Drof88

Hey guys Does anyone know where i could get a hold of 1/24 WW2 individual instrument decals at all? I've seen them in 48th and 32nd, but can't seem to find any in 24th... Any assistance very much appreciated Dan

Hey Fred, Good to see her finished at last !! Worth the wait though... She's a beauty!! -Dan

Luckily my dad has let me build her in his workshop (so he can have a play too ), but as for where she's going when finished.... Umm.... ... I still don't know !! I'm looking at moving out within the few years so hopefully by the time she's finished i'll either have a place of my own or dad can keep it at his house for a while. Derek- that's what i'm banking on, as soon as one annoys me i move back to the other

And the trimmed fuselage half, all ready to be detailed!! More details when i've made a bit of headway on the interior detailing... I can see this one taking a few months -Dan

Below is a photo of one of the main wheels after cleanup- thank goodness i've got plenty of filler Also pictured is the RR Merlin 25 i'm detailing to go on show in one of the nacelles

With my Beaufighter stalled (although i still don't know why) i thought i'd get myself another vacuform kit to take my mind off things. So at first i thought of a large scale fighter, but then there's plenty of plastic kits of fighters... So then i started thinking naughty thoughts of large scale bombers... And ended up buying Heritage Aviation's 1/24 Lancaster!! First impression- 'Holy mother this is HUGE!!' followed by 'she's gonna kill me' Right... The kit arrived in a HUGE box containing 4 sheets of vacuum formed parts, a big bag of resin bits and a bag of whitemetal bobs. The kit supplies markings for VN-N (R5689), a Lanc from 50 Squadron. On September the 18th 1942 this aircraft took off from Swinderby airfield, Lincolnshire, on a 'gardening' (laying anti-shipping mines) sortie. It was hit and badly damaged, crash landing South of Thurlby airfield, Lincolnshire, when both port motors failed as the crew was preparing to land. On first inspection everything seemed okay, with just a couple of minor dents on the vacuum formed parts. And so i started cleaning up a few of the resin and whitemetal bits, filling the usual air bubbles and giving my arms a good workout with all the sanding !! I've now trimmed one of the fuselage halves so i can make a start on scratching the interior- i'm gonna need plenty of plastic card for this !!! * I'm also keeping a 'sort of blog' on the build which is updated roughly every monday (usually i can only get to the workshop on Sunday) if anyone wants to floow in more detail http://www.freewebs.com/themodelhanger/124thlancaster.htm Now, on with the build!! First photo is of the resin bits cleaned up so far (ignore the instrument panel, and the whitemetal U/C leg has now been finished)

Hey (again!!) guys It's (mad ) Dan from Stafford, England!! I've just finished a 3 year apprenticeship and i'm currently working with technical support for railway electrification (West Coast Mainline travellers beware mwahaha ). Modelling is my main hobby but i also race 1/10 RC cars, fly RC planes, go urban exploring at times, dabble with model engineering (i'm currently working on restoring a couple of steam engines) and even ride horses (yes i'm a guy, but before anyone says it i'm not )!! I build models all over the place- in my bedroom (mainly and despite the parent's nagging ), on the dining room table, in the garage, at my dad's house, in my dad's workshop... Even at work on occasion What do i build? Anything and everything... Planes (mainly), tanks, boats, trains, some sci-fi... All in a variety of scales (used to be mainly 1/72nd for easy builds and to try to save space), but i've started building larger scale models as my skill has increased and i've started to become jealous of your models and want more detail in mine Latest projects are a couple of 1/72 Revell tanks on the go (T34/85 + Tiger 1 Ausf E), my ongoing 1/32 Revell Beaufighter (or 'terror' as i've nicknamed her!!), and i've started making the first cuts on a 1/24 (yup, not a typo) Lancaster !! But that's the one i'm keeping secret from my parents as long as i can So... Me in a nutshell (cramped ) -Dan

