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Hi All, Now that my Wellington Mk.Ic build is drawing to a close, I fancied a bit more geodetic action! This most unusual of aircraft has been on my mind for a while, and I decided I needed to give it a red hot go. I'm going to be using Valom's 1:72 kit, specifically this boxing: Here's the sprue shots: Interestingly there are 2 fuselages, the left hand version being specific to a long range version used for a successful endurance record flight from Egypt to Darwin. Whilst the fabric representation is not quite up to 'New Airfix Wellington' standards, I think it will pass muster under paint. Transparencies, which look pretty good: The decals and a small PE fret: The decals allow for two schemes: Whilst nice, I shall be modelling this scheme: L2712 was part of 47 Sqn based at RAF Kasfareet in Egypt, and was one of the 2 remaining Wellesleys on strength in 1943 after the squadron re-equipped with Beauforts. I dug up this old build by the great Tony O'Toole: His theory was that the scheme was a heavily faded TSS with lightened Azure Blue undersides, similar to Beauforts which were tasked with maritime patrol missions in the Mediterranean. I have no further evidence than this, but the scheme is most attractive and certainly plausible from the single photo I have (any further evidence for/against gratefully received). In terms of ordnance, the geodetic structure of the aircraft meant that a internal bomb bay could not be incorporated in the fuselage. Instead, ordnance was carried in a pair of underwing panniers, giving a maximum bomb (or depth charge in this case) load of 2000lb. I asked the hive mind for further information on the internal details of these panniers. Here's what I found: I'm planning to spice the build up with a few extra 3D printed extra, so it should be fun! Thanks for looking, Roger

And now for something completely different—at least for me. I’m going smaller and bigger, as it were: smaller vessel but larger scale. And a vessel that fought on the “other” side to boot. It’s a brand new tool 1/72 Kriegsfischkutter from Special Navy, a division of Special Hobby, located in the Czech Republic. I have seen models of this vessel at 1/350 and 1/144 on this forum but none at this scale. Kriegsfischkutter does not translate elegantly into English, and it is usually rendered as War Fishing Cutter or Boat, but when you see the boat and learn of its lineage, the name does make sense. That said, I’ll refer to it by the accepted abbreviation of KFK. The more I learned about the origins and history of the KFK, the more fascinated I became. I thought I’d recount some of what I learned here before writing about the model itself. All the information below was gleaned from online sources, both in German and English, as well as some info that Special Navy provides with the kit. The words are mine, but the data and history are from those sources. The high water mark of the Third Reich saw Germany occupying a huge swath of Europe. The Kriegsmarine found itself in very short supply of assets to guard and patrol an incredibly long coastline that stretched from northern Norway down to and through the Mediterranean and up the Black Sea coast of the occupied parts of the USSR. There were simply not enough patrol vessels to meet mission requirements. As a result, the Oberkommando der Marine (OKM) came up with the solution of ordering the construction of a class of patrol boats that could be built quickly and cheaply, using non-strategic materials, and assembled in small shipyards not usually used for the building of warships. Sound familiar? (Looking at you Fairmiles). The KFK was this solution. Apparently, beginning in the 1920s, Germany sought to standardize its fishing fleet. One result of this program was the development of a standard fishing vessel in the 1930s—the Reichsfischkutter Model G, and the OKM based plans for the KFK on this vessel. Thus, like the Flower Corvette, the KFK had a direct commercial ancestor. The KFK had a wooden keel and frames of steel planked in soft wood. It had (and has, as you will see) a length of 24m, a beam of 6.4m, a draft of 2.7m, and a displacement of 110 tons. A diesel engine gave it a top speed of 9 knots. Its crew numbered 18, and its armament varied, including 20mm Flak 38, 37mm Flak 43, depth charges, and even captured Bofors and Bren guns. It could also carry minesweeping gear. The KFK program became the largest shipbuilding project in German history. In 1942, the OKM ordered 1,072 boats, of which 612 were built. Of these, 554 saw active service, and 135 were lost. Now this is where it really gets interesting. KFKs were built in 42 different shipyards in seven countries in addition to Germany, including Greece, Romania. Ukraine, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Yes, neutral Sweden! It seems the Swedish contract was let by the Reichs Ministry of Food and Agriculture, ostensibly to build fishing boats. The Swedes delivered 150 boats, complete with fishing gear, which were promptly turned over to the Kriegsmarine to be up-gunned and militarized. There were three missions for the KFK: patrol and escort, mine sweeping, and ASW. It seems, from the pictures I have seen, that most KFKs carried the armament and gear to perform all three missions. After the war, many KFKs ended up as war booty and saw service with the navies of the UK, the U.S., the Netherlands, Norway, Greece, and Sweden. Others were used by the German Mine Clearance Service, under Allied command, to sweep the German, Danish, Norwegian, and Dutch coasts. These boats were then transferred to the Maritime Border Guard and ended up with the Federal Navy in 1956. Also, postwar, 293 KFKs were converted into fishing boats and used in the German fishery. As testament to their sturdy construction and seaworthiness, converted KFKs are still afloat today and used as private yachts, excursion boats, fishing vessels, and even floating restaurants. Some even received sailing rigs—and I love this part. Since 2009, the former KFK 634, now named Tres Hombres, sails as the only cargo sailing vessel regularly crossing the Atlantic under a schooner rig. Her engine has been completely removed, and she is equipped with solar panels and wind generators. Now, how cool is that? The model. An initial inspection shows lots of nice detail. Moldings are crisp and there will probably be little or no need for aftermarket upgrades. We’ll see. The hull has very well-defined planking. In the photo, the plank seams look raised, but the are actually recessed, as they should be. Nice planking on the deck. Now, I completely understand the sensitivities in Europe over the display of the swastika, and, you can see, the decal of the Reichskriegsflagge omits it. I, however, find it to be conspicuous in its absence and have no such qualms over its depiction in a historical display such as a model. So that is one thing I will be looking for. All in all, this promises to be a fun build, and I am looking forward to the detailing opportunities that a larger scale offers. Best, Jeff

