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Hi Guys, today a recent Build of this nice little Bird which was a real Pleasure to build. Superb Decals and a nice colourful Version Revell offered. Paints are Agama Silver and Alu from Model Master, done by Brush as allways. I hope you like this Bird. Kind Regards Stefan

Lightning T55 55-714 RSAF (ZF595) BAe Warton. c/n B1/95027 Built 1/2/68 as 6-27-73. 22/3/68 Coltishall coded D/212 it was delivered to the Royal Saudi Air Force Jeddah 11/7/69

Another one missing from the list, Matchbox's 1982 PK-126 Lightning T55 I have a soft spot for the Lightning. I can remember being taken to Gaydon with my grandfather, laying next to the runway and watching in awe as the Lightnings came down the runway at what seemed like zero feet, and then hearing the roar... I bought the kit 6 years ago and have only just opened it. The previous owner had stuck in the rear wall to the cockpit and painted it grey. My work on the pilots.

Hello everyone. Here's my entry from the recent Flying Boat GB. This is the old and wonderful Matchbox kit, modified here in order to represent M7+YK - a D3 variant of the Dornier 18 from 2/Kü.Fl.Gr 506 and one of the first Luftwaffe casualties of WWII shot down by the FAA on 26th September, 1939. My interest in the subject was piqued back in the summer by coming across a valedictory HMSO book published in 1942 on the Ark Royal (after she was sunk) that had a page of incredibly evocative contemporary photographs taken from HMS Somali of the downed seaplane. There's further details and reproductions in a rather lengthy WIP here. Those of you familiar with the aircraft will no doubt wonder about the inclusion of the large antennae on the gondola! It is the night/blind flying apparatus that is detailed extensively in two of the handbucher for the D variant. It appears to have been a collapsible item and stored in the cargo space when not in use, (in which a series of batteries were also positioned to provide power for it via an electrical circuit leading up to the top of the gondola). I have not discovered a single photograph demonstrating this gear in operational use but as the aircraft here is seen in a maintenance pose, I thought it might be fun to include it as part of a systems-test being run by the ground crew. Notes on process The kit itself has been made many times and was a pleasure to work with. In terms of broad dimension and shape it yields an accurate rendition of the aircraft, but did need significant remedial work on the bow, propellors and sponsons. Aside from fuselage, wings and struts, the rest of the kit (including flaps and ailerons) was discarded at the start as too crude for a decent representation. Having bought the original Lufwaffe handbucher (in digital form) I had the necessary parts and maintenance volumes to enable me to construct an accurate interior and add whatever detailing was necessary to the airframe out of brass and plastic. I won't bore you here by repeating a full list of those things (which are fully covered in the WIP) but the main elements I wanted to achieve as much accuracy for were: Drehkranz gun mountings -3D printed, with the mounting rings themselves built out of brass watch parts. Propellor assemblies were hand built from scratch (the blades themselves being canninbalized from a Lancaster and reshaped) I vacformed a new canopy and scratched all other from glazing transparent packaging. Flaps, ailerons and all hinges/acutators scratch-built from brass and plastic. The RLM paint-scheme was homebrewed from Tamiya acrylics and mixed directly on the aircraft itself using a technique I've been developing. All aircraft markings (aside from unit badge and hakenkreuz which were custom printed), were masked and airbrushed on. Working up the overall visual 'finish' involved experiments in salt-fading and the production of a variable lustre using polishing tools. On with the pictures then! Interior Sunshadows

From the Matchbox Group Build A straightforward kit made needlessly complicated by me overthinking it - aftermarket decals, marines and a plywood/sandpaper base

Having spent most of last year on the Vulcan build , then finishing a Spitfire I'd had kicking around half finished for a while , it was time to pick a new project for a WIP. After half an hour our looking through the stash looking for something that would be a nice quick build I decided on the Matchbox Meteor. I only received this as part of my Christmas present from my wife last month. I've seen a few Matchbox kits built on here recently and have been impressed by what can be done with them. I haven't built a Matchbox kit since the 70's so I'm really looking forward to this one. I'm going to build the NF.14 version as it was based at RAF Church Fenton, just up the road from where I live. I'm planning on building it mostly as it comes, but having said that I'm rescribing it, just bring it up to date a little. I'll see that else there is to do along the way. Here's the box contents. A real blast from the past with the multi coloured sprues. I feel I'm reliving my childhood I'll post some more pics as soon as there's any visible progress.

