I don't have the eyesight or fine motor skills for PE ☹️
No idea if that link will work, so may need a quick edit.
Some amazing paint work on this thread, and that's just looking at the last few pages.
My 9-year old has just got into airfix/revell, quick learning curve about the need for tweezers, sandpaper etc but I've been really impressed with his skills. He's got a few paints from war hammer figures and I think he's done an excellent job on this Comet Mk1 (although I'm taking credit for getting the transfers on!)
Thats some great cockpit detail Nick.
Good work by your son on the Comet, Jim.
My latest. Bf109 F Trop-R5 of 3-JG27 Murtuba, Libya Feb '42. Obviously if you choose your theme to be "desert Luftwaffe", you pretty much end up looking at pictures of Hans Joachim Marseille's various 109Fs. There's any number of variants of the basic scheme you can end up doing, there's endless reference photos, some showing a red (probably primer) tail, some with white wing tips, some without...You can pretty much choose whatever. Marseille was one of the few Luftwaffe 150+ aces whose kills came almost entirely fighting Western allied pilots from the RAF, Empire, and USAAF air forces. Some of his kills are disputed now though, but shouldn't distract from the fact that he was an amazingly skilled fighter pilot. Interesting fact; He was shot down twice by the same Frenchman; Sous-Lieutenant James Denis who was flying with the RAF.
It's the Eduard 1/72 kit, which comes with a couple of sprues of PE, most of which was used...Can you tell? No, no you can't. I shouldn't bother with it really haha. Nice kit, a bit 'over' engineered if I'm honest, but also I didn't have to use filler anywhere. so you pays yer money...
Lovely build.
Hans Joachim Marseille is in a few of James Holland's books and sound's like an "interesting" character. I won't give any spoilers!
Incredible detail on the cockpit Nick.
Just finished a Tiger. (can't find the insert image button)
The only thing i haven’t been able to find is if the Zimmerit was applied before or after the main colour.
Give the Tank Museum a bell? They have a good Tiger collection: archive@tankmuseum.org
Nice little Tiger. Even teeny tiny it's a menacing shape.
Agreed, must have been terrifying in real life. I once had to direct a chieftan tank over a bridge and had to fight the urge just to run away, it had a very scary looming presence.
Fw190D-9 StabII/JG 6, Furth, April/May 1945. By this point Nazi Germany's aircraft production was almost exclusively fighters (defence) , so lots of different manufacturers were making bits of airplane, the sub-assemblies (wings and engines made at the Junkers plant) were then bought together at the Focke Wulf factory at Marienburg. Surprisingly, they were still able to make 1500 of these planes from August 1944 to the end of the war, although the didn't really have the pilots to fly them, so it was a waste of time, and planes that did take to the sky were almost invariably shot down immediately. This particular plane was one of a handful found intact at the very end of the war.
That looks really cool. Are you pleased with it?
Agreed, must have been terrifying in real life. I once had to direct a chieftan tank over a bridge and had to fight the urge just to run away, it had a very scary looming presence.
Agreed! Bloody big lumps of metal.
If you've never been, the Tiger display at the Tank Museum is brilliant.
Been to the live show down at Bovington, and even just in their arena; the clanking and squeaking and noise of a tank is enough to give you the willies, I can't imagine what it must have been like to see one of those things coming around a corner in Normandy 80 years ago.
Wet bank holiday progress on Trumpeter AS90.
Tamiya extra thin for scale.
Picked these up from a local auction. The frames are metal, but the wheels are moulded, so need to figure out a way to make 1/9 scale spoked wheels.
Will be a retirement project.
^Interesting...
What do the kit supplied wheels look like?
so need to figure out a way to make 1/9 scale spoked wheels.
very thin gauge lead wire would be my first thought
Another option would be fine nickel silver or nickel chrome wire which would have more tensile strength than lead. Scale would be 38swg?
Wheels in the kit are moulded, I guess each spoke is about 3mm diameter if scaled up.
Yes, some thin wire will do, but I need to make the hub and rim with equally spaced holes.
I need a watchmakers dividing head for that, which I don't currently have. This will be a winter retirement project so a few months to think about it.
The aerials on my tanks are 0.024 gauge guitar strings.
Done.
Trumpeter AS90 1/35 scale.
Scratch built interior and cam netting. Stowage from a Tamiya US Infantry accessories set.
My, what a big gun you have.
That looks ace, well done.
That fire extinguisher really sets it off, fantastic job.
Corsair F4U-7 of Flotille 15, La Fayette, Operation Musketeer (The Suez/Sinai War) 1956. The -7 was the only Corsair built specifically for another nation, It was custom made for the French Navy and was essentially a US Marines spec AU-1 with the engine from an F4U-4. The La Fayette, was the Ex US Navy carrier; The USS Langley. These aircraft went on to fly in the French Indo-China war and flew combat in Vietnam and Algeria up to the early 60's. It's the Italeri kit with some additions (PE cockpit, resin flaps) went together OK, but it's showing its age now. Still got some rigging to do
Very tidy.
