Captain Boogaloo

What's a Seagull alert?!!!! Something that steals your ice cream when you're looking the wrong way? Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Hello Dekenba, No, I've never made a Wingnut model ( I'm more into ww2 a/c), the Lanc would've been my first, although I am tempted by some of their ww1 range ( Camel, Bristol fighter) , I normally build 1/24 stuff ( still can't beat Airfix for that: most disappointing kit I ever bought? Trumpeter 1\24 Spitfire Mk V - not one thing correct on that terrible excuse for a Spitfire model, everything from fuselage shape to wing profile is total balls, and their "Merlin"? Jesus, there really are no words. No excuse for that! Their Hurricane is much better, but still has that Merlin... Bf109 series, quite nice as is the Fw190d ( still needs tweaking tho!). Let's see, I've got Airfix, Trumpeter 1/24, Kinetic 1/24, Tamiya 1/32, Special Hobby 1/32, Kittyhawk 1/32, Hobbycraft 1/32, Tamiya 1/48, Revell 1/32 & 48, Hasagawa 1/48 and a few 1/72 kits plus the odd sci fi studio model knocking about. I should've built everything by the time I'm one hundred and eleventy! I hope that answers your question? Blue Skies Captain Boogaloo

Having seen the Wingnut Lanc test shots/ builds in the flesh and spent an hour plus bugging the Wingnut staff on their Telford stand, by all means keep repeating that, until you believe it. Unfortunately the Wingnut bird made HKs look like the work of enthusiastic amateurs, compared to that of uncompromising professionals. I'm sure it can be made into a very nice model and the many builds around are testament to that, but there's no way the Wingnut bird would've needed anything other than brass gun barrels ( and even that is debatable) - it was on course for being the best 1/32 wwII model released to date ( even compared to Tamiya 's awesome Mosquito) - What is it, eleven pages of tweak discussions & another £50 of aftermarket upgrades for a £350 model, but apparently that's all good....and before anyone asks, yes I did also look very hard at HK's Lancaster ( and their 1\48 B 17) ....but I'm afraid neither is in my stash, despite having both their 1/32 B 17 and B25. The loss of Wingnut is a damned shame, and HK models are really not in the same league. Sorry, but I really felt a reality check was needed on this thread. Just my tuppence worth. Blue Skies! Stay safe! Captain Boogaloo

Draw Decals are listing the Collings Foundation B24 in the current 'Witchcraft ' livery, and unlike the Dragon and his Tail from Kits world have actually bothered to include ALL the sponsors names and details on the airframe, $40 in 1\32 plus carriage: wish they'd do the Dragon, too! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Ok, I'll play : I'd love a Fairey Firefly Mk V ( that's the Griffon engined one), or a Bristol Brabazon, for sheer " for God's sake! " impact. Always thought the Boeing Clipper a beautiful thing, too. Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Hello Ron, Thanks again for the heads up on these exhausts; just pulled the trigger on a set! So glad Rexx did a 1\24 set. Any chance you could persuade them to do some more (Spitfire, bf 109, fw 190, Hurricane, Mustang, Ju 87 Stuka would be ace!)? Looking forward to your next update Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Of WW2? Most definitely the tiger! But, having stood in front of both, if you find the tiger scary, the king tiger is totally brown-trousers-bicycle -clips time. All the statistical analysis in the world would be of little help if a working one these hove into view! a good read is Catch that Tiger, the true story of how the UK acquired the famous example in the tank museum at Bovington. Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Not everyday a Corporal sets a Captain straight! But fair point, well made. I have updated my Profile, large-scale- modellers-for-the-use-of. Carry on! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Erm, if the buyer agrees the international postage costs with the seller ( and covers them, obviously) isn't this a moot point? (…....don't point that moot at me, it could go off!!) Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Oh, no. Well, now I feel awful, guess that 'll teach me to make smart a** comments. Thanks to Johann for posting and I apologise unreservedly to Jeff and Kim at Combat at what is obviously a difficult time. Is there no Web wizard out there that might help them to change their website to alert other customers of the situation? Although I think that's probably the last thing on their minds right now. A real shame, they have some totally unique models in the range, even allowing for the increase and variety of models on the scene today. But maybe if the website is still up, they are continuing ? I certainly hope so. Captain Boogaloo