Hi All, After a very difficult and stressful few weeks (which has included 3 unscheduled weeks in the UK), I am back on home soil jet-lagged and in need of some plastic relief. I must praise the modelling (and sleep) gods that tomorrow is a public holiday here due to the Monarch's Birthday (although it is not, but who am I to complain?!). Although I have built a couple of boxings of Auntie's Wimpy over the past few years, I feel like I have never quite 'nailed' it. This then is the perfect opportunity to rectify this situation. This time around I shall be building a Mk.Ic from this boxing: From memory, previous boxings were in Airfix' light grey, soft styrene, whereas this newer boxing uses the 'new' harder mid-grey plastic. Here's the sprues: The transfer to the newer plastic certainly does not appear to have done any harm, with the mouldings beautifully crisp. Here's the decals along with the only after-market addition: Although the boxing allows for an attractive early war scheme (a 9 Sqn aircraft based at Honington in December 1939), a bit of research turned up this rather attractive scheme: I have chosen to model R1378, the middle of this trio. 311 (Czechoslovak) Sqn were based at Honington when first formed, but by the time of this photograph in March 1941 they had moved to RAF East Wretham. There is a little information regarding the aircraft on this website: https://fcafa.com/2012/01/19/wellington-aircraft-of-311-sqn/ According to this R1378 crash landed at East Wretham after a starboard engine fire on 18th May 1941 following a raid on Bremen - the aircraft was piloted by Sgt Leo Anderle. Of note with the scheme are the high wavy camouflage demarcation, the non-standard roundel with the white overpainted with black, and the lack of beam gun positions - squadron, aircraft and serial codes are all in MSG. All make for a most pleasing scheme, so I shall look forward to some plastic butchery occurring soon! Thanks for looking, Roger

Hello fellow modelers. Here is my stab at the Tamiya P-38F. What an awesome kit this was! But of course, with my ridiculous passion for details, I added a few after market parts; Quinta 3D cockpit decals, Master P-38 Gun Barrels, Fine Molds USAAF Seatbelts, HGW P-38 Stencils/seatbelts, and Kazan P-38 3D Landing Gear Prints. Painting was accomplished with various MRP green and brown shades with final color being Mr Color Olive Drab. Underneath was predominantly MRP Neutral Gray. Hope you like it! Feedback and suggestions are always welcome. History: This P-38 was piloted by Captain Robert (Bob) L. Faurot of the 39th Fighter Squadron out of New Guinea and sadly was KIA during the Battle of the Bismark Sea on March 3, 1943. His loss was felt by many. The radio and office before closing it up.

Hi All, My latest completion is Airfix' lovely Wellington, completed as a Mk.Ic R1378 of 311 (Czechoslovak) Sqn, based at RAF East Wretham in 1941. Here's a photo of the aircraft (the middle of the 3): As you can see the scheme is quite unusual, with the wavy camouflage demarcation, the blacked out roundel and the lack of beam windows. The build was pretty much OOB, albeit with an Eduard mask set. The markings were cut using a Silhouette Portrait 3. Here's the WIP if anyone is interested: Anyway, on with the photos! Here's a couple of shots with another twin-engined Bomber Command stalwart from the early war years: And with a couple of accessories from the Bomber Command resupply set: This has been a thoroughly enjoyable, straightforward build and I am pleased with the outcome. Thanks to all who have added kind words along the way - it has been much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger

Hi All, My latest completion is Airfix' lovely little Beaufort, with a rather unusual twist. Whilst idly looking at schemes I came across the top right option: Yes, an experimental prototype of an airborne flamethrower, evaluated by the A&AEE at Boscombe Down in 1943! Interest fully piqued I did some further research which led to this video: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060021056 Although this never went into production I couldn't resist such an unusual concept. I designed and 3D printed the flamethrower assembly, along with the Yagi antennae fitted to the aircraft - I also cut the markings using a Silhouette cutter. Here's the tank design: The video included a wealth of information on the flamethrower which was invaluable in the design process. Other than this the model was OOB, albeit with an Eduard mask set. Anyway, on with the photos! Here's a final shot with the rest of the growing Beaufort family: It's been nice to add an unusual twist to this kit which I just do not tire of building, and how many can say they've got an airborne flamethrower on the shelf?! Thanks to all those who have offered support and encouragement along the way - it has been sincerely appreciated, Thanks for looking, Roger

I know what you’re thinking. Another? Maybe we’ve had enough. Well, after my Fairmile D, which had me from hello with its shark mouth, I had a completely different new project in mind. But at @robgizlu’s suggestion, I bought Coastal Craft History Volume 4, based upon his cluing me into ML 231’s crazy disruptive camo scheme on p. 28. I was smitten. Mindful of copyright concerns, I’ll not post a scan from the book, but I believe the pics upon which Mark Smith based his colors and drawings are in the public domain: I can’t resist. I am now in receipt of Gord’s ( NeOmega) fine Fairmile B offering. @Faraway gave a most thorough rundown of the kit’s content, so I will not go over that. ML 231 had an entirely different armament suite from the kit, so I have a Micro Master Hotchkiss 3 pdr (if you know, you know) and will scratch a Holman Projector, following @Ngantek’s superb lead. I have some Lambert drawings. What an awkward, gangly, ungainly piece of kit Pneumatic? I guess it looked good on paper. Going to have to add a twin Lewis mount aft as well. I have commissioned some bespoke hull pennant numbers and draft marking decals from the most excellent Canadian outfit, Above and Below Graphics. Canadian postal costs are eye watering, but Andrew’s products are astounding and worth it. So off we go . . . Best, Jeff Sent from my iPhone

