Artful69

Happy Birthday!! Rog

Probably site maintenance or some such ... with any luck - a complete reconfigure since it takes ages for anything to download!! Rog

Yeah ... While I'm not at all convinced by ZM's obsession for the clear/opaque plastic detail reveal option ... I'm also not convinced that they would ever look at including multiple variants in one boxing ... It'd be like HKM whacking the Dam Buster sprues in with the standard Lanc or a Mk.B.IV bomber nose going in with the Tamiya Mosquito Mk.FB.VI ... Maybe charge less for the kit in the 1st place and dispose of the dodgy clear gear?? ... or include it like HKM did with the Lanc as a limited edition first run. Rog

That's not exactly difficult Carl!!! Rog

Ok so ... today I sorted out one side of the room ... 1/24 kits, Tamiya 1/32, ZM 1/32, General WWII Allied 1/32, SBY 2199 and the current 1/32 RAAF designated collection. Missing - are the kits syphoned off for sale on eBay shortly. Tomorrow I'll fix up the other side ... Rog

The 3 main missing BoB pieces atm ... Injection moulded 1/32 Do.17z and Bolton Paul Defiant ... and an accurate new tooled Spitfire Mk.I a/b. The Fly hurricanes are accurate and detailed enough to pass muster ... wouldn't say no to a Tamiya, ZM or WNW offering tho! Rog

Well ... That's an interesting question!! lol I promised I'd post photo's of my shame ... er stash once the last of the ZM kits arrived ... and so I shall ... I'm home with a tummy wog atm ... nasty thing ... but I intend to organise and clear the hobby room over the next couple of days ... Once everything has been sorted and I'm set up for my "speed build" with Clunk-n-co I'll take some pics, do a count and post! Rog BTW ... I'm not a huge fan of Jap WWII planes but that Ki-45 is a smooth looker ... I think you'll like that kit - ZM have come along in leaps and bounds since the Shinden.

Last package of the latest batch in ... First ... An A-4E Skyhawk kit - to be repurposed as an RAAF A-4G ... I know there's a bent up fuel probe to be attached but other than that I think all externals are the same. Next ... the latest couple of Skyraiders from ZM ... Now I'm up to date with the entire collection Rog

Thanks Carl ... I figured if I want to do a late Panther G now There's RFM, Meng and Takom ALL with individual track links ... And all are easier to source and ship to me ... I have several more expensive purchases ahead of it in the queue at the moment. When I saw your kit in the WIP I was reminiscing more than anything ... and living vicariously through your build! Rog

Ok ... More stuff for the RAAF Project(s) ... On Thursday the "Hornets Down Under" book turned up ... It looks like it might be ok as a reference but I haven't investigated it enough yet to be able to tell if theres any pointers to variant differences ... Dunno why they'd include a cutaway of a 'C' ... since we didn't use 'em???? Yesterday my order from Spruebrothers turned up ... An Academy F/A-18D to be converted to an RAAF B It has be pointed out to me that a "Must Have" in terms of AM for jets is seamless intakes where you can get 'em ... most of which are corrected if there are dimensional or shape issues ... so I grabbed this GT Resin gear in the order ... for the 3 "Legacy Hornets" and the F and G kits in my possession. Rog

Now all ill need is a 1/200 panzerschiff ... don't give a rats which one although the Graf Spee is usually the most popular. Rog

While all the ranting a raving is carrying on about which LSP's or LSA's showed up ... which didn't ... which were a complete waste of everyones time ... which ones should have been there instead etc etc ... ad nauseam ... Did ANYONE spy the 1/200 Scharnhorst ... due this year?? Rog

Those guys basically order a few of anything they can months in advance ... they only get a couple of shipments per year ... But Lauren at Metros admitted that because a lot of their order was now filling out backorders, they'd probably start looking at expanding extras in future so that they retained a decent "stockpile" in-between. I jump on Volks and I see what a kit will end up costing me including any fees and postage ... If they are selling the kit and shipping it to my door within $10 of what I can get it for here - I'll go with an Aussie outlet - mostly! (I did order my Ho.229 and Do.335A-0 from Spruebrothers and paid the premium if IIRC). With ZM ... this is usually the case. BNA aren't usually THAT much cheaper on the product - but enough that I've bought single kits through them before. For this order ... 3x ZM kits came to $864. I don't tend to throw around that much cash in one hit so I ZIP-Pay'ed it ... Same with Frontline's order ... And through either one - I'm probably going to have do the same to get the WNW or HK Lanc. Having said that ... I'm surprised that BNA haven't got their ZM order in yet!! ... Rog

