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  1. Hi All, My latest completion is Eduard's relatively new-tool Spitfire Mk.IIa, completed as P7840 of 340 (Free French) Sqn, based at RAF Turnhouse, Ayr in December 1941. P7840 was the thirteenth of seventeen Spitfires donated by the Belfast Evening Telegraph Spitfire Fund, and was titled 'Mountains o' Mourne'. Here's a couple of photos of the aircraft and the squadron (kindly provided by @Troy Smith - images for discussion only and will be removed on request). The scheme attracted me as it unusually has the aircraft in DFS with the earlier Rotol spinner and type A.1 roundels. In addition my Father-in-Law hails from Dromara which sits at the foot of the aforementioned mountains. 340 Sqn was formed in November 1941 as part of Le Groupe de Chasse IV/2 (Fighter Group 4-2) "Île-de-France", flying defensive patrols from Turnhouse until moving further south in 1942, at which point they re-equipped with Mk.Vbs. The scheme was therefore only applied to the aircraft for a relatively short time, and my light weathering of the model reflects this. Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: The model was completed mostly OOB (as it was Profipack that adds a few extras!), although with the national markings (mostly) with home-cut stencils. Like most Eduard kits the detail is superb, but with some unnecessarily fiddly elements - as an example the radiator assembly consists of 12 pieces including 2 PE radiator grills (a bit much for 1:48?). Anyway, on with the photos: Finally, a couple of group shots to show the evolution of the beast (from R-L Airfix Mk.Ia, Eduard Mk.IIa, Tamiya Mk.Vc, Airfix FR Mk.XIVe - all have their own WIPs and RFIs if anyone is interested, and still plenty of gaps to fill in the collection, although these have all been completed in the last year or so): I've very much enjoyed learning more about this interim mark of the Spitfire, and bringing this unusual scheme to life. Thanks for all who have added kind words and encouragement along the way - it has been much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger
  2. Hi everyone. I think I need a change from what I usually do. This GB seems to be perfect as a return to things I haven't done in a few years. I found two models in my stash, which match the subject, both are in 1:35 scale. First is Dragon Sd.Kfz.10 Ausf.A (with PAK 38), second that's Zvezda BA-10. Dragon has "magic track" which scares me a bit (I don't think I can put it together correctly), so I chose Zvezda. It will be the second BA-10 in this GB (there is also Hobby Boss kit here). It's a kit, I bought a few years ago for a never finished kitbash project. I even glued few parts together before I abandoned it. The vast majority of parts are still in the sprues. I don't have a lot of experience with AFVs but it seems to me that it's not the best quality kit 😆 (at least compared to things I've done before). Some elements have decent detail: But many other parts are really weak. I have a lot of sanding to do. What surprised me the most was the barrel, which the designer placed in the frame of the sprue (part 10). I will have to drill the exit hole myself. The manual is black and white even in the part about painting schemes. And decals. The word ORLOVSKIE is divided into three parts for some reason (unknown for me at the moment). The kit was very cheap, so it's hard to expect more than what's in the box. Now it's time to see how this affects assembling. Cheers Wiesiek.
  3. This time, I'm going to introduce you to a project called Operation Barbarossa It's a unit, and several parts have been put in. Please enjoy it and any opinions are good, so please show a lot of interest. 1.Tamiya - Ausf.B 2.Legend - Stowage 3.Miniart - Farmer 4.Ak - Tree 5.Tamiya - Animal 6.Scratch Build - Wood Fence BR
  4. Hi All, My second completion of 2023 is Special Hobby's Blackburn Roc Mk.I, completed as L3114 of 759 Sqn FAA based at RNAS Donibristle in November 1939. Here's a photo of the aircraft in the foreground: I couldn't resist this scheme, if only for the non-standard yellow surround to the fuselage roundel! The kit was built mostly OOB, albeit with home-cut stencils for the national markings. As with all SH kits there's a few foibles, mainly around the assembly of the wings (which have a split to permit folding. A brief summary of 'improvements' as below: - Added reinforcing tabs to the wing roots making for a stronger junction - Added formation lights to the wing tips using clear sprue - Boxed in the landing light positions and added lamps from clear sprue - Rivetted the whole airframe - Trimmed undercarriage legs and doors to allow positioning in the correct 'vertical' position Here's the WIP if anybody is interested (source of many Roc puns - be warned đŸ€ŁđŸ˜ž Anyway, on with the photos: Here's a couple with the Skua I built last year: The family resemblance is strong! Here's a final shot to prove @Dandie Dinmont's assertion that the Roc makes that other notorious turret fighter, the Boulton Paul Defiant, look like a sleek beauty: I'd say you are 100% correct Craig! Although it is no beauty, I have really enjoyed learning more about this most unusual aircraft, and it's nice to have this footnote in naval aviation in the collection. Thanks to everybody who offered kind words and encouragement throughout the build - it was much needed and was much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger
  5. Transport Box with Panzerfausts (P48001 & P72003) 1:48 & 1:72 Special Hobby 3D Print The original Panzerfaust was a WWII invention of Nazi Germany that gave the power to take down a heavily armoured tank to a single soldier, in the shape of a disposable launcher tube that could project a shaped charge to a target over a short range. The operator needed little in the way of training, but some bravery or foolhardiness was required to get close enough to the tank in question due to the limited range. When used properly however, they could be highly effective in disabling or knocking out many an Allied tank or other armoured vehicle. They were even attached to aircraft on occasion, which must have been quite an experience. These two sets from Special Hobby’s new 3D Print range both arrive in orange-themed blister pack with card hanger on the rear and the instructions sandwiched between the two parts. Inside are the resin parts, with decals safely separated behind a piece of clear acetate at the back of the blister