Ray S

Hello all. Well, I have finally had a bit of time to start this kit off. I have painted the interior Humbrol 226 Interior Green, and made up the cockpit area. I was surprised at how much detail there was inside considering the kit was originally issue in 1964 or thereabouts. Some aspects (okay, many aspects) are rather old school so I was happy to regress to my childhood with this: No arguments of whether it is decals or transfers, it is simply a cut-out-and-stick-a-bit-of-paper for the instrument panel. I thought I would not risk the highly detailed instrument panels running with wet glue, so I used enamel gloss varnish to stick it down. Home-made seat belts came from masking tape, and the lots looked quite good to my eyes, especially considering the glazing it will be be under: It is all rather nice, and the rose-tinted glasses make it look all dreamy and out-of-focus, just as a nostalgia build should. I have found that I can add the guns and top turret later so any seam cleanup that may be needed will not damage them. I cannot imagine that I will need to do any with this kit... The bomb bay floor and rear bulkhead fitted quite nicely, and all was looking grand until I took the next piccy: Oh where be my instrument panel gone, oh where's it gone, oh where's it gone, tell I where it be! I guess the varnish was not maybe such a good idea after all! I began to worry about this, until it finally began to creep into my little grey cells that I had put a crescent-shaped bit of paper into my rubbish bin. Shortly afterwards, I was on my hands and knees and emptying the bin onto some unfolded newspaper and picking the contents up bit by bit, when my good lady walked into the room, raised her eyebrows, and walked out again! Ahh, the life of a 'modeller' eh? Anyway, I found the panel, and will try and refit it tomorrow. In other news, I have filled the location points for the external guns on the outside of the cockpit, which do not appear on the British versions (that I can see anyway). It is good to have finally started this, but things have not eased up for me away from the bench and will not have too much time. Due to this, this will be pretty much OOB, with minimal adjustments to what was supplied in the kit. Thanks for looking and for your patience, Ray

Thanks for the comments. I fear it will still be a while before I can start this due to external circumstances. With luck things will ease a little and I can get some bench time. Thanks all for the interest, Ray

Well, Steve, that is one big step for your Xantho. The hull is looking great from this side of the screen, and I think that it was a good idea to go through so many variants, but it is well worth while. I am looking forward to seeing the next steps of progress. All the best, Ray

All things being equal, a resounding 'YES!' The Belvedere, Liberator (if I can find somewhere to put it!), Bristol Bulldog (I first thought it was the 1/72 one but was delighted to be wrong), Shannon Class Lifeboat which will go well with my Severn Class one, Chinook as I have now got a love of helicopters, HMS Ajax for entirely nostalgic reasons, H.P. Hampden as I have never built one of those, and the Hawker P.1127 'cos it is cool. I just have to get the Bloodhound and Rotodyne from this year's (2023) releases first, and possibly clear out some of my stash in the meantime Ray, who is really, really pleased with the announcements, and possibly still some 'surprise' ones to follow

If this gets through, can we have an automatic extension to the build because of the number of transfers we need to add to these beasties? Ray PS I seem to have accumulated another GB Phantom by Airfix since this was suggested...

Okay, no pictures but a quick update. I have started to paint the interior so I have slapped on some Humbrol 226 paint here and there. Under the Geneva Convention, it would be illegal for me to show the results after the first coat. Hopefully better next coat.. Troy, thanks for that clarification. I have got some WWII code letters in red, so I may well have something they could be used. I would really like to be as close as possible to 'reality' if I can manage it All the best, Ray

Hmm, I wonder if I could do a 'half model' in the military guise - block off the mounting points for the wings, scratch build a fin/rudder, half a tailplane and a one-legged undercarriage? Stick it into a picture frame - you have got me wondering! Thanks folks! Ray

Hello all. It is good to have another chance to do something 'Froggy'. Way back in my youth, I rarely built anything by Frog, Airfix was my go-to brand. I am pleased to say that I am being rather entranced by the range that Frog actually did and now I have finally got my mitts on one kit of theirs I always wanted to do, but never found. Courtesy of KingKit (where would we be without them!), I got this little beauty: It did cost me a bit more than 45p though. Instructions: Hmm, that looks easy! I have fallen into that trap before though. I think I want to deck out the interior a bit more that what is supplied (apologies for mangling the King's English). The parts (well, most of them): There is a rendition of Amy Johnson, and a dapper standing up figure for the military version that can be done too. However, the bonus in this boxing is: Oooh, three fuselage halves. Now, I know some of you out there have started and built kits using just one fuselage half and creating the other yourself, so here is an opportunity if anyone wants a go @AdrianMF? A spare port half is available. Transfers? I doubt if I will use these: I have my mind more set on this scheme by 26Decals: This will be a slow burner, things outside the hobby will be taking a fair bit of my time, but I will try to do my best. I have another Frog kit (or two) which may appear, but it depends on how things go. Good luck all with your builds, Ray

