The Wooksta: Not a Spitfire Blog

[The Wooksta!]

Had a look around in the loft at me Mam's yesterday.  Ostensibly, it was to find a built up Heller Bf 109B/C that I remember building in 1993 - the plan was to repaint it in RAF captured markings, BOB (one of the nightfighter ones got lost and landed in the UK by mistake).  I didn't find it but I know where there's an unbuilt one, because the idea is too good to abandon and the Heller kit always was a nice one to build - actually, all of the Heller 109s are decent builds apart from their F (underscale, old and rivetty), but the B/C and K always were quite highly regarded.

There were one or two built up Bv 141s that are just begging to be repainted in RAF colours - we captured one at the Blohm und Voss works at Hamburg. Wonder what Eric Brown would have thought about that one?  Again, these just have to be dug out.

Also had a dig around in the back room.  Was given a part built PM Fokker D.XXI, so I'm thinking about finishing it but replacing the engine with a Blenheim cowling, spray it silver and have it as a hack in 1946.  Story?  Flight of Dutch ones flew to the UK ahead of the Luftwaffe during the invasion and they were used as fighter trainers and hacks.  Fairly basic airframe and as it used a Mercury, we'd have engine spares.

Set me off thinking about the few Wildcats that are part started and the bomber defence training flights, with out of date fighters bouncing bombers to train the gunners.  A Wildcat, Mohawk, Alison engined Mustang or possibly a Gloster F5/34 in those colours aren't such a bad idea although the Mohawk may have been used in that role anyway - I know the Warhawk was.




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[The Wooksta!]

Having had the chance to get said Bv 141s, they've now been retrieved, although I didn't have time to find the unbuilt one which I know is somewhere up there.  Ditto the Heller 109C.

I also retrieved a Heller Fi 103 Reichenberg, again planning to do it in RAF colours and being test fown, although it'll be the Reichenberg III rather than the fully armed version.

Final thing I dug out was my Centaurus engined Martin Baker MB5.  IIRC I was going to do it as a navalised machine but an RAF one, possibly in post war markings, is looking more likely.  Or maybe an escort for coastal strike types?  Either way, a dark scheme is necessary and it'll get some drop tanks under the wings, likely from the Xtrakit Vampire plus a contraprop, although a five blade Sea Fury prop is also possible.

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[The Wooksta!]

Thoughts of a revised Avro Alston mentioned upthread has been on my mind recently.  Buried engines are all well and good but really, they add weight (which could be used for either additional load or extra fuel) and they also eat into the fuel.  The Germans tried it with the Do 217P and the Hs 130E and both got axed, so...

The Alston gets two stage Merlins instead.  There's some other mods I want to do to the airframe, to try and streamline production of it with normal Lancaster B.VIs plus clean up the airframe and add features incorporated into late war Lancasters.

The initial ideas I had were for a flying model - a cheap Lanc scored off ebay was to have been the basis as it didn't have an u/c but it's the standard tooling with the mid upper whereas I need a 'Special'.  In addition, all of the part built specials had Grand Slam or Lincoln conversion bits grafted on.  Then I discovered a complete Dambuster Lanc bought cheap at the club.  Bingo!

Still likely to be a flying model as I need the u/c bits I have for the ones parts started.

Curse my brain!  Thoughts of the late war Alston lead to yet another variation on the Lancaster VI - H2S in a Lancastrian style nose, Martin mid upper, deep bomb bay with the ventral turret, FN82 tail turret, Lincoln fins and wheels plus Village Inn AGL. So that's ANOTHER Lancaster special fuselage I have to find and now I'm thinking of a Centaurus powered version...  A quick look on ebay finds a few cheap ones but not quite cheap enough. For the Centaurus one, I may be better off with the newer Airfix B.II kit instead.

Having purchased a Hasegawa Focke Wulf Ta 154 at a bargain price earlier today, I was having thoughts of what to do with it.  Naturally, the Luftwaffe and their collaborationist allies are out, although I do like the idea of a Finnish one and indeed have intended to do one for a while with a cheap PM kit but at least two others have got there before me.  A post war one in silver perhaps?  

Or what about Argentina? That may need re-engining though and the detail on the Hasegawa kit is rather nice, so I may just go with the PM kit for that and utilise some DC 3 engines that the Argentinian Mosquito copy got in reality.  They did try to get Merlins for that but were turned down by the Air Ministry - who promptly tried to sell them Mosquitos instead.  There's a Tamiya B.IV somewhere that's slated for that although it'll be built as a Canadian production Mosquito B.XXV with the later wheels and wingtips.

Back to the Ta 154.  So I'll use the PM kit that's knocking about here somewhere for an Argie one but then I remember the Ta 254 which I have a three view of somewhere.  It doesn't look too different but has more powerful engines and more importantly a raised canopy providing a better view for the crew.  How to do that has had me stumped for a few years and now I think I've a way round it.  More as and when I try it.

