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Evening all, I've always liked the two seater Typhoon...looks like an old fashioned prize fighter with that thick neck! I wanted to do one as up to date as poss...I found images of ZK303 in 41sqn marks, and given I could cobble that particular serial together from various Xtradecal sheets I went with that! The kit is the excellent Hasegawa Typhoon...I just wish that they'd upscale it to 1/48! The only accurate Typhoon of any scale, I built it OOB with the exception of a PJ productions pilot for the rear seat (with an ordinary flight helmet) and stock plastic and wire to dress up the basically accuate-in-outline ejection seats. Paint was Tamiya XF19 for the Barley Grey (my go to paint for that colour) and finished with Windsor and Galleria Satin varnish. Reflective of my gradual transition back to childhood, I've done it 'in-flight!

Here's my Airfix 1/48 Anson, built as W2090/6453 of No 1 Air Observer School, RCAF, using Xtradecals, just finished in the WW2 Twins group build. Largely OOB with Quinta Studio 3D decals (very nice, but barely visible from the outside) and Eduard masks (highly recommended!). A bit too big to photograph in my usual set-up, so photographed on the dining table, hence the banana in the background in one of the photos! Build thread is here thanks for looking Julian

Hallo all, I have an abiding interest in the ANG from the 80s onwards, and the Osprey series of photo books from the late 80s (of which I have a fair few) are a treasure trove of rare types and camo schemes. I recently got the book on the T-33, and I was particularly taken by the 'stealthy' Hill Grey scheme applied to one of the Oregon ANG's T-33 'hacks'. Not a 'plane I have modelled before so a bit of research showed Xtradecal had covered this scheme (albeit with incorrect national insignia and stencil placement....odd considering they referenced the images on this precise book?) and the the late 70s Heller and 21st C.Platz kits were the kits of choice. Given the cost of the latter (missed the Italeri reissue:() I went for the Heller kit. In actuality, of all the kits I have built within the last couple of years I think I have enjoyed this the most. Simple, accurate(from what I can make out), reasonably inexpensive and without a million pieces to download things up, it was simply great fun. It has incredibly fine raised lines rather than the engraved lines of the Platz kit,but honestly close up pics of the real thing the panel lines are barely visible. It was also a great fit. Probably also helped by an interesting but simple scheme and with minimal decals, I kept things OOB apart from nose antennas, pitiots and ej seat canopy breakers from plastic sheet. Oh, and I replaced the incorrect national insignia with light grey versions of the correct type from a micro decal sheet. Finished in AK greys and Windsor and Newton varnish. I've got some Wolfpack decals for a 5th FIS T-33 in overall all ADC grey, which will be part of a three plane project including a Hasegawa F-15 and Meng F-106 of the same squadron. Am debating whether to go for another Heller or splashout on the Platz kit...any thoughts? In the meantime, a few pics of the current bird, and my last for 2023. Ralph

Another 1/48 Tamiya P-47D. The only other P-47 I have built was Hobby Boss’s 1/48 Easy Assembly Kit for the 2016 P-47 STGB. I used the Xtradecals “Yanks with Roundels” sheet to build a SEAC aircraft from 134 Squadron. I will be using the same sheet to build a NMF aircraft from 258 Squadron. This one was chosen as it is the only NMF fished aircraft that doesn’t have a tail fillet. The one in the photo below. Don’t expect quick progress with this one, I have 4 other GB builds underway. I have the week after Telford booked off work, my current plan it’s to build this in that week, assuming I don’t find some wonder kit at Telford that jumps to the top of the build pile.

