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  1. Bristol Beaufighter Mk.1F MarkI. Models 1:144 The Bristol Beaufighter owes much of the design to its predecessor, the Bristol Beaufort with enhancements for fixed cannon arrangements. This upgraded designed, originating in 1939, was initially referred to as the "Beaufort-Fighter". An unusual concept of the design was in the installation of wing-mounted machine-guns, in that the allocation was four guns were fitted in the starboard wing but only two in the port wing. This offset was due mainly to the impedence of the landing light position in the port wing. The first operational aircraft were not deployed until mid-1940 and were allocated to No.25 Squadron based at Martlesham. The Beaufighter could undertake many roles, with the fighter-role being primary; however, this heavy armed, twin-engined fighter would make a good night fighter as it had room for a radar fit and additional radar operator additional to the existing crew. The night-fighter version was to prove its worth in November 1940 when a Beaufighter of No.219 Squadron used a radar intercept to shoot down a Junkers Ju.88 during a night sortie. The Kit Mark1 Models has actually produced three Beaufighter kits: The Mk.1F which can be completed as the nightfighter, as in the image above; plus a Mk.1C and a Mk.VI as in the images below. The kit comes in a small card box, with end opening flaps, and has a colour painted image of a Beaufighter Night Fighter as the box-art. On the rear of the box are four side profiles of different Beaufighter Mk.1F aircraft, any one of which can be built and finished using the enclosed decal sheet. Although the title of this kit implies a night fighter variant, any of the Mk.1F's can be built and the colours and markings showing types from No.68 Sqn (detached to RAF Valley, Anglesey); No.60 Sqn, RAF Middle Wallop; No.89 Sqn, RAF Abu Sueir airfield, Egypt; or No.252 Sqn, RAF El Magrun airfield, Libya. There are, currently, three separate Beaufighter kits issued by MarkI. models; MKM14434 (this kit) which is a Mk.1F; MKM14435 represents a Mk.1C; and MKM14436 is the Mk.VI variant. The sprues that come with this kit are common across all three kits; some parts being used on one version but not another etc. and in conjuction with the associated decals within each kit box. There are two main sprues with this kit, each sprue being of rigid, but not brittle, grey plastic. The first sprue holds the two fuselage halves and the first thing to note is that there are no locating pins or holes in these part, although this should not be a major issue on such a small item. Panel lines on the fuselage are very finely recessed. Internal detail consists of a long floor piece, instrument panel, control stick and two seats - one for the pilot and one for the rear gunner/observer. Other parts on this sprue are the propellers and the undercarriage, of which the wheel flaps are nicely detailed. The second sprue has the pieces to make the main wings, engine cylinders and cowlings. Here, again, there are no locating pins on the wing units but the lower wing section has an overlap which, when the two wing halves are assembled, allow for a good register when fitting to the fuselage. This reverse view shows the lack of locating pins and holes to line up the relevant parts. Care will need to be taken during assembly just to ensure that the pieces do not slip out of position whilst the glue is drying. The detailing of the clear parts is crisp and contains the pilot's canopy, observer/gunner canopy and wing-lights etc. INSTRUCTIONS AND COLOUR DETAILS An eight page A5 sized paper booklet is supplied and this contains a single page of parts breakdown, followed by three pages of assembly diagrams. The remaining four pages shows colour details of the four aircraft camouflage patterns that can be used for this kit. The back of the kit box also has colour details of the various aircraft and help to identify decal placements. The same type of colour details are also present on the Mk.1C and Mk.VI kits which means that three kits could give you twelve variants/theatres of operations from the sets of decals. DECALS The decal sheet is nicely produced by Mark1 Models and the detail is clear and the registration looks good. CONCLUSION There may not be many parts for this kit but, at 1:144 scale, the parts are nice and well detailed and should allow for a good build of this popular type of WW2 heavy fighter. As mentioned previously, care should be taken whilst glueing the various components as there are no locating pins on the parts; however, having done a dry-fit test, I found that the way the parts are moulded help to hold the components in place quite easily. I'm looking forward to getting more of these little gems. