Jimmyjet

Hello, name is James Feuilherade.  Married to Joanne with two girls, living in Tamworth NSW Australia.  As for my modelling background, been dabbling most of my life.  Build whatever motivates at the time, usually after reading a book.  Have however always been attracted to LSP by the "wow" factor of large scale.  Also driven a bit in that direction by 53 year old eyesight!  Have done some LSP's, actually have two in my office, displayed in a head on pass.  They are Spitfires, a MKI and a Mk24.  Spitfire is a favourite (yeah, me and 2 billion others!).  But for me has a special space, as I was involved with a MkIX when I did a tour of duty with the South African Air Force Museum historic flight.  Also, surely the most beautiful aeroplane, ever built, more curves than what you would read about in "Curves" monthly, and what is most impressive flies as nice as it looks.

Brief career, Started off in the South African Air Force, where umongst others I was lucke enough to fly 800 odd hours on the Harvard (SNJ/T6-Texan, no gessing what my next 1.32 purchase wil just have to be....), but my main operational type was Helicopters, the AloIII and Puma/Super Puma.  It is after all, wiser to stop, before landing!  Another career highlight was a posting to the South African Ait Force Museum 1998-2000, where I got to fly some very interesting types.  As just mentioned, a career highlight and huge personal thrill for me, was to be the Spitfire MkIXe display pilot for 1999 to April 2000.  She was unusual, in that although a low back with clipped wings (just like a MkXVI), it was fitted with a Merlin engine not a Packard Merlin, so was a rare low back MkIX.  How many times did I pinch myself to see I wasn't dreaming?  Plenty!!  What a beautiful machine, and amazingly easy to fly.  It does exactly what you want it to do, very easy to select and hold an attitude. Certainly easier to fly than the Harvard/T6.  You can accurately hold a max rate turn, on the light buffet, all day with two fingers hooked over that round control spade grip. The "broken" control stick works well, as there is not much room in the cockpit.  You don't notice any difference to a conventional control joystick in flight. The controls are very light and direct.  I can fully understand how combat pilots in the war, loved this aircraft. The handling is just like all the cliches you hear about, it does, "flies as good as it looks".  April 2000, did three years in the Sultanate of Oman as a contract QFI, flying Pilatus PC9M's, they were brand new out the box. A sweet machine.  Came out to Australia as a lateral recruit in 2006, converted to and instructed on Bell 206B-1 Kiowas.  Now with BAE Systems, working for them as a Bell 206B-3 helicopter pilot instructor.

Clearly from what I've seen, my Spitfires will not feature here.  They are the ancient Revell kits, full of their horrors!  But painted up, together on their stand, as the "first and last", they look the part and I can live with them.  I have a  Hasegawa P40, Fw190D, a Revell Beaufighter(scratchbuilder dream) and of course the Tamiya Spitfire MkIX, (who doesn't) in my limited stash. Hoping to get stuck into the P40 Warhawk, to see if I can put together somthing that may just make the very high LSP grade?