Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Oshkosh is something I've always wanted to go to but haven't quite made it yet.  Green with envy!

Those of us not going will require many photos!

I understand Andy!  It would be quite a trek from Australia.  I live about two hours drive from it, so I try to make it as often as possible.  Here's a pic from last year of me with a Spitfire:

Wow! Lots of stuff to talk about round here! First, thanks for allowing me to share my off topic builds, I'm really pleased you fella's like them.

Mike,

thank you for your kind words mate.

Andy,

Thanks! The LRDP dio is my all-time favourite, glad you liked it.  Sounds like you are coming back to the hobby with avengence! Great to hear how you are doing.

Frank, 

Nice photo! When you go again, bring back plenty of pics for us chaps on long-range deployments.

Darren, your dios are great!  I just have to say that I enjoy the content of this GB. 

Roy

Thanks Roy,

you are so right- this is a great place to hang out and talk models. I am so glad I got involved with this GB, you guys have made it great to be here.

If you've got kids, you'll appreciate this......

I brought my son home from nursery today and he asked about my "helichoptoor" (Lynx)

So we went to the workshop so he could see it for himself and he had a really good stare and then announced "Thats really good daddy! It looks just like a real helichoptoor!" He went on to look at some of the other models and pointed out the ones he liked. I told him that when he's older, I'll build him whichever aircraft he likes, to which he responded:

"When I'm older........I'll take you to the pub and buy you a Spitfire" 

Bless him! He knows me so well!

wyoroy wrote:

Darren, your dios are great!  I just have to say that I enjoy the content of this GB.  Roy

Hear, Hear! I completely agree!  This is a great, friendly, and very enjoyable GB.

Leon 

Darren,

I like your helichoptoor too...

Frank,

I am very jealous of your spitfire picture. While there were you able to crawl around and take some good detail pictures? At a local fly-in a couple of years ago I got to do that with a mustang and it was one of the coolest things. Anyway, if you have any great detail shots, I'd (I am sure "we'd") all love to see them.

Leon 

leon,

I did manage to take a few detail shots, but not as many as I would have liked.  It was late in the day (we almost didn't go 'cuz of the rain in the morning), and I intended to make it around all of the warbirds and then come back for detail shots.  Sadly, I never made it back around.  Here are a couple of close-ups of a beautiful Corsair:

A couple of shots of a nice P-40E:

And, a really nice shot (I think) of typical paint chipping on a rather worn B-25:

I have other pics, but most of them are from a distance and do not show much detail.  I'll try to get more this, I promise!

TANGO 1 wrote:

If you've got kids, you'll appreciate this......   I brought my son home from nursery today and he asked about my "helichoptoor" (Lynx) So we went to the workshop so he could see it for himself and he had a really good stare and then announced "Thats really good daddy! It looks just like a real helichoptoor!" He went on to look at some of the other models and pointed out the ones he liked. I told him that when he's older, I'll build him whichever aircraft he likes, to which he responded: "When I'm older........I'll take you to the pub and buy you a Spitfire"  Bless him! He knows me so well!

Darren, I know the feeling.  Now if only I had a pub to go to

Last time I was in England was back in 1984.  I was there for 2 weeks most of it spent in Oxford and London, learned about great English ales

Roy

I really got a kick out of seeing Darren's other modeling talents with those awesome armor pieces he shared with us earlier, so in keeping a bit with that theme, even though none of these are really FAA-related, I figured I'd share a bit of my handywork as well.

Hope you enjoy lookin' at 'em as much as I enjoyed building 'em!

1/48 Eduard Albatros D.V

54mm Predator (white metal figure)

1/10 scale WWII US Navy Diver (resin/white metal)

One of my favs (for obvious 'edited' reasons ) (resin 120mm)

Tamiya 1/35 T-72

Tamiya 1/48 Fw190A-4 (converted from the A-3)

Tamiya 1/48 Me 262A-2

Revell 1/24 Ricky Rudd NASCAR 2000 Ford Taurus

Frank,

Awesome pictures! I really like the corsair ones. It is great to see tiny little details that can be added to a current model. I also like the chipping and exhaust stains on the B-25.

Mike,

Sweet builds. I especially like the albatros and diver. Do you know who makes the diver kit? It looks really, really nice.

Leon 

Thanks, Leon & Frank! I'm glad you like 'em!