Afternoon all, I'm a frequent visitor to the Fighter Control website, particularly the Current Military photography section. Recently, a photographer posted some pictures fro Red Flag 23-1, where 2 squadron was participating. The pictures showed a mix of unmarked and marked up machines, with a few very handy pics of ZK333. Hopefully this link is OK...if not, will of course remove it. https://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=229067 This showed full 2 sqn markings which look very smart against the Barley Grey but crucially no crew names. These are big enough to be legible in 1/72, but too small to be made up from individual letters! I cracked open a Hasegawa Typhoon from the stash and got cracking. The load out was relatively simple; I used the kit Asraam, Freight Dog's RAF style Litening pod and modified a Hasegawa weapon set TACTs range pod into the P5 version with three antenna sprouting from the nose of the pod. These I fabricated from plastic rod into holes drilled into the front of the pod.The Typhoon needs these ballasted as well so I made these from foil straps wound around the body. Really rather pleased with it. Main camo was Tamiya XF19- my favourite Barley (or Camo Grey in modern parlance) with dielectric areas in AK interactive RAF Camo Grey for contrast. The fin was a darker mixed grey, with intakes being Tamiya xf80 for Light Aircraft Grey. Tamiya's paints are utterly predictable and consistent in my experience, tho AK's are also gaining in my estimation. Decals were a mix of kit decals for stencils and Xtradecals for the Squadron markings and serials. I had to employ some judicious cutting for the serials, but luckily had enough threes to do everything! Hasegawa's decals performed flawlessly; I know many people moan about them, but Japanese decals are designed to be used with very hot water....do that and they work very well... So...another, very contemporary RAF Typhoon for the cabinet. Really enjoyed this; a great fitting kit, and easily the most accurate Typhoon out there. Highly recommended. What I would really like is an up to date set of decals for current RAF typhoons and indeed export airforces, most especially the current Falkland 1435 Flt marks-come on Xtradecal! Also some 3d printed CFT attachment points for Tranche 3 machines; again, I'm surprised that an aftermarket company like Airgraphics hasn't done these. In any case, pics.

When this STGB was first mooted I had a hankering to build a Crusader but when I was rummaging around the stash I came a cross this long-forgotten kit. A further bit of digging turned up the references and the decal sheets so I decided I'd go for it and build it... ...as an A7K. Although boxed as a TA-7C, the bits are there (well mostly), to make an A-7K (in fact the TA-7Cs prominent drag chute fairing is missing from the kit so strictly speaking you can't make a TA-7C from the kit either but that's easily sorted). The kit contains the AAR fairing which goes on the spine of the A-7K but unfortunately, it looks a bit anaemic to me, I'm undecided whether to do anything about it though. A resin replacement would be good, failing that a decent set of plans which could allow a replacement to be 3D printed, we'll have to see what it looks like when properly offered up to the kit. My current plan is to make a Puerto Rico ANG (PRANG) aircraft like this one, but I may change my mind later. Here's the kitbox... The contents... Some of the extra bits (Xtradecals for the markings and NeOmega Escapac seats)... And finally, the references... I've just ordered some replacement A-7D wheels to replace the naval type wheels and some stuff to tart up the cockpit (the kits provide decals but I don't like 'em) Off to make a start soon.

It´s a long way to Mukumbura..... My dad´s next project, soon to be started DSC_0010 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr gonna do the lower scheme DSC_0011 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr

Good evening all, Tonight I have for inspection the well known Airfix Mustang. I won't run through the build process as everyone should be aware of it by now. As usual, I wanted to pick a less common scheme - this often proves to be the most fun part of model building (the research and gathering of pics). Accordingly, I used an Xtradecal sheet to build an Italian Mustang from shortly following the war, while Italy was awaiting Vampires. They also used P47s, Spitfire Vs, P39s, and heavily modified P38s in this time. In a break from tradition, this one was brush painted instead of spray painted. I think the results are slightly better, as the finish looks a little tired, but in the future I may stick with the rattle cans for the sake of expedience. Right, the pics - Next up will be a Gladiator or 3, the PRU Hurricane (Honest! I just need varnish.) and a 109G. A Defiant may sneak in as well if I get around to finding a spare roundel. Thanks all, Best, Tweener

Dear fellow Britmodellers, here's my 1/72 Airfix P-51D Mustang, converted to RAF standards, using Freightdog resin conversion (FDR72013). Painted with Mr.Hobby acrylics, photos by Wolfgang Rabel. Markings from Xtradecals (X72131), representing an aircraft of RAF 19. Squadron, based in Peterhead, early 1945. I added metal gear legs from Scale Aircraft Conversions for better stability. The kit's antenna was covered in flesh, so I replaced it with a piece from my spares box. Painting the yelow-black stripes on the nose was a challenge, because masking tape does not work well on small diameters. I had to touch-up the lines by brush. Thank you for your interest, best greetings from Vienna! Roman