Think I built the same kit years ago. Can the remember the tail wheel assembly being very fragile.
Incredible builds, that tank looks amazing. I have to say I find the world of adult model making very intimidating, with 2 young kids around I'll never have the time, space, or concentration to do much. I used to love it as a kid and did pretty well with what I had, but the levels it goes to with PE, weathering, airbrushing, and everything else - is totally beyond me. A colleague at work shares photos of his waterline ship models, with full PE and they look amazing, but they mentally set a standard i'll never get near.
I've an old matchbox Handley Page Victor kit from when I was a teenager, gathering dust under the bed as I don't think I can do it justice...
I try to do something new each time, sometimes it works, sometimes not. (mostly not if I'm honest) With things like PE (especially in 1/72 scale) unless you're doing competition, it's really not necessary at all. For instance the cockpit of the Corsair has side consoles, seat belts, levers, instrument panel, but then I realised I wanted the cockpit closed, so it was never going to be seen, but I learned a huge amount about painting and using it. I'm just pleasing myself really. Plus its amazing what a good pair of magnifying glasses will let you achieve... 🙂
Stupidity it mostly turns out...
I can't be bothered with PE, because I can't see it!
I've got a 1/72 Gulf War Tornado (Eduard enhanced re-box of the Revell) that has a PE cockpit. One day I'll give it a go.
The biggest change for me was using Tamiya acrylics and an airbrush. Then spraying it with a matt varnish. Elimination of brush marks and not clogging up detail makes a big difference.
The AS90 above was sprayed green, then the black was brushed on followed by a really rough pass with a dry brush and home made wash.
Yeah, I'd agree, learning to use an airbrush was a game-changer for me.
Also, especially with the tanks, taking photos outside (on my shed roof, so they are all on a 30° slope) with a real background and natural light, with the camera at scale eye level, makes a big difference.
Neighbours must wonder what the hell I’m up to.
JU 87-G2 of 10.(PZ)/SG 2 Immelmann; Slovakia May 1945. The JU87 was pretty much obsolete by early forties and Battle of Britain revealed that it couldn't operate anywhere the Luftwaffe didn't have total air superiority, The Nazis continued to use it for lack of replacement - until the GA role was largely taken over by the F190F. Eventually they stuck ridiculous 37mm cannons under the wings to try to slow up the advance of Russian armour. The cannons were massive; weighing in at over 300kg each and could only carry clips of just 6 rounds per gun. 
Fabulous result!
Cheers Harry
Tamiya Tiger 1 - I was going for the just out of combat, ran out of fuel and abandoned by the crew look!
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does this work?
Answer; no then.
Why can't I put pictures on the site any more?
You need to direct link them from a separate photo hosting site.
The old drag-n-drop was really good, but it seems to have gone.
@Rockhopper I saw the real Tiger 131 at Bovington last week and am going to do mine (The Airfix 1/35) with the damage that disabled it. A shot under the barrel that jammed in the turret ring causing the turret to stop traversing.
It looks quite minor, but it was enough cause the crew to bail out. Also the loaders hatch was broken at some point. Whether this happened as they were trying to get away nobody knows. The eventual fate of the crew is unknown, but they weren't in it when it was captured.
You need to direct link them from a separate photo hosting site.
Really? That shit again? ah well.
It looks quite minor, but it was enough cause the crew to bail out.
I think most tank crews first instinct when they get hit is get out isn't it? I know it'd be mine!
Yes I’ve seen 131! Tiger crews had standing orders to destroy their tank if they had to abandon it, not sure why they didn’t in this case.
Probably because they were getting shot at!
I would have run like ****.
Really nice model BTW. Hope mine looks as good. Your filth is something to aspire to !
Yeah, that works!
What are you building?
I'm still in "Decorating Season". Can't see me touching a kit until November 🙁 .
Might need to experiment on Imgbb to get smaller photos! they're for an F14 - The 1/72 Academy kit. A departure from my normal stuff, but it's fun and a really nice kit. Was seriously thinking of doing one of the Topgun movie schemes, but it's going to be VF41 gulf of Sidra.
Might do a European scheme A10, (the 2 green and black scheme) after this.
Nice collection!
It has also reminded me that the Vigilante is a lovely-looking aircraft. 🙂
I need more shelves/space for both storage and modelling space. Might feel a project coming on...
also: ooh, A Harrier...
also: ooh, A Harrier…
Two!
