pingu1

I think this may be the thread you're looking for: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....9&hl=airbus Bettr than Heller's last effort at an airliner, methinks... Cheers, Chris.

Since BMF has adhesive on the non-shiny side, but not on the shiny side, I'm not sure how well this would work. If you look at piccies of Air France aircraft, you'll see that keeping them clean and shiny doesn't seem to be a high priority, so I'd say that, in 1/144, even dull aluminium BMF would be way too shiny. I'd go for the aluminium paint of your choice, which in my case would be Humbrol Metalcote Polished Aluminium, and, when the decals had been applied, maybe tone it down with a light overspray of matt varnish. Cheers, Chris.

One thing about AM kits is that the fit can be very tight and precise, and it's important to follow the instructions precisely for this reason. You might, therefore, like to download the AM B-25B: http://www.accurate-miniatures.com/library/3430.pdf or B-25C/D: http://www.accurate-miniatures.com/library/3431.pdf instruction sheets, which are much more informative, than the Italeri ones. They also have a very useful online build article: http://www.accurate-miniatures.com/builds/...itchell01.shtml which alerts you to the areas where care is needed. In general, though, it's one of the f

Seems not. Hannants don't list any in either 1/72 or 1/48. You might be able to find suitable squadron badges from ModelArt or Xtradecal sheets, however, and codes/ serials from generic sheets - again, search through ModelArt and Xtradecal and you should be able to find what you need. Cheers, Chris.

This was a major problem with Revell AG decals in the mid-late 1990s. thjey changed decal printer in about 2000, and had the problem licked. However, It does seem to be beginning to creep back. I had small, but significant, silvering problems on my latest project, which I was able to overcome by simpy over-painting the carrier film. Generally, however, the problem of silvering on Revell AG decals can be overcome by glossing up the surface in the normal way, and then floating the decal onto a pool of Future, blotting it down as soon as you have it where you want it, and then overcoating it wi

If money is not especially an issue, the Hasegawa 1/72 kit includes bomb bay detail - to kitbash with the Tammy kit, not instead of it. Cheers, Chris.

Which is not to say that the Airfix kit is bad, because it isn't - good levels of detail, accuracy and fit, one of Airfix's best ever kits, scaled down from the masters of their still-born 1/24 Mossie - but the Tamiya kit's tooling is some 25 years younger than the Airfix, and produced to Tamiya's highest mid-1990s standards, and it shows. Plus, in the UK at least, they're both the same price - £16.99. No-brainer, really - go for the Tamiya. In 1/72, still the Tamiya. The Airfix is perfectly OK, and good value at £6.99, but the Tamiya, which is, to all intents and purposes, their 1/48 kit

If you're looking for an alternative to Maskol, may I suggest Copydex latex glue? http://www.ryman.co.uk/Copydex-Adhesive-wi...-0625102293.asp Covers much better than Maskol, doesn't skim over and harden like Maskol does, doesn't react with, or damage, the surface onto which it's been applied, and it peels off more easily. Also somewhat cheaper per ml. You apply it by brush, which you clean with cellulose thinners. Available in all good (and some average) stationers and art shops. In my experience, the quality of Maskol is not a recent problem. It's been rubbish, in terms of coverage at l

I use insulin syringes. As an insulin-dependant diabetic, I have a practically inexhaustable supply. Using them, you can apply accelerator drop by tiny drop, precisely where you want it. I believe that syringes with rounded-tiped needles areavailable commercially. Cheers, Chris.

Hi Lee, I think this sheet may have what you're looking for: http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=X48044 I have the 1/72 white version of ths sheet, and the largest 'Royal Air Force' lettering is 1 1 /4" long. In 1/48, this would be 50% bigger, which is 1 7/8", probably close enough for your needs. Cheers, Chris.

The thing about the Hasegawa 1/48 Harrier II series is that it has clearly been over-engineered for the convenience of the manufacturer, at the expense of ease of build for the punter. If you're paying Hasegawa prices, you're entitled to expect better than this. You're also entitled to decent decals, more than the bare mnimum of underwing stores, and the right ejector seat for the RAF versions. BTW, Hannants list the GR.7 as being in stock for £18.99: http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=HAPT036 Cheers, Chris.

Hi Doug, there are a number of brands of white glue, and some seem to be better for making windows and glueing transparencies than others. Most brands of wood glue seem to work well, but the best brand that I've found is Anita's Tacky Glue http://www.fun2do.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_...=showprod_DD007 which you should be able to find in good stationers and art shops. You can use it to make windows up to about 1cm square, and it can be cleaned up with a damp cotton bud, which is more than you can say for Clearfix! :lol: Cheers, Chris.

Hi Stan, just some general 'world's greatest aircraft' type books, and some web piccies, especially on airliners.net. As to the tail bumps, yup, tail marker lights for sure. Just sand them down a bit and paint 'em gloss silver. Remember - less is more in 1/144! Instruction sheets, in general, haven't been that informative or educational for some decades, now - kit manufacturers started going over to pictogram style in the late 1960s. Exceptions include Monogram, Tamiya - their 1970s instruction sheets, still included in re-pops of their 1970s-vintage kits, are especially informative - amd Ac

In the circumstances, I think your best way forward on this particular model, is to accept that your canopy is fogged, superglue it back on the model, sand and fill the seam, and then paint the canopy gloss black. When that has dried, mask the canopy and spray the canopy framing. Since you're building a 1/144 fighter, and it's not a Revell AG kit (because on Revell AG 1/144 fighters, the canopies fit well), chnces are there wasn't that much interior detail in the first place. Taking this further, you may wish to consider which brands of model you build. The canopies of some brands of 1/144 fi

I've just checked several pictures of Connie tip-tanks, and the navigation lights are all standard. Red to port, green to starboard. Not the first time kit instructions have got navig lights the wrong way round. Could the raised detail be filler/ drain cap covers? Cheers, Chris.