AIRCRAFT - Battle of Britain Group Build (Jan 1st 2005 - May 31st 2005)

Wow great progress from everybody, I'd better get my backside into gear. Not much further progress to report on the Spit other than it's assembled and pre-shaded, tonight I'll probably lay down the base color for the undersides. One thing I have done on this build which has been new for me is to reposition the control surfaces on the tail as just about every picture I have ever seen of a Spit on the ground shows these control surfaces dropped.

Nick the Hurricane looks great; you've really done a nice job on that kit.

Razor, your He 111 pit looks fantastic and really should be easily seen through the glasshouse canopy. To fix PE parts to the canopy you could use Future as mentioned or something like Testors Clear Parts cement. Also, I'll try and drag up some info on He 111 variants.

Bob, is the prepainted PE worth the extra couple of dollars, IMHO yes definitely.

Cruzr I wouldn't worry too much if I were you, the build has a long way to go.

Cheers
Darren

hey yall! no progress for me either tonight... had the contracter come out and patch the holes in my roof from the storm and he stayed late so decided a nap was in order after ev erything that went on this week...

tomorrow I will finish this though!!! I got the Typhoon in so that will be my new project for the RAAF build... and I must say those ultracast seats look a lot nicer in person! really nice detail! haven't ordered the filter, will do so tomorrow probably...

pics tomorrow!

Hey all-got a black wash on the upper/dark grey on the lower mid-week. Put decals on yesterday & this evening. Hope to get a coat of dull on tomorrow, maybe some pastel weathering on Sunday/Monday. Based on the Three Guys Replicas instruction sheet, the crosses on the wings were painted over in a circular fashion. Will probably do that after the dull coat. Still need to work on the landing gear and the instrument panels. The moment of truth will be on Sunday when I pull the mask off of the greenhouse. This has been a fun group build-my bigger problem will be staying busy till the North Africa GB starts....anyway, here are most recent pics.

Looking real good Bob. Hope the canopy worked out OK.

Regards, Rick

Dave, I have scanned the info you need for the He-111 out of Squadron/Signal's He-111 In Action. Send me an email so I can get your email address & I'll send them through.

Cheers
Darren

Darren, the email has been sent. Thanks for the help. I'm not a rivet counter by any stretch of the imagination but if I have the parts to back date the H6 to a H4 I figure I might as well try to make it look as accurate as I can for the BofB. Without getting as emotional as Tanky and risk running afoul with Nurse Lunchalot... you guys are real swell!!!

Speaking of Tanky... I haven't recieved a mailing address from ya. Let me know if you still want those decals.

Bob: She's coming along very nicely. Can't wait to see the canopy on it.

razor, i just shot you an email w/ all the info. thanks. Tho, I'll give you a new mailiong address that will make things far far more convenient.

Razor - yeah Tanky get himself in big trouble with that last outburst... Lunchalot made him walk around with a sign around his neck reading "I am a bad, mean person" for the rest of the day... and instructed us to throw paper balls at him everytime we saw him... okokokokok the paperballs was just my idea of fun... but she would have told us to if she thought of it first!

Bob ... looking sharp! do you have a desk lamp? if you polace that near the model when you take pics it will really brighten up the model and probably clear up any fuzziness as well... I think the shutter spped/f-stop combo that the autofocus is picking allows for some camera shake in your pics and is causing the slight blur. But it still looks good all the same!! I ppreciate you posting the pics!

I also want to add that the level of camraderie in this particular GB has been exceptional... yeah in the others they look up info for each other etc... but there has been much swapping of parts/decals and everything else from the entire group! Bravo!!!! Modeling in the true sense of the word if you ask me! The word "Teamwork" comes to mind!

I agree Tom, for some reason this GB is just as much fun for me as last years Aussie GB.
I reckon it's the crowd you model with that makes the differance
Very proud to be amongst some very skilled folks, not to mention the wealth of knowledge

Well, got the second wash down on my 109 (sorry Darren, forgot to take pics), and have made the liberal application of Tamiya smoke to alot of areas.
Looking good so far

Tomorrow I hope to lay down the Microscale Flat, then some more light weathering and touch ups, and should be done real soon!!!

