Richard E

That's a blast from the past: I was gifted a couple of periscopes like that when my grandfather cleared out his workshop many many years ago and I think they were eventually incorporated into a den roof; sadly, I don't know what their ultimate fate was.

It's called progress: with the rubdown decals you need a pencil or burnisher and with the water slide decals you need a whole box full of different varnishes and setting solutions, Anyway - back to modelling.

Making good progress Dan, on Archer, it looks like they are planning to convert their dry transfers to normal waterslide decals: Archer's Press Release

Britmodeller at it's best

That's a very forlorn looking tank Roger. It might still be on your to do list: have you thought about adding some graffiti or a hand painted inventory number to add some contrasting colour to the final model ?

I think it's intended to make the aircraft more visible when it's operating in mountainous areas or cliff edges; the Coastguard's S-92s and Agusta 189s are fitted with red and white candy striped blades which probably serve a similar purpose

I think it's a case of apply modeller's rule number 1 and check your references because there are examples of the HU Mk.5 with and without a yellow main rotor blade, as in these pictures by Rick Ingham

Or for a more contemporary subject like the Challenger, or as in this image, an M1 Abrams perhaps finish it in shades of green as if it were being viewed through a night vision device ?

Here's a couple for you Kes: Patrouille de France Republic F-84 G Thunderjet (1953 to 1954) Dassault Ouragan (1954 to 1957) Dassault Mystère IV (1957 to 1964) Fouga Magister (1964 to 1981) Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet (1981 to date) Thunderbirds F-84 Thunderjet (1953 to 1956) F-100 Super Sabre (1956 to 1968) F-4E Phantom (1969 to 1973) T-38 Talon (1973 to 1983) F-16A converted to F-16C (1983 to date) Blue Angels F6F-5 Hellcat (June to August 1946) F8F-1 Bearcat (August 1946 to 1949) F9F-2 Panther (1949 to 1950) F9F-5 Panther (1951 to 1954/55) F9F-8 Cougar (1954/55 to 1957) (F-11) Tiger (1957 to 1968) F-4J Phantom (1969 to 1974) A-4F Skyhawk (1975 – 1986) F/A-18A Hornet (1986 – 2020) F/A-18E Super Hornet (scheduled from 2021) Something else to think about is that some teams evolved into their current forms, for instance the Red Arrows were preceded by the Yellow Jacks and the USAF's Thunderbirds by the Skyblazers

The pots look like generic aftermarket mixing pots like these: Could you have decanted the paints from larger tins at some time in the past

I've still got the book, in addition to Piper Alpha they captured a number of other notable missions including the fire on the Ocean Odyssey drilling platform in October 1988 and the recovery of two ditched helicopters; some of the film crew were also onboard when ine of the flight's Sea Kings crashed on Creag Meagaidh in January 1989 It's a shame that these types, together with the Coast Guard's fixed wing types, are hardly (if at all) represented in model form, they would make very colourful additions to the display shelf. And thanks - duly programmed on series record.

Very imaginative and excellent work, it took a special kind of skill to paint the model in that finish.

If I may, I'll take my place in the audience to enjoy another journey

If you need some one to hold your coat @Marcin Kaminski She's a very elegant aircraft which looks like it's travelling at Mach 2 even when standing still. If I could make one observation about your model Marcin, I think the drop tanks in the Hasegawa kit have been moulded with blunt nose cones but these were very rarely carried when the aircraft was flying operational missions.

Gentlemen Thank you that was very helpful. One of my pet "mini-projects" is to build examples of the civil charter types which are used by the US Air Force to support overseas deployments and I thought that I had ticked another box when Draw Decal released their new sheet for the Atlas Air 747-400 freighter however these are for the former passenger BCF version and it looks like Atlas normally operate the specialist freighter version which @Romeo Alpha Yankee described on these flights,