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Showing results for tags 'XV415'.
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Hello everyone I'm just getting started on my next build. To continue with a theme after the Airfix Blenheim and Beaufighter, Tamiya Mosquito and Airfix Mitchell (x 2 ), it's another R.A.F. twin, but a little more modern. I'm doing the new 1/72 Airfix Phantom FGR.2, and to keep the local connection, it shall of course be XV415, which has been the gate guardian at R.A.F. Boulmer up here in Northumberland since around 1993. I've been collecting images of it for a few years, and have photos of it in everything from the original dark green/dark grey/light aircraft grey livery with 228 OCU in 1972 to the three-tone grey livery with red tail it wears now. I've opted for the three greys livery, but when it was with 23 Sqn in the Falklands in 1986, coded B. Here's the obligatory box photo: And some extra bits and bobs: New intakes (with the upper and lower vents) and exhausts from Aerocraft, gun pod and seats from Air Graphics, etch from Eduard, fin top RWR and ILS aerials from Quickboost. I'll need some AIM-9L sidewinders, and maybe some replacement Sparrows (well, Skyflashes - does anyone make them in 1/72...?). I hate to start with a moan, but a quick look at the sprues and it's a case of 'Warp Factor 9, Mr. Sulu' for a couple of them: It's not a problem for the sprue with the smaller parts, but the lower one is Sprue C which has the lower wing/lower fuselage section (part C14), and it's not good. At all. I've done a 'quick and dirty' test fit, and the front part is somewhat awry: I'd be tempted just to glue it and clamp it til it's set, but I'm worried it will pull other parts off-skew too, as it's actually bent and twisted. E-mail to Airfix Spares Dept on its way... The later fin with the RWR on top has a small issue too, with the ILS aerials being short-shot: Luckily I think I can use the older fin and the Quickboost RWR and ILS bits - the ILS aerials on the kit part look a bit clunky anyway. So, onwards and upwards, and we'll see how this one goes... Simon