MikeC

Nice! I take it you meant to say 25th BG, based at Watton, Norfolk?

That's lovely, nice one.

Beautifully finished Noting it's not the first two-seater you seem to have done (the other one looks good too btw), have you got any plans to do "The Stars Look Down", Ike's ride over St Lo after D-Day? https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/aircraft/43-6877 http://www.354thpmfg.com/media_thestarslookdown_pt1.html

Indeed, Happy Christmas!

Enjoy it, and have fun. I imagine you could also build a Va from the box IF the oil cooler from the original Vb issue is still there in the box (I'm not familiar with the kit).

Yep, as does the shape of the radiator housing under the fuselage. Oh yes! If it's a Pony of whatever variant except another D/K I'll take it. Don't think we're likely to see a P-51H though, or an F-82, but it's nice to have a fantasy or two.

I shall consult my bible, otherwise referred to as Czechs in the RAF in Focus. If I find anything else relevant, I'll post it here.

The one thing I'm surprised about regarding retirement is that I seem to have not much more modelling time than I did when I worked!

That is very interesting, thanks for posting this Max. You may know that I have a particular interest in the Czech and Slovak forces, particularly during WW2, and this has got me setting off down another modelling rabbit-hole.

I have no doubt it will, that's what I plan to do with mine.

And not forgetting the most beautiful jet ever, the Hunter. I did have one slight niggle with the Italeri TF-104: because of the way the parts are laid out on the sprues, you still only get one ladder. One wonders why they didn't put a second ladder on one of the sprues specific to the TF. But look on the bright side, a student is about to do his first solo on type. Have fun.

I will do, although my current plans are for a PR A in "camotint", so all bets are off - but of course I may change my mind - look, butterfly! ... I use Artool Ultre Mask, but good tip nevertheless

The moral seems to be that if you operate a B-17, don't hire it out for film work!

Great model For myself, I'll not be doing a box scheme, so I'll have to do my own research. But I wasn't aware of the debate. Oh, and can I pick up on a small point of terminology which caused me a little confusion until I realised what you meant? I think you mean the codes (unit code and individual code): the serial is the letter/number combination X9999 or XX999 that identifies the aircraft uniquely, and whilst some were MSG, the majority weren't. Sorry to be picky, I'm easily confused .

That was "Tora Tora Tora" http://www.daveswarbirds.com/tora/B-17.htm

The classic line from the incident is when Sqn Ldr Clinton whose garden it is, surveys the "slightly bent" Hurricane, and with suppressed emotion says: "Hello, old man. Dropped in for tea?"

Is it my imagination or is the nose forward of the intakes bent to the left?

Yes and no. "Septic" Baird (John Gregson) is arriving on his first posting and at the same time delivering a brand new Hurricane. While landing, another aircraft making an emergency landing crosswind cuts actoss him, Septic attepts an overshoot and at least leaps over the other Hurricane. He ends up in the garden of a fighter controller whose house is at the end of the runway.

I've heard of blaming it on one's own dog, but the neighbour's? ...

I remember reading about that: we tried to sell them the Buccaner, and I believe that the one and only Capt Eric Brown was involved in his then-current job, which was Air Attache, Defence Attache, or something along those lines, to our Embassy. I've often wondered what a Bucc would look like in Marineflieger colours, now I know as you've beaten me to making a model. And a very nice one too, that's a great model and that scheme looks fine on it. Are the decals from an F-104 perchance?

The Italeri TF-104 has a decal option for BB+386 of WaSLW 10 in bare metal, and the upgraded RF-104G boxing has markings for EB+103 of AG52 in 1967, but that is in camouflage.

Yep, the training unit in the US wore US markings, although the aircraft were owned by the German AF and also had "shadow" German identities, of the form XX+XX. I think there's a list somewhere on the Luftwaffe Starfighter site http://www.916-starfighter.de/main.htm

I've done the IIIE (same kit with relevant variations), and imo it - that is, the F-104 - fits a lot better.

Personally I'd go with Italeri all the way, I must like it as I've built three, all different boxings. Agreed, you only need that if you're displaying it tail-off, with the tail on the stand provided. (And that's another thing, I don't believe Hasegawa has that, nor an engine stand, but I stand (pun intended ) to be corrected.) I did that on one of my three, and it certainly works: but they can also be made to fit after joining the secrions separately. For my third (the second issue of the A/C) I decided the key was to make sure they dried vertically, so taped the fuselage to a paper towel holder. And just for completeness, the outcome:

I use Tamiya gloss - works for me.