for the 1:48 set. Other than the smaller set not having decals, both sets include the same components, consisting of four Panzerfaust 60s in a printing frame, plus a transport box that is printed in two sections, set slightly apart and held to the small base by delicate fingers. An additional tubular riser with an array of fingers supports the interior structure of the case, which has slots to receive the weapons once everything is cut free from the base. The layout of the boxes is different between the two scales, but the design is essentially the same. For extra realism you can add some wire or thread from your own stock to represent the carry-handles at each end of the case. 1:48 (P48001) Note the decals included in this larger set 1:72 (P72003) Note that there are no decals in this set Conclusion 3D printed aftermarket parts are incredible in the level of detail that they can provide with a relatively low part count, and these are no exception. The trigger mechanism alone would have taken several PE parts before now, and preparation of the parts is a breeze. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  6. Hi All, My first start for 2023 will be Special Hobby's Blackburn Roc. Here's the box art: Here's the sprue shots: You can see that the propeller is missing a blade (in the box, fortunately!) There's a bunch of resin (undercarriage bays, engine, turret base, bomb racks): There's a nice unpainted PE fret: And the decals (which I won't be using): The kit allows for 4 schemes - I'll be building the box scheme L3114, which is an aircraft of 759 Sqn FAA, based at RNAS Donibristle in November 1939: Here is a photo with L3119 in the foreground: I rather like this unusual scheme, with the low TSS demarcation and the non-standard fuselage roundels. I built SH's Skua this time last year, so I know roughly what to expect. Here we go again! Thanks for looking, Roger
  7. Hi All, I'm after a nice, uncomplicated build for the holiday period, so inspired by @AliGauld's lovely recent build I decided to purchase the Sword Avenger Mk.I. Here's the box art: I forgot to take any sprue shots as I just dived in this morning! I'm going to model this as an Avenger Mk.II JZ402 of 853 Sqn FAA in 1945, as shown on the below Xtradecals sheet: Although I cannot find any photos of this aircraft here is another Avenger Mk.II wearing a similar scheme (photo is of a 711 Sqn aircraft): As this is a Mk.II, and therefore an Eastern-built aircraft, the cockpit will be painted in standard Interior Green (as opposed to the Bronze Green of the Mk.I), with the engine bay in Zinc Chromate yellow. I shall also fill the groove in the cowling for the cowling gun (incorrect for the Mk.II), and drill holes for the wing-mounted guns. The Observer's position is also incorrect in the model, so I shall offset it to port, which will allow for a cutout in the bulkhead behind the Observer. I've marked up the area to be removed from the cockpit floor: Here's the 'after' shot with the bulkhead cutout: Here's a shot of the fuselage halves with Interior Green and ZCY applied: Here's a final shot showing the cockpit coming together: A most pleasant day inside with an eye/ear on the Australia-South Africa test match at the MCG (but not out, where it is 40C today!) Happy Holidays to all! Thanks for looking, Roger
  8. Hi All, My first completion for 2023 is Sword's lovely little Avenger/Tarpon Mk.I, which I completed as an Avenger Mk.II of 853 Sqn FAA, flying from HMS Queen in April 1945. 853 were involved in anti-shipping operations off the Norwegian coast at this time. JZ402 was hit by another aircraft (JZ400) on 27th April 1945 - here's a photo of the aftermath (kindly provided by @Troy Smith) As this was an Avenger Mk.II, I filled in the cowling trough for the machine gun, and drilled holes in the wings for the wing mounted guns. As this would have been an Eastern-manufactured aircraft the interior was painted throughout in Interior Green, unlike the earlier Mk.I Tarpons which were partially Bronze Green. The cowling interior was finished in Zinc Chromate Yellow. Here's a link to the WIP if anyone is interested: And with that, to to the photos: Here's a final shot with another recent completion, another FAA torpedo bomber with a crew of 3: I've very much enjoyed building this kit, and although it is no shake and bake I think it builds up to a rather nice Avenger - highly recommended! I also love this unusual scheme, and have enjoyed the challenge of making it work. Thanks to all those who have offered kind words and encouragement along the way - it has been much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger
  9. Hi All, My next build will be Eduard's relatively new 1:48 F4F-3 (apologies for the poisson rouge @AliGauld - I had a change of mind at the last minute!). Here's the box art: Here's the sprue shots: Detail really does look superb. There's also a PE fret, which looks rather nice: There is also a mask set for the glazing, and a most comprehensive set of decals allowing for no less than six yes six US Navy schemes, precisely none of which will be used in this build. As the title suggests I intend to build this as an FAA aircraft of 805 Sqn, who were based in the Western Desert in 1942. In looking at these subjects, it soon became apparent that I had opened a catering size when it comes to the appropriate specification for FAA Martlets. There is much useful information contained within these hallowed walls, much of which can be found here: Here also is a link to a rather informative web page on FAA Martlets by our very own @Bruce Archer: http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/wildcatfaaba_1.htm From what I can gather all of 805's aircraft were from an order originally intended for the Hellenic Air Force, which was diverted to the FAA on the fall of Greece. The aircraft would therefore have the following specifications: - Fixed wings - 4 x 0.50" wing guns - Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90 Twin Wasp engine - Single Stage, Two Speed Supercharger - Long cowl with 1 cowl flap per side, with carb scoop at 12 o'clock position - Cuffed Curtis prop with stepped hub - F4F-3 type (straight) pitot - Cockpit in Bronze Green - Interior Grumman Grey Keepin' up so far? I have found several photos of 805 aircraft (images for discussion only and will be removed on request) As you can see the aircraft when delivered were in the specified Non-Specular Light Grey (USN), and most sources have the aircraft overpainted in at least mid-stone, with some schemes showing MS & DG. I have found a few schemes which catch the eye. These two are both options (from an AZ Models scheme): I also rather like this high demarcation scheme (from an Aeromasters scheme): I haven't yet chosen which I'll go for, but as I'll be cutting my own masks it doesn't jolly well matter at this stage! Anyway, on with the build! Thanks for looking, Roger
