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German Tank Riders Set 2 (35377) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd Getting a lift on a tank was a treat for the foot-soldier that occasionally turned sour if their lift came under fire from an enemy tank, especially if the turret started to rotate and the crew began using the main gun. Sometimes they’d ride into battle on the back of a tank, using the turret as cover until it came time to dismount, other times it was a case of sitting somewhere flat on the hull of the tank, saving a quantity of shoe-leather getting from A to Battle. The set arrives in an end-opening figure box, and inside are seven sprues in grey styrene, three of which were linked within the box on arrival, but were removed for ease of photography. Each figure has a separate sprue, and there are three larger sprues of accessories that will provide plenty of additional fodder for other projects or the spares box. The figures are broken down sensibly into torso, separate arms, legs and heads, with additional breaks where detail and moulding requirements dictate, especially in the hands where fingers are separated to grip weapons, and where the bottom of the feet would be visible, the sole has been moulded separately in order to depict the tread. Two soldiers are sitting cradling their rifles, while one is kneeling and holding his MP44 in both hands as if he is a little wary of possible enemy contact. The final figure is crouched on his haunches with an MP40 in his hands, leaning forward and alert, as if he is also concerned about what it coming down the road. Someone ought to tell the other two, as they seem totally unaware. The three accessory sprues are filled with various weapons that include Kar98 rifles, MP40s, MP44s, MP38s, an FG42, and various pistols in and out of holsters. Ammo pouches, map bags, ammo boxes, water bottles, gas mask cylinders, day bags, entrenching tools, bayonets in and out of scabbards, a row of seven Stahlhelms that use sliding moulds to create the distinctive peak and rear brim of the helmets, as well as an open kit box with hollow interior, lid, and a hollow cup. The last bit of slide-moulding is used to provide the recessed lenses for a pair of field glasses. There are a few items on the sprues where the uses are not immediately clear, but as they’re in a tiny minority and shouldn’t be needed for this set, it’s not an issue. As always with MiniArt figure sets, the sculpting, poses and fabric drape of the individuals is first-rate, with construction eased by the join lines of the parts being along the natural seams or bends of the various limbs, which extends to the accessories in equal measure. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi, I did this model some years ago - not so many in fact. It was short after I was visiting UK and in Airplane magazine there was a kind of monography of AW Albemarle showing on one photo a piece of fuselage of rather badly weathered mashine from 295 Squadron. Perhaps I made it too heavy exploited. In painting I followed the profile from this web page: http://www.britisharmedforces.org/ns/ns/raf/nat_albemarle1.htm But now I have doubts about the lettering - should be rather 8Z.A, not 8.ZA sice the squadron code was 8Z not ZA... Is the profile I followed wrong or the squadron made an exception in writing codes??? Here she is: Comments welcome and regards Jerzy-Wojtek

I had an idea not too long ago to build a reasonable representation of all the aircraft 609(WR) squadron flew. The squadron was formed in 1936 and disbanded as a flying squadron in 1957 so the list isn’t so daunting. I will do some WIP treads and continue to add to this thread as builds are completed. finally sorted some pictures so will add the last ear builds. All builds are 1/72 Current status This is the current plan, with those completed in green.

