Search the Community

This is the first car I've built since the 80's. It was started in the 90's (I think) but quickly shelved. This year I decided to finish it off. There are a couple of firsts for me - Zero Paints and Molotow Chrome pen. Alclad gloss was used for the varnish and AutoGlym car polish to get a shine (and polish out the fingerprints I kept putting in it). There are quite a few issues with the car such as the engine bay not bearing much resemblance to the real thing. This wasn't helped by having to remove the rocker cover in order to get the bonnet to shut. The windscreen is too wide, so the side windows taper in and there is no fuel cap or reversing lights (I think these were standard, but may not have been). The bonnet isn't fixed and has slipped on a few photos, but it doesn't fit particularly well anyway.

I picked up this book on eBay for a couple of quid in the knowledge that it contained some nice drawings, which I planned to knife out and mount in a frame. It arrived today and having realised the age of the book, and how beautiful it is an object, I cannot now bring myself to cut it up. I am yet to read the book, but will do so, and report back once digested. It was first published in 1943, and was presumably written around that time. Perhaps events depicted will date it better. It contains wonderful little nods to history, like the following declaration; And the inscription dates this copy perfectly At 7/6 (about £13 now) this must have been a generous gift in wartime! I thought I would share the images with you so that others can enjoy them also. In addition to these drawings there are a few photos, two of Vospers and a couple of MGBs (Fairmile C and BPC/Elcos (I don’t know which, I’m not up on my MGBs)), but if you own any Coastal Forces reference material you will have seen these photos reprinted already. If anyone wants me to post them I will. Lewis

This is Aoshima's curbside 1:24 MG B, as reboxed in the past by Airfix which is the one I had. I think Revell have also offered this kit, and Aoshima have recently re-issued it again. I started this sometime in 2009, but it wasn't completed until the summer of 2010, due to the ongoing problem of too many projects at once, and my work desk being an utter tip at that time. This one was built entirely out of the box, except for BMF being used for the chrome trims along the flanks and for the windscreen frame (the screen, quarterlights and frame was a one piece clear molding). I think I may have used an aluminium effect BMF so that the screen frame wasn't too bright, as the real thing is polished alloy, rather than chrome. It comes with options for hood up, hood down, half tonneau or rear tonneau only. My kit came with the parts for the rubber bumper version too. However, Aoshima's recent releases are boxed as different chrome bumper & rubber bumper ones - whilst the rubber bumper release includes the chrome bumper parts, the chrome bumper one doesn't include the rubber bumpers or the half tonneau which are all on the same mini sprue. Aside from box art, the decals are also slightly different to reflect the model year (think it's basically the numberplates), and also the rubber bumper version now includes a small sprue with a set of Rostyle steel wheels, which are more appropriate for the rubber bumper cars than the wires. However, what the Airfix or Aoshima instructions don't tell you is that the ride height between the two is different as the rubber bumper cars were jacked up for compliance with US Federal regs (to do with headlamp and / or bumper heights). However, the ride height on the model can be adjusted for either without any modifications to the parts - details below: Floorpan / chassis in the rubber bumper ride height position, slotted in as per the instructions. Chrome bumper ride height position - note that the floorpan / chassis has been slotted in higher up inside the body and is now resting above the tabs that it is supposed to clip into. There didn't seem to be any affect on the fit of the interior tub, but the ride height difference was noticable.

Thought it was time to create a thread on what Coastal Forces information is available on the web and in printed/book format. As a starter I thought I'd post up this as I hadn't seen this website mentioned anywhere previously. Whilst the football is on I've been having a trawl around the web and I came across this site - Spitfires of the Seas The website hasn't much content, a lot promised so hopefully it will come but the Facebook page has a lot more - https://m.facebook.com/groups/562609010767534 and is well worth looking at if you have a Facebook account. Enjoy! P