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  2. Hi all I have just bought the Airfix 1/48 WWII Ground crew set and, is it me, or are they way overscale? I put them next to some ICM figures and they dwarf them. Put next to a 1/35 figure and they don't look that much smaller. Regards Mick
  3. Hello all! Right, to business, I'm here with a rather "classic" whiff: a second generation BAC TSR.2 GR.8. I will be using a 1:72 Airfix BAC-TSR.2, some plasticard/white styrene and bits and bobs from other kits. Until another kit crucial to the build arrives I won't be starting it, with slow progress until I get the what if III group build done and dusted. So here is the back story, feel free to skip it! Enjoy! The story... As many know the TSR was cancelled in 1965, with great effect to the British industry. Luckily, in 1966 a group of devout engineers and skilled workers in accordance with BAC voluntarily restarted the project. They toiled for many hours on top of their payed work. By 1967 these engineers had managed to eliminate about 90% of the shortcomings of the original, bringing the combat radius to 960 nautical miles, SNECMA Gironde turbofans producing 176 Kn of thrust economically and safely (no LP shaft problems), a brand new cockpit layout, larger windows for the crew, revised HUD, upgraded landing gear, mach 1.12 at 400 ft and mach 2.6 at 46000 ft. Many more classified modifications were included and rather suprisingly the new jet was 40% cheaper than than the original price estimate. The RAF payed little attention to this until the RAE flew a prototype, they were rather surprised, almost everything had been fixed or improved apart from the HUD ( it flickered at more than 3g). They filed a report and sent it to the air-staff, who, quite frankly couldn't believe their eyes. They ordered a fly-off in between an F-111 prototype and a BAC-TSR.2 prototype. They would take-off at Coningsby (sorry if it's wrong I don't know the exact spelling) with a full weapons load (6 iron bombs and 2 shrike missiles), would then fly low-level to Djibouti and hit 2 mobile radar installations and a command and control bunker before landing at the French base. No more than 2 in flight refuellings were allowed. The aircraft with the fastest time and battle performance would be accepted into RAF service. The TSR won by a blistering 43 minutes and hit all targets apart from one where a shrike lost radar lock. It was accepted into RAF service and flew until November 1968 in A&AEE colours before being handed over to 40 squadron in February 1969. A drawback did show up just months after being accepted in front line service. A 132 nautical mile deficit was highlighted during training while carrying 4 iron bombs on each wing using specially designed duel hardpoints. The solution was a 'big belly' fuel tank (see Melchie's TSR2 build) . Here is a brief history of different versions of the TSR2 used by the RAF: GR.1A (1969-1972): The original version, these were all upgraded to GR.1B standard by 1972. Never flew in combat. GR.1B (1972-1981): An upgraded version to counter a 132 nautical mile deficit under a "standardised weapon load", which came in the form of a belly tank. Affectionately called by crew as the 'Big belly'. This was used until a newer version with improved streamlining and no belly tank (GR.3) entered widespread service beginning in 1979. Never flew in combat. GR.3A/LR (1981-2002): The most common version used and exported by the RAF until fully replaced by GR.4's in 2002. The only version to have served in the Falklands war. This created a sub-variant of the GR.3: the LR (long range) which consisted of a fixed in flight refuelling probe, more economical engines ( at the price of reduced power) and extra bomb bay fuel tanks (weapons were carried externally). It served valiantly alongside the GR.4's in the first Gulf war and Kosovo in a limited PR role. Still in service with South Africa and Egypt. GR.4A: (1991-2016): Largely recognised as the most successful