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After the Group builds have been finished i though I would do a relaxing build, but no instead I have started work on a Shackleton MR1 using the Airfix kit and the Alley Cat conversion set in resin. I will concentrate on the conversion and only discuss the base kit when there are issues that I feel are worthwhile highlighting and that effect the build of the kit. Although I suspect most members who will look at this section will be aware of the Shackleton, there might be some unfortunates who have never come across what was the last iteration of the line that started with the Avro Manchester just before WWII. At the end of the war, it seemed clear that long range land based aircraft were a vital means of combating any hostile naval forces, especially submarines. The problem for coastal Command was that its long range aircraft were neither designed for the task (although still quite successful) and were American and provided under Lease-Lend. A new aircraft was needed and in the interim a number of Lancasters were converted as stop-gap MR aircraft. An obvious starting point was the Lincoln, which had been designed as a long range bomber for use in the Pacific. At first it was thought a minimum change Lincoln airframe could be used, but it was then realised that to produce an effective long range maritime patrol aircraft more power and space was needed. Thus although the Shackleton used a suitably strengthened Lincoln wing and undercarriage, the fuselage was widened and made deeper, larger fins and rudders were needed and the Merlins were replaced with new low altitude rated Griffon engines that had contra props to absorb the extra power and keep the engine spacing on the wing. Originally the Shackleton was to have a rear turret with two 0.5 inch machine guns and two 20mm cannon in the nose , but these were not fitted to production aircraft. The MR1 also had a blunt nose with an undernose radar scanner. The MR1 entered service in 1951, and was used until the late 1950's. Some were converted to a trainer as the T.4 and these remained in service until 1968 (one makes a fleeting appearance in the Beatles ' Magical Mystery Tour' TV film shown in December 1967 and available on YouTube ) The contents of the conversion kit are shown below. note that the tailwheel and leg are ordinary resin and I have drilled the part out and added a brass rod as I not trust the resin not to buckle. The nose and radome are in clear resin, which cannot be easy to cast cleanly. Decals are provided for white and Medium Sea Grey airframes. The kit is also available with decals for aircraft in overall Dark Sea Grey Most of the changes in the conversion are confined to the fuselage at the nose and tail end and the fuselage is shown ready to take the new nose and tail. Some of the windows will need to be blanked off. This varied from airframe to airframe over time. This will be a longer project for me and I will add as and when, so it might not be terribly regular.