Bennygman

Superb Phil - great airbush work on the tiny Tiger especially. Steve.

I managed to limit myself to the 'zero paints' for the Minolta scheme, the PE, caliper spacers (they just looked cool ), and some rather interesting blue tubing which I'll find a use for somewhere. Trouble is, now I've started eying up the Kawasaki GP bike too!! Steve. PS these bikes are about £13 from HLJ.

Oh yeah - I got the PE set for my 1/12 Konica Minolta Honda RC211 (no, that's not the prize I'm thinking of donating). It was the basic version which will do me nicely - brake discs, etc. If you want to get seriously worried have a look at the 'detailed' set for the same bike, I can't imagine where it all goes. Steve.

take a trip to Hiroboy.com (nice people to do business with) I have a couple of ideas for this one, and at least one prize to donate which people should be happy with. Steve.

They all look really nice (as did the previous sets). You seem to have some considerable skill with an airbrush - all free-hand camo I presume? If I may make a small suggestion; you have a large dust-spot at the top of each pic. If you have some imaging software, try using the clone or heal tools to rub it out, it's the only thing that detracts from some otherwise great pics. Steve.

Thanks guys - yes it was the 1/48th scale kit (couple of quid from E-bay). Steve.

yeah, but good eggs can go bad No offense taken chaps - knew what I was letting myself in for. Meanwhile, back at the Jag' reference thread... Steve.

Hi all, Here's a few shots of the Do 335 I built for the Monogram group build on ARC. Not the easiest of builds due to all the cut-outs in the fuselage and the alternative rear decks to accommodate the single and two-seaters. Plenty of seams to fill and difficult alignment requiring shims and extra tabs all over the place. I think the result is worth it though, and I like the slightly more unusual colour scheme. I assume this was a part-finished machine that was liberated by the allies, I believe that it was later tested at Farnboro, before crashing and sadly killing the crew. Something a little different though... Steve.

Nice one Jen - that seat looks pretty damn good all primed up. Hope you've got plenty of leave in the next couple of weeks. Steve.

Nah, old family tradition mate... ...though we prefer to think of it as in 'Goodman' rather than 'from Crossroads'! Now if you'll excuse me I'm just off to look for a spanner... Steve. PS might get one of these so I can be recognised at Telford... http://www.8ball.co.uk/tshirt/3/30050/T-Sh...Tshirt---Benny/

At Duxford this weekend - saw this and thought of you guys... Hope they're of use to someone wanting to go mad on their cockpit. Steve.

Thanks guys and gals, it was a good way to round off the season. Bob: it's a 20D with 300mm f4 and a 1.4x extender now, so 420mm in total. I'd like to have had a 2x but I'm told it will degrade the image quality, which doesn't seem to be the case with the 1.4. Re the Black Cats; In general, I don't like to criticize a military display item at a time when they're becoming rarer and rarer, but I find this one a bit low key to be honest. Granted, I've since found out that they had a bird-strike at the start of yesterday's display which explains the unusual beginning. The distance to Duxford's runway didn't help as the 'ground handling ballet' section was a bit distant (not the team's fault). What I find ironic is that the term 'Black Catting' apparently refers to oneupmanship or doing things better than others, but I find that they don't display the Lynx as well as the Army's Blue Eagles - I'd swap endless distant peddle turns for one of those back-flips any day. I don't know if this is due to a difference in aircraft specs or rotor construction ( I think Jen tried to explain this to me at Fairford) Having tried and failed to fly simulator helicopters I can only guess at the skill involved in the head to head pirouettes, I just think it's lacking the 'wow' factor - imagine two Lynx doing synchronized flips to get peoples attention. Nice colour scheme these days though Consider me chilled Steve.

Had a trip to Duxford on Sunday to give the airshow season it's traditional send-off. It was a pretty good show really and we got weather that I'd have killed for on at least two or three occasions this year. It also gave me a chance to try the 1.4x extender that my girlfriend got me for my birthday. The Red Bull Matadors - for my money the most entertaining team in the country - bar none! This is the only team who do things that make me gasp even after 30 odd years of airshow attendance... Finally got a Wildcat shot I'm happy with... Obligatory Spit shot... A new type for me - Pilatus PC-2 (I think) And the first time seeing this in the air... DH Rapide putting on a sprightly display... Harvard... DC-3 performing in between passenger charters... Classic jet formation... Black Cats - definitely not a gasp-inducing team IMHO... A bit of Winter overhaul... My favorite shot of the day - you always get some nice light at the end of the October show, and this Dak is a real beauty (KLM colours the other side too)... And finally, Mr Legends himself wringing out the Bearcat as usual... Here's to better weather for the 2008 season - only six months or so 'til Biggin! Steve.

