nmayhew

Alley cat conversion is incomplete Look at the XVIe instructions on HobbySearch website and you will see AlleyCat conv does not have panels underneath, which are in fact quite different (This is also why the PCM Spitfire IXe is not an e - in case you think that is a way around it )

Ben, The discussion has been on Britmodeller and also LSP Afaik there has been no crticism of what they have produced per se - because they haven't produced anything yet! There was a spat concerning who has accurate plans, and what ones they are using, with one British chap saying in effect he ha the only accurate plans and he wasn't going to help HPH. Now, whether that is ALL bs or not, who knows. One thing I DO know is that both the Walrus and Cat are pretty much industry benchmark kits *in whatever medium* - uber pricey yes, but they are about as good as it gets - and I include WNW, Tamiya's 1/32 etc etc when I say this So, if they were ever to do the Hornet, I'd be pretty confident it would be accurate. Just my assessment of te situation, as I did watch that one bubble away (and participate in those discussions myself) N

You shelling out for the Cat then Rick??

Most informative as always Steve! Nice one

Apparently no maters of the Hornet at the show so I guess this is their next big thing? Does look v cool Just wish it was injection mould

Fair enough

Honest question: 'highly recommended'?

Tread is not that impressive in my opinion I am benchmarking vs Roy Sutherland's stuff - his (and the guys who sometimes master for him) are the business This would appear to look 'ok' but not up to tht standard Thoughts?

looks fantastic! how was brush painting the Future on? could you describe size of brush, number of coats etc? are they kit tyres btw? thanks for sharing Nick

You forgot to finish the sentence with..."that looks so wrong" Lol Looks awesome Dave, even if the stars and bars really don't work for me

Too funny Dave!!

Hi Dave Perhaps try to look up Learstang (Jason) over on LSP - he is v knowledgeable about VVS subjects, and may be able to help, if you are looking for pointers on the scheme? Always liked the look of this plane, although apparently it was a dog

Nice one!!

Hello and welcome Thank you for posting your news I tried your website but it says under construction? Could you tell us a little more about these books, especially the newest one? Do you concentrate on the war in Hungary, or is there coverage of all fronts / locations? Kind regards Nick

Those Relish exhausts don't look that great to me....

"My chick"?! I'd get skinned for saying that! Then again, I do refer to her as "the mrs" - so maybe that's the same thing?! Anyway, cheers, much appreciated Nick

I think that's a fair comment - I was perhaps extreme in ditching all of mine once I had wrestled with two Eduard kits (they just were not fun for me) Whilst i do think that the DML kit is superior in almost every respect (save rivets? i ended up adding them / re-doing them on one of my builds) I am not sure the difference is worthy of a dump and repurchase etc On the other hand, cheap or not, I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone starting from scratch to opt for the Eduard kit PS Mike, did you get my email re the spare parts btw?.

1/32 Arado Ar196 Canopy (for Revell kit) Alley Cat Catalogue # AC32091C £12.99 from A2Zee Models Revell's Ar196 floatplane is an excellent kit in every respect: accurate in outline and dimensions; great detail; fantastic value. Excellent in every respect, apart from the clear parts, and in particular the slab-sided main framework (rather than the windscreen area). The fault is not one of detail or dimension, but one of frustrating parts breakdown. The canopy is quite large, even for a relatively small plane, and Revell must have thought it too difficult to mould the sides and top as an all in one clear part. The result is a fairly logical breakdown into two side panels and a roof one, but they are joined by small tabs on the mating edges. Once put together, the tabs are very visible. Revell parts: sharp and super clear, but.... ...annoying tabs will show up once put together I bought my Ar196 kt a while ago, knowing already the issue with the clear parts, but I confess I had not actually examined the kit's contents. So, on receiving the sample from A2Zee, I thought I had best make the comparison: the Revell parts are wonderfully clear and definition is super sharp, but...but...those tabs! After only a few seconds glance I could see the potential problem, and also the solution (albeit to late): why didn't Revell provide the same parts breakdown, but just without the tabs, and give us a jig or solid frame template for the canopy, and then we just glue the edges accordingly? Well, they didn't. So, Alley Cat to the rescue... Mask set - a bit curly! Nice and simple - three clear resin parts replace nine or so plastic ones The set comprises three replacement clear parts, and a set of canopy masks. Whereas the kit parts look like something from a well-known Nordic store that has managed to convince people that flat-pack is cool, the entire 'glass house' from Alley Cat comprises just three parts. They are cast in clear resin, and each attached to their respective casting block by a thinner fillet of material. I lined up the Alley Cat parts against the kit parts, and also sections of the fuselage, and think the fit should be spot on. No annoying tabs, so all good. I will point out that the clear resin is not as super sparkly clear as the kit parts. The detail is good, but not as sharp as the kit parts. Having said that, the pictures you see are quite literally straight from the box they came in, and not cleaned up or polished at all. I will definitely use these parts, but will give them a good clean in mild detergent (washing up liquid) first, and then probably use a very fine grade polishing cloth. That and a dip in Future / Klear etc and I think they will be good to go. Alley Cat parts: no tabs, good casting The masks are a nice touch - I was not expecting them. The box means that the sheet arrives curled up which is a bit annoying. But in the time you are waiting for your Future to dry, put the mask under a heavy book etc and it should come out nice and flat. The masks themselves look to be the sort that Montex make for canopies: great for flat parts, not so great when faced with curves - so basically perfect for the Ar196. A word about price: spending 50% of what you shelled out for the kit on three small resin parts seems harsh, but the kit is extremely cheap. I also don't think that trying to amend the kit parts is a viable option for most modellers. And you also get a canopy mask, which some manufacturers would charge you nearly £10 for anyway. So all in all, I think the price is fair enough. Conclusion Excellent replacement for problem part of an otherwise superb kit. Could be cast a little clearer, but should clean up fine. I will definitely use this set. Recommended With thanks to A2Zee for the review sample. To purchas directly, click THIS link. Nicholas Mayhew

I am talking with Dragon to get a review sample but progress is slow...believe me you'll hear about it if they say yes I will get one of these either way, but am still refusing to fill my cupboard with these 109s, just in case Tamiya's next release is the Emil *sigh*

I like them all but the striped nose A-5 looks especially good Thanks for sharing Nick

Hi Sebastian Welcome At present and for the foreseeable future we are only armour and aircraft, so nothing outside that I am afraid Kind regards Nick

fantastic a wonderful advert for the Z-m kit i wonder if after having built this, you could give your thoughts on this vs the Revell offering? http://forum.largescalemodeller.com/topic/445-zoukei-mura-he-219-is-it-worth-it/ i think it would be useful for our members to get another view from someone who has built this kit we all know there are pro / cons of each (accuracy vs price in my mind?), but hearing from someone with hands-on experience would be really good this certainly looks a show stopper to my mind cheers Nick

great Dave, very good to see your builds here what scheme will you be doing? Nick

So, how was The Moon?

Nice review Jim Wonderful looking kit