Ratch

Getting near to the finish line now. I like the way the transparencies are all fitted from the exterior. I run the G-S Hypo Cement around the aperture. The instructions with the glue advise to allow the glue to become tacky before marrying the parts. This works very well as it holds the clear part while I manipulate it into position, and the joint is seamless. I did lose one clear piece to the Carpet Monster, which pinged from my tweezers into the ether. I cut a piece from clear plastic sheet to replace this. The boarding ladder solves the tail-sitting problem. The teardrop aerial thing had also gone missing from the frame. I thought I heard something ping off a frame last week, but did not know what it was, and couldn’t see anything immediately. Luckily, I had a spare from an Academy B-17 which I used to replace it. The Loran aerial behind the forward astrodome is a piece of short, thin rod, and the Rebecca aerials were from my spares box. I have several pieces left over on the frames, which indicate to me that further variants will be issued in the future. As far as this build is concerned, all is done. Summary: I have to say I have enjoyed this journey, even the terrifying bits. As we have come to expect from Airfix, the design team have done an excellent job. The build is cleverly and innovatively designed. My only gripe is the restricted space in which to add weight and prevent tail-sitting. Although the schemes offered did not interest me, and I chose to represent an aircraft that is of relevance to me, everything is OOB except for a few omissions and the addition of the nose glazing, Rebecca aerials, and teardrop blisters from spares. Serials were from a Ventura sheet. I used Vallejo, Humbrol, and Revell acrylics. Thanks to Airfix for supplying the sample, it deserves to sell well.

I applied the few decals needed on this subject using Microset and Microsol decal solutions. I used the stars’n’bars and propeller markings from the kit. Serials were from a Ventura sheet.

Thanks James. The shadow disruptive green needed another coat of paint. I then removed the masking to reveal some bleed, which required touch-ups to the paintwork.

With the door open, decal #1 needs to be cut. It would be better if this decal was already split. I try to measure and cut precisely to match decal positions. I anticipate some touching up will be needed and hope it will blend seamlessly with the decals. One side is done.

Moving on to the turret assemblies, I made up all the turrets, even those I will not be using just to see how they go together. I used G-S Hypo Cement to fix the transparencies. I replaced the canopy side windows with blisters then hand painted the canopy and turret framing. The unused turrets will go into spares. I fitted the canopy then sprayed with Klear in preparation for the decals.

Some time ago, on one of the Sprue Talk episodes, Dale remarked that decal sheets are a major proportion of the cost price. You only have to look at the prices of after-market decal sheets on the Hannants site to the that this price is about average. The kit is obviously to be issued without decals to keep the price down for the casual modeller who might pick one up on holiday, visiting an RNLI Station. For serious modellers who might wish to model a particular craft, this sheet is available. No-one is forced to buy it. The choice is down to us, the modellers.

