Pretty Mediocre Modeller

Quick question for the Mod's/ Admin. Can we only post Airfix Kits in this virtual show, or can we include other manufacturers' made up kits if we don't promote the brand?

And another; 1/72 B-26B Martin Marauder, USAAF /media/tinymce_upload/9d3923f68688b764c71f596ca252789a.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/a57733cad867f40f2fc7200dfd3637d2.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/391177bdb0073a408d13222ff702196b.jpg

Here's an entry for our virtual model show. 1/72 Messerschmidt Bf 109G-6 Italian Air Force /media/tinymce_upload/c2976f581e27438fefd966c11d7e1b16.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/e312808c44ebbcd8f66568d80460831f.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/fc4aae4071c276946c3c7416052bfff1.jpg

I'm Jason! And the troops do look very good!

No drawings, but some photos of the installation. However, the Highball system was fitted to unarmed bomber aircraft, not gun nosed 'planes. When 618 Sqn was sent to Australia with the Highball system, one flight was left behind and re-equipped with the Tsetse Mossies.

Hi All, I would recommend this book for some background into the Tsetse Mosquito, and 618 Squadron's part in introducing it into service, as well their training with Barnes Wallis's 'Highball' anti-ship bouncing bomb. It was written by a navigator who was there./media/tinymce_upload/f179c07ce0c0998b868a9bec53c09ba5.jpg

I would go for the 1/72 Revell Ju-88A-4 rather than the Hasegawa equivalent, as it is much cheaper and almost as good, and the Eduard 1/72 Fw 190 as the trailing edges are much finer than the Airfix one. How about an Airfix 1/72 Do 17Z?

Thanks for the kind comments everyone. The decals seemed to have a continuous film over the entire surface, so each one had to be cut as near to the design as possible. Not as easy as it sounds when there are hundreds of stencils. It was also difficult to get the designs to release from the backing paper. I believe this may have only been for the very first releases of the kit and the decals may have been sorted out later?

Very nice Beaufighter. I believe the lump on the nose was something to do with the autopilot system.

This is an old Airfix kit, with related fit issues, and plenty of rivets. However saying that, it stills builds up nicely with a little work. The decals weren't the best, the white code letters being particularly translucent. /media/tinymce_upload/35363970baceeaf1375542fc40850546.jpg Another manufacturer's P-40C behind, not as good as Airfix's new tool one. /media/tinymce_upload/7d71dabc3b5426f6b67a0990848910b2.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/70a1eae95f87fda83f0994a1f14acbeb.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/a40535b3141ee93dd35ee3ca5a71d4b4.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/b399985e92d45d2db16677fad5078c7d.jpg

This is one of then first kits produced by Airfix under Hornby. The basic shape is suppose to be very good, but the panel lines are pretty deep, the wheel bays are not boxed in, and there is no cockpit detail apart from a genetic seat (not that you can see much through the canopy anyway). It fell together with no problems and looks the part. Decal options are for a Desert Air Force machine, and a Johnnie Johnson 'plane from D-Day, with invasion stripes as decals that need to be cut up to fit. The kit has since been re-released with new decals. There are better Spitfire IX kits out there, but this one was quick, easy and fun. /media/tinymce_upload/442ab2a61d5ff769ff3b468d2cdcf1a8.jpg The blue and white code letters were a little off registration on my example. /media/tinymce_upload/0105f69ea425a6bb1bfc3f48309f0530.jpg How did that FROG Barracuda get into the background? /media/tinymce_upload/9fe107a7b12cec9513d7abbe24c4a605.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/0074a3446ee04e567bc47bdd182416b0.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/d4b4dd0417095e8405de106fb78a1651.jpg That Humbrol Azure Blue looks a little to dark for me!

This kit was built about 8 years ago. Went together fine, and decals good and complete. The panel lines are a little deep, but okay. There are some shape issues according to reviews, but it's close enough for me. The air conditioning vents are missing from behind the cockpit, but I added some from the spares box. I enjoyed the build and added an important Navy type to my collection. /media/tinymce_upload/25639fb3c638c1b4b560a0b8566d078d.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/9fc02631ca054596dd89cda4b3c4fff1.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/72a613dbf4ee4bce81c51206b03721cf.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/7e8fe4467f251fd55ca43a3736f7c7cb.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/b6f3bd1f27296b2294e8253b6fb0e816.jpg

I've been up in my loft again this weekend, and found another box with some made up Airfix kits in it. This batch were constructed about 11 or 12 years ago. First up is the famous Nimrod. I think this was one of the first kits released by Airfix under Hornby, and it was really impressive then, and still would be now. This one was build straight form the box mostly, just some nose aerials added. The scheme is from the Falklands War, based on Ascension Island fitted with Sidewinders to make it the 'World's Largest Fighter'. This was fitted after the crew bumped into an Argentine Boeing 707 over the Atlantic doing the same job as them and all could do was make rude gestures at each other! Unluckily ( or luckily depending on your point of view) no more enemy aircraft were encountered. The model had many options and paint schemes including MR.1, MR.2, MR.2P, R.1 and R.1P, plus full weapons bays. Detail was very good with engraved panel lines and cockpit detail, the only place that could be said to be lacking was detail in the weapons bay, but if it was full of weapons who would notice? If I remember correctly it went together fine, except when it came to the decals, which were a nightmare to get to release from the backing paper. There were literally hundreds of stencils to put, and I stuck to one section a night over about a week to get them all done. This kit would be well worth a re-release, and if you see one for sale snap it up! /media/tinymce_upload/a17304626e26dd7290df82aa66121d82.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/3a414afa89ab00a625b7be0db5cd7c65.jpg This must be one of the only Nimrods to carry nose art. /media/tinymce_upload/b9ebff520201ff38bab8ca83148e57e2.jpg A little weathering was added, referring to photos of actual aircraft. /media/tinymce_upload/08b82e0725638ea025a90a2e81206e95.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/3d36dec87fd4230c6593962b8fb21646.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/409eef237c7047c6537f7f7fe34b28de.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/62508d2ed985e92bd4285017cef0c76d.jpg Close up of weapons bay, showing some of the stores that could be fitted.

