Dpgsbody55

Great build and very well presented too. Your rigging skills impress too. Cheers, Michael

I placed an order for one yesterday, both because I like Z-M kits and because I haven't built a 109 in years. Really looking forward to getting this. Please keep posting pictures and paint schemes, please . Cheers, Michael

Somehow, now that a little time has passed since the announcement, I'm not surprised that they have no plans for an E wing Spitfire. If we accept that an E wing modification is not that difficult and they're not doing one, then I also believe that a Griffon engine version is also out of the question. I do, however, think it likely that a MkVIII will be the next release given the way the rear fuselage has been molded. Perhaps the after market will come up with an E wing conversion. I'm hoping the after market will go nuts over this plane and offer a wide range of options. Guess we'll know this time next year. Cheers, Michael

I understand where you're coming from, Tony. My father was one of those who liberated Belsen and he told me only a little of the horrors there. With respect, WW2 is a matter of history, much of which is about warfare which is always horrendous. Firstly, if we forget it, we repeat it. Secondly, this period threw up some huge technological advances in every area of life and for us that means the planes. Don't allied machines also suggest a love for this terrible period in our history?? We're all here as we celebrate aviation, in all it's forms. It's a fascination. Who here doesn't look up at the sky when we hear a plane overhead? While German planes could be a symbol of Nazi oppression and fanaticism, they're also a symbol of ingenuity too and later in the war, as a frantic but hopeless defense of ordinary civilians, regardless of their political persuasions. So it could also be argued that to build a model of anything related to warfare is to celebrate that warfare. I prefer not to look at that side of that argument, but to enjoy my chosen period of aviation and the challenge of building a better model than my last one. I apologise if what I've said bothers you, and if the moderators here chose to delete my post, so be it. War seems too often to define mankind, as present day events show, but there's another side to our nature too which is what I chose to celebrate. Best wishes, Michael.

My thanks to "geedubelyer" for posting the pictures of the kit sprues. This is shaping up as a beauty and I'm already thinking about two models - an early MkIX with earlier rudder and a later clipped wing late rudder type as well. Here's hoping the the after market does this kit proud, especially as the kit decals only seem to support the early rudder types. Also noted with great pleasure is the molding of the fuselage, with the cut outs for a retractable tail wheel for the MkVIII's. I don't see a high back MkXIV here as that would demand a different fuselage forward of the windscreen, and perhaps an E wing too, to say nothing of the parts to make a good Griffon engine. That said, I think this kit has the possibility for Airfix to deliver many variations on the 1/24 Spitfire model. Digits crossed. Cheers, Michael

It's the two Vampires that have me excited, and I like the 2023 releases of the ME-410 and Beaufighter. Better make space in the stash!! Cheers, Michael

Looks like 2022 is shaping up as a vintage year for LSP releases. Three Yaks from ICM, two Vampires from Infinity Models (as well as their ME410 and Beaufighter coming next year), the GWH P-40, Z-M's 109, and now this beauty. And this is just the ones that will find their way into my stash. I'm hoping it will come with all the bits to make either an early MkIX or a later MkIX. Then perhaps in another year or so, a revised version such as a MkXVIe. Or maybe even a Griffon powered MkXIV!!! I can wish, anyway. I'm sure the aftermarket will be all over this with lots of resin, etch and decals of all sorts. I can see me building a couple of these, so roll on the release day. Now, I guess I'd better get on with their Hellcat that I've had in my stash since release. That will clear some space for another huge box . Cheers, Michael

Despite the difficulties you encountered, your model turned out really well. And I agree with others as to how good your weathering is too. Nice one. Cheers, Michael

Nice looking model of one of my favourite GA planes. Well done. Cheers, Michael

Wonderful looking engine there, Chuck. Really enjoying your build and getting some great tips for the eventual build of mine. Mine's only been sitting in the stash since the kit was released. One thing which does surprise me is the fitment issues you've encountered. I was hoping that this kit would be at the same standard as the car door Typhoon, on which I had no such problems and was a joy from start to finish. Still, fore warned is fore armed, I guess. Looking forward to seeing more. Cheers, Michael

Did this beauty ever get finished?? I'd love to see the results. Cheers, Michael

No wartime Meteors had long chord engine nacelles. Only the last fifteen MkIII's were fitted with these, starting with EE479. All MkIV's had these nacelles, the first of which took it's maiden flight on 12th April 1946. MkI's also had a different canopy to MkIII's and MkIV's, with a more upright windscreen and hinged canopy. All MkI, MkIII and early MkIV aircraft had the longer 43ft wings, these being shortened to 37ft 2in. The wings were shortened by 2ft 10in on each side as an interim expedient to relieve stresses on the riveted box section center section which was subject to failure as a result of the extra speed generated by the more powerful RR Derwent V fitted on later MkIII's combined with the better airflow over the long chord engine nacelles. Failure here caused a sharp upward pitch then the loss of both wings. This change didn't entirely solve the stress problem, but it did mean a new wing was no longer needed. This mod reduced the rate of climb and service ceiling, but did increase rate of roll. Incidentally, Mk10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 20 reverted to the longer wings as these had become much longer aircraft. Hope this helps, Michael

Now that next year has finally arrived, it's time to have a recap of the 2021 models I completed. There were four builds completed this last year, down on 2020, but here they are starting with the first. Tamiya Spitfire MkVIII, RAAF. I always enjoy building a Spitfire, but this one had special significance to me as a very dear friend's father was with the Spitfire wing from the defense of Darwin to the end of the war, and my friend Tony and his father Bob are no longer with us, so this is for both of them. The blurred line between the light and dark green on the rear of the fuselage is precisely as this plane was in 1945, as is the thin white on the tail fin. This plane is one of the first batch of MkVIII's sent to Australia and many were repainted at unit level in colours more appropriate to their area of operations. Next is the Tamiya F4U-1 Corsair Birdcage, one I've never built before. To this kit, I also added the Grey Matter engine bay resin kit, as well as the usual Eduard etch. The third build was something a little different for me, being a ground attack aircraft in the form of Zoukei Mura's Henschel HS-129B. This was built OOB, with the exception of the Z-M/Eduard cockpit etch enhancement. This was my first Z-M kit and a very enjoyable project indeed. The last completed model was ICM's lovely Fiat CR-42. This is my first LSP Regia Aeronautica plane and I wish there were a few more Italian WW2 aircraft kits in large scale plastic IM format, so I'm hoping there will be more soon. I'm hopeful this the coming year will be as much fun as this last year, especially as there's some great releases coming. Hopefully a couple more firsts for me too, like the HS-129 and CR-42. Happy new year to all. Cheers, Michael

Here is an actual sign posted at a golf club in Scotland. 1 BACK STRAIGHT, KNEES BENT 2 FEET SHOULDER WIDTH APART 3 FORM A LOOSE GRIP 4 KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN 5 STAY OUT OF THE WATER 6 TRY NOT TO HIT ANYONE 7 IF YOU ARE TAKING TOO LONG LET OTHERS GO AHEAD OF YOU 8. DON'T STAND DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF OTHERS. 9. QUIET PLEASE...WHILE OTHERS ARE PREPARING 10 DON'T TAKE EXTRA STROKES WELL DONE.. NOW, FLUSH THE URINAL, GO OUTSIDE, AND TEE OFF Cheers, Michael

You're welcome, John. Looking forward to see your P-39 build progress, whichever you decide to do. Cheers, Michael