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Col.

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Posts posted by Col.

    Nimrod MRA.4's

    in Aircraft Modern

    Posted · Edited by Col.

    You'd need to scratch build everything... it's not out yet, you know :rofl:

    I'll get my coat (IGMC) :blush:

    Know how you say you're feeling ill just now Mike, it's not a mental illness by any chance is it? :banghead:

    Come to think of it, is you're coat a nice white one with lots of straps and buckles and long sleeves that wrap around the back to save you hurting yourself? :tease:

    Revell 144th Hunter

    in Work in Progress - Aircraft

    Posted

    Coming along nicely mate, that must be tiny!

    ps: where's the firefly?

    Thanks mate, and yes it is!

    As for the Firefly, she languishes in a corner of the wooden chest I use as a modelling bench and storage area taunting me every time I open it. The Hunter should help me get back the enthusiasm to finishing her.

    Very neat - but you won't be able to see the detail you've added.... :P Don't forget that it needs a lot of nose-weight.

    Cheers,

    Chris.

    Don't worry mate, I've got good eyesight! :D

    Also, I'm building this one in-flight with a clear rod up her backside so no need to try and pack weight into that tiny nose area.

    I couldn't sleep last night after the race because the adrenaline (well, did get second place!) was still high so worked on a bit longer. Mainly to remove the dog-tooth from the wings and re-shape the jet pipe.

    P1010003-1.jpg

    P1010005.jpg

    Revell 144th Hunter

    in Work in Progress - Aircraft

    Posted

    Having pretty much given up wrestling with the Airfix Firefly for the time being I thought it best to tackle something a little less, how shall we put this...demanding, frustrating and just downright pish.

    So without further ado I cracked open Revell's 144th Hunter and got started.

    Here's what you get in the box.

    P1010003.jpg

    The parts are nicely moulded and contain an amazing amount of detail for such a small kit but I just couldn't help myself. A rear bulkhead and sidewall ribs will help add a bit of interest to a cockpit which should remain visable through the clear and reasonably thin canopy.

    P1010007.jpg

    I've ordered some of Aeroclub's 144th pilots as I want to build this one in-flight but they're taking a while to come. As of now I have the fuselge halves together with the Brake parachute housing sanded off and the exhaust packed with some filler to allow modification to the small bore of the earlier Avon engines. Only a little filler was needed on the seams and to cover the positioning holes for the link collectors. I've also got the two wing halves together in preperation for modifying the leading edge tomorrow.

    Tamiya 1:48 Spitfire Mk.Vb en830

    in Work in Progress - Aircraft

    Posted

    I still think the underside is blue though. Look at the pic taken from the left side. In the profile you'll note that the artist has rendered the panel under the tailplane in blue, yet, in the photo it sticks out like a sore thumb! I think it more likely, given the hue of the known yellow control surfaces that the underside is blue grey and the panel yellow.

    Oh, and I really like the way we're having this debate without any trace of BS too! :clap2:

    Jen.

    Good point about the panel under the tailplane Jen, I'd not taken that into account.

    Having opened a new window so I can look at the photos and reply at the same time (Obsesive, me? Nah. :rolleyes: ) I have to say that panel seems particularly light even under the shadow of the tailplane and there appears to be something writen on it. Could this be some form of data panel in another colour, such as white perhaps? It's not blue, that's for sure.

    It's such a pleasure to have a civilised debate like this :thumbsup:

    Just think, I could be painting or working on one of my own models right now but instead I'm away to search the internet for info on an aircraft I have no intention of ever rendering in either paint or plastic :wall::doh:

    Tamiya 1:48 Spitfire Mk.Vb en830

    in Work in Progress - Aircraft

    Posted

    It did a belly up landing in Jersey, when the pilot mistook it for the Isle of Wight... incidentally, the pilot was later involved in the Great Escape, but was recaptured & executed by the Gestapo :angry:

    I had read that he and another pilot were shot for that. Kinda brings home the reasons why war, while hell, is sometimes a necessary evil.

    I suspect that someone's possibly mistaken the dented appearance of the fuselage sides for mottling, although there is clear evidence of a darker wavy edged spinal strip in the pic below, which also shows some evidence of 2-tone camo on the wings:

    I was going to argue that the lighter tone near the wing root could be a reflection from the yellow of the nose but having looked at the other photo showing the wing upper surface there is clearly a two-tone scheme going on there.

    As for the upper-fuselage spinal strip, I'm still not convinced. Have a look at the cockpit door in the other photos. In one there looks to be an S-shaped line while the other shows nothing. I think the worn and battered nature of this machine could account for some of the tonal variation seen throughout the fuselage. As you say, she was popular with the test-pilots and looks to have had a hard life.

