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Hello 👋 After encouragement from @JOCKNEY and a few others, I am going to enter one here. It is for the Spanish Civil War II Group Build that didn’t make it. I was going to be the host, I will return and edit this, place the co-hosts names here soon. I’m in hospital at the moment, Inverclyde. Everything will be done by iPhone. If images don’t show, please let me know. I will be building the recently released, by Dekno of Catalonia, British Aviation Eagle in Spanish Civil War markings. It is 1/72. Tiny, but it looks lovely in the box 😊. There may still be a special offer on the website. Worth checking; there often are offers and discounts for two or three models. All ‘Golden Era’ and/or SCW or racing/record aircraft; my favourite era and types. I must stress that new Dekno is very, very different to old Dekno. Superb Resin models with beautiful detail. I will start once out of hospital. Not long. Best regards Tony T

Hello people , This is my first WIP. I have really enjoyed reading and watching the WIP's of others and feel it is time to try to give something back. I have a variety of interests in terms of modelling, but I always seem to come back to aircraft and AFV's of the Spanish Civil War. The variety of aircraft used is quite incredible and moreover, many were simply 1930's 'Golden Age' civil aircraft impressed into often quite bizarre roles; for example passenger Vultee aircraft and Fokker FVII/3M's becoming bombers. Nevertheless this was a proving ground or test run for many new technologies. In terms of aircraft the I-16 'Mosca', (the subject of this build) and the very first Bf-109 'V' prototypes then A (or is it B1?) through to E series, saw their baptism of fire here. The history of the conflict is well documented on the internet and in good old traditional books, and there are some simply splendid (albeit sometimes a little rare and expensive) books available on the aircraft involved in the conflict. Controversy about colours and actual aircraft involved is absolutely rampant and in a way, quite liberating. Within the community of Spanish Civil War modelling enthusiasts I know (not many!) a great deal of encouragement and artistic licence is granted. There is so little that can be certain, from actual numbers/codes of aircraft involved (BF-109C for example) to types (was there really an RWD-8 and a Bloch MB-200?) to, well, just about everything down to the colour of a particular Republican pilot's socks, or the strength and lens thickness of a particular Legion Condor pilot's monocle . OK. About me. I'm currently not very good at making models. In fact I'm certain that I'm not as good as I was when I was 9 years old and high as a kite on polystyrene cement most of the week, making at least 2 models a week, with very high standards for a little boy. But it was fun wasn't it? My grandfather had been a career RN man (Russian Convoys and MTO in WWII) and encouraged me into modelling. My introduction to modelling is described on the intro post I made some months ago to BM and a little more in my 'about me' so I won't ramble on about my early abject failures. Needless to say I returned to models after a bereavement in 2003 and it really helped me, like a breath of fresh air. Then work and an illness prevented me from starting again until last year. I thoroughly enjoy it, but I keep on trashing my efforts. Perhaps time to lower my standards? I think it would be far better to use this opportunity to probably demonstrate to the world at large that I am still highly capable of an abject failure.... Thus, onto this model. Amodel. What a fascinating company. That's one adjective. Others can be used. Nearly all of their kits pose a challenge in one way or another, they are short run, yet often they are short run for so long that the very sprue runs, and we end up with nothing but flash from which to try to identify and carve our own components . Nevertheless, they kit some wonderfully obscure subjects, and I love the wonderfully obscure! Thus - I feel I help keep someone, possibly in a cold dark cellar in Murmansk, with a scriber, some faded plans, some resin and a bottle of vodka, in a job. Some of their kits go together beautifully straight from the sprue, but there are some, like this little, tubby, I-16 that can be exceedingly variable in terms of moulding quality. In this case, from production batch to production batch. Ask me how I know. I decided to post this as my first WIP because, frankly, this model can be a real pain in the derriere. I know it isn't just me; it is known for possibly needing a bucket of filler. Moreover it has some issues, probably the main one is the wings. They aren't really of the right kind for an I-16 type 5 of the SCW (as I will refer to that very 'uncivil' war from now on). Other issues I will discuss as we progress together into the build. I have not completed a model since I started again around a year ago. To be honest they have all been rubbish and have flown directly into the dustbin. Often. Around 10 now. I have tried to build this one 4 times now. Dustbin; 3 times out of 4. The 4th attempt is in the drawer of doom. This will be attempt number 5. I am posting this, perhaps foolishly, because I had a Really Big Think™. I may, just may, have figured out a way to make this without the usually required bucket of filler. I'm sure I'm not the first, but I may perhaps be the most incompetent, so it should surely provide a little entertainment. I hope so anyway. I'm not awfully sure I have this Photobucket thing worked out yet, so I will only try to post a picture of the box here. I hope it works. I hope this WIP at least helps fellow modellers to see the fun a cheap little East European kit can give, even when it is utterly frustrating and maybe, together, we can find a way to tame this little beastie ?. Best regards, thanks for reading and happy modelling Tony Edited for terrible spelling.

