Damocles

David & Mike, Thanks very much for the information. I think an order will be placed very soon. Best Regards, Chris.

Got the PM, and bits in the post. Heres a Quick picture of the parts mentioned and some others. Chris.

IR/EO (Infra Red / Electronic Optical), a must for any budding urban crime fighter. Would aid target acquisition, identification and tracking, and would bring the Loach up to date, but that just opens the door to a glass cockpit !. I wouldn't take a thing for it, it's been in the box for nearly 9 years. If you send me an address, I will try and get it away tomorrow, heading to Donegall on Sarurday for a weehis When mounting the 50 cal , make sure you fit a chute for the ejected brass, I used tiny springs , with wire up the middle for shape. Think I have one or 2, I'll fire them in to. Chris.

Hi Liam, Will your Loach have any optics fitted, I should have some left over resin parts from a Cobra company AH-6, incudinga IR/EO turret that you are welcome to . Chris.

Same here, used it for airsoft. Was lucky enough to get a full set from Crye (lovely helpful lady called Angelique from thier Brooklyn outlet) back in May 2005, a few month before it became real popular in the US SF community and they stopped selling to public. The 10th SFG and PJ's started using it about 3 or 4 years ago, but I believe ACU has been canned and has or is in the process of being issued to USSOCM, Rangers and then the green army. If you go to the following page, there is a nice shot if the SFSG in recent times in MC http://www.eliteukforces.info/gallery/uksf...sg-multicam.php I know the decals are a bit of a cop out, but have never been able to exaclty colour match and there is still quite a bit of effort needed to get these on, and plenty of trial and error to get the colours right. If you wish, send me your email and I can send you a JPEG. I'm off on holidays on Saturday, so let me know before then if you would like it. Chris.

I know that this subject may make many an experience modeller and painter disgusted, but after may failed attempts at recreating the US camouflage pattern 'MultiCam' by Crye Precision, and more recently the new UK 'Multiple Terrain Pattern' (very similar by same manufacturer). I decided to get a set of custom decals by Parkes Decals made to see if I could get the desired effect. I have had a set of Crye MultiCam greens for 5 years, so am quite familiar with the pattern and was determined to recreate this scheme in 1/35. I did a quick Google search, and found the best sample pattern available (admittedly it was not great, but short of contacting Crye themselves, I settled for what I could get). I then proceeded to amend the pattern (with two distinct sections, one darker than the other), and create a A4 jpeg for Paul at Parkes to print. I also took the opportunity to get some 'fictional' unit emblems also made up. After a little over a week, the sheet arrived and I was well happy with what I received, a nice shiny A4 decal sheet, well packaged with three hand written instructions on post-it notes. The personal touch, just made the 'this is just for me' experience of getting custom decals made all the better. I am assuming that I suffer from the affliction as many a modeller does, which can only be described as a little 'bi-polar', where by periods of patients and extreme care, excessive planning and attention to detail can be often be offset by impulsiveness and sheer 'I just got to get it out of the box and give it a wizz' !. Well I grabbed an unmade 1/35 MIG Productions U.S. Navy SEAL, I gave him a quick wash down while the hot water was cooling, and off I set. Using Revell's 'Decal Soft' and a cotton-bud, I applied a small section to the lower right leg (unpainted beige resin base colour). as you can see the lack of a suitable base colour, leaves the decal looking very transparent and washed out, but at least I was on the road. I then painted the upper leg with Vallejo Model Colour 'Stone Grey' as a base colour. Again, rushed but in the spirit of things, I was doing something on the road of discovery. The pictures I have attached include my MultiCam greens and lid for reference, although the colour does not come through well at all, and some pictures of the lower and upper leg. The decals are excellent, the Decal Soft worked a treat and with some trial and error with a suitable base colour, and a matt coat finish, this could work out well. (again many apologies to the painting fraternity out there, although the remainder of the figure will be hand painted, so I am not entirely going to the dark side. And many thanks to Paul at Parkes, highly recommended. (sorry some of the pictures are a bit out of focus, D-SLR will have to brought out next time). Best Regards, Chris.

