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A few years ago at Scale Model World HORNBY AIRFIX were giving out slips of paper on which visitors could write down the models that they wished for. On my paper I wrote 1/72 AW Argosy and as I handed it in to some young assistant who probably had no idea what an Argosy was I thought " no chance ". I have wished for an injection moulded 1/72 Argosy for years and hoped that a mainstream manufacturer would produce one. Then at last year's Scale Model World there it was to my absolute surprise, on display in a glass cabinet on the F-RESIN stand courtesy of Mr Palix of MACH 2 a built up RAF Argosy in camouflage scheme, And on the table were the sprues of parts for anybody interested to study closely. I already had experience of MACH 2 as I had built their Breguet Atlantic so I knew what to expect.............................. But there in front of me was a built up one so they must be buildable.............. They seemed to be flying off the stand to eager buyers so I thought I better get one before they ran out so I bought the RAF silver and white version. On arriving home a close study of the parts gave me some misgivings. The plastic parts had a rough surface with lumps of molten plastic stuck to them. Small parts such as aerials and vortex generators were so crude that they would require scratch making. But really this is what I expected anyway. The instructions only give a rough idea about particular areas of the model as you are expected to already know something about the subject you are building. What did impress me was the inspiring colour scheme and decal placement guide printed in full colour. The quality of the decals looked to be excellent. My wife wanted it to be a Christmas present so I became distracted with another project and it wasn't until March this year that I started cutting plastic off the thick sprues and set to on the laborious task of cleaning up the parts. The Argosy was finally completed in September and I was able to display it on our model club table at Scale Model World where it was the only Argosy to appear in the whole show............. What has happened to all those Argosies that were bought last year ? I took photos of the build as it progressed and so I will share these with you in the sequence that I built it as though I were building it now. Adrian I'm laughing because I know what's coming next...................TOMMY COOPER

A model from 9 years ago: The second vac for today, this time a rather unrefined kit by VLE. I checked right now and the kit seems to be listed, but not available, by Aviation Megastore, that is using photos of my model and my build to portray the kit, without permission or even a mere credit. Great business practices, I see. The Fokker Universal has highly significant historical value, was produced in large numbers in many variants, can be seen in skis, floats and wheels, and had such diverse and attractive liveries from many countries, that I honestly do not understand why it hasn't been kitted to a higher level yet more recently. We finally got a rather clunky Fokker F.VII from Valom (I posted one here), but no Universal or Super Universal. Me, I would love to see kitted a four-engined Fokker F.32: From the San Diego Air and Space Museum Flickr photostream: From Wikipedia: But again I digress. The Fokker Universal, the subject of this article, was the first American Fokker, designed by Robert Noorduyn and produced in New Jersey by the Atlantic Aircraft Corporation. Although it kept a number of Fokker design trade marks, it also incorporated some local know-how. Starting on 1926 more than forty were built, and a number of them went to Canada. Wheels, floats and skis were all comfortable shoes for the Universal. So here it is the Universal kit in 1/72, thanks to VLE Models, a rather simple an unsophisticated kit, but providing some extra bits. As you can tell by the images, there is a low count of vac parts and a number of details provided either as metal, resin or extruded styrene (struts) plus decals for several versions. The decals are of just passable quality and heck, there are a lot, but I went for my home-made brew. For the reasonably experienced modeler there are a lot of other versions livery-wise out there too, if you can print you own decals. Once the parts were extracted from the sheets and sanded down, minor adjustments were made to help their fit. The wing construction is similar to that of the VLE’s T-2, in having a wraparound leading edge that fits to a lip provided by the upper and lower wing parts. That lip or step has in this case to be reduced to the minimum expression in order to allow the LE to fit properly. Some panel lines were a bit undefined and had to be re-scribed. A certain amount of filler was also applied to deal with a few gaps. For most of the sanding I used wet sanding with wet-or-dry sand paper attached to flat surfaces (small and big). With the kit you get, besides the above-mentioned multi-decal options, floats, skis and wheels to dress your Universal in the appropriate attire. The cockpit area is also covered by the extra parts plus a bulkhead that closes the cabin area. You will have to provide a cabin interior according to the version you are building. A clear plastic strip is provided for the windows. It is covered, both sides, by a protective film. This is a simpler and smaller build than the same brand T-2, and things proceeded smoothly on. In the intermezzos I read out loud poems by Mark Strand, which, as it is universally known, always helps to tame the model parts and provide for a better fit. Next the interior was added with some structure that is visible from outside and that, in the case of the windows, will later support the transparencies. The fus halves were glued, and wing and stab added, then the metal part that accounts for the main frame of the landing gear, which, by the way, helps a lot with all those struts. Once dried, the joins and little faults were remedied with Milliput and putty. Metal control horns were added where necessary and little holes made for the minor parts and future rigging. Brass “Strutz” tailskid was added. The usual filling/priming/sanding cycle went on couple of times, and then the wing was painted to replicate the wood finish, using a combination of acrylics, oils and clear coats. A few photoecthed parts were added here and there. For the fuselage alu dope finish Humbrol 56 was used. The home-made decals were applied and then the rigging (kinda complex in this one, as the control cables are exposed). Struts were added and with engine, minor details and windshield it was done. Bear in kind that many machines exhibit minor differences in their strut arrangement, not only because of the skis or floats, but also among wheel-equipped machines. Variations can be noticed in rudder profile, cockpit area and the immediate wing surface directly after the cockpit. Exhausts have many alternate arrangements. The plane represented by the model is one of the two Colonial Air Transport Universals that were allocated to CAM-1, under contract with the U.S. Post Office. The strange registrations are due a short-lived system that was used at the time. The window on the door was covered. I opted to make my wing in wood finish, as many other Fokker were like that.

