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My next build is the 1/32 Tamiya F4-J but it seems it's not! I've been sucking up hours of video and pages of blogs this year to learn new techniques and methods to hopefully be able to produce a great looking F-4. I feel like I've been in class for weeks and spent a small fortune on new tools, materials and paints that will help me get the result I want. I also think I've developed something of a 'starters block' brought on by all this new gear and the insecurity of the result I'll get. For years I've been working with Vallejo and then added Ammo into the mix all being water based acrylics that I've lived with like a wife. But then came the blonde in a short dress that caught my eye, I'm referring to MRP paint. God it looks so good to watch being applied and the results are just amazing. So, while finishing up some other bits for another project, I've been procrastinating about getting started on the F-4 but I realised the key to getting the result I want is to test on a mule. Everybody seems to have one but me. So I scour eBay for cheap kits that would make good mules and even visit the LHS out of the desire to simply go and suck up the atmospherics you can only get in a well stocked hobby shop. Long and short I get my mules, two cheap Academy of ebay and a MK 67 Hawk from the LHS. So I have no interest in R.O.K stuff but the addition of resin and PE in the kit peaked my interest. So here be my mistake that has resulted in this kit going from mule to build project. I had the sole intention this weekend of sticking one of the other kits together enough to create a reasonable surface to slap paint on but opened this kit to have a look-see and the original reason I bought it grabbed me and my brain has deduced this would be a great way to not only create a practice piece for paint but also cutting in a resin part and a cockpit with PE. So here goes the ROK T-59 Hawk that would be mule... It's early beginnings so just the seats and pit put together. Already the carpet has claimed it first sacrifice in the form of one of the seat belts. Lucky I watched that video on making seat belts from masking tape. 🙂 Initial fit looks OK but I can already see sink marks and possible gaps between the wings and fuzz. On the whole this should be an OK out of the box build. My plan for this is to use backbasing for the first time, paint a camo finish (I've been building modern US AFV dessert stuff, it's all sand!) and improve my weathering to create a worn and used jet typical of a USN jet that has been on tour for a while. Along the way I'm trying different glues, new putties, new tools and oil weathering too. Wish me luck! Nick

Hello Britmodellers! This is my Academy Super Hornet in scale 1:72. Finished it in December. Super model. Decals from Kit (Cartograf). Plane of CAG Fredrick "Lucky" Luchtman in appearance of 2014. Then Captain Luchtman is now Rear Admiral U.S. Navy. There is some Revell and Hasegawa DNA together with Aires and more homemade upgrades Cheers, Tom

Here's my entry over on the B-17 STGB. Based on the academy B-17E Boxing to obtain the correct nose side glazing, realised I had to add an astrodome as well. 'Kitsworld' decals were used, but I did a bit of research and came up with photo's showing 'Hettie' with no upper turret and upper scheme extending over the cowlings, also a different spacing and layout of the Codes. It also seems as if the leading edges of the main-wings/tail weren't black. Anyway, this is my interpretation and I'm sticking to it! The decals, by the way, went on really well and reacted well to Micro Set/Sol. Paint was Ultimate White Primer, then Vallejo ModelAir RLM21 white. Xtracrylics were used for the EDSG/Dark Slate Grey upperworks. The excessive main-wing dihedral was an easy fix with 15 thou plasticard shimming, attaching the bottom halves first there was no gap on the bottom, just the top to fill in a bit. I didn't improve or correct the air/oil cooler intakes, apologies to the B-17 Buffs out there. I used QuickBoost cowlings and engines, not sure if the cowlings were much better than the kit parts, but the engines looked better. As I ruined the Pavla Vacformed nose piece I had, which fitted not to bad, I ended up using a nose glazing out of the Revell kit, which isn't the same shape towards the bottom, but it'll do until I come up with something else, or fair-in the academy nose to suit! These close ups show loads of faults! When using a toothpick to clean up the paint leakage onto the windows the rear most one was pushed in, so I just left it! I may obtain some crystal clear and try that next time. As usual (for me!) a bit rushed at the end due to my impatience, but I'm overall fairly pleased with the result and in terms of hours wasn't a long build, just felt like it! Comments and Critique welcome. Davey.