  10. Hi All, My latest completion is Eduard's new tool Grumman Wildcat F4F-3, finished as a Martlet Mk.III of 805 Sqn FAA, based in the Western Desert in 1942. The aircraft I have chosen to model is AX736 'X', as shown in this photograph (photos for discussion only and will be removed on request): There are a couple of other photographs of AX736: There is much conjecture around the colour schemes for 805's aircraft, and a number of frankly speculative schemes are floating around. This batch of Martlets were originally intended for the Hellenic Air Force, but were diverted to the FAA following the fall of Greece. They were originally delivered in an overall Non-Specular Light Grey (USN) as shown in the below photos: At some point the aircraft had a camouflage applied. Accounts vary from a combination of Mid-Stone & Dark Earth uppers, Mid-Stone on its own, both combined with Azure undersurfaces. I believe this to be unlikely from looking at the previous photos. The pattern is definitely disruptive (i.e. two upper colours), but I believe that the original Non-Spec Light Grey undersides would have been retained, and a disruptive pattern of Light Earth and Dark Earth applied to the upper surfaces. The aircraft had the following specifications: Fixed wings - 4 x 0.50" wing guns - Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90 Twin Wasp engine - Single Stage, Two Speed Supercharger - Long cowl with 1 cowl flap per side, with carb scoop at 12 o'clock position - Cuffed Curtis prop with stepped hub - F4F-3 type (straight) pitot - Cockpit in Bronze Green - Interior Grumman Grey All of the above options are allowed for in the Eduard kit. Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: With all of that, on to the photos! Here's a couple of shots with a BPF Hellcat to demonstrate both the lineage and the discrepancy in size between the two types: Finally here's a black & white shot of the model to provide a comparison with the original photograph: I don't think that's a bad match? My theory is that the lead aircraft have just flown into cloud shadow, which accounts for the difference in camouflage contrast between the two groups - that's my theory and I'm sticking to it! This kit has been a pleasure to build, and it's nice to have a desert scheme Martlet in the collection. Thanks to all who have offered encouragement throughout the build - it has been much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger
  11. Hi All, My latest completion is Tamiya's 1:48 Mosquito FB Mk.VI, which is oft shown on this site (unsurprisingly, because it's still a great kit despite getting a little long in the tooth). I have chosen to model this as HR405 of 143 Sqn RAF, which was part of the Banff Strike wing formed in late 1944, tasked with striking shipping and land targets along the Norwegian coast. It's a fascinating campaign during the latter part of the war of which I was blissfully ignorant before I read this book: Highly recommended if you get the chance. Now there are a number of commonly modelled Banff subjects, but HR405 was the sometime mount of 143 Sqn's CO, Wg Cdr (later Air Chief Marshall) Christopher Foxley-Norris DSO MiD. Whilst reading up on Foxley-Norris I discovered that he was born in Birkenhead, as was I! There are a number of photos of HR405, which were taken in January 1945 as part of a photoshoot for Illustrated magazine (images for discussion only and will be removed on request): The aircraft was also involved in many of the 143 Sqn sorties, and was mentioned itself in the book a couple of times. The aircraft survived the war and was later sold (to Turkey, I think?) There are a few things worthy of note from the photos: 1. The level of staining on the Sky undersurfaces, as well as the repair patches on the port stabiliser 2. The spinners, which I believe to be white rather than yellow as usually presented in schemes 3. The RP rails were of the earlier standard, rather than the duplex rails later developed by the Banff Strike Wing (these were only fitted to all aircraft in March 1945) 4. Most unusually, the distinct 'saddle' of lighter paint ahead of the tail, which I believe is to do with the overpainting of the invasion stripes Now my theory is that when the upper portions of the stripes were overpainted, no EDSG was available, so the next best thing was used - I chose the next best thing to be Dark Slate Grey. Then, when the lower portions of the stripes were painted out, fresh coats of Sky and the now available EDSG were applied to the relevant areas. This would explain why the EDSG portion is darker than the rest of the upper surfaces, which would have worn and faded. The 'DSG' portion corresponds well to the position of the stripes, so I think it's a viable proposition. I also applied the DSG treatment to the upper wings, which would have been overpainted at the same time as the upper fuselage. As you can see there is no discernible difference in tone to the Sky undersides, so I chose not to portray any difference in shade. Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: Now onto the pics: Here's a final B&W shot along with the original to test my theory: I reckon that's close enough for me! I've very much enjoyed this build, and I'm more than tempted to supplement it with a Dallachy Beaufighter and perhaps a Mustang too! Thanks for all who have followed along and provided encouragement and advice - it has been sincerely appreciated. Thanks for looking, Roger
