At Sea

Oh! Some ideas would be helpful. I have so far... Phantom F4D Vigilante Intruder Sea King Skyhawk Corsair Crusader Skyraider

Planning on starting a new theme for my modelling. I thought US Navy in Vietnam would be a colourful and interesting period. Any tips on best manufacturers in this scale? Do any aftermarket decal manufacturers make 'whole ship' themed sets? Quite fancy doing an embarked CAG for one year, Such as USS Saratoga 1968 or something. Thanks in advance. :-)

I concuur!

I have solved the issue of space and am buying a big glass cabinet to put in my garage. Spitfire 1a Hurricane 1 Typhoon (late 4 blade prop) The forthcoming (I hope) Spitfire XIVe high back or XII Mosquito 1/24 scale heaven! :-) Seeing as Airfix have a RNZAF love affair in 1/24 (jericho Mossie & Al Deere's KL- B Spitfire I hope the Typhoon includes Desmond Scott's aircraft. Typhoon Pilot is one of my favourite books, still have the original copy I got when I was 12.

Ooooohhhhh!!!! Wanted them to do this in 1/48; Guess I need a bigger house. If the do ever do a Griffon Spitfire I will have to!

On completion of the Airfix Club MkXVIe I was left with a lot of spares. One of which that intrigued me was the A - Frame hook assembly from the out of production Seafire III kit. I put this too one side and thought no more until I bought the Seafire XVII kit (which is as gorgeous as the MkXII Spitfire kit) and found a spare set of wings. A plan was hatched.... Phase 1: Once I have completed my Seafire XVII I plan to butcher a Spitfire XII to insert the A - Frame section and the Seafire XVII folded wing to give me an early Seafire XV. Other mods are adding a longer trim tab to the rudder & leaving off the bulge between the V of the engine cowls. Phase 2: I will then have a rather nice clipped E-Wing, which I plan to use the uppers of and the wheel bay out part of the lower wings to graft onto the centre section of the also excellent Spitfire MkXIX. This combined with filling the camera ports, sanding off the fuel pump bulges, cutting off the pressurisation pump intake on the port cowl and a few other minor mods gives me a fair Spitfire XIVe. Best bit of all is the spare decals from the Seafire XVII can be adapted to an XV and one of the first squadrons to get Spitfire XIV's were the same ones who already operated MkXII's so the DL-K decals will be used for that. References I am using are the very comprehensive Warpaint Seafire guide & the Osprey Griffon Spitfire Aces book. This will be a slow burner but I will update with photos at key stages and let you know if this plan will work!

Sorry I have taken so long to reply... Very helpful. :-) thanks!

My grandfathers log book from 433 shows he was navigating Halifax III's up to feb 45.

Okay ignore me! This has been done to death elsewhere!

Hi, Have just finished my XIX and fancied trying to make an XIVe using MkXII wings and other bits. Has anyone done this? Is there an easier way? Are Airfix going to do the obvious and bring one out as the tooling would be similar? Any advice gratefully received!

As I am working my way through all Spitfire marks I may as well chuck a SeaFire into the mix! Now, do I do the obvious and do an Airfix oob build or modify a MkV into a Seafire III?

Thanks, that is the kind of thing I was after. Will post some pics in ready for inspection soon as I have been on a real journey with my builds over the last few years, taking me from 'school boy' modelling to a mpore grown up approach.

This is what I like about this place, ask a fairly simple question (though nothing Spitfire related seems to be simple!) and get some very thorough answers. Nice to learn something every time I log on. Thanks everyone! :-)

The above comments all make it clear; Fuel economy & mission suitability. I did not realise production stopped in '45. I guess that if you havd aircraft you may as well take them on charge weather they have a Merlin or not. I agree that the merlin IX and it's derivatives as well as the VIII were probably much nicer to fly than the more brutal Griffon engined aircraft.

I was wondering if anyone knew why the Merlin powered Spitfires remained in production for so long, up to 1944 this may have made sense but they were still being delivered new post war. I know the Griffon has its problems but given the success of the XIV and XIX, not to mention Typhoons etc surely the IX / XVI series had had their day?

Thanks! :-)

Hi, I need some advice, I am using humbrol enamels airbrushed with humbrol enamel thinners. Can I use Humbrol Clear over the top? What should I use to matt it after I have finished? currently use Humbrol Satin Cote... Anyone with experience of this let me know their prefered products / techniques. Thanks.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! I like the look of this, since I started modelling again I have stuck to Airfix out of a loyalty to an old friend who needed support. Now Airfix look stable I may break ranks and have this! Stunning detail. Glad my modelling is improving to a point where I may be able to do it justice!

Thank you for your help chaps! :-)

That's what I thought... I don't suppose the Revell Halifax II would yield useable fusalage & wings? I know engines & vertical tails were different on II to III but maybe I could make something useful from the two?

Does anyone make masks for camouflage? I have been using blu-tak & tamiya tape but some pre cut masks for common kits would be good (?) Spitfires seem a good candidate.

Hi, My grandfather was a Navigator on Halifax III's with 433 squadron RCAF. I would like to build a representation of his aircraft BM-L or BM-J. I am only aware of the Aifix Halifax III which is very old now, is there a better / newer kit available? I have a decal sheet all sorted out by bashing some other aftermarket bomber command decal sheets. Thanks.

I think it is marvellous! A beautiful aircraft well rendered. For the price, unbeatable! :-) As regards making an FRXIVe I was going to use the wings from the Airfix Spitfire IX and then use the XIX wings to make a PRXI.

Ideal, so it is entirely feasable that my mk IX would have appeared like that. Good enough for me! Thanks.

Hi, yes I saw that as well, but wondered if it was still VZ-B? Thanks for posting it.