Paul J

Brilliant! Very imaginative you Kiwis and a good sense of humour.

Hasegawa!! They did a long wing F-86 but had raised panel lines. I ways thought a not bad kit. Trouble is finding one!! It was a long time ago but I have built a few but now all I have left of any of them is the canopy which I can use on an Airfix one. The Fujimi and Hobbycraft versions of same kit had the speed brakes the wrong shape being quite square.

While there is a buzzz here created by Hornets, I found this in my box of proposed built model disposals. I don't think I have shown it here so here it is. Its not my best as I had moments of grief making this one. Leading Edge decals used and Hasegawa Two seater kit. Shown alongside my recent finisher for the F-18 GB, It depicts 60th Anniversary of 410 'Cougar' Squadron and representing its night fighter role during WW2 on the special fin decoration. The '964' digits on the nose should be 904. I damaged the decal and repllaced the '0' with a '6' with the idea of repainting the centre trying to make it a zero. Despite everything, I still prefer the Academy kit especially as the intakes are blanked off deep inside while the Hasegawa kit the intakes are see through.

All done!! The things I could or should have done may well be taken care of later. Such as replacing the lost underwing control actuators and aerials. I lost the pitots to the shed floor on cutting them from the sprue and the aerials got knocked off but saved them. IT was getting too fiddly trying to juggle the model without causing any more damage. So I quit while ahead. The decals worked very well as to be expected by LEM my go to source for Canadian military decals. Images are now on the gallery. It looks like I am the first to complete one. I do have a couple more but will save them for another time within the time frame of this GB. EDIT: Just noted that the extremem tip of the nose should have been coloured a pale cream for the radar cap. Oh well another bit to do when I get back to starting another.

CF-188 Hornet 188709 of 433 @Porcuoine@ Squadron CFB Bagotville, Quebec Canada 2003/04< 60th Anniversary scheme for 433 Squadron. Academy 1/72nd kit with Leading Edge Decals. No mods or other extras used.

Thought as much. I am sure the first incarnations of this kit by Revell had the Piper moniker on the box.

Academy never did a Hudson to 1/72 or any other scale. Only the Ventura in different versions.

Is there some licensing issue by not describing the subject by its proper Piper PA-18 Super Cub name???

Nice choice. I have done a Lanc using the same decals built some years ago now. You can see pics of it here on under 'Show us your Lancasters" Meanwhile I have lots to choose from seeing as I have been building mainly Canadian subjects. Also will have lots of spare decals if anyone should need anything.

I have both volumes on my KIndle. Hilarious reading!

I picked up my Airfix Catalogue in my local McColls yesterday. Another for my collection. Interestingly, I noticed that the captions to a number of the Vintage Classics they include the dates of original release and artworks. Some real nostalgic years.

Latest update. Decalling proceeding but slowly. One or two parts being added as I go along when the transfers/decals dry. Fortunately, on the decal sheet is a spare decal patch of the orange colour. This has become useful for repairs. All I needed to do was to cut a couple pieces to roughly the shape and size I needed and any surplus got tucked behind the splitter plate. Notice here at the intake splitter plate the additional orange and white pieces of decals added to make up the shortness of the maim deals .( see earlier pic to see what I mean.) The 'stepped' white pieces will be trimmed back. However a very, very thin black line edges the white but not to my amended work as I don't have anything that thin. But it will do me. All I have left to do is to fit all the other airframe parts like the 'tailevons' \( I just made that word up), undercarriage and anything else that needs fixing on. There are a lot of stencils on the transfer sheet but it looks like they are hardly visible when applied so I may pass some of them by. This one could be finished by the end of the week.

I've just come in for my tea and can report that more transfers have been applied. Annoyingly, I have noticed Iust have unknowingly knocked off a couple of the wing flap actuators. Found one but not the other. And to make things bad ,another one has gone AWOL!!

I've got that set. Its one I fancy doing. But I have other tempting ones. Looking forward to seeing progress with yours. BY the way, does your kit have the small extra parts frame with additional fins? If so, they are the fins you need to make the CAF CF-18 as the fin tops have slightly differing fairings. And, beware of the decals check the date and test how they perform by using the LEM logo decal or other non essential item to see if they don't crack or curl up and not stick down. The one I am doing is an old set and there was a note inside stating that they may crack and suggest coating with a clear lacquer first. I didn't do that with the set I am using and luckily they are perfect.

Update on this one. I have decided on a special scheme ( rude not to) RCAF CF-188. Depicts 188709 of the 60th Anniversary of 433 (Porcupine ) Squadron and the Centenary of Flight 2003. All decals from a Leading Edge set printed in 2004 so the condition of the decals , though looked very good, was a bit nerve racking. However, all is fine and the decals are working as they should. The work shown below was done over the last evening. I know you are thinking this build is speeding along but that is just the way it is. Its not taking much to put the kit together and once primed, was ready to get its paint work and very soon after decal ready. (One of the beauties of being retire and having much modelling time )It still needs all the delicate sticking out bits to be added but is safer for these to go on after painting and decalling is done. My choice of colour scheme and decals. The paints used all being Xtracrylix. Dark blue grey top sides, light grey lowers and black. The black base for the decals hand painted on as it was easier than masking and avoids getting that 'ridge' between colours.... as long as the demarcation was within the areas that would be decalled over with no grey showing through. First of the decals progressing. This starboard view shows the intricate decal and design in place but... its a tad too short by around 3.mm at the intake end unfortunately. Not like LEM to drop a clanger like this. Maybe the set was designed for the Hasegawa kit which makes me think one or other of the kits the intakes are too ra back or forward???? Note the wrinkling while the decal succumbs to decal solution. Starboard fin. The black had to be painted at the right place and the transfer instruction insert shows where the demarcation between the grey and black should be. The same goes for the fuselage. So, thats it for now. I may be back later or with more as I am now back off to the shed? Hornet factory to carry on. At this rate I might do another in a very colourful 20th Anniversary of the Hornet in CAF service. and even a third, which will exhaust my Academy stash but if so it could end up as an RAAF one from the kit transfers.