null_null981707818191
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Posts posted by null_null981707818191
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Having had a little detour to build a few AFVs, I’ve returned to 1/72 scale aircraft from WW2, but I’ve stuck with the Vintage Classics and had a go at the Henschel HS123A-1. Although the original Roy Cross box art-work was lovely, I decided to stay with the WW2 paint scheme rather than the Spanish Civil War Condor Legion version featured on the box-top.
Like most of the older mouldings, the interior was a little basic, so I first of all added some ‘strakes’ to the side walls of the cockpit and the ‘floor’ – the aircraft never had (as far as I know) an actual floor – and then a representation of radio equipment and other items gleaned from pictures that I found online.
The pilot provided in the kit was the rather generic RAF pilot that is found in lots of the WW2 kits, and so I used a PJ Productions Luftwaffe pilot instead. Interesting to see the contrast!
There was no instrument panel at all included in the kit, so I had to first of all build a bulkhead (using the one in the kit to which the seat is fastened as a pattern) to which I affixed a Yahu Models HS123 panel, originally intended for a Fly or Amodel kit, but trimmed slightly width-wise to fit.
The other extra work done was to the top of the cowling and to the front of the engine. The machine guns fired through the propellor, and although there are suitable holes on the front of the cowling, there is nothing on the back, so I added some bulges from shaped sprue sections, which were then drilled out so the bullets could get through! I also added the cross-brace wires (made from some stretched sprue) in front of the engine before adding the prop. I also filled in a large slot in front of the windscreen with a gun-sight made from a drilled-out piece of scrap, as there was nothing provided in the kit; pictures that I found suggested a simple ring sight.
The paint scheme was the usual splinter pattern RLM 65/70/71, brush painted using the Vallejo Luftwaffe Pre-War to 1941 set. After applying the decals from the kit, and adding the HakenKreuz to the tail, I then sprayed the whole thing with Vallejo Matt varnish, and added the radio aerial and the windscreen.
It makes a nice little model, and it’s nice to have something a little more unusual to add to the Luftwaffe part of my WW2 collection. Sometime in the future, I might build it again, but as a Condor Legion aircraft, and do an early Bf109 to go with it, but that’s for another day… Thanks for taking a look!
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Adding to the AFV builds (previously posted reports on a Vintage Classic Sherman, and an equally Vintage and classic Tiger), I’ve now finished the Bren Gun Carrier and 6 pounder Anti-Tank gun which I will slip in to the planned diorama somewhere.
The box had a sticker on it claiming that it was a D-Day 50th Anniversary release (which makes it a 1994 release) but when it was originally moulded, I’m not sure (though I bet someone will know). It was a straightforward if occasionally fiddly build – some of the parts simply didn’t fit without filing or sanding, and as they were very small, there was not much margin for error.
I did make an executive decision to remove most of the front side pieces – some Bren (or ‘Universal’) carriers had them, some didn’t, and as they were thick enough in this iteration to stop an 88mm round, I decided to dispense with them. That was another issue generally actually – the sides of the body-work, and the shield on the gun were massively thick in terms of scale. I suppose I could have tried to replace them with plasticard, but I like to build as originally as possible.
I did add some crates and scratch-built jerricans in the back of the carrier, and a couple of rolled up tarpauilins.
I also painted the driver and gun crew members, but that brought another problem to light – the two gun-servers were massively out of scale, the driver slightly so (legless and relatively armless as he was…) and only the ‘officer’ seemed more or less 1/76 scale. When it all goes into the diorama, there will also be infantry from the Vintage Classic WWII British Infantry set, which are another scale altogether – it says 1/76 on the box, but again, who knows?
The model was painted using brushes, and the Olive Drab paint came from the A.Mig British 1939-45 ETO Colors set, with the rest of the model (tracks etc) and a bit of weathering coming out of my Vallejo collection.
