Search the Community

If things go well and I manage to land the days correctly, I´ll be able to visit the Big H in June, planning to buy a decal sheet with an Argentinian C-47A TC-34, plus the Dakota Mk.IV from Airfix. My question is, what version of the C-47 does the Dakota Mk.IV represent? Would it be the C-47D? And if so, were there any external differences between the C-47A and C-47D? I´m not familiar with cargo aircraft, my favourite planes tend to be Luftwaffe fighters. Thanks in advance!

My next build is Airfix's 1:72 Curtiss Tomahawk IIB. This kit was one of my Christmas presents and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the build. I plan to build it straight from the box, with the exception of a homemade stand so the aircraft can be displayed in flight. So here goes, first up is the obligatory photos of the box art and sprues........ The box contains 2 grey sprues, with little to no flash and nicely detailed panel lines. There is also a small clear sprue, instruction booklet and small decal sheet. I am pondering whether to try and paint the mouth on the front of the aircraft or not. I plan to use Vallejo acrylics, purely because I find them easier to airbrush. So here goes, I hope I can do the aircraft the justice it deserves.

Ready for inspection is my 1:72 Focke Wulf Fw190A-8, by Airfix. It is an out of the box build, although I have made my own stand so the aircraft can be displayed in flight. The kit was very clean, with little flash and nicely detailed panel lines, and the decals went on with ease. Instead of the Humbrol acrylics supplied, I have used the Vallejo equivalents (purely because I find them easy to airbrush). I hope I have done the aircraft justice, thanks for looking.

Happy new year everyone! Sadly, 2019 will see the withdrawal of yet another still capable and very popular jet from RAF service, the Tornado (how did about ten squadrons of these disappear so fast?). To honour the service these have given, and to celebrate the memory of seeing so many screaming low over East Anglia in the 80s and 90s (who wishes now they hadn't taken the Tonka for granted!?), my first build this year will be the Airfix 1/48 Tornado GR1. My first impression was there were lots of parts, but two of the sprues were stores, which I won't need. Does anybody want these 1/48 Tornado stores/weapons? Free to a good home: The kit also included two cockpit tubs and two different tailfins (one without the ECM bar). One of the cockpits looks more detailed with raised instruments, but that's not the one the plans say to use. I might try both and see which looks best ... Huge decal sheet, as big as the box! But I won't be using the kit markings as I have these! Not sure yet whether to do 27 sqn or TWCU. Either way I'll need some decals for the serials under the tailplanes.

I hope no one minds me getting some ancient kits out again - I love the GB experience and it looks like I may have the time to fit in a simple Wildcat build as a follow on to my (late) finish in the Pacific War GB. For that, I got a hold of some marvelous Battle of the Coral Sea decals and they included a set for a Wildcat so I was keen to use them as the style of paint schemes on the USN aircraft at that time really impressed me. Also, I've been impressed with the new tool Airfix Wildcat builds I've seen in this GB so far, so that has spurred me on to get my old kits built and move on to the new tools. Which kit to use though? I've got a choice between the original Airfix and Frog kits. Both look to be pretty simple but the Frog kit looks to have had more work put into the engine and undercarriage details. I fancy building both kits simultaneously and this is where I got the idea that I could do one as a USN version and the other as a British Martlet (I remember my Dad quoting the Martlet as one of his favourite aircraft so there may be some connection with him growing up and seeing some in WW2). I'll need to do some research on which types of Martlet lined up with which types of Wildcat etc. but that will be an interesting exercise too. (I'm also going to change my photo posting from Flickr to Imgur to see how that works out). Here is the Airfix kit I've got....brand new from 1964! Here is the Frog kit - lovely dark blue plastic. Here are those attractive USN decals..

I have managed to start the Airfix 1/48 Sea Fury and am planning on doing it OOB using kit decals and nothing else added to it. I have started to work on the interior and actually painted it black instead of the usual dark grey to represent 'scale' black. The problem, of course, will be that as soon as the fuselage is closed up all the detail will become invisible due to it being black and having a small canopy opening. The engine assembly requires care as you need to ensure that you put the four parts in the correct way due to the different sized lugs on each part. You will find that the engine and cowling parts fit nicely together without glue for the test fitting as I have here. The wheel well is more detailed that the Hobbycraft kit but still needs some extra detail if you are in to that sort of thing. The tolerance levels on the model can be very tight as the image of the wing joints below shows. This is just sitting there without any glue or anything holding it together. You do need to follow the instructions when fitting the wings and fuselage together as they are keyed in enough that the fuselage won't get in properly. The engine assembly is slightly ill fitting, the biggest problem is the rear component that is to big. You either need to file the rear section down or add about .5 - 1mm to the center cowling to get it all to be the same size. The front cowling can be sanded down slightly to merge in to the center section easily.