Okay, four days until the flag drops and the race is on! This will be my fourth GB and I'm really hoping fourth time is the charm and I can get this one done without stuffing it half-built back into its box.😅 As stated previous, I'll be doing Academy's B-17B. I'll be adding to it with Brassin turbochargers, so I think a wee bit of cutting will be done to get them to fit. The detail looks a lot better than the kit parts. I was thinking of using resin engines as well, but now I don't think so. For one, they are for the F/G model 17 (though at this scale I wonder if slight differences would matter?) and two, I want to avoid getting too bogged down on adding things. I'm already going to be adding the radio room and the floor for the waist gunners. And maybe dropping the floor in the cockpit since all pics I've seen of the B-17 cockpit has the seats set on stilts and raised up. I also bought an Eduard PE set for the IP. It's for the E/F 17 but again, how much with slight differences matter at this scale and with a constricted view through the flight deck windows? Depending on what can be seen, I might not use it either, It will be good to have it on hand though, just in case. A question for those more in 'the know,' is the decals. I've seen some builds where the blue on the fin and insignia are a far lighter blue than the almost black-blue on the supplied decals. So, which is it? Until then, just awaiting the starting bell!

I started this thread in the B-17 Group Build, and was doing pretty good until I ran out of mojo. Happens sometimes, you know... Started to get it back, but it was too late to reach the finish line, but it's not stopping there, no sir! I have too many 'in-completes' to let yet another join the pile!😅 Here's is the link to my GB thread, And so now that you've caught up - or I've caught up? - here is the continuation of the build. I had last glued the fuse together and added the glazings, being none to happy with some, and yet happy with others. But that seam-line, damn that is ugly!! I started sanding along it, knocking it down and feeling pretty good about that - until I realized plastic dust was sneaking in under the glazings. Turns out they were no so sealed as I thought they were! You can see the sanding dust just above the rear seats. The good news is that there was enough of a gap at the front of the cockpit glazing that I could press my mouth against it and blow most of that away from there. Some still remains, but most is now where the solid silver will be sprayed. Turns out I'll have to live with a little bit here and there - unless I wanted to crack open the glazings, which I would fear doing far more damage than a few dust motes are worth. Here's a shot of the belly, and no the PPP has not been used. I can't seem to use one of those without the stuff getting hard in the tube before I can use even a little bit of it... Clear to see is the bad shape of the bomb bay doors, esp the 'hinges' near the corners. Between the belly bubble and the tail wheel I also snipped off the two lower antenna to facilitate clean up. And after a some time with rough sanding sticks we get this. Looking lovely! I'll need to redo a lot of seams and lines, but I got plenty of dymo tape, straight edges and a needle in a pin vise.😉 Another thing I decided to do was drop the elevators, so out came the aforementioned pin in a vise, which was then followed by an exacto blade. I have some half-round stock that will go against the leading edge of the elevators themselves and then round the rest of it out before gluing them back on with a little bit of droop. And that's where she is right now. This won't be a fast completion, as I intend to detour to a DS9 Defiant for a short bit. but I'll keep the ball rolling. Model on!

#30/2015 After, the I-16, Bf109E-1 and Bf109F-4, this is my dad´s last Spanish contribution for 2015. Academy boxing of the Hobbycraft kit, mostly built oob. Replaced the crappy kit canopy with a Hasegawa one, for that some putty and re-scribing was neccessary in the fuselage area after the canopy. Used a piece of sponge for the mesh in the nose air-intake and a plastic rod for the rod. Added some structure in the wheel wells, smoothed down the wrong tire tread. The black exhausts stripes are provided as decals in the kit, but they are slightly wrong so my dad painted them. Model Master Azure and Tamiya Titanium Silver for the camo. There would be more things to correct, as with all Hobbycraft/Academy kits. But to avoid a never ending story my dad put a fork in it

Ok, don't know if I'll get this done as I'm having a bit of 'modellers block' (see 'Butterworth Blenheim' in the Pacific at War GB). Sprue shots show wing parts, fuselage removed just to test fit. I'm doing Kitsworld's 'Hekla Hettie', an early 'F' model, so using the 'E' as a basis as this has the correct forward fuselage side glazing. I have QB paddle blades, engines and cowlings (apparently the kit parts aren't that good), Falcon clear parts for the frameless nose glazing, don't know how much I'll use of the Eduard Etch I'll use as I'm late into this! Davey.

