Super job on both so far, my friend @clipper!

Thanks (John (@johnb), Spiros (@fiveten), and George (@gblair). Considering I've not ever done any sort of armor / ground vehicles before, I am pleased with my first effort. I must say that building and painting these is quite different (and dare I say easier) than aircraft models. Admittedly, it is a simple kit and I definitely won't make a judgement call on those who build these sort of vehicles. I know already how well they do and its every bit up to the same standards I have seen in aircraft models.

So, I have been waiting for some letter decals to arrive and they still haven't shown up. I'm at a point on the Hudson where I need to apply the remaining decals. I had resigned myself to having to make paint masks for the lettering (pretty simple as it is only the letter "Z"). But I just didn't fell lie mucking around with the software, which I use just often enough to forget how to do things with it.

Anyway, on a whim, I took another look at my stash of decals (which is still not very big). I knew I didn't have a "Z" in the size I needed. But I did find a "7". And the lower horizontal piece of the "Z" can be replicated with the top horizontal piece of a number "5" in the same size. "A ha!" says I.

So I am warming up the decal water as I type this.

I also wanted to start working on the diorama base, but was held up because my hot wire cutter (which I have not used yet) did not have the wire installed and I could not locate the ones that came with it. I had ordered replacements and they just showed up as well. So I can move forward on that as well.

Now, I just need to be careful with my elbow, which is gradually getting better.

Pictures will come soon.

I was in the same boat on my Hudsons, Carl (@clipper). RAF code letters are hard to find for some reason. I found what I needed on Ebay and got them a week later. Fantasy Print Shop has a good range of letters and roundels, including some that have no clear film, but they are in England and it takes forever to get here. Have you tried contacting Rudy at Lionheart Hobbies in Kyle? They have a surprising range of decals, as well as a lot of consignment stuff.

Slowly but surely making progress on the Hudson and diorama base. Many little tasks that need to be done. I got the turret assembled which required me to make some curved gun shields for the barrels and then install the barrels as well as the upper clear dome. It's just sitting in the Hudson in this photo. I'll install it later.

There will be several figures on this diorama which is supposed to show the Hudson after returning from a patrol with the crew just out of the aircraft and a Tilly utility truck there to pick them up. I have a handful of CMK resin mechanic and pilot figures, most of which I can use basically as is. But I had no figure suitable for the driver figure. However, there is a mechanic figure which originally is intended to be loading ammunition belts (see illustration in the photo). This figure was cut apart and modified to look like he's climbing out of the Tilly. I still need to clean him up and modify him somewhat. And of course painting.

The base is sort of coming along. I am using pink insulation foam with some AK acrylic ground paste over it. I am trying to simulate a concrete parking area. I had some trouble with it at first after I first coated the foam with PVA and let that dry. When I later applied the paste and it dried, it separated into small sections (slid on top of the PVA). I tried filling in the cracks but that also slid away and I still had the same problem. So I removed it, sanded the top surface of the foam to remove the PVA and then reapplied the paste. This time it worked. I sanded that down to reduce the roughness and I am now in the process of painting and weathering it. I'll have a photo of that after I get further along on it.

Things are really moving now, Carl (@clipper). Plane is looking great, as is your Tilly. Painting 1/72 figures would be a challenge for me. Good luck. I use pink insulation foam for the basis of all the scenery on my model train layout. Once I have the foam shaped, I cover it with either Sculptamold or thin plaster. Since you are modeling a runway, I think the plaster alone would have worked fine. Looking forward to the diorama and painted figures.

Good progress, Carl @clipper
Figure painting to me is a work of art, I always do respect people that can paint those figures so nicely, especially in 1/72.

Congratulations on a truly wonderful project, my friend @clipper!