Paul Wagner

The rondels were actually from the Peashooter kit, which was a happy coincidence Not yet, but no doubt will get round to it one day! That's very brave of you (!) It was pretty straight forward. I didn't use the kit exhaust, which looked like it would be troubling to fit (and was wrong for the version I was doing), but otherwise it was ok - except for the transparancies, which were terrible! So be prepared to do a lot of shaving and filling around the windows Paul

With the establishment of SHADO in 1969, it was envisioned that Earths front line of defence against the UFO menace would be a space-based, nuclear-armed interceptor, so the Orbital Weapons Launcher (or O.W.L.) program was established. The first generation interceptors, in use when SHADO became operational in early 1980, were moon-based single seat craft, armed with a single long range, low yield nuclear warhead surrounded by a shell of depleted uranium ball bearings, the theory being that by exploding the missile in the path of an approaching UFO, the shrapnel would shred the incoming spacecraft. Here is my Mk.1 moonbase interceptor, the Bandai kit (excellent, if you can find one) with scrathbuilt, analogue-dial filled cockpit, and a set of prototype decals by Jbot (awesome, BTW). SHADO Moonbase Interceptor by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Moonbase Interceptor by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Moonbase Interceptor by puddingisacat, on Flickr Interceptor cockpit by puddingisacat, on Flickr And this is the Foe, and probably my best ever score on eBay - my SHED Models UFO! Gotta say this sat on the shelf for a long time because I was too scared to attempt it, as it contained 1 sheet of roughly vacformed styrene, 1 sheet of roughly vacformed clear stuff, and a whole bunch of little metal bits (there is a photo pf the kit, after I’d succesfully assembled the central cone bit). In the end, however, construction was pretty straight forward, only really requiring patience - and the ability to scratchbuild the inevitably One Missing Bit (one of the internal veins). The clear bits were carefully shaved and Futured, and the result is, I think, quite stunning. SHED UFO kit by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHED Models UFO! by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHED Models UFO! by puddingisacat, on Flickr The moonbase interceptors proved more effective than anticipated, but losses were also greater, so after 2 years of operations a review was carried out in an effort to improve the design. Modifications that were recommended were: Retractable landing gear (one interceptor lost after a skid, damaged by space debris, collapsed on landing) Laser pods as secondary weapons (two interceptors lost to enemy fire after using their missiles) Backup solar power source. to power life support and thrusters (one astronaut lost after his ship lost power while on a vector away from earth) Replacement of bubble canopy with smaller slit window used on Moonhoppers, as heat and radiation management proved to be a problem. An extra crew member, as the workload was considered too great for a single pilot, even with moon base controllers. Additionally the unguided missiles were replaced with a cruise-missile derived design that allowed the weapons operator to alter it’s course in flight, as the target manoeuvred to avoid interception. The warhead was also modified so the ball bearings were expelled in a 70 degree cone forwards of the missile only, after one interceptor and several satellites were destroyed by stray shrapnel. The new interceptors entered service in mid 1984, and this time the Orbital Weapons Launcher appellation stuck, and they became known as OWLs. The Owl was hugely popular with its crews and much more effective than the Mk.1, the combination of weapons allowing the interceptors to corral the UFOs using the guidable missiles and close to dogfighting range with laser cannons to finish off any that escaped. Here is my OWL, modified from the Bandai interceptor I made when I was a kid, and somehow managed to survive. Note the Angry Owl squadron markings! SHADO OWL by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO OWL by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO OWL by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO OWL by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO OWL by puddingisacat, on Flickr With the election of President Ronald Reagan in 1984, a huge amount of money became available to SHADO under the cover of the Star Wars program. First on the wish list was the unromantic but urgent need for a utility craft to replace both the aging shuttles and