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So I finally got round to finishing off the second of the Gnats I was working on. This time I built her in a slightly different scheme LAG/Dayglo. I decals are a mix of kit and some generic RAF numbers to alter the serials. This build was based on a single photo I found of the aircraft, there a few things I got wrong or wish I had done different/better, but on the whole I think she turned out ok. I meant to build FOD covers but to be honest I just wanted it off the bench towards the end so I didn't bother. Anyway here are the pics of her and finishing with the pair together: - Not sure if the pics are the right size so if they're too small let me know and I will get them changed to larger images! Edit - I used the Wolfpack bangseats and a Pavla canopy too!

Hi fellas, With a few models sitting waiting for the gloss coat to go off, I've cracked out the neat little Hasegawa F-4EJ Kai boxing of the Phantom in 1/72nd scale. The kit is the perfect starting point for an RAAF machine as all the parts except weapons are included in the box. The RAAF machines had unslated wings so no need for any mods or hacking of the kit. The final item will be an inflight display of A69-7205 carrying two sticks of three 500b bombs on TER's on the inboard stations. Missile stations will be empty but it will have a full compliment of gas bags as per this pic from add-serials (the aircraft in the foreground on the right is A69-7205). I've skipped the cockpit build for the moment and gone straight to the fuselage to get the bulk of the exterior done as there's nothing too adventurous going on externally. The blisters just aft of the intakes need to be removed. Before After The sharpie outline for the mounting post is marked here. It turns out I needed to move it forward a panel as it would foul the exhausts when they were inserted. The two blisters further behind the main gear towards the trailing edge have since been removed as Aussie Phantoms didn't have these. Perhaps the F-4 gurus can shed some light on what they were/are? A start on the cockpit. There's not much to it but once the crew are installed the decal instrument panels should be okay. The rear section of the nose gear door installed. No filler required here. I've started to busy up the sidewalls as they will be partly visible. I've no idea what the rear left hand sidewall of an F-4E looks like, but some gizmology will get me by. For whatever reason the right side is provided as an insert but no mention of it is made in the instructions. Some of the panel lines on the spine needed reinstating after being removed when cleaning up the seam. Some Pactra tape and an Olfa scriber put them back in their right place. Before. After. The circular access panels also needed some work. The first effort was made using a fluted punch but I wasn't happy with the result. Perhaps okay for a flat surface but not on a curved one. I reverted back to the old scribing template and needle for the rest. Progress so far after two evenings. The outer wings and fin cap have also been adde. You can see the hole where I had to move the mounting post position to. I've been doing some work on the ejection seats and drop tanks but once they're done I'll load up some pics of them. Anyway, that's it for the moment. I'll be back with another update tomorrow. Cheers, Mick

Hiya Folks, After a bit of a gap I`m beginning to finish some models and here is the first of two Sword Spitfire Mk.Vc`s, build in the marlings of BR387, GL-W of 185 Sqn at Hal Far in 1942 which was often flown by Australian Plt. Off.John `Slim' Yarra RAAF; [/url] It was brush painted using Aeromaster Finnish Light Blue to represent the Sky Blue undersides and US Sea Blue for the Blue upper surfaces. The same dark blue was used on submarines of the 10th Submarine Flotilla operating from Manoel Island in Malta as it gave better camouflage while under the Med where the clear water made submarines easier to see while submerged; Subs aren`t really my thing but I built this a while ago! I think that it is the Polish Sokol which was a British built ex RN sub which operated with the 10th Flotilla. Cheers Tony PS- If anybody is interested in this scheme,....here is a Special Hobby 1/48th scale Spitfire Vc that I built some time ago. It is from the same unit and was usually, flown by Flt. Lt. Johnny Plagis who named it `Kay' after his sister. It comes from from this old thread; http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/32043-special-hobbyeduard-148th-spitfire-mkvcs/?hl=%2Bmalta+%2Bspitfire+%2B185+%2Bsqn WOW,.....as you have all been so kind and shown such interest in Blue Spitfire`s from Malta here are a few of the older Malta Spits from my collection; Tamiya 1/48th- Spitfire Mk.Vb, EP829, T-N(t) of 249 Sqn flown by the American CO Sqn. Ldr. John Lynch who was credited with scoring Malta`s 1,000th kill in this aircraft. I`ve been asked to provide an underside view of the above, so here is one taken before the yellow codes were overpainted using Azure Blue. Note the red wingtips and the lack of a tropical filter which was removed. Underside colour on this later aircraft is Azure Blue. Tamiya-1/48th- Spitfire Mk.Vb, BR586, T-M, 249 Sqn. (The codes should be light blue and I`ll be repainting these). Hasegawa 1/48th Spitfire Mk.Vb converted to Mk.Vc, BR190, A-2, USS Wasp.