  12. Hi All, My first Group Build - how very exciting! Also, the chance to build a kit I've been itching to get my hands on, ever since it was released - Tamiya's mighty P38F/G! đŸ€© Here's the box art: Now I normally only build RAF/RAAF/RCAF/FAA subjects, and I have to admit that I wasn't aware that the P38 had limited service in both the RAF and RAAF. So when @mark.au mentioned this group build at the start of the year, I was like a rat up a drainpipe ordering this kit (that man is trouble - he has just made me build a Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe, and also a Taranto Stringbag!). I knew that both Mark and our esteemed GB leader @trickyrich both intended to model RAAF subjects, so I couldn't resist a go at another Aussie subject. A little research revealed that Red Roo Models offer a conversion kit which allows conversion of the Academy P38F to F-4-1 standard. Here's the conversion kit: A little digging revealed that the Tamiya kit would be a suitable donor. The research contained within the conversion kit states that the first airframes operated by 1 PRU in 1942 are often mistakenly referred to as F-4s, whereas they were actually standard P38Es converted by the RAAF to approximate F4-A standard. I'm taking a punt on the fact that the F-4-1 nose can be adapted to the Tamiya kit (I shall measure twice and cut once, believe me 😬). Here's the resin as presented: The conversion kit allows for the modelling of 4 subjects - 1 in NMF, and 3 in a hybrid camouflage scheme. I'm planning to model either A55-2 or A55-3, both of which are shown below: It is a common misconception that these airframes were painted in a combination of RAAF Earth Brown and Foliage Green over Sky. Red Roo's research indicates that the camouflage used the existing Olive Drab uppers oversprayed with Foliage Green. The Neutral Grey undersides were oversprayed with RAAF Sky Blue to cover up the 'US ARMY' underside insignia. Here's a couple of photos of A55-3 (copyrighted RAAF and AWM - for discussion only and will be removed on request): I know that @trickyrich beautifully modelled A55-3 a while back, so I may do -2 just to be different! Here's the decals: I'm very much looking forward to this build, and taking part with some like minds - let the fork-tailed games begin! Thanks for looking, Roger
  13. Hi All, My next project is Tamiya's lovely Mosquito. Now I have built this kit a couple of times in my pre-BM days, but this is my first build in a few years. I know therefore that it is a lovely kit to build. Although much modelled, here is the box art: Here's the sprue shots: I've got a few extras for this build: I've just finished re-reading this in preparation for the build: If you get a chance to read it, it is an excellent account of the actions of the Banff Strike wing. I am still debating which aircraft to model - the mount of the Wing's C/O, Group Captain Max Aitken DSO DFC is currently the favoured option. There's a few photos of this aircraft: And this one in B/W with half invasion stripes: Other elements of note are the red spinners, the group captain's pennant and the bare metal auxiliary fuel tanks. Now although I know that the aircraft serial number is HR366, I confess that I do not currently know the squadron code for 235 Sqn ('KK'?) or the aircraft code - I'm sure someone will have this information! None of this stops me from getting on with the build, so off we jolly we trot! Thanks for looking, Roger
  14. Hi All, My latest completion is Airfix' lovely 1:72 Beaufort Mk.I. I originally started building this last year but binned it after a rather disastrous weathering incident. It niggled me to the extent that I purchased another kit and recently had another crack at the same scheme, albeit using masks cut on my new cutter, which has been a great learning experience. The aircraft I've chosen to model is L9866 of 217 Sqn, based at St Eval in Cornwall in Feb 1941. This aircraft was flown by Sgt John Rutherford (pilot), Sgt Thomas O'Byrne (navigator), Sgt William Browning (W/Op), and Sgt John Wood (AG). The crew were all lost in the 1st Feb attack on the German cruiser Admiral Hipper whilst she was moored in Brest Harbour - the aircraft was thought to have been shot down by a Bf109-E4 of II./JG77. Brave men indeed. I could not find any photos of L9866, but there are some nice colour photos of other 217 Sqn Beauforts (images for discussion only and will be removed on request): Some nice details in there, such as the absence of a chin turret, the EDSG spinners, and general wear on the airframe. Here's the WIP if anyone is interested: Anyway, here's the photos: Finally here's a couple of shots with my recently completed 'other' Bristol aircraft (different scale, obvs): Both beautiful kits and schemes! I've really enjoyed this build and am glad to have got it over the line. Thanks to all who have offered kind words and encouragement along the way - it has been much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger
  15. Hi All, My latest completion is Airfix' lovely Swordfish. Now I did build the superb Tamiya Mk.II last year, so was not sure what to expect with this kit. I'm happy to report that it's a lovely little kit, well-engineered and detailed (though not quite to Tamiya's standard)! Now those with a penchant for history may realise that today is the 82nd anniversary of the attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto by Swordfish from 815 and 819 Sqn FAA, flying from HMS Illustrious. @mark.au planted the seed for an informal group build with a nominal deadline of today's date, so we decided to humour him a few of us (namely @bigbadbadge, @AliGauld and @iang) decided to jump on board! The aircraft I have chosen to model is L4F of 815 Sqn FAA, crewed by Lt R Skelton and S Lt E A Perkins. This aircraft was part of the second wave of the attack, and after dropping flares over the fleet this aircraft successfully bombed the Taranto oil installations before returning safely to 'Lusty'. I do not know the correct serial number for this aircraft, and chose to omit it, with the reasoning that the hastily painted black distemper covered the serial number over. I'm also aware that I should have fitted the auxiliary fuel tank in the observer's position, but by the time I discovered this the RFI photos had been done - please forgive me these errors! The kit was built mostly OOB, with the addition of an Eduard mask set (not worth the bother) and the PE rigging set from SBS (from Red Roo, and definitely worth the bother). Here's the WIP if anyone is interested: Anyway, on to the pics: Here's a final couple with the aforementioned Mk.II: The sharp-eyed amongst you may note the 'Merchant Navy' above the aircraft serial. My grandfather served in the Merchant Navy throughout the war, so it's kind of appropriate to remember him on this most poignant of days - lest we forget, Thanks for looking, Roger
