TimB

A very nice Walter. Really good funish and the right level of weathering, on top of the detailing. Well done. Tim

The floor is normally a medium gray, but gets pretty scuffed. DSG might be about it. The walls are covered in soundproofing which started off a slightly metallic brownish grey. However, there are patches in other colours and the various control boxes, stretcher supports etc are black. The roof panels are dark blue gray so DAG might be OK. PM me and I can send some photos. Regards Tim

Very nicely done. I agree with the earlier comments on the build and weathering - both superb and appropriate. Tim

And the T4 had a folding nose? I don't think so! Also it wasn't an ARBS. I hope the engine is more accurate... Tim

Hi Selwyn, you are correct, but I do not think KevinV is the thread originator... Tim

Hi Kevinv, what scale? The Phimat, LAUs etc are available in 1/48. regards Tim (also ex-4)

I endorse what the others have said. Also, I recently bought a Mars 4 Ultra as my second printer. My first attempt to print using water soluble resin did not work. After a number of attempts, I went back to plant based resin, and it printed beautifully. I heat the enclosure to 20-25C using a heating mat, and with a foil blanket over the printer. With those, I can print down to shed temperatures of about 5C. I would strongly suggest trial and error on small items, with reasonably simple geometries, then move to the harder. That way there is less waste of resin, and it tends to be obvious what has gone wrong. I also now check my sliced 3D models for voids or other faults, as I have had bad experiences with more complex ones not converting to STL in a manner that matched the original 3D model. Regards Tim

Hi Mike, I have the older Anycubic Photon, and use a 16W heater mat with a separate transformer so I'm not puting 240V into the printer housing. There are two small cables, one for the mat and one for a temperature sensor. On mine, with a front flap, the wires jut go under the flap. On a one piece cover, can you not put a very small slot in the cover? With a cover over the printer (made from bubble foil insulation, it will heep the printer at about 20-25C. All the best Tim

Cherisy, the two Matchcoat airframes had just come from Phase 6 upgrade. Selwyn, I stand corrected! Regards, Tim

There were two Sidewinder fits on the GR3. The Corporate mod was a very rushed job, as both Fatfingers and Selwyn have said. The longer term solution was the Phase 6 modification programme which started around 1984, This removed the RAT, gave full Sidewinder capability with a bunch of new electrical boxes in the main undercarriage bay, allowed Phimat to be carried and introduced a new anticol lamp and a new radio aerial on the spine. There were also cockpit changes. You can tell the Phase 6 jets by the spine aerial and clear anticol. The mods were done at St Athan, and had a high priority. The Corporate mod jets were also used for Maple Flag 84. Once the Phase 6 aircraft were in use, the tactics Sir Richard describes were indeed used. 4 Sqn also liked the Phimat and 'winder combo with a recce pod for its recce missions. Note that captive AIM-9Ls were used for training. Due to fatigue problems with the fins in flight, these were never fitted and most pictures show the basic drill body which was just a tube, with the seeker on the front. Full AIM-9Ls were used for show on VIP visits, but never flown. BTW the Phase 4 package was Laser nose/RWR. If anyone knows what the other Phase updates were I'd be interested to know! Tim

Wow! I for one will be watching withgreat interest. Regards Tim

Mike, the HC1 was essentially a CH-47C with the fibreglass blades from the CH-47D, plus some refueling system changes if I remember. The blades came in early on - I think it was Mod 6 but an expert will no doubt be along soon... There were a few changes in the cockpit, includsing the TANS nav computer. The HC2 was a D with some more improvements. The early HC1s were closer to the US aircraft, with more changes such as the inlet particle separators coming in for Op Granby. ZA818 in 1982 would have had the broad chord blades, the single refuel point but not much else. I looked after the HC1s in the FI a few years later when the fit was not much different. I was also at Boeing when ZA818 arrived for conversion to HC2. One modification the RAF paid for was to refit to the HC2 the plaque commemorating Dick Langworthy who flew it during the conflict. All the best Tim

Hi Mike, can I check what scale it is? Regards Tim

Very nice. I do like that scheme as a change from the classic ones, and you've nailed the look.

Only minor complaint so far is the instrument panel on the FR10. This had the gunsight moved to the right and the left hand upper panel removed to improve forward visibility. The instruments were moved around too, with the large heading indicator repositioned. It is a bit obvious, especially with the canopy open, so I'm scratch building a new panel. I can understand Airfix not wanting to modify the fuselage mouldings, but an alternative instrument panel would have been nice. The plastic is much better than the older blue soft stuff and the dry fit is very good. Tim

Hi Mike, the file is 86MB, so I'll bring it on a USB stick. cheers Tim

Mike, if you want a 3d model of the GR3 nose, I drew one up for a 1/24 build I'm trying to finish. It is rather more accurate than the Airfix one which is too bulbous. On the tail, best way is to get a side on photo and scale it. There are a lot of plans out there, but not all are accurate. If you need more, I have a fair number of references - althoght Nick Greenhall will have more! BTW, I'm planning to be at the WSM show next weekend - are you? Tim

If you build the Trumpeter, check the nose shape. See my build back in 2015.

A brilliant build of a challenging model. My only comment is that it is a bit too clean for a Puma! Well done.

Very nice. Captures the look well. It is not easy keeping it all so clean when modifying a model that size in a white finish. Well done!

Does your slicer software allow you to look at each layer? I have sometimes found problems by looking at each layer in turn; sometimes the software cannot cope with the results of the CAD, and mixes up additions and subtractions... Some of the results were not pretty! All the best Tim

There were normally more pilots on squadrons than aircraft, so names tended to be on seniority. Each ssuadron had its own (unwritten) rules.

That is very nice. I scratch bulit built a 1/72 SV a few years ago, but largely by "traditional" means. This is much more detailed on the stringers than I managed. I look forward to seeing the finished article. Regards Tim

I use an Xacto (or clone) regards Tim

My CAD model scaled at 99.2 inch long by 17.4 inch, so slightly fat by the dimensions above. Not bad, I think, as I traced it from a photo I took in 1983! I'll rescale it slightly. Thanks for the Topic 1G extracts John, the stencil/decal detail is really useful. Does any one have pics of the pod with the doors open to change film? Thanks Tim