Hello people This is my first RFI. I feel strange in putting it here as it is the last model I completed. The thing is, I completed it 13 years ago. I was in the UK then and I didn't know much about the internet modelling wise. At the time I relied utterly on my LMS. That was M.G. Sharp Models of Attercliffe Road in Sheffield, the city I was living in then. I had started modelling again for the first time since 1979 as I had become a widower and, well, thought I needed to find something pleasurable and nostalgic of better times upon which to focus my thoughts My first model upon returning to the hobby was an Airfix Mosquito. I have to say, it wasn't easy! Nothing fitted very well and I found myself buying filler for the first time since the age of 13.. I also did the Australian all silver option, meaning, sand, fill, smooth...and repeat. I got there though and it builds into a lovely model doesn't it, not at all bad for an old Airfix? I had been to Spain in a professional context (1989) and really loved it. I had been introduced to the recent history of Spain, above all, as I went to Barcelona, I became aware of the very recent Spanish Civil War. As time progressed, back in 2003-2006, I researched this from a personal interest point of view, rather than anything to do with work/profession. I loved the intrigue I found. Clandestine air forces (Russian, German and Italian), aircraft being smuggled in from Mexico, 'Golden Age' art deco passenger aircraft being used as bombers! Anyway, this little Heller Bf 109 B was about the best I could manage at the time. I know now it might be classified as a B1. I also know this kit isn't 'rivet counter' perfect, but I can tell you, I utterly enjoyed making it. It is a pleasure to build and yes, it is almost 'Shake 'n' Bake'. It goes together so well, extremely little filler is needed and if one is fine with raised panel lines; they don't need to be sanded away. This is a model of BF 109 B1 6*16 of Legion Condor 2J/88, based at Vittoria, Spain as it would have appeared late March 1937. It is based on a Profile shown on page 130 of 'Jagdwaffe', Luftwaffe Colours; Volume one section 2, 'The Spanish Civil War' by E. Mombeek with J.R. Smith & E.J. Creek. Classic Publications, 1999, ISBN 0-9526867-6-7. The transparencies are kit parts, absolutely lovely, clear and in three parts. I have tried to build the Avis/AML/Amodel (all the same) BF-109 B/C/D/V3-4 prototypes and I can honestly say that I feel time is far better spent 'tarting up'/rectifying this Heller kit to the level you desire. The other kits, and the Aeroplast kits, simply don't cut the mustard (this is Britmodeller isn't it? ). The model is OOB with the exception of decals. I used the kit round black spots and wing spots/crosses then handpainted numbers and tail cross with the help of Tamiya masking tape cut finely (using slightly lightened Humbrol 33). All colours were enamel. I still have a jar of (useable) grey-green colour from this build! I mixed the grey/green. Why this shade? I have no idea, it seemed right at the time . It is a long time ago, I may have done 6*16 as I was pretty sure it was the first number Bf-109 B To be a real 'B'. I guess it should have the Hamilton propellor, but I just thought; "First use of Bf-109, Spain, anything could and would have happened in war, regularly". I still think that about all wartime aircraft to be honest. Also, it isn't an 'A', prototype or anything else with long leading edge slats, the Heller kit has the shorter slats, so 6*16 seemed a reasonable compromise. It is completely brush painted, even the varnish. I liked the way the Humbrol Matt varnish sealed the decals, and I also liked that the kit roundels didn't silver onto an, essentially, satin coat with no decal solvents (I didn't know they existed). No weathering - I simply didn't (and don't) know how to do it, and I also think at the time, there may have not been many washes/tints/other trendy things on the market? Enough chat, here it is, I hope it is bearable, perhaps likeable as a window into what was ok 13 years ago? Thanks to The Spadgent for encouraging me to post this Port view I forgot, I stole the 'Top Hat' from an RPM Bf-109 E-1 Legion Condor kit. Starboard..hmm, the Humbrol Matt coat went a little white, as seen over the black roundel. Nice big prop . I hand painted the canopy. I can see the paint was too thin. Never mind, I was happy at the time. Thanks for reading All best regards and happy modelling Tony Edited for spelling a friend's moniker incorrectly