Final thoughts re the Argies?  Ta 183s in Argentinian service.  Gary had mentioned that he wanted a PM one for the wings to do the Pulqui II that Kurt Tank had designed for the Argentinians but which failed as he didn't have Hans Multhopp on his design team then (he was working for the UK IIRC) and the wing location was wrong.  So, what if the fleeing Nazis who ended up in Argentina had brought the plans for quite a bit of the Luftwaffe 46 stuff with them?  Kurt Tank and the Horten brothers made it there, why not others?

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[The Wooksta!]

News that the KP brand name has been bought by AZ is interesting, but even more interesting is the fact that they're retooling some of the old KP kits.  One of which is the Avia S199.

Now I've long had a few ideas in mind for this aircraft:
Avia CS199 - Isreal.  The got the single seater, so why not a couple of the trainers?

I like the idea of an RAF one but how to do it?  Two ways.
Firstly, the Germans, running out of DB605s, decide to use their stocks of Jumo 211s to complete a load of Bf 109s but use them as fighter trainers or ground attack aircraft (may sound a waste but given the amount of Allied armour on the ground, perhaps not).  War's over and a few of them get transferred to Farnborough with a lot of other captured stuff.  So, Avia S199 (and possibly the CS199 two seater - depending how the back story is written, I can incorporate the Czech modifications) in late war German greens but with overpainted RAF markings.  Or even Russian.  Possibly Yugoslav - they may have been used for anti-partisan duties and left over at the war's end.  Polish?  They were flying a number of Bf 109G-10s.

I did briefly consider Slovak markings but I hold no truck with collaborators, so that got canned after 5 seconds.

Second?  Couple of Isreali ones are forced down with minimal damage and recovered.  Off to Farnborough with them. Nice post war type D markings and possibly that odd post war desert scheme.

So, plenty of possibilities with this one and consequently, I dug out some of the old KP kits from the loft at me Mam's and found I had more than I realised.  Not looking forward to building them.  Lots of flash and the fit was never too clever.

And talking about KP kits, another whiff I've been thinking of is a Siebel 204 re-engined with De Havilland engines - the RAF used quite a few after the war for communications duties so perhaps they preferred the reliability of British engines that they can actually gt reliable spares for?

I did also consider a Siebel 204 built as a French aircraft operating in French Indochina and then used by the Vietnamese after they kicked out the French.  Hmm.  Perhaps someone else can have that one.

Mention of Yugoslavia reminds me of the Frog Me 262 I bought in error at a show.  It's not a bad kit, roughly on a par with the Matchbox 262, but built wheels up and sprayed silver, I may get away with it.  The Czechs tried to sell a developed 262 to the Yugos and this could well be it.

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[The Wooksta!]

More thoughts on post war 109s.

What if Spain had actually got the DB605s for the 109s they bought from Germany?  Straight 109Gs in spanish markings and do you go for the more developed G-10s?  A Kurfurst?  And given that Italy was licence building DB605 engines for their own use post war, Spain could actually buy the spares.  In theory.  Extrapolate it forward to the 1960s and when the producers of the film "The Battle of Britain" are looking at Messerschmitts...  I'll leave that to you.

Other one I quite like.  What if the fire that wiped out the Czech's stash of DB605s had never happened and they continued on flying the S-99s?  Obviously, use the Revell G-10 (the wider u/c track that Revell cocked up can be explained as Czech redesign) and a simple respray.  I'd also go with the sliding blown hood of the later S199s too.  And of course, the Isrealis can fly them too...

Alternately, how about the Czechs using the K series rather than the G-10s?  There are very subtle differences between the two.  Hmmn.  I found an Amodel K in the loft a week or so back.

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[The Wooksta!]

Decided to have another look for 109s in the loft - I know there's a box of late ones built up but can I find it?

Did some tidying earlier and moved one or two models onto shelves.  One being the Magna Henley and I start thinking about one in late war colours as a communications hack with 2TAF.  Six stack exhausts and a four blade prop, wing racks and underwing tanks from a Hurricane? 

Wonder where my Magna Henley is?

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[The Wooksta!]

Started work on a Tamiya Mosquito and with some resin bits, hopefully it'll look a bit different to the usual Mosquito fighters one sees on the tables.

I've been thinking about digging out some of the stuff that's on hold - ie built and primed/painted but got no further.  There's at least one Tempest II, possibly a few others, that will fit in The Plan tangentially but the others really need finishing off so I can box them.  Tempted with one with a contraprop in CFE markings.  And then there's the Tempest two seat trainer too. Far too many Tempest projects - I think I ran an early version of The Plan with them.