Anyway, the friend who challenged me to try building a tank or two thinks he’s won, and truth to tell, now I’ve got used to the size and scale issues, I’m actually quite enjoying the challenge.
Thanks for taking a look.
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A little while ago, following a challenge from a friend to stray from my 1/72 aircraft comfort zone and try a tank (or two), I’ve stuck with the theme for now, and to accompany an old-mould 1/76 scale Sherman my latest effort is the equally old-mould Vintage Classic Tiger Mk I.
Although built largely out of the box, there was a bit more scratch-building involved on this one: I added a turret storage box, mud flaps at the front and back, steel hawsers, exhaust pipes and covers at the back, and a tank commander (who is actually a member of the Luftwaffe groundcrew…).
The Dunkelgelb and the Olivgrun paint came from the A.Mig 1939-44 German Standard Colors set, with the rest of the model (tracks etc) and a bit of weathering coming out of my Vallejo collection, and as usual (for me), all applied with a brush. I decided to use Burnt Umber as the principle weathering colour as it hinted at dirt as well as a bit of rust. The whole model was finally finished off with a spray coat of Vallejo Matt.
The plan is still to build some kind of ruined village diorama, but first I’ve embarked on the equally vintage Bren Gun carrier and 6pdr anti-tank gun – so another of these posts to follow when that’s done, I suppose!
Hope you like this one as well.
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My take
Interesting idea to have it in RAF experimental 'livery'. I don't suppose you know who got the short straw to test fly it? 'Winkle' Brown perhaps?
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Please submit your posts containing images just once. I've had to dispose of three duplicate posts.
Sorry! When I pressed the black button, nothing happened - it usually lets you know that the post has been sent for approval...
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The Me 163 was a model that I’d wanted to build for some time – not least to finish off the ‘list’ in the Airfix Magazine Guide to German Fighters of WW2, and out of a fit of nostalgia I decided to buy the blister-packed 1977 moulding at a not unreasonable price. For an old mould, it’s actually not a bad model. There were one or two fit issues (but nothing that a bit of filler couldn’t put right) when it came to adding the wings, and a bit of scratch-building helped with the cockpit. I found it strange that whilst there was a well detailed instrument panel, the cockpit sidewalls were completely empty, so I added the fuel tanks where they’re supposed to go, and also a scratchbuilt gunsight was put in (which required a bit of filing out of the canopy). The pilot came from a totally different kit; I gave him an oxygen mask using a tiny blob of filler, and though not strictly accurate, he filled the seat quite well and was strapped in using painted masking tape strips. The thickness of the canopy covers a multitude of sins! Other changes or additions involved drilling out the cannon apertures at the wing roots and adding a more in-scale pitot tube (the kit one was rather girder-like). The model was finally brush painted (as is usual for me) using the Vallejo Luftwaffe Late-War set; because it’s such a small model, there wasn’t much painting to do anyway! The kit decals were very badly yellowed and fell apart when I tried soaking them in very lukewarm water, so some spares were sorted from a variety of sources, though I had to buy some 1/144 scale Balken Kreuz decals. I’ve added a few pictures which illustrate some of the build features to which I’ve referred, and the final picture is a little diorama including some appropriately painted groundcrew (from the Airfix Luftwaffe Personnel set) and in the background, a ME262 – which gives an idea of the very diminutive size of the Me 163.
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So was it any harder than building an aeroplane? I suspect not, they're all plastic models after all. Try a ship next!
Not harder, just different - certainly far less to paint! I think that aircraft seem to make more 'progress' somehow, perhaps because even at 1/72 scale they're simply bigger. And I've got the 1/600 H M S Belfast waiting to be built....
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My usual modelling preference is for 1/72 WW2 aircraft, but a friend challenged me to stray from my comfort zone and try a tank (or two). Perhaps choosing an old-mould 1/76 scale Sherman was not the easiest introduction to AFV modelling, but at least the kit was not overly expensive if it all went wrong!