... one of life's great mysteries ... Rog

Yes that order came from Metro's ... They got their order in sometime 1st week of January ... Ran out of one of the new Skyraiders as it went to stock - due to backorders I believe ... apparently their gear is becoming so popular that Metros needs to expand their orders for the next run ... Frontline have theirs in stock now. I have my 2 Skyraiders (SWS-15 & 16) and a Trumpy A-4E inbound from them and due to arrive any day. Link below https://www.frontlinehobbies.com.au/zoukei-mura-1-32-henschel-hs-129b-sws-17 Rog

'Tash (not stash!) is the shortened ref for moustache ... Rog

Nice ... I've book marked that link for future ref. Ta! Rog

This was one kit that was on my hit list ... But I couldn't find one with Magic track by the time I went looking - they all had DS! Nice build Rog

No worries dude ... I see what's happened ... the pic you are referring to is the 2 decal sheets - yeah? ... one of those is an F-18 with FS colour call outs (on the right) ... on the left is the A-4G Skyhawk with the BS call outs ... Every time I read "BS" I snicker in my head - demented, I know. Rog

I must ash you a question!!! ... lol ... but seriously relevance?? Rog

*Quiet snickering in the corner here* .. Rog

We've established that "FS" are relatively easy to find (just not in Tamiya acrylic's!!) - so if that's what you're referring to - I agree ... But somehow I doubt Early F-18's or F-14's of the same period used British Standard paint types used on the A-4G's (which is the focus of the above post)? ... and the paint type I'm finding difficult to match!! Also ... just a quick ask, friend - but my post IS a little picture heavy ... so could you prune your "quote" to cull the pictures unless you need to refer to a specific one ... that way we don't end up with a mountain of repeated (and confusing) info buddy!! Rog

Talk about learning something new every day!! ... In 10+ years I have NEVER known that RLM was Luftwaffe specific!! ... I have shot loads of Tamiya acrylic paint at various Luftwaffe and Heer subjects over the years and didn't know there was a fundamental difference! It never, ever occurred to me. I'll try to relax on getting the colour perfect - but I'd like to get it believably close! ... Like I said ... I've usually just gone with the one unmixed Tamiya colour - near enough is good enough ... for me at least. The problem with no thinning is getting less bang for buck ... I can get a lot of coverage out of a 10ml bottle of Tamiya acrylic at present ... And my current feedback is that Mr.Hobby Acrylic's apply/finish a little better for about the same usage. The general impression I'm getting is that Lacquer paints apply/finish much better than acrylic's do ... ... Or multiple douchebags!! ... especially anyone going by the same initial's as mine! And I want to sincerely thank everyone for that!!!! ... the nature of the discussion here ... I have learned so much - without feeling like a complete dumbass!! ... All in such a small amount of time - thanks to the willingness of everyone to participate and offer up their own experiences and points of view without quarrelling with each other and getting snarky. _____________________________________ Thanks for the info on paint types, people ... I remember my experiences with enamels way back when ... and how everything seemed much more simple and less time-consuming with acrylics to the point of "I don't believe how easy this is!!" ... At the moment I'm leaning toward a Mr.Hobby acrylic swap-over - just going by experience and comfort level ... but I MAY - at some point - buy a set of Tamiya lacquer's to try on one model kit ... maybe before I do the swap?? ... I honestly don't know ... I'm a little worried about preparation/use/cleanup that may be involved with them at present ... meanwhile ... the RAN A-4 is presenting a paint conundrum all its own ... at least I know I can GET a designated "FS" colour at this time. The "BS" colours are ... well ... BS!! ... running a search ... These (both - I s%$# you not!!) came up under the same search for BS381C-697 (Light Admiralty Grey) ... Now ... Just looking at colours here without ANY other reference point ... the second one would be "grey" ... you would think ... but against this (on the A-4) ?? - The light blue/grey sort of works better: This colour (BS381C-693) looks to be almost spot on: I figure if I can take a reasonably accurate swatch on my phone down to the local hobby store, I can work out what Paint colour will best suit from there. Heres some more pic's I grabbed off the internet for consideration ... There is definitely a blue-ish tinge to the light grey ... whether it's as blue as the above paint swatch I'm not so sure?? Remember these photo's were taken at the latest in 1984-5 so there's the age factor coming in there. Rog

Congrats on your bounty Carl!!! I bought the HKM Dambuster Lanc ... the kites were new from the factory when modified for Chastise - or at least thats what all my information says ... so I wanted a clean skin with no panel warping. I decided to hold of on the standard bomber Lanc purchase until the WNW kit hits the stores ... I want to see what in-box reviews of the retail plastic look like of that warped skin before I pull the trigger ... also the price comparison will com into calculations ... The WNW kit might justify a $50-$100 AUD differential ... but a $100-$200 one?? ... yeah ... wait and see I think! ... Once I get that bird sorted out, my next target will be a Chastise Bomb and trolley from Graham at Iconicair - with a tractor ... the HKM kit part looks a little dodgy to me. Rog

Its official ... Carl is the main supplier for Spruebrothers!! Rog