Artful69

I'm avoiding the MDC unit because it's Vac-Form ... and the Fisher unit is resin and very well detailed ... I looked at the Squadron offering myself, initially thinking it was IM plastic - but it was Vac Form - gutted! ... You prefer Vac Form ... Or just have one handy? Rog

Well this is interesting to hear!! ... I ordered a set of brass undercarriage and a couple of canopies from Fisher Models - The gear is for the Tempest, the canopies were for the MDC Typhoon (one spare - in case I buy another kit!) ... Hopefully it's just a 'one kit oddity' ... if not I'll probably be using my spare! Thanks for the heads up Cees! Rog

Darn! ... Postal services must be getting quicker ... With Tamiya prices heavily reduced out here atm - and my curiousity as to what everyone is raving about ... I snaffled a couple ... well, ok - more than a couple ... My Spitfire (above) came from a different supplier ... Today arrived from Melbourne: * HKM 1/32 B25-J Mitchell Bomber (ok ... so it's not my usual cup of tea being PTO ... but the kit is good, and it's OOP now so it might become a collectable) * Tamiya 1/32 P51-D Mustang (Has to be an ETO one for me so #60322) * Tamiya 1/32 Vought F4U-1 Corsair (what the hey, it looks cool - if I can make a decent FAA bird I will ... If not I have plans for the next bird on the list - which didn't actually arrive!!) * Tamiya 1/32 Mitsubishi Zero A6M2b (Which is NOT what I ordered ... I ordered a A6M5!! ... I will call Melbourne tomorrow and see how to sort it out!!) And from USA: * Zoukei-Mura SWS 1/32 J7W1 Shinden - "Ah, My Goddess" (Again ... not exactly my cuppa ... but it is a ZM kit and the original has been OOP for some time now ... These ones are quickly becoming rare as rocking horse poo Also!) * Zoukei-Mura SWS 1/32 Heinkel He.219 Uhu (I decided to add another to the collection! ... This one may become a rare bird in the future also - stores are already beginning to find them hard to get hold of!) Still more stuff on route ... the second parcel from my US supplier for one! Cheers Rog

Today ... another arrival ... My first Tamiya kit ... * Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire Mk.IX Rog

You will love it!!

She's a nice bird!! ... and that is a nice kit!

Me neither, but holy cow - that's 1/35? - and the box is as big as the B-17's!!! (thats your feet right there at the bottom of that pic right?) ... You can see it's ancestory in the wheels and sloping armour.

Actually you can credit yourself and that build with the inspiration to purchase the first kit! ... admittedly it didn't take much ... the 'III' is my favourite chassis in any guise. But when I opened the box, read through the paperwork, and saw sequential unit numbering on the marking options (a rare thing in a kit indeed!) - I could feel a whole new diorama coming on!! ... I jumped online and ordered these other 2 while they still have stock !! Rog

Ok ... it seems that "Birthday Splurge Pt.3" has some earlier arrivals than expected Today in the mail are .. All the way from USA - hey that rhymes!! * ZM 1/32 Ta152H-1 (Slipstream edition) * ZM 1/32 Mustang * Dragon Wing-tech 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf110D-1/R-1 "Duh ... Dam ... Dacbuckle - thingy" - It will end up as the standard 110 anyway. * Revell 1/32 Heinkel 111 H-6 * Cyber Hobby 1/35 Pz.Kfpw III Ausf.L "Vorpanzer" x2 ... (yep got the 1st one and love it so got another two!!) * All NEW ... Academy 1/35 Pz.35(t) ... (yep thats a 35 (t) - and a good one!) * Dragon 1/35 10.5cm StuH 42 (w/zimmerit) * Dragon 1/35 Pz.Kfpw III Ausf.H From a Melbourne supplier: *Trumpeter 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf109G-6 (Early) From another Melbourne supplier (who is not well known at all) * Eduard 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf109E-1 x2 (this kit is OOP ... so I grabbed another couple off the same guy who sold me the 1st one!) More on the way! Rog

Cees ... Thankyou! ... I know this is a complicated question - believe me!! ... What we all really need is a new tool in either resin or IM ... but since that seems to be in the never-never land somewhere, what we're stuck with is the Revell kit ... But I feel that by keeping the responses limited to a certain format will go a long way to simplify ideas ... Who knows - once the 'small' bits are started, it may very well end up like the MDC Typhoon?? (at a much later stage) ... but the main issue is: what is possible now in scope and practicallity? ... so with that in mind, and the original post ... Could you please list your top six simplified items (in no particular order) ... and the retail prices you would expect for said items? That would help ... Thanks and kind regards, Rog