Hi All, With the Christmas festivities out the way it's time for a new project. Although I do have some odds & ends to sort out on a couple of other builds, I do enjoy starting a large build at this time of year, much like the breadbin-swapping modelling machine that is @AliGauld. At this time last year my employment status (or lack thereof) precluded such an extravagance, so it's nice to be able to kick off another 'heavy'. This time around I've been lucky enough to get my hands on Revell's Halifax B Mk.III, which was kindly transported to these parts by my parents. Now many of you may know that this kit is currently OOP, but the large-scale legend @tomprobert kindly agreed to part with his kit (he likes them bigger these days, he said 🤣). Anyhoo this rather large end-opening box is now in my possession: It's a BIG box! Tom very generously threw in a few extras - a set of Freightdog wheels: And an Eduard interior set, along with a rather obligatory mask set: Now there is a LOT of plastic in that box. Here's the sprues: The transparencies: A rather nice set of decals: The kit allows for 2 marking schemes, an RCAF aircraft 'Oscar' (which seems to be an oft-modelled option), and an RAF aircraft. I've decided to model a 100 Group RAAF aircraft, probably one of these two: (Both images copyright Australian War Memorial - for discussion only and will be removed on request). I am led to understand that the kit is a little deficient in the bomb department, so it might finally be time to add this to the pot: Now that's a festive mix! I might be a little slow getting this going, but it should be a hoot! Thanks for looking, Roger

Hi All, I feel like life has been dealing me my fair share of lemons for the past couple of weeks, and I have been left without the appetite for my long-term Albemarle project. To distract myself I've been meddling with the lovely Airfix WWII RAF Bomber Resupply Set (which I might post in my Manchester build thread), but I felt the urge to do an actual aircraft model. I've settled on Special Hobby's Fairey Fulmar NF Mk.II. Here's the box art: Here's the sprue shots: Some rather nice decals, a small fret of PE and some lovely resin wheels: I'm going to model this as the box scheme: You can see that BP791 belonged to 784 Sqn FAA, based at Drem, Lothian in 1943. Here's a photo of the aircraft: Unusually for an FAA aircraft it wears the Night Fighter scheme of DG over MSG. The airframe looks to be heavily weathered, which I may try to duplicate. It also has a complement of Yagi aerials, but I am not sure whether SH have provisioned an AI radar set - hmmm. There is also a patch aft of the gunner's position which SH call out as yellow, but I am not so sure... Anyway, on with the fun! Thanks for looking, Roger EDIT - Full credit to SH, there IS provision for a radar set:

Hi, Is anybody know something about the painting scheme of Heinkel He -114, which was used on German ship Pinguin on southern Indian Ocean in 1940? The machine was painted in false British markings. More about it here: http://pacificeagles.net/german-raiders-in-the-indian-ocean/ It was replaced then by Arado - 196. The profiles for this Arado (also with false British markings) exist, but for He-114 I never seen. I is a very temptating topic to make a model of He-114. The main alternative is Romanian one... Can anyone help? Best reghards Jerzy-Wojtek

Hi All, My latest completion is Special Hobby's Fulmar, built as X8812 of 809 Sqn FAA, which flew from HMS Victorious during Operation Pedestal, the campaign to relieve the siege of Malta in 1942. Although I have not found an image of X8812 here is a photo showing Fulmars of 809 Sqn: Here is the WIP if anyone is interested: And here are the photos: Here's a final shot with another fugly Fairey: This has been a fun build, albeit with the usual vagaries associated with a Special Hobby kit. Thanks to all those who have offered support and kind words along the way, Thanks for looking, Roger

Hi All, My first completion for 2025, and it's a big one! For the last couple of months I have been working on designing, 3D printing and finishing a conversion of the Airfix Lancaster (A08013A) to the earlier Avro Manchester Mk.I. This is the base kit: This is the aircraft I have chosen to model: L7427 was part of 83 Sqn, based at RAF Scampton in April 1942. The aircraft was lost on its 15th mission to attack the Blohm und Voss shipyards in Hamburg on 8th April - all crew perished. The aircraft had completed 10 missions at the time this photo was taken, denoted by the mission tally on the side of the nose. This is an extensive conversion, which has entailed the design and 3D printing of the following: - Wings at 90' wingspan - Nacelles for the twin RR Vultures along with propellers - Empennage at 28' span, with smaller vertical stabilisers and central fin - Main and tail wheels - Bomb bay doors - Control column and Mk.IX bombsight - Mast - Vacuum formed FN7 dorsal and FN4 rear turrets, along with landing light cover Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: All the printed parts were produced on an Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra using water-soluble resin. This is the final result: Here's a shot showing the kit of parts with the finished article: Here's a final shot with another unusual Lanc derivative: This has been an ambitious project (for me), and I'm pretty happy with the outcome. I have had much assistance along the way - @Walter Lindekens and @brewerjerry were most generous in supplying information on the type. @AdrianMF, @Marklo and @TeeELL were all most generous in offering vacuum forming advice to a noob. Thanks to everybody else who has added kind words and encouragement along the way - it has been much appreciated! For those who are interested, I will be making this kit available for sale in due course, Thanks for looking, Roger