Michael.Clegg1 day ago Comments facebook twitter Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. If there’s one subject which has accompanied the Airfix brand throughout 72 years of scale model kit production, that subject surely has to be our association with the Supermarine Spitfire. Arguably the most famous aircraft type ever to take to the skies, the Spitfire is unquestionably an icon of Britain’s aviation heritage and as such, also has the honour of being the first scale aircraft subject ever produced by Airfix, so consequently also plays a significant role in our own heritage. Since that first release, Spitfires of various marks and in several different scales have graced many an Airfix range, and with them, becoming arguably the single most important subject in the history of Airfix. In this latest edition of Workbench, we will be continuing our proud association with the Supermarine Spitfire by placing the blog spotlight on our latest 1/72nd scale tribute to this famous fighter, a kit which as a modelling project is unrivalled in both value and subject interest, when it comes to the appeal it possesses. Taking this opportunity to look a little more closely into the subject of early marks of Spitfire, we will also be featuring the beautiful new box artwork produced in support of this impending release, in addition to looking at the historic scheme details included with the kit, an aircraft which was the mount of one of the RAF’s most inspirational fighter leaders. This is a fabulous little kit and one which demands not to be overlooked. We would even be bold enough to say that as far as a small Airfix kit is concerned, this one is an absolute classic. As we will be spending some time with early marks of Spitfire in this latest edition of Workbench, you won’t be surprised to hear that our first post of call is the famous old military airfield at Duxford. First Spitfires arrive at RAF Duxford This famous, restored early Spitfire is pictured at Duxford airfield and is the aircraft which was flown by Squadron Leader Geoffrey Stephenson during the air operations covering the Dunkirk evacuations in May 1940, but crash landed on the beach at Sangatte. We will be hearing more about this aircraft a little later. When the team charged with designing and producing a cutting-edge new fighter aeroplane to defend Britain’s airspace during the mid 1930s set about their task, none of them could have imagined they would be playing their part in also creating an aviation phenomenon which would still be familiar to millions of people almost a century later. They did have access to extensive knowledge, experience and a unique pedigree in producing world leading racing aeroplanes, but what they were working on was a new monoplane fighter the like of which had never previously been seen, a genuine technological leap in aviation terms. Despite all the many accolades the Supermarine Spitfire would go on to earn, its development was born out of the failure of its immediate predecessor, an aircraft which does possess more than a few visual similarities to the Spitfire, but served only as a technological stepping stone on the way to aviation greatness, the Supermarine Type 224. Developed in response to an RAF specification requirement for a new day fighter, the Type 224 may have been powered by a Rolls Royce Goshawk II engine, but its ungainly fixed spatted undercarriage and gull wings only gave it a relatively modest performance. Ultimately, the Type 224 would lose out to the Gloster Gladiator, but this failure only served to spur on the Supermarine design team, who broke away from the constraints of Air Ministry requirements and started work on a fighter design they felt could present the RAF with a world leading new aircraft, one which would turn the very pages of aviation history in the process. When Supermarine's chief test pilot Joseph 'Mutt' Summers took off from Eastleigh Aerodrome at 4.35 in the afternoon on Thursday 5th March 1936 in the company's new Type 300 fighter, he would have no doubt been impressed with the performance of this powerful new monoplane fighter. What he couldn't have imagined was how this aircraft would go on to become arguably the most famous aircraft type the world would ever know, future developments of which would still be in frontline service more than ten years later, after serving throughout another World War. He would certainly not have known that Supermarine's new fighter would go on to captivate the world so completely that restored examples of this fledgling fighter would still be gracing world skies almost a century later. Too handsome to fight? The Spitfire may have been beautiful to look at, but this was a deadly fighting aeroplane, one designed to dominate the skies. During a brief eight-minute maiden flight, where the main undercarriage wasn’t even retracted and under the full gaze of the nation’s media, when test pilot Mutt Summers landed back at Eastleigh and taxied back to his handling team, it was reputed that he barked, ‘I don’t want anything touched!’, so pleased was he with the performance of the aircraft, or so history would have us believe. It’s never been definitively ascertained what he actually meant by this now famous statement, but as the Spitfire went on to become such an aviation icon and possessed stellar performance, should we even allow the truth to get in the way of a great Spitfire story? What followed over the next few months was an exhaustive period of testing, perfecting and refining of the new aircraft, where the Supermarine team not only attempted to coax every ounce of