PhilB

Me too. In my experience new members get the "vibe" pretty quickly but he has been on here since 2003 so it seems not. Bit like digging up a dead body to tell them you don't like them. First post on this one after 12 years was pure pedantry. The second was condescending and patronising. Perhaps he should have taken the time to look at Brian's builds detailed in his sig ?

Tanks ! Tanks a million! What is sad is hovering over the member's avatars who commented on that thread and seeing how many haven't logged in here in years. Also RIP to those no longer with us. We need to get the band back together...................................

In a galaxy far, far away and many years ago I did this conversion using Avionix/Black box pit, Aires exhaust cans and a couple of bits from Wolfpack and others. https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/30336-f-14b-tomcat-vf-103-jolly-rogers/

Nice one Angelo. I wrestled with this one once and I know what a challenge it can be. I had the Flightpath set but it was still a real test of my patience. I know your pain ! Great result.

Unless you order them in Brit or Aussie spec......... One of the best things to come out of Flat Rock, Michigan.

I built the elderly Tamiya when it was the only game in town before the Trumpeter version appeared. Sure, there were some raised panel lines on the rear deck but some sandpaper and a re-scribe soon fixed that. AM cockpit and some Aires burner cans as I was doing a "B". No am intakes unlike the Trumpeter but a bit of card and filler had smooth intakes. A good guide is on the Narita Family website: http://www.naritafamily.com/howto/F14D/photo_thumb.htm It is what it is and yes it needs some modelling skills rather than expected perfection OOB. Mine: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/30336-f-14b-tomcat-vf-103-jolly-rogers/

Yes, an interesting thing I didn't realise.

Apparently yesterday was the centenary of the founding of the RAAF. HM the Queen performed her first public engagement in several months at the Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9424795/Queen-94-got-second-Covid-jab-facing-public-without-mask.html Best wishes to all our Aussie Air Force friends!

What date is it today ?

If any of you have the film "Spitfire" on DVD then Mary Ellis and Joy Lofthouse feature. Mary at 101 was reunited with a Mk VIII that she delivered during the war and which she had signed at the time. It still bears her signature to this day. All now sadly gone but their service should never be forgotten. Couple of vids of them enjoying taking the controls of a Spitfire again before they passed away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvrlTzeFRKs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwU1HRylERU

Not many products can actually add a phrase to the English language (over here anyway) as Marmite "you love it or hate it" has been used about people. As in "She's a bit Marmite" you lover her or hate her. What it has also done is produce some really funny ads in the UK along the "love it or hate it" idea. Just a couple:

This is veering to the political which isn't really a surprise given the nature of the thread. I'm retired and have been bringing up a daughter on my own for the last 12 years (widowed) and she has just turned 16. I sit at the table on my lappy and she sits opposite me on hers "at school". They are doing full lessons online which is good. I was thinking back to the first "lockdown" in March last year and how different this current one is. With the vaccines rolling out cases are plunging fast although deaths are taking longer to reduce. In the first one "outside" was like a ghost town. A lot more cars on the roads with this one as people are taking advantage to do essential shopping which is allowed. People don't seem so "scared" as there is light at the end of the tunnel. My concern is that we should try and get back to normal when it happens. Not this "new" normal as that's a con. Back like we used to be. I don't think I'm unique in that I sometimes go on You tube to listen to favourite songs and end up spending a long time "remembering" others that appear as suggestions. I was going through ELO tracks the other day and found one which really took me aback. It seemed so strange to see what was going on in the vid. Not something I personally want to do but I hope we can get back to times when we can do this if we wish to and just be with people again.

Most have already been mentioned but an additional vote for "Fury". One that I'd forgotten about but popped up on TV here yesterday was "The Train" made in 1964 with Burt Lancaster. Seen it before but I really enjoyed it again.

I must admit to have become pretty hooked on Greg and Premier1 Driver. https://www.youtube.com/user/gregmink Fascinating to see what goes on upfront and also escape the weather over here and fly around the Us and elsewhere with him. Great at explaining things to non-pilots too.

When the Griffon engined spits were released to squadrons there were some very "exciting" first take-offs apparently. The Griffon, in addition to having a lot more power also spun the prop the opposite way to the Merlin . Putting on the wrong rudder application could produce some interesting "f**k me !" moments.

This was a staged "publicity" shot apparently. Aircraft was Typhoon RB 326 codes of 5V-5 of 439 Sqdn at Eindhoven March 1945. The female "armourers" were from an RCAF entertainment troupe. Source: 2nd TAF Volume IV book

The Alleycat conversion may be of help. Whilst I understand you have looked at am, there's a lot of parts in the conversion and whilst you will have to scratch the actual gun, the conversion may well give you an additional "leg up". I used their TR33 conversion on mine and it certainly helped. https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/mosquito-fb-mk-xviii-tse-tse-mosquito-conversion-set-decals-5491-p.asp The Tse Tse was a pretty awesome beast and I recall a story in one of my references when they were U-Boat hunting in the Bay of Biscay. They used a flight of 4 FBVI's to take on the protecting JU88's whilst the Tse Tse went for the submarines. Apparently on one occasion the Tse Tse actually used the gun on an '88 "to great effect". I can imagine !

If I might be a little constructive here. If the mods had said that posts had been removed in addition to the warning about future posts then it would have made sense. As it was it looked like people were being warned for no visible reason and couldn't understand why. Just sayin'

I recall this lot are used by the Navy on a sub-contract basis for threat simulations etc. It seems they do. https://www.hunterteam.com/ Nice to see they have a Bucc which is soon to be airworthy too.

Oh goody! About time you got that monkey off your back. Fine work on this one amigo. Loverly finish.

I built the SHAR a long time back. It will build up out of the box ok but you can get carried away with detailing and sanding back of a lot of over-raised rivets ! Didn't have a build thread but RFI thread here: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/28588-124-airfix-sea-harrier-frs1/

Interesting film but the colours will probably be wrong according to some. Oh yes and they are painted with a matte finish. That will probably be wrong too.

As regards Mk IX spits operating from Malta, 249 Squadron started getting them in July/August 1943. There is a pic of one in the book "249 at war" and they took part in bomber escorts with the Sicily/ Italian landings. The usual black and white photo but it looks to be the standard desert scheme of Dark earth/Middle stone over azure blue with a red spinner. They did still knock off the odd recon aircraft over Malta though but there was very little local action by then. Another thing to consider is the USAAF Spitfires operated in North Africa and then on to Sicily/Italy. They started receiving Mk IX's and VIII's whilst still in North Africa in the Spring of 1943. Some good schemes there too. Another good book for the US operating Spits: https://www.amazon.co.uk/American-Spitfire-Aces-World-Aircraft/dp/1846032024/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=9781846032028&qid=1603800156&s=books&sr=1-1

Found a good pilot's walkaround of the Avanti II. Very fast, low operating costs but very expensive to buy. But Piaggio was rescued by Ferrari so not surprising.

Function before form and so ugly it's brilliant. Used to see these over my house when I was a kid. Nothing else sounds quite like it. Plenty of foreign schemes too.