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  1. After the recent show in Glasgow, 21st October 2023, I decided to get around to building one of the TSR2's I have in my stash. Here is a picture for the items I am using that I still have boxes and the like for. There is also a CMK cockpit and exhausts that I am fitting instead of the kit provided items. The first TSR.2 kits I started, and still have part built, were almost thirteen years ago. I have also completed one since then which I can't find the pictures for. So far the only real work was on Monday evening when I removed the recomended plastic going by the CMK instructions to help fit the cockpit, as well as the casting block for the cockpit. The instrument panels will be cleaned up befor all the resin parts get a wash to remove dust and debris then they will get a blast of primer and work will continue. Gondor
  2. This will be my second entry to the GB as my Arma Hurricane is not going very well. Got this from Lidl a couple of months ago for the paltry price of £5.59 with the Lidl app 👍 Looks pretty good, with only a minimal bit of flash. The paint and glue have gone in the bin, but I have kept the brush 😄 George
  3. Place holder for my entry. Last year I bought this Academy Gabreski duo P-47 and F-86: The Thunderbolt I will build as Dave Schilling’s last mount, a P47M without the fin fillet using these decals: The Sabre I am saving for next years STGB. AW
  4. some 1/72 AFVs are escaped from its box, and running on my desk.😆 May-2022 from left to right: GMC CCKW (Academy), Stug III Ausf.B (Trumpeter), STURMTIGER Early Prod. (Trumpeter), KV-85 (Trumpeter), FV4030-4 Challenger I (Trumpeter) A34 Comet Mk.1B (Vespid), T-55AM -w KMT-6 (Revell), T-10 Object 730 (Trumpeter), Merkava Mk.IIID (HobbyBoss), Flakpanzer VIII MAUS (Vespid) M4 Hi-speed Tractor(HobbyBoss), SA-6 Gainful (Trumpeter), Churchill Mk.III (Italeri), Sd.Kfz.184 Ferdinand (Trumpeter), Land-Wasser-Schlepper Early Prod. (HobbyBoss) Sd.Kfz.251_10 AAusf.D -w 37mm PaK (Red Dragon), M992A1 AFFSV (Riich), Pz.Kpfw.V Panther Ausf.G -w FG1250 (Vespid), Sd.Kfz.181 Pz.KpfwVI Ausf.E TIGER I -w zimmerit (Red Draogn), Panzerfahre (Red Dragon) Jun-2022 Sd.Kf.223 Leichte Panzerspahwagen x2 (Red Dragon), Neubau-Fagrzeug Nr.2 (Red Dragan), PLA ZTL-11 (Red Dragon) Soviet SS-23 Spider (HobbyBoss), Chieftain Mk. 5 (Takom), M1A1 -w Mine Blade (Trumpeter), PLA ZTZ-99A (Trumpeter), FV432 Mk.2_1 (Takom) Aug-2022 Scimitar Mk.2 (Ford), JGSDF 106SP x2 (Aoshima), PLA ZTQ15 (Meng), M103A2 (Red Dragon), MK-I Female (Master Box) Renault FT-17 x2 (Flyhawk), PLA ZTZ96B (Transform Colors), JGSDF Type 10 (Aoshima), Type 4 Ka-Tsu (Riich) D9R ARMORED BULLDOZER (Sabre model) Middle East 2DR -w ZPU-2 x2 (transform colors) M1114 HMMWV -w GPK (T-model) M1240A1 MRAP (Galaxy Hobby) Sd.Kfz.231 8-Rad -w 20mm KwK & MG34 (Red Dragon), JGSDF Type74 x2 (Fujimi), Pz.Kpfw II Ausf J VK.16.01 (Flyhawk), Sd.Kfz.7_2 37mm AA-Gun Flak36 (Orange Hobby) Sep-2022 20mm Flakvierling auf Fahrgestell (Vespid), T-54B (Takom), Pz.Kpfw.IV Aust.F Munitionsschlepper (HobbyBoss), LEOPARD 2A7 (Takom), T-14 Armata (Trumpeter), T-Stoff Tanker, Schwimmwagen & Bomb Cart (Academy) Oct-2022 Cute Tiger-I (YuFan Model) 1/16 Type 94 Tankette (Takom) Nov-2022 T-35 x2 (S-Model), Jadgpazner IV (Trumpeter), SU-152 x2 (S-Model) Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B x2 (S-Model), Vanatorul de Care R35 (S-Model), BMP-2 x2 (S-Model) Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C x2 (S-Model), Somua S35 x2 (S-Model), Crusader Mk.I, III x2 (S-Model) M551 Sheridan (Early Prod) x2 (S-Model), BMD-1 x2 (S-Model), BRDM-2, BMP-1 (S-Model) SU-85 x2 (S-Model), Matilda II x2 (S-Model), BPR-60PB x2 (S-Model) Dec-2022 T-90MC (Zvezda), BMPT Terminator (Zvezda), 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV (Zvezda), Bumerang (Zvezda), TBMP T-15 Armata (Zvezda) Jan-2023 T-28(Zvezda), RAAC Centurion Mk.5/1 (Vespid), BM-21 Grad Multiple Rocket Launcher (HobbyEasy), 2S19 MCTA-C (Zvezda), IDF Merkava Mk.IV (HobbyEasy) A-222 Bereg (HobbyBoss), 9P117 SS-1C Scud-B (R17 Elbrus) (HobbyBoss), 4K51 Rubezh Coastal ASM with P-15 (HobbyBoss), S-400 Triumf SA-21 Groeler (Zvezda) 1/16 Wiesel A1 Tow (Takom) Rheintochter 1 w/ E-100 Body (ModelCollect), 128mm Flak 40 Gun w/ E-75 Body (ModelCollect), E-50 SPG with 105/L62 (ModelCollect), 1/43 UAZ-3909 (Zvezda), Wiesel x2 (S-model) Mar-2023 Type94 Tankette (IBG), Bedford-QL Refueller (IBG), 3Ro 90/53 -w 90mm AA (IBG), Diamond-T 969 Wrecker -w M2 (IBG), Scammell Pioneer (IBG, actually count as trailer in below) Topol SS-25 Sickle (Zvezda) May-2023 152mm ShkH DANA vz.77 (Hobbyboss) M109A7 Paladin (Fore) Sd.Kfz.173 SchweiBhund X-66 (Blackdog) M11XR7 Stryker Snow Beaver (Blackdog) Aug-2023 M1117 Guardian (Trumpeter), JS-7 (Trumpeter), E-75 Flakpanzer (Trumpeter), E-100 Salamander (Trumpeter), M1070 Gun Truck (Takom) 9k58 Smerch MRLS (Hobbyboss), 9K52 Luna-M, Frog-7 (Trumpeter), 2K11A TEL, SA-4 Ganef (Trumpeter), M1132 -w LWMR (Trumpeter), AS-90 (Trumpeter) Sep-2023 M1A2 SEP TUSK II (Meng), M60A1 -w ERA & M60A3 (Takom), French Char B1 (Trumpeter), Sd.Kfz 138_2 Hetzer Late Prod (Vespid) Oct-2023 Waffentrager Auf E100 -w V1 (ModelCollect), Sd.kfz.186, Jagdtiger (Henschel Prod) (Trumpeter), Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.E, Sd.Kfz.181, Tiger I (HobbyBoss), SU-122 (Zvezda), BTR-80 (Trumpeter) Does your favorite AFV in here? you built similar AFV before? have cool camo / classic color scheme could suggest? you plan to build / buy same AFV too? Since I'm not a diehard fans of AFV / military stuffs, I just enjoy the mechanical aesthetic & camouflage of it, accuracy of the model kit is less important for me. 😅 So, if you have interesting story, history, hint / tip for any of them, please share your experience / builds with me, maybe, just maybe, I would shift the schedule and paint that one first. Also, i have a question. Which brand of 1/72 do you like? For those I have assembled, I prefer (Dec-2022 ver.) Group 1, which are good QC, some may expensive: Zvezda > FlyHawk > Takom = Vespid ; Group 2, which are standard QC, low price, wide range of choices: Trumpeter = HobbyBoss > Meng > Transform Color > S-Model ; Group 3, which are good QC but little choices: Orange Hobby > Airfix > Academy ; Group 4, which are low QC: Revell > Riich > Aoshima = Fujimi > Red Dragon > IBG > Master Box > Hasegawa > Italeri > T-model . The rest of "monsters, i.e. trailer series" are locked firmly under my bed, can't get out. 🤭 Sep-2022 began to let those "long" AFV out 😋 Dampflokomotive BR86 (HobbyBoss) Rail Transporter fur Karl-Gerat (HobbyBoss) Morser Karl-Gerat 040 (HobbyBoss) K5(E) Leopold (HobbyBoss) 1/150 SOYUZ (GoodSmile) JASDF 7t tractor & MIN-104F Patriot PAC-3 (Aoshima), MAZ-537G -w CHMZAP-5247G (Takom), FAUN SLT56 (Takom) M1070 + M1000 cum D9R (Takom) Scammell Pioneer -w TRMU30 (IBG) M25+M15 Dragon Wagon (Academy) Armoured Locomotive Panzerlok BR57 (HobbyBoss), Kommandowagen BP42 (HobbyBoss), Kanonen und Flakwagen BP42 (HobbyBoss), Geschutzwagen BP42 (HobbyBoss), Panzerjager Triebwagen 51 (HobbyBoss) Schwere Plattformwagen Type SSyms 80 (HobbyBoss)