Hi guys, this will be a duo build with the Matchbox GB. I will build the 1/72 Matchbox Dornier Do-18G. It will be build almost Straight from the box. I will put up some pictures later. Cheers,

Like most of us, I made Matchbox kits as a kid so this GB is heaven-sent. Today, the Postie delivered these: I've been after a Lysander for a while and a Fury is always worth having. Anyway, I decided to make the Bf-109. Sprue shots: The transfers: look good, once the protective paper is removed: I was toying with using AM transfers, perhaps I won't. The instructions are straightforward: I'll probably start this tomorrow (Sunday). Thanks for looking.

Hi Guys, today, I would like to show you a recent build. This Bird is mostly ooB, The Bomb is Revell, the Bomb-carriage is from Academy, Stencils and Roundels are from the "Spare-Department" out of the deep of my Stash. Paints are Agama, done by Brush. It represents a Plane from the 250th Squadron, Italy, 1944. This Squadron uses not repainted Birds, that's why this Plane carries US Camouflage and no British Camouflage. The Kit could not hide his age, so please be patient. But it has two-coloured plastics......... Best Regards Stefan

The P-47 was nicknamed ‘Jug’, short for juggernaut, or ‘The Flying Milk Bottle’. The 56th were the first unit to be equipped with P-47Cs from July 1942. This is s/n 16224 LM*X, which was based at Wittering, Northamptonshire, from 13th January to 5th April 1943. The 56th Fighter Group became one of, if not the, most famous Fighter Groups of the Eighth Air Force. It achieved the highest number of enemy aircraft destroyed and had the greatest number of aces of any Group as well as the two top pilots in the Eighth. It was also the only Group to fly P-47’s throughout the war. Built basically OOB (just a little detail added to the cockpit - not that it can be seen) Painted with Tamiya, Vallejo and Humbrol acrylics Markings salvaged from my decals spares box - Airfix, Techmod and some unidentified

Hello, may I join the party? This GB seemed like an excellent excuse to start on this gem I picked up a few months ago at Hobby HQ in Melbourne: the M-19 tank transporter. I well remember a Matchbox (metal car) catalogue of around 1980, which had an image of a diorama featuring this tank transporter carrying an M3 Honey, and the LRDG set. It was probably a vital element in taking me from metal 'toy' cars into models. Although I'm a plane guy, I like to get around a bit, so let's get into this! Same old box top, the mud is pretty accurate for an M-19 in the Low Countries in 1944-5, or many other bits of Europe at other times. These must have been hell on the roads. Instructions that are easy to follow and all on one A2 size page. How is it that so many manufacturers can't meet this standard today? The parts are also more or less consecutively numbered on the sprues, so it's easy to find the parts. A three-colour kit. Look-shurry! Parts are only a little bit 'soft', but it's almost as good as vehicle kits today. The sprue gates are amazingly small. When I was a kid I usually just broke the parts off, or used a razor stolen from dad, removed from a disposable razor blade. Next time, we build!

I couldn't believe my luck back in the summer, when on a trip to Abingdon airshow I purchased this 1977 Matchbox kit, and so I'm ready to join the group build. This is a vintage kit, the box has a certain patina and the decals have aged some what but it's a nice looking kit, and I'm hoping some modern materials will help bring it to life. The kit comes with a tri fold set of instructions, which for an older kit are nice and detailed, although I fear Humbrol may have discontinued some of the paints needed. On opening, the tatty box revealed 3 sprues (one black, grey and brown), and a clear sprue. There is little to no flash, however, several parts have come loose. I have looked and believe (hope) all the parts are there. The kit offers 2 colour plans, and I have decided to go with 675th Bombardment Group 'Green Hornet'. This squadron were known as the 'Dauntless Demons' and we're involved in bomb attacks on Japanese airstrips in 1944. I think this kit may be a bit of a challenge, but I'm already enjoying the history attached to it. Let tue build commence.

Hi Guys, today a really old Kit, with some improvement's. I used the Frightdog conversation kit with new Propeller und underside cowling to display a MK IV, Tanks are out of the Spare-Box, Seat is from Italerie, also the Wheels, The Roundels, as nearly in every RAF Kit from Matchbox, where out of Register and replaced. Stencils also from Spare-Box. Paints Agama, done by brush. Hope you like this old girl.. Best Regards Stefan

Hi all,another build in the Matchbox GB is the Swordfish,same as the other's OOB like we used to with hopefully a better finish than we did as kid's I got the kit given it's a second edition boxing with poor decals I replaced the roundel's but lost the starboard codes so made the port ones from an old fin flash and may have got the sequence wrong and left of the rigging in the spirit of the build,Aircraft in a night scheme I believe this aircraft was based on the continent late war and used in anti U-Boat patrols,many thank's for looking in.