The first batch of F-84F's arrived from the French in 1959, however Turkey would receive enough aircraft to equip 9 squadrons between 1959 and 1966 from several other NATO countries. The Thunderstreak had a fairly short active service life with the Americans, but soldiered on for other air forces for many years, the Turks using theirs until 1974, when they were replaced by the Northrop F-5. Almost all the 300 aircraft were scrapped. The Turks were probably the only country air force to use the F-84F in action, when two aircraft engaged and shot down two Iraqi Il-28s that strayed into Turkish airspace. I'll be using the older Airfix 1/72 kit with decals out of my spaces box. I picked up this kit, as you can see, on special from my LHS way back when I was a poor student and happy to buy 5 dollar models to feed my plastic addiction. It's floated around in my stash for many years, so it's time to build it.

Hi All, my second WIP here. Taking a break from my ICM Beer Delivery Spit as it is too cold outside to prime it. I picked this 1982 kit up a few months ago for the princely sum of £3.60 on eBay and it is also my first jet. I have only done WWII so far but also have an interest in Cold War jets. I'm not expecting any magic from this old tool but I'm sure with a bit of love something respectable can be produced. And if not for a few quid I'm sure it will be happy in the bin. Usual bits first; box, parts (detached on arrival as it is pre-owned but not started), decals and instructions. There are about sixty pieces with multiple ordnance options and wheels up/down options. Unfortunately, or fortunately, due to the lack of interior detail, there is no canopy open option which is how I usually like to build them. The decals look pretty old and thick and I'm not sure how good they will be after thirty odd years so may pick up some aftermarket ones later on if I can build anything worth spending more on. As is common with these small older kits the instructions are a single double page spread And paint and decal instructions that I will probably not use First thinks first - the office. Well, the seat and the stick and the floor. That's all there is. The parts have no great detail but that's not a shock on this older kit and some of the joins between the sprue and the pieces are more substantial than some pieces themselves The highly detailed cockpit painstakingly assembled and a pair of 5p coins superglued in so that it doesn't sit on its tail. This was the only place I could fit them As the canopy will be closed and it is only 1/72 I will not be adding any custom cockpit interior. A quick spray of Tamiya Rubber Black and some seat belts painted on with Tamyia Flat Yellow just to give a hint of some effort being made to detail the cockpit. Will give the customary dry brush when it has dried to bring out any hidden detail that may be lurking there. Got to say that I'm really surprised about how good the fit is. The fuselage halves and 'cockpit' mate almost perfectly without any gaps Bombs and stuff And the wing assembly. So far, so nicely fitting. Apart from the other landing gear cover(?) was missing from the box. Will decide whether to scratch build one or scratch build a jack/trestle to make it look like the other landing gear is being replaced The first major fit issues arrived with the fitting of the wings to the fuselage, but shouldn't be anything a bit of Humbrol filler can't fix Note. The missing port landing gear A little bit of dry brushing in an attempt to bring the cockpit to life at least a little bit Over all I'm pretty pleased and quite surprised about how well this kit fits together. Sure, there isn't the detail that we expect in more modern kits but this is proving to be an enjoyable quick build and a nice break from the beer delivery Spitfire. I really enjoy getting these older kits and trying to get the best out of them. Anyhow, that's all for today. More to follow should anybody be interested (filling, smoothing, priming...)

