Dr Lurve

Hi all Am looking to use Tamiya's late version of the 1:48 Corsair as a basis for the Fleet Air Arm's Corsair IV. Can anyone recommend any good references detailing the modifications made, such as the additional intakes/vents that were installed before airframes entered service. Thanks Rob

Looking at the built up example on the Revell Germany website it looks as if the fuselage weapons pylons are not RAF specific. I do hope that they are in the kit (or at least the release units to add to the pylons) when it is released. Been looking forward to this one all year! Regards Rob

A big thumbs up from me if in 1/48 scale. A nice selection of subjects. Kind regards Rob

What a beauty...great job! Rob

Hi Tony Nice collection of Defiants you have there. Can I ask what brand/paint numbers that you used for the Defiants that are in the Dark Earth/Dark Green/Sky colours. Really like the colours you've used...pretty much nailed the scheme to my eyes!!! Thanks Rob

I would perhaps start with Tamiya XF-53 Neutral Grey and XF-54 Dark Sea Grey and add a light grey shade or white Tamiya paint to each until you get somewhere near to what you see in photographs. This camo did tend to weather and fade over time so no need to get it exact. Hope that this helps. Others may have a better suggestion! Regards Rob

Hi Steve What brand paints and colour numbers did you use for the RAF desert Tomahawk! Cracking little builds. I got myself three of these from a certain supermarket selling them off at a reduced price! Regards Rob

Ville at Hobby Paint'n'Stuff provides a friendly and efficient service. Having pondered for a while I decided to order myself a few AKAN RAF colours to try out. Paid for the order last Sunday and they arrived well packaged from Finland on Wednesday. How is that for service!!! Have not tried out the paints yet but they are good colour matches. Thanks Ville...you will be getting my business again. Kind regards Rob

That is my understanding of P2617 as well Graham. The sky would certainly not have been applied until the return from France. I think I may have seen the photo of the Hurricane Mk.I that you refer to with the winged lion painted on the white of the fin flash (V6962 AF-H). I'm led to believe that this was from the winter of 1940/41. There is a good layer of snow in the photo! Regards Rob

Hi Steve I was aware of the two Hurricanes colliding over Tudhoe Colliery. There is a memorial to two two pilots located in York Hill Cemetary near to where the collision occurred. Until his death in the Autumn last year I was very friendly with an old Spitfire pilot from Tudhoe Village who was on leave on the day in question and went to help out those who came to the aid of the pilot that came down on the old pit heap. He was heavily involved in getting the Town Council to purchase and locate the memorial. His family home backed onto the cricket field and it had its windows blown out when the V-1 came down on Tudhoe cricket field. The following link may be of some interest regarding 41 Squadron. http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire/MkI-RAF-41Sqn-EB-L-Shipman.html Kind regards Rob

Hi Steve Being a Spennymoor lad and a keen follower of 607 Squadron i'm going to be doing a few Battle of France/Battle of Britain builds myself. Will be following this thread keenly. There appears to be very few surviving photographs of Hurricanes from the BoB period. The Robert Dixon books have one or two side shots of Blackadder's Hurricane. If you're interested there is a good book that is now out of print but should still be available called 'Twelve Days in May' by Brian Cull that focuses on the RAF air battle over Northern France in May 1940. There are numerous references to 607 Squadron's involvement and serial numbers and code letter of Hurricanes that they flew. There is also brief reference to 607 Squadron's use of the Gloster Gladiator, which it operated when it first deployed to France in late 1939. If you're looking for a profile of a 607 Gladiator and a few photographs, the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces book on the Gladiator is a good one to get. The profile shows Gladiator Mk.I AF-O K7995 flown by Flt Lt John Sample, based at Acklington, Northumberland in October 1939. Sample shot down a Dornier Do-18 flying boat off Northumberland in this aircraft. In relation to other squadrons that operated in the North, 72 Squadron rotated up to Acklington during the BoB and I'm aware that 41 Squadron was based at Catterick during the Luftwaffe raid on the North East and Yorkshire on 15 August 1940. In fact a 41 Squadron pilot brought down a Me Bf-110D over Barnard Castle amongst other victories by Squadrons on that day off the North East coast. 219 squadron with the Bristol Blenheim Mk.If was also scrambled during this raid from Catterick - there are markings for an aircraft from this squadron on the recent Xtradecal RAF Battle of Britain sheet. Hope that this helps? Kind regards Rob

Really great build there my friend! Love it Regards Rob

Hi Linus It is a great little kit. Good level of detail for 1:72 and the fit of parts is excellent. You won't regret buying one...especially the Profipack versions! Regards Rob

Often overlooked is the role that a handful of Vickers Wellington Mk.1s of 37 Squadron played in the siege and in the overall putting down of the Iraqi rebellion. A friend's brother flew as a rear gunner on a handful of sorties. Operational records show that they were engaged in attacking Iraqi aircraft on the ground and concentrations of rebels around Habbaniya. Regards Rob

Hi Harold You could try and adapt Revell's recent release of the 1:48 Tornado IDS or wait a little while until they release the expected GR.1/GR.4 version. Other options may be to adapt the Hobby Boss or Italeri IDS kits. Regards Rob