jonbryon

I'm about to start a couple of Eduard Mirages in 1/48 and see that I really need an Atar 9C to get interesting markings for an Israeli CJ - i.e. 4 tone camo, identification triangles and kill markings. I have the Isradecals set which does have one photo of such a plane, but only shows me one side of the camo scheme. Life would be a lot easier if I could get hold of an Atar 9C since that increases my options considerably and enables me to use a scheme with a 3-view markings plan (and brighter rudder markings). A brief trawl of the web has turned up nothing substantive, but does anyone know o

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It's nice to be able to share the models with someone before I try and box them up and carry them back to the UK! Some have commented on a 'clean' build/finish. I take that as a compliment - it's what I aim for. I'm afraid I'm just not that interested in replicating 'operational' finishes - I go for what I call an 'idealised caricature' finish - highlighted panel lines and cleanish paint. Yeah, I'm in a season of model building where I prefer to not put ordnance on my builds. No real reason, other than making and painting them slows me down! It's ra

Just finished these babies. I think these kits are great - will build my GR5 and GR7 one day. Finished in Mr Color, built in tandem, there are three glaring errors between them. Only additions are etched seatbelts from the Aires seats I bought that don't fit in the kit (thank you, Aires, for making me waste all that money on having them sent from the US). Kit decals were used. To find out what they are, and how I built these kits, visit www.thebryons.com/model_index.html for more. Cheers Jon AV-8B+ AV-8B

Thanks Mark - I was completely unaware of that website! Cheers Jon

Hi, I dunno if anyone can help me, but I'm trying to pin down the details of two 1/48 Hase AV-8Bs I've just built. I simply need location and date. The first is an AV-8B+ from the original (first) boxing. I've done the kit in the VMA-223 kit supplied markings (option 2) and have no clue as to the date of the markings. I know the Bulldogs got their Plus models in 1994, and the kit was made in 2003, so presumably the markings date from sometime in that period. Any help much appreciated (and I assume the plane was based in the USA). The second is a standard AV-8B from the 'Desert Harrier'

Not sure of the name of the model shop I know - mainly RC and armour there, only about 10 aircraft kits (plus a lot of old Matchbox Dornier floatplane models!). I'll follow up the website you've recommended - thanks! Jon

newca96, Where do you order from in China/HK other than Luckymodel? I want to get Trumpeter's new Panther, but find it faintly ridiculous that I can't get one in China and have to order it from Hong Kong (which is quite expensive on postage). There is a small model shop in Zhengzhou, but they carry no Trumpeter aircraft - only armour (although I may try and see if they can order me one). Which companies offer better shipping prices to the mainland? I did email Luckymodel to find out why it costs more to mail a package across the border than across the Pacific, but, although they replied,

I'll add to the chorus of 'they're great' platitudes - I've ordered from them quite a few times recently. I've two gripes: 1. Why is their shipping to mainland China more expensive than to the US? 2. Their 'in stock' descriptions can be incorrect - I ordered a Hase F-104DJ that turned out to be out of stock and it took an email from me to establish this. They are excellent at replying to emails though and easily changed my order to the F-104D. Cheers Jon (whose wife is taking him on a model plane buying trip to Hong Kong today - how lucky am I?)

Just to say that, while others may want this thread to fade away, I'd really like to see that revised table from Craig. I'm really hoping I can pick this kit up in Hong Kong this week, but I'd like to check out the dimensions compared to the documented measurements. Thanks to all for a great thread. I'd really appreciate as much info as possible; many on other forums still seem to be sure that the Trumpy kit is too long, but that seems far from certain at this stage. Cheers Jon

Thanks for the info. I'm used to only thinning 20-30%, so I've just gotta get used to a different paradigm. I am using Mr Leveling Thinner at the moment, but thanks for the advice! Cheers Jon

Thanks Grant. I've used Citadel, Tamiya and Gunze Mr Hobby Color acrylics in the past, but never seen this phenomenon before. I guess I'll be thinning my paint more from now on (and oh how I miss enamels!). Cheers Jon

Craig, Thanks for the clarifications. I've never seen a Monogram Panther (nor the Trumpy one yet), but given that the two have different dimensional errors, do you think Hobbycraft copied Monogram (as everyone else seems to be asserting?). At least you've reassured me over my future purchase! The Trumpy kit is cheaper that the Revell one where I am, and I *hate* rescribing. Cheers Jon

Craig, Thanks so much for such a thorough job - really helpful. I am going to purchase the Trumpy kit next week, and was wondering if you could confirm what I conclude from your research: *The Trumpeter kit is the correct length and removing 10 (or 8, depending on who I believe!) scale inches would make it too short. *Although it is the correct length, some of the proportions are wrong - fixing these looks far more difficult than just removing a part of the forward fuselage. This is also true of the Monogram kit. *It is impossible that the Monogram and Trumpy kits *are* the same length.

