Radpoe Spitfire

Just a quick query, but does anyone know the codes & serials for any of the author's aircraft- Hurricanes or S pit fires? Regards Rad

Hi Fred, cracking Katie build there!!! However if you'd like to get up close and personal with one of the stars of the film, I work for the East Midlands Ambulance Service who have an ambulance preservation group that own one of the K2's used in the film. If I'm right, there's a photo on the EMAS website. Regards Adrian.

A lovely old kit for it's age, not too bad to build OOB, but in the right hands becomes a cracker -despite the raised detail !!!!!!! My only gripe was the annoying ( with most of their kits) Monogram Habit of putting the MMI logo on the outside of the moulding

Oh I don't know, it's a rather attractive scheme. Without trying to sound political- and I don't want it to ,to my understanding of the unit's history (If I'm wrong, please correct me) , the subject of the "Red-Tails" (Tuskagee Airmen) deserves more mention & recognition for it's pilots. For starters not one US bomber was lost while being escorted by them- a unique testimony. Despite this record, it is right to remember none of its pilots were allowed to become aces, those who came close were shipped back home. Yes it was a different world in those days & yes IMO, Airfix did right to choose it.

I'll second that, years ago I built one as PA474 for my Nephew & after a careful rub down of the rivets I found the surface finish looked like that of the real aircraft.

Hi CarLos, "Black Magic" is under rebuild at the moment and there is a website about the project www.cometracer.co.uk - it may be worth looking at. regards Adrian

S'alright for some, thanks to the financial slump I'm skint on this one Still, it'll be nice to see one built.

For once this seems to have some credibility, given the political involvment, however until they see the light of day.............

Looking at the photo's on the Polish web-site, 1 & 2 are debateable, but the last three- I know Eastern modellers are good- appear to show the real MacCoy. If it's a real warbird it ought to be recovered asap.

Hi Jerry, Somewhere in storage I have a modellers book about the Lancaster written by Gerald Scarborough & Nevill Franklyn- this has side veiw drawings for the Mk II showing the Bombay doors. I will try to dig it out- if I can scan them OK I will let you know so I can e-mail them on. Failing that I will see if the book has an ISBN no if that helps. regards Adrian.

I'd love to see a kit produced that has the parts to make all marks of Spitfire in one box- standard & bubble top!!!!!! But I live in hope.

I've just read a little more about this incident, which occcured on the night of 18th August 1940. The airfield was attacked by 50 He 111's, one of which saw the Anson & decided to attack the aircraft. The account goes on to say that after being shot at, the Sgt Pilot turned off his navigation lights, turned towards his attacker and deliberately rammed it.

The only incident I know was at RAF Windrush in Oxon in 1940, the airfield was under attack by a He 111 while a Sgt ( Bruce ??)Hancock was in an Avro Anson doing circuits during a night flying exercise. No-one can be certain if his act was accidental or deliberate, many feel it was the latter, but the the Anson collided with the Heinkel causing both to crash, with fatal results for both crews.

C'mon, be fair it was wartime when this photo was taken, smiles. Personally a bit of displacement of flying surfaces can often enhance another-wise unanimated appearence of a model. regards Rad

Hello John, Having built the FM kit, I can say that it builds to a nice model despite any issues. As a limited run injection don't expect perfect fit or mouldings, However I did replace the engines on mine with Tamiya Beafighter ones- at the end of the day, on the plus side it tests your skill & is a blank canvas. Anyone interested in seeing the result I will try to down load a photo ( it was in SAMI a few yeras ago) when I get my PC up & running - I moved house yesterday so having to use the works PC. regards rad.

While I'm not holding my breath & I will believe it when I see one, it'll be a kit I'd smash the piggy bank for.

What a beauty straight OOB!!!! Cracking job that man-well done. If anyone from Airfix are reading these replies- this is the standard what we modellers have been crying out for- thank you for listening, its taken a fair few years, but good things come to those who wait...................... boy has it been worth it- PLEASE KEEP IT UP.

Hi Mark, Mmmm- piccies of a Meteor Boxing? Which mark is it please? Sounds interesting Belated Happy Xmas & al the best for 2012 Regards Adrian.

Bri, That's a first class build of a Lightning close to my heart. You've done XS897 great justice with the natural metal finish-amazing!!!!! Many of you may know, but to those who don't, the real XS897 has, not only been one of the most luckiest survivors of the breed, but has gone almost full circle!. When it was intially sold off (scrapped) it was one of a dozen purchased by a dealer who intended to sell them for a considerable sum (£ 11,000 each, I believe)- unfortunately he'd cut the wings & had no takers for some time. Eventually all bar "two" would be cut up, with XS897 going to South Yorkshire Aircraft museum at Firbeck (Doncaster AeroVenture). It's rescue was very much an eleventh hour job as the overzealous scrappy had tried to remove what was left of its wings with a JCB- leaving holes so large you could jump through. For a while it's future as a complete aircraft hung in the balance, almost reduced to a cockpit, until the museum exchanged a Canberra B.I8 cockpit for a " brand new pair of (??F.53??) wings"- these being fitted when SYAM moved to the Doncaster site. Work continued slowly through various owners, but now she resides at RAF Conningsby, ironically (still privately owned) now serving back in the RAF as a Sqn gateguard & finished as a convincing F.3, a Happy ending for a much loved icon.

Belated Christmas greetings to all.................... All the best for 2012 regards Rad

I can vouch for what you say somewhat. On a recent visit to Ozzy Perth for the first time in 15 years I was totally gobsmacked with the costs of kits over there & not just Hasegawa. For example an Airfix 1/48 Canberra= Au$ 120!!!, , Valiant Au$100, Tamiya 1/32 Mustang =Au$ 169 & the Revell 1/32 Ju88= Au$ 149!!!! With an exchange rate of around Au$ 1.37 to the £ and import tax taken into consideration we may have it good in comparison.

Well done so far Chris- it's nice to see another "beast" being built. I did mine in about 6 months- almost OOB & nowhere near this standard, but, using Jaques Niot's guide, I was happy with my result. My model (is) on display at Doncaster Aeroventure & depicts NA581- KW-U, a 425 Sqn Halifax which crashed near Hodsock priory,Blyth, Notts. For those interested a memorial to the crew is on the village green- about 1 mile from the A1. Regards Rad.

Gingerbob, thanks for the quick response & info re the Spit XVI thread. - I shall look it up now. Yes you're right in your presumtion for the Vampire's pod being fabric covered. Regards Rad.

Roberto, It's not your decals I'm after-I'm assuming these are kit decals & not after market ones. I build model aircraft that are of my locality & RAF Finningley falls into this area & was asking via this thread if they're kit ones, did anybody else have these decals surplus to them. However I'd love to see your model when you've finished. regards Rad.

Morning General, Interesting point about the tailcone extension, was this fitted to 18 sqn aircraft while they were Finningley based please? Regarrds Rad.