Troy Smith

AFAIK the FAA had Hellcats delivered painted by Grumman in British specified colours. I have never heard of Hellcat's being delivered in USN colours and being repainted. Later deliveries were made in overall Glossy Sea Blue and not repainted. If Ian G is right then you could check it's history. Now, I have personally seen a fraction on the data Ian has, and he's not just making a guess,this based on A LOT of data. He'd be the chap to say if there was ever any evidence of Hellcat's being delivered to the FAA in the tri-colour scheme and being repainted. WW2 colour photos are not the best guide to colour, and while this is an upgraded, who knows what had been done to the colour reproduction. And this is a well weathered example, and in US made paint, which may well fade in a different way to British made paint, and this has been in the tropical sun. Finally, if you mean the 'blue' splatter's at the base of the folded wing part, look at the blob on the roundel. It's oil or water, now look at the sky, it may well just be picking up a blue tone from that. Note the changed colour of the Dark Slate Grey under the oil stains as well.

Skids was asking for corrected B-25 cowlings for the AM kit in 'wanted' to which I responded... Don't believe the hype..... if you are prepared to deal with a CA Hurricane, you can do this.... http://modelingmadness.com/scott/allies/us/b25g.htm I linked that sanding may help, and he mentioned that the cowls for the B-25 B kit were wrong. Did some searching, and it seems 3 types of cowlings were used. HI Simon INteresting. Just had an image search Looks 3 types of B-25 cowlings An early type, fitted to B-25B, and maybe other? Note single large exhaust a B-25 D [note C and D are same type, but build by different factories] from http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/b25flightse_2.htm and the type most commonly seen from - http://www.maam.org/airshow/b25_exterior.htm Now...at least some of the builds of the AM B-25B show an early type cowling a review search turns up this http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/b25breviewbg_1.htm and these look like the early type of cowlings as a separate sprue. So....I'd ask if it's just the front aperture being too small, or if there is another problem, the sanded cowl image for a B-25g , with the 3rd type of cowling. An interesting little detail I'd not noticed before. Posting this up here as it's just been posted that Academy are re-issuing the Accurate Miniatures B-25B kit some maybe of interest and of use to others.

Note on the plane behind, the difference in shade of the overpainted underwing roundel, fresh sky or just use of white? as the roundel centre looks the same as the outer ring it looks white? Not being a BEIF expert is this possible?

i'd have to say.....that's

John Aero = John Adams who IS Aeroclub models. regarding 1/96th-1/100 scale...intereting thread here - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36096-1100-scale/ just so it does not get lost in the above link - originally posted by Panoz in post #54 http://www.familie-wimmer.com/hobby/hr06/hr06-ami/index.html fascinating read. cheers T

I think from what I read, the VB contains all the IA parts as well http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal8/7701-7800/gal7766-Spitfire-Bacon/00.shtm You want to search ebay and kingkit for older issues of the kit, which tend to be crisper. a couple of items which are hard to scratch build easily Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I/Mk.Vb Full Instrument Panel http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AS24SPA RAF WWII seat belts early version. http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ED23005 If you can find it cheap http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0850590825/ was done as a tie in for the kit. Dated but has some good information still. And have a good search through Large Scale Planes, as that is the place for info on these big kits. Posted this before, but if you want to add some detail, the items below will make life a lot easier if you fancy a bit of scratch building. microstrip ... Slater's do a whole range, but the assorted pack is cheap way to get some very handy scratch building material. https://slatersplastikard.com/plastikard/microstrip.php They also do a assorted pack of plastic rod https://slatersplastikard.com/plastikard/plasticRod.php the other bargain is Evergreen assorted tube and rod pack, 7 lengths of different types. Evergreen # 217 AFAIK these are the only mixed packs of these products, which are great, but it can get expensive if you want a mix, but this way for a small outlay you get a lot of different sizes, which make life a lot easier for adding detail. Sure you can cut strips and stretch sprue but that's hard to do with regularity. There was a seller on ebay who stocked all 3 which made for one postage charge, still going http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TRANSPORT-MODELS-OF-PRESTON ask for the specific items and combined postage charge. here's the microstrip mix http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Slaters-1001-Assorted-Microstrip-50-Lengths-NEW-/131334949653 while it may seem expensive, but if you try cutting regular strips from plastic sheet you will see what I mean, it curls up and is surprisingly difficult. tube assortment http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Evergreen-Strip-Styrene-217-Rod-Tube-Assortment-/400799973764 No connection, just one place to buy both together, and ask about the assorted plastic rod too. I recommend these to anyone reading this who ever intends to do some scratch built detailing, as these will last for many models and make life much much easier.

