Saturday 16 June 2018

new Fly Hurricane IIa in 72nd scale




New addition to the stash via Heeprutt ebay seller today. Quite into Hurricanes at the moment so will probably make a quick start. A view of the box contents, which feature the Hasegawa kit parts in the bag, a new decal sheet, resin propeller, wheels (2 x sets, one with post war block tread) and pilots seat plus a paint mask for the canopy.... not bad for £15. Box top artwork - a Malta Hurricane from the Night fighter unit - may be inaccurate in the 'desert' scheme, although the desert camo over Night looks pretty neat.


A note on Malta Hurricanes via Tony O'Toole

The Hurricane was operational during 1940-41 as the main RAF fighter across the British Empire`s oversea`s war zones,...... from Malta, N.Africa, Greece, Russia, Burma, Singapore , Java etc and the delivery scheme was Dark Earth and Dark Green,.. later with Sky or Sky Blue undersides. Although up to 1941 black and white halved undersides were specified for overseas based fighters. Those in N.Africa began to receive Mid Stone over the Dark Green areas after delivery at Egyptian MU`s during 1941 but many continued until the end of the year in the original delivery scheme until it became more common in 1942 when adequate numbers were arriving. It was not until very late 1942 and more likely 1943 that the desert scheme was applied on the production line in the UK. So those arriving in Malta from the UK also wore DE/DG uppers. However in 1940 the RAE in the UK was experimenting with a new desert scheme incorporating a new colour which eventually became Middle Stone. At least two aircraft were delivered by carrier to Malta in this scheme,....... with black and white halved undersides which were still specified for overseas`s based fighters into 1941.




Wednesday 11 April 2018

Airfix Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 new-tool build review (1) and some pre-'Legends' shots of the Duxford Sea Fury via John Frackleton




Made a start on the brand-new Airfix Sea Fury FB. 11. This looks to be an excellently detailed and presented kit. I shake my head in disbelief at some of the comments out there already, especially the 'youtubers'










Above, a look at the cockpit tub and instrument panel. The raised detail looks perfectly adequate and there seems little point in going for etch or other enhancements- not much will be seen through the narrow cockpit aperture. Below, the cockpit parts are painted and washed to 'dull' down the black so that some of it might actually be visible...


A dry fit of the fuselage and inner wing parts shows how everything fits neatly, well up to Airfix's more recent high standards..





best page I've found for internal detail shots, especially of the black cockpit

 http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/seafury.html

and here on britmodeller, a thread for all your Sea Fury questions. Note that Airfix have not included the gyro gunsight - which can be located in an Eduard Spitfire box apparently

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235033342-ask-all-your-sea-fury-questions-here/&

Below; one of the kit paint options - and box-top artwork - is WJ 236 '155' based on HMS Glory during the Korean War, 1952


Wednesday 14 March 2018

Hobbyboss Fw 190 V-18 build in box review (4)



Some pics of my completed Hobbyboss Fw 190 V-18 CF+OY - this high altitude fighter prototype was a rebuilt Fw 190 A powered by a DB 603 turbo-charged engine. The turbocharger was fed by exhaust gases ducted through over-wing piping. Note the broad chord tail fin and the pressurized cockpit..









Monday 19 February 2018

new-tool Airfix Phantom FG. 1 - here at last. FG.1 XT863 G 111 Sq special scheme IAT 1983




Here at last...but of course you know that. Far from rushing out to buy one or several I must admit to having had my potential enthusiasm for this kit somewhat 'dampened' by the first initial appraisals that appeared on various forum sites. Basically this new-tool Airfix has been compared a little unfavourably with the relatively ancient but good Fujimi kit.



However I shouldn't have worried. This new-tool Airfix FG.1 looks spectacular in the box - loads of options - radome, radar, refueling probe, wing folds etc etc and the biggest decal sheet possibly ever on a 72nd scale jet. Not to mention the deepest panel lines ever.....






FG.1s served with two RAF squadrons, 43 and 111. XT 863 G of 111 Sq as seen at IAT 1983 is a subject on one of the first Xtradecal sheets. Pic below in my collection



And via the F-4 SIG leader;  " Most of the available info suggests XT863 had a single colour grey overall, which looks to me to be Light Aircraft Grey. This includes the colour of the missiles. As is usual with photos, the only true reference is the guy who painted it. I have heard a story this was an experimental scheme, though the stonger evidence is that it was one of 111's many special schemes.."








Thursday 15 February 2018

Hobbyboss Fw 190 V-18 build in box review (3)






Despite my gross 'hamfistedness' in a number of areas my Hobbyboss Fw 190 V-18 is almost at the decaling stage...nice kit, albeit somewhat inaccurate in a number of areas, especially the cockpit which appears to be a little over-size and rather toy-like..







..and Gary 'old Sarge' - if you're reading this, thanks very much for the comments, really appreciate you dropping in here regularly. I'm writing this here since I don't seem to be able to comment on your excellent blog posts on your blog. Unfortunately I don't know why, but rest assured I always drop in and would suggest anyone else reading this and not familiar with Gary's 'old sarges aircraft' go straight over to his bit of the internet here

Monday 12 February 2018

Hobbyboss Fw 190 V-18 build in box review (2), stash additions Tamiya Bf 109 G-6, Eduard Royal Class Fw 190 early versions - 48th



Still not really convinced by the Hobbyboss V-18, but it has assembled easily enough and finishing is underway. First coat of Humbrol's 'new' RLM 02 - very thin poor coverage, needs a second coat. And while I had the RLM 66 in the airbrush I started painting the cockpit parts of two fantastic new additions to the stash - the Eduard Royal Class Fw 190 'early versions' and the Tamiya Bf 109 G-6.




 Yes, the new Tamiya Bf 109 G-6 was about twice the price of an Eduard 48th 109, but then the pound sterling isn't worth much against any of these currencies nowadays! Worth getting though - it really does appear to be on another level in terms of plastic kit 'engineering' as you can see from the youtube build below (via 'Andy's hobby Shop')




Thursday 8 February 2018

Airifx Valiant BK Mk.1 in 1:72 scale




Yes that bid is mine, so if I fail to win the above auction and you have one to dispose of please do get it touch! But seriously, have you noticed how scarce this kit has suddenly become ? I guess that always happens just when you want one. For a relatively recent new tool I was surprised to not see it in the latest Airfix catalogue and as a result ebay prices are going through the roof, averaging anywhere between £80 to £90. Even 'partially' built examples (more like 90% completed..) are going for large sums - I bid £34 on the example below ..and still didn't win. Of course circumstances like this  more than justify the large stash. Just a shame I hadn't added one of these to it!