I have wanted a 1/48 Chipmunk for some time so when the Airfix kit came out it was a must. I wanted an RAF red & white one but the kit only comes with the scheme for a preserved example that retired from the RAF in the 50s, so I used the Xtradecal set for decals of an example still serving into the 80s. I couldn’t help feeling that the crank case of the Gypsy Major was about the size of a small electric motor, and the main lights could be made to work. So this is her finished. Motor running And lights And with my JP T4 A nice kit to build, a lot easier if you don’t try to stuff electrics into the tiny body! Thanks for looking

.... next up, a dirty mud-moving Phantom, trying its best to do Air Defence. 111 Sqn formed up on the FGR.2 Phantom at RAF Coningsby in 1974, but quickly moved to RAF Leuchars as the Phantom took over most Air Defence activities from the Lightning. In comparison to 43 Sqn's (RN surplus) FG.1s already at Leuchars, the FGR.2 was optimised for ground attack and reconnaissance and not quite so suited to QRA. As soon as ex-RN Phantoms became available in 1979 as HMS ARK ROYAL Paid off, 111 swapped over to the FG.1. This and the RN's extra dark grey Phantoms are what I envisage whenever someone says Phantom. Ugly and mean looking, they convey brute strength and aggression in a way that no modern aircraft can do. These are a mix of Xtradecal markings with a few smaller Modeldcal ones thrown in to backfill those that were missing. I've fitted a gorund attack weapon load just to emphasise that it is not an FG.1. I asume that 111 retained this capability throughout their time on the FGR.2 and certainly one of the roles of the Leuchars based aircraft was support to RN ships, for which it would be a reasonable load (not as good as a Buccaneer though!). Once again, I really love these Fujimi kits, this one being the improved (H19) version with dropped flaps and corrected auxiliary air intakes. I didn't use the vinyl wheels as I have heard that they deteriorate quickly with age. As usual, paints are Humbrol enamel, applied by hairy stick and trembling hand..... FredT With a"pretty" F-4N: When the sun comes out and i can find a bigger table, I will do another group shot with the rest of my F-4s,

So the first finish of the year is Airfix's Bristol Beaufort, a very nice kit that built up well except the mistake I made using the wrong turret fairing so my turret is a bit lower than it should be and I separated the clear parts from the sprue several months before fitting and I had problems getting a good fit. Made as a Malta based Mk1A circa 1942 using the Xrtadecal sheet and 2 resin guns added. Painted with Tamiya, Mr hobby and Vallejo acrylics, weathered with Flory Dark Dirt wash and Mig Ammo powders. There has been some comment on the WIP that these particular colours may be incorrect but I like the look. As usual all comments welcome. Beaufort is slightly smaller than the Beaufighter.

Here’s my 1/48 Airfix Chipmunk T.10 in University of Liverpool Air Squadron markings. These aircraft were based at RAF Woodvale. This was a fun and easy kit to build. I used the Kits-World 3-D printed instrument panels and seat belts, which were a measurable improvement over what’s supplied in the kit. I’m already planning my next one.

Here's a build I did over on the 'Africa' GB if you care to have look. It was bit tougher than expected, I really think Airfix should do a re-tool like they did with their excellent B-25, I'm sure it would be a winner as the Hasegawa one seems impossible to obtain and expensive when you can! Lots of mould mark removal, lots of test fitting and lots of sanding was the order of the day. I started to lose interest and perhaps could have spent a bit more time on finishing the joins, etc, but I think I got a reasonable result. I was told about the elevators being too big but didn't bother correcting that, they do look too big compared to photos! GUESS WHO FORGOT TO ADD NOSE WEIGHT! I've done nothing but tail-sitters since getting back into modelling a few years ago and just totally forgot . I added guns out of the spares box and had to scratch-build something for the turret to mount the guns but apart from that it's OOB. Vallejo ModelAir Dark Olive Drab and Dark Earth for the uppers, I didn't have the other Green used for the splotches on the wing leading and trailing edges and what I did use didn't make a good enough definition but it's there! I used Medium Sea Grey for the lower colour as I didn't have Neutral Grey, but looks Ok to me. Decals went on well with Humbrol Decalfix after a coat of 'Klear'. Vallejo Matt varnish was airbrushed to finish. Minimal weathering as usual for me even though photos of (USAAF ones anyway) these aircraft always seem to show an extremely worn finish. Comments and Criticism welcome. Davey.

