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MikeC

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Posts posted by MikeC

    Preshading: What's it for?

    in Tools 'n' Tips

    Posted

    That's a great pic that Dragonfly posted, and shows pretty clearly the effect that preshading is trying to achieve.

    But notice how random and faint everything is in the picture. I feel that most modelers that employ preshading really over-do it.

    One thing I've tried and like is to not pre-shade, but rather randomly hit patches/panels with a diluted, lightened version of the base color. I lightened some Olive Drab, then mixed it with mostly flat clear and sprayed that over the OD. I found it reduced the monotony of the paint job (OD and Neutral Gray) without really drawing your eye to specific areas of the model. The last thing I wanted was someone to say "wow! look at those panel lines!"

    :wasntme:

    Mike

    Agree with that - "post-shading" is what I've heard it called.

    Whether I preshade, post-shade or do neither or both depends on the model, period, and stage in its life - on a hard-used WWII bird maintained in field conditions yes, for the squadron boss's ship in peacetime less so.

    As someone called Al said, "Build what you want in the way you want to".

    Today the hobby is...

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Ticked most of 'em, apart from "boring" and "dead to me" (if that means what I interpret it to mean) - and (obviously) "all of the above". If I find it getting boring I pick up something else from the "in progress" pile which usually manages to revive any flagging interest.

    1/48 biplane rigging

    in Props

    Posted

    OK I'm building a 1/48 biplane for the first time. I'm also going to try rigging..(I figured I'd go all out for the first one...lol) My question is what's my options...thread, guitar strings, stretched spruce? Basically I'm looking for the easiest way...I've done some searches on the internet and found stretch thread 350 that modelers have used but the only site is in Europe. Could someone head me in the right direction...once again thanks :salute:

    Aeroclub here in the UK do stretch thread http://www.aeroclub-models.com/p.html?n=1&c=ART003 or 10 thou brass wire http://www.aeroclub-models.com/s.html

    Not used either myself and not dealt with them recently, so order at your own risk. However, I have used some of their accessories and kits in the past and they have a good reputation.

    Fighting Friends of England?

    in Props

    Posted

    Oh, I hear you on that one... Sean can attest to my wanting to build a 1/24 Corsair that Vintage Wings has in their (amazing) hanger. One hell of a story, one hell of a pilot, and one hell of plane...

    Initially I wanted to stick with only Polish squadrons, but that'd be a bit to narrow. With the thought of All British a/c of WWII without the "British" portion to it was also an idea, but then it's really becoming general and I said to myself "self", and I knew it was me because I recognized the voice, "what about RAF a/c in WWII, including ALL pilots, All fronts, and all a/c types, commonwealth or not"... I was worried though that an "RAF WWII" GB idea though would then be far too general a subject matter. That, and a very selfish desire to finally build a/c of Polish pilots - just calling a spade a spade.

    You may be onto something though... "The Outsiders GB" Pheraps? Any RAF flown aircraft during WWII timeframe with 'non-domestic' pilots at the helm?

    Nothing set in stone yet though, just throwing around ideas and looking for feedback.

    Could we not expand it to include Poles, Czechs, and everyone else mentioned who flew with any other AF? I'm particularly thinking of the 1st Czech Air Regiment which flew La-5s under Soviet colours, but there are surely others.

    Scale Model World 2009, Telford

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    Bonjour Etienne,

    The major manufacturers will often use the show to advertise new releases - Revell and Airfix have shown advance test shots of various kits in past years, to name but two. They don't always, so you never know.

    Cottage industry often use the show to announce and market new releases.

    You'll enjoy the show Etienne, c'est formidable. Come and say hello to MadameC and moi, we'll be on the IPMS Avon stand. :)

    Need info on F-4J(UK) Phantom weapons loadout

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted · Edited by MikeC

    "The aircraft were normally flown in 'Bravo' fit (high-g centre-line tank, no wing tanks) or 'Alpha' (no external tanks) ... The gun pod was seldom carried, though crews were required to fire it once a year at [Armament Practice Camp] in Cyprus."

