MikeC

So true, in the rare instances I go "wheels up" I do just that. Just look at a prop aircraft in real life: you can't see it because the eye sees in real time: it's only a camera (still or video) that captures a "prop blur" because it's an instant in time. As for the latest photo-etch "prop blur" effects: someone on another forum or FB group (I wish I had said that, Oscar) said it looks like a fern stuck on the front.

MPM did a vac-form i-serie; it may be easier to use this plus an Eduard iii-serie as a basis. Of course, that assumes that you're happy to work with a vac-form, and that you can find one for sale. Sorry, this is probably not very helpful, but it's the best I can think of.

This has been standard practice for a long time. Have a look at the "XS" and "XV" series, there are a whole bunch allocated to Northrop Shelduck drones, many of which are marked cancelled. And often aircraft were allocated a serial for initial flying and/or ferrying while they were sold to another user.

That seems pretty definitive - thanks.

Thanks Rick and Graham. I'm aware that the car system avoids some letters, just never occurred to me that "Y" (and I've had more than one car with a "Y" on the plate) would be confused with "V". Still, live & learn ...

That seems reasonable, thanks Trevor.

This has never occurred to me before, but now it has, I'd be rather interested to know, if anyone can come up with an answer: why do RAF serials not use the letter "Y"? Take a look: http://www.ukserials.com/ There's no Yxxxx series; no VYxxx; no WYxxx; no ZYzzz. It lists some in the "XYxxx" range, and shows them as changed to "XZxxx". My copy of this https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Military-Aircraft-Serials-1878-1987/dp/090459761X shows those in the "XYxxx" range as "allocated in error" and changed. It appearsthat the military aircraft register is deliberately avoiding the letter "Y". Does anyone happen to know why? (Sorry, a genuine question, but pun intended!)

That's very well done.

That's really nice, a very effective paint job in particular.

Really? Airfix issued a Saunders-Roe SR53 in the 1960s, to name just one. That's the only injection kit there's ever been of that afaik. And that's just one example. In many ways Airfix, Frog et al were more adventurous then than now. And I was looking at the pictures, thinking something like, "Airfix, built it; Airfix, built it; Airfix, never did; Frog, built it; ..."

My stash has lived in the loft for years, and I've never had any problems bar a few boxes that weren't quite mint after a year or two. And then, a year ago, we invested in spray-foam insulation, which is sprayed against the roof tiles and solidifies: it's made the loft cooler in summer and warmer in winter. But in any case, I read somewhere recently that polystyrene plastic is reasonably heat resistant, and will only start to melt at around 100 degrees Celsius, or 212 Fahrenheit; I know it gets hot in a loft, but I doubt it would get that hot. Of course, warping could perhaps conceivably occur below that temperature, but I've never had a problem to date.

Well do I feel a fool?!! I have your book, and scoured through it before posting this: I completely missed that the photos on P158 were of XL-Y. I plead a senior moment. As it happens, the BWCM photos are very helpful - many thanks Julien - but I would certainly appreciate a look at your shots of XL-Y as well. I'll PM you my email.

Thanks Julien, PM inbound.

I have a Special Hobby Tempest II kit and a hankering to finish it as a 226 OCU aircraft as based at RAF Bentwaters. I know the unit code was XL, and was unusually presented in black; I know one of the individual codes was Y; but I'm having trouble tying down serials and other individual codes, and I've found more hen's teeth than relevant photos. Does anyone have any further info in this please, and also info on whether they had retained or lost the white special ID markings? Many thanks in advance.

As another member of both sites, this all sums up my position very well.