Lavochkin La-7 Berlin Operation (MKM144152) 1:144 Mark I Models The Lavochkin La-7 was the ultimate refinement of a series of designs that began in the pre-war period with the underpowered LaGG-1. It differed from its immediate predecessor, the La-5, in several ways. The wing was redesigned in order to accommodate the engine air intakes and stronger, lighter wing spars made from aluminium alloy that were utilised. The engine benefitted from redesigned exhausts and a new propeller was fitted up front, and many aircraft were fitted with three of the lighter Berezin B-20 20mm cannon instead of a pair of ShVAK 20mm cannon carried by the La-5, increasing the weight a little, but the slowing effects of their bulk was all-but cancelled out by the additional power of the engine, aerodynamic improvements and the new exhausts that contributed a little thrust to the equation. Despite flaws with the new engine arrangement, combat trials were considered a success, with 55 enemy aircraft shot down for 4 losses. It was considered superior to its German contemporaries, lacking only in terms of firepower (hence the switch to the three Berezin cannon arrangement) and reliability. The latter gradually improved over the aircraft's service life, and the great Soviet fighter ace Ivan Nykytovych Kozhedub flew the aircraft when he claimed the last 17 of his 64 official victories. Around 2,000 airframes were delivered into service before the war’s end, with a grand total of 5,700 flooding off the production lines before they were shut down in 1946. The Kit This is a new kit from Mark I, and the first boxing includes markings for airframes that were flying over Berlin during the last days of WWII. The kit arrives in a small end-opening box, which isn’t an issue at this scale, and inside are two sprues of olive green styrene, two sprues of clear parts, a single decal sheet, and a folded sheet of A4 instructions, printed in colour on both sides. You get parts to make two kits, and there is a choice of cowling parts for each of your models to differentiate them on the display shelves. The models are very small of course, with the fuselage parts only 5cm or 2” long before adding the cowlings, but detail is good, but be prepared for handling small parts, as there are quite a few. You may be able to see from the photos that there are very fine tooling marks on some of the sloping surfaces, but having run my fingers over them, they are visual only, and will disappear under a coat of primer. These two photos are of the same sprue from either side to show the detail. Construction begins with the minute little cockpit, which has a separate seat and control column added to the L-shaped floor, that is then inserted in the space between the upper wing halves that are moulded in their entirety as a single-span, single-thickness part, with commendably thin trailing edges as a result. The fuselage halves are joined together, have the top cowling choice made after removing a little flash in the area, the representation of the engine inserted in the choice of cowlings, after which it can be mated with the fuselage, noting that there is a tiny instrument panel with dial decal, and a rear bulkhead that are added beforehand. The fin and rudder are moulded into the fuselage, but the elevators are each a single part that use the standard slot and tab method to fit into the tail of the beast. You even have a choice of open or closed canopies, using either one contiguous clear part, or three separate sections to pose the canopy open. Underneath the model are main gear legs with separate retraction jacks, wheels and captive gear bay doors, plus a tail-wheel in the rear that has a linked pair of bay doors inserted into the fuselage that also acts as the base for the strut. A front view shows how the landing gear should sit on the ground to assist you with fitting it all at the correct angle. The main gear bays also have small inner doors moulded as a V, and the radiator fairing under the belly is also fixed onto a recess in the central trailing edge of the wing part. The final assembly is the three-bladed prop, which is moulded as a single part with a two-part spinner surrounding it, sliding the axle into the hole in the front of the fuselage. There is a radio antenna moulded into one fuselage half, but you’ll need to make your own pitot probe for the starboard tip, which the colour profiles will help with, as they’re 1:144. They also provide a wiring map for the radio mast to the tail. Markings There are a generous four decal options on the sheet, of which you’ll be able to build two, of course. The profiles are given in full in the instruction sheet, but larger side profiles can be found on the back of the box. From the box you can build two of the following: Decals are by an unknown printer, with good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion I’m constantly amazed by the level of detail achievable on such small models, and this little Lavochkin won’t disappoint. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi All, My fifth 🤩 completion for the year is Special Hobby's Boston Mk.III, completed as Z2230 of 88 Sqn RAF, based at RAF Swanton Morley in July 1941. 88 Sqn were formed in July 1941 and were tasked with the operational evaluation of the Boston, after converting from Blenheims. There are a number of photos of Z2230 (photos for discussion only and will be removed on request): Tail only shot: Third in line: And one showing the code RH*D: You can see that there is a disparity in the roundel type between the first three photos and the last, and that there is a mix of older MSG and newer dark red squadron and aircraft codes between the aircraft. I've chosen to model Z2230 in the 'early' scheme of Type A1 roundel and MSG codes as in the last photo - I have therefore omitted the tail patch seen in the first photo, which looks to be a repair patch. I built this kit as an RCAF Mk.III Intruder last year, so I know there are foibles in the kit. Here's the WIP for this build if anybody is interested: I made a few 'improvements' to the kit: - Shimmed the fuselage by 1mm to correct the mismatch with the glazing - Added wingtip lights using clear sprue - Scratch built a Mk.IX bomb sight Anyway, enough waffle and on with the photos! And here's a couple of shots with the aforementioned RCAF Mk.III Intruder with its experimental DG/OG/Night colour scheme: I've very much enjoyed this build despite the challenges, and it's nice to have an 'early' RAF Boston in the collection! Thanks for looking, Roger