performance from their new fighter, but also prepare it for mass production and its subsequent acceptance into Royal Air Force service. An order for 310 fighters was placed prior to the first flight of the prototype aircraft, however, even though its future seemed assured as a result, a slow initial rate of production frustrated the Air Ministry to the point where they seriously considered halting the program, but were persuaded otherwise by Supermarine with the promise of new production facilities. As we all now know, the Supermarine Type 300 was eventually given the name ‘Spitfire’ and with it, embarked on a glittering service career which began with delivery of the first production aircraft to RAF No.19 Squadron at Duxford on 4th August 1938. At that time, No.19 Squadron were operating the RAF’s current front line fighter aircraft, the Gloster Gauntlet biplane and as the first Spitfire touched down on the grass strip at Duxford, those pilots who had not seen a Spitfire before, including the Auxiliary Force pilots of No.616 Squadron who were on their summer camp at that time, must have marvelled at this this thing of aviation beauty, if secretly being a little nervous about taking one into the air – it was just so different. Currently still in the Airfix range, this is our 1/72nd scale Spitfire kit finished in the scheme option of an aircraft lost over France during a fighter sweep on 23rd May 1940, prior to the start of the Battle of Britain. No.19 Squadron would receive further Spitfires at a rate of approximately one new aircraft each week until taking the notable accolade of becoming the first operational Squadron in the Royal Air Force to be equipped with this incredible new fighter aircraft. As already mentioned, they had previously been operating the Gloster Gauntlet biplane fighter and whilst this was an extremely capable fighting aeroplane in its own right, it could hardly have been more different to a Spitfire. This biplane fighter featured an open cockpit, fixed undercarriage and a radial engine which propelled the fighter to a then impressive 230 mph. The new Spitfire was a sleek, fast monoplane design, with a fully enclosed cockpit, retractable undercarriage and eight wing mounted machine guns. Significantly, it was over 130 mph faster than their previous fighter, representing a quantum leap in aviation performance terms, and posing more than a few challenges for the unit’s young pilots who would soon be converting to the Spitfire. Incredibly, despite the fact that the Spitfire was a significant challenge for Duxford’s young pilots, that subsequent conversion proved extremely efficient with few incidents and the first accidental loss of a new fighter only taking place on 20th September 1938. By the outbreak of war, it’s estimated that the RAF had just over 300 Spitfires in service, with around 70 held in reserve and over 2,000 still on order. An aircraft which was a sight to behold and too attractive to be sullied by the horrors of war, the Spitfire would prove as deadly as it was beautiful and would be instrumental in defending Britain in her darkest hour of need. Early Spitfires – Constantly improving a thoroughbred Airfix box artwork has always served as inspiration for model build projects and where Spitfires are concerned, we don’t need too much encouragement to return to this subject once more. Following the service introduction of the first Spitfires, the aircraft would benefit from a host of modifications and improvements not only throughout its subsequent production run, but also retrospectively to those aircraft already in service. The changes were all intended to make the aircraft more combat capable and to glean every last ounce of power from the fighter’s Merlin engine, which was similarly subjected to constant development. The first Spitfires arriving at RAF Duxford in August 1938 were fitted with a twin-bladed fixed pitch propeller made of wood, a unit which whilst being effective, was a unit which limited the performance of the Merlin engine, in the same way that fitting a bicycle with just a single gear is less than ideal. From around the 80th production aircraft onwards, this first propeller was exchanged for a de Havilland three bladed, two pitch (position) propeller, which significantly enhanced the performance of the aircraft. This essentially allowed the aircraft to be configured for the challenging landing and take-off phases of flight, but then once in the air and increasing speed, alter the propeller pitch to obtain maximum performance from the engine. Modifications were not just directed towards the performance of the fighter, but also to more effective operation of the Spitfire in general service/combat situations. The original ‘flat’ canopy which was a feature of the first Spitfires was replaced with a taller canopy, one which also featured ‘blown’ sides to allow for much improved visibility for the pilot. Later still, a quick release mechanism was introduced to the canopy design, making it easier for a pilot to exit the fighter in case of emergency. Initially a manual and bespoke modification, many pilots fitted a car mirror to the canopy frame in an attempt to give them some rearward vision when engaged in aerial combat. When the aircraft was operating at higher altitudes, it was discovered that the Spitfire’s guns had a tendency to freeze due to condensation, so small heaters were subsequently installed in the wings, and gun port openings were covered with fabric patches prior to each mission, something which prevented any debris being ingested into the guns prior to them being fired. It was