and prolific version of this iconic aircraft. A new nose was what set it apart (see http://www.britmodel...ion-telic-2003/). These were upgraded GR.3A variants with a brand new avionics system, new engines and a new radar set. And is responsible for blowing up Saddam Hussein in his Tikrit palace during Desert Storm. But this is an old aircraft (it's basically an upgraded GR.1A/B and is in the middle of being phased out by the RAF and replaced by new-build GR.4's. GR.6/EW.6 (1999-?): (see http://www.britmodel...?hl=+bae +eagle) Seen as a failure to upgrade GR.4A aircraft in the late nineties and early 00's. The new nose caused several handling issues at high-speed and were all converted to EW.6 (electronic warfare) by 2006. They now ply their trade jamming enemy radar and SAM sites. GR.4NB (2004-?) Seen by many as the ultimate successor of the successful GR.4 is the new GR.4NB (new build). Has the same distinct nose, but everything inside is state of the art, from AESA radar to advanced to new engines, this jet has it all. Used in highly-dangerous SEAD and tactical strike roles, this aircraft has a scare factor seconded only but the A10 and AC130 and is currently being used against ISIS and made short work of the 2008 'invasion' of the Falkland Islands by Argentina ending this battle in 2 weeks. GR.8 (2014-?) In late 2014 aviation enthusiasts spotted an all-black TSR2 sporting canards, new intakes, a new canopy and revised engine nozzles. The MOD was forced to reveal the existence of this aircraft at a press conference on the 28th March 2014. Very few photos of this aircraft exist and is believed to be the last TSR2 variant until it's replaced by the Black-Widow II GR.1 currently in service with the SOS (special operations squadron). And has apparently been involved in turning an ISIS training camp into a crater with a version of the famed tall-boy bomb. That's it! Photo updates to come soon and I will be starting this as soon as possible! chomp chomp -raptor
  4. Some times ago my friend put on my table an old airfix kit. He ask me what we can do with these old kit in scale 1/48. I answer only: Give the model for children's or to someone do you want resent. Then I opened the box and just said: "wow". I have a good idea. I can make a conversion if you give me only the wing underside of kit. The bumps on the wing underside is the god dimenson for a version Mk.IIb I'm member of IPMS Swidnica in Poland, but I living in Germany. Our special is to built a model of Polish Figting Team in RAF of WWII. And so I found a fine foto template for my new model. The decals I have had since many times in my collections (from Techmod) I used also decals from Techmod and Tamiya, The basic kit is a Tamiya Mk.Vb in scale 1/48, simple to built and within three days I was ready with the shell model. I can show my god(?) idea for fire damage to the vertical stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer. This damage has occurred during a dogfight with a Bf 109F. [c] IWM
  5. Hello and thanks for your interest, this is my 1/72 Hasegawa Mosquito B.IV. The kit was started about 5 years ago. I ran into serious trouble with the split canopy section which consists of 4 clear parts, and they just wouldn't go together. I was left with a split line along the top canopy seam and gaps on the side windows with the blisters. Therefore, the model ended up in my 'box of doom', destined to become a source for spare parts. In early December I cleaned up my working room and rediscovered the Mosquito, almost finished, with a base coat applied already. After close inspection I decided to finish the model, since I felt it would be a pity to throw it away. I did not do any corrections on the flawed canopy section, just left it as it was. That's why you don't get any close-up pictures! The model was painted with Gunze/Mr.Hobby acrylics. Code letters for the Decals were sourced from a Tamiya kit as the Hasegawa decals looked to green-ish to my eye. They represent a plane from 105. Squadron in 1943. So here she is, not my best effort, but finally resting in my display case next to my Tamiya B.IV (shown here:http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234920784-172-tamiya-mosquito-b-mkiv/). I am hoping for a new mould Mosquito series from Airfix in 2016! All pictures by Wolfgang Rabel, IGM Cars & Bikes With best wishes from Vienna, have a nice holiday season!
