LeonF

I've got a small but growing collection of 1/72 vehicles which make a nice change of pace and a different challenge from the usual 1/72 aircraft or 1/35 AFVs that dominate my shelves. I add them if happen to stumble across a cheap box on my travels and hide them away for those days when lack of mojo might be fighting the urge to start a more complex build. Built the Airfix F2B years ago, complete with rigging and a little extra detail. Was so happy to find another after a long gap. However its in the very pretty Special Edition box and I'm reluctant to anything more than fondle the cardboard (much as with the Sopwith Pup I bought a week earlier). Will keep my eye out for another though which might actually make it to the bench...maybe. What I want to find is a DH Moth so I can do a minor mod and paint in alternative markings. Typical they have disappeared from my local sellers in the last few months. One day...

Kits are out there, just not always where you expect or in decent numbers. Up until recently (within the last year) I've heard of kits on sale in Aldi, Lidl, Sainsburys, Debenhams, B&M TKMaxx, Hobbycraft, The Works, 'gadget shops' (I forget the names but there's 2 in my city centre), and available not only in my local Model/Hobby shop but also RC and Railway oriented shops too. On top of this there's museum shops and other heritage sites that I've heard hold varying amounts. I'm also lucky in having a market stall with pre-owned kits and have also seen several in charity shops and carboot sales. Many of these however are of the low volume sales type and you may not be in all stores all the time - eg Aldi are essentially for 1 week only, TheWorks are very store dependent, and TKMaxx are almost random. What has disappeared is the longer term mass sell-off of cheap stock as Hornby have cut back on the concessions and wholesale deals. Even my local Hobby Shop seems to have fewer offers. They still have a dedicated bench with a selection of reduced kits and a display shelf for larger individual boxes on offer, but stumbling across markdowns on the main shelves is becoming rare.

In an attempt to move this thread back on track (no pun intended Trainiacs) Thursday ...Airfix P-51D starter ...Airfix Airborne Jeep starter Saturday ...Airfix F2B 'Special Edition' ...Revell Fairey Gannet T5 Sunday ...Airfix Airborne Jeep x2 6 in 4 days - well it is approaching Xmas! And so many Jeeps? I'm planning a 'same but different' trio.

Finally got around to sorting out the pile of purchases from the last few weeks. In no particular order: Airfix Gnat T1 (1/72) Special Hobby Gnat F1 'British' Airfix A6M2b Airfix Tucan (RA+F limited edition) Airfix A-4B/P Skyhawk Airfix Sopwith Pup 'special edition' Airfix Gladiator J-8A/Mk.II Tamiya LRDG Chevrolet 30cwt truck Revell I-153 Academy P-39Q/N I'm especially happy with the Pup in its nice Special Edition box. Not seen one for ages and bought it as one of my rare 'deep stash' kits that I'm truly reluctant to build. Fingers crossed the matching F2B will still be available next weekend.

Airfix A010731:72 Grumman Widgeon/Gosling Thought I had better grab one before the old bird (really old - 1959) was consigned permanently to the history books. Now to carefully hide it away until it gets its turn on the bench.

I walked past multiple Lightnings, Ignored the 13x Sea Furys Blanked the 4x Mitchells Snubbed 6x Dakotas And gave a cold shoulder to numerous other Aviation, AFV, Seaborne and Sci-fi subjects. Finally decided upon a simple 1/72 A01006 Airfix Gnat - its not even the new 'film star' box, tho I was tempted! ...sadly we can't always gave a 'big spend' weekend.

Purchases from the last few weeks have been piling up but I've finally gotten around to sorting them. The new arrivals are a real mixed bag... Airfix 1/72 Hawk 81-A-2 Hasegawa 1/72 F-104G 'World Star Fighter' Hasegawa 1/72 AH-64A AV-06 Prototype & Early production Tamiya 1/48 Kurogane Type 95 4x4 Light Vehicle

Went to my local store with a quick shopping list... Airfix Jackal - sold in the week since my last visit despite sitting on the shelf for at least 3 months! Airfix Swordfish Floatplane - same problem with it dissappearing. So instead I grabbed a 1/48 Hobbyboss T-34/76 model 1942 factory 112.

Just a quick short list (as the true wishlist which is rather longer). WW1 - New tanks, Camel and F2B (I was hoping for 2018 anniversaries but hey ho!) Between wars - Avro 504 (obviously could also be backdated). Bulldog, Fury, Hart family. WW2 - LCM (to proper 1/72), Sherman (also for the LCM) Hurricane II or IV (double appeal with accuracy for older modellers, and bombs/rockets/big boom sticks for younger ones). Meteor I (which then covers up to Mk.IV), Aichi Val (which was noticeably absent from the Pearl Harbor sets)., Mid/late P-40s, pointy tail B-17s... Postwar - Single seat Vampires (dare I ask for NFs?) small scale Meteors, ASW Seakings, small Javelin, ...and that's just the tip of the iceberg, ... Finally as ships and vehicles have been barely whispered how about new WW2 small boats and Airfield vehicles that could do with new 21at century moulds.