  16. Hi All, My latest completion is Airfix lovely 1:48 Blenheim. Now I did build the Mk.IF boxing of this kit a few years ago, so I did know what to expect, which is a superb, vice-free kit. The build was mostly OOB, albeit with the addition of an Eduard mask set and harnesses. I did scratch build a Wimperis bomb sight, which is a rather curious omission given the quality of the rest of the kit. The subject I chose to model is one of the box schemes, L6670 of 211 Sqn RAF, based at Menidi, Greece in 1941. This aircraft was flown by the squadron's CO, Sqn Ldr JR Gordon-Finlayson (known as 'The Bish'). This aircraft was involved in several raids on Italian forces deep into Albania. Here's quite a nice link to 211 Squadron's history, including a mention of L6670: http://www.211squadron.org/bristol_blenheim_i.html This aircraft is relatively well photographed - here's a selection (all copyright IWM - images for discussion only and will be removed on request: There is much speculation on the correct colour scheme - a pertinent link to the discussion here: For what it's worth I chose to go with Light Earth and Dark Earth over a considerably lightened Azure Bule, which I felt was the most likely combination. Here's a link to the WIP if anybody is interested: And so to the pictures. Here's a WIP shot showing that lovely cockpit detail: You can see the bomb sight on the floor - it should be located further forward but the fuselage was buttoned up before I discovered this! Here's the finished article: Here's a couple of shots along with a DAF Hurricane to show the variance from the later 'standard' Desert Scheme of Mid-Stone & Dark Earth over Azure Blue: You can see that I've simulated a fading effect by adding a couple of drops of light grey to the flat coat on the Blenheim - I'm not displeased with the overall effect. Finally here's a shot with a Bristol stablemate, from the other side of the Mediterranean (the mighty 'Slippery Ship II'): I think this shot shows just how far aircraft design evolved so quickly in the early years of the war. Thanks very much to all those who offered words of encouragement along the way - I'm quite pleased with the result, and it's nice to have this unusual scheme in the display cabinet! Thanks for looking, Roger
  17. Hi All, My next project will be Airfix' lovely Bristol Blenheim Mk.I. Now I have actually built another version of this kit a couple of years back - here's the RFI: That was right at the start of my BM career, but I remember that it is a lovely kit. This time around I'm tackling the 'other' boxing (i.e. not the fighter version). Here's the box art: Here's the lovely sprue shots: Decals are of the usual high standard we expect of Auntie: This will be mostly OOB, albeit with the addition of an Eduard mask set and seatbelts. The subject I have chosen to model is one of the box schemes, L6670 of 211 Sqn RAF, based at Menidi, Greece in 1941 (see what I did there?). This aircraft was flown by the squadron's CO, Sqn Ldr JR Gordon-Finlayson (known as 'The Bish'). This aircraft was involved in several raids on Italian forces deep into Albania. Here's quite a nice link to 211 Squadron's history, including a mention of L6670: http://www.211squadron.org/bristol_blenheim_i.html There are a few lovely photos of this airframe (all copyright IWM - images are for discussion only and will be removed on request): Some lovely detail in those bottom two photos, such as the bare aluminium filter housings, and the undercarriage colour. Here's the scheme as presented by Airfix: There is some debate around the accuracy of this scheme, as shown in the below link: So it is likely that the camouflage is probably a combination of Dark and Light Earth, over a lightened version of Azure Blue - an opportunity for some fading and weathering too, methinks. To my eye the codes are probably red (they are a good match for the roundel centres), so I'll stick with the kit decals. Rather bizarrely for such a well-engineered kit Airfix do not provide a bomb sight, so I shall look at a bit of scratch building for that. Other than that, I'm hoping that this should be a relatively trouble free build, and not the Greek Tragedy of the title! Thanks for looking, Roger
  18. Hi All, My latest completion is Tamiya's superb P38F/G, finished as an F-4-1 aircraft of No.1 PRU RAAF in 1943. A limited number of P38s were supplied to the RAAF for this capability, and they were converted by the RAAF to approximate F4 standard. This is my entry to the 'Forked-Tailed Devil: P38 Lightning STGB', which can be found here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/773-the-fork-tailed-devil-p-38-lightning-stgb/ Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: The kit itself is superb - state of the art in terms of fit and engineering. I used a Red Roo set for the conversion - this set is intended for the Academy kit, so there were a few fitment issues to be overcome. Despite this the conversion kit can be made to work (although you may judge differently for yourself!). The aircraft I have modelled is A55-2. Although I cannot find any photos of -2, here are a few photos of A55-3, a sister aircraft (copyright Australian War Memorial and RAAF - photos for discussion only and will be removed on request): These aircraft had their Neutral Grey undersides oversprayed with RAAF Sky Blue to remove the 'US ARMY' markings. A disruptive pattern of Foliage Green was then applied over the existing Olive Drab. I have chosen to colour the spinners black, as I felt there was sufficient contrast with the Foliage Green to warrant this. The interior was completed in Interior Grey Green, as there is evidence to suggest that earlier P38s used this shade in common with the Hudson, the only other contemporary military aircraft Lockheed was supplying to the RAF and RAAF. Anyway, on with the pictures! Finally, here's a couple of shots with some RAAF contemporaries showing the variation in camouflage schemes apparent at the time: Thanks to all that have offered kind words and encouragement along the way - it has been sincerely appreciated! I've also enjoyed my first GB, and it surely will not be the last! Thanks for looking, Roger