Shamelessly plagiarising @stevej60 and @06/24 build threads here and here, I have decided to try and build an new tool Airfix 1/72 every week until my impending personal Brexit next year. After a serious illness back in 2016, I’ve found it difficult to focus and concentrate and am using it as some self-prescribed therapy to get myself back into a happier place (not that I’ve much to complain about these days). My last few builds gave me a sense of focus and that I haven’t had for nearly 18 months so as a trained psychologist, I think it’s a case of “physician, heal thy self”. And the stash gets reduced woohoo! Having the luxury of my 3 station workroom plus separate dedicated spraying room, its easy to have always Airfix 1/72 on the go. As my first ever model in 30 years was this lovely beastie from said Margate Company, it seems right and loyal to continue with them. It may also be of use for some of you that have them in the stash but haven’t touched them yet, judging from my experience with FW190, I’d lay in some serious quantities of superglue and a powerful grinder… So let’s see what I can make of the others. Here’s the pile to take me through the next few months . It’ll be handy to have it in one thread and I can see if my skills are improving, plus my OCD is satisfied Progress so far: 1/72 Bf 109E-4 WIP RFI 1/72 Hurricane 1 (in 4 days!) WIP RFI 1/72 FW190A WIP RFI 1/72 Tomahawk RFI 1/72 Red Arrows Gnat WIP RFI 1/72 Spitfire 22 WIP RFI 1/72 Spitfire PRXIX WIP RFI 1/72 Douglas A-4B Skyhawk WIP So first up the Tomahawk, a nice gift set, no stencils and ripe for some dirtying up First up the pit: "extensive research" (aka 5 minutes on google) yielded Curtiss green as the cockpit,colour, an unpainted aluminium seat and USAAF seat belts (courtesy of Eduard) The sticky up lever thing next to the control column (something to do with the the undercarriage?) was duly hacked off and replaced with rod & coloured PVA, much nicer. Although the outside is going to get a good dirtying up, the inside is not going to be weathered as A: the canopy is closed and B: I cant be bothered...New thing for me, using my iPhone 6 and Flickr, much easier than my various assorted DSLRs, superzooms, Photoshop and FTP programs. Quality is perfectly acceptable I think, for a WIP.

Stash clearance and seeing as how I enjoyed my Tomahawk I thought I'd try to keep an Airfix build on the boil as I tackle more complex builds for therapy? This was a Christmas present last year. Santa brought this this year A little research on the interweb led to this and this They came in the same box so they're getting built together. Plus it will help clear out the 1/72 kits in my stash. (I'm going 1/48th for all my main builds) Now seeing as how I'm under a ban on German (ahem) tail markings (which is quite ironic as I'm the one with the Jewish ancestry) and how I like to bring in the slightly esoteric if possible, I've decided to convert the Stuka to an A model in either Spanish Civil War colours or possibly Japanese (hence the K, the designation for all export models), the Gladiator was always earmarked for an Aircorp build, just not sure which of the two possible schemes I'd do, but I'm veering towards the green and silver one. Comparing the Stuka to the plans, it will need new spats, some work on the rear decking a new canopy and some remodelling of the chin radiator with perhaps some other small work. the Gladiator will just need a paint job. The cartoon pig on the spats is Jolanthe btw, this was actually the Luftwaffe nickname for the Stuka So to work, first order of business is to make a blank to mold some spats. Here it is prior to some filling to close the woodgrain. It's a sandwich of Balsa and card with the centre pieces double sided taped together so will be easy to split for molding once I get the shape right.

Just a quick note to say we still get new kits in stock whenever we can! Here's a few recent releases that are all available at discounted prices! Airfix 1/48 - Hunter (sold out but can be ordered) Airfix 1/72 - Phantom FGR.2, Me262B-1a/U1 Arma Hobby 1/72 - Hurricane Mk I (both Expert and Junior kits) KP 1/72 Ju52 (ex Italeri) Special Hobby 1/72 - Kittyhawk Mk III, Do27 (Israeli) https://mjwmodels.co.uk/ thanks Mike

This is the Airfix 1/48 P-40 finished in a Soviet scheme courtesy Xtradecals sheet X48162. I used a spare reheat seat & seat belts but otherwise OOB. Can't say I'm uber chuffed with it as I found the kit over engineered in some places & my attempts to wrestle the cowling area into submission show some scars. It won't be in the front of the display cabinet but here it is anyway, with its imperfections. Comments, criticisms & observations welcome as always. Pete Thanks for looking.

Airfix P40N Russian Lend lease Markings 20th GIAP (Guards Fighter Regiment) My first RFI on Britmodeller. A quick Mojo restorer as part of an Impromptu Group Build on the Irish IPMS website. Markings are a mix of spares box and hand painted. Weathering on the distemper is based on the fact that the various version of the scheme on hte web show different white areas so I did my own thing. Thanks for looking

Previous thread about the 1/48th low back Supermarine Spifire F.R. Mk.XIVe - ref. A05135 being closed See also - https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/supermarine-spitfire-fr-mk-xiv.html?___store=airfix Here's a new one with fresh news. Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/telford-airfix-trophy-winner-and-a-griffons-growl V.P.

Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2018/hawker-hunter-f6-1-48.html Airfix is to release in October 2018 (?) a new tool 1/48th Hawker Hunter F.6/F.6A kit - ref. A09185 Schemes: 1) XF418 - 4 FTS Brawdy 2) XF509 - 4 FTS 3) Dutch AF V.P.

This is my first post in WIP- Aircraft, but having read about the poor quality of the paints and brush supplied with the Airfix starter kits, I thought I would share my experiences of m OOB build of the Airfix 1:72 Gnat purchased from Aldi. A Yellowjack Gnat would not normally be on my build list, as it was not based in East Anglia but this I one of my favourite Airshow moments (Dunsfold 2014) and the Gnats in the photo are based at North Weald. As to the kit At the sprues were given a good dose of washing up liquid and well rinsed as no primer was going to be used. As the build would follow the instructions I decided to pre-paint all the parts shown in the instructions as requiring painting before assembly and hit my first issue The pot of black paint did not have a hinge or opening tab - it also showed signs of leakage! How that was nothing compared to no 11. I opened the pot and found... Rather than the expected Silver a rather fetching shade of light blue/grey. Anyway had plenty of Silver in stock so by the end of the first evening pre-painting complete. As a last question this raises an interesting issue about consumer rights. What (as with this one) I buy a kit make a start on it and then discover at a later stage that the kit was deficient in some way, can I still return it to the retailed for refund/replacement?

Airfix is to release in September 2019 a new tool 1/72nd Blackburn Buccaneer S.Mk.2 kit - ref. A06021 Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2019/blackburn-buccaneer-s-mk-2-rn-1-72.html V.P.

New tool 1/48th DH.82a Tiger Moth kit - ref. A04104 Release expected in May 2019 Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2019/tiger-moth-1-48.html V.P.

The latest finish from my Airfix Therapy Build Thread and the first of 2019: A lightly modified 1/72 Airfix PRXIX. As it’s a Whiffer, it needs a backstory, So in the spirit of young @Procopius’s delightful & engaging build prologues: (From Whiffypedia) “Pilot Officer, The Lord Giles Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh Rodd was one of the RAFs most exemplary WW2 pilots: Fearless, daring and a crack marksman he was truly feared when aloft. Perhaps his greatest achievement came in June 16 1944 when, single handed, he shot down 8 heavy bombers. As his commanding officer observed in the official report, “Rodd’s actions would have been considered more heroic if the bombers had actually belonged to the enemy…” Undeterred by this minor faux-paux, GCFR fearlessly patrolled the skies of south east England, keeping Lancaster pilots and their gunners alert and on their toes. Indeed at least 75 Lancaster’s were found to be inadequately armour plated against the Hispano cannon used by the RAF Spitfires, solely due to Rodders scientific and rigorous actions…In fact many credit his efforts with hastening the end of Nazi Germany: It was said any allied bomber crews with any fuel and ammunition left would often turn back to the Rhine and “Give Jerry another go” rather than tangle with “Rampant Rodders”. Wisely, in a rare act of wartime competence, RAF top brass moved him to the reconnaissance role, surmising that without any guns, Rodders would inflict less damage to RAF. That said GCFR become the only RAF pilot to receive the Iron Cross from the Luftwaffe for services rendered. They also sent a telegram asking him “Lass etwas für uns, bitte.” Embracing his new photo reconnaissance role, Rodders threw himself into his work with gusto: Within 3 months he’d mapped out every decent bistro and wine bar in the South of France. This meant, of course, RAF top brass enjoyed fine wine and dining ahead of the Americans and the hated British Army when France was liberated. He was highly commended for this and received a mention in despatches, 2 shillings and 6 pence in cash and a pound of pork scratchings. Post war, Rodders continued flying with renewed zeal, in his beloved new mount a Spitfire PRXIX named “Brunhilde” after his mother (the noted English countess Brunhilde Saxe-Tuborg Einspritz Doppelkupplungsgetriebe Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh Rodd ). Sadly in early 1954 while executing his famous “reverse J turn” method of parking by locking up his starboard wheel , he hastened the destruction of his beloved “Brunhilde” and a visiting USAF Wing Commanders F-86. Rodders promptly limped, slightly singed, to the officers mess and demanded to know, “Which effing Yank parked in my space?!” He promptly resigned his commission and after the RAF top brass had finished their celebratory champagne, was given a full pension, 2 shillings and 6 pence in cash and two pounds of pork scratchings. He moved to the USA where he turned his hand to business and made his first fortune in the 50’s Texas Hair Oil Boom, when every American male decided what he really wanted was a decent hair style. Flush with cash, he retrieved the remains of “Brunhilde” and had her rebuilt. He also bought the remains of the F-86 which he installed as an outside lavatory. “Brunhilde” was invigorated from her rebuild and Rodders flung her around the skies of Reno, often leading from the start, mighty Rolls Griffon howling in true Wagnerian style, but always allowing the trailing pilot to overtake at the last moment on the grounds, as he put it, “Winning is dreadfully vulgar dear boy, it is the kind of thing only an American could possibly enjoy...” Thus he established the Great British Tradition of Sporting Failure. Flying into his seventies, GCFR made his second fortune by importing hairdryers during the 80’s Dallas Bobby Ewing Permed Hair Craze when every American male decided the last thing they wanted was a decent hair style. He died peacefully in his sleep, at 475 miles per hour when he & “Brunhilde” re-modelled Mount Rushmore in July 16 1999. Upon hearing of his death, Squadron leader Melvyn Crustbucket-Bangson (retired), the last surviving RAF WW2 Lancaster pilot said, “Good bloody riddance!” He left $18 million, some Spitfire spare parts (slightly used) and three pounds of pork scratchings in his will. Flags were flown at half-mast all over Germany.” So, on to the Ace of Blue on Blue. WIP for the strong of heart here; Thanks for enduring with me, my medication should soon start kicking in soon... Cheers Anil