There's also a Fury that I really want to finish as someone did a Tempest in SEAC markings that I liked so much I wanted to do it with a Fury as I thought it more believable.  Again, there's a fair few Fury based projects that are just sitting about with nowhere to go.

I've also been looking at some of the Lancaster based projects knocking about, one of which simply *has* to be finished for 'uddersfield, if only to screw with the heads of many people.  I've also been thinking about applying several different schemes to the Airfix Lancaster B.II I got last week.  Narrowed it down to two, so I may just have to get another one for that.

Just wish I can remember what I meant to do with so many of these projects...


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[The Wooksta!]

I'm back on the Avro carousel - first Lancasters and now Shackletons.  I blame Dave for the latter, a after I'd commented on his musings on an AEW3 version, I just had to do some digging to prove myself either wrong or right.  Which indeed I was - there's clearance for the radome with an extended nosegear, which means I'll have to find the Vulcan one I have spare somewhere IF I can remember where they are, or failing that rob one from one of the Vulcans in the loft at me Mam's.

I tested the theory with a genuine built up Frog kit that I'd acquired some years back for a modest sum and a resin copy of the Aeroclub radome.  It's missing it's engines as I'd snapped them off and now can't find them.  Typical!  I also did some work on cleaning it up and that's been continued a bit further.  I just need to blend in the inner nacelles a bit more with some plastic card and more filler.  The wingtips tanks are also missing, but a pair of the large Hunter drop tanks will do nicely.  They're just that shade longer to look out of place.  Intended scheme is Hemp over Light Aircraft grey with the toned down 8 Sqn markings of the E3 Sentries.

I also did some hacking about with a part started Novo example I got at a show a year or so back, with the intention of turning it into an AEW2, albeit with the MR3 canopy.  It'll be wheels up, largely because I want to keep the undercarriage for a Lancaster B.VI special with a rather unusual load, but also because I rather like flying models these days.  I also have a singular lack of Shackleton props too. Scheme may be the Hemp/LAG, but more likely Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey over LAG.  May have to cast a radome for that one.

Anyhoo, back to the Lancaster.

I've been cleaning up a half built one I was given last year and I'm still torn as to quite what to do with it.  I'm leaning towards a Gibraltar based ASW one with late war markings in EDSG/Dark Slate Grey with Azure undersides (which looks great, at least in me head), an AEW Lancastrian if I can hack off the nose (the kit has an FN82 tail turret as standard) wearing the same scheme, or another ASW aircraft but wearing an overall Dark Sea Grey with white fuselage top decking as per some of the Shackletons.  Snag is, that scheme is quite late and they'd need the windows fitting in the rear fuselage but the airframe is too advanced for that level of hacking about, which TBH rules out the AEW version. Whichever option I do plumb for, it has to be a dark scheme to hide the multitude of flaws - the guy I got it from is more used to post war Russian jets and the way Airfix have broken down the kit is also a major pain in the backside.

I do have a part built Hasegawa one which may well be a better option for that scheme and that does have the windows cut out. I think that's the best bet, although I'd originally planned it in a EDSG/Dark Slate Grey with Sky undersides, BPF markings and carrying a lifeboat.  I've also got a part built Hasegawa kit which is getting Merlin 85's to do it as a mk 6, but again, a maritime scheme is planned for this one.

This doesn't take into account the various Airfix Lancs that are part built and largely planned for re-engining with later Merlins. At least two are Grand Slam carriers, one of which was intended for post war colours and the markings of the Central Bombing School. The idea of a Blue Steel aerodynamic test shape underneath is very tempting.


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[The Wooksta!]

"But that's not the plan any more, is it, Avon?"

Finished my tour on Lancasters with little meaningful done, although the AEW now has at least one of the upper colours on and it's ready to be masked off for the second.  The two Airfix ones are definitely ASR aircraft, but I've yet to get to the primer stage,.  TBH, I'm more interested in finishing off many of the single engined types that are littering the place and especially the Tempests.

I got about four done the other day, one of which fits tangentially into The Plan(Spitfires) and I'm tempeted with a real mk VI but have it written up as a Whif. 

That doesn't make a lot of sense does it?  Okay. 

Part of The Plan includes an article on 6 Sqn and how they got Spits to replace their Hurricanes - which did actually happen - but they then got Tempests.  Now, I've got them getting clapped out Spit Vbs and then 16s and 22s before moving to Tempest IIs (which means I now have a unit for the Tempest II T-bird!), but in the planned backstory, I'll have a photo from a model show of a Tempest VI as a what if they got VIs instead of IIs, plus the obligatory whif Spiteful.  Can I get away with this?  A real aircraft as a whif?

