Magnus, you are abraver man than I re the High Planes kits! Good luck.

Rob, that A-20 is starting to look real good!

Warren and friends! I have started a build blog that can be found here, you can read it as a primer on the subject of High Planes kits!

When it comes to painting, I will probably go for a silver laquer finish. I am not sure if they were painted or left in natural metal but in the photos I have found they look painted! Thanks for the photo, not only good reference but a lovely photo as well!



Magnus

Having actually worked on a Winjeel I think I remember that it is indeed natural aluminium finish. On the fuselage anyway!

We'll see where it all ends, silver laquer (in the shape of Tamiya Mica Silver) is a lot easier!

I have started the kit, my build blog can be found here. I will have to finish the Meteor this week but after that the Winjeel will have my undivided attention!


Bits and pieces...


Engine and prop, all from the box!


Magnus

Well here is one of my entries for the campaign; Italeri's offering of the Phantom in 1/48. Also hoping to finish off a 1/72 version of the Phantom along with a P-40 and F-18. I wasnt too impressed with this one, was informed the bottom of the aircraft was light grey, not white and didnt find out until too late so went with it anyway. Hope you like it.

Hi all

Great builds so far! Well I've finally set the hobby room up and have started work on the Academy F/A-18A. I warn you now, this won't be the fastest build...

Here is the box top



And here is the hobby room (sorry just had to)







Cheers
Damian

Rob,

You have finally prompted me to action on the 7 O tanker. It was started many years ago, but seeing I am the one running the build I am going to let the pictures in when it is finished..

The fuselage and wings are done.. but may need some paint touch up as when I moved to QLD I packed the 7 O and its bits in those bean bag balls. Some seem to have reacted to the paint and have left marks on the pieces. They may need touching up and they may be OK. Not sure yet.

ANyway, I will post some piccies of the progress of this 33SQN 707 tanker in the original 33SQN markings, white over grey with silver wing parts and the blue cheat line. I have got the Tanker set from Hawkeye so have the pods and camera required.

It is big in 1/72 so we will see how it goes!

Here is an AMT KC-135 I built for a retired Wing Commander a while back. They didn't seem to worry that the dimensions and engines were wrong..

OK. I have come up with a plan of attack for the 7O..

First I wet sanded a engine pod to dee if it got rid of the marks caused by the foam bean-bag balls and luckily it did.

I then sanded all the pods and the fuselage/wing assembly. All spots are now gone.

Next I will be doing a fair bit of easy masking and spraying a light coat of the colours I have already painted the model. This should be fairly quick and easy.

I have found all the parts, decals and resin bits. Luckily, I had stored them in an old model box. The only parts that may cause a hassle is the frint undercarriage as it broke off years ago. A brass pin should solve that problem though..

Progress!!

A bit of progress!



I've had a few fit issues when it comes to cramming the engine into the fuselage but they seem to be solved now...

Build blog is here!



Magnus

Magnus, keep at it matey! They are difficult kits even for the best of us.

7O progress, got the grey reapplied to the aircraft. It would appear that the grey I used originally was an incorrect shade. I put the correct grey on , Tamiya XF-20, forgotten the FS number, and it seems to be a lot yellower than the old grey which now looks too blue.

Anyway, will sprya the white today then give the whole shebang a few days to dry. No need to rush..

I am claiming the statute of limitations applies on this one as I started it many years ago..

Enjoy!

Magnus,

Nice progress on your Winjeel.

Warren,

Looking good so far with the 707T

My A20g is progressing to the heavy weathering stage.

A change of pace for me are two PR birds, flown by 1 PRU and 86 Sqn RAAF, the first is the 48 scale Academy P-38e modified into the F4e-1a as A55-3, one of 3 operational PR Lightnings operated by the RAAF, although 7 were on strength in total, [4 were used for Training perposes, one of which was Dark over Light Haze Blue, which in tropical conditions turned Black ].




The decals for this are mixed from the Aussie Decal serial numbers and Tasman Decal roundals, the enamels are all Model Master with exception of the under surface which is mixed from Humbrol #130 and #89 as a 50/50 mix.
The Starboard leading edge replacement is Olive Drab over Neutral Grey, the decal has been cut to match the repair. Masking for the scolloping was Humbrol Maskol, the upper surfaces is free hand.
NOTE: The camera configuration on this bird was an unusual collection of three lower facing mountings between the nose cone and nose wheel.



The second bird, is a 48 scale Tamiya Mosquito Mk IV PR and as this is a contract build it's owner wants it completed [yesterday], it's purely OOB but as it was the only cammo'd PR Mossie opperated by the RAAF based at Coomalie Creek.



