Modelmkr

Linden Hill decal sheet 48028 has MiG-23M markings for USSR. Marc B.

I had mentioned those in post #128, but don't forget those same parts were on the PE sheet for the 1/32 Mustang, and that turned into an unfulfilled option. Hopefully Tamiya will follow through this time... Marc B.

Caught up in my own generalizations. Yeah, some earlier USAAF and USN/USMC A/C did wear DDG cockpits. I should know better than to generalize with interior green assignments. "Definately generally" was meant to indicate that other colours (eg. black) were used in the cockpit along with the primary colour. But hey, at least it sparked some discussion/ debate on colours... ;) Marc B.

The blue-green colour is odd... not sure what reference that colour was meant to match. The only interior colours I would assign are: Interior green (zinc chromate + lamp black) Zinc chromate (Tamiya XF-4 is a good match) Salmon pink primer (mix=?) Cockpit is definately generally interior green. As to other areas and thier colours, it depends as much on time frame as it does on what area of the aircraft. Early Vought aircraft used salmon pink for primer colour... where is the tricky question. Having gone through the research grinder on interior colours for the P-51D Mustang, I can attest

Ummmm... not quite. The center cowl section (two pieces, parts G21, G22) snap together and apart (instructions have the 'do not glue' symbol for these parts) so are removeable to show off the engine, much the same as they did on their 1/32 A6M5 Zero kit. As for your oily fingers, lay off the KFC or put on latex gloves first :P Marc B.

It is a complex build with lots of fiddly bits, to be sure, but good instructions make the difference on these sort of kits. The trick here is to read and study the instruction manual several times and make your own margin notes to help you along the way. It should then make for a smooth and pleasurable build with no surprises. More like a fine 5-course meal than a shake and bake :) The complexity of the wings definitely left no option but to have them fixed up or down, but the use of magnets could still have been employed on the engine cowling, and to have the landing gear in flight mode. M

Well, just came back from my LHS with this kit in tow. Spent an hour or so pouring over it. Here are some of my impressions: Observation 1: Holy Fark!!! Observation 2: See observation 1. Things I’ve already noticed: - A case of three steps forward and two steps back? Wings (as we already knew) have to be built folded or open, no option to change afterwards. Turns out the same is true for landing gear and control surfaces… build them up or down, no option to change afterwards. Good? Bad? I don’t know, but options are always welcome in my opinion. - This release (for export market) includ

Paint looks good, even if a little too faded, it is well executed. My only gripe is this is a kit of a modern A-10A and would need to be backdated for a DS Hog. For example, the GPS antenna (circular dome antenna aft of canopy) should not be there. This was a much later addition and was not seen on any DS birds (or with lizard schemes either, I think). Certain other lumps and bumps (two each on lower outside vertical tails, to name a few) were post DS as well. Not worth changing at this point of the build and ruining your paint job. Keep moving forward, it will look a treat when done regar

Nice array of marking choices. Anyone else notice thier profiles show an F-4B nose stuck onto an F-4S(ish) air frame? Weird. Marc B.

It took me a while to get past the bottom of page 2... ;) Marc B.

More than handy, it was what set SB apart from every other e-tailer. What they have now is the same as most other on-line shops that have the same in stock/out of stock notation. <_< I see this as a huge move backwards and hope that it is possible for Gordon to re-introduce this feature. If not, the front page needs to be amended as advertising "real time inventory" is no longer an accurate portrayal of thier web site. The shopping experience I had with SB was a unique one... very much like being there in person with that inventory system. Now "in stock" may quickly become "out of sto

Looks to be about 300 miles from the nearest (2012) population centre (just down from the river delta). In WWII, probably farther? Marc B.

Could be wrong, but that first photo in the OP; are those not AGM-45 Shrikes it's carrying? In that case, would that not make it an A-6B ("Ironhand" missions) and not an A-6A? Marc B.

Chuck, Check out this thread, specifically post #108 and #113. This is true for ALL P-51Ds coming from the factory. There is some evidence the putty *may* have been removed for a very few in the field or on post war birds, but the VAST majority should follow the filling/ paint scheme for the wings as indicated. For your particular bird, this was as close to a certainty as one can get, so fill and paint accordingly. Marc B.

Those are British rails, not the same as the US ones, I think. The rails and rockets you want are offered in the Dragon 1/32 Mustang boxing. You might find someone that has this kit and are not using them... put an ad in the equipment exchange?

I have some of their sheets but have not yet used them. Perhaps you could contact Hobby Terra, one of their main distributers and they could liase for you?

Hmm... No GBU-27 + No throttle stick + screwed up decals + my ever erroding attitude towards Trumpeter = no sale for me. Not that anyone cares :P

Yes you can, however I wouldn't use Arctic Blue Metallic as a tint. That has rather large metallic flakes/pigment and will alter the look of the aluminium metallizer in undesireable ways. Instead, use a gloss blue colour. Gloss has extremely fine pigment and will tint the metallizer without affecting the metallic look. The small square bottle Testors Pla enamels work really well for this (DON'T use flat paint!) HTH.

Agreed. For the extra $ you may end up spending on aftermarket for the Hasegawa kit anyway, I'd forego that and just get the Tamiya kit. Also, something to consider on the specific Tamiya kit; the Thunderbirds version is moulded in white plastic, which can be a pain to paint cover and the T'birds have specific bit's you'll need to be aware of to omit, like the smoke dispenser pipe. As was mentioned earlier, the best of all worlds is this boxing of the Tamiya kit. It has everything in the kit to build an F-16 From block 25 to 52 (so that's 25, 30, 32, 40, 42, 50, 52). Mind you, you'll have t

Ahh, yes you're right, of course... mixing up my radio systems again; sorry 'bout that dashotgun.

Mast antenna should not be there anyway. This was for the radio beacon navigation system for beacon transmitters located in mainland USA... useless in European theatre and vast majority of masts/antenna wires were removed for in theatre birds. Check your references just in case.

Well, seeing as Lucky Model and Kinetic are the same company/ same owner, I have no doubt this kit is actually in stock now.

The fuselage was natural metal, not painted aluminum. Metallizer (many brands available, everyone has different tastes for these) for the fuselage/ natural metal areas and painted aluminum areas should be, well... silver paint. I've had good luck with a 50/50 mix of MM Chrome Silver and MM Clear Gloss for painted aluminum. Others may chime in with different formulas. HTH.

The radome or dielectric paints are typically a 2-part epoxy paint (can be made in any colour). It's what is specified for use on all radomes and antennas that I am responsible for.

Because your $60 MiG-21 will turn into a $100+ kit if they did that. Marketability states you should appeal to the broadest financial base of modelers with as low a price as you can. For the uber MiG-21 fanatics out there that want to go the extra mile, the Brassin sets fill that need. Since someone will make resin cockpits and A/B sections, why not do it yourself and grab a share of that market?... it's just good business sense.