  19. Yak-9T Upgrade Sets (for ICM) 1:32 Eduard We reviewed the new large-scale ICM Yak-9T in July of this year, which you can see here. It’s a lovely piece of plastic engineering and has a good-looking instrument panel, but you can always improve on unpainted styrene. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's 3D printed SPACE and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL32008) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. This is the first set of this kind I’ve seen in 1:32, and it looks GOOD. The Photo-Etch (PE) sheet contains a full set of pre-painted seatbelts and a mass of levers and toggles that are applied to the instrument panel and side consoles. The decal sheet doesn’t have a high part count, but it’s a single seat fighter, so that’s not surprising. The most impressive decal is the instrument panel, which has relief all over its surface, and a handful of crisp dials with glossy surfaces imitating the glass lenses. A peculiar little gaggle of instruments are glued on a raised portion in the top left of the panel, and I want to say it’s the oxygen system due to the blue dial. Some of the levers and toggles are applied to the panel, and you will of course have to remove the kit’s moulded-in detail before applying the decals. The narrow side consoles are also relieved of their details before applying the replacement decal that will conform to the shape of the panel, and once the glue has set, both sides are festooned with levers, a couple of regulators get tops and toggle switches are inserted into the decals. The kit’s trim-wheel is retained and projects through a slot in the console. In addition, a pair of raised panels are attached to the vertical surfaces, then at the rear on the “parcel shelf” an instrument box (looks like the radio) is given a nicely painted surface with horrible yellow and grey shades – ick! The final two parts are a pair of replacement fuel gauges that are recessed into the wing in view of the pilot, with a lovely glossy surface. P.S. I’ve just noticed that the 3D printed decal sheet has 1:72 printed on it as the scale. The joys of copy & paste in our digital age, eh? I can assure you however, than the instrument panel decal is almost as large as a wing in 1:72, so there’s no doubt this is 1:32, just ignore the typo. Masks (JX293) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort, plus a couple of masks for the wing-mounted fuel gauges. Masks Tface (JX294) Supplied on a larger sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Conclusion With the cockpit glazing beautifully clear thanks to the masks, the rest of the cockpit really cries out for some super-realistic decals for the instruments and so forth. It would be churlish not to Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  20. Hi All, My latest completion is Airfix relatively new Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe. It's a lovely kit, which was completed as part of an informal group build with @mark.au, @bigbadbadge, @AdrianMF, @Winded Penguin and @Biggles87. I chose to complete as SM888 of 28 Sqn RAF, which was part of SEAC in India in July 1945. I used Xtradecals scheme, although as depicted the aircraft was based at RAF Kuala Lumpur in 1946. I had a photo of the aircraft in India in 1945: There are a couple of interesting elements to this photo - the non-standard camouflage pattern, and the white spinner (the scheme shows a red spinner). Here's the WIP if anyone is interested: The kit is lovely, but a few niggling errors spoilt my enjoyment of the finish. Anyway, on to the photos: Finally, here's a shot with a few other recent Spit builds (a Mk.I from the opening of the war, and a brace of Malta Mk.Vbs). Thanks for all those who offered kind words and encouragement along the way - it is much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger
  21. I reviewed this model and as I didn't even finish a single complete kit last year, I wanted to get at least a couple done this year, which I've now managed It's the Dora Wings Vultee Vengeance Mk.II in 1:48, and it was painted up with Gunze Mr Color of the Aqueous and the other ones (I forget the name - they start with C, rather than H). It's pretty much OOB apart from a few bits that I lost and had to replace by scratch-building them. I'm going to have to have a word with that wormhole on my workbench soon Anyway - it's picture time! Note: the tail-wheel went for a lie down just before I took this pic. ...and that me old dears is it. I hope you enjoyed looking at the pics as much as I did building the kit, and if it encourages you to pick one up, just go for it. The fit is good, the finish is excellent, and it's a doozy of a kit of a weird and ugly looking aircraft, which is probably why it appealed to me You can look back over the build here if you're curious about any aspect of it Next up is the painting of the Special 1:48 Hobby V-1 Reichenberg and the delayed completion of the Eduard 1:48 Zero from the tail-end of last year. if you can bear to watch along, I'd be glad to see y'all
  22. Hi All, Whilst commencing my 1:72 Stringbag build, I also felt like a bit of 1:48 indulgence. Seeing as @mark.au and @bigbadbadge have just started similar Spit builds, I thought 'well why not? I am a grown man, and nobody can tell me not to' (with the obvious exceptions đŸ€Ł). It was lurking right near the top of the stash, so I've just about got time to finish it prior to the start of the impending P38 GB (which I'm also rather excited about as it will be my first GB). So here's the box art: Here's the sprues: They look lovely! I've got myself a few extras for this one: Although the box schemes are both quite attractive I've had a hankering for a SEAC Spit for a little while, so I also invested in the lovely Xtradecals set: Here's what's on offer: This allows for some lovely schemes for both highback and bubbletop versions. I nearly plumped for the DG/LSG 208 Sqn scheme, but I've chosen to model SM888, which is an aircraft of 28 Sqn RAF, based at Kuala Lumpur in 1946. Now although this falls outside my normal self-imposed WW2 restriction, a quick bit of research informed me that SM888 was first delivered to theatre in June 1945, so technically I'm home & hosed. Here's a photo of the aircraft: There's a few interesting things to note from the photo. Firstly, the scheme shows a red spinner, but the photo looks to be much lighter (Sky?) - conceivably the photo is from 28 Sqn's time in India, so I may go with the photo? Secondly, the camouflage pattern is non-standard on the fuselage as noted in the scheme. Thirdly, it looks as if the aircraft is fitted with a slipper tank, although it could just be the larger radiators fitted for the mighty Griffon - perhaps @Troy Smith might know? Anyway, the kit looks superb, so it will be a pleasant contrast seeing this develop alongside the Stringbag (as well as the concurrent Spit builds of Chris and Mark), Thanks for looking, Roger
