Puncher 75

What's best is wait a few extra weeks and support your local hobby shop and wait for them to get stock. If you don't one day everyone's option in the states will be Squadron or Squadron to buy from. Not commenting on what they may or may have not done but for most of us outside the States, Squadron is too expensive to deal with due to thier high shipping costs. Even Sprue Brother ship me items at the real cost of postage.Interesting that only the States have a problem with limited supplies. Gives some thought to why importers should not be resellers! Ken

Kev, when I use model air vellejo I add a little Tamiya Lacquer thinner to it instead of water. It makes it work beautifully. I picked this hint up from a bunch of armor modellers that were using Model Air paints. Cheers, Ken

Don't worry too much. The 109 is on their hit list as well as the FW-190 in 32 scale. You will just have to wait a little longer. Start saving your money. Ken

I use some of the Vallejo stuff from time to time and find all their varnishes really nice.Their paints are really good for fine brush work in cockpits etc.I also use their varnish and then use a White Spirit based enamel wash to tone and fade top colors on aircraft much the same a armor modelers do to fade paint. Ken

I have been waiting on this set for the last couple of years and I have no problem with the price. The only problem I have is that I know that it will be a good product but I will never put down money for something that is sight unseen and I think many modelers will be thinking the same as me. It's too big of a risk.I think you would have many more sales if you displayed the final castings before asking for customers to order. Just my .2 cents worth and I hope it goes well for sales. Ken

Nice and now it's really starting to look like a Siperfort. Nice work with the paint. Ken

I think with the A-4 series and the A-7 available in 32 scale and soon the A-6 that someone should think about releasing some Rockeyes/CBU's for these kits. No aftermarket company makes them. The only ones I know of are in the Tamiya F-15E box. Just my .2 of a cents worth Ken.

Looking good! It's good to see the B-25 in another scheme for a change. Can't wait to see you finish it. Ken

Excellent work as always Pete. Great to see you back at this build again. Ken

Hi Tony, I am backdating the A-7E to an A-7A and will be completing it as a VA- 153 Blue Tail Flies mount with customs decals/masks. I am using the old cutting edge A-7A set in 48 scale as a guide and two spare Trumpeter fuselage pieces that I picked up from a partially built kit. I have cut into the two sections where the 20mm gun blast tubes exit the fuselage are and have dropped in a small section of brass tube cut in halves which I am now working into shape with putty. I could not think of a better way to do this. The lower Vulcan cannon fairing has been filled and contoured with the rest of the fuselage. I still have to fill in the cockpit entry steps and once that is completed fill and scribe new panel lines to reflect the A-7A and make a new foot stirrup that slides out. As to your other questions: Yes long before my time in A-6's.I never dropped Sonar buoys. Everything I dropped went bang in one way or another. The hoovers had been in service for years when I was on the boat. I did read briefly of the A-6 being used for the ASW role but it was basic info only stating that it was evaluated. We were focused only on our capabilities/mission at that time as you would expect. I will ask around but I doubt that I would know of anyone that goes that far back with the Punchers. Still you never know, maybe someone is a history buff from the old squadron. I will ask. Cheers, Ken

Brian, I see one small problem with it fitting in your cabinet. Did you take into account that when the B-25 was resting in there that you do not have the rudders on the tail. Looks to me like the right rudder once in place might hit the back end of the cabinet wall. I hope I'm wrong but it sure looks that way in the photo. Don't ya just get all excited when you finally get to see how big it is with the wings etc on? It is a really nice kit. Cheers, Ken

Hi Brian, it's really looking great with the work you have put into it so far. The tail cover you made looks so much better than the kit cover. Cockpit and bomb bay and tail gunners position all look real nice. I can't wait to see it being foiled. Oh, workbenches never stay tidy for very long. I end up cleaning mine mutiple times just so I can build on a clean suface. Ken

Jerry, nice work on that cover. It's a much better cover than what is included in the kit. I will certainly be buying a couple from Grey Matter resin. Thanks! Ken

To my knowledge there isn't anything available for the Bendix intake conversion. Ken

That is absolutely awesome! Would have to be the best Gotha I have seen built. The figures are really nice and add a nice touch to the aircraft. I love the paint scheme also. Almost makes me want to build WWI aircraft.I will by being this issue of AFV for sure. Great work! Ken