A build from 5 years ago: I am always thrilled by the clunky but charming Farman designs. Their simplicity is not in any way a detriment to their beauty, furthermore, their somehow squarish lines look always harmonious and balanced. The 250 is not the exception, and although a passenger carrier, its stance and proportions give the impression of a racy machine. One sole sample was built and went to the Société générale des transports aériens, the SGTA from now on. Simplicity, we were saying, was Farman’s trademark, which in modeling terms generally translates as an easier building process. The only part that needed an extra effort was the bump on the upper fuselage deck, vacuformed in a snap over a Sculpey master . The interior followed a description in a Flight magazine article of the era. Colors were the source of animated and highly educated speculation among fellow modelers until some very credible conclusions were reached. I got an after-market engine and wheels, both had to be touched-up: The engine required a special exhaust arrangement and the wheels the fabrication of cone-shaped covers. A few details were added too: the Pitot tube, wind-driven generator, tail skid, Venturi and navigation lights. Home-made decals and a windshield completed the model. These French know Charm.

Hi guys, Thought I would get some photos up of the Mach2 Argosy. It won't be a full on WIP, just little updates from time to time. Booms just pushed on for photo. and where it's at now, that centre wing section has been a PITA & will need a rescribe, but other than that it's been an OK build. My weakness has always been building 'neat' and finishing seams off perfectly.... but this time round it's looking a lot better... More, soon....................

When I was a kid I dreamt of becoming a Pilot when I grew up - not a fighter pilot, mind you - no I wanted to fly Hercules! Now I'm grown up (some would say too grown especially in the midwaist area! ) and my dream didn't come through. So lately I've become a bit nostalgic, and started to buy the kits of my childhood, including e.g. Airfix 1/72 Beagle Basset 206, which will be in Royal Air Force Transport Command livery. That started me going and I started buying more transportplanes in 1/72 for the smaller and 1/144 for the larger ones all which will be RAF-planes! So far I have: 1/72 Beagle Basset 206 1/72 C-130 1/72 Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer 1/144 C-130 1/144 Blackburn Beverley and a 1/144 VC-10, Britannia, C-17 and Comet on the way. I understand that there may be an 1/144 Argosy on the way this year and there is an Anigrand 1/144 Belfast but what more post WW2 RAF transport planes are there out there? Cheers Hans J

Patrol Craft Fast (PCF), also known as Swift Boats, were all-aluminum, 50-foot (15 m) long, shallow-draft vessels operated in Vietnam primarilybby the United States Navy, Initially patrolling the coastal areas they later took to the interior waterways as part of the 'Brown-water Navy' where they carried out interdiction, counter insurgency, troop transport and special forces insertion. In total Eighty-four Mark I Swift boats served in Vietnam, with a further twenty reserved for training, however they are frequently overlooked in favour of their more heavily armed and warlike cousins the PBRs, Landing Ships and Monitors with whom they fought alongside. ..... The Brown Water Navy as a whole is rather overlooked in modelling terms, and the PCF is no exception despite it's distinguished service. As far as I'm aware the Revell kit is the only kit generally available and although being rather old (1967), quite basic (61 parts) and lacking in any type of interior detail it appears to be quite accurate and has some potential. .... For the princely sum of £20 inc p+p I now have 2 of these. I shall tackle one and hide the other for a possible future project (original civilian or demobbed perhaps)