Hi, Now I live in Asia, Gunze Mr Color paints are by far the easiest to come by, so I've been forced to switch from my beloved Xtracolour. It's been okay, but twice now I've powered up the airbrush, thinned the paint and started painting at about 10 PSI, only to have the paint form 'strings' like cobwebs. These not only clog up the detail of the kit and stream off the edges, but fill the air with cobweb-like paint! I've managed to reduce it by cranking the pressure up to 20 PSI or so and more heavily thinning the paint, but this reduces the control I have over painting and makes the paint

Thanks guys - appreciate the kind words. Merry Christmas! Jon

Moved from the UK to China this year, so only managed five. And two of them were Classic Airframes Vampires, so took a while to put together! Two Hasegawa AV-8Bs are on the way to the paint shop, so not a bad year! All 1/48. Cheers Jon Hasegawa F-8E Crusader + Cutting Edge seat Hasegawa F-8J Crusader + Cutting Edge seat Classic Airframes Attacker FB2 Classic Airframes Vampire FB5 + Aeroclub fuselage, intakes and canopy, Xtradecals Classic Airframes Vampire T11 + Aeroclub intakes

I've built two, and I built them at the same time. I've seen worse. One trick is to attach the intakes *without the internal trunking attached* (i.e. don't follow the instructions). I got a gapless, flush fit doing it this way. I've a B in the stash I'm very much looking forward to building. The only issues I had were the join at the front to rear fuselage, installing the main gear bays, and fitting the nose gear. Jon

Well, maybe so! But my canopy was well and truly on when it fogged (see below), so there was no way I was going to remove it. Jon (Aeroclub Meteor - an old build, so pretty poor quality...you can see the fogging at the rear of the canopy.)

Is it just me, or is the deflection of the flaps on the SH in the bottom right corner (107) pretty miniscule? Disclaimer: I read all the posts on the flaps up/down controversy when both kits were released, both here and on HS, and followed John Chung's build with interest. I bought both a Hase F and Revell E. I won't be buying any more (I only build one of each type). Jon

Actually, liquid poly cement works fantastic for glueing clear plastic. I use MEK and touch a loaded brush to the joint, well away from the part of the window that will remain clear. It even works when the surfaces to be glued have been painted. The resulting bond is stronger than if using either superglue or white glue. But, be careful not to let any of the glue touch the window itself, otherwise it will craze (but can fairly easily be polished out if this does happen). Everyone says that you can use superglue with future/klear, but I tried that and the canopy fogged. Not an experience

Yeah, they were a challenge, but I am sorely tempted by the NF version, and will hopefully get a couple of the coming Venoms as well. I have to admit I did enjoy building them! My stash is rather anaemic, but I'm a poor English teacher and they're expensive to ship to China. Kind of a good way of limiting what gets bought these days! Cheers Jon

Ahh, I see. I did have some slight gaps on the underside of the LERX. I used superglue and sandpaper wrapped round some photo-etched saws to get rid of them, followed by Mr Surfacer. But honestly, some people seem to think this is a poorly-fitting kit! Having just built two CA Vampires (which you can see at www.jonbryon.com/model_index.html) with the Aeroclub mods, these Harriers are a complete doddle to put together (IMHO of course)! Cheers Jon

Nice model Graham. But where did you have trouble with the LERX? I have just completed the fuselages for an AV-8B and AV-8B+ (both 1/48 Hasegawa) and the only gaps I have had are a small gap between the upper and lower LERX halves on the B+ (and no gaps at all on the B, with its 65% LERX). I have read that a lot of people had trouble with the fit of these kits, but in my opinion the fit is better than the Hasegawa Hornets and Tomcats, about the same as their Crusaders, and not quite as good as their Skyhawks or Starfighters. On the other hand, I did completely ignore the instructions and d

Thanks Seamaster. Seems to me that going with spoked wheels is safer for earlier models. Thanks also for confirming the air intake issue - I was going off some photos of F-89Cs for the 74th FIS and none that I could see had them. I doubt I'll ever build another C model, but if you do turn up any info on them carrying rockets operationally, I'd be interested! It's one of those planes which is so ugly you've gotta love it, so I might build a D or J in the future... Thanks for the compliments. cheers Jon

Hi Seamaster, Thanks for the feedback. It was years ago that I did the research on the F-89, and I got a lot help via the web from people like Roger Jackson (IIRC). I seem to remember that the spoked wheels were for the C model and that smooth wheels were added to later variants - is the photo you have definitely of a nosewheel on an operational F-89C, or could it be another model (I know the smooth wheel is correct for a J, and I think maybe a D as well)? I am not doubting you, but the only pics I could find of smooth nosewheels were for later Scorpions. As for the rockets, again, is