Ever wanted to modify a Bristol Beaufighter in your stash? Ever wanted to get your hands on some quality resin conversion parts for one? Ever thought about buying one of the kits “If only” there were a decent, QUALITY range of AM parts available? Ok … What this thread is NOT about: Lessons or instructions about the art of ‘real modeling’ … Scratch builders, with all due respect to your talent, this post is probably not for you. Referal to completed builds in other threads … or show-n-tell about what someone else has already put together. Reference to the old ‘Vac form’ stuff or AM already available out there – most of us wanting to build the Beau’ know that it exists already – if you can find it to get your hands on and if you are willing to pay the, oftimes, extortionate pricing that it demands (especially for what it is!). What this thread is about: In short and to the point (and I want to keep it that way!!) … it is about suggestions … for the need for resin, PE and other associated AM out there in order to alter (for later Mks) or otherwise dress this bird up to make it look the part … Just as an example: I have the basic kit in the stash … I would like to alter it somewhat to present a D-Day (or post D-Day) variant complete with D-Day stripes, underwing rockets, angled stabilisers and elevators, altered canopies (especially the observers rearward one!), cockpit detail, undercarriage and wheel detail … etc. So … with consideration to the above: List the 6 (ONLY 6) main areas you would like to see detailed AM for on the market The REALISTIC retail pricing that you would be both expecting AND willing to pay for those items (individually!) NOTE: I DO have something in mind … or at least someone else does - who has the talent and has been thinking about this subject for a while now … so please don’t bother referring in your posts to anyone else you might know who has something in the wind – just yet!! … time for all of that later!! … At the moment I am just gathering raw data! Please take the time to make a quick list of what YOU feel are the most important items to YOU. Again: … an example of format for answers: Rear tailplane conversion: (Stab’s/Elevators) … (your detail suggestions) … and $$$ Canopies (front … and rear – armament version) … (again, your suggestions) … and $$$ ...Tyres … undercarriage … etc Please, please, PLEASE … stay within the guidelines … any further questions or comments, feel free to PM me!! Regards Rog

Er ... my kind of surplus income you mean?!? ... The Birthday was an excuse to splurge ... That was "Pt.2" ... Pt.3 is on the way ... from USA, Japan, New Zealand and Australia over the next two weeks - stay tuned!! Rog

... A couple of late arrivals of 'Pt.2' ... Rog

Ok ... so let the photo's begin for "Birthday splurge Pt.2" ... Of all of these, what really amazed me ... was the ZM kit ... the w-o-w! factor is beyond description

Today ... arrived in the post ... from Japan ... * Hasegawa 1/32 FW190A-8 * Hasegawa 1/32 FW190A-5 * Hasegawa 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf109K-4 * Hasegawa 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf109F-6/U "Galland Special" Due to a couple of postal delays ... and the sheer number of the '2nd round of orders' ... this will conclude 'Part.2' of the 'Birthday Splurge' ... The rest will be posted as 'Part.3' ... Photo's to follow!! Rog

lol ... I'll bet he did! - I'm only seeing the photo, and I think it's awesome ... sure the black plastic bit at the end of the wing looks a bit dodgey - and even with the 'miss-cut', could have probably been 'covered' better (ie: more chunks of ice and snow) ... but all-in-all the water effect, model, extras and scenery is some of the best work I've seen! Perhaps I was a little too harsh on the judges - Silver (second place?) is quite a good achievement! I'm glad you encouraged him to post the pic's ... that dio gives me some inspiration Rog

It's nice ... but what would be nicer, is the option to buy it one of two ways ... * As you see it there ... * A cheaper option, with the interior sections only (for detailing the internals of the Revell kits closed up) I can't see any use for the exposed skeleton ... I've only got Eduard Cockpit PE and Master barrels for mine as yet - but the resin interior would be something I'd look at!! Rog

Dunno what is wrong with that 190??? ... I LOVE it!! ... the wolves, the ice (with the water run off!!), the snow ... that is one cool miniature!! ... sorry, for mine, the "judges" can go shove it!! ... If my winter scene turns out HALF that good, I will be rapt!! Rog

And now the gear to fix noted deficiencies in this kit! ... http://www.a2zeemodels.co.uk/messerschmitt-bf-109-upgrade-set-for-revell-kit-6258-p.asp Rog

lol ... so not a Collingwood supporter then, obviously!! Ah yes ... those glory years 1997 & 1998 ... when Darren Jarman was the 'big game' player for us! ... I had a few North Melbourne supporter friends at the time ... I used to make gagging (choking) sounds around them for ages afterwards Rog

Ahhh British Humour ... So Matt has "the Golden Touch" (or Golden Wallet) does he? ... Isn't there someone over on LSP who does that with Vac Form kits? Rog

lol Steve ... The GF is kind of like the Melbourne Cup ... I know nothing about horses or horse racing - but each year you kind of have to back some nag to win it!! ... In the GF - it doesn't matter who you support throughout the year, you kind of barrack for one side on the day! ... I'm an Adelaide Crows fan (even though I've never been there!) ... but I've always had a soft spot for Freo! Rog

AFL Grand Final ... A whole week of nationwide celebrations in the lead up ... and a whole 24 hours of AFL TV prior to the game. 100,000 people packed into the MCG ... Hawthorn Hawks v's Fremantle Dockers Freo's first ever GF ... sadly losing to Hawthorn by 15 points in a very tight encounter (who were really the best side all season anyway) Oh well ... there's always next year ... and my team might even make it?!?!? Rog

Enjoying the "Purple Haze" Go Fremantle Dockers! Freeeeeee-ooooooooo! ... Freeeeeee-ooooooooo! Rog

lol ... P.109T.S.D - thats a new one! ... well - I have seen that you are good with armour - so maybe give that Acadamy Pz.35(t) a crack? ... whatever you experts decide I'll enjoy going along for the ride!! Rog