I've not been overly active on modelling for a few months, but last week I got some mojo back and joined in the Nordic Group build (C-47 WIP there). That has spurred me on to get more modelling done in general and so I finally got round to producing this RFI which is one of two 1/72 Mustangs I built for Telford 2019 as part of our "animal theme" club display. The second build is a Swedish J-26, shown here: The model represents an Italian Airforce F-51D of the Aeronautica Militare, based in Italy in 1952. The excellent Xtradecal sheet 72270 was used for the main marking, but all stencil data is from the kit. The model builds up very well apart for some minor sink marks around the wing LE area. It was interesting to build this in parallel with an Italeri F-51D. IMHO both are reasonable kits, with Airfix being a little more state of the art. More on the Italeri build in that RFI when I post it later today. Internals were finished in Tamiya Interior green and black as appropriate. External was Alclad over most of the airframe, with Tamiya acrylics for tyres, anti-glare, propeller and prop hub. Fuselage and some parts of the wings had a Flory wash of mid grey. No WIP was produced as at the time I was building three 1/72 aircraft and a 1/35 "figure" all in the five weeks leading up to the show - an absolute record for me! So @Courageous after much nagging encouragement, and @RidgeRunner, you have both seen them in the flesh, here they are in the RFI................ and I hope you notice Martin, I have fixed the canopy sit! A few fairly close up shots of the interior, some taken during the build: And finally a few shots of this one, with it's Swedish companion. RFI for that will follow in due course. And for those who like me can't resist merlin engined fighter aircraft here are some stable mates. Fear not Griffon fans, I have a number of those beauties to be built over time! Thanks for looking Terry

My entry for this GB will be the Tamiya Mosquito FB Mk VI, finished as HJ675 "YP-V" of 23 Squadron. This squadron was posted to Luqa (Malta) in December 1942 with Mosquito NF II aircraft but transitioned to the FB Mk VI shortly before moving from there to Sigonella (Sicily) in September 1943. One flight of the squadron was also at Pomigliano (near Naples) for most of the same period before 23 Sqn moved to Alghero (Sardinia) in December 1943, staying there until May 1944 when they moved back to England at Little Snoring. Apart from an Eduard cockpit etch this will be built OOTB, though I might invest in a set of masks as there is rather a lot of glass! I've just finished reading "The Red Eagles - a History of 23 Squadron" but will need to re-read the section covering their time in the Mediterranean to decide exactly which weapons to use on this model. As I've two Phantoms in the Vietnam GB and have just entered the Tornado GB, this one will probably be a few weeks before any real progress is made. Oh yes, there's also the Interceptor GB where another two 23 Sqn aircraft may well make an appearance!

Here's the third Kittyhawk I built for the ANZAC GB currently running. This is the Smer kit with spare bits from Special Hobby kits (cockpit parts, exhausts and drop-tank). Not a great fitting kit but nowt a bit of modelling didn't solve. The canopy was far too narrow to fit, I scraped some plastic from the fuselage and the canopy but you would end up with a step in from the sides so just glued it on with tube cement and taped it down to stop it from springing off. Not my best effort, got fed up with it and I just wanted to get it done, so rushed at the end, but I think it looks a fair representation of a desert Kittyhawk. Vallejo ModelAir paint throughout, Klear Gloss and Vallejo Matt varnishes. Xtradecal markings. Comments and critique welcome. Davey.

My entry for this GB will be an Airfix 1/48 Gloster Javelin FAW Mk9R - as flown by the CO Wing Commander A.J. Owen circa 1962 I've got some Eduard etch that was being sold at the Driffield show a few years back - it was half price! I'll certainly use the cockpit set and being black there is no need to worry about matching Eduard's colour.😀 Not sure about the wheel well and air brake etches but will decide when I look at the plastic in detail. The only online picture I can find of this airframe (XH889) is from 1961 and has the code letter "L" - perhaps the WingCo changed it to "O" to match his surname when he took over the squadron in 1962? Mike

Good evening, checking my Xtradecal 72314 Starfighter collection sheet, I noticed it is quite out of register - i.e., the white border around the black German iron crosses, numerals and "MARINE" markings is about twice as big on the right side as on the left. This is not the quality I would expect from Xtradecal. When browsing the Hannants website, I can only see a [email protected] mail address. Is this the correct one, or is there a seperate one for customer service? Cheers, Andre

My entry will be ZE967, a Tornado F3 of 23 Squadron, based at RAF Leeming. This Hobbyboss kit was purchased at least five years ago and it's time it was built: The Xtradecal sheet covers this airframe, Mosquito FB Mk VI (Mediterranean Theatre GB), Lightning F6 (Interceptor GB?) and two Phantoms (RAF Leeming and Falkland Islands) - the latter are part of my own KUTA build. The Tornado won't get started for a couple of weeks at least as I'm also building two Phantoms for the Vietnam GB.