  5. Hi all. It's been a while since I started any construction, but here I am again. During all this time that I haven't started any models I have accumulated kits. Arma Hobby and Eduard preferably, although there is also some Tamiya, Hobby 2000 (ex-Hasegawa), Clear Prop and some other brands. All of them from WW2, from both sides, from different theaters of operations and in 1/72 scale. Some kits will have quite a few resin or metal "goodies", others will have a few and others will have none or very few. I wanted to start with a Bf 109E-3, from Special Hobby and which is really Eduard's mold. An absolutely nice kit in every way. I like to see airplanes with the canopy closed, so they don't lose their shape, but this makes it difficult to see the interior of the cabin and its details. For now this will be one of those that goes with the canopy closed and therefore I will not detail the cockpit except for a couple of details (harnesses for the pilot, foot straps on the rudder pedals and reflector sight, which is on the way). The chosen painting is that of Emil 3 of the III/JG 52 piloted by Karl Wolff in August 1940, according to the instructions. Since I plan to make an Emil 4 with the Galland livery and it will have yellow markings and that color is frequently seen, I would like to do it with the wingtips, rudder and engine hood in white. For now I have only finished the cabin, although the reflector sight is really missing, which is on the way, and the seat that after taking the photo and uploading it to Flickr I have seen that it is neither painted nor with the harnesses attached.... I have also painted the landing gear hole and the inside of the covers. have used Tamiya paints as a base color and Vallejo Model Color for details, or accumulated dust. Andrés.
  6. Well it's all a bit late but I'd like to enter these two: and: they are both relatively modern, state of the art kits. The Revell mould seems tired and has a lot of flash, particularly round the open cowling flaps: Revell correctly gets the gun alignment parallel to the ground, Academy doesn't. But the elephant in the room is the huge difference in fuselage depth: The Revell one (lighter plastic) has a huge belly. Now I don't know for sure (Academy is a -D, Revell is an -M) but I (and the Internet) think that may be a mistake on Revell's part. More digging required... Regards, Adrian
  7. I'll be joining this GB with an instalment from my Last Legs Ponies project. For that project I'm modeling American World War II fighters that ended their service lives around the Caribbean. It began with four (Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Dominican, and Haitian) P-51s (hence "ponies"), but has also included a P-38 in Nicaraguan markings and a P-39 based in Curacao. My entry in this GB will be a Colombian P-47D which I will build using the Tamiya 1/72 kit . . . . . . with AM from Quickboost . . . . . . and decals from Aztec. I began the kit some time ago (as documented in the Last Legs Ponies thread), but it's well under 25% complete as this GB begins. Looking forward to this!