also discovered that early Spitfires were vulnerable to sustaining damage from even small calibre ammunition, and if struck in a vital component, would immediately be out of action. Further upgrades addressed this vulnerability, with the fitting of an armoured windscreen and additional armour protection for the engine, fuel tanks and pilot, along with a self-sealing coating for the fuel tanks. Undergoing almost constant development, the Spitfire would serve throughout the Second World War, with successive upgrades enabling it to remain at the forefront of world fighter capability. Later production Mk.I Spitfires were supplied with the Rolls Royce Merlin III powerplant, a three bladed de Havilland constant speed propeller and even greater armour protection for the pilot, however, there was still one aspect of the Spitfire’s combat performance where it lagged behind that of its Luftwaffe adversary, and that was firepower. The Messerschmitt Bf 109E was equipped with a powerful 20mm cannon and in most cases, a single hit from one of these shells was enough to bring down any British fighter, even one which benefitted from all the latest modifications. In order to redress this imbalance, a number of Spitfires were equipped with a pair of wing mounted Hispano 20mm cannons and a reduced armament of four Browning .303 machine guns. Whilst this should have given cannon armed Spitfires a combat advantage, operation of the more powerful guns proved to be extremely problematic, with the guns constantly jamming and when they did, leaving that Spitfire with just a reduced number of standard machine guns. The situation proved so dire that some pilots refused to fly the cannon armed Spitfires, even instructing ground crews to restore the original armament configuration of their fighters. Airfix and the Spitfire are inextricably linked. No matter what the scale, Spitfires are always amongst the most popular releases in any Airfix range. These concerns were immediately relayed back to Vickers Supermarine and the situation proved serious enough that production of cannon armed Spitfires was halted until a solution could be found, with ‘working’ cannon armed Spitfires only entering squadron service in late 1940. The subject of the first cannon armed Spitfires did create something of a mark identification dilemma in the years which followed the end of the Second World War, and particularly for the scale modeller looking to replicate one of these aircraft. It has to be remembered that these changes were being trialled and implemented at a time of war and possibly during a period where Britain was at her most vulnerable. Although there doesn’t appear to be any definitive official reference to confirm how and when these differently armed Spitfires were re-designated, following the introduction of the cannon armed Spitfires, these aircraft were given the designation Spitfire Mk.Ib and subsequently, fighters still equipped with the standard eight Browning machine gun configuration were referred to as Spitfire Mk.Ia variants. Production of the Mk.I machines would continue throughout the Battle of Britain and on to the end of 1940, with 1,517 aircraft of this mark eventually being produced, however, a new variant of Spitfire was under development and was close to being introduced. Spitfire re-introduction. A Battle of Britain pairing of some repute Beautiful new Spitfire artwork, this image has been produced in support of the forthcoming release of our 1/72nd scale Spitfire kit, an aircraft which was the mount of one of the Battle of Britain’s most celebrated fighter leaders. Although the introduction of the Spitfire proved to be one of the most important developments in the history of British aviation, it would be the fighter’s performance during the Battle of Britain which cemented its enduring legacy and the colloquial title as the airborne ‘Saviour of the Nation’. As we all now know, this was not an entirely accurate assessment of the Battle of Britain situation and overlooked the significant contribution Hawker Hurricane equipped squadrons made to the outcome of the battle, even though it does help to illustrate how the Spitfire was already attracting something of a legendary status. Pilots who flew both the Spitfire and Hurricane usually have great affection for both aircraft types, but would typically speak about the Spitfire in something of a poetic manner, describing it as a beautiful aeroplane to fly and a machine with few vices, if any. For those pilots converting to the Spitfire from biplane fighters however, this transition was a significant one and without access to a two-seat training variant of the aircraft, the only way you could find out if you had what it took to tame the Spitfire was when you took one into the air for the first time. Much faster than anything they had flown previously (with the obvious exception of the Hurricane), the Spitfire had an enclosed cockpit, retractable undercarriage and was notoriously difficult to handle whilst on the ground, with the aircraft’s long nose restricting the pilot’s forward visibility. Once in the air though, well that was a different story altogether. Pilots describe how once they had got used to all the power at their disposal, they felt at one with the aeroplane, almost as if they had become part of it in some way. Once the significant thrill of flying this thoroughbred had been safely negotiated, it was on with the serious business of learning how to fly it in combat, learning how to harness all that speed and the destructive power of eight Browning machine guns. Although it might have been