Why not !

It's quite a big challenge, it's a short time window, but i say always : No Guts ! No Glory !

This is the scene that I had in mind, 2 levels with the rock somewhat high above the low level to give more sense to what is the mountainous area of the Kokoda Track and to make the figurine the center Of the scene, maybe the path seems too perpendicular to the base trying to bend it a bit, my bigger doubt it's with the bike, simply abandoned to the ground or left against the rotten trunk? ... I would use the trunk to try To put some mushroom to give some color and add some "hidden" details but I'm not 100% convinced ... what do you say .... other suggestions?



At the figure I put the rifle on the shoulder and added the classic stick that is present in almost all the photos, the bike will get a bit from the base because it is stronger than me,i have to do it, I like something of my diorama to go beyond the boundaries of the base

This is my entry, the Airfix 1/48 Hurricane Mk I.
When the campaign was announced it was on, or around, ANZAC day so I thought I’d do an In-Memorial subject to remember one of the Kiwi ‘few’ who didn’t make it back from his patrol.
Geoffrey Mervyn Simpson was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on 22nd June 1919.
He joined the RAF and achieved his flying badge in May 1939 and saw action with 229 Sqn. in France and over Dunkirk.
His last action in the Battle of Britain was on the 26th October 1940 while leading Blue section and flying Hurricane W6669. His section was engaged with bf 109’s near the coast of France and he failed to return. He was 21 at the time.
The source and full description can be found here:
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/SimpsonGM.htm

First campaign for me, so looking forward to it.
All the best .

Hi Spud great to have you on board! The new Airfix kits are just fantastic! Great detail, well thought out engineering, great fit. I've built a number of them now and I just can't get enough of them much to my wallets consternation.

Spud, that Airfix Hurri is a great kit. I have it also on my bench right now and the fitting is very good. Mine was flown by a Canadian who also didn't survive the conflict. Thanks for the link. There are so many on both sides we know only little or nothing about.

Btw, I'll start with my RAAF Ventura as soon as I have finished my Hurricane double build (GB/SU).

Torsten

Vicious love the work so far just how far will the bike hangover?
I'd say bury it partially like in the photo on the track or just off to the side as the guy riding or pushing it was either forced to take cover, wounded or killed. And the bike will be suitably "damaged".

At the moment, the bike seems to "float" but then at least half of the wheels will slip into the mud, as much as hangover depends, a few seconds like a whole life, I tried several positions but it seemed to me to improve from the point of view of those who look at the scene that is the best position, I could bend the path a little and let it go under the bike, also because it seems to be too perpendicular to the base, at the moment there is also the pedal that raises the bike on one side but then it will sunk in the Mud,but you're right it takes some more damage, I'll see you bending some PE and weathering in abundance.

Anyway, from what I read and could figure out during Kokoda the bikes did not see a lot of fighting, few had to pass Kokoda and only in the early stages of the campaign when the Australians were retiring to Port Moresby, the "enemy" Of the bikes was the ground, the jungle and the mountains not the Aussie, so they were simply abandoned because of the impossibility of continuing to carry them behind,was not the "easy" Malaya jungle, the photo should have been taken in the area of ​​the track near Oivi, between Kokoda and Wairopi, Then after Kokoda to the east.

Control cables and bracing is missing, but otherwise Snipe's cockpit is complete. I think I'll need to add the wires, because they (or their lack of) will be visible.



After building handful of WWI models, I still find lack of pilot safety quite unbelievable. The poor guy is sitting on a fuel tank, and has oil and fuel tank in front of him under the guns.

Looks great Pasi.
Adding control and rigging cables inside really does add to the model. I recently used guitar E strings to make the internal control cables on my build of the WnW Rumpler. The rigidity of the steel made them easier to install than elastic threads.

And yes, they really didn't give much thought to pilot comfort or safety. In the DFW C. V, the pilots seat WAS the fuel tank! A big aluminium box with a cut-out for him to sit in!

I've started the assembly of the CA-12.

After some adjustment, blank fit and thinking, I've only three big words who come out of my mouth

The cockpit doesn't fit in the fuselage, the plastic is of poor quality (even after a hard wash) and the assembly will need a lot of putty.

I don't know if this kit need so much effort... Modelling must be fun, relaxing, but this model isn't fun at all.

No one would blame you if you opted to just build the other two, Franck, having fun is the main thing!

i know but it's frustrating to see that such a piece of junk is on the market.

Chris and Torsten, yes, I see what you mean, so far so good, although I’ve managed to complicate the instrument panel by trying to drill out the dials and place the decal on plasticard behind. It was a bit of an experiment that I won’t be repeating, anyway onwards and upwards.

Pasi, that’s a nice looking cockpit. The wood grain and the back of the wicker seat look particularly effective.

Here’s my progress, the pit is done, where I played around with chipping. It looks quite severe in the close-up photos, but not so much at normal viewing distance.




Regards.

The cockpit is fabulous ..... to masterpiece!

Willard79 personally I do not find the chipping at all exaggerated, indeed I find it very well balanced!

Great work Spud! Yeah gotta love the new Airfix! Love the work so far looking forward to seeing it progress.

Vicious, thanks for the kind feedback. Hope your own projects going well, dioramas are a bit beyond me.

Chris, thanks. What's your opinion on the texture of the kit plastic ? It has a distinct Matt or Satin feel to it.
I wasn't sure if that is common for their kits or unique to this one, but in any case, I knocked it back with a 4000 grit sanding cloth.

cheers.

Spud, your belts look A1! Very nice!

Hi Spud some of their new kits have an almost pebble like surface but I find that they disappear under a coat of paint. Most of the kits have matt finishes so that also helps and hasn't presented a problem for me so far.

Thanks Clayton, they're Eduard SUPERFABRIC, which equals super easy with a bit of wash to bring out some texture.


Chris, this is my first Airfix but won't be my last (I'm already formulating another Hurricane subject). So far, it's been a very easy build aside from my own diversions. I really noticed the texture on the cockpit side walls when I compared it to an extraction pin area I had filled and sanded, which was quite a bit smoother. Anyway, more curiosity than critique.

Cheers

Will make this with the Australian markings

Doug welcome! Pleased to see you joining in, the western desert was the scene of lots of equipment changing hands because everybody was short on material. I look forward to seeing the 13/40 in Aussie markings.

Doug, by Australian markings, do you mean a couple of bloody big Kangaroos? Looking forward to following along.

Yep the ones that come with kit. I have seen several pics of the actual vehicles. Not sure if they did any other modifications than the kangaroo markings though.

What I really wanted to do was a M11/39 but a good simple kit is not really out there.

Well, I'm about to go AWOL on a couple of other campaigns, but here's what I hope to build for this one.

Do it OOB as LT.Col G.C.Atherton RAAF, New Guinea.

Welcome aboard Mark the Academy kit is a little ripper to use the local vernacular. I've built a couple for commission builds and I enjoyed them greatly no vices to speak of and I used little or no putty. I look forward to seeing you get her done!