Aviacom

Let me open a can of worm's!! For my sin's, I'm looking at getting into the 3D printing lark, Not to make anything for others, just to do things for myself to enhance my own models. Things like some of the printed main gear legs that you can get for 1/48th scale kits, wheels, Cockpits, etc, you know, standard run of the mill stuff, but maybe more complex things down the road once I learnt the dark are of it all. I know there is a vast array of printers to choose from out there with prices all over the place! So, after spending many hours on YouTube and reading things on the Web, I'm leaning towards an AnyCubic Photon series machine, (Unless anyone else can point me elsewhere?). So let me ask the standard questions from the more knowledgable on here than I. Who on here uses one and How good are they? Any tips and/or advice to using them? Which printer to go for? Best resin to use for 'our' model bits? Good places to get files from that are useful to our modelling? Etc, Etc. Sorry for the stupid questions and opening up this tack. I just need all the help and advice before I spend what I've saved up for quite a long time, I really cant afford to waste money (Who can?) on the wrong thing! Thanks in advance guy's.

As per the title, What's the best 1/32 MiG-21 out there and same again for the best aftermarket cockpit for it too? I am really fancying adding a Slovak or Romanian MiG-21 to my display collection, there just something about those two schemes! Thanks in advance

Thanks so much for all your help. Looking at that picture above, while I'm in front of my paint rack, Those two top side blues match exactly to MRP Azure Blue and MRP PRU Blue! As for the 'Black' P-47's, Mr Hobby Japanese 'Cowling Color' (Number 125) seems a perfect match for that. So, once again, Thanks!!

Hi Guy's, I know there are some very knowledgable P-47 guy's on here so thought it may be the best place to ask. I want to build one of the 56th FG P-47's in the 'Two Blue' Camo scheme, the problem is, what colors were the Blue's? Insignia Blue and Azure Blue with NMF Undersides? Again. For the Black Topsides on some of the aircraft, Satin Black or Matt Black? Thanks in advance

Hi, Can someone tell me please, the 'Jackets' that were around the rear cylinders on the Centaurus engine, what colour were they, Black, NMF, Anodised? I've got the CMK Full Centaurus engine for my Tempest that i'm working on but cant seem to find this info. Thanks

I can now confirm that this set DOES in fact the Special Hobby Tempest II Kit, even with the CMK Full Centaurus Engine set which I have as well. Cheers

Hi Guy's. I've got the Special Hobby Hawker Tempest II 'Hi-Tech' Kit with all the resin. What i'd like to know, Is would this following set fit this kit? I've already got the CMK Bristol Centaurus (Full Engine) for this project but would really like to add this set behind it if it would fit? Cheers

Hi, Im about to start a P-47 Razorback that was used as an Assembly Ship with the 453rd BG. It was War Weary and in Natural Metal Finish with Unit Markings on the tail. Now, I have seen MANY truly fantastic Natural Metal Finished models on this forum that leave me in awe, some in particular done by ‘Miroslav Hraban’ of this site. I love the way he ‘shades’ the panel lines of his metallic finishes and the general ‘patina’ of each panel is just mind blowing!! So, how is it done? Could anyone explain or point me to a site or videos on how to do it please? Id really like to see if I could pull this off on this War Weary Assembly Ship that I’m going to do. Many Thanks in advance

Hi, I've taken the plunge last week, cleared up the workshop and now got my HPH Catalina on the bench!! I have been looking forward to doing this for the few years that I've had it in the stash! I'm not entirely happy with the prop blades or prop bosses in the kit, so I'd like to ask if there are any other suitable aftermarket props out there that I could use instead? Same thing with the included wheels! Maybe the Eduard Brassin F4U Props would work, or something like that? Eduard Brassin B-25 or B-24 wheels to replace the awful kit wheels? Any help would be very gratefully received Thanks

Hi, I'm in need of desperate help. I'm stalled on a build because of this! I cannot find the size of the 'Checker' markings on the nose of the 353rd FG P-47's. They were from the 8th USAAF and known as the 'Slybirds' I know there are 1/48th scale decal sheets out there with these markings on them, but I don't have one of those sheets that I can take a measurement from and scale up, do you? Any help would be very gratefully received. Many Thanks

Well, two days later, and here's where I am with it so far! I need to keep this looking 'like new' for the diorama, so I'm keeping the washes and weathering to the very minimum. You may also notice that I like the 'Spanish Style' of detail painting, with the highlights on ribs, etc. And yes, I know the 'Wiring/Tubing' in the cockpit is not 100% accurate, but it's there just to show 'Something'.

