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In addition to the MiG-3s, I am working on two Russian rocket fighters. That seemed easy because they all have to be green over blue. But the MiG turns out to be AII green/blue and the other two AMT 4/2. So just different. The Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 is from Maquette and according to Scalemates a reissue. Nice kit, but I think you can only build the first prototype because of the convex canopy. The Tikhonravov I-302P is from Amodel. Real short run, lots of sanding and fillers. It all just fits, just doesn't fit. They were primed together with the MiGs. The BI-1 has a first layer of black, AMT 6 from AKAN.

Good morning, all. I bought this Vindicator HiPM kit in ...1996: Even two, in fact, because a shop was offering a very attractive price during a sale at that time. I understood why this model had to be left on their hands. It's a good short run for families: At the time it was the only SB2U available in 1/48 scale. Accurate Miniature has since released one, which has been taken over by Azur in a French version. So why do I want to build this one? Because it's unsaleable. Because I don't like to throw things away, especially at a time when we're so used to recycling. Because I own it for my Midway theme. Because I'm not afraid of chips. I don't dwell on the history of the aircraft, and I get my hands dirty. A lot of deburring has to be done on the parts, especially to get something presentable in the cockpit: I thought I would refrain from using evergreen, but now I can't ignore the obstacle: Here is a picture of the bath before painting, just to keep a white memory: Working with multiple materials, to vary the techniques (and pleasure!😆). I only kept the plastic rectangle which suggests the body of the machine gun. The barrel is made of tubes. The "turd" behind the headrest is the dinghy storage bag. I used the box piece that I worked and wrapped in a piece of plastic bag, all glued with cyano. The drape with the folds stands out in the paint. I have included some boxes and other controllers, the radio block: Painted with a roller: HiPM did not show the windows under the cockpit, I added them: I upgraded the engine cover with the long air intake from the model 3: I made a cast of some parts of the Accuratre Miniature kit, like the landing gear struts: Here is the result: On the morning of 4 June 1942, the crew of 2LT J.Cosley and gunner PFCC.E Cayer were about to take to the air in the SB2U Vindicator, serial number 2094 and registration 7 in VMSB-241: The plane is soiled with dust from the Midway runways: The Vindicator will take off with a 225 kg (500 lb) bomb, as it does not have enough power to carry a 454 kg (1000 lb) bomb: Enjoy. Regards, Eric-Snafu35

Hi, The Italian invasion of Abyssinia in yeras 1935-36 had some share in military airplanes history. There was a huge bias in power balane - from Abyssinian side there were only few machines, transport and recce, no even single fighter whereas Italy used about 100 airplane, mostly of five types at start: Fiat CR 20 as fighter, Romeo (IMAM) Ro-1 & Ro 37 bis as observation, light bomber and liaison as well as Caproni 101 & 111 as bomber/transport machines. I would like to recall this uneven war doing a couple of models. First finished is Fiat CR 20 bis AQ, machine of 111 Squadron commander based in Asmara (Eritrea) in 1935 . Model is a rather new short run by Kora in 1/72 build OOB (the only change - the prop is constructed rotable) within Africa GB. The WIP is here: And the model: Comments welcome Regards Jerzy-Wojtek #5/2021 (Breguet 273, Hanriot 232, Saro Lerwick. Shcherbakov Shche2, Fiat Cr 20 bis)

(According to the Paolo Mina's book (that translates as "Airplanes That Have Made History, Ansaldo SVA"), this is a heavily retouched photo of the second Brescia racer (250hp engine). The number 4 had actually a star background. In this photo the number has been altered to follow the decoration scheme of #3) This link will take you to Kees Kort (varese2002) flickr page, that features #3: https://www.flickr.com/photos/varese2002/42416308151/in/album-72157636093418425/ Racers are like the spicy dish on the menu of civil aviation, the curry or jalapeño of winged apparatuses. One may even refer specifically to Italian racers as the pasta alla puttanesca plate. I have build very many models of them, as they are just beautiful. Long time ago a slightly bizarre one caught my attention, a (drastically) clipped wing version of the Ansaldo SVA biplane, called Brescia, as it was designed to compete in that city's famous races. In one of my excursions to the surrounding modeling grottoes (in this case during a trip to Palm Desert) I spotted and promptly acquired a Pegasus 1/72 kit of the SVA-5 with the purpose of conversion (that is to obtain a more civilized version). I have a few Pegasus kits stashed somewhere, and to be sincere they don't make a wonderful impression on me (and for what I can tell on many others as well), but having built veritable monsters that even today invoke nightmares in my mind (Merlin and the old Dujin kits, to name just two) this is not really a bad kit. Yes, it has a lot of flash, no locating devices whatsoever, some of the parts are a bit coarse, and there is not much in terms of interior detail, but I think they are perfectly buildable with some work and patience. In this case, to obtain the racing version, the wings and horizontal tail will require complete reworking, the interior a bit of improving, and a few external details added, as well as new decals. During my research I came across a wonderful publication by Italian aviation historian Paolo Miana and his team: https://www.gliarchiviritrovati.it/home/prodotto/gli-aerei-che-hanno-fatto-la-storia-ansaldo-sva/ That made me immensely happy, as I have purchased and used as references before two of his titles: "Gli aerei che hanno fatto la storia – SIAI S.64", https://www.gliarchiviritrovati.it/home/blogs/gli-aerei-che-hanno-fatto-la-storia-siai-s-64/ that I consulted for my Savoia S.64: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235050050-scratch-built-172-savoia-marchetti-s64-1928/ and his book on the Savoia Marchetti S.79 racers: "Lost Archives - Pictorial history of SIAI - Chapter I - the Sorci Verdi". https://www.gliarchiviritrovati.it/home/prodotto/siai-s-79-capitolo-i-i-sorci-verdi/ That were helpful in building two of them too: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235050724-savoia-s79-corsa-adaptation-from-the-172nd-scale-airfix-kit/ https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235050725-savoia-marcehtti-s79-corsa-conversion-of-the-172-italeri-kit/ A bagged kit, conveys a sort of vintage flavor... Contents. The machine guns are swiftly trashed: Plenty of flash: In spite of the prominent and ubiquitous flash, the plastic is soft and cleans perfectly in a matter of minutes: The "instructions" let you know that you have to fabricate your own struts. Again, do not panic, easy peasy for any modeler with a bit of experience: And in this very special and VERY happy day, an unusual and welcome sight in California: a life-giving rain, as if the sky would want to wash away the filth of these last four years, and to top everything, the sun is coming out again, shinning on all things, without distinction:

Hi, I am in. Not too much time left but I will try to manage construction of Nieman R-10 by Pavla. I made some photos but I have some unexpected problems with communication between my camera card and computer. So I will post photos when (if?) I'll overcme them. Regrads J-W

Hi, In commemoration of 10th years of BM forum there was a GB in which we were all invited to do a model with "10" in its description. Could be even "Me 410" or any machine from 10 Squadron. My choice was Nieman R-10 - a Soviet light bomber/tactical recce machine from late 1930s. This is one of first (exactly No 72006, so 6th if catalogue number tells true) Pavla kit. Made of a bit too soft plastic. I replaced the turret by a scratch build one and changed the spinner for the late R-10 type. Here she is: The thread from build is in GB section Comments welcome Regards Jerzy - Wojtek

Hi, My next model finished today. This is Kochyeigin-Yatsenko Di-6 Sh. You have not heared about it? Do not worry, I've learnt about this plane when I saw in a model shop Phantom in Krakow this kit by A-model and I immediately bought it . It was likely in 1996-1998. It is likely that I never saw it again in a shop.... This is a short run kit, I would say nicely done as for early A-model. This is a "heavy" escort and aground atacl fighter (not very much bigger then I-153 in fact) and looking a bit as a two seater development of Polikarpovs I-15 series (152,153). The machine was designed in 1934 and then produced in three variants (Di-6 with 3 MGs, Di-6 Sh with 5 MGs and lowered tailplane as well as trainer with fixed u/c). Total production which lasted I think till 1939 ended with 222 or 223 items (by different sources). Some 60 of them were the variant Di-6 Sh. "Sh" is for "Sturmovik" - attack plane. More about this airplane one can find here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kochyerigin_DI-6. It was not a very sucessfull construction. For some reasons was not offert to Republican Spain and therefore remainde very unpopular. In past some sources informed that she was used during Khalkin-go war with Japan in summer 1939 and even in Winter War with Finland in winter 1939-40. But it was then denided. It looks that the only conflict where Di-6s were used was Soviet invasion on Poland (17th September-2nd October 1939) - this attack was an allied attack to support German invasion on 1st September 1939 and declaration of war by UK and France on 3rd September. In Molotov-Ribentrop pact (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov–Ribbentrop_Pact) Soviet Union declared such support within 14 days from starting support for Poland by western countries and it happend. Polish record are not quoting meeting thoses machines since they were not recognized likely misidentified with Polikarpov biplanes. It is said officially theat Di-6 were finally withdrawn from VVS in summer 1942 but no record of their active use against German in GPW starting in 22 June 1941. There are photos of abandoned those machines from airfields captured by Germans but it is probale that they played role of dummies targets exposed to atract Luftwaffe. The scheme I painted presents machine from 14 ShAP in September 1939 and was given by @Dimmy (many thanks!!!) in this thread: As the alternation to this scheme I only painted caban struts green, not light blue since on all photos they are dark. I added front pannel in engine and made few more modifications in engine detaiils and in u/c - this was done following photos. Here she is: And two full sun takes: Comments welcome Regards Jerzy-Wojtek