rather limited Moonhoppers. Conceived of as a "space helicopter", the now familiar Eagle was a born. Key to the Eagles success was a new micro-fusion power plant that delivered so much power that the rather industrial design was able to enter and leave Earth's atmosphere through sheer grunt. The pod system allowed it to fulfil multiple roles, and when the first examples were delivered to Moonbase in 1988 the Owl pilots found, much to their embarrassment, that the transporters out-performed the fighters in every way except close-in agility. A request for a new interceptor based around the Eagles engine was immediately forthcoming, but as a stop-gap measure a pod was developed to carry 2 missiles and necessary sensors, and for a brief time armed Eagles took over as interceptors, relegating the Owls to point defence of the moon only – a role that they were ideally suited to, and in which they were retained until 1996. Here is my SHADO Eagle, made from an old Airfix kit that survived unbuilt from when I was a kid! (plus some extras) SHADO Eagle by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Eagle by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Eagle by puddingisacat, on Flickr The Owls replacement, named the Hawk, was rushed into service in 1991. All the designated design features were incorporated into the new fighter, but early models were plagued by technical problems caused, for the most part, by the speed and urgency with which the ship was designed. Not until 1995 would the definitive production version, the Mk.9, enter service, but from early on it was clear the Hawk represented a quantum leap in capability. Twice as fast at the Eagle and three times that of the Owl, the Hawk had the range to patrol deep into space and intercept UFOs long before they came into the range of the Owls. Additionally, the old missiles were replaced the "nuclear torpedoes", where both the engine and the warhead were in fact the same micro-fusion reactor. These weapons had an acceleration 7 times that of the conventional missile, fast enough to outpace the UFOs and allowing, for the first time, interceptors to directly target enemy craft and do away with the rather dangerous area-effect warhead – and it is from these weapons that later plasma, proton an quantum torpedoes were eventually developed. As a United Nations sanctioned organisation, SHADO officially didn’t tolerate overt shows of nationalism, but this became difficult to enforce on remote outposts such as the Mars FAB. This is well illustrated on this colourful Hawk Mk.9, christened “Lonesome” by it’s isolated crew, and bearing it’s impressive tally of kills (another habit SHADO officially disapproved of). Note the Hawk squadron markings, and the crew inside the cockpit, as I managed to give this one an interior and windows! SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Hawk Mk.9 by puddingisacat, on Flickr Even as the engineers struggled to de-bug the production Hawks, work was started on a follow-up, the Kestrel. The aim was to develop a craft with the performance of the Hawk, but to match the Owl’s dog-fighting ability, and to be able to not just enter and leave Earth’s atmosphere like the Eagle, but to manoeuvre and fight as a conventional atmospheric fighter as well. It was armed with 2 neclear torpedoes, and a dorsally mounted laser turret that could fire behind as well as forwards and to the sides. From the early 1990’s the moon had become a dumping ground for Earth’s nuclear waste, and the original SHADO moonbase had been expanded, and eventually turned over to civilian use as “Moonbase Alpha”, while SHADO relocated to a purpose-built facility “Moonbase Beta” on the dark side of the moon. Two squadrons of Kestrels were delivered to SHADO and undergoing trials on Earth at the time of the 1999 moon disaster. On September 13, a massive chain reaction detonated the vast fields of nuclear waste stored there, and while nobody has ever proved alien interference as the cause, it is now generally believed the theoretically safe atomic waste exploded because it was being bombarded by a highly focused, unknown form of energy. What is a fact is that, as Earth reeled from the consequences of the moon’s shift in orbit, the aliens launched the largest mass attack seen for a decade, which was primarily fought and ultimately repulsed by the Kestrels. And finally, here is the Kestrel, built from the old Hawk model that survived (kinda) from when I was a kid: SHADO Kestrel by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Kestrel by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Kestrel by puddingisacat, on Flickr SHADO Kestrel by puddingisacat, on Flickr Paul