Here is finally the RFI for the Whitley I choose to do Z6743 from No.78 Sqn RAF Bomber Command, 1941. It was shot down over Belguim on a raid to Aachen on the night 9-10 july. All four crewmen persiched. The model is off course Airfix new tool whitley, but with new markings from a DK Decal sheet which @Roger Newsomewas kind enough to donate. Thanks for that! I owe you one. I also added Eduard etch for the cockpit, and four brass .303 for the rear turret It's painted with Gunze acrylics and Tamiya, with both pre and postshades to get some more life into it. Montex provided some muche needed maskings for all windows (that greenhouse is not something to play with!), and also masks for the roundels which were duly painted. Semimatt gloss coat from MrPaint samt and an antenna wire from Uschi Van Der Rosten finished the kit. WIP can be found here The The clear piece above the front turret were removed when installing the turret, and I made a complete mess here, with a badly fitting part and lots of gaps, which I was laxy enough not to fix. It's also a bad idea to use a large blob of CA-glue to secure an antenna wire... Oh well, I did complete another model atleast, and the need for a british bomber has lessened. For awhile atleast //Christer

Airfix is to release in November 2019 a new tool 1/72nd MiG-17F "Fresco-C" kit - ref. A03091 Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2019/mikoyan-gurevich-mig-17-fresco.html V.P.

Since I started modelling again nearly fifteen years ago, I’ve kept a spreadsheet of my stash and my builds, and it turns out I recently completed my 99th model. Obviously, my 100th has to be something of significance, so I returned to an idea I had a couple of years ago. Way back in the mid seventies, for my tenth Christmas, my Uncle John bought me the Airfix 1/24 Stuka as he knew I’d been making models for a couple of years by then. I owned the grand total of two tinlets of Humbrol Authentic Colour, dark green and black, and my Dad suggested that for such an expensive kit I ought to buy some paints and “make a good job of it.” I duly traipsed to the more distant of our local paper shops, the one “over the iron bridge” and spent some of my Christmas money on a selection of Airfix Enamels – M1, M2, M6, M17, M20, M22, M25 and so on. 17p a tin, as I recall. The model was built, probably fairly averagely, and went to reside on the top of my wardrobe due to its size. Over the next few years, the rough and tumble of a child’s bedroom saw it dinged, damaged, and eventually broken up. But although most of the airframe parts ended up in the local landfill, for some reason I kept the engine, propeller and cockpit parts in my spares box. Fast forward a decade, and I’d been off to college, got my degree, and was languishing around on the dole waiting for the right job opportunity to come along. One day I was firkling around in my old stuff and came across the old bits of Stuka. To relieve the boredom of unemployment, I dug out my old enamels and repainted the cockpit to the best of my (then) ability, along with the propeller and what was left of the engine. The instrument panel was tricky without the online reference sources we enjoy these days, so I simply made a lot of the detail colours up. They sat on a shelf as models in their own right for a while, and then got packed away later when I moved house. Fast forward another thirty years or so, and I’ve recently retired, and finding myself with a lot more time for modelling I dug out the old Stuka bits again. I went online, and with the help of the Echo Bay Trading Company I managed to find a copy of the original issue Airfix Stuka, complete with swastikas, and the same registration T6+KL as my original build all those years ago. It’s now sitting in my hobby room. So the plan is to do a nostalgia build, incorporating into a single airframe: The original cockpit I built as a child; That same cockpit I then painted as a graduate; and That same painted cockpit installed into an airframe I built as a retiree. Child – before career – after career… three stages of man, geddit? I’m intending to do this out of the box, including Airfix’s erroneous colour scheme of all-over dark green for the topside, as that’s how I built the original. Here’s the box: Here’s the original parts I have, which need a good clean: The instrument panel shows a bit of imagination in the colours used, and the instructions were a bit vague as to where the gunsight glass went: If you’ve stuck with it during this lengthy preamble you must have some interest in it, so feel free to tag along… Cheers, Dean