There is a dedicated FGR.2 boxing of the Airfix Phantom, with all the correct parts, why not get that? Lots of aftermarket decal sets are available from online retailers such as Hannants.

It looks good when completed! /media/tinymce_upload/17e5ab74f44004c4fcb8e3835673b360.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/8eaa269bd25464ce433ad1e5271a8874.jpg

Nice, you don't see many light aviation kits built up (or even manufactured) in smaller scales.

Sorry I've left this for so long. We've been moving house so posting a build blog was really the last thing on my mind. Anyway the Magister is now completed. It was mostly built out of the box, with the exception of thinning down the wheel doors which were over thick. The cockpit was simple and quick, only needing belts adding from masking tape. /media/tinymce_upload/312e0a3baa021f2a3ce2e8d1465893dd.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/e4473fa12c7286936d53fc9c9d4a4ed4.jpg The airframe went together fairly quickly, only needing a little smear of filler around the wing roots. It would have been nice for Airfix to include something about the required angle for the tailplanes though! The fuselage had rivets which were mostly sanded off, and the canopy was very brittle and did crack in a couple of places. /media/tinymce_upload/84a6772aa3840bcd9232619187ca134c.jpg For a kit well over 40 years old, some of the smaller parts are very fine and well done such as pitots, tail bumper wheel and nose aerials. After sanding down the seems it was time for an undercoat of gloss black then a top coat of aluminium paint, all brush painted. Three coats were needed. Then masking off the nose for the day-glow orange panel. The tail panel was done by painting a section of clear decal and cutting to size. As the day-glow does not cover well I use an undercoat of white, then yellow and finally 3 coats of the orange. /media/tinymce_upload/f5a1f87d220daa3cc8b92842f461ba81.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/4349cf0eb719d420a33d366ecfdb0df5.jpg The wheel wells were painted a light buff, following the instructions from Modeldecal, not Airfix. /media/tinymce_upload/ab9868e46d7cb0787e63cd09327d20c3.jpg All ready for the Modeldecals after a coat of Klear. /media/tinymce_upload/f04af831ff50b30162635bbe0cbfe538.jpg And now the finished article. /media/tinymce_upload/65878b3213c85f7f5c0f08a8db91e2da.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/7650df30c30af87b126751b38b0f90d4.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/1471ab7bc6b5bfb09542b9649ae53b4d.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/1f0d951e6304b04251fb9f63f671e4a4.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/061524c5aa015c6eaba6190f25a94751.jpg Altogether a great little kit for it's age, with loads of markings options available from the aftermarket. If I was to build another it would be a camouflaged Israeli one.

Very nice. Almost temped to get one myself, it is sort of an aviation related topic isn't it?

I'd buy at least two in 1/72 scale, one Battle of France and one British Mohawk in India/Burma markings.

I'd buy at least two in 1/72 scale, one Battle of France and one British Mohawk in India/Burma markings.

Bit harsh to judge present day Airfix on this kit. It was first released in 1967, and was last released in 2011, since when Hornby has changed management team. If you want to know a bit about a kit before buying it have a quick look at Scalemates or just Google a review of the kit. By the way there is a better 1/72 Helldiver available by another maker starting with 'A'.

I second the ground support set for the 'V' bombers Ratch, with the proviso that it should contain 'Blue Steel' handling vehicle. Also would like to see Avro Manchester, Fairey Battle and Lincoln. The Gannet AEW 3 is available from another manufacturer in 1/72 A new tool bomber nose Canberra in 1/72 1/72 Skua, Roc, Firefly and Sea Gladiator (slight mod/ extra sprue for current Gladiator kit, so Malta aircraft can be produced) 1/72 Javelin 1/72 Jaguar 1/72 Scout, Wasp, Whirlwind (helicopter)

Over the Christmas period I started this old tool kit as a quick project. I think it first came out around 1974-1975, but on the whole the detail is pretty good. The cockpit consists of a main tub, with integral non-ejection seats, to which are added control sticks and instrument panels with moulded detail. The main wheel wells also have moulded in detail. The rest of the parts are nicely moulded, apart from the rivets around the nose and tail./media/tinymce_upload/9497d4546585daac84b205c700cf280d.jpg Box art showing an Irish display aircraft. /media/tinymce_upload/1d1486ef447dbfdb6ee4202d06140d0c.jpg Painting guide for Irish and Belgium camouflaged versions, plus decals by Cartograph with plenty of stencils. However I will be going back to the plane's basics and using an old Modeldecal sheet for a French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) machine. /media/tinymce_upload/4280b3663941c2b9804050f3e855ccdc.jpg That's it for now, I'll post again soon when some progress has been made.

I've also been down to the Hobbycraft Black Friday event and picked up a Revell 1/72 Eurofighter Typhoon.

Yes Colin, really enjoyed this kit, I will be making another sometime.