Hi All, Well, what have I gone and done now? Emboldened by the relative success of my recent Manchester conversion project, I have decided to jump in with both size 10s and attempt a whole aircraft design and build. I did toy with another Lanc conversion (I'm thinking RAAF Lincoln Mk.30/31, which is still a distinct possibility for later down the line), but the idea of a whole aircraft would not go away. With the Valom kit the only available option to build the Albermarle, it was an obvious choice. Twin engines, tricycle undercarriage, lots of transparencies - what a challenge! There is also the enticing prospect of invasion stripes, and even the possibility of a diorama with a Horsa glider - I am positively frothing just thinking about it! With excitement levels at 11 I decided to order this: Until that turns up I have the small matter of a pair of Bristol Hercules XIs to occupy my time. This will definitely be a slow burner, so this is a bit of a placeholder. Let the dance begin... Thanks for looking, Roger

Allied Drivers (53052) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd This new figure set from MiniArt arrives in a figure-sized box with a painting of the four figures on the front, and the same artwork cut-down and separated to act as the paint and assembly instruction plus a sprue diagram sheet inside, with a panel of colour profiles of the accessories underneath, and a paint chart beneath that, giving codes for Vallejo, Mr Color, AK RealColor, Mission Models, AMMO, Tamiya, plus colour swatches and generic names for completeness. There are five sprues of grey styrene in total, two containing parts for the figures, the other three full of accessories for you to detail them or the surroundings in which you place them. The parts for each figure are found in separate areas of the sprues for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up. The sculpting is typically excellent, as we’ve come to expect from MiniArt’s artists and tool-makers, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model. There are two Soviet drivers, one operating the levers of a tank or other tracked vehicle, the other driving a truck with a wheel, resting one elbow on the door sill whilst conversing or looking to his left. A US Army driver is included in the process of dismounting his vehicle, one leg and arm still in the cab, his other hand on the sill of the door. The final figure is a British RASC (Royal Army Service Corps) driver, sat in his cab, driving with both hands on the wheel and an intent stare forward. All figures are wearing typical battle-dress clothing and equipment of their respective army, as can be seen from the box art, and the accessory sprues are also themed, so take care in choosing which parts to use with each figure. Conclusion A useful set of drivers to give your next project that trusty human scale, and give some rationale for a vehicle being there in your diorama. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I-153 Luftwaffe with Pilots and Ground Personnel (48094) 1:48 ICM via The Hobby Company The I-153 was an interwar creation by designer Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov, and was a sesquiplane, which means that the lower wings were substantially smaller than the uppers, giving the pilot a better view below, and benefitting from retractable landing gear, that gave it a sleeker profile that improved its top speed, the prop driven by a Shvetsov M-62 radial engine. The prototype first flew in summer of 1938, although not with its intended engine, as it wasn’t available at that point in the type’s development. Even with the lower specification engine, it outflew its predecessor the I-15, although once the M62 was installed it proved disappointing with only a small increase in performance. They considered upgrading the power plant, but as it was important not to disrupt or delay production, these changes never reached fruition, making do with the I-153 as it was. While it lacked a top speed that could make it a formidable fighter, it was equipped with four guns that although they were of rifle calibre, they had been re-engineered to increase the rate of fire to around 1,800RPM, effectively increasing the weight of fire to punch above its weight, at the expense of burning through the 2,600 rounds that were carried somewhat faster, giving less than 40 seconds of fire in combat. It first fought in 1939 against the Japanese in Soviet hands, where it acquitted itself well, partly thanks to the manoeuvrability of the biplane, although it wasn’t without problems. The lack of a cockpit firewall meant that an engine fire would quickly penetrate the cockpit area, fanned by a draught that turned the fire into a virtual blow-torch that would leave survivors with terrible burns. The M62 engine was only good for a few sorties before it needed a rebuild, often because of the supercharger breaking down, reducing the availability for combat missions. Various prototypes were built with improvements such as cannons, a pressurised cockpit, and a replacement laminated wooden aft fuselage, none of which went into production, save for a ground-attack variant that carried additional ShKAS machine guns in panniers under the wings, or 20 light-weight bombs, depending on their tasking for the day. Production of the type finished in 1941, but the aircraft continued in service with Soviet, Chinese, and Finnish Air Forces during WWII, and in Luftwaffe service using captured airframes in the usual Nazi style of reusing other people’s gear, despite maintenance and supplies problems. The Kit This is a fresh reboxing of a 2015 tooling by ICM, but with added figures that depict German pilots and ground crew, plus new decals to portray German markings in the service of the Luftwaffe during WWII, which were tooled in 2004. The kit arrives in a top-opening box with a captive lid on the lower tray, and inside are five sprues in grey styrene, a small sprue in clear parts, a decal sheet, and the instruction booklet that is printed on glossy white paper in colour, with profiles of the decal choices on the rear pages. Detail is good on the kit, with a fully-fledged cockpit, engine details, and despite the figures being 20 years old, the detail there is excellent, with crisp sculpting, and moulding that looks as fresh as the first pressing. Construction begins with the fuselage internal framework around the cockpit, which is made from four sections, plus instrument panel with decal, two additional dials on the side frame, assembled and applied over the cockpit floor after installing the seat on two L-shaped brackets, plus rudder pedals and control column on the floor. The completed cockpit is laid in the trough in the centre of the lower wings, which is moulded with both sides having ribbing detail present. Eight holes are drilled out at the ends of the underwing hard-points, putting the assembly aside while the fuselage is made from two halves, adding upper sidewall inserts to each side, and two pressurised bottles low on the fuselage insides, detail painting as per the instructions, then joining the halves, dealing with the seams in your preferred manner. The completed fuselage is lowered over the cockpit in the centre of the wings and glued into position, fitting two thick, aerodynamic interplane struts between the upper and lower wings, the uppers glued to a fairing in the top of the fuselage in front of the cockpit. The elevators are each single parts that slot into the sides of the tail, with their flying surfaces moulded-in. The 9-cylinder M62 engine is moulded as a single part, fitting a star of push-rods to the front with a prop axle in the centre, inserting the detail-painted engine into the front cowling, then adding the intake and exhaust trunking to each cylinder, with a spacer ring in the centre rear. The completed engine is then installed in the forward fuselage, taking care with the exhaust stubs so you don’t bend or break them. Two cowling halves are fixed to the fuselage sides to cover most of the engine, adding an oval exhaust to the lower port side at the rear of the cowling. The two-blade prop has two small triangular parts fitted to the boss, with an optional spinner pushed over the centre to complete it. Another cowling segment covers the top of the engine, and the clear three-pane windscreen is applied over the coaming after fixing a gunsight to it. The main gear bays are moulded into the lower wings, and the struts are built from a single leg with moulded-in jack, adding a retraction jack to the rear, and mounting a single-part wheel to the stub axle at the bottom of each one. A captive door bay is attached to the lower end of the leg after painting, with a pair of inner doors along the centreline between the bays, painted the same colour as the captive doors. The tail-wheel is moulded into its strut, and a pair of V-shaped supports are attached between the fuselage and elevator just forward of the tail-wheel to complete the build. The last diagrams of the instructions show the location of rigging wires in red, which you must make from your preferred material, which you can use in conjunction with your references and the box art to carry out the task to your satisfaction. Figures There are seven figures on the sprue The parts for each one found in separate areas of the sprue for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up. The sculpting is typically excellent, as we’ve come to expect from ICM’s artists and tool-makers over the years, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model. There are two officers in flat peaked caps, one in a leather flight jacket and riding jodhpurs over calf-length boots, while the other is wearing a three-quarter leather coat. A pilot in cold-weather gear is being strapped into his parachute by a member of the ground-crew, with two more crew working on the aircraft, one kneeling, the other stood. The final figure is a mechanic standing with one hand on his hip, the other carrying a wooden tool box, while he does nothing much other than spectate. Markings There are three decal options on the included sheet, all wearing German markings in two main schemes. The drawings have diamonds where the swastikas would usually be, as these markings are banned in some territories, and some modellers prefer not to apply them to their models. For those that want to depict their models with historical accuracy however, there are halved swastikas included on the sheet. From the box you can build one of the following: Jagdfliegervorschule 3, Wien-Schwechat, 1942 Luftlandegeschwader 1, Eastern Front, 1942 Reichlin Test Centre, 1942 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A well-detailed model of this Soviet interwar design, one of the last biplane fighters, depicted in German markings with figures to give it a human scale. Highly recommended. Available from all good model shops now. Review sample courtesy of