Hello all, Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks, but it does really actually appear that Combat Models has indeed shut its doors for good: two emails and no response. Unless some of our friends in the USA know differently...? I suppose they may be ill....or just rude! what a shame. Hopefully someone will buy the molds? Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Gentlemen, my thanks for all your help, replies and good wishes, greatly appreciated, all. John is a very nice chap, I had the pleasure of meeting him at ipms telford a few years ago and whilst I am tempted by some of his range, I'm really after some of the 1\24 models that Combat list on their website, namely their Me 262s, P 51b Mustang and their Phantom F4. I like 1\32nd scale.....but I LOVE 1\24!!! My thanks once again, I'll try another e-mail, keep my fingers crossed and let you know what happens! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Thanks very much for your reply, Ryan. I suppose I'll try again with another e-mail. Hope they are still going! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Hello Rick, Have you sorted out the motors for your project? If not it might be worth looking at Magic Scale Models website - they do light\sound for scale models, and will be doing a set for the hk B 17, but also do the motors separately. Alternatively I got a few Chinese copies of the Airfix prop motors off eBay (the genuine ones are going for crazy money!!) Hope that helps. Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Is anyone on the forum in touch with Combat Models in the USA? My birthday is approaching and there are a couple of their 1\24 vacforms I've always fancied a go at. My wife swears she has sent an email, but there has been no reply...have they closed down? Does anyone know? I'd be most grateful for an answer! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Thanks for your reply, Gusmac; isn't it great when you find new sources of aftermarket stuff that are of this kind of quality and the prices AND the postage costs are so reasonable? Anyhoo, as per Bomber County's request, here are a few pictures.... Sorry about the 'Bombs away, Baby'!....eBay is a dangerous thing!! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Or you might artfully pose it over a suitably shot up\ smoking Airfix He111 ( their 1\72 release comes with a copy of Iron Maiden's "Bomber"!!!). Oh, by the way Flying Officer Eddie's Spit would probably have a black spade grip and the crowbar would be cockpit green, not red ( unless he's doing a post-war air display!!) - think the seats were mostly a sort of burnt toffee colour, too! But it doesn't stop your build being ace OF SPADES, THE ACE OF SPADES , THE ACE OF SPADES etc (repeat. Until your ears bleed!!) Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Hello Clunk and chaps, Had a nice little package delivery today from Videoaviation, an Italian company that is quite new (to me, anyway!) Got some good USAAF 500lb bombs ( with nomenclature decals/factory markings) and a really nice Clarktor towing tractor, both all resin. Just the thing for a diorama ! Worth checking out! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Hello Bomber, Yes, the Emerson is the clearer of the two but both are acceptable. The resin part for the Emerson shouldn't be too tricky to correct ( needs the slots moving out a bit) and the rebates for the gun barrels in the fully up position, but remaking the turret internals to match might be a bit...sporty! If I feel adventurous I may even try to add the joints and nuts\bolts of the various sections of the Emerson - maybe! That aside, I'd say these are pretty good for the reasonable cost and if your build was held up waiting for a solution to the turret seams, then they are definitely worth a go. Hope that helps. Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Righto, Bomber C et al, let's see if this works ( using a kindle, so bit of a learning curve!). Looking forward to your comments/replies etc. Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Found a ( or what looks to be ) very nice 1\32nd scale Clarktor towing tractor from videoaviation.com, an Italian company - they also do a (6) set of USAAF 500lbs bombs, the only ones I've found that come with decals for the nomenclature sprayed on at the factory. And the eBay vac form turrets have just arrived; very nice, too. Will take some fettling to get them where I'd like them to be but are indeed seamless, good value and a big improvement over the kit ones. Will post some photos just as soon as I figure out how! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Ok, I'll try and post some photos of the vac form turrets when they arrive; I'm also planning to change the top turret, since the one in the kit doesn't really seem to be either of the types used on the B 24 - although no one seems too bothered about it!! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Well, I guess I sorta agree: the turrets are definitely one issue this model has. But are they harder to fix than the wing? I have my doubts, but at least Ian has pathfinded his way to a doable solution for that: heck, he's already published the basic shape the new formers need to be!! I've been reading your thread (I must be crazy etc) and you are clearly a modeller of sufficient talent to scratchbuild a pair of turrets - there's some juicy references in your thread already! So, courage, Mon brave - by way of inspiration, a few years ago a friend on the Bomber command SIG wanted to backdate the FM 1\48 Halifax to the early version with a front turret, he stayed overnight and we blew up some plans on the printer then in the am,( with a hangover, too!) I carved a balsa master, covered it in car filler, sanded & polished it, added some plastic strip framing and we smash-molded turrets until we had a couple of nice ones, which he then added scratchbuilt internals & guns to !ater. Point is the whole process took 4 hours, tops. Maybe the eBay vac form b24 turrets are a bit gash ( can't really say as mine are winging their way here as I type this! But he's certainly sold a number and customers seem happy with them), but even if they are a pile of doody, I'm certain I can use them as a stepping stone. " S'like, so many positive waves, man, we can't lose!" Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo

Further to my last post, are we allowed to have a bit of a rant about after market stuff here? Rather than go for the profimodeller decal sheet for 'Dragon and his Tail', I decided to go for ( the MUCH more expensive) kitsworld version because the blurb made much reference to the Collings Foundation aircraft in these markings ( I usually build airworthy, or at least preserved 'warbirds'- it's just my thing). Very disappointed to find that the Kitsworld sheet of this scheme has only the very basic markings of the original, with none of the extra markings the Collings B 24 had (crew names, sponsors names etc). It also seems to be very close to being out of register, with some barely legible escape hatch markings. Not what I would have expected for this price. Buyer beware! Captain Boogaloo

Just looked on ebay: Hungarian Aero Decals do the other 1\32 Corsair resin prop - 2\3rds the price of the Eduard version. So reduce the blade length to a scale 11' 7" and Bob's your Aunty's live-in-lover!! There's your props, Clunk! And two+ choices of wheels, Vector already do the engines ( pricey, but they are rather saucy! And would Eduard actually be any cheaper? They might include engine mounts, though), All the Eduard etch, profimodeller doing stencils and pitot tube ends, the chap on ebay who is doing the vac form\resin turrets (if you can't wait for Ali's versions, worth waiting for if his brass undercarriage is anything to go by!), Eduard B 17 guns or the awesome Gaspatch guns\ ammo belts, master brass gun barrels,MDC flexible resin ammo feeds or Master Details metal versions, the guy in Auz (happy.lappy on ebay) doing resin radios, or get the Eduard b17 radio room etch, master D's oxygen tank set, Grey matters Norden bomb sight (cheap, but nice), Master Details version or the Robert Mzorozki(?) Gucci version, airscale's instrument panel, 1\32 spark plugs\ ignition harness sets from Anyz models, really nice crew figures ( inside aircraft) from Master Details, or the new Icm usaaf figures (walking)... Its all out there! and how much aftermarket do we need?!!!!? Maybe it's like paperwork for full size aircraft....when that weighs the same as the airframe, you're ready to fly: when your aftermarket purchases no longer fit in the box with the kit, you're ready to build!I Definitely want Ian's wing fix, if that comes on the market, though: with you on that! Blue Skies! Captain Boogaloo