Mattlaker

As i mentioned on a.n. other forum, this looks mint! I have found that pastel washes don't stick too well to glossy surfaces, and haven't had a chance to try this as yet, but i hear that if you increase the amount of washing up liquid used to break the surface tension, it acts as a kind of glue, which should help it adhere to the surface better?

These are all really nice!!! The photos are a lot better than my ones anyway!!! I love starfighters- yours are cracking examples!

This really does look good! Vacform scares me tho!!!

Amazing!!!

There must be some dark matter in the nose of that black widow!!! These are all superb!

Those are two gorgeous F-15E's!!!! they are stunning! Are they the Revell 1:48 ones? Matt

Just picked up this thread myself! buy that man a beer- this is one cracking build!!! I love that interior- i can't wait to see this one finished!!!

what a hound! you're really doing a good job here!!! Superb!!!

That really is one stunning spitfire there! Having seen that, i think if i do get round to doing a mki or II, then it'll be the Airfix one! As said before, colours are gorgeous... just right! Well done mate!

I tend to build 1:48 models, and have a few spits in the stash/ built etc... Airfix MkIXC is a really nice kit actually- i built it as MH434. Goes together really nicely. Last one i built was the Tamiya Vb. A gorgeous kit- you don't have to build it, just open the box, pour in some glue, shake and reopen, and the kit builds itself! well, not quite! have a couple of Vs in the stash- another Tamiya that's gonna become EP120, the Fighter collection LFMkVb- wanted one with clipped wings! I don't have any early marks as yet, but i would definitely go for the Tamiya one. If it's later marks you're after, then the Airfix F22/24 is a must. I have that one to build, and the quality of the kit looks superb. If you want a pr one, then Heritage models do a PRXIX, but avoid like the plague. Get the Academy MkXIVc and convert it. The only issue with that is the nose is slightly wrong. As for IXs, i have the Revell reboxing of the Hasegawa IX to build at some point. I shall be using the Aires engine set with that one. I also have the Airfix Vb tropical. I don't think i'm looking forward to building that one- needs a complete rescribe.

That's looking superb so far! Watching with interest!!!

That is absolutely superb! Well done!

Hi all! Here is the latest update! i have preshaded and painted the camo now. Next up, it's the Sky band on the fuselage, and spinner. I'm pretty pleased with the preshade actually! All comments welcomed, the nice and constructive ones especially!!!

Thanks for the offer!!! i have been thinking about this all day, and i am getting really psyched about painting them in by hand! I am really looking forward to the challenge now!!!

Thanks mate! I am seriously considering just masking and painting the serials now. I have emailed hannants and have had no response as yet. They are the only place i know that stocks them tho! For reference photos, i'm just using A.net, and searching by serial. I think if i can do it cheaper, i'll be happier! I have given it a preshade, sprayed the ocean grey, then post-lightened selected areas,to give some panels a bit more depth. it looks good when viewed with a Mk1 eyeball. Thanks for looking!

The red/brick colour seats you refer to are the Bakelite seats, which were left unpainted. It will depend on your subject which seat it has- the bakelite versions were introduced in May 1940. Metal seats, if that is what you are going with, were painted in the same colour as the rest of the interior. It really does depend on the spitfire- BoB ones tended to have the bakelite seats, as a general rule of thumb, with black padding. You will have to check with references, if you have them? So far, this is looking superb! Watching with interest!

My seahawk didn't!

That is the mutt's nuts!!! Superb job mate!!!

The kit is the MPM FB Mk.3 / FGA Mk.50 with AIM-9B, which is a mixed media jobby! I really liked building that one, but it is so small!!! It features a full resin cockpit, with PE belts as standard! Thing is tho, you can't see any details inside it tho!!! The decals were from the old Airfix release, but that kit is absolutely pony, with no detail at all. Makes for a cracking little model when it's done tho! I got right to the end after painting and decaling to find i had used the complete wrong back end tho... Thanks for your comments guys! Oh, Shiny Two still has pride of place on top of the Tv!!! Mind you, the latest- the Vb is in k8's parents' lounge at the mo, next to some pot pourri!!! Those two are my favourites i think!

Hi all, I am going to be building Brian Brown's Hurricane in 1:48. I will post a couple of progress pictures in a bit, but i have a question for any kind people out there with spares in their decal boxes... Does anyone have the Tally Ho! decal set for sky serials and black code letters? I have the Medium Sea Grey set, and everywhere seems to be sold out of sky ones! If they have, and have the serials A, E and C letters (the squarer C code) that they don't need, can they spare them? I want to get this one as right as i can! The correct size on the original appears to be 30", as opposed to the 24" ones... These are the ones i have in Medium Sea Grey Here is my progress I've left the office pretty basic, as i will be having the canopy closed. i know the belts are wrong, but that's all i had! I've just finished spraying the underside- i've given it a preshade and am pretty happy so far! Hope someone can help!!! Thanks all!!!

Hi all, Here is a collection of shots of some of my past builds. Hope you enjoy looking at them! Glacier girl in 1:48 RNHF Sea Hawk in 1:72 BBD in 1:72 Shiny Two in 1:72 Jumpin' Jacques in 1:48 Canberra in 1:72 F16-B in 1:72 Lakenheath F15E MH434 PrXIX conversion Tucano in 1:72 Hawk 1:72 Sabre Rafale Spit Vb 1:72 PRXI Sea Vixen Thanks for indulging me!

Cracking job on that rescribe- i'm avoiding rescribing like the plague!!! Watching with interest and hopefully picking up some tips!!!

I have to say, in my defence, that making the corn on this one took me about 3 weeks of cutting small clumps off of a paintbrush, gluing them together, and standing them in a tiny dollup of PVA. then repeat, and scatter with a touch of static grass for texture! then repeat ad nausem. That small area was enough for me!!!!! any more and

Yeh, but they all count i guess!!! Thanks for the comments guys!!! all are really appreciated! Matt

i'll have to see if i am around on the 31st then- may not be tho, as i am possibly ghost-hunting on the 30th in the evening. If i am around, then we'll have to have a meet up i have set the 30th as the deadline for finishing my version of BD707- want it done by the shoreham airshow... I will try and get some shots of her up on here tomorrow. I've preshaded the underside, and so will be painting underneath tomorrow!