Hi folk's been a good few month's since I finished an Armour subject so here's Revell's re-box of Matchbox's Jagdpanther one of a couple of armour build's for the ongoing GB,two of the guy's have built this kit in both box schemes so I changed the number round and tried a scheme found on some late war German armour,great fun these little kit's,less than four quid at my LMS,thank's for taking the time to look.

Just off the bench a couple of days ago is this Matchbox Spitfire Mk IX. This is an original edition from the 1970s and not the revamped version. I replace the canopy and wheels and added, more like forced, an Eduard photo-etch cockpit. The easiest part was using the wonderful AML masks. It was finished with Tamiya paints. There is a minor error with the Czech insignia, and I'm looking for a replacement set. The white should be up. Comments welcome

I had originally intended to do good old PK-18, Grumman Hellcat which I started the other day, but partway into the build, I realized the replacement vac-form canopy in the kit was not correct for it. It looks like a Corsair one, so it was pushed aside for the Helldiver. After seeing Tony's (@tonyot) build I thought I would also jazz up the cockpit a little. It won't be as funky as Tony's but I will hide some of the gaping gaps in there. Pictures soon. Oh and if anyone has an old spare canopy to fit the Matchbox Hellcat I will happily take it off your hands

Hi Mates, tonight, inspired by the on going Group build, I would like to show you my Helldiver, done several Month ago. Next to a lot of sanding paper, and Stencils of the superb Academy Helldiver, I used some Rockets delivered by an Academy Hellcat, Exhausts are from Quickboost.. Paints, as always Agama, done by Brush. Hope you like it. Best Regards Stefan

Hi Folks, Here is my latest project for the GB The Beaufighter TFX. One of my Fave Matchbox kits, which i no doubt mangled back in my youth! It a Revell/Matchbox issue in the black box, and didn't come with a stand... IMG_2576 by G DSC, on Flickr The contents..... IMG_2575 by G DSC, on Flickr Progress pic.s, which have taken place over the last week... IMG_2577 by G DSC, on Flickr As you can see, next to nothing in the pit ot observers position, i'm doing this one OOTB IMG_2579 by G DSC, on Flickr Builds up pretty quickly with no fit issues... IMG_2581 by G DSC, on Flickr IMG_2587 by G DSC, on Flickr Paint going on... IMG_2588 by G DSC, on Flickr And thats where i am as of tonight. Great little kit, which has been a joy to build. Shouldn't take that much longer.... Thanks for looking, cheers Greg

Hi Mates, today, i would likt to show, one of my last builds. I got the strong feeling to build "something from Matchbox" It should be something i did not have done during the last 40 years. Tha amount of this was`nt big. So i decieded to do this ugly bird. I got the Version fron Revell, done several years ago, containing no other parts/decals, as Matchbox did, during their release. Doing this build i felt more and more in love with this early ugly bomber. I changed the guns into whitemetal ones from Aires, no more change done. I used Xtra Colour: British Nivo, done, as allways, by brush. Hope you like this rarely seen bird. Any Comments are warmly wellcome. Best regards Stefan

Hi folk's,more nostalgia for those of a certain age,Matchbox's Hurricane built for the ongoing GB.Again an OOB build no addition's just built the way we used too,the Decal's were usable as it was an eighties boxing but I used some Airfix spare's I will definitely do another in the future in the box scheme. thank's for looking in.

My entry. Built a number of Matchbox kits growing, but not this one. Looking forward to this, should be a fun build.

The kit ... a My intent is to build her in civilian guise, Queen Charlotte Airlines. This was a Super Stranraer, re-engined with Wright-Cyclone GR-1820 engines, I have a pair of Vector engines that I hope will do the job. These will be a first for me, I've never built a resin engine (not sure I've built a resin kit) I have builds in the 'From Russia with Love' GB, that are overrunning so this will start a little late

This will be my entry into this Group Build Our 1948 MGTC has been a member of our family long before I was born, being my parents first car. It's been off the road since 1969 but hopefully later this year will be back to full health. The picture below is yours truly next to the car when I was about 18 months old I hope to build this kit to look as simular to our TC as I can and dedicate this build to my dad who I lost a few years ago and who fortunately kept the car to allow me to have it after all these years Good luck to everyone in this GB Cheers Pat

Well, here goes build number 3, The Green Hornet. I have never built this kit before, and am hoping for as good an experience as the Bf 110. There will be a little bit of extra work involved with this one as the upper gun turret consists of a plain plastic disc to hold the gunners blister plus the guns. Here come the obligatory box and sprues shots.... IMG_2566 by IMG_2565 by IMG_2567 by IMG_2568 by IMG_2569 by Lovely box art on this kit, and transfers permitting will be the version i build. Theres a couple of progress shots thrown in, and so far all the parts have fitted perfectly. Thanks for looking, Cheers Greg