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Indicated as new tool in the Revell 2024 announcements a 1/72nd Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II - ref. 03799. Source: https://ipmsdeutschland.de/wordpress/2024/01/01/revell-neuheiten-2024-model-kits-2/ To be followed V.P.

Many years ago I built the ancient Frog Gannet using a conversion set, possibly from Aeroclub, for the AEW version. The vac formed fuselage enabled me to get round the "solid" cockpits of the old kit but I did not bother adding wheel bays so it was built wheels up. Although I was pleased enough with the result at the time, I remained on the look out for a better kit but somehow managed to miss the fact that Revell released one in around 2008, and by the time I noticed all that was readily available was this! Fortunately it seems to have all the relevant alternative bits for the AS.4 on the sprues and I have managed to download the instructions for that version and get some AM decs, so here goes. I shall have to dig out the reviews before starting, but I seem to remember that although there were a few niggles they were generally favourable - the biggest problem I seem to remember was getting enough weight in (instructions say 30g) to prevent it becoming a tail sitter, and that like some of the later Airfix kits the fit of the fuselage interior is critical or the fuselage will not join up. Pete

Hi folk's, we have a victory! A glint of sunshine has caught the edges of the modelling desk,or rather I've managed to finish a kit in what has been a pitifull year model wise.Revell's Mkix in a post war Russian scheme worn in their last years of service,not too heavy on the weathering and managed not to ruin the white flash and rudder number which came as mask's in the decal set.Build log here. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235098109-revell-mkix-spitfire-in-soviet-colours/ Many thank's for taking the time to look.

I'm planning on building an in-flight model of G-AHFL "Boojum", one of two Walruses that were operated from the S.S. Balaena as whale-spotters during the 1946-7 southern whaling season. I was inspired to this build by a set of JBOT decals I bought, with the original intention of modelling G-AJNO of Scottish Airlines. But the sheet included markings for G-AHFL, which introduced me to the "whaling Walruses" G-AHFL "Boojum", G-AHFM "Moby Dick" and G-AHFO "Snark", which seemed like more interesting subjects for a model. Only Boojum and Snark sailed on the Balaena--Moby Dick was left in South Africa. (One can see why, with a name like that, they decided they didn't want to take it on a whaling voyage.) A sister aircraft, G-AHFN, ended up flying in the Folkstone Trophy Race. There are a reasonable number of reference photographs of the four aircraft. As a flying model, I need a rotating prop, so I printed up two propeller discs to depict the Walrus's "four blades in two planes" propeller, and mocked up the propeller boss from styrene tubing. I moved some of the kits interior detail around and did some scratch building to depict a pilot and navigator/observer. I didn't spend a lot of time on this, since the interior will be minimally visible. I also opened up the two side windows in the kit fuselage and "glazed" them with some slivers of overhead projector transparency. There's also a neodymium magnet strategically placed to allow the final model to lift off and on a stand without any sort of visible slot in the underside. I've made the necessary magnetic support out of another magnet surrounded by plastic card and epoxy, but haven't yet decided on the detail of the stand itself. Here's the rather unedifying underside of that object: The main scratch-building challenge for this one is the grab-rail around the nose. I drilled out the fuselage halves and inserted lengths of 0.5mm brass rod as the rail supports, in positions judged from photos and diagrams. The bulge on the side of the nose (a thermometer housing, apparently) needs to be removed--it was only present on the port side of this aircraft. I'll also fashion a little fairing in front of the side window, which the kit depicts on the port side but for some reason omits on the starboard. Here's the finished grab-rail, and some styrene strip added to the rear fuselage for the rails on which the rear hatch slides: The kit depicts the rear hatch in the retracted, open position. I want it closed, so I split the kit part and flattened it out, and added a little styrene sheet to its forward edge to suggest its real shape. I also opened up the small windows in the hatch cover, replacing the frames with styrene strip. And you'll see that starboard thermometer housing has gone, though I still need to make the fairing in front of the window. So far so good, then. But I will need to scratch build a rear wheel and extended oleo, because the kit includes only a version with a compressed oleo and the standard rudder fairing around the wheel. This is also my first venture into rigging a biplane, so there's that to look forward to, too. And I'm going to need to do some work on JBOT's decals. Despite being my inspiration for this build, they have a few shortcomings. There's only one set of large letters, and the aircraft needs two, for the upper and lower surfaces of the wings. The decal sheet gives a choice of black or a strange dark green for the fuselage letters. This aircraft is often depicted with (rather brighter) green lettering on its yellow surfaces, but I don't know the origin of that--I've only ever seen black-and-white photographs--so I need to come to a decision about what colour of lettering I want. And there's a problem with the lettering on the nose of the aircraft, which should (among other things) read "Ex S.S. Balaena" in flowing script. The JBOT decal sheet looks awfully like it reads "F.F. Balarna". The writing is almost certainly too small for anyone to notice ... except now I've noticed it, dammit.

I'm considering a long-term build at the moment - a 1/32 Tornado F2/3, using the Revell GR1 as a base kit (mainly as the Italeri one is above my budget). Does anyone know of any conversion kits that would allow me to create an F3, noting that the availability of the Heritage one seems to be like finding Bigfoot wearing the proverbial hens teeth? I've seen a couple of good threads of people on here that have converted a 1/32 kit into an F3 - just wanted to do one myself.

Another F.13, this time OOB using the kit decals

Hi folks, my latest ship project is Revell's 1/700 RMS Titanic; the famous doomed liner will need no introduction. The Kit: The 1/700 model is by Revell, and is from the gift set which also includes a much smaller 1/1200 version of the ship. I only intend to build the larger of the two. The hull is comprised of two pieces with a vertical join; there are reinforcement 'bulkheads' to maintain the shape of the hull - which I notice looks a lot more slender than their 1/400 version. The deck detail is extremely fine, but I'll be using an aftermarket wooden deck by Artwox, ostensibly for Titanic's sister Olympic, but I'm banking on there being none or little difference in the deck layout between the two kits. The kit is well moulded and nicely detailed overall - I much recommend it over the ageing 1/570 option. A small sheet of decals is supplied which caters for the ship's nameplates, flags, draft numbers and the pinstripe. There is thread included for rigging, but I will use Uschi elastic thread for this purpose instead. For PE I will be using two sets by Tom's Modelworks; they are still in the post, but here's what they consist of: One set for various fittings and details... ...and another full of railings and inclined ladders. Somewhat worryingly, I have since discovered that these sets may well have been created with the Academy 1/700 Titanic in mind, but since I could find no other etch for the Revell kit these will have to do, so on with the build! The first step will be to prepare, prime and glue the hull parts. Since there will be no lighting and because the detail is so small I will not drill out the majority of the portholes, but will probably do the ones located on the white areas of the upper strakes where they will be more noticeable. I should also add the propeller fins and rudder prior to painting. To paint the main hull I will use Tamiya X-18 semi gloss black airbrushed over Halfords grey primer. Thanks for looking in, and hopefully it will be a pleasant build. Regards, Ross

The Kit: The model is by Revell and is of the starship USS Voyager; I think the scale is 1/677. I did it as an out-of-the-box build with no extras and no fancy lighting as I don't have a clue about wiring. The nacelles can be positioned in the level position or upright to portray the ship being at warp. A Starfleet emblem display stand and a small shuttlecraft are included, however I have left out the latter. Thanks for looking in, Ross.