Search the Community

The first build thread, probably the last to finish! For one that's used to the size of 1:72 kits... ...this is huge, 3.375 times larger! This will be my subject for the build. More about it later! Edit: A few more things: I have the Eduard mask set and must now go shopping for some Kits-World decal sets. The model will most likely be painted with Tamiya kili-kalis (spray cans) like I did the Matchbox B-17G. V-P

I'm not a big fan of the grey aeroplane. However I do like the F-16, especially the early clean airframes. Monogram's 1/48th scale model of the pre-production F-16 in its red, white & blue finish is just perfect for me. I engraved the panel lines, added some detail in the cockpit, and made the FOD cover for the exhaust. Painted in Tamiya acrylics. Thanks for looking Angelo.

Hi All, With this build, I have oft thought about things that have happened in my life especially living on RNZAF Bases and the things I seen and done during those times. Living at RNZAF Station Hobsonville (later RNZAF Base Auckland) I got to go on RNZAF Sunderland's - my Dad showing me how different things work (like rotating a propeller to showing the one blade at top), walking on a Braby with a Sunderland in it as in below (NZ4115 with Maritime Conversion Unit) (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) I been on RNZAF launches from the RNZAF Marine section (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) However it was one photo that got my Nostalgia build juices flowing, and it it was this photo taken at RNZAF Station (later Base) Te Rapa (Hamilton) The Avenger is NZ2504 along with a Queen Mary Trailer. (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) I looked at the photo and thought, holy Smoke, I have both kits What do both of these have to do with Nostalgia you might ask? Well I have been past RNZAF Base Te Rapa (RNZAF's No. 1 Stores Depot) many time s in my life, and very much recall seeing the Avenger standing Guard, and I've got actual photos (somewhere). The Queen Mary I have seen both at Whenuapia/Hobsonville and Wigram Bases Wigram, in the Pool of the MT (Motor Transport) Section (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) So, in this build I will build a Grumman TFB-1 Avenger (please note these differed from TBF-1C of which many supposed Experts have got wrong in magazine/build articles) The RNZAF received 6 TBF-1's under Lend Lease, which stayed in New Zealand for Training Purposes at RNZAF Station Gisborne (Kiwiese Pronounced Gisbin) The Avengers were assembled at RNZAF Station Hobsonville (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) After Assembly the TBF's were flown to RNZAF Gisborne for Training purposes The RNZAF did under Lend Lease receive more Avengers, these being the TBF-1C (differences being Cowling Flaps and TBF-1 having forward firing gun in cowling trough) RNZAF Gisborne - TBF-1C - 30 Squadron (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) Whilst at Gisborne the Squadron Commanding Officer Squadron Leader Hartshorn, allowed the Aircraft crews to adorn their respective aircraft with Art (had to be approved first though) As a trivia note, Gisborne in 1945 was attacked by a German U Boat, which fired torpedoes at shipping in the harbour thankfully they all missed NZ2520 - Art - Dumbo the Elephant (We Never Miss) (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) The TBF-1C flew North West to fight, and the TBF-1's stayed at Gisborne. After the wars end, 3 of the TBF-1's were employed in Top dressing trials, those being NZ2503, NZ2504, NZ2505 (the latter crashed on take of at Ohakea during beginnings of trials) NZ2504 having a fertilizer hopper placed in her bomb bay (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) NZ2504 - During Trials - Note rear fuselage/tail repainted for observation purposes and plated over turret section (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) After the Top Dressing trials, the TBF-1's were re-purposed into Target Tugs with a whole new paint scheme with RNZAF 42 Squadron at Ohakea NZ2503 at Ohakea during an RNZAF Open day NZ2503 ending up ditching/crashing into the Waitemata Harbour near Hobsonville after engine failure. Was recovered but SOC and reduced to produce Hobsonville has seen it's fair share of aircraft in strife ending up in the water 41 Sqn - Dakota NZ3549 (RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum - Used with Permissions) NZ2504 also went to 42 Squadron for target towing duties - Note RNZAF (RAF Type) D Roundels After a period of time (roughly 10 years), NZ2504 made her final flight from Ohakea to Te Rapa Note here, Roundels have changed with addition of Silver Fern (Silver Fern remained in use till latter part of 1970, when Kiwi Roundel came into use) NZ2504 remained Gate Guardian till 1978 when taken by RNZAF Museum (note at this time NZ2504 was actually an Instructional Airframe but retained her Serial number) At RNZAF Base Wigram being readied for an engine test - here in New Zealand, I belong to an RNZAF Forum - some of my fellow forum members actually worked on NZ2504, to repair/preserve her. We have had some great discussions and photos of NZ2504, The RNZAF Servicemen with NZ2405 could be my fellow forum members (in their earlier years......) NZ2504 is now with the RNZAF Museum Collection in WWII colours, and with different serial number to represent NZ2521 (TBF-1C) with 31 Squadron So with the Meteor/Mosquito now well under way, I will add this to the mix - the Queen Mary will be it's own build (along with Coles Crane), all going well I'll get all done by Mid May I actually had built one of these many years ago now (still have it) Model sprues etc Kit Instructions - Current Old Kit Instruction -way different - These have the "Wing Folding" Option - the parts are still in this kit, so we shall see Kit decals to be procured Thanks for looking in, hope you enjoy More soon Regards Alan

I've got a long-term project gradually coming to some sort of completion here.... I'm talking about years here!.... And although most of the building is done and dusted, I think I ought to record the outcome for posterity 🤪 Republic produced an absolute CORKER of a fighting flying machine with the P47. I mean, I'm supposed to be heading for the civil aviation side of things but it's planes like this that keep longing for maybe one more.... 😍 Johnny the Spadgent has just been finishing off the P47N, and gathering loads of information on the way. Motivated to take another run at my 2nd airframe, I'm pressing on to the finish line with it. I should say right now that it's been made possible by the kind and generous donation of crucial parts by the inestimable @Zack, who chimed in on @The Spadgents WIP with assistance for my build. The plane in question is the old Monogram P47D, which I picked up at a show, in the "remainders" type of trader's box for next to nothing. Growing up on Airfix 1.72, the big Monogram kits always seemed like an exotic and expensive US import well beyond my means. So I'd been tinkering with it as a kind of R&R, got it so far, and then hadn't looked at it for a good while. That's where I was up to. So it didn't take much more to get the main components assembled. I'll leave that one there for the moment, and paste in a quick reference to the 1st Jug. Now we're going back maybe 4 years or more. It's the Hobbyboss Easy build kit in 1.48. I've done a couple of their products in this category, and I have to say they are brilliant for getting an airframe together if you want to concentrate on the painting and finishing. The kit decor supplied was for the Big bottom Bird, hence the 4P I'd, but I wanted to try my hand at the red and white tail stripes as carried by the 86th FG as they made their way from Sicily up through Italy. So there was a bit of compromising going on when the decor was done, and some revision may be tried at some point. So there we are.... I'll post up a bit more on the progress of the ole Monogram job, and bring things up to date with where I'm at. Which is.... nearly done 🎶🎵💃😎