MikeC

See my previous answer to your other post. :D

:wub: :wub: Thanks for posting. Happy memories of when I lived less than 20 miles away from that temple to classic aviation ... :D

Put it this way: when I owned an Aztek it went back under the "lifetime guarantee"; the only reason I didn't send it back a second time was that I got rid of it. I've owned an Iwata for a few years now and the few problems I've had with it have been of my own making. So go for the Iwata, no question of it.

Yes - enjoy the little one! Being a grandparent has the following advantages: 1: You get to enjoy the good bits, play with their cars, read all the books you read to your children complete with silly "sound effects", and whatever else you enjoy together; 2: You are allowed - nay, required - to give them back to Mum and Dad when they become noisy or smelly. 3: You get to tut about how children today have no idea how to bring up children ... :D Advice - most emphatically embrace it, enjoy it, and read this: http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Grandparents...nts%20Credo.pdf Congratulations to

Sorry Jennings, but oh no they're not! One (Testors) is a U-2C, the other (Italeri) is a U-2R/TR-1. Two very different aeroplanes.

Superb Sierra Sir!

I've built both the Italeri and Testors kits in 1:48. Given that I'm not a detail fanatic the Testors, for me, builds up to an acceptable model with a few minor enhancements: I think I replaced the pogo wheels, had to add the "sugar scoop", and do one or two other minor additions - it's a long time since I built it. The Italeri U-2R/TR-1 I built as the two-seater. Make sure you remove the "fences" on the tailplane if applicable - iirc the U-2R had then, the TR-1 didn't, or was it vice-versa? Anyway, building the kit as a twin-stick had two major problems: you need to omit the pods on the

Very good, thanks for posting. However, I'd suggest that level of disassembly is only appropriate for very occasional deep maintenance. My CS gets the following treatment after each session: Take the back off, loosen the chuck, move the needle back so it's clear of the tip. Now take off the tip as the video showed, then remove the needle forwards, ie through the front. Doing it this way, and particularly putting it back this way, almost eliminates the risk of damaging the needle tip, which happens (go on, ask me how I know! :unsure: ) when you try to put it in from the rear. Clean the b

What can I say, other than thanks for posting!!!!! Wonderful photos. Cheers,

Very true - the engine is very fiddly to construct andthe installation is not very robust anyway, so as Edgar says leave it out. It's also a good idea to reduce the width of the firewall slightly, this makes for a much better-fitting wing root join. As said above, it is (imo) the best long-nose Merlin Spit on the market in 1:48. Early releases of the IX did have sink mark problems, this was improved fairly early on in production. Here's what can be done with the IX with a bit of TLC and some Carpena decals. I've built one or two ICM kits and they're not bad provided you don't mind a lit

Lovely rendition. How did you do the slats?

Very nice job, those old Inpact kits still build up well. Must dig the Fury out of my loft sometime.

Techmod do these: http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=TM48050 http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=TM48056 http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=TM48051 I have 48051 intact for sale, and 48056 with "White 16" and the tri-colour scheme used - PM me if interested in a deal.

Steady on there - this is possibly heresy here, but not all NMF aircraft are shiny. Aluminium and its alloys can be quite dull; the lovingly restored warbirds of today are not necessarily representative. As ever, look at reference photos of your subject. That said, I find a small polish with my carefully hoarded stock of SnJ powder often works wonders on any acrylic metallic.

There has, but considerably more expensive than this one was. http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=HAJT060 http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=HAJT059 http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=HA09862 Perhaps I may be tempted one day, in the meantime there are Mustangs I've not modelled yet ...

Thanks for the kind words folks. I think that as well as the subject the simplicity of the kit and a decision not to do a lot of scratch-building of detail* meant that I had a great time building it - nostalgia for modelling as it used to be perhaps? * There was plenty of scope to improve what was there, but as I said, the level of detail was quite acceptable from the box: engraved instrument panel, cockpit sidewalls and furnishings for example. Basic but perfectly good under a coat of NATO black (more realistic imo than "pure" black) and some dry-brushing in the cockpit. Thanks again.

We've got to have a fully-striped aircraft today of all days. It's the old Monogram Typhoon which I picked up for "peanuts" at a show. Despite being 40 years old - the date "1969" was moulded inside one of the wings - it's been great fun to build. The level of detail in the box is perfectly acceptable, despite the fact that many parts that would be separate nowadays are either moulded integrally or just omitted. The fit was superb, and would put many newer kits to shame; very little filler was required. The only two complaints I had were that the decal sheet was unusable because it was

Very nice. I did exactly that aircraft recently - same kit, same markings. Did you find this site? http://www.ghostbombers.com/ Very interesting, and yes I did buy the book. I went for a red spinner though, and omitted the "2" from the rudder as it may have been a factory-applied number. Your rendition is excellent.

Cutting Edge 48173 had an F-86A of the 116th FIS, 81st FIW, based at Shepherds Grove, Suffolk, which incidentally is about two miles from where I grew up - albeit that "The Grove" had F-84s then RAF Thor missiles, then deactivation by that time. I do wish that someone would do some of the Manston-based Ds, I have a Revell Sabre-Dog saved up for whenever some kind decal manufacturer does exactly that. I've also got an RAF and Canadian pair of Canadairs on my dolist - Eagle Strike and Cutting Edge decals respectively. As to "they weren't as flashy", perhaps true, but some nice colour schemes

Couldn't speak for poles, but I think Czechs are 50/50 on the issue ... :P Michael (My 1:72 41 Sqn FGR2 is in there somewhere)

If you'd carried on reading SAMI you would have also noticed an MPM Sea Vixen in 1:48. Given the fact that the Airfix 1:72 Meteor F8 was a re-pop of the MPM, I'm not expecting Lightning or Spit F22 quality. Having said that, I'll probably still buy one, but I do (don't ask me why) have a preference for the FAW2 over the FAW1. Perhaps I just like the 899 (last cruise in HMS EAGLE) colours. Bring it on!

The best kit for me has to be the Gavia, because I've got one in my stash and I haven't got a Hobbycraft one Seriously, I believe it is actually the Gavia by a short margin - more accurate shape overall - others may well know more, or have other opinions, or both.

Hi Julien, MrsC and I will be there, on the (hopefully) joint IPMS Avon/Reconmnaissance SIG stand.

Nice La, and always good to see Czech markings. Nice thing about the Czechoslovak AF immediately post WW2 - where else could you see British, German and Soviet types all in the same markings?

NY ANG pic (and some background - fortunately pilots OK) here: http://www.caterpillarclub.org/mexico/index.htm I thinks Superscale did the decals for this unit in 1:48, regret I can't recall the sheet number.