Likewise, Oscars, which by all accounts flew like a dream and turned on a dime - though they did tend to explode dramatically if you could actually hit one. Anyway, here's a Fujimi, and two Hasegawa kits (all lovely), in the most interesting schemes I could find. Oscar (Fujimi) by puddingisacat, on Flickr Oscar (Hasegawa) by puddingisacat, on Flickr Oscar (Hasegawa) by puddingisacat, on Flickr Finally, a couple of actual A6M2s, one (Hasegawa) as a sun-bleached Pearl Harbour participant, and they other (new Airfix) with some camo. Again lovely kits is lovely aircraft. A6M2 Zero (Hasegawa) by puddingisacat, on Flickr A6M2 Zero (Airfix) by puddingisacat, on Flickr Paul

I have finally finished my Vickers Vildebeest, Singapore C.1942. I started it in early January, so it's taken 4 months of dabbling, but with all the tiny, tiny etched parts, it is without doubt the most intricate model I've made since I returned to the hobby! This is the Azur kit, which was just wonderful to make - challenging but flawless Vickers Vildebeest by puddingisacat, on Flickr Vickers Vildebeest by puddingisacat, on Flickr Vickers Vildebeest by puddingisacat, on Flickr Vickers Vildebeest by puddingisacat, on Flickr Vickers Vildebeest by puddingisacat, on Flickr The pilot is wearing an accurate blue cardigan and stiffly starched shorts… Vildebeest interior by puddingisacat, on Flickr Vildebeest pilot - in cardie! by puddingisacat, on Flickr Vildebeest pilot - in cardie! by puddingisacat, on Flickr …and I assembled the 3rd crewman so he’d be peeking through the little internal window. Vildebeest crewman 3 by puddingisacat, on Flickr This completes a body of work entitled Slightly Dodgy Planes of the Early Pacific War. More to follow! Also from Singapore is this RAAF Buffalo – originally I got an Airfix kit, but quickly decided it was a waste of effeort and got a Hasegawa instead! It is, however, significantly modified in small details, according to the info in the excellent Buffalo In Action book (now for sale if anyone’s interested!). RAAF Buffalo by puddingisacat, on Flickr RAAF Buffalo by puddingisacat, on Flickr RAAF Buffalo by puddingisacat, on Flickr And, from further south, an RAAF Battle (Airfix, OOB, but with an interesting colour scheme). RAAF Fairey Battle by puddingisacat, on Flickr RAAF Fairey Battle by puddingisacat, on Flickr RAAF Fairey Battle by puddingisacat, on Flickr To the east, a Chinese Martin B-10. I only bought this as I had never even seen such a thing before, and loved its wonkyness. The Williams Brothers kit required a lot of work and a few mods, and was missing an engine, but I like the result. Martin B-10B by puddingisacat, on Flickr Martin B-10B by puddingisacat, on Flickr Martin B-10B by puddingisacat, on Flickr Martin B-10B by puddingisacat, on Flickr Martin B-10B by puddingisacat, on Flickr To the West, a Philippines Air Force Peashooter. Never liked this plane until I saw an illustration of a Filipino example - amazing what a nice scheme can do. This is the Pavla kit, which - if you can find one - is a joy to build. Everything - including the fiddly resin bits - fitted perfectly, and the decals were both Excellent AND contained Filipino ones! (which I didn't know when I bought it, and had no idea where I was going to find some...). Still amazed the Filipinos actually managed to shoot down anything with them, though. Peashooter by puddingisacat, on Flickr Peashooter by puddingisacat, on Flickr Peashooter by puddingisacat, on Flickr And to the North, the Dodgy and decidedly Not Dodgy. First the Claude - Hasegawa kit, predictably nice, but the decals took a lot of subduing. Claude by puddingisacat, on Flickr Claude by puddingisacat, on Flickr Next, the Nate, with a striking purple camo scheme from Burma. This is an ICM kit, which had vast amounts of internal engine detail that I ended up leaving out in the interest of getting things to fit! Decals were a little thin and dull too. Ki 27a Nate by puddingisacat, on Flickr Ki 27a Nate by puddingisacat, on Flickr Third, a "float zero" (which is what Allied pilots actually called them) or Rufe. It's painted up as the Alaskan purple example, which may or may not have actually existed. The kit is an old Revell one, but it got some extra bits from a spare Zero kit which lifted it a bit. Float Zeroes probably shouldn't be described as "dodgy" - by all accounts they were still pretty formidable. Float Zero by puddingisacat, on Flickr Float Zero by puddingisacat, on Flickr

The PJ Production resin figures are also very nice. They do quite a range, so you might find something here http://www.pjproduction.net/category/figurines-172_ah/ Paul

Maybe, but I know an ex-RAAF pilot who I asked about it once. He started on Sabres, and ended on Hornets, so saw plenty of schemes from silver to various 2/3 tone camo to Lo Vis Boring Grey, and he said in reality no scheme is really any better than any other, because so much depends on background and lighting conditions. Sometimes your 2-tone camo is virtually invisible, other times it sticks out like a sore thumb, and ditto for Boring Grey. I find it interesting the Russians seem to have steered clear of all-over grey in favour of traditional camo, and even splinter schemes in quite bright blues and things. Must be working for them...! Paul

