Pretty Mediocre Modeller

Is it the acrylic or the enamel paint? Try stirring it more to make sure there are no lumps left, if it is still too thick then you can thin it with water for the acrylic or enamel thinners, but be sure to stir it again.

I think a Horsa would probably be Humbrol 78 British Interior Green, which is a slightly greyer green than the American Interior Green (Humbrol 226), which is more yellow hued. American aircraft in British service would have been left in the American green inside. There are other variations of the interior green, such as the Grumman interior green, which was a more bronze green colour.

Thanks Jeff, You've got me reading 'HMS Ulysses' yet again! Love your conversion, Maclean's book does give a pretty detailed description of the ship, including paint scheme, and I think you have it spot on. You should make the other 13 escorts of the group now, and the 'Hipper' class cruiser from the final act.

It always struck me as mad that the Airfix vintage airfield accessories where 1/76, such as the control tower, RAF emergency set, refueling set, recovery set, and 4 sets of ground crew figures, when it is obvious that modellers will only be using them to support 1/72 aircraft models. Who at Airfix thought 1/76 was a good idea for these? Tell you what Airfix, why not retool them all to 1/72, watch them fly off the shelves.

As only the prototype actually flew, you can go to town with whatever you want for a what if. How about 60's BOAC or BEA, or an RAF airlifter in tactical camo with red, white, blue roundles? The overseas options are endless.

Like the Benbow conversion. I don't know much about warships, but maybe if it had been actually done a catapult might have replaced the Q turret, with a Walrus, to give some form of aircover to the convoy?

Some great work going on here Jeff. I don't build ship kits, but do find it interesting. If you were to to have some 'in progress' shots of your next conversion, I'm sure we would all be interested. Do you use scale plans, or guesstimate the dimensions?

Interesting list Susanna, I think that I agree with all. However, Revell do a Ju 88A-1 in 1/72, Special Hobby do an Albacore, Arma do a new P-39, and a good Lysander in 1/72 is available from Dora Wings. But, as they say, Airfix don't get anything from someone else selling a kit, so please make all these Airfix.

Latest from over Christmas Academy 1/72 F-8E Crusader Academy 1/72 F-22A Raptor Airfix 1/72 WWII USAAF bomber Re-supply Set

If the only difference between the two is one number on the serial they may well include the number separately. Otherwise, it's won't be too difficult to get a '6' from the spares box or a generic aftermarket set.

I think the releases are better than last years announcements. Interested in the B-24H, and the Chinook (although the Chinook in my collection is already marked as Bravo November, so may have to wait for the next release). also interested in the Gladiator with Norwegian markings, the Beaufort Ia, the starter set Bf 109F, and the rerelease of the BF109E (I live 5 minutes from manston where this one came down). And here was me wanting to reduce my stash this year!

Hi All, If you are not aware, there is a New Year's Sale on with Airfix at the moment. I think the best thing on there is the game 'Blood Red Skies - Battle of Britain', it's reduced from £69.99 to £19.99. Even if you are not interested in the game, you get 2 x 1/72 Spitfire Mk.I and 2 x 1/72 Bf.109E kits, which work out at only a fiver each!

68 grams, those gear legs are going to be taking the strain a bit! Wonder if anyone does a cast metal replacement leg set?

Is it a guessing game? I'm going for the Airfix Beaufort, and an issue with the wing root having a sink mark that Alejandro isn't happy with? Do I get a prize?

Great build Ratch, Did you have any issues with those spinner decals, they look like a problem waiting to happen!? When I do mine, it's going to have to be the one with the massive cannon sticking out the front, I mean, it would be rude not to!

Hi Paul71, Interesting that you mentioned that on some the white stripe is wider than the black. On the two images that show this both are on Typhoons, each with 3 slim black stripes and 3 wide white stripes. These are not D-day markings, they are a recognition marking applied to Typhoons up to sometime in early 1944, to distinguish them from Fw190s. From D-Day the Typhoons would receive normal D-Day stripes. As a rule of thumb, if the Typhoon has a 3 bladed prop and/or 'Car Door' entrance, it is pre D-Day, even if it has the unusual stripes. These would have been put on at the factory and be neatly done.

How about filling those Bomber Command Gaps in 1/72 Fairey Battle B.I (Please, please, please!) Hampden B.I Avro Manchester (Just new wings needed for your current Lancaster kit) Halifax (Merlin powered) Stirling

If you are building an RAF FG.1 from 43 or 111 Squadron, you don't need to do much. If you are building a FGR.2 (19, 23, 29, 56, 64, 92, and for the last year of operations 74 squadron) you will need to modify the nose wheel leg so it only has one linkage, not two, and sand the slots off the tailplane. Also use the blanks instead of the catapult hook parts behind the intake undersides (small almost triangular inserts). RAF Phantoms (FGR.2s) did not have the nose cone that folded fully back. It will depend on the timeframe you are modelling whether you use the reinforced underside plate or not, and the fin with the RWR box on top or not. Don't use the rocket pods from the kit, as they were Navy only version. You should be okay with the bombs (early RAF Phantoms only), Sparrows and AIM-9D Sidewinders (Although latter in their careers RAF Phantoms used AIM-9L and Skyflash missiles).

I know that there are already 1/48 and 1/32 kits of the Lancaster, but 1/24? Who has room to display that, it would be 87.5 cm long and 129cm wide?!

I would buy all of those. Add an Avro Manchester and York as well so we can do the Lancaster line all the way through

Hi Randell, Is that the Airfix or Valom kit? I'm guessing Valom due to the squared off wingtips. Good job whichever it is.

Hi Ratch, Could that underwing aerial not be fitted at the end of the build, as I suspect it's going to get knocked off again several times while you finish painting and decalling!

Yes, good save. Bet you won't make that mistake again!

Hi inkpen, The Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, London, used to have the centre section (cockpit, and wings out to the U/C legs) of a A6M5-52 on display, and this still had the legs and wheels attached. This is still in its very worn original paint. It was operated after the war by a British/ American unit called ATAIU/SEA (Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit - South East Asia). The legs are semi gloss black, which is easy to see, but I remember inspecting the inside of the doors and U/C bays and seeing traces of the Aotake colour. The centre section is now on display at Duxford I believe. Hope that helped.

Nice job Ratch! Looks like a great kit, I'm tempted. Airfix are certainly loving the Fleet Air Arm fans out there in 1/48 scale lately.