I've recently completed the conversion of an AMT KC-135 into an RAF Airseeker/Rivet Joint. I used the Combat Conversions resin set which provides new CFM-56 engines, new nose, cheek blisters and the various aerials and sensors that adorn the aircraft. The decals were from the Hannants' Xtradecal range. Paints were a mixture of Revell and Xtracolour enamels. Regards, Rob

Morning all, Xtradecal sheet 72-113 is for Hurricane IIc's, one of the options is BP588 coded RS-X of 33 Sqn RAF, at Benina, Lybia in late 1942. The aircraft is in the standard desert scheme except for the codes and the spinner. The codes are given in black, which is unusual but is there anything to substantiate this? Secondly, the spinner is shown as red for the forward half and black for the rear half, again this is unusual but is it substantiated anywhere? I've tried Googling for images of the aircraft and I get a lot of pictures of built models or profiles. While these show the black codes the spinner is either all red (which would be the standard colour scheme), or black. As @Troy Smith says, never trust a profile without a photo. I quite like the red and black option though

Well, here is my first participation in a group build! Having been "Furloughed" by my employer, the "Leg Iron" decided there was alternative employment available "around the house", thankfully, the council has closed the tip and all non essential shops have also put the shutters up, which left little to do but show her the email from work which stated "You are not to carry out any work"! Awesome! So here she is, my entry in the Group Build! The venerable Revell Lancaster! I`ll only be using the stencils from this decal sheet. Lots of nice grey plastic, I have an Airfix Lancaster in the stash but I am saving that for conversion to a Lincoln (Once Blackbird models have the conversion back in stock!). I am quite impressed with the quality of detail in this kit, which I picked up for £15! This box of bits has been sitting in the stash for about a year, the Freightdog ASR III/GR 3 conversion, new wheels, Lincoln rudders, a whole heap of intakes, two vacform domes and a hoofing great airborne lifeboat! And finally some decals, there are two Maritime schemes in this set. So without further delay, lets get this show on the road! Cockpit assembly took very little time, although there are a few ejector pin marks that needed filling, I think that even with the huge expanse of canopy very little is going to be visible once the fuselage is buttoned up. I chopped the lower wing at the bend line just outboard of the inner nacelles to correct the dihedral The outer wing was then glued in place, but not down the cut line, the cut extends into the leading edge back as far as the nacelle join, when everything is cured, I shall slip a shim into the gap in the lower skin and this will push the wing tip up and increase the dihedral! The cockpit is assembled, It is a little basic, but I will add a few bits and bobs, trim wheels and the like, and somewhere for the flight engineer to park his backside! I will not however be putting any charts or maps on the navigators table. You might get away with that sort of behaviour in the French air force, but in the RAF, such things as Maps ,Charts and Logs are controlled documents, collected by the Navigator from the Navigation section prior to sortie they would be returned to the Navigation section once back on Terra Firma and following debrief, before the Navigator headed to the Officers Mess for a skin-full of pop to calm the nerves which have just taken a jolly good eight hour hiding from the boyish antics of "Biggles" in the drivers seat So a productive first day, all "Win Column" so far! Ta for lookin` no G! Granto

Well, as I was damn fool enough to suggest this GB, I suppose I better step to the fore! This is a placeholder for my build which will proceed at a glacial pace whilst I continue my studies. My subject is Spitfire XVIe, TB702, GW-Y of 340 (French) Sqn RAF/GC4/2 "Île de France" whilst stationed at Linge-Drope in Germany in April/May 1945 (although one source says as late as July 1945). I'll be using the 1/72nd scale Eduard XVIe Early Overtrees, decals courtesy of Xtradecal. Pictures to follow when I have time. Have fun and welcome everyone.

Rather that return my pile of Storch bits to the garage, I thought I might as well see if I can get another finished model out of them. I think there's a complete kit left: I also have the Xtradecal sheet, which includes a nice Finnish example: It should make a nice companion piece for the Norwegian example. John