The enamels used on this are from the Model Master range of RAF PRU Blue and 'Foliage Green' which is Euro Dark Green 1, the 'Foliage Green' on the upper surface is free hand, so all that remains is to apply the roundals in 4 positions, it's serial number and the clear bits, then it's weathering.

Hi All,

Now my Eduard Masks have arrived in the post, for my Trumpeter C-47 I can proceed with the clean up stage, after a little filling was needed in places. But the attached pic is the older Monogram 48 scale bird I did some years back as part of the RAAF contract for their subject of choice, in the high viz scheme, which is all Humbrol enamels.

I intend to finish my Trumpeter kit, using both Model Master enamels and Alclad II, for the BMF finish, but I'm in two minds as to adding the two Orange bands around the fuselage that cover the rear cargo doors, some of these schemes carried.


NOTE: There are no de-icing boots on this bird.

I tracked down a compass cutter and will make masks for the apropriate fin flash and roundals, using Model Master's Insignia White, Insignia Blue and the Insignia Red I'll have to put up with Humbrol, while 'Skippy' and the black serial numbers will be decals. The Alclad II Primmer will make up the de-icer boots easily for this bird. Ah a lot of masking tape

I know that the Orange was a strange Daglo type of paint that faded rapidly, but I think I'll make my high viz scheme fresh from the 'Paint Shop'.

7 O progress report...

Engines and tailplanes are on...

Most decals are on.. Don't you hate it when you get decals that are printed on clear film with no white component? And you don't realise until you go to apply a roundel and discover that when you go to slide it onto the model that the white in the middle is missing...

It was a case of a quick cutout of some white decal paper I have before the roundel had a chance to dry out again.

Even though I am posting these updates here the plane will be going in the 'Let's Think Small' campaign as it is 1/72.. Even though it has the biggest wingspan of any model I have built lately! Oh wait a sec, there is the unfinished TB-3 that has a bigger wingspan..

Well, after a very long gestation period here is my completed RAAF Boeing 707 VIP Transport.

This is the 1/72 Heller Boeing 707-338 kit. It came with Lufthansa and Air France markings that I still have if anyone needs them.

When I find another kit I will build the tanker version in low viz (read boring grey) markings. I have the pods etc in a conversion kit.







Hope you like it.

Dear friends!

Winjeel is progressing!


Fuselage assembled.


Three new seats. I managed to save all the other parts but the seats were beyond redemption!

Build blog can be found here.



Magnus

Hey Warren, I was there in '75 and well remember the morning parades. Remember the 'Lay down arms' order we learned at 1 R.T.U.? At Wagga we were highly amused to be given the order 'Lay down...bags' !

Was that Neptune you mention the early blue and white one rotting away amongst a collection of Sabres and Vampires next to the Pool Flight hut? I dread to think of what sort of condition it would have been in by the 1980s.

As for the Vampire reassembled around the flagpole...that was folklore even when I was there! Those naughty young apprentices to blame, apparently.

Carry on, Airman!

Tim.

All correct Tim. It was a real shame to see such lovely old planes rotting away. They had changed the command to drop bags before I got there in 1981 if I remember rightly.. Ah to be young and in the WAAFery again..

Some more Winjeel progress. All the large bits and pieces are assembled, with a bit of luck it will be finished before end of September!



Build blog is here!



Magnus

Some update pics

I decided to try and add some detail to the bang seat. I used a round file to create an indent between the molded on headreast harness, which I think worked very well. I will use tape for the harness.




The wing root join was really bad and is going to need a bit of work. I don't know if it was me (most likely) or the kit. The joins on the rest of the kit have gone together much better, the complex curves have matched up very well.



Cheers
Damian

Hopefully I can start painting this weekend.


Seats and crash pylon installed, some more details to make and paint and then it is time to add the canopy!

Build blog is here!



Magnus

Hmmm.. have you got shares in the company who produces the filler you used??

That is really a quite unfair comment against High Planes ! It is not bad at all, the main reason for the Winjeel to look like it does is my coat of primer and subsequent sanding!


Just to prove that this is not a putty-eating monster! No filler that you wouldn't need on an Airfix kit!



Magnus

Magnus,

Your Winjeel is looking good.

I've done more on my C-47 and managed to obtain the very old OOP Roodecal 48 scale sheet for it, I'll post pix of it's progress in the next day or so.
Incidently, anyone interested in doing this subject ?



In either this or the other scheme's this bird had.

Thanks Rob!

I've never done a Hurricane but I don't think the time is up for one just yet so I pass that one on to some other modeller !


After a quick session with a spray can!



Magnus

I've painted the dayglo areas now.



Build blog can be found here.



Magnus