Well there you go - now I know! Thanks! Paul

I know every Western aircraft is currently painted Overall Boring Grey (which I understand is as much for for ease of maintenance as any other reason), but if one wanted to traditionally camouflage a Stealth plane, like an F22 or F35, can you? Or does the stealth skin limit what kinds of coating you can put on it? Paul

Great, I think thats on telly later this week! Paul

Random question I've always wondered about. Fighter pilots obviously kept score, and had a (variety of) well documented systems for assessing claims of success. But what about bomber gunners? Sure, much harder to verify, but occasionally there must've been an undisputable kill, and being human beings they must've been interested in keeping some kind of tally of their success (or otherwise). So, did they? Official or unofficial? Any famous tail gunners with reputations for dead shots, for example? It happened with Defiants, and other nightfighters, so why not bombers? Paul

As far as rondels go, there's a much easier way out - just claim you are NOT using RAF rondels, but RAAF rondels, so the RAF can bugger off. That will cover everything in WWI, WWII, Korea, and up to the relatively modern lo-vis 2-tone ones Seriously, though, I can't see this kind of crap having any legal legs at all. I know a Copyright lawyer, and they live on a completely different planet to the rest of us, and rely on bluff and bluster most of the time. Copyright acts have "fair use" provisions to cover this kinda thing, and any court would laugh at it. I do, however, like the idea of making a big public stink through, say, James May and the school-kids Spitfire to get some kind of political directive sent down to the lawyers to stop being such bottoms. Bound to be a tabloid interested somewhere.... Paul

I have finished my little collection of 1/72 Polish aircraft c.1939. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream First, the PZL 23 Karas dive-bomber. This is the Heller kit, with some Revell crewmen – the 3rd of whom is manning the lower gun turret… http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream Kit review – very positive, even the aged decals worlked just fine. Second, the PZL 11c fighter – in this case, the Encore re-boxing of the Heller kit. Kit review – beautiful little model, exquisite external detail, great decals. Still amazed they managed to shoot down anything flying them, though…. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream Third, the PZL 37 Los bomber. The kit was the top boxing of this Scala kit: http://www.1-72scaleplanes.com/index.php?pg=pzl-p37 Real piece of cold war history too – it came with a receipt, in Polish, dated 1984… god knows how I ended up with it! It seemed to be a nice enough early Airfix/Matchbox equivalent, but turned out to need major surgery to get the wings and tail to sit symmetricaly…. Though the decals were in great nick, no yellowing or crumbling at all. Amazing! http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream Finally, the Lublin R.XIII recon plane. This was a weird Polish kit – hopefully viewable here: http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/kits/...ublinrxiiid.JPG …that can be best described of consisting of vaguely aircraft-shaped lumps of strange, brittle plastic. It comes in two boxings – wheels and floats – but both landing gears are included in the same box. A real struggle, to be honest, but an obscure subject, and with some nice crew, nice camo, and a replacement gun it looks decent enough http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/.../in/photostream Paul

