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As something of a Coronavirus lockdown special effort, I recently did something I’ve been thinking about attempting for months: A Mk.XIV high-back conversion kit bash. I built this Mk.XIVe high-backed Spitfire in 1/48 scale using Eduard’s Mk.VIII kit as the base fuselage, Airfix’s new FR Mk.XIV bubble-top kit for the Griffon engine, tail and radiators, and Eduard’s Mk.XVI bubble top kit for an ‘e’ wing to complete Spitfire MN-F (tail number RB169) as flown by 350 Squadron, RAF from October 1944. Decals were from Xtradecal and the Mk.VIII and Mk.XIV kits. This was a really in depth effort and I’m really not confident with filler, putty and rescribing but was surprised and delighted by how nice she looks in the end result! I’ve wanted to do a Griffon Spitfire for ages but wanted a proper wartime bird that saw large scale service and don’t really like the bubble-canopy and cut down fuselage look of Airfix’s fighter-reconaissance Mk.XIV. There are some older Mk.XIV kits out there (e.g Academy) but they are extremely inaccurate shape-wise so I didn’t want to go for any of them. The Eduard Spitfires are the best out there in terms of shape and surface detail (at least in my opinion) in 1/48 scale – hence the approach chosen here to use as much Eduard plastic as possible and take what parts I needed from the Airfix FR Mk.XIV bubble canopy kit. For those wondering about the wastefulness implied – the Mk.XVI kit comes with two different ‘e’ wing sprues representing early and late modifications so I was able to take one for this project and will still be able to build the Mk.XVI in full later on.

It's ALIVE!! Finally this monster build, combining the 1/24 Revell Audi R8 with the 1/24 Revell VW Samba Bus to create a sleeper..... ala, R8 Samba "Sleepah", is over! I have tried new things, rust, seriously modding a car kit & scratch building seat belts. There are faults, but overall I am more than satisfied with my efforts at a mega car mod. side 2 by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr side by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr top by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr front quart by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr Rear quart by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr Thanks for looking and sharing the experience with me. 🍻

To make my combat mecha, take one Kimaris kit ( see fist picture) throwaway the instructions, remove all the parts from the runners, then put things together as you like. Nearly all of this build is from the Kimaris kit other than, the head is from a 1/20 Ma.K figure, and a few bits from Barbatos, SD Wing and a NG Zaku. Just need to sort the feet out and some sort of gun is in order I think.

Hi everyone. Hope there's room for another Ian McQue inspired scratch build . I've loved his designs since the first time I saw them, and have all of his kits from Industria Mechanika that I'll eventually build. Since those are all 1:35 scale, I'm building this scratch to match. Check him out if you like his designs. Facebook Twitter Instagram This will be my first attempt at scratch building, so it'll probably be a slow build. Parts of the model will be more kit bash than scratch, mainly the engine and underside. These are the sketches I'm basing the build on. I mirrored one to use as the basis for the opposite side. I started off by building an L shaped box to use as the core of the design. Next, I added another layer to build out the basic shape a bit more. I'll be adding weld line decals from Archer where you see the pencil lines. Here, I've thickened up the top of the front fins, added a floor and round greeble, and cut a notch on the port side. If you notice some rough edges, those are intentional. His sketch looks like a vehicle that would have beat up edges. That's where I am today with the main body. I did spend a little time playing around with some parts to add to the deck, and came up with this "control box" that I'll add somewhere behind the pilot. The red part is from an old Koh-I-Noor drafting graphite container I found at work. I'm not sure what the numbers on the top will look like under primer and paint, but they should be slightly visible. I figure it can serve as an engine system model number. That'll be all I post until next weekend. I'm excited to keep going, but I'm away from home for a few days. Thanks for looking!

So starts another a scratch/bash of kits to make my version of an Ian mcque type sci-fi floating ship. Starting of with a revell harbour tug boat for this build and we will see if I can come up with something different but similar to what is already out there. Some very badly drawn ideas on paper but they give me something to work with. And a start I have made. I Have moved the cabin to the back of the deck, added the extra level and moved the railing (that I might or might not cut out and make new). Added a hand rail to top of the upper cabin and a few bits and bobs here and there......and so it begins....... Travel toothpaste lid and candle holder used to make the new generator. Thanks for looking.