  6. Hi I stored in my comp some photos from net, it was from a web page with a SAAF or RAAF pilot photos, unfortunately I did not made a reference...Neither store with data, which was there available. Anyway they are interesting Gauntlets from East Africa (AFAIR). Is anybody familiar with them? Can anybody help with identifiaction? Serials, colours, codes, unit... The Squadron code (except first photo) is "PT", perhaps?... Regards J-W
  7. Here's my build: A 2-seat FGR.5 tiff for op shader. I got extremely early on, all I did was start cutting the hole for the 2nd seat and its now been sitting alone, unloved, unwanted for nigh on 3 months. I'm not that happy with the kit to be honest, you'd think Airfix make some pretty high quality kits, and they do. But not this time. The starter set arrived with the pilot missing and some horribly moulded exhausts and that's just for starters. It's so full of imperfections. On the other hand I've nicked its canards for my TSR2 build so I'll be scrathbuilding some.... (the joy ) Still it could be worse... Here's a quick résumé of the back story, the complete version will come soon: After the Paris attacks of the 13th November, the British Parliament was quick in upping its contribution to the fight against ISIS with op Shader. To alleviate the Tornado's flying ops day in, day out some FGR.4 Typhoons were sent to RAF Akrotiri to join in. But they weren't as effective as previously thought. One bright spark considered using the T1 variant as a dedicated strike variant. This was tested and yielded better than expected results but it lacked the flexibility of that the Tornado possesses. In 2017 a solution was found. Remove the airbrake behind the cockpit and install a rudimentary WSO position. Admittedly it was very cramped, claustrophobic and referred to by WSO's as the 'coal hole'. The 2nd cockpit continued to be refined and in 2018 the dedicated 2 seat strike version of the Typhoon was born: the FGR.5. While the principle was the same, the aircraft was built from the ground up as a 2 seater. The cockpit was enlarged and a bigger radar was installed. It immediately started to make a difference in the field. To the point that ISIS admitted that they were 'genuinely frightened upon hearing the distinct sound of the FGR.5's EJ230 engine'. I will be building a representation of a FGR.5. Photo updates to come! chomp chomp -raptor
  8. There are some great photos of this exercice over on the USAF website: http://1.usa.gov/1XYNPnu
  9. As above really. As Hasegawa let Revell use the moulds a few years ago surely it is time for a re-release. The kits still pass muster, Fujimi & Hasegawa, and the subject matter has not changed. Aftermarket declas a still about. Airfix disappointed this year, but someone out there must see what these things make on ebay and must sense the business case for a re pop of these excellent kits!? I guess I am just hoping that someone in a model company sees this and if we get enough activity on this thread then maybe they'll take notice! It would sell a lot better than a Javelin! :-D
  10. The Telegraph are reporting that RAF Typhoons and Tornados are to pair up in an attempt to avoid clashes with Russia over Syria. http://bit.ly/1R2GkaK
  11. Hi, here's a recently (today) completed kit that I started years ago (was put off masking the canopy). Nice Academy kit with a scratch built attempt at an exhaust, and excellent Freightdog decals for a 500 Sqn machine from 1952. Used the new AK Extreme metal for the silver (polished aluminium shade) and Xtracrylix for the yellow. Weathering limited to that caused by my own grimy fingers and a Flory Models dark wash. It's nowhere near perfect but I quite like the look of it. Vampire T.11 next! Thanks for looking. NA Harvard T.2B 500 Sqn RAF 1952 by bryn robinson, on Flickr NA Harvard T.2B 500 Sqn RAF 1952 by bryn robinson, on Flickr NA Harvard T.2B 500 Sqn RAF by bryn robinson, on Flickr
  12. Its 1978. The RAF have completed the transfer of advanced Jet training from the Folland Gnat T1 to the new Hawk T1. The Gnat had been the RAF's advanced jet trainer since 1962. The last Gnats in RAF service were being flown by the Royal Air Force AerobaticTeam, The Red Arrows, based at RAF Kemble. Rolling forward to 1979 - the 'Reds' have transitioned to the Hawk T1, freeing up 12 jets, that have been lovingly maintained by the 'Blues'. Concurrently the RAF had followed the USAF with interest whilst they developed their Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) concept after heavy losses to new crew during the Vietnam war. The program became operational in 1972 and the USAF decided to establish a squadron in Europe to support the USAFE. 