A good job on obviously very different kits, but the Vosper looks beautiful. Steve.

I got some from Hiroboy.com (Don't visit if you're weak willed and like motorsport models), but they didn''t have the full range by any means. Steve.

Lovely work Jim! I'm working on a Hurri night fighter at the moment and you've given me all sorts of ideas with regards to finishing. So, I guess you could say it's an inspirational build Steve.

Lovely shots Nick. The Sea Hurricane and Lysander are my favorites - the Hurricane in particular is a bit special. Glad you enjoyed it better then Duxford. Steve.

Looking great Neil - I really think I'm gonna have to get myself one of those Steve.

Ok, I've used three or four etch sets and so far I've used all of them and 90% of the additions can be seen (the C-47 throttle quadrant is a challenge admittedly, but can be seen by holding the model at the correct angle). The wheel-well interiors on the Eduard C-47set are lovely and far superior to what I could scratch. I'm currently working on a 1/72 F-117 and the grills alone are worth the admission proce, not to mention that the complete replacement cockpit (seat excepted) is wonderful. Good things: much finer detail than is possible with injection moulding, Instruments look far superior to what I could paint, seat belts ditto the above. Check out the undercarriage linkages on the C-47 set and see if you could scratch them. Ditto the HUD on the F-117. Bad things: Fiddly in the extreme. I've yet to do a set full justice, but I'm slowly getting there (to be honest it's agood job some of that Dakota cockpit isn't too visible). Difficult to fix - yes, but I've gotten around the butt-joint problem Mike highlights by using Tamiya tape to 'strap' the parts together (on the unseen side), before gluing them. I've also had success using Blu-tack to support them while the glue sets, once it does the joint is strong as long as you don't take the piddle with it ). The big problem - it is, by nature flat and a little two dimensional, though the consoles in the F-117 are probably in-scale as regards 3-dness (?!?). This means that although it seems ideal for things such as aerials, etc the results don't quite look right. Overall - I'm a fan, though I'm very much still in the learning process. Steve. PS as Mike states, a proper folding tool is essential I'd say. The difference it makes is just the icing on the cake.

Just to confirm ... that is Lady BAY, right? Steve.

The one in Stevenage, admittedly newly opened, had a good range of Italeri and Revell, some Airfix (which looked to have been the best sellers), and Tamiya tanks, cars, bikes, etc. Also a dozen or so Dragon Armour kits, which Surprised me. Humbrol and Tamiya paints, plus fillers, tools, etc. Reasonable range of Games workshop models/ tools and (very welcome) a stock of their satin varnish sprays which I love but feared were gone as it's no longer on their web-site. Also a good range of styrene and brass sheet/strip/tube. Amazing selection of artists brushes, oils, etc too. So, I wouldn't say 'nothing of interest to us', but definitely one to go to for a browse rather than with a specific objective in mind. Anyone who's been to Modelzone in Holborn will have an idea what to expect, but without some of their ranges (notably Hasegawa). If there's one close by then go and have a look, it was about as good as I'd hoped but better than I'd feared. Steve.

Looks good guys - glad you had a better time this time Nick. No Huey then? I'm sure it was down to display at one point. Heard a heavy chopper Sat' afternoon and looked out but it was a Rescue Sea-king heading North up the A1. Ummed and Arred over going but decided against it - wish I had now as they got the Edwardians up as well. Steve.

Really great job Phil . Just the kind of finish I aspire to. Steve.

If you find a supplier I'll split the cost with you! (Two Xtrakit meteors on the go - talk about tail-sitters). Lovely job on the Islander Steve.

Interesting, I'm off w/c 15/10 and was considering another trip up there if the weather looks decent. Sounds like I'll just miss you. I think I know the mound you're talking about, drive past with the viewing enclosure on your right, and turn into a track on the left just past the end of the runway. Steve.