Hi guys, I'm doing a base at the moment and would like a parked truck along side my (1/72nd) He-111 , what truck is best that would of been used on an airfield? I've no idea what to use... Many thanks..

Have just finished this as I wanted to take something to Telford.... also, shamelessly (considering the time I've been on BM), my first RFI on the forum too. Now, I just need more time to finish my other projects..... Finished He-111 1/72 Hasegawa by Totallyrad.co.uk, on Flickr Finished He-111 1/72 Hasegawa by Totallyrad.co.uk, on Flickr Finished He-111 1/72 Hasegawa by Totallyrad.co.uk, on Flickr Thanks for looking, any comments good or bad welcome

Looking to build a couple of the Heller kits of the Canadair 415 but can find little about the accuracy of the kit. I remember reading somewhere, sometime, that the position of the engines is correct for the 215 but that the 415's engines should be mounted slightly further outboard - does anyone know if this is correct? Many thanks

At some point I'm going to build a biplane and I fancy doing a 1/72nd scale Yugoslav Hawker Fury. I've read several writeups of the A-Model product and I have to say I don't fancy it much, so I'm planning on converting the Revell/Matchbox kit. I'm aware of the (general) differences between the RAF etc Fury I and the Yugoslav Fury II (landing gear, radiator, oil cooler), but I really could do with a decent plan showing these. Can anyone suggest a source? Several lunchtimes Googling have come up with lots of photos (OK, lots of versions of the same photos ) and lots of art from kits/decal manufacturers, but no plans I can crib actual measurements/angles from. Several sources describe the Fury II's cantilever U/C as being "...like the Gloster Gladiator..." Based on (initial) inspection of the sources I have it's VERY like. Can anyone confirm/deny that you could use a set of Gladiator U/C for this build? Many thanks in advance, M

Hiya Folks, I`m not much of a WHIFF`er but I`ve always fancied doing a TSR.2 in operational colours from the 1980`s and this one represents an aircraft of 16 Sqn based in RAF Germany during 1986. As it was based so close to East Germany there was no need for air to air refuelling (just like the Buccaneers in Germany) as low level over East German airspace wasn`t the most hospitable place for tanking so it is doesn`t have a probe fitted but it does have a pair of long range tanks. It carried the nuke, air launched cruise missile or bomb load internally and four Sidewinders were carried to fight their way to the target if needed. Anyway here is the model; I like it in the wrap around camo but if I build another it might just be white, although an Op Granby one is very tempting! Cheers Tony PS- I meant to say that in my world the original twin wheeled main undercarriage was deleted due to wheel shimmy so the original requirement for rough field operations was revised in the GR.2 version and the additional wheel was deleted, the legs strengthened and the additional space left over in the wheel well was used by extra fuel or ECM gear! I was going to add outboard pylons fitted with chaff and ECM pods too but upon reflection I thought that the TSR.2 would have enough internal room for the kit to be carried inside so in the interest of speed I eventually decided against these.

Hi folks, I was taking March off from modelling, pending a couple of upcoming GBs, when I decided to throw together a Revell Sea Hurricane, trying to correct a couple of outline errors in the process. The result is shown below as a rocket equipped SHurri IIC from HMS Vindex (I'm following a profile on Wings Palette, so don't know how accurate it is) but as a quick build, it met the need. Prop / spinner is from Quickboost, vacform sliding canopy is from Squadron (I think) and the rockets / rails I believe came from a Hi-Tech Smer kit of the IIC although I may be wrong. Anyway, the rest is hacked about Revell plastic. Decals are from the spares box apart from the s/n (which is from the kit and is therefore wrong for this aircraft). regards, Martin

Hi folks, I just asked this over in the "interwar" area but realised I might get help here too. I'm hoping to replicate Tiger Moth, G-ANSM in 1/72nd scale and need a source for suitable code letters please. Can anyone point me in the direction of decals or paint masks? Your help is appreciated, Cheers, Guy

Following on for my conversion of the 72nd scale Airfix Spitfire Vb to a Seafire III I bought another Vb & a Vc to do the Seafire Ib & IIc. The first Vc kit died in a major glue spill so I sourced another to replace it and will restart that one soon as it arrives. In the meantime here's the chosen subjects and progress so far. They will form numbers 3 and 4 from a pile that is about to be joined by a Special Hobby 72nd scale XV. Who, me, obsessed? Nah. After thinning the fuselage halves the internal structure gets represented by some plastic strip. Next task is to form the bulkhead frames. One issue with the Vc boxing is the new wing parts are not such a nice shape as the older Vb parts and very thick. Once the new kit arrives I'll look at them again and decide if using the old wings modfified to take the new cannon bulge parts or thinning the new wings is the better route.

An all resin kit and a wonderful gift, however, I need more info. Did this aircraft exist on the drawing board only? Anyone else have this kit started and completed? Would appreciate any info. Many thanks