Well this was a very fun project. Who could resist a toothy shark’s mouth and the svelte lines of a Fairmile D? First off, let me say that this NeOmega offering would make an excellent model just out of the box. It is very finely executed. The resin hull is nicely molded—I saw none of the bubbles and pinholes that others have reported. Many features I was prepared to scratch build are included, such as the towing shackles fore and aft. You still have to be prepared for some scratch building if you want to get detailed. The mast is a good example of this. Oh, I mentioned in the WIP that the use of PE to provide details on the deck surface particular to an MTB D, is innovative and effective, allowing the same hull molding to be used for other D versions. The 3D prints are crisp and detailed (the twin Vickers for example), albeit the material with which they are printed is very brittle and care must be taken to avoid their shattering. I was very pleased with the torpedo tubes, which required no additional detailing. All that said, as good as the prints are, if Micro Master is offering something, I’m in. They are world class. You can compare them to the esteemed Lambert drawings, and every bolt, rivet, and mechanical detail is there. But, again, this is to take nothing from NeOmega’s offerings. In this build, I learned three things. First, how to properly dry brush. You can get very pleasing results through this technique. Secondly, how to make and use stretched sprue—very handy. Lastly, I learned that I really like the weight and heft of a resin hull. I may have to add some lead weights to the hulls of future builds if they are not resin 🙂 Particulars of the build: - NeOmega’s Fairmile D MTB (obviously) - Micro Master: 6 pdrs, twin Oerlikons, dinghy, smoke floats, and flotanets ( the last two left over from my Flower build) - Flag, Above and Below Graphics—a veteran-owned Canadian company with fantastic offerings - Vallejo paints, using @robgizlu’s formulas, and artist oil washes (no rust this time around) - Anchors courtesy of @Steve D whose offer to print replacements for my shattered ones was most kind and much appreciated Anatomy of the Ship was my main reference, but I had lots of help from other forum members sending pics and reference photos in PMs. Thanks! So . . . here is how she turned out: (See the errant prop shaft peaking out from where I displaced it through ham-handedness?) I would just like to reiterate the thanks I expressed in the WIP for all the support and encouragement I received while posting during this build. It was all most appreciated! All the Best, Jeff