    In the end I have to hold my hands up and admit I know nothing about Luftwaffe aircraft and their colours, far less those used for test purposes.

    Tamiya 1:48 Spitfire Mk.Vb en830

    in Work in Progress - Aircraft

    Posted

    On the subject of topside colour-schemes, I'd say it's a single colour without variation based on the various photos, just as with the P-38. I take it you feel the same Jen, or have I misinterpreted you?

    The one thing I did notice is just how battered the lower rear fuselage looks on the port side between the codes and the leading edge of the tailplane! What the hell were they doing with the poor thing?

    Tamiya 1:48 Spitfire Mk.Vb en830

    in Work in Progress - Aircraft

    Posted · Edited by Col.

    I'd say the final photo shows a Spit in it's standard RAF scheme with Luftwaffe markings painted over the RAF ones, probably because they wanted to get it tested ASAP. As you say, bugger all help with reference to such a heavily modified airframe as the 'Messyspit' (cool name by the way Jen :winkgrin: ). There is a lot of evidence to suggest most captured aircraft had their undersurfaces painted yellow to help identify them as test aircraft and possibly avoid being shot down by so-called friendly-fire but there are also exceptions such as the B-17.

    Have a close look at the leading edge of the rudder in your first photo. The tone is exactly the same as the underside of the airframe in that area. Now look at the underside of the elevators, they are very dark due to the shadows and lack of light in that area. One would assume a light colour such as yellow would reflect a little more light but this is clearly not the case here.

    Now to add one more consideration to the confusion. I would think the yellow and light blue used by the Luftwaffe at the time are very close in tone, thus it will be very difficult to differentiate between the two from black & white photos.

    If I were you I'd go with the yellow as the most likely option and challenge anyone why argues to provide positive proof to the contrary. If they do it's not impossible to re-spray her at a later date.

    Edited 'cause I can't spell for toffee :rolleyes:

    What do you think Trumps next FAA kit in 48th will be?

    in Aircraft Cold War

    Posted · Edited by Col.

    Given that the last few releases came as a surprise to me I'm not sure what to expect next. I mean, Wyvern, Gannet and Sea Hawk kits suit me just fine but this comes at a time when almost every other major company is knocking out things that appeal to the larger American market. I'll say American as opposed to U.S. since so many other nations operate American machines that a simple change in decal sheets would give each kit a much wider appeal.

    What I would have expected was something like Grumman Guardian, perhaps a couple of kits based on common sprues to produce an E-2 Hawkeye and it's COD brother (called the Trader I think?) and perhaps a P-80 Shooting Star. I can only assume that these releases and the much rumoured 32nd scale Jag/Bucc/Lightning means there is some person or persons within Trumpeter's high management who have a serious liking for British machines. All I can hope is that the market sustains this predilection :pray:

    As for the next FAA subject, I've got a looooooong wish-list but wouldn't bet against an Attacker.

    Hard edge camo???

    in Aircraft Modern

    Posted

    Personally I think this debate is a good thing so long as none of us try to impose what we consider 'right' on everyone else and to be quite honest that was one of the reasons why I seldom visit the ARC any more. Seems to be a few group-think issues arising there. It seems so much more civil here, people are getting express opinions without getting shouted down.

    There are so many areas of debate on the methods of finishing a model these days it can only be a good thing, wouldn't it be boring if we all built them exactly the same way?

    144th pilots

    in Aircraft Cold War

    Posted

    Didn't think they're at all bad really, quite restrained but overly heavy weathering could make them look out of place I guess. There's an attempt at cockpit detail and something to busy up the landing gear wells, more than could be said for the old Airfix 72nd kit.

    Chances are I'll start it as soon as I get the pilot figures, want to do a quick build as a break from the Firefly but considering backdating it to a Mk. 4 or even a 1 in flight. Haven't seen this kit in any of my local shops, even though they all had the 72nd and 32nd kits so don't know if they are a big seller?

    144th pilots

    in Aircraft Cold War

    Posted

    I guess she's just glad to see me playing with little bits of plastic because it keeps me quiet and saves me wandering the streets at night.

    On the subject of little bits of plastic, this Hunter has some nice detail in it for such a tiny kit!

    144th pilots

    in Aircraft Cold War

    Posted

    Guess who just discovered Aeroclub has it's own website showing their 144th Mk. 3 bang seat and pilots set as a stock item? :dunce:

    Needless to say I had to order several other items just to make it worthwhile to have them sent off to me. Honestly Fiona, we save money on postage that way :whistle:

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