Me too. I have learned (the hard way!) to check whether a particular kit if good or not before purchasing, as there is quite a variety or quality even within manufacturers. Airfix, for example, has some of the best and the worst kits out there, and you need to know what you're looking for before you buy. My general take on the various brands is this: Airfix: Easy building, but wide variety in quality. Their new kits are just excellent, such as the Spitfire I, Hurricane II & Zero. Their re-issues of old kits can be really good too, with very nice new decal sheets - and I'm not fussed about "raised panel lines" - but beware as a lot of their old moulds are horrible and really should be destroyed - and even the OK ones don't fit as neatly as their rivals. But they do include pilots, which I like! Matchbox: Very basic and undetailed, but generally much better fitting than Airfix equivalents, and always fun for a quick build. I have a soft spot for them. Pilots included, but decals are basic and not that great. Revell has their moulds, so before paying for a "vintage" Matchbox kit, check Revell doesn't still make it - the decals will be better. Heller: Usually terrific little kits, very good detail and excellent fit for their era. Decals can be basic and a bit thin, but I will often go for an old Heller above more modern brands. Smer now has a lot of their moulds, so check before buying a "vintage" Heller kit. Frog: Can't say, actually, as they didn't exist in my corner of the world so I never knew they existed. I have since picked up a couple, and they seems much like the Airfix/Matchbox kits of the same era. Revell (Germany): Consistently very nice. Great decals. More modern issues are excellent, and very cheap for the quality. Revell (US): Like Airfix of the era, some are gems, some are dreadful. Italeri: The Italeri kits I've made - most recently a Ju88 - have all been superb. Fantastic detail, cleanly cast and great fit. I guess, like everything else, check about the particular one you're interested in (maybe I've been lucky!), but a major step above the others so far, in my experience. Esci: I've made some of their small jets, and these have been superb. Italeri now has their moulds. Hasegawa: Much finer details than the Western kits, which often disappears under layers of paint - but very nice little models - never had a bad one actually. Don't mind their decals either, though they are often not sized quite right. They have a reputation for a high level of accuracy, which many modellers will pay a premium for, and will go many years without re-printing kits, so they are often wildly overpriced. However, keep an eye out on ebay or buy direct from Japan and they can be found very reasonably. Tamiya: Have an even better reputation than Hasegawa, and well deserved. Fairly limited range though. Fujimi: Also very well respected for detail and accuracy, though the kits can be very tricky and fussy to put together, and their decals are thick & oddly coloured, even by Japanese standards. Academy: There are reported accuracy problems with some of these, apparently, but I love these little kits. Much more "modern" and better cockpit detail than the old European brands, and so cheap!! Lots of fun. Trumpeter: More detailed and fussy than Academy, lots more parts, but again very good quality, if one doesn't get bogged down in super-accuracy issues. Hobby Boss: I've made one of their mid-range jets, which was excellent, but their cheap WWII fighters are beginners kids kits, and really annoy me. Weird oversized canopies, very little building to do. Avoid if possible. Pavla: Short run multi-media kits, but the one I've made (a Peashooter) was an absolute delight - just enough of a challenge, but terrific fit and excellent decals. AZ / Admiral / Sword / Azur / Special Hobby: All started as short-run kits like Pavla, and their early works reflect this, some kits being a bit tricky or dodgy - but their more recent offerings are generally excellent, if a little pricey. They all use noticeably softer plastic than the rest, which is nice to work with, though the fit isn't always up to, say, Hasegawa standard. Paul

Excellent, I have my fingers crossed

I need some decals from the Matchbook Chinook kit - specifically the big Union Jack on the "tail" - anyone got one spare? Paul

I will try that next time, thanks! Paul

Yes, though you have to heavily modify the underside of it.... Every time I've tried that Computer Says No - specifically "your files are too big" - never quite figured and easy way out of that... Paul

MilitaryAircraft101 over on Whatif printed them for me. Tracking down the correct font was a bugger of a job though! http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ ...and it's conventional equivalent, the Skysoarer! http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ Paul