  8. Evening all, I've been contemplating what to build next for a few weeks. Got a Hobby Boss F-5 on the go which has just come out of the paint shop (albeit with half the number of wings attached that it went in with 😬) which had left me losing in mojo. Don't think the heat in the last couple of weeks has helped. Had to take my daughter to London the other week to visit the Doctor Who shop, so took the opportunity to visit Hannants in Hendon on the way back - never been and it seemed too good as opportunity to miss. I almost came out empty handed as nothing really jumped out at me, but on about the 5th circuit a came across the Sword Lightning trainer not which I've been looking at. Love a lightning, and I enjoyed building Sword's Gannet a while back so that was decision made. I actually found myself craving an airfix mosquito when we got back for some reason, that's one for another day. In a break with tradition, I've decided that this is going straight into production rather than languishing in the cupboard for months on end. I'm going to do the 111 sqn T.4 - being an ex Leuchars local these two squadrons are quite dear to me ( I know, 111 never flew lightnings from Leuchars - it's tenuous!). Box and contents shot: Unfortunately it's not a top opening box - I'm going to be sharing the desk with my wife who's about to start a uni course so I'm going to have to try and keep this contained. That might slow me down - even more!! I've found a build thread on here by @71challywhich has some very useful information, especially regarding the fuselage changes required to make this a better T.4. I won't be worrying about the instrument panel being for a T.5 though. I couldn't tell the difference so I don't think anyone else who sees this will either 🤣 So commences the second lightning in my collection. Wish me luck! 🤞 Al
  9. Finish no6 of the year and probably the last one is Airfix's Hawker Tempest in 1/72, its a nice little kit that has some advantages over the earlier Typhoon but has the same fit issue around the nose area. Been slowly putting together along side the Blenhiem IV that was finished a few months ago and finally completed yesterday. Built straight out of box as an aircraft of N0486 sqn, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Castle Camp, Cambridge, Apr 1944. Painted with the usual Tamiya and Mr Hobby Colour acrylics with some oil paint washes and Florys Dark Dirt clay wash. I ended up painting the leading edge stripes as I couldn't get the decals to sit right and lost some of the smaller underside stencil data.
  10. I just have to have a go at this blue camouflage! Sure, it has been done loads of times but it will certainly brighten up my display cabinet. Quite a bit of flash from what I am used to these days. The original mould is from 1999 and I managed to pick it up for £10 so I guess I can’t really complain. I also found this in the depths of the loft. I must have brought this in the early 80’s. Not sure I am brave enough to attempt it though. I am a bit behind on my GB’s so I might not be able to start this for a couple of weeks, time will tell. George
  11. PeterB

    LeO 451

    Back when I was a teenager last century I build quite a few French WWII plane kits - mostly Heller but with a couple of Frog ones thrown in. About 15 years ago I decided to replace them as the construction and painting was not particularly good, so I bought a batch of SMER reboxings of the Heller kits which were pretty inexpensive - the various sales courses I had to attend when working always stressed that you should never actually say "cheap"!😄 For some reason I finished them all except for this. Amazingly it looks as if I may actually still have all the parts so I will have a shot at finishing it. Pete
  12. Having been lurking on this forum for quite a few months now, and occasionally adding my own ramblings to other people's topics, I have finally worked up the courage to start a WiP of my own. My main interest is the RAF in WW2, at the moment particularly the aircraft of Bomber Command. So having had a short break from model making, of almost half a century , earlier this year I acquired these: This first post is a bit of a test run to see if my 20th century brain can cope with the 21st century technology of photo-sharing. If it all works I have a back catalogue of photos taken over the last six months or so and I'll be sorting and posting from that, which might give the illusion of amazingly rapid progress. Once I've caught up I'm sure it will become apparent that we should be using the geological time scale to measure my work rate! No proper sprue shots in this thread. I think we all know what they look like and by the time I got myself organised a lot of mine looked like this: That's enough of my waffle, let's hit Submit Topic and see what happens!