Crumbs, that is very, very impressive! Thanks for showing this mere mortal how to do that. Ray

U-2? Ray PS, Having continued reading the thread, I apologise for repeating the connection as others had suggested same

Ah, but don't forget, on Top of the Pops they were in a Morris Minor! Ray

I know you are new here, but if you go to the Cold War Aviation section in this forum and ask, you may well get some help. All the best, Ray

@Troy Smith, thanks for that information, it is very handy. I will probably still go with what is in the box and build it as-is. I don't want to commit to modifying too much as that could well be a bit of a rabbit hole at the moment. Maybe another time. There are some interesting options on that sheet. Ray

What a wonderful collection Chris, beautifully done and presented. I am in awe of your brush-painting skills. The stand-out for me was the Vampire 'wasp' with the yellow/black stripes, but they are all fabulous. All the best for 2024, Ray

Adrian, that is pretty good for a 'moderately productive' year, especially when taking into consideration things that you have been having to contend with outside modelling. It is difficult to chose a favourite, so I am going to say 'all of them!' in my best Enzo impersonation Ray

Hello all again. Having just completed the two Gotha bombers, I decided to do something easy. Ha! Another entry for the Not My Comfort Zone GB. This time it was something a little smaller, but even more scary for me. It was the 1/72 Minitracks Citroen Kegresse P2B (I didn't know either, I had to look it up!). This was a resin kit, again with very small parts, and a rather 'sketchy' instruction 'guide'. In the end it taxed my skills a bit, and ended up looking something similar to images I found online: Not one of my best, but after goodness knows how many years in the stash, it had been built, and the GB was totally responsible for that. Now well and truly into 'resin mode', I tackled a new kit, which is a rarity for me. As Airfix have very kindly not made a Javelin in 1/72, and the Novo version in the stash is waiting for a suitable time, I checked out what else was out there (the 1/48 is too big). I found a 1/144th kit from 144th.co.uk, so I ordered the Mk.4 and wondered what I would end up with. ColourCoats brush-painted uppers and Humbrol 56 Aluminium acrylic undersides, excellent kit-supplied transfers and this was the result: There were a lot of stencils supplied, but I must admit I did not put them all on. I really enjoyed this one, and in the hands of a better modeller, a classic could result. 144th do have a good selection of aircraft on their website. And they are so small. I then reverted to my absolute favourite aircraft, the EE Lightning. This is the Airfix F.2A, decked out in 19Sqn markings, RAF Gutersloh 1974. This was my first attempt at the 'green' Lightning. I left no stencils off this one. Again, brush painted with ColourCoats, sprayed silver (Tamiya Bare Metal Silver) underneath: With the range of Airfix Vintage Classics coming out nowadays, they have a great part in my modelling stash. The Commonwealth CA-13 Boomerang was next on the list. This was a 'quick build' and was painted with Revell and Humbrol acrylics. The transfers were superb: Another Group Build loomed, the 'Here Comes the Fleet Air Arm'. Another stash long-term resident was selected for this. It was the original boxing of the new Fairey Swordfish. I bought it within a couple of weeks of it coming out, so I think it was there for 8 or 10 years. I had shied away from it because I was hesitant about the colour scheme. I wanted to do the silver/grey version but felt I did not have the skill. However, having completed a Vildebeeste in that scheme for a commission, I felt now was the time, and this was the result: That one was fun, and was an amazing kit. From the sublime, to another old kit, and another long-term stall. For the same reason, I had not built the Airix 1/72 Avro Anson, but fresh from the Swordfish, this was next. I brush-painted the silver with Revell 90 Silver acrylic, two coats did the job. The markings came from an Xtradecal Coastal Command sheet: A new-release Vintage Classic next, the Airfix 1/72(?) Westland Whirlwind HAS.22 helicopter. I have had a 'love affair' with this kit since the 1960's, when the kit was nearly a teenager! We used to live out in Singapore, and my brother and I went swimming virtually every week (my brother swam, I sort of thrashed about). He then started diving into the pool, and I wanted to do the same. He very kindly tried to tutor me to do it, but I found I had an inordinate fear of water on my face, so never managed. He tried to coax me by saying he would buy me enough models of the Whirlwind to make up a squadron of them that were based in Singapore if I could even just slide into the water face first. I never got any... I have built plenty since, and it was great to revisit it, but by golly, it needs a new-tool: I don't know what caused that blurring in the cabin door window - I used Humbrol Clearfix and three or four times that window did the same thing, none of the other ones did. Strange. You had better sit down now, next was a new model! Well, 2015 anyway, the Revell Shackleton AEW.2. This was a delight to do, and all those rivets (albeit recessed) made it look right. It is Mr Rusty. It was brush painted again. Making the red/white/red prop tips was easier than I thought: Another new-ish kit next, the Special Hobby Boulton Paul Balliol, in a civi guise. It was fun to build, I did not use all of the etch supplied, and the glazing went better than I had been led to expect from reviews - maybe it had been modified? It added a splash of colour: And finally, an old kit (for a change!). This one is one year younger than I am, but is the new Vintage Classic issue. The DH Heron was one of those kits that back in the day I had heard of, but could never get, and it seemed like a 'Holy Grail'. A couple of years ago, one of my Model Club friends gave me a kit of it, and I built it as the Queen's Flight aircraft. I wanted to do this one in a more classic scheme. Many aircraft in the 1960's had shiny silver metal, and I wanted to see if I could replicate that. I decided to leave the rivets and raised detail on, and also any blemishes on the surface. I sprayed Tamiya grey primer over the whole plane, then white primer on the fuselage uppers, followed by Gloss white. Not having masked the rest (except transparencies), there was some overspray. I then used some Mr MetalColor Stainless paint, roughly 'scrabbed' onto the wings and lower fuselage sides, then buffed it up with cotton buds and clean tissues. The mix of rivets, raised details, and dodgy spraying, seems to have produced a nicely 'weathered' shiny metal surface, but that might just be my biased eyes. See what you think: It is a shame I lost a little bit of the white cheatline above the forward port passenger window, and also that I forgot to mask the side cockpit windows, so had to re-mask and paint them in with gloss black in a simplified outline. I would like to try this technique on a better kit now, I think it has potential. There we go, that is the last of my 2023 builds, I doubt if I will be quite so productive in 2024, but we will see. Thanks for getting to the end of this Ray HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!