The build is superb, I was puzzled by the markings. This is a SEAC plane, why does it have C1 type roundels? ..... so I hit google...and got this http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234969627-spitfire-memorial/ Ah..... . Interesting scheme indeed. Hope my puzzlement is of use to other readers. worryingly I even have copy of the book, and this had never registered! Great book, far more information in than the title may suggest. Cheers T

Yes, the kit is the original FB VI kit, plus a new fuselage and wings sprues. if you google Airfix Mosquito PR XVI..... http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/airfix/kit_airfix_7112.shtml What Eduard etch? They used do a set for for the Airfix FB VI, which maybe findable. and won't be pre painted. some of a set for a Tamiya kit may fit, look at something like a zoom set, as that's usually an IP and seat straps like this http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/EDFE242 What I suggest is dry fit the canopy to the fuselage and see what you can see, chances are, not a great deal. HTH T

Funny what you don't notice until it's pointed out Looks very similar to the other holes in the cowling. It's there on the Mk II as well. I'll have a look in the manual later.

Hi Steve Been pondering, my supposition is this, the front of the gun bays are metal, a removable panel. This 501 Sq plane in France, shows evidence of some colour applied around the panel, if you look at the starboard wing. the Mk I at Hendon, note the red painted rear of panel, with fabric patches. I don't know if this is a case of museum example being used as a pattern, or if it's accurately recreates standard service practice. But to confuse matters, the few shots I can find of 303 Sq Hurricane DO NOT show this, but what looks like being touch up with the respective camo colours eg Jan Zumbach in front of a Hurricane same plane? Judging by the shirt sleeves, summer? Witold Urbanowicz Josef Frantisek a clear shot on page 51 of Hurricane At War shows a 303 Sq plane with very neat gun ports. Perhaps it varied between squadrons? It's late, I'll have a look for some other pics later. one more from - http://www.polishsquadronsremembered.com/303/303_pics2.html "after combat sortie (notice missing doped canvas coverings of machine guns openings). Climbing the cockpit is Sgt Karubin." Note bare metal?

From what I have seen Steve, by this stage in the Battle it was pretty standard. Edgar has posted that there were self adhesive patches made and issued, like large red band-aids. if it looks like a regular 2 inch square, it's probably one of those. Undoubtedly very useful for a fast turn around, which was needed at this stage, as opposed to doping on bits of fabric. He many have even posted a photo of an unused one. If I can find the thread I'll edit in a link. The variations seem to occur before the fighting get regular, from what I have observed touching up the fabric covers with the appropriate camouflage paint was peacetime practice, it looks neat and can be done if you don't actually fire your guns very often....one noted RAF failing was lack of gunnery practice.... As an aside, in colour pictures from North Africa/Med others colours are seen to be used. An area that is not well covered in general. HTH T

ooh is this a Colin love fest... I'm acquainted with Colin as he comes down the local IPMS, and shows us tantalising goodies and masters, not being a 72nd chap it's not too painful, but fascinating nonetheless. But long before that I cold called him after reading Mike's Falcon Seafang build, where he mentioned getting some leftover Silver Cloud Seafang parts from him, [Freightdog took over Silver Cloud, or their remains] , so i asked, and he still had some bits left and sent me some for free, plus some insights into making of limited run moulds. What a top chap. website here for those curious - http://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/

Thanks for that Ian. I remember discussing this with you, but not in that depth. Fascinating to get all the details of this oft seen photo but usually anonymous pilot I thought of this shot for the OP as it colour and shows what I presume is typical flying wear in the tropics. As the photo of the plane with the deck crew lying on the wing is 'R' I presume this is the other side of plane? Do you know the story /date of these, I'm guessing a LIFE set ? Are there more from this series, I know of colour shots of FAA Avengers on a land base This looks like another from this series and this the Avenger shots are these

No can of worms Temperate Sea Scheme, EDSG/DSG over Sky, in British specified colours, as built by Grumman, not equivalent colours, just well sun faded on wing, and plenty of grubby hand prints by hand grip and around front panels. part of a series of colour shots

Have you tried google? I wondered about the same question, having an old Airfix PZ IV for practice, and this is what I found from both a search and image search Syrian PZ IV gets a wrecks Both look to be very weathered yellow. and a captured one in Israel. It seems they got repainted in green, though IIRC late in the war German armour ended up with a green base coat rather than yellow. Oh, this might help http://ftr-wot.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/panzer-iv-in-czechoslovak-service.html So looks like green ex-Czech, and who know for other sources. also this great image http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?23224-JagdPanzer-IV-in-Syrian-service I'd ask over on Missing Lynx, as they seem to be the place for armour.

Hi John It may well be 'where' as well. dress in the tropics will be different to the North Atalantic... Hellcat pilot in BPF This poor chap got show down ion a raid, captured, and was beheaded on Changi Beach at the end of the war by his Japanese captors! Temperate dress life jacket painted yellow, brown leather helmet, flying jacket is brown, with off white wool FAA uniform in colour, edit flying helmet http://heritageflightgeardisplays.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/raf-raaf-c-helmet-ww2/ that enough to go on? cheers T

To clarify. my point was that new build of those types have been made elsewhere, but are not certified by the CAA in the UK. By 'interest' I mean folks who go to airshows who would be thrilled to see a new Fw190 or Me 262 flying, but 'our rules' are different to ones in the USA or Germany, so we can't. As i can't see the German equivalent of the CAA being slack, it implies to me they are overly cautious. Sadly the same will probably go for new build Mosquito's as well. Work In Progress is a private pilot IIRC, and could tell you far more about this than I could as he knows about this from a practical perspective.