527th Tactical Fighter Training and Aggressor Squadron was established and formed at RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire. The unit utilised the Northrop F5E Tiger II. The aircraft was chosen due to its small airframe size and performance similarities to the Soviet MiG 21. They were painted in Eastern Block and Soviet style paint schemes to add to the realism. The Squadron soon began to adopt Soviet tactics and doctrine and were used to engage USAFE aircraft in DACT. The flight and ground crews were proud to be assigned the role and took on the rest of the USAFE with vigor, slowly, the pilots began to wear the red communist star on their helmets and the squadron started to think, act and fly Soviet Bloc! The powers that be at the MoD recognised that the DACT programme was a success and a useful training tool. The MoD and Pentagon agreed that the best way forward would be to combine resources and experiences. The RAF headshed recognised the Gnat was ideal for the task at hand. It had served in the Fighter role for India and had in fact downed 9 Pakistani F86 Sabres over 2 conflicts in 1965 and 1971. The Canadair Sabre Mk6 was widely regarded as the best dogfighter of it era. Number 74 Sqn of Battle of Britain fame had disbanded and handed over their Lightnings in 1971. I was decided to re-activate this historical squadron in 1979 and select the cream of the RAF operational aircrews to man the new RAF Aggressor squadron. The squadron and its newly 'Soviet Bloc' painted ex Red Arrows Gnat T1's moved to RAF Alconbury to get up to speed, using the 527th experience in the role to assist. The squadron successfully trained RAF aircrews in DACT, allowing frontline combat squadrons to fight an adversary versed in the likely enemies tactics. By 1984, the extra G forces and stresses on the aircraft meant that the Gnat was retired. Having been used by the Fleet Air Arm prior to the Falkland campaign in 1982, they had served their purpose in training pilots to operate in real conflict, with the Harrier force suffering no air to air combat losses. The role was handed over to the 527th who supported future RAF DACT training until they were disbanded in Sept 1990 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today the Aggressor role has be re-established in the USAF and many other allied counties due the the threat reappearing. In the UK the RAF began the role again with 100Sqn, flying Hawk T1s, out of RAF Leeming and in 2013, 836 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm also took up the role, utilising Hawk T1s out of RNAS Culdrose. For this What If build, I will be using the Airfix 1/72 Starter pack Gnat T1 and various low Vis RAF decals. The paint job will reflect one of the USAF Aggressor schemes of the times.
  13. Hi, my first RFI here. I started Airfix's 1/72 Gnat kit about a year ago, and recently decided to finish it. It's OOB except for after market decals by BD.. I mean S&M productions, and Albion micro brass tubes for the pitot tube. It's not great, but it's what my skills can produce right now, and I'm happy the build is now over - so I'd like to share the result. I wish I could say it was an enjoyable build, but in all truth it wasn't - partly it's down to me because I tried all kinds of new techniques and paints on the model and some of those experiments didn't go as planned and needed arduous correcting. Then again the kit itself wasn't a big joy to build either, including the well-known gaps between fuselage and wing section possibly resulting from fiddly-doodly %##^ing with the intake walls aka cockpit side walls . Intake trunking was done with paper-thin evergreen plastic sheet and pva-glue, which actually kind of worked. The undersides of the intake splitter plates were sanded. I detailed the ejection seats with wire and Tamiya tape - the harness came from lead foil on top of a wine bottle. For the nose light to appear like one I stuck some aluminum tape behind the transparent piece before glueing it on. All paints are Gunze Mr Hobby. For the orange I painted first a layer of H11 flat white, followed by Lemon Yellow, followed by a H14 Orange with a dash of red in it. Post weathering done with pastels and cosmetic eye shadow from the drug store's make-up department. I'm almost thinking weathering is overdone, but then again it's supposed to depict a Gnat in the very last days of the colour scheme before the fleet switched to the red/ white affair. What do you think? DSC_0459 by J Goat, on Flickr DSC_0466 by J Goat, on Flickr DSC_0465 by J Goat, on Flickr DSC_0472 by J Goat, on Flickr DSC_0475 by J Goat, on Flickr DSC_0483 by J Goat, on Flickr DSC_0480 by J Goat, on Flickr DSC_0500 by J Goat, on Flickr Thanks for looking! Jay