Built largely out of the box, I did add (on the basis of a bit of research) the extra armour panels that many Shermans had at the time of the Normandy campaign, and a couple of spare figures (one from the WW2 Infantry set, and one from the RAF Recovery Vehicle set) provided a driver and a commander (although of course they are both out of scale). I also added some boxes and sandbags and a rolled-up tarpaulin on the back, and a bit of stretched sprue provided the aerial.
The Olive Drab paint came from the A.Mig British 1939-45 ETO Colors set, with the rest of the model (tracks etc) and a bit of weathering coming out of my Vallejo collection.
The plan now is to build a Vintage Classic Tiger and then put them into some kind of ruined village diorama, but that’s racing ahead somewhat. I found the build an interesting departure from my usual aircraft production line – but in its own way, equally enjoyable – and certainly challenging.
Be kind with your comments! It was – after all – a first attempt at a new genre (for me, anyway…).
And here are the pictures:
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Perhaps not really a direct answer to any of the questions that you have asked, but one idea to promote engagement and continued loyalty (and interest) might be to offer some feedback to the suggestions made in the 'Wish List' section of the forum. For example, I recently suggested a 'double' set of reissuing the RAF Rescue Launch with the Supermarine Walrus in 1/72 scale - it would be great and would promote engagement and product loyalty if your R&D people could respond to these suggestions with some kind of feedback of likelihood (or giving reasons why not!)...
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Always fancied building the Me 163 (to complete the Luftwaffe fighters featured in the magazine guide) so I'll be starting on this one soon - though it seems a shame to damage the blister pack (nostalgia isn't what it used to be...)
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Or, indeed, a common boxing of the 2 with "The Sea Shall Not Have Them" tie-in.
I think that a common boxing would be a really great idea - not least because I want to get them both! but also because it might tempt maritime enthusiasts to try aircraft, and of course, aircraft builders to try boats... So there's a double marketing opportunity!
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To go with my growing collection of 1/72 scale WW2 aircraft, I'd like to see the RAF Air Sea Rescue Launch make a come-back (there must be demand for it as it would seem to be very rare if the high prices asked on the internet are anything to go by) and also - to go with it - a reissue of the 1/72 Supermarine Walrus
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I've been looking for a kit of the RAF Air Sea Rescue launch in 1/72 scale for some time - there must be demand for one to judge from the exorbitant prices being asked on internet auction sites (much as I'd like one, I really can't justify the £60 being asked...) so could I please add this item to the wish-list?
Not only would there probably be demand for it in its own right, but I can see that it would appeal to builders of WW2 aircraft in 1/72 scale, but also to maritime builders, possibly attracting those separate interest groups to each others preferred modelling area (if that makes sense).
So - pretty please - relaunch the 1/72 RAF Air Sea Rescue launch!
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I did think of posting this in the pandemic special thread, but couldn’t find it. Anyway, Lockdown #3 gave me an opportunity to produce a trio of Spitfires!
Firstly, I made the Airfix 1/72 PR XIX. I decided to go for the Swedish version because it seemed an interesting variant. More or less standard, except I did indulge in a little bit of scratch-building by mocking up a ‘camera’ behind the clear hatch on the port side of the aircraft – which just about shows up from outside. Painted using Vallejo Model Air brushed on, then finally varnished with Humbrol Satin varnish – which was not as successful as I’d have liked – so I shan’t be using that again.
The second build was the Airtfix 1/72 F Mk 22. Again, built as supplied, and using the decals provided. I usually brush-paint (using Vallejo acrylics) but for this one I indulged in a rattle can of Humbrol Aluminium. Strangely, I had to use gloss varnish on top of the spray-painted finish to get the decals to stick properly – not a problem I’ve had to overcome using brush-painted Vallejo acrylics…. The whole thing was then sprayed with Satin finish varnish – this time that produced by Vallejo - to seal everything.