Hi All, Decided to work on something that has been on the shelf for several years before starting on the C-47 STGB. So here is my 1/72 scale Academy B-29 Superfortress. The kit is really very good just time consuming in terms of doing the interior and of course the natural metal finish. The only part that was a little ambiguous was the engine nacelle placement on the wings...I actually did some measuring to make sure they were equal. I only used some filler strips on the flaps...they were not the best fit on the wings. I primed the fuselage with Tamiya Gloss Black and the natural metal is Vallejo. So onto the pictures. As always any comments are appreciated, All the Best! Don

I have started my entry which is the Academy B-17E (Fortress II boxing). I gave the decals away some time ago but have sourced a set from a Frog kit. It started as an OOB build but I have already drilled out the turbocharger intakes on one wing and started to box them in. Pictures of progress to follow soon.

Hi Everyone, I’ve not been posting completed models for a while although I managed to complete a bunch over the last year. Starting to catch up now. The first one is OV-10A Bronco in Vietnam markings of VAL-4. I have a mixed feeling about the kit and about the effort I did to get it completed. The kit can be assembled out of the box with moderate effort (only sponson to nacelle fit is really poor) and will definitely result in a decent model that would 100% look like a Bronco (it’s probably impossible to do a Bronco kit that would not look like a Bronco). But that works only until you see Bronco photos… Below is the list of errors and omissions I was able to find and tried to fix: - Empty undercarriage bays. Front bay is also almost empty on a real thing – reverse side of a landing light and some wiring only. Main bays have engine covers inside (Academy kit represents an aircraft as if its engines are removed), a lot of wiring, hydraulics, etc. I tried to scratchbuild at least engine covers and added some wiring. - Too small and simplified engine nacelles in particular anemic intakes over propellers should be noted. I tried to enlarge those with plastic and putty and drilled intakes through. - Wrong weapons sponson. In real life machine guns are placed asymmetrically, while kit has completely symmetric sponson. I tried to fix this. Also sponson shape is incorrect being a little narrower and with wrong angle of the front edge. - Short wing and short tail booms. Some reviewers also wrote about wrong wing angle of attack which I was not able to measure but seems to be true as well. Wing span is around 8 mm (!) shorter. Mostly outside of booms so easier to fix. Tail booms are approximately 3 mm shorter. The above is per my matching to real thing photoes. Tails are sitting at right height which leads to wrong angle on booms upper side which is more pronounced on a kit compared to real thing. I did not do anything about it as fixing booms represents pretty strong surgery and lengthening wing without adjustment of booms would result in even greater proportions distortion. - Simplified undercarriage. Some enhancement was done by replacement of plastic parts with metal tubes. Given the weight of lead I had to hide into nacelle to avoid tail-sitting – not sure if original plastic undercarriage would survive at all. My metal gear only marginally carries the weight. - Wrong shaped wing pylons. The kit ones are shorter and place rockets at wrong angle to the wing. Fixed it. - Fuel tank has the wrong shape. The thing is too pointy. I only identified it when starting to apply decals so live with it as is. - Cockpit details OOB are heavily simplified – here I just used CMK interior set. - Inconsistently applied panel lines. Academy did pretty decent panel lines on the wings (however they marked wing walkways with panel lines which is wrong). However, Academy ignored panel lines on the nacelle and sponson. Even cargo door is not properly shown! I tried to reapply missing panel lines to the possible extent. Some other non-OOB additions included Zunies from Crusader kit, LAU-10 launchers from Hasegawa weapon set (kit have extremely tiny Zuni warheads), LAU-32 launchers from Italeri OH-6 kit, CMK interior resin, Eduard PE set (which I only barely used to do some external features), and an excellent AOA decal which actually inspired me to buy and assemble the whole thing. Not much of a background story of the chosen subject as VAL-4 history is very well known. AOA provides almost 20 different options and I selected specific aircraft because of unique spinners colour which is said to be golden per AOA instruction. Overall conclusion – quite a lot of effort done to improve the kit but I know I went only half the distance to make a fully correct copy of a true thing. Also this is the subject that desperately needs a new 1/72 kit which would be of the correct geometrical shape as a minimum and would maybe provide a better level of details in the cockpit, undercarriage. And on top of it a wider choice of loadout other than standard LAU-3/10 and Mk.82 as Broncos carried almost everything what was available in Vietnam. Hope you enjoyed A great modelling year to everyone! Dennis