Joining you with this kit, Airfix Fiat G91 light-fighter. This option 103 Gruppo, Treviso San Angelo, 1959. Parts. I think this is the correct sequence - speak up if it's wrong. This kit and an Airfix Avenger joined my stash in 2011, swapped for an Italeri B-25 Mitchell with Dermo245. Transaction was a result of a BM wanted posting, and the swap took place at Telford. RoyM brought the kit over, as Dermot wasn't attending that year. Outside - and shortly after this GB, this model will be converted to a US Army trials aircraft.

So having completed a couple of group builds, I thought that I would try a WIP.....So for my first try at a WIP I have decide to have ago at a couple of Sea Kings. I have two of the new tool Airfix Sea Kings in the stash. I will build the HAR.3 as a 78 Squadron from the mid to late eighties. I have a few decal sheets to help out here. I plan to add the lifting frame that appears on a number of the 78 Sqn machines. I have the Airwaves HC.4 conversion set - planned for a another build using the old Airfix Sea King - there is a challenge, so I will be using the lifting frame from that set as a template. For the HC4, I will be using the kit decals, but during the Eduard E-day sale, I pick up the big ed set cheaply, so I have some etch to add. The second set of masks is for the HAR3 and were not part of age big ed set. Also plan to use the lift strops (if the is the correct term) from an Airwaves etch set: Anyway last night made a start - a couple of the etch parts added to the Junglie.

My first finish of 2019. The new Airfix Blenheim is a lovely kit but has some traps to catch the unwary modeller, like me. the main issue for me was the fit of the canopy, and I think that I crushed the fuselage front when assembling it as it took a lot of filling and filing to fix. The engines needed a lot of trimming to allow the nacelle section to fir as well. It is meant to represent the machine(s) that the then Pilot Officer M. J. (Mike ) Herrick flew in September 1940 in which he and his crew shot down three German bombers. Though the Blenheim(s) were radar equipped it didn't function well enough to guide Herrick to his targets. His rear gunner also engaged at least two of the bombers. The actual aircraft used has evaded my research. There is an article in Aeroplane published in 2016 which has a painting by Adam Tooby of one of the interceptions but I have found no pictures of the actual aircraft. So what I have done is a 'what it might be'. The combat reports of the engagements confirm the fitting of AI , they also confirm the presence of the turret which was remove to increase performance on some night fighter Blenheims. There is a photo which claims to show Herricks machine but it is in the background of a picture of one of the recently delivered Beaufighter. It shows the ZK codes but no individual letter or serial. There are actually two Blenheims in the photo, which is very blurry, it looks like one with radar aerials and one with a canvas cover over the nose and with the wing partially obscured by an airman, which I think means it is likely to have had AI aerials fitted but as it was top secret at the time it could not be shown. Mr Toobys painting give the individual letter as A. Which is what I went with. Mike Herrick was born in New Zealand and took a short service commission with the RAF following two of his older brothers, all of whom were were killed in action , A further two brothers served in the Royal Navy and survived. Herrick spent time flying P-40Ms with 15 Squadron RNZAF in the South West Pacific and returned to Europe and was killed just after D Day flying Mosquitoes with 316 Squadron. I have already built his Beaufighter and P-40. I am gathering information about the Mossie used on his fatal flight. No doubt someone will have chapter and verse on his Blenheim and if you have, I will be grateful to receive it. I haven't attempted to add a serial number as a) I don't know it and b) it is likely to have been painted over. It would be great to know though. Thank you for looking.