And finally, and for this one I had to differ from all things Airfix, because it was the SMER 1/72 HF Mk VI. Building it was vastly different compared to the previous two Airfix kits, and a lot more filler was required than perhaps I’ve got used to using. The extended wingtips and flaps were fiddly, but it built up into a reasonably accurate model. I didn’t use the kit decals because I wanted it to be YQ-P BS111 of 616 squadron.
So three Spitfires completed – and a little bit different to the usual Mk I, Mk II and Mk V. All adds to the collection! Thanks for taking a look.
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Some suggestions for Airfix Club merchandising – which would I’m sure be worthwhile to Airfix in terms of profits, and might also make membership of the Airfix Club v02 more attractive:
· An exclusive (one per member) enamel pin-badge carrying the year as well as the Airfix logo. It wouldn’t cost much to produce, and would therefore be profitable, especially as club members would be likely to buy one each year…
· Airfix branded tee-shirt. You can never have enough tee-shirts….
· An Airfix branded mug. And you can never have enough mugs.
I’d buy all three items! And the mug and the tee-shirt wouldn’t necessarily have to be exclusive to Club members, therefore generating even more profit!
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I've been trying to find a copy of the 2017 Airfix Catalogue - but it appears that there wasn't one, or if there was, it would come under the heading of Hen's Teeeth. The 2016 'catalogue' was done as an interestingly laid out 'yearbook', but then it seems to jump to 2018 which has become the catalogue format as currently used... So what happened to 2017?
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A fairly random selection...
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Thanks for the very clear explanation Patrick. I'll try the paperclip trick - makes far more sense the way you've suggested than others I've read. My paint scheme is going to be for an aircraft that flew in Tunisia.
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Being a glutton for punishment, I've just embarked on another very old mould project - a Frog P38 Lightning in 1/72 scale (which sort of counts as an Airfix model in terms of heritage as it was originally made by Rovex of Margate,,,). Anyway, it obviously pre-dates instructions on adding noseweight. So has anyone got any advice or idea on how much I should add? Or shall I just fill up all the spaces I can find in front of the CoG. If anyone has built this model, and can remember how many grammes they stuffed in, I'd be very grateful!
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Thanks John (and so nice to see you back on the forum). I knew about the plywood fuselage bit, though I have to say that the finish that I ended up with was pure accident, as you might have deduced from my comments about so-called-satin varnish... And if anyone can recommend a satin acrylic spray varnish that actually does what it says on the tin and dries to a reliably satin finish, and which won't react badly with Vallejo acrylics or decals, I'd be interested in knowing...
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My main interest is in building WW2 aircraft, but for various reasons, I decided to have a crack at something a bit more modern, and as the De Havilland Vampire gets a mention in the Airfix Magazine Guide to RAF Fighters of WW2, and as I wanted to try building a jet which would require spraying silver, the Airfix 1/72 DH Vampire T11 seemed to be a good project on which to cut a few teeth (albeit of course that it was distinctly post-war).
It didn't start well... On opening the box to check the contents, I discovered a major 'short shot' problem with one of the wing sections:
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A quick e-mail to customer services, and I was really pleased when the replacement (also in the picture) arrived a few days later. Good service!
As usual, work started on the cockpit. The paint shout-out was for black, but I decided to go for RLM 66 with a little bit of black added, so that the cockpit features which I painted black stood out a little bit. I also dry-brushed aluminium to highlight a few details:
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The seat-belts were made from masking tape painted an appropriate (as far as I know!) shade of blue, and the ejector seat handles were fabricated from stretched sprue, bent in hot water and suitably painted.