  13. Hi everyone, Here's my next project; the little 1/72 Airfix Hawker Hurricane Mk.1, with the early fabric wing. I've been collecting a few bits and bobs over the last year or so, with the idea of having a couple of engine and gun panels off, to add a little more interest. The Airfix kit is a nice little kit - not quite up to Arma standards, but still the best game in town for an early fabric winged aircraft. I will state up front that I am very much NOT an expert on these aircraft... so be gentle! I have a plan to perhaps finish this one as a Belgian or Battle of France aircraft (noting I'll need to get a two-bladed prop from somewhere, if I want to do the former). A very small start this afternoon - I started prepping the engine bay for the CMK resin engine set. It's always daunting hacking into the nose of a perfectly good kit...! I did think about extending the removal of the cowlings to the panel in front of the cockpit (to scratch build and show the fuel tank), but the CMK firewall is not quite the correct shape to do this, so I settled with only having the front most three cowling panels off, as per the set. The CMK set looks very nice at face value, with some crisp details on the Merlin engine and the firewall. It did take a bit of hacking and sanding to get the parts off their casting blocks (those engine cowls are wafer thin...!). The biggest problem with this set is that the engine bearers are too short and too shallow, which means they don't follow the line of the chin panel. I scratchbuilt new bearers from strip styrene: I also had to shim the bottom of the engine cowl piece so that the nose was long enough to accommodate the engine but still allow the exhausts to clear the fuselage panels aft of the engine bay. A quick test fit: And a quick test fit in the model: Now, the modified bearers are far from perfect, and not quite 100% accurate, but I think this should work reasonably well to give the appropriate impression. I will need to take care as I do a little more clean up of the plastic opening, and as I add details. I'll also need to take care to make sure everything is square on the finished model. As I said, not too much of a start... but it's a start none the less! Cheers BC
  14. This started in February in Big In Japan GB. Went on the shelf when Southern Europe GB came out. I have recently returned to it. Just done the heat shield and various formation lights. Paint needs a bit of tidying up, then it'll be varnish. Mid-Feb is credible and ties in nicely with 'Boomers GB start. Previous thread: Chris
  15. This will probably be quite a slow project, but here goes! I'll be building a Grob Astir CS77, and, if all goes well, it will be G-CFTR/NU, my Astir- or the closest there is to it! NU belongs to the University of Nottingham Gliding Club, which I am currently the president of and one of the few members who can fly our single seater. NU is currently in the workshop for its annual, so it's a good time to start this model with better access to unusual areas of the glider. Not every day you get to build a model of an aircraft you have unlimited access to and fly. The kit is the 1/72 Kovozávody Prostějov Grob Astir CS77. It's a bit... basic. It certainly looks Astir 77 shaped, which is a good start! I'll be putting in a resin cockpit by Brengun. The cockpit also comes with PE airbrakes, but I won't use these. Astir 77 airbrakes will stay out if you put them out on the ground, but the slightest knock and they'll crash shut. They're certainly never left open. I sometimes wedge the lever in the open position when doing a DI (daily inspection) on NU so i can have a look inside the airbrake box on each wing without needing to get someone to hold them open. In the topic of the airbrakes, they are modeled on the kit as both upper and lower surfaces, Astirs only have top surface airbrakes.