    So add the standard four Sparrows/Skyflash, 2xAIM-9s on each inboard wing station, C/L tank or not as you wish, and a gun pod if you want an aircraft on APC, and your F-4J(UK) is "hot to trot".

    Quote from The Phantom Story, Anthony Thornborough & Peter Davies, Arms & Armour, 1994/2000.

    HTH.

    Edit: PS: Welcome to ARC, mine's a Martini, neither shaken nor stirred, merely slightly agitated. :thumbsup:

    Spitfires in Battle of Britain

    in Props

    Posted

    Hello,

    During BOB fly four czechoslovak´s pilots in 19.Sq

    P/O František Doležal , later Commander of Czechoslovak Wing,

    Sgt. Stanislav Plzák, MIA 7.8.1941

    P/O František Hradil, KIA 5.11 1940, him shoot down Hpt. Rolf Pingel, shoot down in Spitfire Mk.I P7525, many photo him w/Spitfire Mk.IIa P7434 (QV-I)

    Sgt.František Marek

    any flight with Spitfire Mk.Ib(Canon Spitfire) has had S/Q R.Hess, Commander of 310.Sq

    This is all CZE pilots, who flies with Spitfire during BOB

    Sorry for my english, is very poor

    Hi Rostislav,

    That is useful information, many thanks.

    As for your English, don't worry about it, it's better than my Czech!

    Spitfires in Battle of Britain

    in Props

    Posted

    To drag this back onto topic ...

    My references suggest the following fighter squadrons had at least one Czechoslovak pilot posted to them at some stage, not necessarily the BoB: 1, 3, 17, 19, 23, 25, 32, 41, 43, 46, 54, 56, 64, 65, 66, 68, 72, 73, 81, 85, 87, 96, 111, 118, 122, 124, 125, 127, 129, 131, 145, 151, 167, 182, 198, 222, 234, 238, 242, 245, 247, 249, 253, 255, 257, 258, 303 (Polish), 306 (Polish), 307 (Polish), 315 (Polish), 317 (Polish),425 (RAAF), 501, 504, 600, 601, 602, 605, 607, 610, 611, 615. In fact, the top-scoring Czechoslovak ace, Josef Frantisek, flew with 303 (Polish). (Source - "Czechs in the RAF in Focus", Zdenek Hurt (pub Red Kite).)

    Pardon my confusion, but were the RAF units not correctly termed "Czech" squadrons during WWII? Czechoslovakia ceased to exist "for the duration" in March 1939, unless all my history sources are wrong. Slovakia fought on the Axis side until the uprising of August 1944, although many Slovaks went with the Czechs and fought with the French then the RAF and even the Soviets. It's the history and the wide variety of aircraft types and markings that make Czech and Slovak WW2 history so fascinating in modelling terms.

    Right, now I'm off to carry on with the S-199 I'm building at the moment.

    Spitfires in Battle of Britain

    in Props

    Posted · Edited by MikeC

    Not Battle of Britain, but there are:

    http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=MPD48502

    with machines flown by Frantisek Perina, Frantisek Dolezal and Frantisek Fajtl;

    and http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=AMD48682

    with AR501/NN:D of 310 Sqn.

    Some famous names there, I'm pondering doing Fajtl's as I have decals for both that Spit and his La-5.

    And I'm a fan of DBW as well - excellent film on many levels, for me the most poignant scene is the shadow of the hangar door closing over the Czech roundel, or is it where the funeral with full military honours is contrasted with the body being wheeled out on the "amnesty cart"? ...

    HTH

    Mike (member of IPMS(UK) Czech & Slovak AF SIG and Czechoslovak AF fan)

    P-51D Mustang Question

    in Props

    Posted

    Can't help directly, but here's a little bit of inspiration for you - Leiston airfield (Yoxford is a nearby town, but not the name of the airfield) as it was a couple of years ago. It's a holiday caravan (trailer) park. No I wasn't staying there, this was a "drive-by".

    IMG_1601.jpg

    IMG_1599.jpg

    IMG_1598.jpg

    Hope this is of interest.

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