  14. Hi, I should have started a thread in the KUTA GB but forgot, and now I am not too far away from completion! Anyway here's an old neglected Academy kit that I have used to try out the new AK Extreme Metal paints, using Freightdog decals. There's probably all sorts of detail issues but I'm quite happy how it's turning out! Thanks for looking. FF Harvard
  15. So as not to clog up Cookenbacher's FGA.3 thread and take it too far off topic I thought we could continue the discussion here. In short, the 1966 defence cuts never happened. During the 60's Sino-soviet relations soured to the point the in 1968 they clashed over border issues. Seeing the increasing tension western governments kept defence spending up to deal with any potential fall out if the conflict widened. This lead to the Royal Navy gaining the CVA-01 carriers which were designed to take the planned Buccaneers and Phantoms and the RAF gaining the TSR.2. However, as time went on these aircraft would've needed replacement or something to compliment them. The question is what would have been used? Further development of existing aircraft? Or would they have been tempted to buy elsewhere? Discuss!
  16. Hello everybody! Just another question I would like to discuss with you: Why were so few RAF aircraft finished in Natural Metal? When camouflage became unfashionable in the 1950s and 1960s, many air forces left their aircraft unpainted. Certainly, there was also a lot of "silver" in the RAF, but in most cases this was High Speed Silver. Obviously, natural "metal" Mosquitos or Vampires would have been difficult. Nevertheless, even the Hunter T.7 (strangely single-seat Hunters were almost always camouflaged, even though contemporary French or US fighters were not), Meteors, Canberras etc were rarely seen "naked", but almost always painted silver. The only British aircraft, I can think of, that was NMF for a great part of its career is the Lightning. What was the reason for this? Fear of corrosion due to the British weather or more corrosion-prone aluminium alloys used?
  17. Someone, somewhere, sometime (pretty sure it was on Britmodeller) mentioned a book on the RAF's vehicles, it was long oop and fetched a high price on eBay and Amazon when it came up. Like an idiot I didn't bookmark the title or add it to my Amazon wish list. I've found "RAF Ground Equipment Since 1918", but I cannot find a title for the vehicles book. Can anyone help?
  18. Evening all, The Avro Shackleton has long been one of my favourite airframes; WR960 being the first four engined British 'heavy' to stare down on me. At that time, I knew of Lancasters, but had never seen one. This was before I grasped hold of the internet, so had no idea where to see one either. My parents didn't know anything about the Shackleton when we saw it in Manchester all those years ago, and I was intrigued. Is this a Lancaster? I asked the man who was polishing her. From that resulting answer came my love of all things Shackleton, and a little bit of a deviation of interest from the amazing Lancaster. Afterall, '960 is credited with a depth charge hit on a submarine. I did the rounds of seeing three Shackletons and a Halifax before I would see the BBMF's pre-internet elusive Lancaster, flying over my hometown. It wouldn't be until 2013 that I revisited the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, now with a significant amount of Lancaster knowledge under my belt and having almost forgotten about old '960. It was only on the off chance that me and my friend were cheeky enough to ask to have a look inside that we found ourselves sat in the fully lit cockpit, grinning and both filling our camera cards with the internals of this cold war beast. By this point, I had learned of WR963, having visited the cockpit of VP293 which had been at that year's Cosford air show. In the time during which I've followed the progress on WR963, she has changed dramatically. Why the want to build this Shackleton as WR963 and not WR960? Two reasons really. Although I have the full aeroclub AEW.2 set in my stash, my late grandfather was in the Merchant Navy through the years the Shackletons were in service. On the occasions that we visited Newark Air Museum, he'd always mention about how he used to see Shackletons on a daily basis and was fond of the type (before wandering off to try and get into Vulcan B.2A XM594, which he eventually did). I wish we'd asked him, but we have no idea where he went during his time in the MN, but then again, we never knew where he was on his work trips with various railway