Is that the Italeri kit? Looks cool, always liked odd things with lumps and bumps on them
My F14 finally finished. It's an F14A from VF41. The model represents one of the pair of aircraft that both shot down a couple of Libyan Su22 over the gulf of Sidra August 1981. The real aircraft was lost in 1994 in a accident while being flown by one of the first women fast jet pilots in the US Navy which caused some controversy at the time, but the accident was caused by a well known F14 problem, and nothing really to do with her.
Kit is Academy with added PE and aftermarket decals, it's a really nice kit, goes together easily with hardly any fit issues, has all the parts you'd need to make any model of the F14 you want. Might get another for the stash.
Got the Italeri A10C coming, can't decide on either the compass grey scheme or Euro 1
Hopefully I'll get to start on the AC-119 at the weekend.
On opening it I found that it was from the batch where the only moulded one half of the ventral fins under the tail and it has the world's most sparse decal sheet. So, I'll have to scratch build the missing parts and I'm £16.99 down on a new set of decals.
Not a great start, but it looks very cool.
The Stinger is coming together. However, with this being an impulse buy, I didn't check how big it would be. I thought it would be about the same size as a B25. It is not.
It is almost as big as a Victor, and will require some rearranging of the shelves.
That is quite a few Tamiya Thin Glues wide! How's the scratch-building going?
Cockpit looks good.
I'm nearly done with the A-10, I'll stick some photos up when it's finished.
That is quite a few Tamiya Thin Glues wide!
I think it is probably almost 5 Spitfires.
How’s the scratch-building going?
Since you ask...
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235144610-italeri-ac-119k-stinger/
Nice. That must have been pretty satisfying to do.
Finished the A10. was debating to do the Euro scheme, but TBH, the shape of the plane is so complex that it was hard enough getting the primer down - like under the engines and around the lower rear fuselage that it became the Compass grey scheme instead. It's the Italeri kit which is barely better than OK. its the right shape though and the decals are decent. Kit represents a 23rd TFG "Flying Tigers" A10C - the descendant squadron of the original Republican Chinese Air Force squadron manned by Chennault's First American Volunteer Group, hence the use of the famous shark mouth
Oh, and despite there being nearly 10g of lead in the nose, it's still a tail sitter. Debating whether to permanently glue the clear sprue being used as a stand that you can see under the tail in the picture. Can't decide.
Looks good.
Could you glue it down to a base? Maybe something from Coastal Kits or stone effect tile.
I have exactly the same model primed and in a box. I started to do the wrap around camo but gave up. Going for the all over grey seems like a sensible option.
Could you glue it down to a base?
Of course! [smacks forehead] Genius idea, thanks.
Fanks.
I've bought sample tiles from B&Q before. 300mm ones that look like concrete. Paint a yellow line or two and add come oil stains. Job jobbed!
More Christmas airfix in Aldi https://www.aldi.co.uk/product/airfix-airfix-starter-kits-000000000605637001
Just checking back into this thread, and it seems that it was nearly a year ago that I last looked at it! Eeek, time flies, etc.
I got a Trumpeter 1/35 STRV 103 C (Swedish S Tank – Mad looking thing… Google it!)
Yeah, one of my favourite tanks, there’s one in Bovington Tank Museum, along with a Hetzer, which I love!
Not done much for a while, my painted black and yellow stripes on the Tangmere 1:48 Hunter have not turned out well. I think I'll resort to the decals once I have over painted them. The 1:48 BF109 needs the mottle now. I need to take a dose of brave for that.
Meanwhile my younger son has a veritable production line going of WWII single props as well as a significant number of WH40k figures and an Ork Truk thing.
I'll grab some pictures at the weekend. He is a better painter at 12 than I think I ever was or will be. YouTube tutorials seem to be a big part of that progression. 
Off to the model shop together tomorrow.
Good stuff.
I've done nothing in weeks. Can't wait for some time off over Christmas to get some done.
I've got a Ford 3litre starter kit to do from yonks ago, but may pick up a kit from Aldi at the weekend to.
Can anyone remind me of/point me towards a good basic airbrush setup. I'm thinking black Friday deals having seen my son's amazing work and engagement in his models it might be Xmas addition to the shed.
For the planes mainly and maybe base coats on miniatures
I bought a Sparmax Max 4 kit earlier this year. The kit has a Arism mini compressor, cleaning bottle, and airbrush which is in effect an Iwata item. Only had a quick play but seems a good piece of kit for an absolute beginner like me. It only has a 0.4 mm needle so won’t do ultra fine detail but is good for general work. Price is around £170 but varies widely, I bought mine from model junction in Bury st. Edmunds. It may be more than you want to pay but the general advice I was given is spend on a decent kit.
HtS - nice display of kits there, a few of my favourites as well, the Beaufighter and Typhoon/Tempest, not entirely sure which one that is. The Lanc looks a bit precarious perched on the edge of the shelf, tho’!
