95 articles · 8.1K karma · 19 friends · active 2 months, 2 weeks ago

I have been modelling since 'Before Plastic' when balsa was the popular material. Thank heavens for modern technology!
My interest is aircraft; preferably 1/48 & 1/32 scale & mostly WWII ,1950's & '60's. I like a challenge & while a perfect kit is always welcome, some are just plain scary with all the intricately engineered parts' provided. It's a relief to get hold of something that requires some ingenuity but is cheap enough so that a mistake is unlikely to cause a financial disaster.

Airfix P-40B in 1/48

Being a veteran of two Monogram P-40s, one by Trumpeter & another by Academy, I really looked forward to the Airfix offering. There were few issues & none that couldn't be corrected easily, although the spinner nearly defeated me - [...]

Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat in 1/48.

Long a favourite of mine, I waited for a better kit than the Academy offering but have not found one. Unfortunately the HB kit seems to suffer from a number of issues which made me stick to what I had in the stash. This one has a resin [...]

Wildcat revisited... Tamiya 1/48

This would be one of my earliest Tamiya kits; built, I think, around 1995. I recently read a magazine article by a fellow modeller about his problems with using the right colour for the topsides & the more I looked at mine , the more [...]

RAF 143 Sqn. Coastal Command Mosquito FB VI,

Tamiya 1/48 again. Hard to beat for sheer enjoyment & my first build for 2017. In the course of building my previous model (Beaufighter TF X) I came across more history about the RAF Strike Wing stationed at Banff; this time about [...]

Beaufighter TF.X by Tamiya in 1/48 scale

Needing something simpler after my last build I opted for Tamiya's Beaufighter TF.X & discovered a wealth of detail on the web for Coastal Command squadrons based at RAF Dallachy in Scotland. I was lucky to find Aviaeology decals for [...]

Hawker’s Tempest V from Special Hobby in 1/32nd.

An excellent kit which however needs care & adherence to the instructions! Parts fit is excellent as is surface detailing & all the little bits in the cockpit & undercarriage. I found the instructions a bit confusing at times [...]

Spitfire Mk.VIII by Tamiya in 1/32 scale

One of the RAAF's best known aces, Group Captain Clive R. Caldwell, flew the original in early 1945, with 452 squadron & due to his rank, was able to have his initials on the aircraft. My references show her in Darwin preparing to [...]

Airfix Spitfire Mk.I in 1/48th.

This is the new Airfix Mk.I. Light years better than their effort of a few years ago. Built absolutely out of the box, with the exception of Eduard seat belts. Everything fitted beautifully with just a little attention to the separate fuel [...]

RAAF Gloster Meteor F.8, 1/48 by Airfix

According to my references, A77-157 was delivered to the RAAF in Korea in February, 1952 & survived the conflict to meet its fate as a target drone in Woomera, South Australia in September 1969. Late production Meteors were equipped [...]

Revell's Eurofighter Typhoon in 1/48

Finished at last! Not the easiest build I have ever done by a long shot & I can only recommend that any intending builder read the instructions very carefully & test fit everything as all is not what it seems & those [...]