NO, because the CAA won't certify new build Me262's and Fw190's, not because there is no interest. But, there are new build Me262 in the US, and Fw190A-8/N (N for New) in Germany. Google it. The Fw190A8/N needed special dispensation to display at Duxford, and can't be based here. The reason for all the 'restored' Spitfires and Hurricanes is they are basically 'Data Plate' restorations, if you have an existing identity, with a few original bits, but essentially a new airframe, it can fly. But, if you new built a Spitfire to the exact specifications, it wouldn't get a CAA certificate. Don't quote me on the exact details, this is from memory, but if you want the details I'm sure there is plenty of info out there. The Lightning is considered to be dangerous, I can't remember the exact term used.

well, as a founder of the Airfix Tribute Forum, I'm not surprised, as 1/72 is the traditional scale in Britain, 1/48th was much more an American scale, due to larger houses on average maybe? I 'found' 1/48th in 1977, when I got some Monogram kits, It seemed, maybe 'exotic', and I was hooked. I'd agree with Graham on the 1/72nd range, as it an excellent scale for constant scale collection of all sizes of aircraft, or to build a range of a type, but it just doesn't float my boat for some reason, plus the sheer range of 1/48th kits is staggering compared to the late 70's at least I have a few 1/48th bombers... but will I ever build them, and where would I put them? ....worry about that problem when I come to it!

AFAIK 1/72 dates back to the 1930's and Skybirds wooden kits, being half of 1/36th scale, which was considered too big http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skybirds I was under the impression that 1/35th originated with Tamiya, as a 'fit round the motor' scale that unfortunately became standard for armour [or fortunately for me as one thing I like about 1/48th is you get both aircraft and armour to a constant scale] as does wiki.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1:35_scale "The roots of 1:35 as a military modelling scale lie in early motorized plastic tank kits. To accommodate electric motors and gearboxes, these models needed to be made in a larger scale. There were many companies making such tanks, but it was Tamiya's example that made 1:35 a de facto standard." Company chairman Shunsaku Tamiya explains the origins of the scale in his book Master Modeler:[1]

Right, a standard Hellcat hood is NOT a blown hood. Edgar was pointing out that a Malcolm hood was bulged at the top, but not the sides, because it needed to be taken off a male mould, while a blown hood, as it has bulged sides and top can't be made that way. Am I reading you correctly Edgar?

which one? I'm assuming by 'new' you mean the MkXVI re issue that has just come out, as they also did an FB VI and NF XXX versions. the current boxing has the older version did have 3 decal options included; #1 is a USAAF PRXVI from 653BS circa September 1944 in PRU blue with a red tail and invasion stripes. #2 is a BXVI from 109Sqn in green/gray with black undersurfaces. #3 is an SAAF PRXVI from 60Sqn in PRU blue with red and white striped tail and yellow spinners. Invasion bands are on he fuselage only. http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev1/401-500/Rev482-Mosquito-Prior/00.shtm The place to ask for decals is the 'Wanted' area, but you need 100 posts to do so. But, Paul J kindly gave me some spare Mosquito decals, including it turns out the complete sheet above, drop me a PM if you want one of the above options. Note, as the kit has the full FB VI as well, it's possible to do other variants, eg B/PR IV, or I think a B.IX with single stage engines but a bulged bomb bay, allowing a greater range of possible schemes, eg the ones on the Revell B.iv sheet http://www.hyperscale.com/2009/reviews/kits/revell04555reviewbg_1.htm HTH T

HI Edgar I think this is in reference to this post on previous page which I think you are making a point about blown versus Malcolm hoods, that a Malcolm hood can't be 'blown' to the way it's made, and therefore this is a blown hood. Not sure what Occa is getting at, maybe that this is some kind of non standard Hellcat canopy, which I think we are all agreed it is, though not technically an actual Malcolm hood though, but more likely a Westland[?] blown hood?

Lovely work Adrian, as usual. A few bob Jason! I think were spending too much time on Britmodeller.....you'll be seeking out pots of Marmite next..

Never heard of a Hurricane with a Malcolm type hood, one was tested in the BoB with side blisters as seen on PR Spitfires though Hawker Hurricane MkI, 145Sqn, Adrian-Boyd, P3223. here's a profile <Photos Removed due to malware/virus concerns with asisbiz.com> And, the photos Not very clear but visible if you look. Not as far as I know. Has anyone tried the P-47 Malcolm hood on a Hellcat? As it's an obscure fitting this must be a leftover in various spares boxes. cheers T