  16. It's been a while since I last posted something so I'm now about to make up for that. This has been my main "summer 2023 build" & unfortunately I just couldn't get into taking progress pics. It was mainly a matter of getting the chance to build as and when. Small bits here & there amongst whittling other kits. So here it is; General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark 70-2390 Miss Liberty II Lakenheath 01-1991 1/72 Hobby2000 Hasegawa kit. Armory wheels Master brass pitot Reskit exhausts Reskit AN/ALQ-131 Reskit 3D printed ladders Eduard cockpit set Eduard Brassin GBU-24 X2 Hasegawa GBU-15 X2 Hataka Vietnam War redline acrylics. All the decals were from the kit & were very good quality only the colour scheme in the kit isn't quite accurate to the actual airframe with the general three colour pattern. Hobby2000 have you put colours where they shouldn't go, then I even fluffed up on the forward starboard placing of the green which should have completely gone underneath the four squadron badges. There are photos of 2390 with munitions on while taxying out of a HAS, so I had to research what I was supposed to hang from the pylons. Should have asked here I know! I hope I've got it right. GBU-24's outboard from Eduard, I slapped the supplied yellow rings around them, but have been informed they should have two? The GBU-15's were from one of the Hasegawa weapons sets. I also sourced a decent AN/ALQ-131 from Reskit fixed to its rear station. Other than that, the kit goes together really nicely. I did have to scribe the details in for the wing gloves in the fuselage sides oh & for some reason I managed to fog the bottom of the windscreen, but it doesn't look too bad. I used my usuall Ammo Mig panel line washes. I started using a ground equipment set for my Tiger Meet Starfighter, so the rest of the box was used on this build & painted in the later NATO dark green, with a lonely pilot waiting for the rest of the ground crew to finish their breakfast! Thanks for looking. Martin
  17. Massive disappointment that Film and Song was unsuccessful at Bunfight - so I'll build it here. A very late planned mission, sparked on a flimsy pretext. Where Eagles Dare, from this kit. An excuse to watch this again, after I've rescued Gen Carnaby. So a tight extraction plan.
  18. Been keen to start this since getting it off Ebay a couple of years ago, and this group build seems like the perfect opportunity. The AC-47, nicknamed "Puff the Magic Dragon", was introduced in 1965 as a means of providing more firepower in certain situations where close air support was required. Armed with three 7.62mm miniguns sticking out of the port side windows, controlled by the pilot, the idea of the gunship was to orbit over a target for hours, with the ability to accurately deliver a significant weight of fire. For example, in February 1965, an FC-47 (as they were initially designated before protests from fighter pilots brought about the change to AC-47), fired 20,500 rounds over 4 hours into a VC hilltop position, killing an estimated 300 enemy troops. In February 1969, an AC-47 crewman, A1C John L. Levitow, was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving his aircraft after it was struck by an 82mm mortar round which inflicted 3,500 shrapnel holes and wounded Levitow 40 times. Using his body, he jettisoned an armed magnesium flare which ignited shortly after he ejected it from the aircraft. By the end of the 60s, most AC-47s, now known by the call sign "Spooky" had been transferred to the VNAF, to be replaced in USAF service by the more capable and heavily armed AC-119 Shadow/Stinger and AC-130 Spectre, the latter still being in use today. The Spooky proved the gunship concept worked and in testimony to its effectiveness, no village or hamlet under Spooky protection was ever lost. So, this is the kit in question, box corner damage courtesy of Bertie the dog; Considerably more (and larger) parts than the Airfix Bird Dog I've just completed in the Reconnaissance and Scouting GB; Hopefully the decals will be OK. My previous experience of Esci decals wasn't great, so we shall see. Instructions, plus painting details for two very similar schemes. Haven't decided which one I will do yet. The state of the decals may dictate this! Plus a bit of light reading to help me along and inspire! Will probably get started early next week.
  19. Hi everyone, I got this kit in 1977 and it has been buried ever since. Time for this classic plastic to see the light of day again. So here it is, in all its (rough) splendor. I am in good company, as Pat, aka @JOCKNEY happens to build the same. Osmosis at its best. Not sure which scheme I will do, assuming I can reach that point! Here are a few photos: I have these few after market goodies, but I am wondering if that may not be like giving jam to pigs. Although I love pigs... I may go with the Yahu IP... Have fun. JR
  20. A little project to extend my pretty meager "rockets in 1/72" collection. The Revell Germany A4 plus a scratchbuild WAC As always: thanks for looking Cheers
  21. For the first time ever, let alone on a group build, I shall be attempting two kits side by side. A pair of Macchi C.202 Folgore in gorgeous sand/green desert schemes. Wish me luck..!
