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Hello modellers, Here is my recently finished Roden 1/144 Bristol Britannia in the markings of British cargo airline IAS Cargo Airlines. Formed in the mid-60s to provide support to African Safari Airlines operations into Gatwick and Europe, International Aviation Services (IAS) later purchased their own Britannia in 1971 whenever ASA ended their services. Initially, this aircraft was flown on behalf of African International Airways mainly on cargo flights with loads of meat and machinery. However, in June 1972 IAS took charge of this aircraft and began flying to more points in Africa and the Middle and Far East as well as venturing across the Atlantic to North and South America. By 1975, the airline was operating to many points across the globe, in support of oil drilling, movement of cattle, machinery and just about anything that could fit into their fleet of Britannias, which now numbered five. They also introduced the DC-8 onto the British civil register and had offices in Nairobi, Lagos and Lusaka as well as an office in Sharjah. Expansion continued throughout the 70s, with more and more contracts working their Britannias and DC-8s hard. Merging with Trans Meridian Air Cargo in August 1979 (becoming British Cargo Airlines), they remained in operation until folding in 1980. Rodens nice little model of the Britannia is my current "favourite" kit!! It goes together relatively painlessly and captures the shape and form of the aircraft pretty well. There are a few areas that can be improved such as adding the servo tab actuators on the flying surfaces (these can be seen in close up pictures of the aircraft and are spaced along the servo tabs on the wings, elevators and rudder), the props can be refined a bit and for some reason the nose wheel axle is smaller than the hole on the nose wheels themselves. The model was primed with AK Interactive grey primer before spraying Tamiya XF-2 matt white, then overcoated with three (or four, can't remember) coats of Johnson Kleer. The underside is AK Interactive xtreme metal aluminium. Sprayed over the rough primer was not a success (and it wasn't the last time I did it so I've no idea why I did it again), but the surface finish of Rodens plastic does deserve a bit of smoothing out before painting commences. The texture of the engine nacelles in particular I find a bit coarse. The model was then given another coat of Kleer after decalling had finished. The decals are from 26decals and behaved nicely. Application of heat in the form of a tissue dampened with hot water helps to soften the tail decal allowing it to sink into the rudder/ fin joint. Optional registrations for two aircraft are provided - I chose G-AOVF (delivered December 1972). Careful study of photographs reveals that at various times, the titles were simply IAS or the full IAS Cargo Airlines. Also, study of your chosen Britannia is a good idea, as there are little details that varied between aircraft such as the upper navigation light not always on the fin and the position of antennae changed. Anyway, enough chit-chat, here's some pictures. Please ignore the weedy grass - I blame the gardener!! The model has had a little bit of weathering added, but it doesn't show up too well. Comments, criticisms or advice all gratefully received!!! Jeff