maltadefender

As I understand it all the parts for a standard Lanc are in the Dam-Busters boxing. New box and decals and away we go...

Hi Tony, The pink Hurri was Z3053, my first build on the Malta GB. Info on it is in this post: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234915684-pr-hurricane-69-squadron/?p=1000404 Very much looking forward to Christmas Day with your handiwork! All best Nick

I picked up a few of these little bargains to practice my rigging as well. Looks well worth the effort.

I did mine as the pink one which flew briefly in Malta. There may have been more in the ME

You don't make life easy for yourself - but well worth the hard work! The DH9 is my favourite. I remember this as a really obstinate little brute and that was without attempting to rig it. Very fine work in every sense.

Me too. Try writing them in txt spk and see who notices.

Never mind dromedaries and still less shuddering at the memory of offending panel gaps, decal register or box art. If we're going to be pedantic then Airfix needs to shoot its PR people. Airfix announce new 2014 releases at Scale Model World What does this mean? It's just some words put together with only a vague connection to one another. If the intention is to bring our attention to a future announcement it should say (at the very least): Airfix to announce new 2014 releases at Scale Model World Pah! You'd never get this sort of thing from Tamigawa!

I think it might be WW1 related for the Centenary. Surely any manufacturer would look at the raptures WNW has created in the hobby and said 'I'd love a bag o'that!' 1/24 Camel?

New tool Blenheim? Pleeease?

At this time of year model shops do appear in otherwise vacant premises. In the past few years we've had quite a few 'pop-up' model shops around the Christmas period... all gone by February. The problem with Modelzone was that they couldn't compete on price or range with the online specialists. Also the staff - in my experience - treated it very much as a McJob and an alternative to assembling Happy Meals. No knowledge or interest in the products or customers whatsoever. I won't be buying from WH Smith - if I'm going to pay full RRP for an Airfix kit then I'll go to a museum shop where hopefully they keep part of the proceeds, otherwise I'll support the specialist traders who will be keeping the hobby going and, with lower overheads, pricing their goods at a more realistic level.

Hmmm, perhaps I can justify it with the Keith Caldwell Mk.VC and BR301 from Malta...

Wow she's a beaut! Can't wait to see her when you've got the finishing touches how you want them but I'd certainly be happy with that. Hmmm... $30 plus shipping... I can't I can't I can't I... might!

Can we see the Johnnie Johnson VB, Paramedic?? I'm hoping to do that one myself - did you make your own markings?

Really lovely work on a dear old kit. Love it.

Very probably - if I'm allowed to do interpretations of the Hornet Squadron aircraft from Derek Robinson's brilliant novel A Good Clean Fight!

When it comes to Hornby and Scalextric, they were on sale or return at ModelZone, so someone has got to shift a lot of stock before new models roll out. In contrast Airfix kits were greatly reduced by ModelZone in store and online. Presumably somebody is currently sitting on thee kits (be it the receiver or Hornby - although my money's on the latter). Then presumably by next summer this 'excess' stock have been farmed out at 40% off through preferred retailers. After that we might get some news about what's new...

If we're talking about this aircraft - assumed to be P9495: Then to my eye it is at an angle as per the instructions.

I reckon there'll be a 1/32 Bentley GT3 as Scalextric has got the exclusive deal for slot car variants. Easy to predict D-Day reboxings of the usual suspects, I suspect (arf!) to hoover up all the passing trade in Hamleys, Harrods and whatever WH Smith is going to do with Modelzone. Presumably a standard Lancaster B.I/B.III boxing of the Dam-Busters kit too, as I gather everything's already in there bar decals. I'd love a new tool Bf109F, though - 1/72 or 1/48.

Love the gloss finish - I've just tucked the 1/48 in my stash with the intention of doing this livery someday... be sure I'll be haunting this thread on a regular basis when I do!

Hi, Chris! Long time no see, it's been a heck of a year - but glad to see you're doing a DW-K! Is she finished yet? Hope my research has helped a little... not sure whether it clarifies or muddifies! I'm going to work away on a little project this winter to produce half a dozen 610 Spits - aiming for various Mk.Is from September 1939, May 1940, June 1940 and August 1940, a VB from June 1942 and a XIV from May 1944. I probably won't do build threads but will try and get them done and displayed ASAP. WHich could be 2015 but let's hope not! All best Nick

For non-RAF accomplishments I submit A.F.P. Fane, the first PR Spitfire pilot to photograph the Tirpitz, who was a pre-war racing driver who had a contract to replace Dick Seaman in the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix team for 1940. Weighing in on behalf of the FAA, the 1953 Le Mans winner Duncan Hamilton flew Seafires. Now... I need a good few of these Gladiators to be going on with!

Back from my work-related travels... more to follow from the 'yellow peril!'

Thanks Waren - I'm back now and looking forward to finishing the old girl off now. Next up: driver figure.

Dear all, A touch late, perhaps, but I would very much like to join the fray very soon. I have been away with work for a month, requiring me to finish off my well-advanced Le Mans and Mosquito GB entries first, but there's still plenty of time to complete my propoed floatplane. I would like to have a go at the Heinkel He115 operated by the RAF from the Kalafrana seaplane base in Malta during 1941. There is only one blurry image that I'm aware of so will have to go cautiously, this being one of the five Heinkels to have been ferried out of Norway by escaping crews in the spring of 1940. Legend has it that there were two RAF-operated Heinkels on the Island, one being destroyed in its hangar by Italian bombing and one being shot down - although all the accounts I have read refer only to one aircraft. The principal activities for the Heinkel were dropping off agents in occupied North Africa and picking up stranded aircrew. It was in this latter role, when attempting to rescue the crew of a downed Swordfish which was itself on clandestine ops, that it was apparently shot down. Unlike other RAF-operated He115s, which carried Dark Earth/Dark Green/Night camouflage with RAF roundels, the aircraft on Malta retained splinter camouflage and German markings. Quite what the exact markings were is a mystery. It's a remarkable story, one I'd like to dig around a bit while putting together this kit - I'll be using the Revell reissue of the old Matchbox (and reminding myself that I really don't enjoy masking canopies at all!) Anyway, all being well I'll join you as soon as possible.

Very crisp, well done.