Rog, Thanks so much for that! Now i'm going to hunt one out and buy it, there is just something about this aircraft that does it for me!? And I don't even know what that could be, it just does. Cheers

Simple question really, Is there a 1/32 kit of the Brewster Buffalo available? Any aftermarket available for a kit? Cheers

Hi After my two FW190 builds have stalled and a slight loss of motivation, I figured something different and quite unique would pique my interest again. A guy has asked me to build him a Tamiya F4U but in a completely different setting, and put in a glass display case. So, i'm 8/10ths of the way thru finishing a Tamiya F4U-1D kit (No decals, all markings masked and sprayed, I figured that I would do something completely different with my Tamiya F4U-1A. A diorama. I searched the web for ideas and ive been doing lots of research and come up with an idea, I can't share it right now as it may change slightly throughout the build process. Now I have the kit on the bench, with the finishing of the '1D', and everything so far has been primed and ready. I'll be using the following items: Eduard Brassin P&W 2800 Engine Eduard Exterior set Grey Matter Figures Forward Accesory Bay Yahu Instrumant Panel HGW Fabric Belts HGW Cockpit Stencils 1 Man Army Stencil Paint Masks I dont have a scheme in mind yet, Actually I don't really need a scheme for this diorama idea, the only idea I have so far for it is that it will be done as an aircraft from mid 1943 whereby the national insignia had the Red surrounds to them. So i've already cut the paint masks for the insignia on my cutter as I just dont do decals where I can help it! Here's where I am with it so far: Cheers.

Thanks Mike. Just 'Pure White' then I guess??

I'm doing an FG-1 from the Tamiya F4U-1D kit. I've decided on an aircraft from VMF-213 (Number 115). WHat i'd like to know is, obviously it uses 'Insignia White' for all the National Marking's, but, the 'White' for the Tail, Wing, and Code Numbers for the Unit Markings - Was that 'Insignia White' or just 'Plain White'? How confusing!! Cheers

What do the Gun Bays look like on the F4U-1D??

But Tamiya do not include the open gun bays as part of the kit.

Hi Doe's anyone know if there are any aftermarket Gun Bays out there for the Tamiya F4U Corsairs? If not, is there anything that can be adapted to fit - Hellcat bays?? Thanks

They are Semi-Gloss and have been sprayed over a Gloss White background. Personally, I would say the middle MRP colour but there's more knowledgeable guys on here than me!

Currently I'm building a Tamiya F4U-1D Corsair as my FW 190 builds have stalled! So, I'm in a muddle with which of the Gloss Sea Blues are correct?! Here's some 'test' spraying I did with what I have on hand: This shot has been taken outside in Natural Daylight. This one has been taken inside but under my 'Daylight' LED Bench lamps. So, if you were to do a late war USN or FAA Corsair, which one would you use? Thanks

The JG 54 colours used in those strange and wonderful camo schemes, were actually German armour colours! I have read this information from many reliable sources, so for the Brown on Nowotny's aircraft would be 'Rot Braun RAL 8017' and the Green would be 'Oliv Grun RAL 6003', etc. The White is the standard Luftwaffe Winter 'Whitewash' and all the other colours are standard RLM aviation colours. Cheers.

More........

I've been 'tinkering' with this build for the last couple of days! Really enjoying it. I also started cutting out every removable hatch on the aircraft and started backing off the holes with the right flanges, etc. I also bought a new 'Toy' to work alongside my H&S Infinity CRPlus airbrush, I've used it a few times so far and WOW!! What a game changer it is! So, i'll let the pictures speak for themselves. (Please bare in mind this aircraft will be modelled weathered, filthy and pretty beat up, just like they were with the constant daily use they got)

So, it's one of these schemes that i'll do this in, but i'm undecided which! (I do like the 'Checker Nosed' bird!!) I also have the masks for the Nowotny bird and also the Yellow 8 aircraft, Hmmmm, decisions decisions! Which one would you do??