What did Secret Santa send you?

[elmayerle]

I got a nice Revell 1/48 FW Ta 154 Moskito from The Wooksta!.  Oob it'd look good next to the Tamiya DH Mossie I've got in the loft, might get another some time.

What to do with it?  Hmmm, mostly thinking about a tandem wing jobbie at the mo, I'll see what else I can think up.  Orinthopter maybe?

Just my $0.02 here, swap the engines for radials from a couple FW-190As, add an arresting hook, and do a Kreigsmarine heavy fighter/attacker from the Peter Strosser.

[Mossie]

Thanks Evan!  I might take that idea on although my mind is already ticking away on another.  

I remembered Rallymodeller posting a fighter concept that was planned for the Indiana Jone's films but never used:



I remember commenting that I loved the general design but the cockpit didn't do much for me, I think the Moskito's would suit it.  I think I could shorten the fuselage very easily, new wings & tail & I've got a three quarter built A-10 that could donate it's engines with a bit of modification.  It'd be a bit larger than the original, but it'd be more of an ispiration than a straight copy.

[Leigh]

What to do with it?  Hmmm, mostly thinking about a tandem wing jobbie at the mo, I'll see what else I can think up.  Orinthopter maybe?

Submarine in hot pink with sparkles, part of the evil Barbie empire bent on world domination and turning all men into Ken Dolls.

[AeroplaneDriver]

My Secret Santa (Jschmus) was very generous, giving me a beautiful kit that is also a whif goldmine- a Tamiya 1/48 He162 Salamander!

While I'm not really into WWII Axis stuff, I've always loved the lines of the He162, so the creative juices have already done their work on this little beauty, and at the moment (which may very well change by Christmas!) it will probably end up as something like this:

*****

With the failed test of the US atomic bomb in July 1945, the plans for a full scal invasion of Japan progress.  With such a task ahead the US Navy is eager to field a jet powered carrier-based fighter-bomber.  

With its high mounted engine seen as an advantage in carrier operations, the German He162 was evaluated for conversion to a carrier based aircraft.  Relatively minor changes to the internal structure and the addition of a tailhook led to trials of a captured German Heinkel aboard the USS Boxer in October 1945.  

Though problems were encountered, they were not overwhelming.  With the assistance of German engineeers grateful to be in American hands instead of Russian ones, limited production of the F9F Lynx began at Grumman in early 1946.  

As the invasion of Japan neared in late 1946 over 100 Lynx were in service with the US Navy.


Thanks Jason!

[Jschmus]

My Secret Santa was AeroplaneDriver, and he gave me the very nice Italeri 1/72 AS-532 Cougar/Super Puma.  As I said, this is a very nice kit, with a couple of different options for either the Cougar or Super Puma, and decals for France, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark.  I already have a couple of ideas:

1 - This is the easy one.   Late 90s USMC machine, employed as a stop-gap medium lift copter between the retirement of the CH-46 and the introduction of the MV-22.

2 - I seem to remember that Super Puma helicopters were used to create the "Hind" helicopters which appeared in films like "Red Dawn" and "Rambo III", so why not build a "real" heavy gunship out of one.  There's more surgery involved in this one, possibly involving cast-off parts from my Airfix Hind.

Then again, I might think of something else entirely.

[Mossie]

What to do with it?  Hmmm, mostly thinking about a tandem wing jobbie at the mo, I'll see what else I can think up.  Orinthopter maybe?

Submarine in hot pink with sparkles, part of the evil Barbie empire bent on world domination and turning all men into Ken Dolls.

That might just work!!!      

[Sisko]

Nice Beaver!!!!!!!


Thanks Zac for the Airfix beaver. Oh boy do I have plans for this puppy Bwhahahahahahahahahaha


I would like to reveal my plans but I think half the fun is the suprise when it is finished.

This is my first group build so forgive me if I seem a tad over excited.

[elmayerle]

My Secret Santa was AeroplaneDriver, and he gave me the very nice Italeri 1/72 AS-532 Cougar/Super Puma.  As I said, this is a very nice kit, with a couple of different options for either the Cougar or Super Puma, and decals for France, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark.  I already have a couple of ideas:

1 - This is the easy one.   Late 90s USMC machine, employed as a stop-gap medium lift copter between the retirement of the CH-46 and the introduction of the MV-22.

2 - I seem to remember that Super Puma helicopters were used to create the "Hind" helicopters which appeared in films like "Red Dawn" and "Rambo III", so why not build a "real" heavy gunship out of one.  There's more surgery involved in this one, possibly involving cast-off parts from my Airfix Hind.

Then again, I might think of something else entirely.

If you do the gunship, how about splicing in the nose of a Hind A?  I've been contemplating a similar approach for an AH-53E.

[K5054NZ]

Nice Beaver!!!!!!!


Thanks Zac for the Airfix beaver. Oh boy do I have plans for this puppy Bwhahahahahahahahahaha

You're very welcome Stu. I;m the same with the RB66, I'm just busting to get started on it.









HeheheheheheheeHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! :ar:  

[gooberliberation]

does cutting from sprues and dryfitting count as starting? im getting the urge to fondle some japanese über-styrene.

[Ollie]

Viper29_ca sent me a most welcome airplane kit... an E-6 Prowler!

Now, Anthony has built one in every possible markings, but, I missed something.

So :

With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of the organized crime in the country, many individual were able to make a huge pile of money through illegal activities.  With pretty much all of Russia under their control and many other countries infiltrated, they looked at novel ways of making even more money.  The solution was disappointingly simple.  They took over large parts of dormant ships that were once proud Soviet naval vessels and consituted a pirate fleet.  :ar:

The flagship was a reformed aircraft carrier, modified with an angle deck and catapults.  The pirates had very little trouble acquiring aircraft, when on the eve of Y2K they stole various airframes from storage areas in the US and other countries, as well as airworthy birds from active bases.  Thus stolen Prowlers were incorporated in this criminal fleet.

Yes, pirate E-6...

:ar:  :ar:  :ar:

Suitably modded with ASM and AAM and other goodies, such as a recce pod and other niceties.

   

[jcf]

Phil sent me the lovely 1/48th Nichimo Sonia, first thought was a bigger engine and retracts ala the Ki 71, which was a real world development.

Second notion go with the bigger engine but keep the spats and sling some big guns under the wings for tank-busting.

And seeing as I have another Sonia in the stash... :ar:

Many possibilities.


Cheers, Jon

[viper29_ca]

Viper29_ca sent me a most welcome airplane kit... an E-6 Prowler!

Now, Anthony has built one in every possible markings, but, I missed something.

So :

With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of the organized crime in the country, many individual were able to make a huge pile of money through illegal activities. With pretty much all of Russia under their control and many other countries infiltrated, they looked at novel ways of making even more money. The solution was disappointingly simple. They took over large parts of dormant ships that were once proud Soviet naval vessels and consituted a pirate fleet. 

The flagship was a reformed aircraft carrier, modified with an angle deck and catapults. The pirates had very little trouble acquiring aircraft, when on the eve of Y2K they stole various airframes from storage areas in the US and other countries, as well as airworthy birds from active bases. Thus stolen Prowlers were incorporated in this criminal fleet.

Yes, pirate E-6...

   

Suitably modded with ASM and AAM and other goodies, such as a recce pod and other niceties.

   

Glad to see it arrived ok. LOL, pretty quickly too for Canada Post!!!!!!

[nev]

does cutting from sprues and dryfitting count as starting?

No.  Thats preperation

[Nigel Bunker]

From Mike Wren, an Italeri Invader. Thinking COIN during the Aden withdrawl of 1967.