Pretty Mediocre Modeller

Thanks for the comments Ken, and the information. I've searched on the internet and found a photo of the machine I'm modelling with one all over extra dark sea grey tank, and one where the front 2/3 are in EDSG and the rear 1/3 is in a different shade of the grey, with a white underside, a case of cut and shut I think! Anyway that will add a bit of interest. Very nice build Matthias, good diorama as well.

The fuselage halves went together with no issues, then the tailfin and tailplanes went on, also without any trouble or filler needed. To save any detail being lost on the spine when it comes to sanding, this part is a separate insert, but it didn't fit that well, and needed some filling and sanding around the edges, which lost some minor detail. Also note that that there are two tailfins provided, with or without the fin top box, and blade aerials on the side. However, later Navy Phantoms had the box on top, but were missing the blade aerials. It's much easier to remove the aerials from the later fin than to add the RWR box to the earlier, so that's what I did. By the way, the tailplanes can be positioned level for normal flight, or angled down for take off. The under fuselage and inner wing stub panel was then added, this was a pretty bad fit under the cockpit section, seen in the photo below.

Hi All, I've posted a build review of this kit once before when it was first released, when I built it as a 43 sqn machine in low viz grey, all folded up with the radar exposed. However that review no longer has any photos, so I thought I'd do another for this build, though not as detailed. This time round I'm going to use the kit decals, with a little twist. On the sprues the plastic looks very good, with indented panel lines that aren't too excessive, rivet detail, full intake trunking, and lots of options for weapons fit, and general configuration (flats, slats, nosewheel etc). However there are a few mistakes, including missing the vents on the top and bottom of the intakes, a strake on both sides of the underwing drop tanks, when it should only be on one side, and the painting instructions having the tanks all over dark sea grey, when I think they were 50/50 grey and white undersides. I started with the cockpit, which went together well. The seats are several parts each, including separate pads, with moulded on belts, and decals for the instruments, but no aircrew, even though inflight and launch configuration are options. The fully assembled tube then went into one of the fuselage halves, the fit was fine.

Completely agree, lots of markings, special schemes, warpaint etc.

To add to my Vietnam collection.

Good to hear that your experience was positive in the end. I've always found Airfix customer service pretty good and fair.

At the last Hornby Factory Sale I went to in Margate there was a big box of bagged Pucara kits, no box, instructions or decals, being sold off cheap, and no takers (apart from me), so if they still have them, maybe a chance of a limited release?

Watched last nights episode on the Mosquito. Found it really interesting, the designer, Paramjit Sembhi, seems a really dedicated guy, and a good modeller to boot. Also interesting when one of his colleagues said that Paramjit would have put even more detail in, but the kit would have ended up costing too much. Just a shame that they scanned an ex target tug aircraft and no one noticed the bomb doors and fairing. Maybe Airfix will include a small addendum sprue with the corrected parts like they did for the Martlet in future? Anyway, here's hoping that Paramjit gets to design a lot more 1/72 aircraft.

Really as the BOAC one is a what if you can paint the wings any colour that suits.

The first kit I remember receiving and building with my Dad was the German Reconnaissance Set, in about 1975. Latest Airfix kit brought and build is the new tool 1/72 Mosquito B.XVI

They may not have a 1/72 Hunter, but they do have one in 1/48, available in the markings on the actual Hunter they intend to display I believe! Also Corgi have had a Diecast Hunter in 1/72 available, not sure if it's current though. The real Hunter is being restored by the Manston History Museum Group, in a hanger on the nearby former Manston airfield (sadly now being used as an overflow lorry park). Recently the RAF fire school closed down and several airframes where saved, including a Buccaneer, and about 30 foot of a Nimrod's forward fuselage to the Manston Museum, A F-4J(UK) Phantom F.3 to a group who already have a Phantom FGR.2 and the Raspberry Ripple Phantom FG.1 (This is visible from the road that runs through the airfield, outside the big hanger), and a Tornado F.3 which has gone to a museum in Sunderland. The Manston History Museum, and next door Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum are well worth a visit if you are in the area, as is the Hornby Visitors Centre which is only a mile or two away.

My Wildcat is still ongoing. Not a bad kit, nice detail, but the undercarriage is much to complicated and fiddly.

I saw posted somewhere that Airfix will not be attending Telford this year.

Last weekend's Skyraider is now completed, this weekend there is a Arma FM-2 wildcat on the bench.

Here's what was on my workbench the weekend, didn't quite finish it, still got a bit of weathering and the centreline tank to attach. Hasegawa Douglas A-1H Skyraider 1/72. Bombs from the spares box as Hasegawa never include them.

How about in 1/72, a new tool Fairey Battle, Fulmar, Albacore, Barracuda and Firefly and a Blackburn Skua, they would all fit into Airfix's current way of thinking. Oh yeah, and I might have mentioned before, but 1/72 scale Manchester and Lincoln!

Apart from the photo orientation, it looks like you did a good job for only your second kit. For painting parts like the the exhausts on kits, it may be a good idea to check out images of real aircraft on the internet to get an idea of the correct colour.

If you can get an Airfix VC10 (RAF Refueler), the conversion will be a bit more involved I'm afraid, I built one a while ago. First off about two thirds of the passenger windows have been filled in, so you will need to either open them up or fill the remaining and use a decal. Next there is a refuelling station on the underside of the fuselage, which will require a fair bit of work to remove. Also if you want to represent a production aircraft there are some other modifications needed, as the model was based on the prototype aircraft. First there is a large wing fence missing from inboard each wing, then the flight deck eyebrow windows are missing, and the most difficult is the engine mounts, these go to the centre of the engine pod, but on production aircraft the mount joined at the top of the pod, and the engine sort of hung below. Maybe be easier to go back to R . . . n, who produce a more modern super VC10 kit.

It must be about time someone did a Tornado GR.4 in 1/72, there are many Tornado GR.1 but no GR.4 kits ( apart from one Airfix did from their GR.1, which wasn't that good). while I'm at it, why not make the moulds so that the original type bomber and the F.3 fighter can be made? Maybe even the F.2, no one's ever done that one.

Thanks Ken. Whatever that lump is on the side, it's a pain getting the decals to sit straight over it!

All now completed. The main undercarriage was a little fiddly to get in place, but no real worries. The main canopy needed fettling to sit down right, but the separate side blister panels went in perfectly and cannot been seen a addons unless you look really closely. This was a very enjoyable kit to build, and I'd give it an 8/10. It would be a 9/10 if the 4,00 pounder was included, and a 10/10 if not for those mistakes with the bomb doors and fairing.

And the underside

Quick update. after a couple of coats of gloss, the decals went on. As usual with Cartograph these went on with no issues (apart from the code letter 'K' sitting straight over the cable duct on the starboard side). Now just a matt coat, weathering, and adding the last few bits and bobs to finish.