Spitfire

Always fancied a 1/48 scale Halifax, bought two FM kits but sold both on after looking at the box contents, still waiting for a better option. But for now I will sit back and watch this one and the Britmodeller builds. Cheers Dennis

Get well soon, do as they say, and keep taking the pills. I was very lucky one heart attack, one stent and kicked out to go home. While I was rolling on the floor having said heart attack my wife shouted through to ask if I wanted a cup of tea, I said yes and managed to drink it, now we know the restorative power of tea. But it was really the nice people at the cardiac rehab unit that really got me back to full fitness. Take it easy Dennis

To understand how I go about modelling we have to go back in time. Being born in 1952 my parents, uncles etc were all involved in WW2, I grew up next to an abandoned WW2 airfield and devoured comics with WW2 as their theme, like these . The first models that I ever saw were Airfix, in 1/72 scale and of a Lancaster and a Spitfire so my main interest naturally is WW2, and top of the list is RAF and FAA subjects, initially I built aircraft but soon spread my wings to AFV's and ships. My modelling focus has slowly narrowed down, years ago I also built AFV's in 1/35 scale but basically only British and commonwealth subjects but the lack of kits of my chosen theme lead me to abandon this. So now it is WW2 aircraft that floats my boat, in 1/32 scale, and predominately RAF/FAA, though I do get sidelined on to more exotic subjects such as French and Italian aircraft, currently the theme is Japanese for no particular reason. German subjects rarely interest me so I build them only as a distraction when the modelling mojo deserts me, I can then build a Luftwaffe subject as a quick build as I will not agonise over accuracy and can just get on with it. I like also to build to a yearly theme, the last one I completed was US operated Spitfires, for this I built three kits. Cheers Dennis

Has to be the Mk. XII, it's a combination of the earlier and later Spitfires, I built a Paragon/Hasegawa conversion years ago but would love an IM kit of one. Cheers Dennis

Happy birthday, all the best for a great day Cheers Dennis

Found this in my archives from the late Edgar Brooks. From what I've discovered, you're spoilt for choice. On several un rebuilt airframes, I've found green wells, from Mk.I to 22, which leads me to believe that that was how they started, however it's entirely possible (and likely) that, during repaints (whether due to overhaul or camouflage change,) with the aircraft standing on its u/c., the sprayer wouldn't have worried about the wells, since there was nothing there that could be harmed by paint, so the whole lot got a coat. It's unlikely, though, that the leg wells would have had the same treatment, since there were pipes, unions, etc., to be looked after, so those areas should have been masked off. There is an instructional film on servicing procedures on a Mk.I Spitfire, and it's possible to see that the legs, doors (and, presumably the wheel wells) are also black/white. One item that I've only just discovered (been told); the white aileron on black wing, and black on white, was a safety measure, since, in the dark (and blackout conditions prevailed, when doors opened) it was easy for someone to walk into a totally black wing, thereby risking injury. When made, door insides were painted silver, but, as it was entirely likely that they were removed for a repaint, and hung up in the spray booth, both sides could be (and were) painted. U/c legs were also painted silver, but needed regular servicing, part of which involved a wash in paraffin, to remove any trace of oil, grease, hydraulic fluid, etc. The paintwork would, naturally, have suffered, and the erk would have used whatever colour he could lay his hands on. Wheel hubs might well have needed the same "touch-up" procedure, after being worked on. Edgar Cheers Dennis

That looks absolutely great, I was fascinated by the BEF and always wanted to build kits from that period, however I started a Bronco A13 in 2012 and failed miserably to complete it, I haven't gone back to AFV modelling since. Cheers Dennis

Nice one, I can remember fighting through a couple of Maquette Valentines, many moons ago, I suspect that Tamiya did a better job ! Cheers Dennis

Scary stuff, I worked in oil refineries my whole life and the idea of being in one during a bombing raid is horrifying, the several fires that I have seen over the years were scary enough but are nothing compared to what you are describing. Cheers Dennis

That looks great, I bought the kit hoping that someone would bring out a Mk. III conversion so I may follow your path. Cheers Dennis

For my building plans for 2016 I decided that I wanted something simple and easy to build so I decided to build three Spitfires, two Hobbyboss Spitfires (Mk Vb and Mk V Trop) and the Revell Mk I/II. Cheap and cheerful kits that would not tax my brain too much, first up was the Hobbyboss kits which despite their perceived faults are well engineered and easy to build. Armed with the late Edgar Brook's list of faults I set about them, helped by a few after market detail parts: Quickboost exhausts Barracuda: Cockpit detailing parts, mainwheels, seat and back armour, cockpit entry door. Exito: Tail planes and prop HPH: canopy and tailplanes for the Vb Trop. Yahu: Instrument panels. RB productions: seat belts. Montex: Paint Masks AML: Camouflage paint masks. GMF: Prop Paints used were Humbrol for details, Xtracolour for the main painting and Colourcoats for the markings. Unusually for me I decided that I was going to build all three Spitfires as US operated examples. Interestingly I found the Vb Trop a harder build that the Vb which is mad as they are the same kit, this could explain why opinions on kits can vary so much So on with the photos, all mistakes and bodges are down to me. Cheers Dennis

Nice work, those Revell kits do seem to scrub up well. Cheers Dennis

Beautiful job, the figure really adds to it. Cheers Dennis

At long last a 1/32 scale Whirlwind, SH have found the key to my wallet. Cheers Dennis

Gorgeous Cheers Dennis

Great work, the finish is superb Cheers Dennis

Great news, I used to love seeing (and hearing) the Broughton Mossie flying around the local area. Cheers Dennis

Nice work, I have a soft spot for SEAC schemes and that is perfect. Cheers Dennis

That looks great, we could do with more WW2 Soviet subjects, hope this is the first of many. Cheers Dennis

Nice work, but a Mk II ? Cheers Dennis

The IId is very tempting, but with all three kits released already in the stash and 2 PCM Mk.I's (one rag wing and one metal) in the stash as well, I may just have enough Hurricanes, but the IId does look really good in SEAC colours and markings........... Cheers Dennis

A great review, thanks for that, it seems that SH have got it right by waiting until they have all their little ducks in a row, no matter how frustrating it has been for us very impatient modellers, my kit is sitting on the shelf behind me beckoning me to start it, but with three kits on the go at the moment it will have to wait a while. Chers Dennis

Nice one, just shows that the old ones can scrub up nice. Cheers Dennis

I've just used it on my 1/32 Hobbyboss SpitfireVb Trop to mask off the undersides and mask off the camouflage pattern, it's pretty good for re scribing as well. Cheers Dennis

And completing the trilogy Just waiting for the IId Cheers Dennis