companies abroad. It is because of this that, thanks to the bomb bay names scheme, when WR963 becomes airworthy, she will carry his name wherever she goes. The other is that Airfix is clearly planning to to release the AEW.2 in the near future and that I have already received some assistance with this model from the brilliant guys at Coventry, so it's only right that I build it as 'their' aircraft. Now then, down to business. This build will be as quick as I can make it as i'd like to get it polished off before the AEW.2 arrives as i'm itching to build WR960 (rubber mats included). This is the starting point; Airfix kit, my own AEW.2 interior photos and the sought-after Aeroclub goodies (and the kitchen worktop because this kit is huge... and my workench is full of class 47 parts - the joy of running two hobbies!). WR963, being presently an MR.2 with a number of AEW.2 parts still fitted, makes this model interesting, in that the bomb bay doors supplied in the kit are for an MR.2, and Airfix would have you build it that way. Lovely. Using photo references and info from the guys at Coventry, I've figured out where the cuts need to be made, and if I decide to do it, where that lovely Aeroclub radome sits. Playing around with the aeroclub canopy, which still makes the grade even now; Progress so far is just seats and the deck really, as i've been doing more research. The kit is a bit iffy for flash and there's some serious mould depressions on top of the starboard fuselage half, but at least nothing on mine is short shot... so far. The question for me though, is what condition? I hate painting anything white. White paint just does not like me, hence why my Concorde has been lingering for nigh on a decade *cough*. I'd like to do her current condition, but i'm erring to her post AEW.2 conditon, just to be different from the kit scheme. What do you guys and girls think? Cheers, WV908
  19. Vickers Wellesley, one of those forgotten types from the unfashionable side of modelling. Here's the very first boxing that I will be using for the build: Typical Matchbox kit, basic but accurate to the eye. I'll add a few details but won't be going rivet crazy - actually theres very few rivets in the design as it is a smaller brother to it's more famous stablemate the Wellington and shares it's fabric covered geodesic structure. As befits the simple kit it's appears a simple build: Schemes are two similar green/brown birds differentiated by their engines. Option 1 is a standard short cowl Mk1, but option 2 is more interesting as it is a form generally associated with just 3 aircraft of the Long Range Development Unit that flew from England-Egypt-Australia with the longest leg being 7300miles (in 1938!). But to confuse matters the kit decals arent for one of these 3...but more on that later
  20. Hi, I am considering conversion of Academy B24 into Liberator Mk I in Coastal Command markings. I know there is a lot to change, but this promises a lot of fun of modelling, isn't? . There are some interesting particular machine for consideration. For exampele there was and fameous "u boot killer" - AM929 while serving in 120 Sqn she sunk 5 u-boots. In profile published here: http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/b/327/9/2(which is taken from Polish monography of Liberator) this particular machine has no 4-canon instalation in front bomb bay. It is true? The all known remaining 120 Sqn (and all MK I CC) machines have it. Why this machine has not? It served later in 231 Sqn as transport machine (converted to C. Mk I) and crashed on 9th May '45 (http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?15568-Liberator-AM929-231-Sqn-9-April-1945) - so perhaps in these times she did not have those cannons, the whole pack was for sure romoved for transport purposes - but when she was a "U-boot killer" she should had them, why not? There is also a story about her: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=692997334159191&id=340758036049791&comment_id=693570777435180&reply_comment_id=693662130759378&total_comments=2&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R1%22%7D How about the Leight light? Did CC Liberators Mk I have it? I have found photo in Net, but those details are not visible: http://www.ulsteraviationsociety.org/coastal-command-ni-ww2/4537284196(photo No 4) from photo here: http://ww2aircraft.net/forum/album/black-26-white-photos/p20054-consolidated-liberator-grmk1.html it seems that there was no such light - when it was installed on GRV it was moved a bit forward regarding the leading edge of wing and was visible from such angle. I hope some BM experts know the answers... EDIT: The another interesting mashine is AM924 http://www.revi.cz/images/covers/78/revi_78_26_27.jpg and AM923 Regards Jerzy-Wojtek