Hi All, Now, what is it I enjoy doing again? Oh yes, modelling WWII aircraft! For the last 5 months I've been on a bit of a treadmill with a commission maritime project. With the future of the rest of the project a little uncertain, I've decided to take a bit of a break from it and revert to that which gives me joy. I have been following along with @Heather Kay's wonderful Manchester build, and it inspired me to have a go at a 3D printed conversion kit for the Airfix Lancaster (A08013A for those of you wondering) to see how well I can integrate with the original kit parts, rather than cutting and shutting as is the norm with conversion kits (although Heather has made a great silk purse from what appears to be a bit of a sow's ear). To that end, I've got one of these winging its way from t'internet: My plan is to design and 3D print as follows: - Complete new wings & flap assemblies at the 90' wingspan - Vulture engines, integrating the kit undercarriage into the nacelles - New tail assembly (not sure yet whether to model the vertical stabiliser with the smaller vertical rudders, or use the kit parts for a later model) - Remodel the interior, including provision for the second pilot position - Vacuum form new dorsal turret and nose blister using 3D printed bucks - Maybe model the ventral turret, depending on the aircraft I choose - Lots of other things which I have yet to get my head around I suspect that some aftermarket parts may also find their way into this build - a mask set at the bare minimum! This is a bit of a placeholder as I have no doubt it will be a long-term endeavour. I may also kick off a couple of mojo-restoring builds too, but it's good to be back in the kingdom of wingy things! Thanks for looking, Roger

Luftwaffe Airfield Equipment (48409) 1:48 ICM via The Hobby Company Any airfield that is hosting a squadron or more of aircraft, whether it is bombers, fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, or other more minor types, a great deal of equipment, tools and supplies are required to keep them operational. During WWII, the Luftwaffe undertook many campaigns against enemy states, usually in a bid to assist with their invasion of that state, but toward the end of the war they were fighting furiously for the existence of their ‘Fatherland’, and the future of the Third Reich in Germany. Re-arming and refuelling were key tasks, replenishing the magazines of defensive or offensive armaments, such as machine guns and cannons, or bombing-up the bombers that went from bombing other countries mercilessly to making comparatively short sorties to the front line to rain death and destruction on the ever-advancing Allies until the Luftwaffe was a spent force, bereft of crew, fuel and at times aircraft too. This new set from ICM arrives in a shallow top-opening box with the usual captive flap on the lower tray, and inside are nine sprues of grey styrene, two decal sheets, and the instruction booklet that is printed in colour on glossy white paper. It incorporates a stack of bombs of various sizes, as follows: 8 x SC 50Jb bomb 4 x SC 250Ja Bomb 4 x SC 500J 8 x SD 50Stg 4 x SD 250Jb 4 x SD 500A It also contains parts for a bomb trolley that is used around the airfield to move bombs, and can be raised to secure the weapon under the aircraft once it arrives at the aircraft. The bomb cradle is made from two halves with a central lever, while the two arms of the Y-shaped trolley are each made from two parts that trap a single wheel at the rear end. The two arms are brought together around the cradle, adding a two-part jack on the top, and a third wheel with castor mount and towing T-bar underneath, fitting a curved cross-brace under the centre of the frame between the twin arms. A tripod crane is made from a three-part set of pulleys with a chain link, which is suspended by three legs over the ground, one of which has steps welded across to permit a worker to climb to the top if necessary. A set of three each of 50kg and 250kg bomb crates can be made from six parts each, with wooden planking engraved in the surfaces along with handles and strengthening braces, along with three Jerry cans with separate triple handles and filler caps, three fuel barrels with separate end caps, and a pressurised bottle on a two-wheeled trolley with upper pull-handle that also protects the regulator, A tool box, spray gun, short stepladder, and a large oil barrel. In addition, a guard booth is made along with a barrier, a combination that is seen wherever security is higher than the surrounds, and this comes with chevron decals to lay over the planked wooden surface. Markings Two separate decal sheets are included, one from the bomb set that was released earlier, and another new sheet that includes decals for the guard booth and barrier, plus the many bomb crates, which are festooned with stencils. Even the tool box has two stencils applied to the side and end, while the bomb cradle, bottle and crane have none. Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A great deal of detail is supplied in this set to benefit anyone considering a diorama or vignette, or just wishes to place some additional equipment near their Luftwaffe aircraft in the cabinet. Highly recommended. Available from all good model shops now. Review sample courtesy of

Hi, my name is Glenn and I am in central Canada. I am a longtime member and former president of the Winnipeg Model Boat Club, a group of around 40 members with a dedicated sailing pond although we are not exclusive RC. I am building a 1/48 scale (5 foot 3 in, or 1.6 meters in length) which I 3D printed. The Castle class is always overlooked by mainstream model companies, and there is not a lot of information online. I have collected many pictures thru Google, but of course there are no colour photos from WWII. As such, I am having a devil of a time determining colours on specific areas. The one part which is very obvious and is driving me (more) nuts is the mast. I have found online modelers have painted it white, black, grey but have found no supporting information to clarify the correct colour. Thee are other areas, such as rope ladders, the Bofors and Oerlikons, things like that but I understand that these changed as the ship aged. Slapping paint on something that was worn looking was very common... The particular ship I am trying to recreate is the HMSC St. Thomas, which (IMHO) seems to be the perfect representation of the Canadian Navy. The St Thomas sank the U-877 with their Squid, then ensured that every survivor was pulled from the water and saved. A truly honorable crew, and the captain of the St Thomas and the captain of U-877 kept in touch for decades after the war. War does not need to turn us into animals... Any assistance would be much appreciated. I think the mast was grey, judging from black and white photos but I cannot verify nor determine the shade of grey.

Hello Gents ! First of the year for me. The end of the line of this so nice family of Japanese navy fighters . The nicest of all in my opinion. With an armement of 2X13 mm +4X20 mm ( like a FW 190 A8 ) , powerfull power plant, and maneuverability as of the Zero sen he could have been a real match for allied planes at that time. But only two were build, plagued by their power plant. Aoshima offers us the possibility to build what is the best option of this plane at all scales !! 😈😆 I just added Master 20mm japanese guns and build the inner landing gear doors mechanism on to the pics now, hope you'll like it ! 🙏 All the best !! and happy modeling !!

