Rabbit Leader

@Spitfires Forever, I’m sure your Hasegawa IX will turn out just fine and you just have to please yourself to succeed in this hobby. Having said that, the Eduard Weekender kits aren’t really that expensive and do provide plenty of useful spares. Cheers.. Dave

I haven’t read every post in this quite good thread, however the author mentions using the Hasegawa kit as a base model for his build. To my understanding, if the 1/48 kit is an enlarged clone of their 1/72nd Mk IX, then there’s a lot more to correct than just the finer details. Visually the nose and tail are woefully short and you only really notice this once the canopy is attached and it’s sitting on its legs. Anyway.. good luck. Cheers.. Dave

There’s really not a lot of Squadron marking options available once these Victors started to hug the ground in camo paint. I too have this same kit and recall thinking that it wouldn’t have taken much for Airfix to have supplied two small Wittering Lions decals for the camouflaged colour option. They obviously knew that adding these to the kits decal sheet would have scaled back Xtradecals marking options, so to keep them happy left them off. How many modellers will build more than one Victor kit to justify the expense of an AM decal sheet? Cheers.. Dave

That's new to me and quite an important fact. Thanks for sharing this. Cheers.. Dave

@PhantomBigStu, I’ll bet my stash that the bomber parts sprue (pictured above) will be replaced by a dedicated PR sprue in the near future, so you could always hold out and wait for that. There’s plenty of other kits to build in the time being! Cheers.. Dave.

Stu, Cautiously I would say 'yes' as the transparent sprue includes a new canopy with upper bubble and clear Camera parts to install in flashed over fuselage holes - (warning) there may be more too it than that. I would personally study many references and compare them to Mike's lovely images above prior to making your decision. You can always purchase the new Freightdog AM items which have been personally tailored to fit this kit. Cheers.. Dave

Nice job on that Beaufighter Greg. She really looks the part all dressed in Matt Black. Cheers and well modelled.. Dave

That’s great news and I’m glad that Guidellines have listened to their customers and responded this way. It would be nice having these articles bound in one (or more) volumes so I’ll have to keep an eye out and try to order one from the UK. Cheers.. Dave

Hello Alain and thanks for your paint tips. Unfortunately Sovereign Paints are not easy to source in Australia and as far as I know (?) Humbrol 134 is no longer in production. For my 'Malta Blue' Spitfire I'll be using a bottle of SMS Paints RAAF Sky Blue and Vallejo 71.313 Dark Mediterranean Blue. SMS is a fairly new Australian based model supplier that makes a great range of Lacquer based paints (similar to MRP). I've tested out their Sky Blue and it looks quite good to my eye. I normally don't like using Vallejo, however will try this DMB out for this particular build. Cheers.. Dave