  21. Hi, In IWM collections of photos I found Whitley with modified rear - the turret was replaced by opening for parachute jumping. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205197364 Was it a typical conversion for all parachute trainers? In photos of jumping from Whitley, for example here https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Parachute_troops_jump_from_a_Whitley_bomber_during_a_demonstration_for_the_King_near_Windsor%2C_25_May_1941._H9955.jpg man jumped from the normal doors in middle of fuselage. In this colection there is another nice photo of similar, early radial Whitley with Y letter on nose http://zoom.iwm.org.uk/view/40329&cat=photographs&oid=object-205197363described that it was taken in 1941 in Ringway, Manchester. However - what could be a serial of this machine? On anather photo serial look to be k72?? - very interesting is partial overpainting by a fin flash http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205197423 Is there any available complete profile/photo with serial, code letter and perhaps deteils on turret romoved or not...? Best regards Jerzy-Wojtek
  22. In order to warm the hearts of the 1/144th scale community, we decided to develop a brand new injection-moulded kit of this lovely aeroplane. The “Beau’s” have never been released before in plastic in this scale, so this is their first appearance. These kits have been made using high-quality moulds, produced by one of the best Czech moulding companies. To whet your appetite here we present you the images of the test shots and the first test build. The finished kit still lacks the clear parts, but otherwise it is complete. Here are some pics depicting how the model master was made from scratch. Each kit contains 53 parts and six clear parts (cockpit and rear gunner canopies, aerial cover and wing-tips with position lights). Naturally, a comprehensive instruction leaflet and a decal sheet are included, the latter offering four options for each Mark. The kits will be available by mid-June. More info about the forthcoming kits and camouflage options can be found here: http://www.4pluspublications.com/en/scale-model-kits/mkm14434-beaufighter-if http://www.4pluspublications.com/en/scale-model-kits/mkm14435-beaufighter-ic http://www.4pluspublications.com/en/scale-model-kits/mkm14436-beaufighter-vi KR Michal Ovcacik, MARK I
  23. Hercules C3 XV202 at RAF Cosford, pics thanks to Rich Ellis.
  24. For my next trick - the rarely seen, desert exiled brother of Wellington... Anyone know of a Wellesley workaround or source of reference pix. There are plenty of generic exterior shots but not in much detail, nor is there a huge number of interior views. There are a few detailed models out there but I would like to judge a selection from the real deal, especially as I intend to so a LRDA as opposed to a standard mk1. Trust me to choose the difficult version... Actually I looked at the Matchbox decals and had doubts as they've seen better days. If they so end up u/s then the LRDA aircraft will allow a Wiff option I have in reserve. ... Thx in advance.D.
  25. Hi Everyone, I have been meaning to start on this project since I got back from my holiday in August, but just haven't felt up to it, my mojo has been a complete non-starter for months now. Back story posted here : http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234988171-revell-1144-b-52h-stratofortress-whif-poll-added/?p=2102381 Now I have 2 options to consider for this build : Give the plane 4 CF-6 engines from a Revell 747 which I was sent or build it as standard with 8 engines. The reason I say this is because the 4 engines are a lot larger than the standard engines and I am worried that due to the low ground clearance of this model the CF-6 engines might not clear the ground when attached to the wings. I am going to build the fuselage up with landing gear and temporarily fit the wings in place so that I can test fit an engine onto the wing and check the clearance before I glue everything together just in case i need to use the standard engines. To make a permanent fit of the 4 engines without changing engine pylons around I will have to cut the pylons down so that the length of them don't interfere with where the flaps are on the wings. Anyway here are photo options showing the different engine configurations. 8 engines 4 engines Anyway as soon as I have some photos showing progress (whenever that will be), I will get them posted on here. Wish me luck. Cheers, Rick
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