Hi, Next machine of Finnish air forces - the Gloster Gamecock II, build under licence in Finland. Some 20 machines were build, they have a bit extended fuselage like in Gamecock III, instead of typical short fulselage of original Gloster production. At the outbreak of WWII, which in case of Finland started with war against Soviet Union agression in 1939 some of them were still in use. That war was lasting till spring 1940 and Finns protected themselves however losing some the most east part of territory (which remains in Russian's hands till now). The Gamecock was obviously and definitly an obsolate machine at 1939, it was used in role of avanced trainer. Last machines were phased out in 1944 (!) - as far as I've read about it. There was a spectacular victory during Winter War achieved on Gamecock. On 29 January 1940 Soviet bomber DB 3 was captured by a single Gamecock. More about this event here: The GA-58 is one of three possible Gamecock codes of the capturing machine. The model is Broplan's first (?) and only (?) injection model . This is a typical short run to which I added some details as scratch build (in net there are available photos of sprues here: http://karopka.ru/community/user/17547/?MODEL=381419 ) Decals come from drawer (likely by AZ and letteing by Techmod), one small swastika on prop is hand paint, second is from SH Myrsky spare one. Here she is: Many thanks for Finnish collegues here on BM, Antii and Vessa as well the Mykko Kylemala of Finnish Museum of Aviation who helped me in gathering materials related to this build. Comments welcome Regards Jerzy-Wojtek

Hello people , This is my first WIP. I have really enjoyed reading and watching the WIP's of others and feel it is time to try to give something back. I have a variety of interests in terms of modelling, but I always seem to come back to aircraft and AFV's of the Spanish Civil War. The variety of aircraft used is quite incredible and moreover, many were simply 1930's 'Golden Age' civil aircraft impressed into often quite bizarre roles; for example passenger Vultee aircraft and Fokker FVII/3M's becoming bombers. Nevertheless this was a proving ground or test run for many new technologies. In terms of aircraft the I-16 'Mosca', (the subject of this build) and the very first Bf-109 'V' prototypes then A (or is it B1?) through to E series, saw their baptism of fire here. The history of the conflict is well documented on the internet and in good old traditional books, and there are some simply splendid (albeit sometimes a little rare and expensive) books available on the aircraft involved in the conflict. Controversy about colours and actual aircraft involved is absolutely rampant and in a way, quite liberating. Within the community of Spanish Civil War modelling enthusiasts I know (not many!) a great deal of encouragement and artistic licence is granted. There is so little that can be certain, from actual numbers/codes of aircraft involved (BF-109C for example) to types (was there really an RWD-8 and a Bloch MB-200?) to, well, just about everything down to the colour of a particular Republican pilot's socks, or the strength and lens thickness of a particular Legion Condor pilot's monocle . OK. About me. I'm currently not very good at making models. In fact I'm certain that I'm not as good as I was when I was 9 years old and high as a kite on polystyrene cement most of the week, making at least 2 models a week, with very high standards for a little boy. But it was fun wasn't it? My grandfather had been a career RN man (Russian Convoys and MTO in WWII) and encouraged me into modelling. My introduction to modelling is described on the intro post I made some months ago to BM and a little more in my 'about me' so I won't ramble on about my early abject failures. Needless to say I returned to models after a bereavement in 2003 and it really helped me, like a breath of fresh air. Then work and an illness prevented me from starting again until last year. I thoroughly enjoy it, but I keep on trashing my efforts. Perhaps time to lower my standards? I think it would be far better to use this opportunity to probably demonstrate to the world at large that I am still highly capable of an abject failure.... Thus, onto this model. Amodel. What a fascinating company. That's one adjective. Others can be used. Nearly all of their kits pose a challenge in one way or another, they are short run, yet often they are short run for so long that the very sprue runs, and we end up with nothing but flash from which to try to identify and carve our own components . Nevertheless, they kit some wonderfully obscure subjects, and I love the wonderfully obscure! Thus - I feel I help keep someone, possibly in a cold dark cellar in Murmansk, with a scriber, some faded plans, some resin and a bottle of vodka, in a job. Some of their kits go together beautifully straight from the sprue, but there are some, like this little, tubby, I-16 that can be exceedingly variable in terms of moulding quality. In this case, from production batch to production batch. Ask me how I know. I decided to post this as my first WIP because, frankly, this model can be a real pain in the derriere. I know it isn't just me; it is known for possibly needing a bucket of filler. Moreover it has some issues, probably the main one is the wings. They aren't really of the right kind for an I-16 type 5 of the SCW (as I will refer to that very 'uncivil' war from now on). Other issues I will discuss as we progress together into the build. I have not completed a model since I started again around a year ago. To be honest they have all been rubbish and have flown directly into the dustbin. Often. Around 10 now. I have tried to build this one 4 times now. Dustbin; 3 times out of 4. The 4th attempt is in the drawer of doom. This will be attempt number 5. I am posting this, perhaps foolishly, because I had a Really Big Think™. I may, just may, have figured out a way to make this without the usually required bucket of filler. I'm sure I'm not the first, but I may perhaps be the most incompetent, so it should surely provide a little entertainment. I hope so anyway. I'm not awfully sure I have this Photobucket thing worked out yet, so I will only try to post a picture of the box here. I hope it works. I hope this WIP at least helps fellow modellers to see the fun a cheap little East European kit can give, even when it is utterly frustrating and maybe, together, we can find a way to tame this little beastie ?. Best regards, thanks for reading and happy modelling Tony Edited for terrible spelling.