Hi All, Happy Easter to one and all! Whilst I am waiting for a replacement kit for my DAF duo project, I thought I'd start another build! Inspired by @AliGauld's lovely 1;48 B25, I thought I'd have another crack at Auntie's lovely Mitchell II. This was one of my very first RFIs on this forum, a whole 5 years ago, so I thought it was about time to build another. As that build was one of the kit schemes, I thought this time I'd try something a little different, so I'm going to build this as a PRU version, specifically MA956 of 684 Sqn RAF: You will note that this is a single colour scheme, so I will have to try and add some texture! I was a little dubious regarding the scheme as presented above - an AVM flying on operations?? There is very little photographic evidence I can find of this scheme, but the legend Tony O'Toole did build one a few years back. Here's the scheme as presented on his thread (I believe it is a DK Decals sheet): That shows no mission tally, no AVM pennant, white centres to the roundel, and a serial in white - hmmmm! Any photographic evidence gratefully received, but at least I can paint it PRU blue. Interestingly this version of the scheme shows de-icing boots, whereas the other does not (I suspect the latter to be correct, and it will certainly add a little interest). So, here's the boxart: Here's the sprues: The lovely transparencies: The decals (stencils only will be used), along with obligatory mask set: In order to make a PRU version there are a couple of changes I shall need to make: - Fair over the astrodome behind the cockpit - Plunge mould a large astrodome in place of the dorsal turret - The ventral turret is faired over - The 3 cameras were mounted in the ventral turret location arranged in a lateral fan (one pointing downwards, two oblique), so appropriate holes will need to be drilled. I don't think the cameras will be at all visible so no point adding them. As I say, references are scarce for this one, so any information gratefully received! As the wife is infected with the spicy sneeze we will be laying low this weekend, so plenty of available bench time. There's always a silver lining,,, Thanks for looking, Roger

Hi All, I have recently finished this kit, which is intended for use with the newish tool Airfix Lancaster kit (A08013A). The kit is intended to be a minimal fuss conversion with the only minor surgery required to the kit flaps and undercarriage doors (both cut to length). Here's the WIP and RFI if you wish to see the finished result: The kit provides the ability to produce an early Mk.I with the smaller 28' empennage and central dorsal fin, or the later Mk.Ia which used the same empennage as the Lanc (the kit parts can be used for this version). This is an extensive conversion, including the following elements: - Wings at 90' wingspan - Nacelles for the twin RR Vultures along with propellers - Empennage at 28' span, with smaller vertical stabilisers and central fin - Main and tail wheels - Bomb bay doors - Control column and Mk.IX bombsight - Aerial Mast - FN7 dorsal and FN4 rear turrets, with vacuum formed transparencies (also included is the landing light cover) A few CAD images follow. Here's the port wing assembly: Port empennage: Central dorsal fin: Main wheel: Tail wheel: Dorsal FN7 Turret: Rear FN4 Turret: Dorsal Turret Fairing: Flat bomb bay doors: Mk.IX bombsight Dual yoke control column: I think that's everything! You can find this kit via my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561410731459 Thanks for looking, Roger

Good afternoon fellow BMers, I didn't complete any build in 2024, but here is the first one for 2025. To be honest, it was started in april 2023 (no April Fools Day here, I swear) for the "Not my comfort zone" group build (thanks Adrian @AdrianMF) and was my first try at a short run kit and some bit of rigging. Following a third attempt at landing, and thanks to your support, it's finally parked here for you to see. Let's also admit I'm particularly fond of high winged aicraft (Lysander, Henschel Hs 126, Fieseler Storch, PZL 11 ...). The subject is a Renard R-31, the one and only Belgian designed and built military aircraft to have ever entered service and was used during the early days of WWII over Belgium. Conception by André Renard began in 1931 and it first flew in 1932. It entered service in the Belgian Air Force in 1934, 34 were built by Ateliers Renard (Liège) and SABCA (Gosselies). Deliveries occurred in in 1934-1935. Twenty-one were still serving in two frontline squadrons (named Blue/Red Sioux) based at Bierset (Liège) during the German invasion of Belgium on 10 May 1940. Eighteen days later 9 were left (some sources say 5). These were destroyed by their crews after all the ones who tried to reach Britain were shot down by German fighters. It was a single engined (Rolls-Royce Kestrel II) observation monoplane. It followed the usual configuration of many recon planes used then, with parasol wing and fixed landing gear. It had a metallic frame and fabric covered surfaces except around the engine and part of the fuselage underside. It housed a crew of two, pilot and observer/rear gunner. Armament was one front-facing FN Browning 7.62mm and another one for the rear gunner. I couldn't find a picture of a bomb equipped machine but according to my sources it could be fitted with 8 bombs (10kg each) and was used once in a bombing mission, on 16 may 1940. As many allied aircraft of the time it could already be considered as obsolete when it entered service. Underpowered (500hp), slow (max 290-300kph), devoid of armor or self sealing fuel tanks it seemingly also suffered of bad maneuverability, and wasn't much loved by is pilots. Thus it sadly was easy prey for the flak and 109s. As said above, there is no survivor left but a replica build is in progress at Brussel's Air Museum https://www.brussels-air-museum.be/conservation/. A nice little kit (except for the decals). The sum of my blunders - I certainly can't fault the kit - can be found here: Enough talking, here are the pictures: I hope you find it to your liking. Thanks for watching and a nice evening to everyone. Cheers. Pat.

