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I thought I'd try and do something quick, just assemble a rough kit I got a long time ago. The major parts seemed to fit well enough, tacked together with white glue. But it seemed a better kit would be appropriate for a Greek example, and its surface detail would not support the silver lacquer finish of a Turkish machine. So I looked around for something else, found Bulgaria brought a few of these, found their national markings charming, like something out of a thirties 'secret agent' flick of Balkan derring-do. It really was a mistake, and this is what came of close enquiry.... I'd scarcely suspected a Bulgarian air force existed at the time, and it certainly saw little use during WWII. Bulgaria began to acquire modern aeroplanes in 1937, among them 14 PZL P.24B fighters (for reasons which must have seemed good to Poland's government, PZL offered for export fighters better than those purchased for the Polish air service). They did little of note flying for Bulgaria, and had been sidelines by the time the country became involved in WWII directly, assisting the invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia. The Government and Crown of Bulgaria weaved a delicate path, allied with Hitler yet not at war with Stalin, and for a time profited by it in slices of Greece and occupation duty in Serbia. The kit would build well enough as a late-model P.24F, I suppose, as pictured on the header. I was fairly well into assembly before I found out about the Bulgarian sale, and so began a conversion on the fly, after the wing was attached to the fuselage (though not yet strutted), and the motor and cowling already assembled. There's a link to the WIP below. I'd have done a lot of things different had I set out to do this. Apparently these were usually flown open cockpit, and I'd have done an interior, and my own windscreen. I like to think I'd have gotten copious louvers sorted better, too. I'd certainly have had a better line on painting the flash. It's freehand, and either it's a bit too thick or I laid out the decals a bit small. Usually I would lightly scribe a demarcation, it sort of guides the paint. I don't know if various reshapings I found needed to get the nose/wing/cowling juncture close to how drawings (consulted late of course) depict the area. Things might have proved fine with the original pieces. I had a great time horsing something good enough for a shelf out of it. For a look at what a Bulgarian P.24B ought to look like, see this by Ray_W, about halfway down pg 1 of the Hi-Wing GB: Here's my WIP, for a blow by blow.... James

I built this model several years ago and finally girded myself to finish the rigging yesterday. It's my first Wingnut Wings kit and I loved every minute of building it. I used the resin conversion kit from Encore to modify the cockpit. I think it was designed for the Roden kit but it seemed to fit really well on this. The decals and resin figure were from the same Encore package. The colour is too dark and I won't show you the bottom because of rigging glue mess 😬 I also chickened out of using double wires. But it's the most complicated rigging I've done yet and was great practice for an MVR Albatross that's on the block next.

This is the Encore kit and it needs a good amount of TLC to get it into shape. There's a good amount of sink marks and flash that need attention, but after some elbow grease and some serious clamping, it turned out alright. It's in a nice clean condition as I built it for dad and he's not a fan of weathering. It now sits in his study.

Encore Models is to rebox in 2016 the HobbyBoss (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234932988-148-republic-f-84f-thunderstreak-by-hobbyboss-released/?hl=thunderstreak) 1/48th Republic F-84F Thunderstreak kit - ref. 48006(?) Sources: http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2016/Bilder_AT/Squadron_MMD.htm http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2016/Bilder_AT/Bilder_AT_1.htm V.P.

Encore Models has just released a limited edition from the Academy's 1/72nd Cessna A-37B Dragonfly as '2 Kit Combo' - ref. EC72104 Source: http://www.squadron.com/Encore-1-72-A-37B-Dragonfly-2-Kit-Combo-EC7210-p/ec72104.htm V.P.

Just stumbled across these, I knew Heller sold a sold of moulds way back, some of which were released under the Encore brand in the late 80s I think? Seems they are alive and well in Argentina complete with period Heller box art, pretty much all have been improved upon since, or are the odd scale 'cadet' range, but I have happy memories of making the 1/72 Heller Gladiator, Draken and TF-104G back in the old days! http://www.modelex.com.ar/#!aeromodelos/ccin Thanks, Colin