  23. Waffen SS Spring Einchenlaubmuster Camouflage Figure Set (A.MIG-7043) AMMO of Mig JimĂ©nez As WWII progressed, both sides experimented with hiding their troops from enemy eyes by applying camouflage colours to their uniforms, helmets and overcoats in various patterns and styles. Even a slight increase in the time needed for the enemy to see and identify upcoming soldiers gives the camouflaged troops precious seconds to get into position, increasing the possibility of success in their endeavours. Germany used camo extensively in later war, and true to form they used complicated patterns to hide their troops. They created the well-known pea-dot camo, as well as other variants and styles, using different shades based upon the conditions and seasons in effect, although that meant providing more uniforms per soldier, but some were reversible to cut down on the bulk of their baggage, as they seldom carried wardrobes with them whilst out on the field and engaged in combat. Imagine that? This six-paint set arrives in a cardboard box with a stand-up header, inner tray and some usage suggestions printed on the rear. Inside the box are six bottles that are appropriate to the camo type. Every bottle contains 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper that is found under the white screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated. AMMO paints separate quite readily, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier, especially when giving them a good shake or using a mechanical shaker. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which could be a useful benefit when you’re talking about painting figures. The paints are as follows: AMMO.F-532 Red Brown AMMO.F-533 Dark Brown AMMO.F-534 Olive Green AMMO.F-555 Lime Green AMMO.F556 Dark Green AMMO.F-558 Beige Pink The shades should be very useful for creating a good range of tones to depict your figure’s uniform, that were used by Waffen SS units from 1941 (Oak Leaf A) and 1943 (Oak Leaf until the end of World War II. Most of the garments were reversible as previously mentioned, with spring camouflage on one side and autumn camouflage on the other. If you use a wet palette, you should be able to get a myriad of shades between each one to help your figure look more realistic. They cover well and the colours are strong, with the base shades offering a backdrop to begin building up your scheme, and the darker shades adding extra depth where needed. Conclusion If you’re painting WWII German troops and you don’t have the right colours, you could certainly save yourself some time and head-scratching by picking up one of these sets, just needing a little bit of patience and talent to make good on your plans. Review sample courtesy of
  24. Austin K2/Y Ambulance (A1375) 1:35 Airfix A militarised version of the Austin K30 30-cwt truck chassis was the basis for this ambulance, known as the K2 chassis to which they fixed a boxy body made by coach-builders Mann Egerton. The load area had been developed by the Royal Army Medical Corps and was capable of carrying up to ten seated casualties or four stretcher-cases, loaded from the double doors at the rear, but with access from the crew cab, which had simplified canvas flaps instead of doors that must have made from a draughty ride during the winter. It was powered by a 6-cylinder 3.5L Austin engine with a non-synchromesh ‘crash’ four-speed gearbox that had to be practiced and fully understood in order to be mastered. Lots of crunching gears were the symptoms of someone unfamiliar with the box, which complained loudly if you didn’t get the revs and clutch timing just right. Double-declutching was a common technique to smooth out gear changes, and with a trailing wind it could reach a maximum speed of around 50mph. The type was very well-liked by its operators, and was a literal life-saver to its passengers. During HM Queen Elizabeth’s Auxiliary Territorial Service training, she learned to drive a K2 ambulance and probably still has memories of that gearbox. Many hundreds were made during WWII, and a few even found their way into American service, with the type seeing the end of WWII and some of the Korean War before it was phased out. My father was an RAF Ambulance driver in the 50s serving in Germany, and remembers the type, but he drove a German made Ford during his period driving his “blood wagon” as he calls it. The Kit This is a new tooling from Airfix’s recent 1:35 scale AFV line, many of which have been reboxings from Korean company Academy. There has been talk of this kit being tooled for them by Academy, and the style of the sprues plus the Korean language on the back of the decal sheet backs that up. The kit arrives in a sturdy top-opening red-themed box, and inside are three sand-coloured sprues plus a separate single bonnet/hood that has been slide-moulded for detail. A clear sprue and a small Photo-Etch (PE) sheet completes the build fodder, and the instruction booklet rounds out the package, with colour profiles on the rear pages. Detail is good throughout, although there is no engine within the bay, and the square vents on the roof means that the kit depicts the later variant, the earlier roof having circular rotary vents. Construction begins with the ladder chassis, making it up from two rails with four cross-braces and a H-shaped front section that is moulded as one piece. The middle brace, part D13 has a square raised section on the top surface that should be used as an alignment cue, as identified in the diagram. A depiction of the underside of the Austin motor and gearbox drops in from above, and the rear leaf-springs are added to mounts on the sides at the back of the chassis. This supports the bulbous two-part back axle, which fits onto two rectangular plates, and is joined to the back of the gearbox by a long drive-shaft. The front leaf-springs attach to the sides at the front that supports the axle beam, and has a two-part exhaust slipped under that exits near the back axle on the left. A steering arm links the two front wheels together, which are different from the rear wheels, although they both have three parts each, just different hubcap details. The front wheels are covered over by a single-piece wrap-around wheel arch, and the twin fuel tanks are made up from four-parts each before they are attached to slots in the sides of the chassis rail, taking care to use the correct one for each side, as they are handed. The floor of the load area is