Grizly

I used the Skyraider Model Design's conversion and decals and came up with the following build. Unfortunately, I don't think they (Skyraider Model Designs) are in business any more. Our loss. Now if someone would produce a set of Matra Magic missiles.....

It's the Hasegawa 1/32 F-86F-40 High-Grade kit with the TAC Scale cockpit, Eduard photo etch, Cutting Edge drop tanks, Quick Boost pitot tube and Leading Edge decals. Xtracolor enamels were used for the camouflage and Eduard pre-cut masks made painting the canopy much easier.

I'm surprised to see a sink. The post war C-47s that I flew with the RCAF had a 'honey bucket' in the tail and that was it. If there had been sinks prior to their refurbishment, I can't believe that they would have been removed. We also had a one cylinder apu back in the tail on the port side but that could well have been a post-war mod.

As previously mentioned, while I used the tanks, intakes, etc from the Belcher Bits conversion, I didn't use the resin fuselage. Instead I used the fuselage master that I had made which was used to develop the resin fuselage. Why? It wasn't because I didn't like the resin copy, I simply wanted to use the part I had made and it mated nicely with the forward fuselage.

The base was made decades ago for another model. It's simply a piece of Masonite glued to a frame and sprayed with rattle can paint.

My build actually used the master for the fuselage that was used to make that in the Belcher Bits conversion. Why? I made it and I just wanted to use 'my' part. The rest including the intakes, tanks, doors pylons are those provided by Belcher Bits. I do have lots of 'in progress' photos, however, there is a possibility of my build being publicized so I'm reluctant to post them at this time.

No, it's not a test shot from Tan Model or Kitty Hawk but rather a model based on the Hasegawa 1/32 F-5E Tiger II and the Belcher Bits conversion (plus some other odds and sods and Leading Edge decals).

I stand corrected. The avionics bays that I have are by TAC Scale. Set 32034 Tornado Detail Set, to be specific, includes the avionics bays, ejection seats, canopy rails and the behind the seat bulkheads.

Paragon had avionics bays for both sides of the nose as well as extended leading and trailing edge flaps for the wings. Unfortunately, Paragon is long gone and I don't know if anyone picked up on their product line after their demise.

After pilot training with the RCAF I cut my teeth flying the venerable C-47 and accumulated over 2000 hours on it in three years before moving on to the C-130. For those interested, here are three different variants of port side doors - the standard cargo door, the cargo door with the para door insert in the forward door modified to provide swing down passenger steps and a straight passenger entrance (no cargo door).

Further to Clunkmeister's comments, the kit should have not only skinned over windows but also skinned over locations for the Frazer-Nash and Martin upper turrets and ventral turret thereby offering the modeller a broad choice of variants to model and precluding the need for HK models to make separate moulds should they wish to offer earlier and/or later marks.

Looks good but I too would have preferred skinned over windows that could be punched out in order to replicate earlier Lancs. Such an initiative would have provided a broader base kit which offered the modeller a wider selection of subjects. My choice would have been a post-war Canadian Mk.10MR. I've built one in 1/48 scale and 'removing' the windows is a real pain. Hopefully HK sees fit to offer a version of the kit without windows in the (near) future.

I'm here. I also sent an email thru LSP. How can I help? John Lumley (in Winnipeg).

If HK Models ever produces the later fuselage without windows I would undoubtedly purchase a copy inorder to build a post war Canadian MR Lanc.

What provision is given for the modeller that doesn't want to install rockets? I'm surprised Tamiya didn't simply leave the mounting points skinned over and have dimples on the inside to guide those who want rockets to drill locating holes.

Series 77 used to offer a USAAF pilot. While the resurrected company line does not currently offer that particular figure (see www.series77.com/064.html ) you might be able to find an original offering on line/EBay. I had one but recently passed it on to a fellow modeller. I still have the Series 77 RAF and Luftwaffe fighter and Stuka pilots as well as the Imrie Risley's RAF and Luftwaffe pilots in 1/24 scales.

I'm stuck for decals so my current 1/32 CF-5 project is on hold. Hopefully the decals with the Tan Models kit will revive this project and add another to my small fleet (?) of CF-5s.

Jennings Heilig, how about the following... https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpag&v=984tPA7k3yg . The camera provides live feed to the ground operator who then has a pilot's eye view. As for the 'stick', I actually submitted a suggestion to an R/C company suggesting that they produce a right hand side controller (stick) and left hand throttle (as in an F-16) that could be mounted on the arms of a chair to replace the R/C thumb/finger controllers. I assume it fell on deaf ears as I didn't receive any reply.

Quite the model. At the risk of being a nit-picker, it's not an F-86 as Germany flew Canadair CL-13 Sabre Mk.5s and 6s. Still, an amazing model. I wonder if it flies? See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFwVfVaO5N0&feature=youtu.be.

I agree, a new state-of-the-art 1/24 P-51D would be very nice. The old Airfix, Bandai and Trumpeter kits leave much to be desired/corrected. A 1/24 scale Mk-IXc would also make for a nice addition to their lineup. Mine which I built almost two decades ago.

I built the Trumpeter kit and my solution was to reduced the distance between the two rows of cylinders. Don't ask me by how much as I just eyeballed it until the reduction gear box poked out the front the desireable amount.

Tony T, Yes, I joined the fore/aft fuselage components together before joining the left/right halves as I did on Trumpeter's 1/32 Mig 17 and 19. The latter is also a very nice kit.

On my Polish Mig I used the kit gun parts. Extras that I used included the Cutting Edge resin cockpit, SOL resin UB-32A rocket launchers, Air Master brass static discharge rods (breaking the kit static dischargers off is a sure thing) and Model Master decals.

Southern Bandit, since you are simply looking at building a 1/32 Mig-21 and aren't particularly concerned about what sub variant, why not build the Trumpeter MF. I did and am happy with the end product.

If in fact they are going for stressed and lapped skin and raised rivets, I'm still hoping that the fuselage side windows are 'optional'. In other words the windows are engraved on the inside allowing those who want windows to open them up. Otherwise, it will be near impossible to fill over the windows should one wish to make a late model Lanc. that doesn't have windows.