Hi Brian, I am really tempted to go for the Sufa, is there any chance you could put up some pictures of the pilots and wings (would like to see what options are available for control surfaces). Best Regards, Chris.

Has anyone got the Academy 1/32 scale F-16I SUFA yet ?. If so, what are your thoughts ?. I am planning a WIF, RAF version armed with Meteor, Storm Shadow and a few LGB's, but will wait until some PE/Resin detail sets are available. Chris.

Hi Tony, Do you know anything of the aircraft's history ?. Chris.

Hi Tony, Do you know anything of the aircraft's history ?. Chris.

Hi Paul, Just wondering if you have ever produced sheets of camoflage patterns for 1/35 scale figures ?. I was looking at the Trumpeter site, and they provide some sheets of camoflage for their German and American army figure sets. Of particular interest would be the Crye Multi-Cam(USA)/Multi-Terrain Pattern(UK) and US ACU. Regards, Chris.

Hi Pete, I'm just setting out on a AFV Club Stryker CV, and was wondering if the Trumpeter kit comes with a non-slip finish to the upper suface ?. (I am assuming that the LAV III, has a similar external finish Spec to the Stryker). Cheers, Chris.

http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx305/d...erMasking01.jpg http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx305/d...rNon-Slip01.jpg http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx305/d...rNon-Slip02.jpg http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx305/d...rNon-Slip03.jpg http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx305/d...erMasking04.jpg Havn't worked out how to put actual pictures up, but this works. Chris.

Gents, Just though I would update my progress on the non-slip surface. Unfortunately the cast-a-cote product is no longer being produced by Cammett, so i charged head on with plasti-kote option. I used the plasti-kote 'velvet toutch' spray, with a combination of Tamya masking tape and Mig masking fluid. Whilst there was a few small areas, where i missed and one area, where i sprayed a little to much, resulting in a build-up of the spray(a little to eager and impatient i think), a little clean-up will do the trick, and to be honest for a first attempt, I am more than happy with the end result. Once I work out how to attach pictures, I will put a few up. Thanks again for all you help and direction. Chris.

Either would be grand Tony, it's just a steer to see what I should be planning for, as to date I've just focused on externals. Got the Blackdog interior form Blast Models and the PE was mangled, so am trying to source a replacement from manufacturer. Thanks, Chris

Gents, Thanks for the excellent feedback. I think the only option here is to give the Cast-a-Coat and Plasti-kote both a go on an unwanted kit. Plasti-Kote has been got thanks to B&Q, and am awaiting a response back from Cammett fro the Cast-a-Cote. I will post up the results once done. TonyT, If you have any internal shots that would be excellent, as i have now called a halt to the purchas of more books and internet research, in favour of actually building something !. Thanks Again, Chris.

Excellent Mike, and thanks for the welcome. This option, certainly appeals considering the amount of masking required for my first option, and I am building two together. I will check out the cast-a-coat, and hopefully post up some pictures of work in progress. Nice, Abrams by the way, should have signe dup to the forum a long time ago, really getting me in the mood now. Thanks again. Chris.

Hi all, After a long break from modelling, I am starting back with a 1/35 AFV Club M1130 CV Stryker, and am looking for some help in applying a non-slip surface to the upper surfaces. I recently bought the SAM Publications ' Operation Freedom US Army, Abrams, Bradley & Stryker'. This book is excedllently refrenced, and offers inspiration and ideas aplenty for building super detailed kits. The book details the process of applying a non-slip texture to upper surfaces on all three types, using 'Rustoleum Fine Textured Spray Paint' and a lot of masking. Can anyone advise where I can get the Rustoleum spray paint in the UK, and what exactly is the product name. I believe it is 'Aged Iron', but I am unsure from which range it is from, and a Google search brings up plenty of suppliers, but a huge product range to choose from. Best Regards, Chris.