Tom, might take Lunchalot up on the rehab offer
Kinda have to, seeing as the pension isn't paying enough to keep buying Foil!

Tweety - I think the BMF was a turn on for her... I say have a go at it again! Word is she wears duct tape undergarments so maybe this is right up her alley! Seriously though... just remember, if ya get to the point you want to start sniffing acrylics it's time to head on in to Happy Acres again... We've got a nice warm special "smoking jacket" with your name on it... I hope white is your color!

Got the 109 just about finished. Don't expect to see a lot of weathering on this build, as I prefer my shelf sitters fairly clean. Also, this aircraft was fairly new for the time frame being depicted. Hope to finish her up today & get some pics posted tomorrow or Monday. Depends on how exciting the Super Bowl is

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Razor - yeah Tanky get himself in big trouble with that last outburst... Lunchalot made him walk around with a sign around his neck reading "I am a bad, mean person" for the rest of the day... and instructed us to throw paper balls at him everytime we saw him... okokokokok the paperballs was just my idea of fun... but she would have told us to if she thought of it first!

Yeah, but I'll get her back. She'll be fine unless she wants to go to bed!!! And we'll see about those paper balls, tho!!!

oh, tho, did you get the email I sent you with my mailing address?

yup! will send them today!!! Along with an autographed picture Kremps wanted you to have... she's all lonely now in the old folks home and missing all of us...

Rick - that's why the Martlet isn't going to be weathered much as well... arriving late inthe battle, and mostly consigned to CAP and recon flights there wouldn't have been much buildup on it...

---edit---

Mother in law alert!!!! she's on her way over so thought I better post what progress I have before she gets here because she doesn't know the polite length of time to stay... might be 11pm before she leaves!!!





all that is left is antenna, hubs on wheels, propeller, wash and remove dog hair, future, dullcoat then canopy!!! I really have enjoyed this kit!!!

Great job on the Martlett Tom. Don't have one in my collection. After seeing yours, I may have to rectify that

Regards, Rick

Tallyho group!

The Hurricane is completed. Thanks for the good words;rjkplasticmod,razordus,kingthad, tho9900, bobbaily, and darson!

It's pretty straightforward, humbrol no.29,30 & 90. The camo is tight from using low tack frisket paper on the pattern taken off of the illustration sheet. I used true details wheels.I scratchbuilt some seatbelts, and replaced the footstep on the fusalage.Also added the little antenne stub on the tail. The top wing roundels are from my spares box. Everything else pretty much OOB. Hope you like it. Itwas fun to build and I wrapped this one up in about 4 weekends. Thanks again for letting get in and build with you!

Thanks Rick! I really liked this build and may try a few other other nationality US planes... it just looks neat to see them dressed in something more colorful than blue...

Nicodemus... sweet looking hurricane! the paint is nice and smooth... after seeing the true details wheels I might go ahead and get some for the hurricane.. they really do add a little to the whole look!

Well the mother in law is gone obviously... waiting on the pitot tube to dry then wash the body and future the whole thing... tomorrow morning hopefully I can dullcoat it and put the canopy on tomorrow night!

wow you guys are way ahead of me. I do hope to have my build finished by early april at the latest though.

I can exhale now...the mask worked! The greenhouse and pilots canopy look good-not great, but better than any other route I could have taken...other than to outsource it! I can't imagine try to paint the greenhouse in 1/72-1/48th was hard enough.

Tom, thanks for the tip on the light-will give it a try. Might try to get a better camera if the tax man doesn't do a number on me.

That's an awesome build Nicodemus!!!

Beautiful work on the Hurricane nicodemus. Looks really good.

Regards, Rick

Bob, Real glad to hear the masking worked out well. Your now in the homestretch !!

Regards, Rick

Bob - what kind of camera is it? I liked the job the masks did on my SBD, and might try them again on the He111 but for the average model (with practice) I am getting ok at the average canopy!

