on the South West Africa (Now Namibia)/Angolan border during the war years in this scheme. It was hand painted using Humbrol enamels, most decals are from the kit except the fin flash and castles which are from SAAF sheets. Cheers

Guys, besides the nose intake, Is this kit a reasonable build that is a good representation of the F-84F?

Looking good.

Very very nice! Well done she is so delicate. How did you make the dust filters?

Hey Metallicus, Did you get my e-mail?

You are welcome. Thanks for the feedback on the Mig-17. This is the best photo that I got and this was the day after I saw the flight display, you may have seen this photo around on the net already (I really should have watermarked it) , I took it in beginning 2006, it seems that despite various other claims of more aircraft, that Angola only had these two operational, both in the photo, one single seater (The Left side Su-27 in the photo) and one two seater. Also the single seat one reportedly crashed a few months after I took the photo! Photo Left to right: Angolan Mig-23ML/ possible MLD upgrade, Mig-23UB, Sukhoi SU-27S Flanker B, Su-27UM Flanker C.

Hey Metallicus, keep at it, I look forward to seeing her finished. I saw that actual aircraft at Luanda in 2006, she looks great "in the flesh". How does the "ancient Hobby Craft Canada 1/48 MIG 17 " go together? I have one in the stash awaiting its turn!

Hells Teeth, thats looking excellent, your Mig really Rocks! Got to be one of the nicest looking "21"s that I have seen!

Whoops duplicate post!

Sooooo, anyone willing to sell / part with some "underwing things"? I need one or two of the strange shaped 800L belly tanks and a pair of S-24 rockets (with launch rails if possible)...... Also , possibly a pair of the multiple ejector racks wit or without the bombs........ Also...anyone know of any model shops in Cadiz, Spain? Cheers

Hi gishuk, Thanks for that, those are exactly the colours I am looking for at the moment, It is great help to be able to get them without mixing. Thanks a lot. That is the best looking cammo that I have seen on a TSR-2, excellent choice.

Fantastic, a really wonderful looking paint job! What paints/numbers did you use for the light green and the sand colour? Were they straight out the tin/bottle?

Thats a really good point! I dont mean to digress from the topic but in a related issue... Although more modern aircraft, I noticed much to my surprise recently a photo of a South African Air Force Mirage F1 where it was very obvious that one of the camoflage colours were strangely Matt and the other colour was Satin almost going towards gloss! Also an Angolan Mig-23 which was very matt but had gloss side numbers! So as Smiffy says, you need to have a good look at the aircraft you are depicting and decide if you are going for "authenticity" or whats generally acceped, whatever makes you happy! Regarding the boots....looks like some "minion" had cunningly placed a snappy pair of shiney boots for O'l Adolf to slip into so he could arrive at his destination looking all "spiffy"...or a challenge..fill my little boots if you think you can?...or cement filled boots!

Thanks Tigger, I guess I am just being lazy..but the green is exactly what I was looking for for a curret project and I was hoping to get it straight from the bottle/tin

Beautiful..that looks just awsome! Could you tell me which paints/colours you used. Is there a Humbrol or Tamiya equivilent straight from the bottle/tin for that medium green ?

Whoo hoo Awsome! I sure hope its yru and soon.

They are Mavdecals, you can get them on http://www.mavdecals.co.za/ they are nice and thin and go on well, although you need to give them a coat of gloss varnish first and then cut each decal out. The side number 233, I made templates and airbrushed them on as the numbers on the decal sheet were not for the specific Mig that I wanted to build. They have an awsome range of South African and African air force decals, go check it out.

Mozambique Mig-21, based in Beira 1980's and flew ground attack sorties against the Renamo guerrilla group I have built many (not very good) models over the years but this was my first serious attempt trying a number of , for me, new techniques. The main ones being using an Air brush, masking, primer, panel wash, giving the aircraft a somewhat worn/dirty look, I made templates and airbrushed the "bort" numbers 223 and used Mav decals for national markings,they are very thin and worked very well. These were all "firsts" for me. So please don't expect a masterpiece, however any critisizms or advice are welcome. This is the Academy 1/48 Mig-21MF but I understand that the spine is closer to the Mig-21 Bis so that suits me fine to make the Mozambique Air Force Mig-21 Bis as flown against Renamo in the 80's and for air intercept duties against the good O'l SAAF. I am arming it with for rocket pods in the ground attack role at a later stage. 1. The kit is very nice, my main problem being that the main wings were warped and I never really overcame the warping. 2. I made lots of little mistakes but all go into the learning curve! 3. For the wash I used pastals, burnt umber and dark grey, scraped a little pile of powder from each of them and mixed them both together with a tiny bit of water to get a pasty mush, then painted the whole aircraft with it using a brush. (Aircraft must be gloss). After leaving it a few hours to dry, I rubbed the whole thing down with a soft cloth until I had the desired effect and sealed it all in with a few coats of Tamiya satin clear (Aerosol can). 4. Added no weapons all pictures available show the Mozambique Migs with no weapons loaded although in the future I may add rocket pods as the aircraft were used a lot in the ground attack role.