Over time I've noticed a number of posts seeking to find particular 'Colour Conundrum' articles that have been written by Paul Lucas and published in various back issues of Scale Aviation Modeller. @Graham Boak was kind enough to list a few of these back issues within the many Malta Spitfires threads and this got me thinking about all the other great articles that have been penned by Mr. Lucas over the journey. Below is an unfinished list that goes back to January 2017, however I still have (at least) another two years of magazines to go through to add to this long list. Now I don't have all these 'paper' magazines myself, however have not long paid and downloaded a Magazine App called 'Magzter' that has every SAM issue available to read from Sep 2014 to Oct 2021. For the sum of just A$50.00, I have all these issues to view for 12 months and better still there's enough "Home / Cooking / Women's Interests" content available to make the missus agree that (for once) I have purchased something worthwhile! Anyway, I have absolutely no affiliation with Magzter or any 'tech' company whatsoever, however do know a good bargain when I see one, so am passing this on for others to possibly consider. There's probably many more good modelling magazine related 'apps' out there, however this one, with all these Colour Conundrum articles should keep me happy for quite some time to come. I'll add to this list when I find a little more time. Cheers and regards.. Dave Oct-21 - British 'Anti-Flash' finishes 1956 - 1965 (Part 2) Sep-21 - British 'Anti-Flash' finishes 1956 - 1965 (Part 1) Aug-21 - Dark Blue and other 'lost' colours of the US Navy 1941 - 1943 Jul-21 - Mediterranean Maritime Schemes of the RAF 1935 - 45 (Part 2) Jun-21 - Mediterranean Maritime Schemes of the RAF 1935 - 45 (Part 1) May-21 - A Malta Story Reprised - The Malta Spitfires of 1942 Apr-21 - The birth of the Post War Fleet Air Arm Mar-21 - RAF High Altitude Fighter Schemes 1940 - 1945 (Part 2) Feb-21 - RAF High Altitude Fighter Schemes 1940 - 1945 (Part 1) Jan-21 - Arctic Camouflage for the RAF Dec-20 - Colour conundrums of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain (Part 2) Nov-20 - Colour conundrums of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain (Part 1) Oct-20 - BOAC and the Battle of Britain April - October 1940 Sep-20 - RAF Gladiator Camouflage Schemes 1938-40 Jul-20 - RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Colours 1939 - 45 (Part 2) Jun-20 - RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Colours 1939 - 45 (Part 1) May-20 - AEW Skyraiders of the Royal Navy 1951 - 1960 Mar-20 - A Tigers Tale - RAF Tiger Moths based in the Uk 1932 - 1945 Jan-20 - The Flying Camels of Operation Firedog - Beaufighters of No. 45 Sqn 1946 - 1950 Dec-19 - Royal navy Buccaneers and Squirrel Grey 1966 - 1967 Nov-19 - RAF Tropical Land Schemes 1934 - 1943 (Part 2) Oct-19 - RAF Tropical Land Schemes 1934 - 1943 (Part 1) Aug-19 - The Tropical Sea Scheme and the Vildebeeste 1935 - 1942 (Part 2) Jul-19 - The Tropical Sea Scheme and the Vildebeeste 1935 - 1942 (Part 1) Jun-19 - RAF Day Fighter Schemes 1941 - 1943 (Part 2) May-19 - RAF Day Fighter Schemes 1941 - 1943 (Part 1) Apr-19- Flight deck colours of the Royal Navy - Cold War era 1946 - 1978 Mar-19 - Luftwaffe Upper surface colours 1940 - 1945 (Part 2) Feb-19 - Luftwaffe Upper surface colours 1940 - 1945 (Part 1) Jan-19 - Midnight Blue and the Post War Fleet Air Arm 1945 - 1988 Dec-18 - Tiger Force - RAF Bombers for the attack on Japan 1945 Nov-18 - A Malta Story concluded - The Malta Spitfires Nov 1942 - Jul 1943 (Part 2) Oct-18 - A Malta Story concluded - The Malta Spitfires Jun - Oct 1942 (Part 2) Sep-18 - Air Controlled Interception for the RAF and Operation Vapour 1940 - 1945 Aug-18 - US Equivalent Colours for the RAF 1938 - 1942 (Part 2) Jul-18 - US Equivalent Colours for the RAF 1938 - 1942 (Part 1) Jun-18 - The Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV's of Bomber Command 1939 - 1941 May-18 - Grey Green 1924 - 1945 Apr-18 - Prelude to an Air Force - The RFC on the Western Front 1914 - 1918 (Part 2) Mar-18 - Prelude to an Air Force - The RFC on the Western Front 1914 - 1918 (Part 1) Feb-18 - The 2TAF Olive Green mystery revisited Jan-18 - Operation Jiu-Jitsu - RAF Radar Recon overflights of USSR with RB-45C Tornado 1952 - 54 Dec-17 - The truth about late war Luftwaffe camouflage? - RLM 81 & 82 (Part 2) Nov-17 - The truth about late war Luftwaffe camouflage? - RLM 81 & 82 (Part 1) Oct-17 - The 18 Group Coastal Command 'Norge' schemes of 1943 Sep-17 - A Malta Story Continued - Malta Spitfire deliveries via Gibraltar 18 May - 17 Aug 1942 (Part 2) Aug-17 - A Malta Story Continued - Operation Oppidan, Hansford & Bowrey. USS Wasp's 2nd delivery Jul-17 - A Phantom finish - Royal Navy F-4K Phantom FG.1/s 1966 - 1979 Jun-17 - The Deep Sky Blue Mystery (Part2) May-17 - The Deep Sky Blue Mystery (Part 1) Apr-17 - RAF Brewster Buffalos in the Far East 1941 Mar-17 - Flight Deck colours for Royal Navy Aircraft Carriers 1936 - 1945 Feb-17 - Pathfinder' P-38's for No. 5 Group RAF Bomber Command 1944 Jan-17 - Shades of Sky - Under surface colours for Front Line Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1945 - 55 (Part 2)

