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Well as host I'd better get my finger ooot and list my own build ! So here she is, extra GB bonus point for double Japanese, ie kit and subject Now I've not had a lot of luck with my last 3 Mitsubishi subjects. 1 died on a radiator ( long story ) and the other 2 remain unfinished ( all too common story !! ) However this time with the contents still sealed in the bag, what can possibly go wrong Cheers Pat

So far as I am aware, this is the only Arii kit I have ever built. Scalemates tells me that it was first issued in 1966 by LS, but despite this antiquity it remains a very high quality moulding, albeit with very limited detail. Parts fit is superb and the interestingly recessed surface rivet detail works well, being reminiscent of modern Trumpeter kits. Detail on specific items such as the torpedo and bombs is good. I have no way of knowing if the surface detail and lines are in the correct places, but nevertheless, it leaves a good looking effect. Given the basic cockpit, I added a little sidewall and floor detail, a bulkhead, several pressure cylinders, a radio and a chart table. Three rather malnourished looking crew members are provided, with good representation of the signature Imperial Japanese Navy Kapok life vests. The instructions suggest they all fit in the cockpit (where there are 3 seats), but one of the figures is actually too tall for this (he is perhaps intended for the gun turret). I cropped his legs so he could sit at my added chart table ! The distinctive outward splayed engines look slightly overdone to me; the plan drawing in my copy of Francillon's "Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War" has a noticeable splay, but not as much as the kit. There are also a few spare solid and clear parts in the box, probably for the early G3M1 and L3M1 transport variants. The kit is advertised as a G3M3 Model 23, which would make it a later Nakajima-built upgraded aircraft. There are no dates on the instructions although the 3 options provided, Genzan, Kanoya and Mihoro air groups, the last two of which are in brown-green camouflage, include units that took part in the sinking of HM Ships PRINCE OF WALES and REPULSE (Force Z) in 1941. Although I suspect that it represents the aircraft later in the war, I chose the dark green Genzan option, hand brushed, as always, using Humbrol 75 and an acrylic Windsor & Newton matt topcoat. This is a vintage kit and clearly so, but its original high quality is obvious and it is pleasant and straightforward to build, with plenty of opportunity for the modeller to add their own detail. FredT :)

My other build in this GB, will be this one Thanks to @Stew Dapple for the serial numbers for one of the torpedo bombers. Im a bit confused over the configuration of the dorsal turrets, ill post a picture of the instructions to explain the conundrum later on. Cheers Pat

The first 1/48th scale kit that I ever built was the Otaki Bf 109G-6, I completed it as per the box art with the stylised eye of 9./JG 3, yellow 6 flown by Ofw. Alfred Surau. That was back in in the long hot summer of 1976. Going through my stash I found this Arii kit which is a re-box with same artwork released in 1980. The price sticker from Kings Lynn Model Centre at £4.99 means I bought it in the early 80s when I was stationed at RAF Marham and the Kings Lynn Model Centre was my LMS. Along with my friend Rick @Spad and a few others we would travel to Mildenhall twice a month to the model club meet there. Happy days. I intend to build this kit in the same markings but now I have more reference material and lots of unused spare parts to slightly improve it. I have entered it in the Bf 109 STGB but I am also entering it in this GB as it cost well under a tenner. This is the kit: And the untouched parts: The decals still look clean and undamaged, back then they also included the swastikas. A nice profile in the Kagero book that also provides a set of decals for some of the featured aircraft. The main problems with this range of kits was the inaccurate cockpit and for some reason the wheels were usually dodgy, here the chunky tread tyres would not look out of place on a tractor. Thanks for looking. Any comments and questions are welcome.

Hello, Here's something silly I just finished. It's a 1/32 kit from Arii, and it was only a few bucks from HLJ, so I figured, why not. It was a joy to build, not super detailed, and not the best clear parts, but otherwise pretty decent for a kit from the mid '80's. I used the recommended mix of Gunze paints for the blue, and the rest is mostly Tamiya and Vallejo. Thanks for looking!

My new project! I know it's not the best kit of a 'Stang, but it's a Mach 1 - one of my favourites - like the one that James Bond drives in 'Diamonds Are Forever'! I plan however to give it my own personal look! Here we go: Boxart: The body: I've already glued the doors and frontspoiler on. The rear: Dechromed the tailbumper. Trying out some new taillights (2 transparent sprues glued together and sanded into shape): And here painted transparent red: I kind'a like it. Only an idea, but I'm contemplating going with it. I plan on putting wheels from a '66 GT-40 on it, painting it bright yellow and putting some black stripes on the bonnet (not 'Hood' this is after all Britmodeller! ) Well, it's a start - it's been a while since the last car: - Lindberg's 1/25 Chrysler Atlantic (converted into a Convertable! ) And a 1/25 'Vette from AMT (even more converted - new front, windscreen etc..) So that's it for now - hope to return soon (but no promises - I am- after all - a Slow Builder! ) Cheers Hans J

Lockheed Martin F-16C/F-16D Fighting Falcon, from Polish Air Force showing their special c/s for the NTM 2013 in Bielewicz, Krzesiny AB, Norway. Kit:ARII 1/144 F-16AM converted to F-16D & REVELL 1/144 F-16C Decal:DIY decal

Hi folks, here's the Arii 1/144 SR-71A Blackbird, doing a nice pirouette for you out in the sun... Here she comes: turning right: showing off her long slender form: turning again to give us a view of those massive engines: impressive, aren't they? rear view: round she goes: not bad for her age, eh? coming round for that head on shot which everyone tries to capture on camera: Click! I never actually got to see one of these fly, so I had to do this: Couldn't resist it... It's not a bad little kit, some little niggles and I had to build the wheel well from scratch, but I think it turned out ok: Hope you like it. Now, what's next...? Dean