Hawker Tempest Mk.V (A02109) 1:72 Airfix The Hawker Tempest was a development of the Typhoon, originally called the Typhoon II, it was envisioned to solve all of the issues that bothered its designer Sidney Camm. The main difference was a much thinner wing which reduced drag and improved aerodynamics of the laminar airflow. The wings could accommodate 20mm Hispano cannons that packed an enormous punch, and lent itself to the low-level attack role that it was designed for. The engines intended to power the aircraft were the Centaurus, Griffon and Sabre IV, and initially the Rolls-Royce Vulture, which was terminated early in the design phase, leaving the three options going forward and necessitating substantially different cowlings to accommodate their differing shapes. The Mark V was split into two series, with the Series 1 having the Sabre II that had a similar chin intake to the Typhoon and many Typhoon parts, while the later Series 2 used fewer Typhoon parts and had their cannon barrels shortened so they fitted flush with the leading edge on the wings. A few of the early Mk.Vs were used as test beds, while other marks were developed alongside it, such as the Mk.IIs with Centaurus engines and a cylindrical cowl; Mk.VIs which had a very short production run; the Mk.III and Mk.IV that used two types of Griffon engine and didn't see service, and later the TT.Mk.5, which is where a lot of Mk.Vs ended their days towing targets. The Kit This is a new tooling from Airfix in what I jokingly call “the one poo scale” to irritate my fellow Moderator, Julien who calls it “the one true scale”. In reality I have no issues with any scale, but prefer my models in 1:48 for aircraft. Truthishly, I’ve been more impressed with each passing release and the detail being squeezed into this scale, so you can be assured of my equanimity during this review. The kit arrives in a standard red-themed top-opening box, and inside are four sprues in Airfix’s usual light grey styrene, a small sprue of clear parts, decal sheet and a folded instruction booklet with spot colour printing. The sprues are filled with well-detailed parts and some clever engineering, which should please anyone in the market for a 1:72 Tempest V or anyone that appreciates a nicely crafted kit. Construction begins with the seat, which has a slightly soft quilted rear cushion and is attached to the head armour, with lateral tubular mouldings, which sets the tone for the cockpit being made in sub-assemblies. In order to close up the fuselage however, there are a number of other sections that need completing first. The simple two-part L-shaped tail-wheel bay is first; The instrument panel with clear gunsight/compass and instrument decal; then the three-part intake grille is made up with its circular centre. Two 0.6mm holes are made in the fuselage halves before all four assemblies are added to the starboard fuselage half after painting the cockpit walls, so the fuselage can be closed up. The cockpit sill insert is inserted into the oversize aperture later on. The lower wings are full-span, and are stiffened by adding the spar/wheel bay walls and the cannon barrels, plus the closed-up main bay doors if you’re going for a gear-up model. Clear landing lights slot into the holes, and another is added into the belly, and a few more holes are drilled. Surprisingly, the upper wings are full-span too, and have the cockpit floor moulded in with the foot trays ready for the rudder pedals and control column to be added once the wings are closed up. Rudder pedals at 1:72 is good to see, although only until you close up the fuselage and consign them to darkness, most likely. The completed wing assembly is then joined to the fuselage by inserting the leading edge into the back of the chin bulge, and dropping the trailing edge into place, gluing it all closed once done. The elevators are each single parts with P & S on their tabs, but you get a separate rudder to add to the tail fin, which you can offset for a more candid look. Beneath the tail you can close up the tail-wheel bay for in-flight, or pop a two-part tail wheel into the bay with a pair of doors installed at an angle on either side. The main gear is a single strut with retraction mechanism and captive door, and a short ancillary door that is fixed to the outer edge of the bay before inserting the main legs. A retraction jack and triangular inner bay door is then inserted into the two inner edges and the 5-spoke wheels are placed on the axles, with another 4-spoke set left on the sprues. Both sets have some sag engineered into the bottom of the tyres to give the impression of weight. Behind the chin take is an outlet ramp with a cooling flap that is added while the underside is completed by fitting L-shaped pitot; crew step and aerial, the latter having scrap diagrams to show their correct orientation. The six exhaust stubs are each made from two parts that interlink to create the stacks for each side, so they can be slotted into the sides of the engine cowling, then the single-part prop is given a choice of different shaped two-part spinners, before it is placed against a tubular insert that has the axle pushed through to join the prop carefully with as little glue as necessary. Once the glue is dry the tubular insert is pushed into the front of the fuselage and cemented in place, leaving you with a spinning prop if you’re careful. There’s a pilot figure included on the sprues, with a detailed painting guide if you wish to use him, and you also have a choice of open or closed canopies, fixing the windscreen first, and either butting the canopy up to the screen or leaving it open as far back as the head armour. An aerial is fixed to the fuselage spine at an angle, and another pair of scrap diagrams help with orientation. There are a pair of clear fuel tanks included on the clear sprue, but they aren’t needed for this boxing, and there are no stencils for the clear pylons. Markings There are two decal options on the sheet, as is common with Airfix kits, and you have a choice of one in D-Day stripes and one without. From the box you can build one of the following: Wing Commander Roland Prosper “Bee” beamont, No.150 Wing, Newchurch, Kent, England, June 1944 No.486 Sqn., Royal New Zealand Air Force, RAF Castle Camps, Cambs., England, April 1944 Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion This is an excellent new tool from Airfix with plenty of detail baked-in. There’s no doubt that there will be more boxings, as indicated by the unused drop-tanks and wheels, so keep a look out to expand your squadron. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I am hoping this is the correct place to ask a question. I want to find out what were the colours used on RAF machines in the Far East during World War II when used for anti-submarine or anti-shipping roles. I am imagining that it would be similar to Coastal Command, but for the Far East, No idea where to look, the internet may have lots of information on it, but it's having the ability to drag it out of there to look at that's not always easy. It would be very helpful if someone could either post the required information or point me to a relevant book or website. Gondor