Yes Ian - an insane decision on my part, however I'll aim to tie it in with Paul Lucas' latest paint scheme thinking until someone else uncovers new evidence. I'm picturing BR187/ 2:G in Dark Med Blue over Sky Blue and possibly BR126 / 3:X or BR136 / 3:B in Temperate Sea Schemes. A pair of F4F-4's would also make a nice backdrop if I can extend the enthusiasm? Thanks Chris, the canopies are vastly (and annoyingly) different. The good thing about the Eduard kits are that you get plenty of optional (and therefore) spare parts with each release, not to mention a great kit to boot. Airfix should have cleaned up with this 1/72 Spitfire Vc, however I feel they have still left the door ajar for someone else to better it. The Airfix kit's transparencies are quite thick and although the one piece option is a much better shape than the open option, it'still magnifies and distorts all the nice internal bits provided. To be honest the windscreen fairing is not that large to the naked eye and I think my camera has over emphasised it quite a bit. I'll still take a second look at it and possibly file it down a smidge. Thanks Mike, its a good kit, however I feel it could have been so much better. I have enough decals to build a few dozen Vc's, however don't think I have the patience to correct it 20 times over. Thankfully we are all safe in Brisbane, however certain parts of this vast land are not fairing too well. I appreciate your kind thoughts and hope that you guys are all well too. Cheers and thanks for all your great comments so far! Dave

Ian, having so many RAAF Spit Vc decal sheets, you would think that would be the obvious way to go, however I’m going RAF this time around. Having recently acquired copies of Paul Lucas’ Malta Spitfire ‘Colour Conundrum’ articles, I’ve got this mad craving to do two Malta delivery Spits from the USS Wasp. Hopefully the image etched in my head will somehow replicate the finished articles! Cheers.. Dave

Not a lot to report on today, however another opportunity to test the Imgur photo hosting app. (Thankfully it all worked first time around!) Now there was always something odd about the open canopy arrangement shown in the CAD images of this Spitfire kit and now that I have my own example I can see what the issue is. Shown below from left to right are - the Airfix one piece canopy, the kits individual windshield and in the middle the rear glazing. Next are two examples of the Spitfire open canopy, the shorter and longer Eduard piece the kits example on the extreme right. These open canopy pieces are surprisingly quite different!! The Airfix piece is both higher and a lot shorter in length than the Eduard piece and to my eye looks totally wrong. The one piece canopy arrangement seems OK, but I’ll be leaving the Airfix open canopy part well alone on all my builds. There’s quite a lot of nice detail inside the kits cockpit so it’s a shame to hide it all behind the closed canopy piece. Saying all that, you can still make a decent Spitfire kit with all the parts provided but these small improvements will pay big dividends later on. Cheers.. Dave

As usual Tony, excellent and speedy progress on this new tooled kit. It's always great to watch you at work combining an informative WIP with a good number of excellent reference photographs. Colin's AM parts look good and I'd be interested to know if there's a set that includes the rear fuselage blister as a sperate piece to a pair of open bomb bay doors. Cheers and watching on.. Dave

Excellent start so far @72nd SQN and this thread looks to be one to follow. There's some nice clear photographs on offer and high quality attention to detail going on with your modelling progress so far. Cheers. Dave