Looking good there Kev !! As for the accuracy- as a few friends of mine say "So long as it looks like a *insert plane here * then it's good enough" Besides, with the photos i've found it seems you're pretty darn close anyways !! Good luck with the rest of the build!! -Dan

Cheers guys Loic- it's either courage or insanity- i haven't decided yet Oh yup, i certainly prefer Revell kits- 99.9% of the kits stashed around my room (or hidden in my car ) are Revell!! There's a couple of exceptions though- 3 airfix, one lindberg and a herritage aviation I'm dreaming of their 48th He111 *drools* a project for the future... Dave- Yeah, i prefer to scratchbuild rather than use resin as for some reason i've always dreaded using it, even though i've never tried it!! I've read a few tutorials, which makes it seem less daunting and makes me want to have a go with this 'mystical material' Who knows- by the end of the build i might even be casting my own stuff !! I say about not liking resin... But who's just gone and ordered Herritage Aviation's 48th Grob Vigilant !! It's sitting on my shelf, tempting me, waiting for when the beau is done And cheers for the heads up on the Vector 32nd hercules radials- i'd seen photos of them ages ago but never found out who supplied them!! As you say, at about £16 each they're not cheap- but definatly worth it going by all that gorgeous detail!! I think i might be showing her 'nude' (with the cowls/panels off) after all Pics will hopefully come soon (when i charge my camera lol)!! -Dan

Cheers Kev I was considering just painting the decals as you mentioned, i still haven't decided yet- i'm still a looong way away from that stage yet As soon as i stock up on styrene on Saturday i'll be getting back to work Cheers Rigor Yup, i think i'm gonna have to build myself and extension to the display cabinet for this one

And finally the decal sheet... I haven't had the heart to pull the paper off it yet- Quick question to everyone, if i wet the paper and peeled it back gently could that work at all? I'm currently working on the cockpit, MG bay and cannon bay just doing bits and bobs on one at a time... Not the best way i know!! More pics will be uploaded when progress has been made

I don't know if anyone else has had this problem, but the plastic is extremely brittle and just snaps if too much pressure is applied...

This is one big bird... Here she is with (clockwise from the black prop with spinner) 1/72 Albatross 1/72 La5FN 1/35 jagdpanther (mud bucket ) 1/72 stug 40 ausf G (another mud bucket )

And i'm opening up the gun bay in the starboard wing

I've ripped out the old and inaccurate cockpit and i've put the floor in for the new cockpit, and i'm rebuilding the cannon bay...

I was going to motorise the props and add lights i've added shafts to the engines just in case

The original cannon bay (note to all Beau nuts- the obvious fault for an early Beau, part from the hideously incorrect ribs [again, what was i thinking!!])

The 'mk1' cockpit in place

The cockpit i was building (the first version) (The observant amongst you might notice i've got the bad habbit of biting my fingers )

Heya all As mentioned in my intro post this 'ten gun terror' was started a while ago, and after unearthing it after 11 years and a flood i decided to start a fresh and see if i could bring her up to standard and turn her into the gem she should be What was i thinking?! There's been the ups, there's been the downs and there's been the nights i've just wanted to rip my hair out and scrap the lot!! But, this is only natural and so far i've still got most of my hair left... Besides, i like a challenge Here's what i've got so far. This kit has been a first for me in a few ways- 1st 1/32 aircraft 1st major project undertaken 1st time at any serious scratchbuilding 1st kit to (possibly!!) use resin/aftermarket parts 1st time i'll have used resin/aftermarket parts And 1st time i've used anything we learnt in maths since i left school !! And so, the part you've been all been waiting for.... The pics!! Firstly, the horrible details on the sidewalls that has been removed...

I know the feeling- open the box and you've got a cab of worms (or by the sounds of it the dirt they came with at least) !! Did the same when i recently restarted my Revell 32nd Beaufighter... But i've found once you get stuck into it and just take things one step at a time then it'll fly by Best of luck Kev !! -Dan