Thankfully the tax-man is gonna leave me a little better off... usually it's about $75 or so but this time getting a nice bit back! Especially had me worried as I am getting natural gas royalties now...

Tanky - take your time.. no rush, this isn't a complication err... competition... and understandable if it takes you longer as Kremps is living with yall now.. takes a lot to get the old windbag to shutup and let ya model!!! I am sure Sean (Tweety) is heartbroken but she had to find somewhere to live... too bad she is allergic to dogs... coulda used her as a maid...

It's no biggy. My labrador hasn't taken to her though... I'm looking forward to getting started. It looks like a nice kit despite its age.

Love the Martlet Tom
Are those A/M decals?, cause they conformed to the rivets extremely well

Nicodemus, that is one very nice Hurri!!
Pretty good build for 8 days work!!!!!

Well, finally took some more progress pics of the 109.
With all the lifestyle drama over the last few weeks, build time hit an all time low, and it has been a bit of a struggle to get the drive back to continue.

But, this is where I'm at.....................





Yes, there are bits missing, those have been treated and are in the spray booth waiting for the flat coat, which I should apply tonight I hope.
Then some pastel work, and she will be done, except for the spinner, which is proving to be a tad painful.
Yellow capped, with white and dark green quarter sections, which is difficult to get 'right' on a 3 blade nose cone, at least for me anyways.

This particular A/C was very acctive both before and during the BoB with JG 54, and was lost around 6 months after BoB.
Research was pretty scarce, but enough to model it and weather accordingly.

At this point, the Defiant still looks like a pipe dream, but I hope I can do it.
Wait and see I guess.

Sean - a wonderful looking AC!!!! You're really getting this weathering thing down!! I hope to see it all sussed up soon and dulled up! I hope you get to the Defiant, was really looking forward to building one myself but life got in the way... maybe one day.

Thanks for the comment on the Martlet. It could be better but I like it all the same, plan to put more intot he one for the N Afrika build. And yes - those are Aeromaster decals. It's funny but some seemed thicker than others. Put them on the wings and had to "Microsol them several times to get them to lay down properly... on the fuselage they almost tore the first application of Microsol... should have just stuck with the Microset and been happy with it! But most of what makes them lay down real nice is the Microsol/Microset combo... softens them right up and they have no choice but to lay down!

Lunchalot missed you at lunch again today.. my take is you oughta just leave Happy Acres for good.. I've heard Shady Pines has better meatloaf anyway...

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tankmaster7 It's no biggy. My labrador hasn't taken to her though... I'm looking forward to getting started. It looks like a nice kit despite its age.

there's several kits out there that are a little long in tooth that once built (unless superscrutinized) look wonderful and just as modern as the next...

---edit---

Tell Kremps peanut butter does wonders!!! that's how she won over my dog,s before she had to leave because her lips were so swollen!!!

---edit 2---

ya know it was kinda funny, I just went back and was reading stuff from the FIRST page of this... we all seemed so stuffy and polite with each other... we shaped up into a pretty good group I must say!!! not getting all sentimental (Kremps hates it when I cry) but it's interesting how a group of people who didn't know each other from a hole in the wall before is where we are today...

nice lookin bf-109 so far!!

Well, flat coat has been done, but looks a little more satin than flat, so will have to do it again, and add a little flat base to the mix to really bring it down some more.

In the mean time, I'm trying some wonders on the missus, seeing if I can order a Defiant without having parts removed from my body.

If my typing gets a bit iffy, then yes, I have lost a digit.
But at least I'll have my model!!!

Ok, decided to go against using Microscale flat ever again!!

The satin finish isn't acceptable for this type of early war a/c, but would suit a jet ot similar.
Decided to go with my home brew of Pledge and Tamiya flat base, thinned with Windex.
Now THAT gives a flat finish!!!!
After that has cured for a day or 3, I'll assemble the rest of the assorted bits, and should be good for a photo shoot.!!