Swamp Donkey

My Finemolds F4E £35 all in from PlazaJapan SD

Glorious! SD

My Finemolds Vietnam F4E arrived this morning from PlazaJapan, having ordered it on 9th March. Great price, great service and no add on charges. First time I’ve ordered from them (or anybody else in Japan), but faultless service SD

We moved permanently to The North East from East London last year. Although we still have car, it’s not used that much. We have pretty good public transport (Metro station 5 minutes walk), great train service from Newcastle (25 minutes from home by Metro) and local shops are an easy walk (if somewhat limited). Went through 1st Lockdown without using the car. The real bonus though was buying ebikes which easily get us further afield. But all this only possible because of good local services and amenities. Good luck SD

Thanks Silverkite and CT7567 for your replies, much appreciated I managed to track down 2 Hasegawa boxes yesterday for sensible money. There are other examples out there for small fortunes! SD

Wow, thanks Giorgio for that, extremely helpful. I’ll have a scout around for the Hasegawa kit, I’m in no great rush but would like to do one or two SD (found one for a ‘reasonable’ price. Thanks again)

Just scanned a few old photos and would like to model a couple of Air Guard F16’s in 1/72. Has the bulge at the base of the tail in this photo ever been reproduced in any kit (I’ve had a look but can find no example), or is it a case of resorting to milliput? SD

With a fairly limited exposure, though quite a few in the stash, very mixed experience. Despite a lot of love for the 1/72 Tornado, I don’t share the love, in fact I dislike the kit with an irrational intensity! On the other hand, just assembled a 1/72 F104 which is okay but I prefer the Hasegawa, and so far the 2 1/72 F16’s under construction are a joy. That said, I’ve not started the Tamiya F16’s I have waiting for me which I know get high praise. So, in a nutshell, Revell would be some way down my favourite list SD

And here’s 55-0067 is her fresh paint job As an aside, Pima now has an ANA B787, Cathay B777 and China Southern B737 in the collection! SD

Here’s 52-0003 as she was in September 2019

Quick update 58-0183 looks a little more weather beaten than above 55-0067 has had a paint job and looks smart 52-0003 I assume this is the machine now in maintenance area, down to bare metal will attempt to post photos (tomorrow) if I can remember how to do it SD

Super shots from a great collection. Will check my shots from Sept 19 to see if the B52’s had a lick of paint. Thanks for posting SD

Just need the smells to go with that fabulous video! Funny, I don’t remember the Saudia 8’s. HS748 definitely Rousseau Aviation, and we used to get regular TAT F27’s too. Video looks like it was shot from the car park, did Queens building go that far West? Remember when spotting from car parks wasn’t a capital offence? And until last March, my office was almost behind one of those BA 747’s in cargo - what a view. Live near Newcastle now and any aircraft would be a bonus, anything..... SD

Zurich still had pretty good viewing deck last time I was there a couple of years ago. Always first choice for a business lunch, and even the treat of the Breitling Connie on the odd occasion SD

My money is on a JAT DC9 Thanks for posting the photos, such happy memories of those day, spending weeks on end during the summer holidays on the car parks and Queens Building. I used to love the QANTAS V-Jets. And bzn20 has it spot on - aircraft of character back then, ahhhhh, the nostalgia - Aeroflot 104’s on the Friday Leningrad flight, TMA DC6’s.....sitting on the grass inside the fence down by the threshold of 28L, I’m sure many of us could go on forever........ SD