beautiful to look at, the Spitfire had been created to dominate the skies and pilots quickly had to learn how it could help them do that. The Spitfires of the Royal Air Force had already claimed their first Luftwaffe victims prior to Germany launching their attack against France in May 1940, however, even though a strong RAF force was subsequently sent to assist in this fight, operating from bases in France, Fighter Command’s Spitfires were not part of this commitment and were held in reserve. As the situation in France became desperate, Spitfires were finally sent to provide air cover for the evacuation operation at Dunkirk, where the aircraft and their pilots acquitted themselves extremely well. Not only helping to save many lives on the beaches, air operations above Dunkirk also allowed many RAF pilots their first experience of aerial combat and also to score their first victories, but more than this, it provided them with vital experience in advance of the mighty aerial onslaught they were about to face. As Fighter Command made their final preparations and the Luftwaffe gathered their forces at airfields across the English Channel, the scene was set for an aerial duel the like of which had had never been seen before. A relatively small number of British, Commonwealth and international pilots were standing in the way of the most feared air force in the world, outnumbered and outgunned, could they hope to stem this Luftwaffe tide and with it, stave off the threat of invasion? Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia P9386, aircraft flown by Squadron Leader Brian Lane, RAF No.19 Squadron, Battle of Britain, September 1940. One of the most celebrated RAF pilots to serve through the Battle of Britain, Brian Lane joined the Royal Air Force in 1936 at the age or 19, accepting a short service commission and completing his flight training by the end of that same year. Initially posted to RAF Duxford and No.66 Squadron as a Pilot Officer, Lane would later move to RAF Northolt and No.213 Squadron, before returning to Duxford to take up a position as Officer Commanding ‘A Flight’ of No.19 Squadron, flying Spitfires. Sent to operate from RAF Hornchurch in support of the evacuation attempt at Dunkirk in May 1940, No.19 Squadron engaged in its first full force combat over France on 26th May, where several enemy aircraft were shot down, but for the significant loss of the unit’s Squadron Leader at that time, Geoffrey Stephenson. Stephenson famously crash landed his stricken Spitfire N3200 on the beach at Sangatte, near Calais and was taken prisoner by the Germans. His Spitfire was recovered from the crash site in 1986 and is now restored to airworthy condition, one of the most historic aircraft ever to display on the UK Airshow circuit. After the loss of their Squadron Leader, Brian Lane assumed command of No.19 Squadron and would lead his men throughout this vital period in history, proving himself not only to be an exceptional leader of men, but also a deadly fighter pilot. By the end of the Dunkirk air campaign, Brian Lane was arguably the RAF’s most proficient and experienced fighter commander and was the recipient of a Distinguished Flying Cross. From testimonials written about Brian Lane in the years which followed the end of the Second World War, many of the men who served with him describe him in glowing terms, a man who was admired and respected during one of the most turbulent periods in British history. With an uncanny ability to stay calm and remain focussed no matter what the situation, many described him as being unflappable, always making the right call in any situation – a man who led from the front. One to look out for, this impending Spitfire release will undoubtedly be one of the most popular releases of the year, a stunning addition to the 2024 range. Perhaps the most telling testimonials came from the men who served under him, but subsequently rose to positions of seniority themselves. They described how when they were called upon to lead, they took inspiration from what Brian Lane had shown them and followed in his example. At a time when social class was still a prevalent feature of RAF culture, Brian Lane shed the formalities of ‘breeding’ and made it his duty to know everyone on the airfield by name regardless of rank, and everybody certainly knew him. During the Battle of Britain, No.19 Squadron spent many weeks operating from the rather rudimentary facilities of the satellite airfield at Fowlmere, just four miles from Duxford, but a site which was simply known to locals as Mount Farm. With pilots living and operating out of a collection of Nissen huts and tents, with few luxuries to call upon, the airfield was visited by a famous press photographer during the height of the Battle of Britain. Little did he know at the time, but what he captured was a fascinating snapshot of this crucial period in British history, with one shot in particular which would become synonymous with the heroics of Fighter Command’s pilots. The picture in question shows a group of pilots chatting immediately after completing their latest patrol, but with one of them staring straight at the camera lens and whilst we can’t tell what he was feeling at that moment, his expression appears to be showing the strain of constant combat flying and the fact that he knew there would be no respite any time soon. That pilot was Squadron Leader Brian Lane and if you look at this famous picture, it sometimes feels as if the pilot is looking right into your soul – as you stare at it, you simply can’t avoid his gaze. When we think of the Battle of Britain