My belated entry to the group build is a 1/72 Academy PBY-5, which I intend to finish as an RAF/RCAF Catalina/Canso. I've not decided on which aircraft as yet, but am working through the Aviaeology decal sets to find a favourite - presently W8427/QL-G looks likely. Due to work pressure and family/festive commitments I've only just dug out the box so it's highly likely that I'll not meet the deadline, but here goes anyway! Pic of what I have so far: RIMG0895 by edge957, on Flickr Edge

Third contribution (I couldn't make my mind up) is this Academy Wildcat F4F4, which in FAA terms is a Martlet MkII. Simple kit, reasonably well moulded. Will need an instrument panel and some transfers from the stash. I'm tempted by an Operation Ironclad option from HMS Illustrious but I have a few more to ponder.

Is decals from Academy and Italeri as bad as often mentioned in build reviews and "in the works" or should those decals be handled in an different way than most decals? Is there something many builders miss when working with Academy, Italeri and Roden decals? What's behind those bad experiences? Cheers / André

Hi everyone, I am excited to join my first group build! For a long time I have been torn between a Guadalcanal P-400, a USAAF aircraft in North American, and a French P-39, but I have finally settled for the French option. The base kit will be Academy offering reboxed by MPM and I will use Berna decals. The kit: And the current state of the project:

Hello everybody, I present to you my French P-39Q that was built as part of the recent P-39/P-63 GB. The model represents a French Airacobra based in Southern France early in 1945. Kit: Academy (re-issued by MPM) Decals: Berna Modifications: - 4-blade prop modified from a Quickboost P-51K propeller - guns (or blast tubes) replaced with real metal tubes (Abion Alloys) - frontwheel was scratch-built (the Academy kit includes only the earlier P-39 wheel) The Academy kit might have some shape-issues, but builds nicely and has beautiful surface details. The Berna decals are a bit on the thick side. This shows especially with the serial on the tail. I tried to create a weel-worn OD paintscheme (see the WIP for details). Instead of using a matt cote following the Future gloss, I sprayed the model with a very thin coat of faded OD (and NG on the lower surface). This also helped to blend in the decals. The silver drop tank adds some colour to the model. On the original photo the colour of the tank is hard to verify. But this type of 75 gal. drop tank was a standard USAAF item and I suppose that by 1945 they were all silver (or NMF?). The WIP might be found here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235042717-172-p-39q-armee-de-lair/

Advance echelons of 36 and 306 Squadrons moved into Harrington on 25th March 1944. Flying B-24D & H variants, some of these were especially adapted for OSS Carpetbagger operations. This involved the removal of the ball turret; the 44” hole was covered by a circular plywood door, divided and hinged in the middle. The nose turret was also removed and replaced with a fully glazed section. The waist guns were also removed. The pilot was provided with large blister windows giving a good downward view of the ground. Unconverted types still wore the drab olive/grey livery, but those that had been modified were initially painted matt black, although this was later changed to a gloss finish. The air operation left Harrington on 7th July 1945 for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA. 801st/492nd (Provisional) Bomb Group (Heavy), Harrington, Northamptonshire. 42-52749 ‘J’ Scrappy was photographed at Harrington in March 1945 This Academy kit was a bit of a nightmare. The decals were worse than any I've experienced (even Novo). The fins are shown upside down on the instruction sheet. I lost a couple of bits to the carpet monster and had to find/scratch replacements as well as the conversion work for the Carpetbagger variant. The stars and bars are from spares and the other markings were done by hand. Thanks for looking.

Hi all! Recently completed 1/72 Academy F-15E. Rather than the usual all grey scheme, I went with a specially painted jet to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the 4th Fighter Wing. Lots of big decals! They are by DXM and printed by Cartograf. They are superb! I used MRP paint and added Aires exhausts because the kit exhausts are really bad.. Also added masking tape seat belts. Other than that, it was a fantastic kit to build! Thanks for looking!

