RadBaron

Really nice work with the camo!

Yep, HLJ is good to deal with. Shipping is from Japan, so does take a bit longer, but were talking weeks, not months. They regularly have sales with pretty convincing prices!

Somewhat amazed that I'd never contributed to this, so forgive my entry being a bit show-offey, but It Is a significant moment for me, the first time I got to fly my dad around, as opposed to vice versa. We're in his Dehavilland Chipmunk, cruising over the Darling Downs, QLD Australia. Denzil

Another vote for Skyway! Its a good old fashioned model shop. Lots of stuff there!

Fascinating stuff, David, and whilst I am certainly not a stickler for 100% colour accuracy, this comment: Rings true to me too. Your eye knows when something isn't quite right, so experiments like yours are a really interesting dive into the history of the colours. Great work!!

#1) Auster series. Preferably a J1b, but all of the J series would be splendid. #2) Beechcraft Staggerwing series. (The ITC/ Staggerwings Unlimited kit doesn't count, one look at it and you know there is literally nothing accurate about it, or could be used to help a scratch build. #3 Grumman Widgeon. I'd love ALL the grumman amphibs in large scale, but if only one, the G44 Is MY dream plane. 4th runner up, and i agree with @Iain, a Chipmunk would be fantastic! My father owns one and getting to fly him in it recently was a monumental occasion that I'd love to replicate in model form Denzil

I'll come back to these great points, Paul, but your post has me reflecting, yet again, on the vast array of differences in our tiny niche of a hobby. This time, the difference between those who want to build a SUBJECT as opposed who want to build a KIT. Both want to build models to the best of their ability and learn the skills, so there is no negativity directed at either, however I wonder if hoarding is more prevalent for the former, due to wanting to obtain that particular subject when its availiable. The rarer the subject/kit, the more likely it'll be purchased well before its likely to be built. Where as the latter is just happy to build kits, and most likely prefers more modern kits due to ease of build/accuracy/price/aftermarket options/buildreviews etc. As to your points, #1 strikes home. With every new kit, I know I daydream/mentally plannout the entire build, from start to finish. However, that mental build takes place in a vacuum, a faraway land where time stands still, and all builds are straightforward and without Interruption. We all know what the reality is Point #3 about availability is certainly a motivator. After the fall of WnW and the tragedy of Fisher Model and Pattern (among countless other long gone producers) FOMO is truly up there, especially when you want to built a particular subject, the FOMO can dramatically intensify! Great topic

Excellent work! More so, that it's in the smaller scale

I can assure you, it's not something I'd recommend striving for

Well said by all, and I think we're all bitten by the same bug. In an effort to attempt to hold back from simply buying everything that looked cool, (and in attempt to fit things in the cabinets) I've restrained myself to buying only specific topics in specific scales, and difficult to find/rare kits. Which hasn't worked at all to quash ridiculous amounts of buying, if anything now that purchases are subjects close to my heart, it makes them harder to part with every time a purge is considered. And, as can be attested on this very sight, my Build/Buy ration is somewhere in the realm of 1/100. So to build what I already have will take approximately the same time as the latent heat death of the sun, let alone what I'm yet to buy. And let's not mention the stash on the OTHER side of the planet... AND this isn't even taking into account the other time consuming hobbies. Totally a first-world problem, no doubt, but we're in in good company. And at least it keeps us off the streets! Denzil

Now availiable for order! John quoted £160 plus postage. Excited for mine to turn up!

That is a fantastic result, so crisp and clean! Excellent work

Brilliant, Alex, thankyou very much for sharing the pics!

Sublime as always, Peter! Thankyou for taking the time to document your process, it never gets old and it fans the flames of encouragement for having a go at it!!

Ooooh now THAT I'll jump on! Nothing looks quite as mean as a clipped wing MkXII!

That is a real shame, they have some lovely stuff in their range

Many moons ago, I built the 205. Engraved panel lines and other details are quite chunky, but considering the kits former life as a "toy" thats not unexpected. I really liked the pre-painted pilot figure! I remember it being an easy build, the plugs that cover the screws were a drag to fill. Overall fit was very good. All the comments about wheels and gear doors are correct, I can't remember if I changed the wheels out, but I certainly made new gear doors. The cockpit and wheel wells aren't barren, but you could really go to town detailing them. I remember being pleasantly suprised by the quality of the decals, both in printing and application. For what was at the time a really cheap kit, it's certainly great value for the money, i think i paid $20AUD on sale. Will it compete for accuracy with the latest and greatest without a bunch of laborious work? No. But it sure is a darn good looking kit that can be had for significantly less than the newer kits. Makes a fantastic canvass for trying some fun painting techniques! Sorry for the potato-cam quality pic. The model is currently in a box, in storage on the other side of the plane!

Those are looking great, Kev!

Very nicely done!

Hope your back to 100% soon, Mike!

There are a couple in 1/72, an old Esoteric Vacform (which is actually a really beautiful kit, the pinnacle of vacforms) and resin kit by CMR (which I've never seen in person and can't comment on). This one is the only 1/48 kit, although MikroMir is currently working on a 1/48 injection molded kit of the S39, and I do wonder if they're planning on following it with an S38. Time will tell!

And that particular one is an all-wood, flying replica! The real one is even more beautiful-er

Wishful thinking

I was extremely fortunate growing up with a dad who was an award winning modeller, so right from the get go I had all the inspiration, knowledge and equipment ready to go. At that time, Plasti-weld, Testors and Humbrol enamels and the Paasche single action airbrush were all the name of the game. You can imagine how much has changed since THEN! Each time I've come back after a break from the hobby, the tools and equipment have evolved, along with the techniques, so there's always a change. Most recently, I try to have a go of something new on each build. A new painting technique, or surface texturing, or something. Just to learn something new and see if there's a technique I'd enjoy adding to my fold. For me, that's a part of the fun, learning a new skill to try to bring my completed models that little bit closer to the way I imagine they'll look at the beginning of the build. Denzil.

Being away from the bench is proving to be an expensive exercise, too much spare time shopping for kits instead of building HOWEVER I did manage to snag the last of my all time Holy-Grail kits. Not a LSP, admittedly, but impossibly cool none the less! Tom's Modelworks 1/48 Sikorsky S38 The box is entirely lackluster so here's a perv at some of the parts within Details are cast resin and white metal. And a LOT of plastic strut stock. I'm already scheming about how to make a square metal-tube structure to go inside the top wing and booms, that will pick up the central strut, to make a nice solid model. Can't wait to have a go!! Given its holy grail status, that means I should never need to buy another model ever again, right?