Hi, I have a plan to build a Tornado F.2 in the very attractive 229 OCU colours bu using the Revell Tornado IDS & F.3 kits. The underside of the rear fuselage and jet pipes will need modifying (taken from the IDS box) and I'll have to only fit one Sidewinder rail per pylon not 2. I have come across a stumbling block in that I can't find any 229 OCU decals in 1/48th. The closest are these from the Airfix kit, but I'm not keen on paying for a whole kit I won't build for the tail fin decals only. Does anyone know of these decals in 1/48? Model decal did them on set 90 but that's 1/72 and I haven't yet managed to home print useable decals. If I'm very careful I could probably mask and paint the yellow and red dart by using a scanned template but if anyone has the tail markings spare that'd be nice!

My little build has just be given a 3rd place for the build off, Im very please with that. Thank you all for entering! There was a great range of skill and concept on show so very well done to everyone who entered. Now to announce winners! Winners are as follows (all very close!): 1st: MrAdam5 - Powered GM Cannon Advance http://mecha-lounge.com/index.php?topic=458.0 2nd: naMECHianGunpla - MG 2.0 MS-06-J Zaku Ground Type (Melee Spec) http://mecha-lounge.com/index.php?topic=463.0 3rd: Rockpopandchips - RGC-80 GM Cannon http://mecha-lounge.com/index.php?topic=437.0 I built this as a build off for over on the http://mecha-lounge.com/index.php?board=22.0, it should be a great comp and my first. I hope you like it and any comments welcome. and a few arty ones Im trying out........ and one with my Gonk, in the living room!

Completed Model Post. Here are some pictures of my model of HMS Phoebe, a Towed Array Leander class frigate as she was in 1989 when I served on board her for my Apprentice sea time. The model is a conversion of the 1:600 Airfix kit with White Ensign Photo Etch detailing and some scratch built enhancements. A detailed build log can be found here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234976345-hms-phoebe-f42/ Enjoy.

This is my build of HMS Phoebe as she was from 1988 to 1989 when I served on her for my apprentice sea time. I started last October and have been posting this as a work in progress on another forum not realising its North American slant. It was through some of those who were kind enough to comment on my efforts that I discovered Britmodeller. As a new member to this forum I thought I should share my attempt at converting the venerable Airfix kit to a Towed Array Leander. A subject matter I think that is more suitable and probably has more appreciation for on this forum. Whilst the build is still very much a work in progress I have taken the opportunity to edit my postings in order to improve their quality (and to remove any references to self-doubts and disasters). For those of you who are following this on the other forum, my apologies for the duplication. For those of you who are seeing this for the first time what follows are the trials and tribulations of my attempt at converting the Airfix Leander kit. An introduction: HMS Phoebe had 3 guises over her life; starting off with a gun followed by Exocet conversion and finally with a Towed Array sonar. The starting point for this project is as I previously mentioned is the Airfix kit of HMS Leander at 1/600 scale. This has been festering in a drawer having been bought many years ago. The trigger to me undertaking this project was seeing a super detailed version of the Pit Road HMS Sheffield at 1:700. I thought that would look good on my desk and I should have a go at doing something like that. So I dug out some not so relevant Jecobin drawings of HMS Penelope that had been scavenged from a long forgotten source and I bought the White Ensign Models PE set. I spent a sum total of 0 hour 0 minutes planning for this exercise, which in hindsight was not a bad thing. Had I considering what I was about to undertake I probably wouldn’t have done it! And now for the pictures: First steps; building the hull, filling the wells and building the Towed array sponson. I have converted the model to waterline as I want to present my model in her element. Also all the deck fittings aft of the fo’c’tsle break were removed and replaced with scratch built items take into account the impact of the Towed Array sponson and the Exocet launchers. I should mention now, this build requires a plentiful supply of Plastistruct and Evergreen building materials as will soon become evident. Next installment to follow very soon