and the pilots we refer to as ‘The Few’, this is the image which many of us will have in our minds. This famous wartime picture shows Squadron Leader Brian Lane following the completion of the latest RAF No.19 Squadron patrol. Only 23 years old, his face is showing the strains of combat and almost appears to make looking at this photograph personal. Image in the public domain. Officially assuming command of No.19 Squadron on 5th September 1940, at a crucial stage of the Battle of Britain, Brian Lane’s favourite Spitfire was reputed to be P9386/QV-K, an aircraft which has subsequently also become a favourite with modellers over the years. This particular Spitfire is noteworthy as it features oversized fuselage roundels, along with a distinctively thick and rather blocky representation of the aircraft’s fuselage codes, not to mention the fact that it was flown by one of the most celebrated pilots of the Battle of Britain period. In addition to this aircraft being a perennial modelling favourite, it has also been the subject of much enthusiast discussion over the years, with those discussions mainly focussing on the colour of the aircraft’s spinner. With the few period photographs taken of this Spitfire all being in black and white, the definitive identification of the colour is the subject of shade difference interpretation and opinion, with most choosing to depict the spinner in yellow, but with others thinking either white or sky the more likely colour. What isn’t disputed is the fact that this Spitfire was flown by Squadron Leader Brian Lane during the Battle of Britain and was used by him to bring down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 on 7th September 1940, followed by a further two Luftwaffe ‘Destroyers’ four days later. Full box artwork layout for the new 1/72nd scale Brian Lane Battle of Britain Spitfire. As one of the most famous Spitfires to have taken part in the Battle of Britain and one which was flown by one of Fighter Command’s most celebrated pilots and flight commanders, this latest release of our 1/72nd scale Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia makes for a compelling build project. As such, the fact that this little kit has warranted an edition of Workbench all to itself has proved rather fitting, also serving to illustrate how the aircraft which have graced Airfix ranges over the years are more than just enjoyable modelling projects, but also play a role in the scale preservation of history, both the machines and the people who flew them. Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia A01071C is currently scheduled for release next month and will undoubtedly be one of our most popular releases of the year. Hopefully, when you see this yellow nosed Spitfire in your local model shop, you might remember the name Squadron Leader Brian Lane DFC and how this exceptional young man inspired the people around him at a time when they needed inspiration most. The incomparable Roy Cross It’s with a heavy heart that we have to end this latest edition of Workbench with the incredibly sad news that illustrator extraordinaire, Mr Roy Cross, is with us no more. It was only a few days ago that James from the Airfix team was coordinating the signing of a card from everyone here at Airfix, wishing Roy a very happy 100th birthday, so this has come as a real shock to us all. Everyone here at Airfix and indeed the entire Hornby Hobbies family would like to send our sincere condolences to Roy’s family and friends at this difficult time. Although most of us never had the good fortune to meet Roy in person, he played such an important role in many of our lives that we somehow felt as if we knew him anyway and at the mention of his name, we all had a story or two to tell about how he was responsible for starting us off in this hobby and which of his box artwork creations was our favourite – there were just so many that this would usually turn into a lengthy discussion. For modelling enthusiasts and Airfix fans all over the world, Roy’s artwork became such an important part of our lives that if we were not building a model kit he inspired us to buy, we were probably drinking a brew from a cup featuring one of his illustrations and placing it down on a coaster resplendent in another. I hope I speak on behalf of modellers everywhere when I simply say ‘Thank you’ to Mr Cross. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy your talent for painting and for grabbing our attention in a way that few others could hope to do. When it comes to leaving a legacy to be remembered by, yours is unequalled and will continue to bring pleasure to millions of people for many years to come. Importantly, when we hear the name Roy Cross, or have the pleasure of looking at one of your illustrations, we will smile and remember just how much joy you brought us all. We wish you blue skies, fair winds and following seas. We are afraid that's all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back next Friday with more project development updates and the very latest Airfix kit exclusives. In the meantime, we are always keen to hear your views on all things Airfix and in particular, any thoughts and opinions you may have regarding our Workbench blog. If you would like to drop us a quick line, could we please ask that you use our workbench@airfix.com email for all correspondence. To re-visit any of the Airfix blogs we have produced over the past seven years or so, please head to our main Workbench hub, where you will find our entire blog back catalogue and all the Airfix design projects we have already covered.

