zebra

Thanks everyone - half way to the bunfight already!

Excellent! I'm still pressing on with both builds but now I can avoid rushing anything.

I could do with an extension. I think finishing both my builds by 1 June is looking at least a bit uncertain. A couple more weeks would really help. Or, say, another 3 months so I can build a couple more Starfighters!

Sounds like this might be popular. @Enzo the Magnificent could you move it to the GB proposals section please?

I do hope we're not going to end up in arguments about what is and isn't black! Go too far down that road and we'll end up at Vantablack or nothing. Actually I'd like to see a model coated in Vantablack, not that any of us is likely to be able to get hold of it.

Count me in. When I first read this proposal I wasn't all that keen, but it got me thinking, and I do have plenty in the stash that would fit the bill. And it could be a good diverse GB. One question: Would it include kits that are still available but from new manufacturers? For example I have an original Esci boxing of the 1/48 MB.326, which is currently available in an Italeri box. Also since this is quite similar to the classic manufacturer GB concept, I wonder whether it might be a candidate for one of next year's classics slots?

I've primed it, and fixed up a few bits in the process, and painted the white bits - the upper wings, which will be partly white, plus white on the forward fuselage and fin to act as a base for the fluorescent red/orange. The plan is to do the NMF using the same paints as the NF-104 (airframe aluminium on an SMS black base) but the downside of the airframe aluminium is it takes a heck of a lot of coats to do and I don't have enough for two Starfighters. I've ordered some more, hopefully it'll come quickly, otherwise I'll need a plan B. more soon Julian

Wings painted and masked, and now it's shiny: The NMF is Ammo A-Stand airframe aluminium with an SMS gloss black base. It seems to have worked pretty well. A few more metal shades are up next.

Title says it all - how about a Canberra STGB? A hugely important aircraft of the postwar era and I don't think it's had an STGB before (this is where someone pops up and reminds me there was one just recently that I totally forgot!). I think it's a great subject for an STGB. Operated by countries on every continent except Antarctica, loads of different variants (I'd include everything from the prototype to the WB-57F), entered service in 1951 and there are still three flying with NASA. And most of those operators actually used them in anger. Not to mention the many experimental and trials aircraft and their various mods and colour schemes, if (like me) raspberry ripple is your thing. There are kits in 1/144, 1/72 and 1/48 and I wouldn't be surprised if someone on BM has some obscure 1/32 vacform in their stash. OK there aren't any modern shake and bake super-detailed kits but, as plenty of builds on BM have shown over the years, they're all eminently buildable. And (I think) all the major airframe variants are available in kit form. So how about it? Interested parties so far: 1. Zebra 2. @Corsairfoxfouruncle 3. @LorenSharp 4. @Rabbit Leader 5. @whiskey 6. @cobraleader 7. @Romeo Alpha Yankee 8. @stevehnz 9. @Col. 10. @Richard Humm 11. @Marklo 12. @Black Knight 13. @Jabba 14. @PhantomBigStu 15.?

For once I can say confidently that Wiki is correct! From my point of view it's probably for the best that they aren't doing the P2V-5, I don't have the space and don't think I'd get away with spending that much, but I'd still be tempted! I'm glad they've produced this kit, it looks like a beaut, and I'll enjoy following your build. Just stick a whole bottle of liquid gravity in there. Don't bother taking it out of the bottle, just stick the whole thing in.

Looking forward to this one, going to have a very hard time deciding which scheme though. RNZAF is a top candidate. Memodec does decals for a few interesting 727-100 schemes as well - Air Viet Nam, China Airlines, Civil Air Transport and Union of Burma Airways are interesting - but then there's Dan Air, and 8A has a few interesting schemes (Lanica, JAL, Mexicana and Mexican Air Force look good). Going to struggle to narrow it down!

Canopy and nose cone are on: The nose cone took a bit of fettling to get a good fit, which I don't think is a reflection of the fit of the original kit parts but is down to the effect of replacing the gun panel with the Hypersonic part. It's not about the Hypersonic part as such, more that after cutting the panel it replaces out of the fuselage it becomes difficult to get the fuselage to keep its original shape to the extent necessary to fit the nose cone. I'd recommend to anyone doing this conversion that you use the nose cone as a guide to line everything up properly when fitting the Hypersonic panel. I had a little difficulty fitting the rearmost clear part - it was a bit too wide and needed to be squeezed in a bit. So I was a bit worried about the other clear parts - but needn't have been, they fit pretty well. Just a little sanding off the ends was needed to improve the fit. Masking next, then priming. I was planning to fit the tip tanks before painting, but it makes more sense to paint them separately. I've got an Eduard mask set for a TF-104G, most of it won't fit but the windscreen parts will and a couple of the other bits can be used. As I don't have another two-seater in the stash - I bought the masks for this one long before I decided it was going to be an early D - I might as well use as much of the mask set as I can on this one. more soon Julian

Excellent work Steve, I love that scheme

Cracking photo, thanks! I've been a bit distracted but getting back on to the build. Seats are in and ready to add the clear parts: The Hypersonic seats are a thing of beauty. Far too good for the likes of me, given my aversion to painting detailed cockpits! The guide rails are separate, once they were glued in I test-fitted the seats, which were such a snug fit I just left them there - no glue needed. I've also test fitted the canopy, with some minor adjustments it's a good fit, that'll be next and then the nose cone and tip tanks go on, should be ready to start painting after that. more soon Julian

Been a bit distracted by other things lately. But the end of the GB is creeping up on us so better crack on and get this done. Masked and primed: Priming highlighted a couple of little things that needed attention, but nothing serious, so will get them done and crack on with painting. Since I took the photo I've gone and snapped the rocket vent tube, I think I'll just remove it and fill the hole as it wasn't there earlier in the NF-104A's career. more soon Julian