In 1969, Project Blue Book concluded that the UFO phenomenon did indeed indicate hostile visitors from outer space, and recommended the creation of a multi-national military force to provide a defence from Earth. Plans were drawn up to create SHADO, a project that was expected to take at least 12 years – and in the meantime, a civilian security agency, SPECTRUM, would gather intelligence and start to develop defences against the alien visitors. Four lines of defence were envisioned: moon-based interceptors, ground-based interceptors, sea-based interceptors, and ground units. Current aircraft evaluated for the role of land-based interceptor – the F-104 Starfighter, the EE Lightning, the Mirage III, and the Mig-21 – were all considered inadequate; while the Lightning and F-104 had the desired climb rate, speed and ceiling, they lacked the manoeuvrability necessary to track the highly agile UFOs, and lacked sufficient ground attack capability to support SHADO ground forces. Under the cover of the USAF’s Lightweight Fighter (LWF) proposal, six designs were developed, and the General Dynamics YF-16 and BAC/Lockheed YF-13 were selected for evaluation. However, the LWF study converged with the NATO “Multinational Fighter Program Group” (MFPG) and the Navy Air Combat Fighter (NACF) program, and it was decided that a “conventional” version of the YF-13 would be developed for military use in the US, and a specialised version developed in Britain specifically for SHADOs needs – this later became the “Angel”. In 1974 the sham LWF program was abandoned in favour of a new Air Combat Fighter (ACF) competition. Further competitors intent on securing what was touted at the time as “the arms deal of the century” joined the competition; Dassault-Breguet’s Mirage F1, the SEPECAT Jaguar, the Saab 37 Viggen, while Northrop re-entered with the P-530 Cobra, which was very similar to its original YF-17. On 13 January 1975, Secretary of the Air Force John L. McLucas announced that the YF-13 had been selected as the winner of the ACF competition and the initial production-standard F-13A flew for the first time on 7 August 1978. The F-13 was given its formal nickname of “Viper” on 21 July 1980, entering USAF operational service with the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB on 1 October 1980. From it’s origins as a lightweight, daytime interceptor, the BAC/Lockheed F-13 Viper has developed into a successful multirole aircraft. Over 7,000 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976, giving it the nick-name of the “World Air Force Fighter”. In addition to US Air Force, Naval and Marine squadrons, F-13 was also selected to serve in the air forces of 42 other nations. The US’s NATO allies purchased the aircraft in large numbers, including Britain, where is was selected over the “manifestly stupid” idea of developing a fighter version of the Tornado strike aircraft. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ Meanwhile, the Land Based Interceptor first flew in the UK in 1973, and by 1976 the first examples entered service with SPECTRUM. Unable to recruit fully trained military pilots, SPECTRUM’s commander, Col. White, made the inspired decision to seek out female pilots who were, at that stage, barred from front line duties in most national air forces. The all-female recruits adopted the nickname “angels”, and moniker stuck, to the point that their distinctive all-white jets became universally known as the “Angel Interceptors.” The Angel differed from the Viper in that the inability to track the UFOs meant there was no point in equipping them with guided missiles – instead the Angels were armed with an internal 30mm cannon, and 8 internally mounted unguided rockets. Although popular with it’s pilots, without a reliable method of tracking UFOs it was next to impossible for the widely dispersed, short-range Angles to achieve interception, and no SPECTRUM Angel ever shot down a UFO, though several were destroyed on the ground with strafing attacks. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ When SHADO finally came on-line in 1980, they took delivery of Mk.2 Angels for land-based air defence duties. By now, there was a limited ability to track the UFOs, and SHADO Angels were armed modified with a wing-mounted multi-spectrum tracking pod with which to illuminate incoming UFOs, and a single hypersonic area-effect guided missile, based on the French AS-30. SHADO Angels initially achieved a number of successful interceptions, but became victims of their own success – the UFOs soon learned to avoid the relatively short-range interceptors but entering Earth’s atmosphere over the ocean, away from land, where they had only to deal with the occasional, lower performance Sky Divers. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ With the election or Ronald Reagan in 1984, SHADO received a massive injection of funds under the guise of the “Star Wars” program. Among the new, improved equipment was the F21 Archangel. Although outwardly similar to the Angel, the Archangel was in fact an entirely new aircraft, 25% bigger with increased fuel capacity and in-flight refuelling capability, and a much improved weapons load of 4 independently-guided Super Phoenix missiles. The Archangel was not, however, designed as a direct replacement for the Angel (that would have to wait until the White Falcon), but to bridge the defence gap between Moon Base and Earth’s atmosphere, by carrying a nose-mounted area-effect nuclear missile, similar to that carried by Moon based interceptors. SHADO Archangels were extremely successful in their highly specialised role, and more than any other weapon system can be credited with ending the alien menace. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/

Victory! I scored one on Ebay for a measly $20! Don't know if its the 1st or 2nd edition yet, but hey, hard to argue with the price. So I will be watching builds with interest... Paul

Here they are: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34860818@N06/...tream/lightbox/ Paul

I couldn't find Barley Grey in a spray can when I did mine, and used Tamiya Royal Light Grey - which turned out to be a most satisfactory substitute, a d at 1/72 scale really looks the part. Used it on my Typhoon as well. Will post some pics when I get home Paul

Just wondering if the Airfix (and thus, I assume, Heller) 1/72 Hornet was worth getting? Paul

That that mean you might part with it, or are you just flirting with me? Paul

Lucky lucky lucky lucky sweetheart......! Well if you ever see another one, let me know! Paul