Clunkmeister

And I thought I personified the term “backwoods country redneck”. Cat, your Dad was so obviously WAAAY cooler on his worst day than I am on my best. That story is now legend.

3D printing would be awesome! Tony, I like that idea. I’m a go for one with a wicker basket on top, elephant style and a 1/72 scale dude with twin 50s on a swivel mount.

YES! That’s our new mascot for sure! Don’t everyone buy at once, because Revell will see the sales spike and produce more.

Thanks Jeff. There are strange things done in the midnight sun, by the men who moil for gold.... I’m just full of my old favorites today. Tied one on last night across the street, and they apparently poured me out of my boots into bed last night. Joy was not amused. My head feels like a hairy medicine ball.

The Belcher Bits decals are performing flawlessly so far. Next time I think I’ll build a Lanc with some visual pop!

Does anyone know if anything like that exists? I need a sheet or two of red decal paper. I checked Sprue Bros and Squadron, No Joy. Or do we need to buy white and paint or print it?

Hmmmm

That’s a new one for me, actually. Junkers, Stinson, Fairchild, and Fokker had the northern market cornered. I knew Ford had a tough time competing up there. I’m not sure ANY new Fords were bought by Canadian operators. Alaska yes, but Fokker and Junkers and were kings of the heavy lifters

heck YEAH!!! I love it! Pure awesomeness!

I have no idea Danny. I assumed nothing at all, because you have a massive collection of them to copy from. The helmet looks absolutely perfect to me. So does the rest of the pilot. I struggle with figures, so to see one so well done is a real treat.

And the baby brothers. Hugo sold a lot of aircraft to Canadian Companies.

The granddaddy of Canadian Aviation. Ultra rare aircraft, and they were loved up north.

Lambair Otter. These pics bring back GOOD memories. I loaded and unloaded these on the docks at Landing Lake as a kid. Got paid with some ride alongs and got to see the northern camps. 18 years later I was doing it myself in a somewhat larger aircraft, my freight after being unloaded, would be stuffed onto these for the trips to the camps.

Clean machine! I love it, Jerry! Those old Monogram kits still have some life in them, I see They were revolutionary in their day, and except for the raised panel lines, with a bit of tactical AM application, are still extremely viable kits.

Looking at your picture, Tony, and you've got to be the only guy I know who can do a visual inspection of the upper surface of a Cub's wing, FROM THE LEADING EDGE. Personally, I always needed to stand on the wheel, or better yet, get a stepladder

Tony, there's one at Hobbytown Plano with a very decent price on it. It's a big, imposing kit with plenty of options. This makes 1/24 Airfix #4 for me: Both Tiffies, the Mossie, and now the Hellcat. And I'm a 1/32 modeler! But I like the "new" Airfix. Some incredible detail right OOB, but not so "shake the box" that you don't need to work at it.

Danny, stunning work so far. I expect that you'd be able to easily get the helmet right, but the rest, well, what can I say? As usual, your work takes my breath away. Amazing job, sir!

Following this one as well. I love the Grumman Cats, and the Hellcat is no exception

Phil, you ain't supposed to actually go back and look at my previous posts... I'm like an American politician. I don't flip flop, I "evolve".

Andy, the Mk.X was just the designation given to differentiate a Lancaster built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario. The first several hundred were VERY similar to their British built cousins with the exception of the Americanized construction materials and equipment. They almost all went to bomber Command in Europe , and contrary to popular belief, were not held over specifically for RCAF use. however, many RCAF crews received their aircraft in Canada after training, and flew their new bomber off to war. When the RCAF was gearing up to join in the fight against Japan, the "Tiger Force", or at least Canada's contribution to it, took the newest, lowest time, most modern aircraft available, retrofitted long range tanks, and took off towards the east. Of course, it all came to naught after the A-Bombs ended the war about four years too late. The returning Tiger Force's aircraft, which had been gone through, tuned up, and had numerous modifications made to them is what formed the basis of the RCAF's postwar Lancaster fleet which served well into the 1960s, and is the one big reason we have so many surviving examples of this aircraft still around today. Rare indeed, is an actual British built Mk.l or Mk.lll. Of course the Mk.ll is an extinct beast today. Mk.X's were already sen with great nostalgia in Canada when they were retired, and very. very few were scrapped. Most went to museums or put up on pedestals as ornaments. The RCAF stated that the lancaster was wholly suited for it's designated mission of long range patrol, and had, over the years, been extensively modified to fit that role. Indeed, it was simply the tired airframes and the scarcity of Merlin repair parts that eventually grounded the fleet. Of course today, pretty much everything for a Merlin is, has, or will be reproduced as needed, but in the 60s, it was just an old, obsolete engine. From what I've read, when the Germans up gunned their fighters, the .303 didn't cut it anymore, so the .50 was a definite improvement. From what I've read, at first, Bomber Command was none too impressed with that modification. The Martin turret, in my opinion, was ill conceived and poorly thought out.

Packards of course. And yes it is. Placing an order today. I've always wondered at the actual differences. I know that as production went on, more and more minor changes were made, most done to ease production issues. Then later, other changes such as answering the cry from crews to give them something better tail guns resulted in the 50 cals being added in the rear turret. I've always wondered why Britain, (and Germany for that matter), insisted on carrying forth the idea of rifle caliber guns in all their aircraft, long after they knew how the .50 caliber outclassed everything else short of an autocannon. The Germans stuck with the 7.92mm and the Brits stuck with the .303.....

KB700 Ruhr Express The very first Mk.X, and pretty much identical to the Brit built machines, except for US and Canadian suppliers, fasteners, instruments, etc

Nice!! thanks!!