  22. The Nakajima Ki-87 was another of the Japanese fighter designs that were intended to attack the B-29's flying over Japan, but never got off the ground (or indeed the drawing board) as Japan ran out of time, fuel, metal and pilots. It would have been a big aeroplane, with a 4 bladed propellor and a turbocharger on its radial engine, heavily armed, or at least proposed to be heavily armed - 2 20mm cannon in the wing roots, 2 30mm cannon outboard of the landing gear. Compared to the Ki-61 Tony and Ki-44 Tojo you can see how big this plane would have been. Here's the box lid - And the paint schemes provided. I decided to make mine in the captured scheme as shown, for a change from Hinomarus. Actually, this particular plane - a prototype - was almost certainly never captured in a flying condition, so it becomes another of RS models what ifs. It's a short run kit which has some fit issues - one of which I got so fed up sanding filling sanding etc I left it as it was, you can see where I tried to fill the gap with superglue. It also had parts on the sprues not mentioned in the instructions and parts mentioned in the instructions not present on the sprues! Weird, really weird. The box art shows the turbocharger casing in silver, but I forgot to do that, and left it in dark Iron. However, the majority of the kit fitted reasonably well, save the engine and cooling fan on the rear of the propellor which were very tight into the fuselage. The fan in particular needed reducing in width by cutting the fan blades back before it would fit. And the canopy didn't fit very well, sanding and shaving with a scalpel didn't help much, but enough to get it to sit in the right place. (Gaps filled with Glue n glaze) I used montex canopy masks which were not very good at all. I think my experience with them was enough to make sure I use Eduard, Peewit or dead design masks in future, which have all been excellent on other kits. Decals - went down pretty well, no complaints there, though they did take a while to slide off the backing paper. Painted with Mr Color and Tamiya paints, varnish matt galleria by Windsor & Newton A little Albion Alloys tube for the gun barrels and pitot, and a yahu instrument panet that you can't see. However, I know it's in there! Am I pleased with the model? Certainly pleased it's finished, a bit disappointed with the paint finish - I failed to thin the Mr Color Nakajima dark green paint and you can see that it was a bit thick on the kit via brush painting. Overall, I don't think this is a bad effort, certainly no major complaints about the kit, which is a refreshing change. Thanks for looking.
  23. Hi everyone, I know, I am starting a new kit, and I am not finishing many. Who cares. This kit is special. My wife and I took our first holiday in six years in September. In London she gave a presentation at the Royal Geographical Society (she is the brainy one), and this is where I first met in the flesh Pat, aka @JOCKNEY and the delightful Mrs. Jockney. Lo and behold, the next day was my birthday and after a great day at the RAF museum, at the birthday dinner that night the man gives me a heavy, sizable box displaying the density of haggis. And here we are: a monster, four-engined French bomber. I am delighted with this kit and proud the French aeronautical industry knew how to use axe and chainsaw in order to create such graceful aircraft. Seriously, I love these inter-war monsters: Amiot 143, Bloch 210, etc. So this is a real treat. The plan is to build it OOB (mainly because detail photos of cockpit, etc. do not seem to exist) with the exception of some seat belts. And above all to enjoy every minute of the build. Here are a few photos: The monster in all its glory! The fuselage: As you can see, the length of the fuselage is about 30 cm; a serious beast. Azur ask you to drill some portholes (fair enough) and to open a window at the front of the fuselage (less obvious as to why the onus should be on the modeler). Where these Froggies are cheeky, is that they tell you to cut and fit your own windows in the openings.... The two holes on the wing root will be opened up and will receive two spars, as but joints on such big wings are a recipe for disaster. Here is a view of the cockpit being built.. I am sure there should be a ladder somewhere for the poor pilot to reach his seat. This is the extent of the build so far. I foresee some hectic and scary moments later on, but at least I know I won't get bored. A super thank you to @JOCKNEY for this Birthday present (although he doesn't know how much I cursed him when I saw how little room was left in my suitcase!) Thanks for watching. JR
  24. Tamiya 1/72 scale Japan Torpedo Boat; OK so old kit been in the stash for a while so thought this will be my Thursday Night at the model club project some of my builds are a bit fragile for now so this will be easy to transport and work on for that one night a week my time. I Won't be using the power units this will be a static model. Parts and bits of extra PE Can you tell I have more time on my hands now. Stay SAfe beefy
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