moulded as a complex single part that incorporates the cab as well as the load area. It has the driver’s foot pedals fixed in the planked front, and two stretchers are laid on the raised seating area, which has an outrigger glued to the edge to take the wider stretcher’s feet in grooves. The bulkhead between the two areas is installed with the separate door able to be posed open or closed, and an upstand for the spare wheel is laid on the floor in front of it, with an extra angled section to support the tyre. The door also has a clear pane in the top, and what appears to be a fold-down jump seat glued to the centre section in the load area side. The interior side walls of the body are separate from the exterior, and have another bench about half way up with cushions on the base, and another stretcher that fits into slots like the lower one. The end-caps glue into slots in the wall, and the walls are then fitted to grooves in the floor. The crew cab receives the two-part spare tyre that is fixed in place by a bracket so it doesn’t roll away during cornering or braking, with a shallow hump in the outer wall to accommodate its bulk. The driver’s seat drops into place on two L-shaped lugs, and here there’s a shallow sink-mark in the centre of the seat part, which should be filled if you think it will be seen. The dashboard is a wide, straight part that lives up to its name, and has decals for the instruments, plus a steering wheel on long column that fits under the dash, then is mounted on the raised centre console, which has two levers located in front of it. A simple padded box seat is added for the co-driver, who also has a small rectangular pad fitted to the wall behind him, the lucky thing. At this point the outer walls are glued into position on the body, taking care to paint the sections that will be visible through the larger internal windows, as well as an empty rack for a pair of rifles next to the driver’s seat, and another pad that is located on the co-driver’s side. The rear frame starts closing in the back of the body with added hinges at the top and bottom of each side, then the windscreen with two clear panels is attached to the cab, covered over with a two-layer sloped roof to keep the drivers dry. At the rear the main roof is also two layers, adding extra detail to the interior, and helped by adding rectangular PE flanges to the edges of the two roof vents, after which you can put in the two back doors in either the open or closed position. The body is then flipped over onto its back to fit a pair of boxes just behind the cab, and another two at the very rear, the latter made from five parts each. The body and chassis are joined together, and while the model is still inverted, the rear wheels are bracketed by a large pair of angled mudguards, the forward two having brackets holding them in position. Flipping her back over onto her wheels again, you can choose whether to have the back steps deployed or folded in, and build up the engine cowling. Oddly, there’s a radiator core inside the cowling that won’t really be seen, as the radiator cowling is a plastic part with a mesh texture moulded into the panels, albeit very nice texture. The top cowling is on its own sprue fragment, as it has been slide-moulded to achieve crisp detail on all three sides, including a nicely done set of louvers on the sides. This drops over the engine bay, sealing it off from view. The canvas side-doors are depicted rolled up at the front of the openings, and a wing-mirror is mounted above it on each side of the windscreen frame, then the side-lights and headlights with a choice of clear lens or hooded shroud are fixed on the wings and bonnet sides, with the front bumper bar mounted in front of the radiator on two brackets. A circular PE placard is mounted to the right wing on a PE bracket, finishing the build. Markings There are four decal options on the sheet, and you’d think they’d all be boring green, but they’re not. The different schemes are not only disparate, but one of them is also quite fun, with plenty of masking required in order to do it justice. From the box you can build one of the following: 30 Corps, Motor Ambulance Convoy, Royal Army Service Corps, North West Europe, 1944 British Army, North Africa, 1940 British Army, Alexandria, Egypt, 1942 (Not the one from Ice Cold in Alex) Auxiliary Territorial Service, England, 1944 Driven by Princess Elizabeth Decals appear to be printed by a Korean company in good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin high gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion It’s a really nice modern tooling of the almost ubiquitous British WWII ambulance, and may well feature in a few Ice Cold in Alex dioramas soon. It’s a shame there’s no engine, but how many would have been exposed anyway? There is resin for that if you’re so minded. At time of writing, it’s available at a discount with a FREE Airfix branded pint glass. What are you waiting for? Highly recommended. Tea-Total Option Beer Drinker’s Option Review sample courtesy of
  25. Hi All, My next completion is ICM's lovely 1:32 Gladiator Mk.II. I couldn't resist the move to larger scale for this kit, which I had seen built to great effect on these pages. I decided to model as KW-T, an aircraft of 615 (County of Surrey) Sqn RAF, based at St Inglevert, France in April 1940. Here's the scheme as presented: I could not find any photos of the aircraft, but here is a photo of several 615 aircraft, presumably in France (copyright IWM): You can see that the aircraft is finished in the rather complex 4 colour camo which was standard on the Gladiator at this time: Dark Earth and Dark Green, 'shadowed' by Light Earth and Light Green, over black/white undersides. The scheme also sports some rather natty red & white wheel hubs, along with a red repair patch over the port roundel. I added a Yahu instrument panel and HGW harness, as well as a set of Montex masks - otherwise the build was OOB. Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: Here's a couple of shots of the lovely interior: Finally, here is the finished article: I have to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed this build - the ICM kit is superb, and I fully intend to build the Sea Gladiator at some future date. Thanks to all who have offered help and encouragement along the way - it has been sincerely appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger
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