Well I finally replaced the pitot tube, drilled a hole in the two broken ends and inserted a little rod if stretched sprue and glued it together. Added no weapons all pictures available show the Mozambique Migs with no weapons loaded although in the future I may add rocket pods as the aircraft were used a lot in the ground attack role. Posted pictures in the "ready for inspection" section.

Hi, Hows the Trojan going? Interested to see this as I have never scratchbuilt a complete aircraft but I am planning to do a very similar SAAF Kudu in the medium future..possibly in 1/48 but same techniques I guess. Show us some more pics please.

BEAUTIFUL, lovely finish

Thanks for the kind words guys. Initially I had masked and airbrushed the cammo but in the end I airbrushed it free hand and it looked much better. To answer some of the questions 1. To replace the pitot tube I will try drill a hole in the two broken ends and insert a little rod of some sort, if that does not work then I am not sure what I will do. 2. The cammo scheme I got here http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww3/f/14/52/0 at wings palette and for the specific aircraft 223 from this photo, baring in mind that the aircraft cammo colours would be a bit richer in reality than in the photo also I wanted to depict the aircraft when still in service. 3. I think the paint problem was of my own doing, I should have let them dry much longer before next coat, after letting the humbrol dry on undersurfaces I sprayed it with Tamia satin clear and had no problems.

Hi Folks, This is my first post of of model. I have built many (not very good) models over the years but this was my first serious attempt trying a number of , for me, new techniques. The main ones being using an Air brush, masking, primer, panel wash, giving the aircraft a somewhat worn/dirty look, I made templates and airbrushed the "bort" numbers 223 and used Mav decals for national markings,they are very thin and worked very well. These were all "firsts" for me. So please don't expect a masterpiece, however any critisizms or advice are welcome. This is the Academy 1/48 Mig-21MF but I understand that the spine is closer to the Mig-21 Bis so that suits me fine to make the Mozambique Air Force Mig-21 Bis as flown against Renamo in the 80's and for air intercept duties against the good O'l SAAF. I am arming it with for rocket pods in the ground attack role. 1. The kit is very nice, my main problem being that the main wings were warped and I never really overcame the warping. 2. Major lesson learned was that Tamiya acrylics dont work so well when thinned with water but seem to work better when thinned with laquer thinners. 3. Another Major lesson...Humbrol enamels and Tamiya acrylics bubble and wrinkle if sprayed over each other and you have not left them for at least a few days to dry! That caused me endless headaches, sanding and respraying and the final product could have been a lot better if I had not done this! 4. I made lots of little mistakes but all go into the learning curve! 5. These photos show the aircraft before the pitot tube was replaced after I broke it off by mistake and before the oddrods antenna were replaced above tail fin and below nose which I had also broken off during construction. Also various small antenna and rocket pods still to be added. 6. For the wash I used pastals, burnt umber and dark grey, scraped a little pile of powder from each of them and mixed them both together with a tiny bit of water to get a pasty mush, then painted the whole aircraft with it using a brush. (Aircraft must be gloss). After leaving it a few hours to dry, I rubbed the whole thing down with a soft cloth until I had the desired effect and sealed it all in with a few coats of Tamiya satin clear (Aerosol can). Photos were taken very hastily on my way to work (offshore) and when I get home in 5 weeks time I will complete the model and post some better photos. Underside while still gloss and almost finished cleaning it up to the level of "dirty" that I wanted, gloss done with Tamiya spray can. Uppersurfaces while still gloss and almost finished cleaning it up to the level of "dirty" that I wanted, gloss done with Tamiya spray can. (a bit of an arty shot on the strange side table I know!) Side views after "matt" applied with Tamiya spray can.

I figured I would put this photo here as it is a beautiful 70's photo and it has two of the mentioned silver SAAF Canberras, a silver / dayglo T4 and a silver B.(I) 12