I filled the bottom seam. I re-sprayed silver over the bottom, and then a coat of Klear. I painted the spinners too.

I masked up and sprayed silver on the underside of the fuselage and the wing sub-assemblies, plus appropriate parts awaiting assembly. I think that Vallejo Model Color 70899 50 Dark Prussia Blue is a good match for the decals and brushed the canopy frame with it.

I used G-S Hypo Cement to fix the canopy. Here's the weight you might just see.

I loaded my airbrush with Vallejo Model Color 70842 3 Glossy White and added some Vallejo 71161 Airbrush Thinner to get a nice, milky consistency, and open sprayed the appropriate areas. I fixed the portholes with G-S Hypo Cement, then inserted the rotor hub and closed the fuselage. The rotor and the undercarriage were designed as working features – proof that these were toys we built to play with in the 50/60s, rather than scale models. Steven Pietrobon says to add 15g nose weight, so I selected a tyre weight and painted it. In the depths of the cargo bay, behind the cockpit wall, it will look like something covered with a tarpaulin (I hope). My hand cut masking.

I cemented the cockpit into the starboard fuselage and decided to airbrush the white upper portion of the exterior before fitting the windows and negate the need for careful masking of them. I realised that if I fit the cargo doors at this point, I can mask once matching the demarcation line. I appreciate that I will need to mask again for the silver under surfaces, but this should give me a guide to go by.

I painted the undercarriage struts and then primed the fuselage with white. I assembled and painted the cockpit. When the figures were fixed, I used a pin vice to drill holes for the control levers. I decided to put a droop on the rotor blades. I have not done this before and started by taping the four blades together and holding the outer ends with a bulldog clip. I then poured boiling water over them and bent them by hand. This worked well (in my view) and have been set aside, ready to spray. I must check that they clear the fins. Instrument surfaces were glossed with Humbrol Clear before the decals were applied. The rotor head was badly misfitting in my kit. There was significant flash to remove, and the halves did not marry true, despite the alignment pins moulded in. Much fettling was necessary. Looking at the ‘working’ rear doors, the pins that form the hinges are non-existent. They look as though they were cut off. I may pose the doors open as I intend to model this aircraft grounded. I searched for images of the interior and found some with a Land Rover being loaded. There are no interior fittings other than fuselage frames with lightening holes in them. The flooring is plain, and I guess that ramps were used to run the Landy up into the cargo bay. I may try to drill holes where the pins should be and glue plastic rod projecting from there to re-establish the pins. If this doesn’t work, I will have to fix the doors open. When the build is finished, I may add ramps too.

I began painting the two crew figures and gave the internals a quick spray with light grey.

I shall build this Vintage Classic When I received this kit my bench was overloaded, and I didn't write a build review. My fellow A&NVMSIGers also expressed an interest in displaying the kit, so it has been near the top of my TO DO pile for some time, and this gives me an opportunity to cover a few bases. The runners were washed.

I airbrushed Vallejo Model Air 71050 Light Grey over the under surfaces as FAA Sky Grey. Masking was done and I airbrushed Vallejo Model Air 71053 Dark Seagreen as the Extra Dark Sea Grey Temperate Sea Scheme. I then brushed Vallejo Model Color 70867 164 Dark Bluegrey as Dark Sea Grey Over side, lower wings, "shadow shading". The disruptive green were also hand brushed using Vallejo Model Color 70833 80 German Camouflage Bright Green as the Light Slate Grey lower wings, disruptive "shadow shading", and Vallejo Model Color 70895 88 Gunship Green for the Dark Slate Grey disruptive Temperate Sea Scheme. These may sound like the wrong colours, but the chart I use had these as the FAA matches (or nearest to).

I put the wheels on, and I have a tail-sitter. A test illustrates that a further 25g is required, although where it might be squeezed into is a mystery to me. I just hope now that the boarding ladder will give a solution.

Post moved to the appropriate sub-forum.

Dark Green BS 381 C:641 FS.34064 71019 Camouflage Dark Green

I find that most search engines have to be out-thought. Try to search for something unique. Just searching for Squadron or roundels (for example) will throw up hundreds of hits. I'd bet that Type B would cut it down drastically as would specifying a squadron. Treat it like a mind game.

Jon, I think Feanor is building the 1972 kit that was manufactured in Trun, when Airfix was made by Heller.

That is a different argument Jon. The original idea was for Airfix to re-use the waste plastic that we throw away.

Squadron codes Hannants - Plastic model kits and accessories Modeldecal Aircraft decals - MD084 | Hannants

The sub-assemblies have been primed.

Thank you James. Undercarriage struts painted and fitted.