Hello everyone. Here's my Academy P-51-2NA (F-6A) Mustang in 1:72 which I built back in 2007. It represents 41-37322 "Mah Sweet Eva Lee", flown by Lt N F Bush, 154th OS, 68th OG, USAAF, North Africa, Spring 1943. Photo-reconnaisssance fighter variant of the Mustang. It was completely painted by brush with only the matt varnish being airbrushed. Before finishing the kit I damaged the radio wire and had to fix it that is why it's a bit slack. Thanks for looking and all comments are welcome. Miguel

Right fellow modellers When I decided to shelve the Buccaneer till next years STGB I needed to find something else suitable, I've got lightnings in the stash, but they seem well represented already, I've got a Javelin but decided my eyes aren't good enough for '72nd scale anymore so thought a hunter would be a suitable candidate to fill a gap on the NATO side All the bits are together now so thought I would post some obligatory complete sprue shots before I start at the weekend, Going to go with a 56 squadron F6 as I thought it would make a change from the usual 56 lightnings (as gorgeous as they are)

As three of my five entries in this Group Build approach completion, it's time to start another. I'll be using the Academy P-47 and Xtradecals transfers to do this aircraft. Xtradecals say the Dark Earth is faded and I can't say I disagree. I might crack open my pot of Colourcoats Light Earth. Here's the box: Yes, it does like it's been trodden on. The canopy survived the deliveryperson's foot... but the propeller didn't... (Although it's nothing a little glue and a gentle bending won't cure.) I've made a start: painting bits that'll be black black, bits that'll be aluminium black and, gluing the cockpit bits together. Thanks for looking.

I'm a bit on a Mustang spree at the moment, so here are some images of another recently finished Academy build in 1:72; 'Salem Representative' flown by Flying Officer Ralph "Kidd" Hofer. I used an Eduard Zoom set for the cockpit, while the decals came from Kitsworld. I dropped the flaps on this one as well, as it adds a lot of character to the model IMHO. The rest was build pretty much as per the instructions. Next up will be a P-51 'Red Tail', inspired by the film on the Tuskegee Airmen. I hope you like it! Peter

Thought I’d have a go at an AFV as a change from ships. Academy 1/35 Warrior 2003 to go alongside an AFV Club Scimitar I built a few years ago. The Warrior will have Eduard PE along with Resin, PE and figures from Accurate Armour and a replacement Rarden barrel from Armour Scale as well as Fruil tracks The Scimitar will have replacement tracks from Fruil as the kit tracks were always a bit tight. Eventually they'll go on a simple desert base together for display. The builds nearly finished so the below are catch up pics. Various PE and resin The Scimitar Axles fitted, adjusted for vehicle ride height as mentioned in several blogs, and moulded on detail being removed Hull pretty finished from various angles Track test fitted - instructions say 90 links per side but 85 give about the right tension I think Turret coming together And the 2 side by side Cheers Nick

As my other builds are moving along nicely, I thought I'd start another. I haven't decided whether to use the kit transfers - 615 Squadron RAF, India 1945 - or one of the options from a Hannants sheet. Anyway, here's the obligatory sprue shot: I made a start in this a couple of days ago so this is where I've got to. Engine: Cockpit sidewalls: Seat etc. Wheelwells painted and wings assembled: A bit more gluing and I have this: I've since sanded the seams and glued the engine on so only need to attach the headrest and cowling before starting to paint it. Thanks for looking.

As my 79 Squadron Spitfire VC reaches the painting stage it's a good time to start another kit. I'll be attempting this one: Using this kit: Note that Academy have the pilot as Lt.Col Atherton, he was Wing Commander (which, I think, is an equivalent rank and would explain the error). Here's his biography (he's the third one down): http://www.pacificvictoryroll.com/page17.htm Here are the sprues, although I need to find two more US 500lb bombs. I've made a start with the cockpit bits so in-progress photographs will follow. Thanks for looking.

Hi, I voted for this group so can't sit and wach only.... My entry is an Academy Cobra with some aftermarkets. Don't know if I finish it on time (I have B-25 and P-47 in progress), but it will be a good start. My intentions are to do a P-400 variant and WAHL EYE II camo.