Thanks Bertie, I have now corrected my oversight in the Double Bomber GB thread! Thanks Jeroen, Alynbank could well have been a contender for the Not My Comfort Zone builds as well. I tried to depict it in still, Arctic waters where my reference photographs showed a nice, rich, deep blue sea. Cheers Keeff! That means a lot Thanks Chris. I don't know about brave, mad more like, but I enjoyed building them (don't tell @AdrianMF though!) Thanks Spiny, very much appreciated Adrian, my modelling mojo remained intact, and you should see what I have just started (it will be a slow burner though) - the Heller 1/100 Soliel Royal - what the Dickens have I done? Thanks to all who have commented, liked and looked. The second installment follows in a mo Ray

Okay @Bertie McBoatface, two pages and goodness knows how many months late, here are some comparison photographs of the German 'Giant Bomber' Gotha GIV, one of it's contemporaries, and a later maritime recon aircraft: The GIV compared to the Felixstowe and... ... a seagull's eye view from above, followed by: The GIV versus the Revell Avro Shackleton AEW.2. Back in the day though, the Gothas were huge and must have spread terror for those in their sights. All the best, and please accept my apologies for the delay! Ray

I am knocking on a bit Don, and I think I must have forgotten to take one! I will see what I can do for you tomorrow! Thank you so much for the very kind comments, they are very much appreciated! Ray