Hi All, My latest project in the 'Reasonably Priced Kits To Keep Dunny Busy On Gardening Leave' Series is Special Hobby's Douglas Boston Mk.III. Now once again, some of you may be feeling a rather eerie sense of deja vu as I built one of these last year as an RCAF Night Intruder, but this time we are going back to the Boston's original role with the RAF as a light bomber. So here's the box art: I shan't bother with the sprue shots as you've all seen them before (here's my Intruder WIP if you haven't and want to): Now I did find this extra sprue in the kit: On finding this I did briefly flirt with doing a Turbinlite version, but then settled back to my original plan of an 88 Sqn aircraft, based at RAF Swanton Morley in 1941. 88 Sqn were responsible for the operational conversion to this type after flying Blenheims - I am sure that the upgrade was welcome. I'm planning to model Z2230 - there are a number of nice photos of this airframe (photos for discussion only and will be removed on request): There's also a couple of nice colour images: And third in line: I've chosen this airframe for a couple of reasons. You can see that there was a mix of MSG and dark red codes as well as roundel types - in fact Z2230 appears to carry a 'hybrid' roundel which looks to have the overall proportions of a Type C roundel but with a smaller red portion, along with the earlier MSG codes. All adds a bit of interest. I have not yet been able to discern the aircraft code, but that shouldn't slow the build down too much - any info on this gratefully received. Compared to the Intruder version this does not carry the porcupine exhausts and has different cowlings, all of which are catered for in the kit. I shall also need to scratch build a bomb sight, as there is none provided in the kit. I shall also be shimming the fuselage to correct the glazing fit, but I am aware of that pitfall ahead of time! I have the loosest of personal connections to this build - I attended a cadet camp at Swanton Mortuary in the mid-eighties, and remember well the delights of wildest woolly Norfolk! Anyway, on with the build, Thanks for looking, Roger

Hello The product I'm going to introduce this time is... I made my favorite tank, the Soviet Heavy Tank JS-2. It was hard to get it, but luckily, a week after I bought it secondhand, I focused on completing it. ^^ After basic base painting, oil painting and matte finish, we did wetting. During the first painting, the desired color did not come out, so I re-painted it to get a slightly bright color. I didn't edit the picture separately, but there is a background flying function on my phone, so I try to upload it with that function. It's not perfect, but please enjoy it. ~ I hope you have a great day.^^

Hi All, My latest completion is Airfix lovely Beaufort, completed as a Mk.Ia, LR906 of No.2 Torpedo Training Unit, based at RAF Castle Kennedy, Scotland, in September 1943. I cannot find any photos of LR906, but here is a Beaufort in a similar scheme: Now I built a Mk.I late last year, but fancied something a little different. The Mk.Ia differs from the Mk.I in the turret (the Mk.Ia uses a Bristol-manufactured turret), addition of a DF loop on the fuselage - I believe they also used a different version of the Bristol Taurus engine. The kit contains components for the DF loop and turret, although they are not mentioned in the instructions. Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: Here's the photos! Here's a family shot with the aforementioned Mk.I: And just for scale here's one with another rather effective torpedo bomber: I've very much enjoyed this build, and I think the scheme rather suits the Beaufort. I've surely got a couple more in me - perhaps a Malta-based aircraft, and I'll have to do a DAP RAAF version! Thanks for looking, Roger

Hi All, My next build will be Airfix' lovely little Beaufort. Now some of you may have a rather alarming sense of deja vu, as I only completed one of these kits in November 2022 (itself a repeat build of an earlier failure), but fear not dear reader - this will be completed as a Mk.Ia!! I enjoyed the last build, and fancied a different scheme for this project. A bit of light browsing bought up this: I am planning to complete as the bottom left scheme, which is LR906 of No.2 Torpedo Training Unit, based at RAF Castle Kennedy, Scotland, in September 1943. I cannot find any photos of this aircraft, but the scheme appears repeatedly on various decal sheets. As you can see it is finished in white with EDSG upper surfaces, with DSG aircraft codes - until I hear different I shall go with this. I shan't bother with sprue shots as I've already built this kit - here's the WIP if anybody wishes to see it: Now if you look at the above schematics, you may note that the major difference between the MkI.a and the Mk.I is the turret (I think the Mk.Ia also used a later version of the Bristol Taurus). Now I dimly recalled that there had been some discussion on @Rabbit Leader's lovely build a couple of years back, and indeed a search through Dave's most entertaining WIP unearthed that the kit does contain the required turret components. Here's the thread: You will find the turret information on page 4 (thanks also to @AdrianMF for his significant contribution). Here is the clear sprue which shows the two turret types: You can see the glazing for the Mk.Ia Bristol turret bottom left, with the original Mk.I Daimler turret top right (I think that's the right way round?). Rather curiously, the sprues do not appear to contain the twin Brownings required for the Bristol turret, so some scratch-building may be required. The other interesting thing for this build will be the torpedo - my understanding is that training versions of the torpedo had a red or yellow nose, which will surely brighten up the scheme! Anyway, it should prove to be an interesting build! Thanks for looking, Roger

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

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.

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

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 🤣😞 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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! 🤩 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

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

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

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

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