That diver kit is made by Andrea Miniatures. It's a great kit.....gives modelers the option of building it with or without the helmet.

OK, thought I might post a couple of pics of my previous projects too, so please bear with me!

Tamiya 1/48 P-47D:

Tamiya 1/48 Corsair:

Tamiya 1/35 Tiger I:

Tamiya 1/35 Sturmtiger:

Tamiya 1/35 M26 Pershing:

As long as we are showing other topic builds, here are my non-aircraft builds.

First, two Star Wars (both Fine Molds - awesome kits btw)

Jedi Starfighter

Tie Fighter

Next, a gundam (I think that is what it's called) Built completely for fun. With random decals left over from a p-51 build. Actually I really had fun building this and hope to do another some day.

Cheers,
Leon

Excellent Work Frank as usual (I am quickly beginning to understand) You have obviously, great talent! How did you do the spinning prop for the p-47 picture? Also, I really like the dirty look to the corsair!

Leon

Thanks Leon!  I really like both of your Star Wars kits, reminds me of when I was a kid building the old MPC kits.  Mine never looked anywhere NEAR as nice as yours do.  Those were the days...

For the spinning prop, I just blew on it while the shutter was open, seemed to take forever to get the shot! 

Honestly, I don't remember how I did the dust on the Corsair, but I really like it too!  Thanks for the compliments, Leon!

Wow!! Very impressive work, guys! I love the Corsair, the Tiger, & the Starfighter! Top-notch stuff!

It's great seeing what else this group is capable of. Man, this thread just keeps getting better an' better!

Crikey, I better make sure my Helldiver is half decent cos you guys are absolute masters...on any subject!

Frank, great pics of some very familiar aircraft!

On the FAA side of things, anyone seen the Seafire or Firefly (Colorado) flying in the US?  I think the Seafire has contra-rotating props (corrrr!) and is based in TX or FL.

Andy in West Oz wrote:

Crikey, I better make sure my Helldiver is half decent cos you guys are absolute masters...on any subject! Frank, great pics of some very familiar aircraft! On the FAA side of things, anyone seen the Seafire or Firefly (Colorado) flying in the US?  I think the Seafire has contra-rotating props (corrrr!) and is based in TX or FL.

Not a counter-rotating prop varient.

Tom

Mike, Frank, Leon......

Wow! You fella's have some top-notch builds there!

I had no idea.......I've really enjoyed seeing your other models, thanks for sharing them here.

Real nice armour Tango...and wonderful dios.( did I mention Dio....Ronnie James Dio??)

Benn known to dangle a bit with the heavy stuff myself also from time to time, the first kit I got was actually an Airfix panzerIII. Those were the times. hehe

Beeing a divorced father of two kids aged 2 and 4, my son of 4 asked me today when I shopped for some humbrol paints what I was going to use at, got the answer that they were to paint a little something for him. As he got more curious,he learned that II`m to build the Tamiya tomcat for his birthday,and was overjoyed. What`s that for a wonderful son eeeh??? and he also mentioned that it would have to sand at the topshelf so it could`nt get broken from any accidents

And for some old and golden pics from my collection

Academy`s M36 not finished here,but is now

A little something in 1/72 various kits and built from the start of my involvment in the hobby

us navy in 1/72 ranging from the Dauntless to the skyray

the Spits on their proper place in company with a hurriecane, a meteor and a hunter

I think thats all I`ve got in photos by now, but I?ll see if I`ll remember the camera the next time i`m off to the museum where the local chapter of IPMS has got a workshop and our display as a deal with Bergen technological museum

Thanks Darren!  Your dio's look awesome!  You are definately setting the bar for all of us.

Triumf- Great looking collection!  One to be very proud of.  Can't help asking though, is the Hurricane in the front row missing some of the markings? 

T_Terrific wrote:

Not a counter-rotating prop varient. Tom

Methinks I got a bit too excited and got it confused with the XIX that was used for climb to height record attempts!  Dunno how I'd confuse a XIX and a Seafire but there's all manner of things in me head!

Excellent collection, Triumf!

Slightly OT guys but since this is such a groovy GB, I thought I'd ask here first!

Trying to build up a range of paint brushes.  What's a good range to have.  I have various little ones but would like to kinda get it right and then make final decisions after have done some models and know what I'll need all of the time.

Any brands etc that are preferred?