Hello all, this was quite a productive year. I will do two separate posts for ease of viewing for you. The firsat completion was the Airfix 1/48 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I, from 141 Sqn, 1941. It was a fabulous kit, I had no issues at all with it, but did take heed of warnings about fitting the rear gun turret. I sanded the interior of the mounting ring until the turret fitted nicely, then finished them off separately and only fitted the turret at the end. It was brush-painted with ColourCoats enamels: That one nearly got me in trouble with Farcebook when I mentioned the name of the aircraft 'Cock o' the North', they accused me of using profound language! On Farcebook, I kid you not considering... Next was a subject for the Salty Sea Dog GB, the Starling Models HMS Alynbank. A 1/700 resin kit of a WWII Auxiliary Anti-Aircraft Cruiser, it is safe to say that it challenged me more than somewhat for various reason, mainly that some parts were very small! Needing something simpler, the Airfix Vintage Classic 1/72 Aichi D3A1 'Val' was next. A simple, OOB build and it was soon done. The transfers were never this good in the 1960's! Humbrol 40 Acrylic was my paint of choice, brush painted again. Not as good as ColourCoats! No rivets were harmed during the build: I was now ready for another 'Salty Sea Dog', and the Airfix Vintage DUKW found its way into my grasp. I did something slightly different. I gave it a bit of an interior, and a decked-out passenger compartment, and gave it a splash of colour for the Sefton Lifeguards scheme: Another Airfix Vintage Classic was next, this time the lovely little 1/72 Shooting Star. What a joy this was to build. I think it was the first time I have done one of these, and I can now see why it was highly regarded. I sprayed it with Tamiya Gloss Aluminium from a rattle can: I then got rid of my Tamiya Japanese Auxiliary vessels set. I had wanted to upgrade them with photo etch but failed to find any, and could not work out how to add railings on ships with such pronounced sheer, so I just slapped them together for fun: Then I completely went bonkers. There was a Group Build called 'Not My Comfort Zone' so naturally I decided to build two 1/72 WWI Bombers in tandem. The first was the Roden Gotha GII, a model I bought in 2009 (ish), looked at it when I got home and buried it at the bottom of my stash, quivering for days afterwards. I had read reviews, and it was supposed to be ' a challenge'. Well, it was. I got some Techmod transfers for the GIV and found I could cut and shunt various serial numbers to produce one of the aircraft. It turned out to be a challenge, but I am glad it is now finally done, brush-painted with ColourCoats Doped Linen. Using the original Roden transfers was a step too far outside my Comfort Zone: And finally for this posting, the counter-point to the last one, the Rareplanes Gotha GIV vacform. I had built it when it first came out, and it was fabulous to be given another chance to build it again. Peter B (on this fine forum) offered me one just for postage, and I promised him that I would build it. The Roden kit had parts for a number of different versions, and a lot of the spares went into this. I still had to scratch build the pilot seat and a few other bits and pieces (internal bomb racks) but it was a very satisfying build. The NMCZ-ness was in building this and the Roden one at the same time and keeping them at pretty much the same stage. I used Akan Western Approaches Blue acrylic paint for the pale blue, I don't think it is too far out, and Humbrol 105 for the green section on the nose to match the green of the Techmod markings: And the pair: The in progress work is available here if you would like a look on these two: I will leave this at that for now, hopefully I can post the rest of my output for 2023 tomorrow. Thanks for looking, have a great New Year Ray

Hello all. This will be my entry to this Group Build, the old Airfix Mitchell. This has been around for a long time, 1964 or thereabouts. I know I built one in the 1967-70 timescale (it took less time than that!) and have done quite a few since. This will be strictly (well, almost) OOB. Family matters prevent me having too much time at the workbench so I am in this for fun and relaxation. I will make one or two changes to the kit, but will mention those as I go along. It will not be super-accurate, and the markings may not match the Mk which I build, but I have been given permission! Anyway, here are the intro pictures - first, the box: 'Lady Luck' is the one I have nearly always built in the past, I am afraid that to my eyes without a glass nose, it does not look like a Mitchell (there are two solid-nosed versions included as well). Who says first impressions as a youngster do not affect your outlook on life! I never could get a good finish with brush-painted Airfix or Humbrol Silver enamel paints, and they never seemed to dry properly. Now the parts: It has that nice, lovely silver plastic which retains all the surface detail marks when they get sanded off. I think I will leave it in all of it's rivetted glory. The kit gives three marking options, but not many transfers: I have decided to give the scheme a bit of a makeover, and will use markings from this set: And in particular, one of these two options: I have got mainly Humbrol paints, and the new-tooled version of the Airfix Mitchell suggests Humbrol 128 (I will have to check that) but Humbrol's conversion chart suggests that the equivalent for Xtracolour Neutral Gray was Humbrol 126. I know one alteration I will need to do is get rid of location points for the two sets of two guns on the side of the fuselage near the cockpit, images of RAF Mitchells don't show them. Another challenge will be masking for the D-Day stripes, something I always struggle with. Anyway, I am looking forward to starting this when the time comes. All the best with your builds, Ray

Ah, one where you don't need to worry about prop shapes! (I was going to say 'crumbs, they are small blades' but...) I always like the lines of this one, it will be interesting to see Ray

I think maybe we should have said 'a smaller or larger version of an existing new-tool already kitted' instead, or as was mentioned: I know what you mean though, Ray

Can you please clarify something for me? I have the old Airfix B-25 Mitchell in my stash. The transfers are shot, but I have a set of Xtradecal markings for a British aircraft. Will I be allowed to build it even if some details are incorrect (as in not the specific version?) I do have other kits which would be eminently suitable (Mossie, Beaufort, Me410) so it would not matter if I could not clear it from the stash (it would qualify for the Airfix Classic GB later) Many thanks, Ray

I have decided to try and participate in seven Group Builds on this fine forum, but mainly as OOB builds. In the background I want to have a more complex model under weigh. It depends on family circumstances though Ray