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Pretty Mediocre Modeller

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Posts posted by Pretty Mediocre Modeller

  1. That red band has a very interesting story behind it.

    The story goes that the commanding officer of JG53, Greschwaderkommodore Oberstleutnant Hans-Jurgen von Cramon-Taubadel, wanted to marry a Jewish lady, which was frowned on heavily by the powers that be, who advised that the move would not do his career much good. He married her anyway, and as a punishment Goring, in a rage order a red ring painted around the cowling, obliterating the unit marking of the 'Pik-A' as a punishment. To show their annoyance at this, the Greschwader then painted out the 'crooked cross' on the tail! after a few months all was forgotten, the red band went and the 'Pik-A' returned, as did the unmentionable tail marking. when white 5 was shot down at Manston it did have the tail sign removed/ painted over, so you don't need to find a replacement in the spares box!

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  2. from a modelling and peace time point of view I prefer the Typhoon, more interesting markings and special markings, as well as colourful squadron markings, and a nicer, more interesting aeroplane to look at shape wise. However, for a war mission, if I were the pilot, I would rather go in the more advanced F-35, as it would be more survivable (allegedly). You also have the fun of STOVL performance, and operating off aircraft carriers!

  3. 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.

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  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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?

  8. 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.

  9. 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!

    • Thanks 1
  10. 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!

  11. 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?

  12. 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!

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. I was hasty and could not wait for the RAF version, so I bought the Royal Navy version (initial release). So my question is how do I convert it to an RAF version? I'm already helped by comonents B3 and B4. but what else do I need to do other tan put RAF markingson it?

     

     

    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).

  16. 1/48 Lancaster Bomber

    1/24 Lancaster Bomber

    Beverley Blackburn

     

     

    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?!

  17. My wishlist ise-mail

    1/72 scale.

    DH Venom (All Marks)
    DH Vampire NF.10
    Gloster Meteor PR.10
    Supermarine Spitfire FR.XVIII.
    Avro Lincoln.
    Vickers Varsity.
    Westland Wessex HC.2 Helicopter.
    Avro Shackleton MR.I conversion.

     

     

    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

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