Coastal Craft History Volume 1 Coastal Craft Histories This new book from Coastal craft, entitled Vosper Torpedo Boats from the 68ft PV boat to MTB538 is the first in, hopefully, a series of books covering all of Britains Coastal Forces. The second in the series is already complied and due to go to print shortly. The book is in landscape format allowing authors the space for the excellent side views. The profiles and text are by Mike Smith with the editor being none other than Neil Robinson. All the profiles are produced from those of John Lambert with his co-operation. The book begins with a short piece about the first Vosper private venture, the 68ft motor torpedo boat. This is followed by a forward and information about the book itself, what the profiles were based on and the resources from whence the wartime photographs came. Then there are short articles on the following:- The history of Vosper Torpedoes and torpedo boats Hull and wheelhouse design Engines Torpedoes and depth charges Armament Details of Vosper batches Included in the above articles there are suitable profiles of various boats and the ever changing profile of the 68 footer MTB 102. The next thirty five pages show the many and various colour schemes used on particular boats. Each of the full colour profiles, some with top down views are beautifully drawn comes with information about the particular boat, as well as the colours used. There are also useful notes on the references used if the modeller would like to go further in their research. At the end of the book, there is a page dedicated to listing the great many books that are available followed by one page covering the kits and detail sets that are available from Coastal Craft, with the last page showing whats to come in the next book. Conclusion This book is an absolute must have for anyone interested in the Vosper boats of WWII. Whether you have any kits or not, but of particular use with those who have the any of the available kits who would like to produce something not out of the box, especially as there is so much available aftermarket for the 1:72 fraternity. Those modellers who choose to model in 1:35 will need to hone their scratchbuilding skill, but this book will certainly be a help as to what equipment and modifications are appropriate to which boat. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I am building 1/72nd scale model hulls in glass-fibre for some WWI and most WWII and later CF types over the coming months. The two scales have been chosen to match the most popular scales of the model kits currently available from the likes of Italeri, Revell and Airfix etc. so that modellers can add their favourites to their existing fleets of PTs, HSLs, MTBs, MAS and E-Boats. In 1/72nd scale I have done; Fairmile B, Fairmile D with and without scallops, 72ft RN HDML and RAN 80ft version, Australian 80ft ambulance launch like Krawarree, USN WWI and WWII Subchasers, AMS/YMS/BYMS minesweeper, RN 80ft WWI Elco ML, USCG 83ft Wheeler, HAM class minesweeper, Camper & Nicholson long MGB, Ford Class SDB. The list of wartime boats is very long and will include; all RN long and short MTBs and MGBs (at least 20 different boats), RN SGB, MLs, all 4 MFV's, 105ft MMS, all RAF HSLs, 56ft and 60ft RAF GSP, hopefully some RAF STs and RSLs, most RASC vessels (I still need plans for several), USN PTs, USAAF 63 and 85ft AVRs, also a German R-Boat and an FLB-V and the Australian Halvorsen 62ft fast supply launch. Post-war hulls will include; RAF Vosper RTTL, RAF 63ft GSP, RAF 96ft Krogerwerft D-Boat, RN Brave, Dark and Gay class FPBs, Ton class minesweepers and also some foreign boats such as the Nasty Class PTF and possibly German Jaguar and Schutze Classes. I have also already done a few in 1/35th scale; Fairmiles B & D and the 72ft HDML. I intend to continue this project over an extended period and I welcome requests to move any favourites to the front of the queue. I have an album of some previous builds; http://www.flickr.com/photos/25721684@N00/sets/72157632269542118/ Regards, Christian.

UPDATE 1: Hey folks, This will be my first WIP thread on this forum. I picked up this cheap kit for a quick build. It's a very old tooling so I'll try and do what I can to improve it somewhat. I plan to practise my weathering skills using my airbrush. I'm quite new to airbrushing.. only dug the equipment out of the garage a few weeks ago and have had to replace the needle, etc. This will be one of my first projects that won't be brush-painted. Just something to bare in mind. Moving on, I did actually own a late 70s rubber bumper MGB GT once (in 1:1 scale) so that was another reason for picking up this kit. Just remember this if you're thinking of restoring a classic MG; MG stands for 'money gobbler'. Anyway, enough waffle.. a detailed inbox of this kit has already been covered somewhere in this forum, so I won't bother. Here are some pics of the little progress so far. (Below) The first few steps of the build are complete (bar the detailing) but I seem to have mislayed one of the leaf springs. I've been using the pot of Ever Build wood filler to weather the wheel arches, which you can see in a picture further down the page. I'm kind of experimenting with weathering, and I thought the coarseness of the woddfiller would give a good dirt effect... I'll be using Vallejo paints primarily for this build. My workbench (below). I've been using the Revell Contacta Liquid with built-in brush.. basically because I've used all my ther polycement glues.. need to buy some more... Here a pic of the wheel-arch weathering I've embarked on (below). As you can see I've applied a thin layer of the coarse wood filler where necessary to give the kind of surface you find in the wheel-arches. It'll be painted a dirty brown colour later, after I paint everything black and pick out the other colours... Appologies for the massive pics and the slightly poor lighting in one or two of them.. I couldn't find a way of reducing the size, and my camera displays the images brighter than they actually are. Anyways, I've ordered a spair leaf-spring from Airfix and as soon as that comes through the letter-box I'll do another update on this one. That's it for now though, Thanks in advance for any comments, Andy.

An MGB opentop 6 cylinder. MGB again!