The instructor and pupil were then added:
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To avoid it being a tail-sitter, the instructions called for 7g of weight to be added forward of the CoG, so I built up a few bulkheads using plasticard, and then added the required weight of Liquid Gravity, held in place by mixing it with PVA glue and pushing it into the spaces:
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One of the real plus-points of this model was the clarity and thinness of the clear parts. The only concession to making life a bit easier was the purchase of Eduard masks, which made painting the canopy very much more straightforward:
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Purists will note that I painted the first coat in the main cockpit colour... The rest of the kit went together very well - there were a few gaps requiring filler, especially underneath the plane at the wing roots, but nothing too terrible. So then it was on to painting. My usual/preferred means of painting is using a brush, but I decided to spray paint using a base coat of grey Halfords primer, followed by a top coat of Halfords Audi Aluminium. It was certainly a very quick way of covering the model, but on reflection, I think I'd have been better off getting some Humbrol Aluminium as even after varnishing the surface still seemed a bit gritty/textured:
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I also made what I now think to have been a mistake by uising Humbrol spray satin finish acrylic varnish to seal the surface (and the decals) - just a very light misting coat seemed to go matt and whiten slightly, so I shan't be using that again...But overall, I was quite pleased with the end result, so here are few more pictures of the completed aircraft:
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The decals, incidentally, (and the colour scheme) were as in and on the box, so representing a Vampire T11 of No 14 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force. The decals went on very easily, helped with a bit of Microset and Microsol.
So now it's back to WW2 (the next one on the 'list' might well be a Battle as flown by one of the Polish Squadrons), but I've quite enjoyed doing something different (for me at any rate) and learning a few things at the same time. So I hope you approve of my efforts, and here's one last picture:
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I'll be interested in seeing an account of your Kate build - I've got the Airfix Club kit waiting to be built - but I can't decide which paint/decal scheme to use. It's so hard being spoilt for choice!
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The title is not a reference to Al Stewart (showing my age there), but rather a way of introducing my recent build of the 1/72 scale Mitsubishi Zero.
First of all, here's a picture of where it finished:
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I started of course with the cockpit, and drilled out the lightening holes before assembly:
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Then the cockpit was assembled and painted. To get somewhere near the the correct colour (mind you, who knows what that actually is...) I added a few drops of RLM yellow to Vallejo IAF Grey Green. The instrument panel decal was, I thought, really good and the only addition was the rather cumbersome looking but I hope reasonably accurate wide leather and canvas lap belt.
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Weathering and grime was added using a mixture of Burnt Umber and Black wash:
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The wheels wells were painted using a mixture of Vallejo metallic blue, a few drops of green and a dash of Aluminium to lighten it, in order to try and get an idea of the Aotake finish:
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And I really didn't want to cover up the engine, which - for this scale - had some lovely detail:
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Before adding the cockpit, I tried to get a picture showing the cockpit and gun platform detail - but it's a bit out of focus I'm afraid:
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So here are a couple of pictures of the finished model:
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And just to finish up with, here's another one I made earlier - but this one was a different paint scheme, being all-over IJN Grey/Green. All the painting of both models was with a brush, using Vallejo Model Air acrylic.
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Not sure which paint scheme I prefer...
Thanks for taking a look at my efforts.
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I really like the 'flame' effect and the replication of the box-art. I've built them both, but with the wheels down rather than the somewhat more dynamic in-flight approach that you've used. Thanks for sharing!
Lysander paint scheme quandary
in Aircraft
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I’m just about to start on building one of the “missing links” in my 1940 RAF collection – a Westland Lysander as flown by 2 Squadron in the Battle of France. I’ve found an Eastern Express kit – which, to judge from the presence of the two SOE agents and the style of the aircrew, would seem to be perhaps the old Airfix mould (or a slightly dodgy copy?). I’d rather have tried to find a genuine Airfix version, but hens and teeth spring to mind.
Anyway, I can’t find anywhere on t’interweb a definitive version of the paint scheme. Upper surfaces seem to be dark earth and dark green, but lower/underwing colours seem to vary between black/white or pale grey or Sky Type S. The kit instructions are of no use whatever in terms of paint schemes!
Anyone got any ideas?