Paul Wagner

I came across a photo of a Sutherland crew all wearing white flight suits. Never seen the like before. Anyone know if this was standard kit? Paul

Any opinions as to which is the better kit? (I normally make planes and am only just getting into ships, so know nothing of the merits of the various brands when it comes to ships!) Paul

"Paul, if every version you do is in "interesting" markings, then you wouldn't have ANY in representative markings, which is perhaps a bit skewed. " I can live with that - there's no end of things with FAA standard colours Indeed - it's taken me 3 days of note taking to get it, and I want to get the whole plan sorted while I still have it clear in my head (!) Paul

I'm planning a FAA Mk I-VI Marlet/Wildcat series, and have interesting colour schemes for all except the II and IV - which, as far as I can tell, only ever came in boring old Dark Sea Grey & Dark Slate Grey / Sky. Anyone know of any examples of either in something a bit more exciting? Invasion stripes? Desert camo? Even SEAC markings? Paul

A useful list, but there's "Available" and actually available! I'm after a few on that list, I've not found a trace of, say, an F.E.2B, B.E.2c or Caudron G.3. (well ok the HR Caudron is listed at Hannants but out of stock) Anyone know of sources or stockists for them? (apart from Ebay) Paul

I'm embarking on a couple of Soviet Spits and am after some more interesting schemes than RAF standard. I've found a number of Russian green top/ russian blue which will do for one, but what else is there? I've found one reference to a "white" spitfire (on a model forum, and no profile or pics) and one profile that looks black but could just be a misinterpretation of PRU blue (see http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/24637-spitfires-eastern-front.html and compare to http://www.airaces.narod.ru/all/spit_vvs.htm) So other than RAF standard and Russian Green, are there any other choices? Paul

OK, I just need a few simple answers (not that I think I'm going to get some....!) Q1: If a new Hurricane I was delivered to 73 sqn in April 1941, would it have been in Dark Earth/Dark Green/Sky finish, or Dark Earth/Mid Stone/Azure Blue? As far as I can tell, it's most likely to have been the former, though this period appears right on the cusp of when the Desert camo started coming in, so I wanted to check that nobody knows better....! Q2: Assuming it received extra attention by way of Spaghetti camo (however you choose to interpret that), would this have been done in the field upon delivery, or would it more likely have been done when it was assembled at Cairo (or wherever they assembled them)? Q3: Assuming it was in DE/DG/S, and assuming it got extra spaghetti paintwork prior to delivery, would it have been possible/likely that the undersides were also repainted at the same time to "Middle East Blue" (however you choose to interpet that!) Paul

Thanks... ...and they still make it! Woo hoo! Paul

Does a kit - or conversion - exist for a Wendover in 1/72? Paul

Humbrol 224 is a very nice Dark Slate Grey. Paul

I've come across these recently - I assume they are some kind of paint pen, but has anyone tried one? Might they be useful for, say, canopy frames? Paul

Yup that helps a lot - same sprue! Paul

I have a 1/72 Airfix GR7 (the old kit, not the new GR7/9) and I gather you can turn it into a GR5 by using the correct nose option. But which nose is it? The sprue has 4 options (parts 61-2, 63-4, 65-6, 67-68) (I think I got that right) - can anyone tell me which of these is the GR5 nose? As is there anything else that needs doing? Paul

I've made one and found it a very enjoyable experience. No fit problems here. Haven't taken pickies yet, but it's sitting on the shelf next to me looking good so I'd say yeah, grab one... Paul

He says the RAF set will be ready by Telford (ie November), the RAAF set as soon after that as he can get the decal printed. Cost hopefully under $A20. Paul

Yup pretty much. I'm amazed I managed to find one at a reasonable price (certainly wouldn't happen on eBay). Oh, HP said they were also - at least thinking about -a Mk.II Merlin engined replacement wing set, which would be cool. Paul

I don't know but I can ask....! Paul

Yes me too - as I said, for all it's faults Airfix seem to have captured the rounded, pugnacious look of the real thing... Paul

I have just completed a test build of an upcoming 1/72 Beaufighter conversion set from High Planes! I decided the best way to share it was on a blog, so here it is: http://galloglaigh.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/high-planes-beaufighter-mki-conversion.html Many thanks to Christopher from High Planes for the opportunity - I hope you like the results! Paul

I remember reading a thing from a BoB RAF pilot who said explicitly that the paints came from dozen of different small firms, and there was a great deal of actual colour variation, especially with "sky" - a lot of it turning up as light blue. Which, lets face it, is the colour of the actual sky.... Paul

As far as I can tell from the pictures I can find, prior to the introduction of the "hedgehog" exhausts (when did they come in, BTW?), early Beaufighters had a simple, short plain exhaust. But my Hasegawa Beaufighter IF nightfighter kit has weird, long exhausts tapering shaped like a snail penis(!) - was this just a nightfighter thing? Paul

I mean the Australian Mk.21s did away with the rear gun as unnecessary, and just went back to a plain cupola Paul

I gather not very much, as the guns seem to disappear from later Mks as well Next question may seem silly but... when there was no gun, which way did the observer face? Was the seat fixed or could it spin? Paul

Simple question - When did rear guns begin to get fitted to Beaufighters? Ever used on I.fs or I.cs?? Paul

Great, thanks, very helpful! My last question is related to what kit I am to get for a A20C - what's the actual difference between a Boston III and A20C? In RAAF use, no chin guns, and different nose guns, but anything else visibly different? Rear gunner the same, or did the C do away with that? Paul