There's also another P.1027 with leading edge intakes, another P1027 but with a Fury wing and leading edge intakes, plus a Tempest II with a Fury wing.  The latter looks rather Russian, almost La-9.  Definitely a contraprop for that one and Central Fighter Establishment markings.  More Sea Fury torpedo fighters, although one is definitely getting Korean war markings.

There's also a pair of Beaufighters that have got paint on and something else which was hinted at a while back but I want to keep it under wraps until Perth.  There's another thing I want finished for Perth, so get your thinking caps on as to what that may be...

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[The Wooksta!]

"Hoo, mista!  Have ye got any Bofightas?"

Yep, mine arrived yesterday and I was so impressed with the initial test fitting that I got carried away and started gluing bits together.  The wings are assembled, sort of, the internals are together and under a coat of paint, although the detail parts will need the black applying and the wheels are done and just need a little sanding.

The engines.  I've commented on the somewhat crude look elsewhere and the fit looks to be a little tricky.  More as and when.  Overall though, the fit looks to be excellent, although it does look a little complex.  I definitely recommend trimming down the two upper forward fuselage mounting lugs to improve the fit and I suspect the engines could be a little tricky once assembled to get onto the mounting points as it's a snug fit.

I've just started looking at the torpedo and it's both good and bad.  The torpedo itself is nice, with very fine propellors but the airtail...  Looks like it's been hammered together from railway sleepers!  Well it would if it were scaled up and would have a similar aerodynamic quality.  Some nasty ejector pin marks on it too.  Pity, as I need at least one but very likely lots more for various other things, not least of which is the Banff Mosquito that's been lurking nearly finished in a box somewhere - I just need the torpedo and I can get it done.  There's also a built up Brigand I got some years back that is begging to be done as an inflight far east one.  Something else I can get finished and boxed off.

I'm looking at finishing it with the radar and fin fillet but can't find my mould for the radome.  I did find a cast fillet but when comparing it to the Airfix kit (it's a copy of the Hasegawa fillet) i think modifying the resin rather than the kit looks to be the way to go.

Whilst I was looking at that, I took the time to compare the two kit fuselages.  The Airfix one seems shorter than the Hasegawa but the latter seems to be almost bagn on according to the Franks/Sami datafile.  Hmmn.  Actually, I can live with it.

The Beaufighter as impressed me so much that it's knocked the other builds off the pile.  The Airfix and Xtrakit Swifts have hit the blocks, although the former more for lack of bits and a certain other project that was getting close to final assembly has also stalled.  I'd hoped to get it done in time for Edinburgh in a fortnight but that would really be rushing it and it will need a great deal of filling at the wing roots.  Won't say anything more about it, although I know Mr Spackman will be impressed, certainly with the wings, when it makes it's Telford debut alongside another related build.


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[The Wooksta!]

"Can you see the object?  What is it?"

Well, the Beaufighter is nearing a date with a can of primer, although I still need to find the radar nose - my mould has vanished and the one I thought was the radar nose turns out to be a RR Eagle spinner.  More of which later.  The Beau has turned out to be a fantastic build although the engines were very fiddly and I may end up stealling a set of props (with spinners) from the Hasegawa kit.

Still undecided on a scheme for it, although a NMF RAAF one is a nice idea.

The donated Brigand has now had a coat of primer to see what needs doing with regards to filling.  The u/c doors need to go back into place and the canopy needs cutting out.  I'm minded towards painting the glazing black as it'll be a flying model. Again, undecided as to a scheme, but a white/med sea grey scheme with red codes and type C markings would be fairly quick.

The other project has had some work and the wings are now on.  The massive area that needed filling at the wing roots was done with p38 and it's now been sanded and the airframe given a quick prime to see what needs doing next with a final swipe or three of Humbrol filler.  Get that done, on with the fins and spinners (see above - I need to cast a few more), a final primer coat and she's off to the paint shop.  If possible, I can get it finished by next weekend, alongside another related project that's been dragging for a few years.

One of the Swifts - the Xtrakit one - will also be given an overall coat of XDSG and decals from a FRADU Hunter.  I just want a quick coat to get it done and out of the way.

There's so much else that I want to get finished but looking at the time left - it's almost the end of August and I haven't even looked at this year's Plan Spitfires - I may have to just go with the few mentioned here.  But that means abandoning a Mosquito that I've been itching to do, not to mention finishing off a BoB Beaufighter...  

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[The Wooksta!]

"Time, Professor.  It's all a matter of time!"

I've been having a slight rethink about the Airfix Beaufighter and what scheme it'll end up in.  I'm now leaning towards a Far East Training Squadron scheme with yellow trainer bands and overall Aluminium finish.  Largely because it's relatively simple yet colourful (note to self - must have red spinners).

There's a Pegasus Defiant that's been on slow burn for some time that now has it's u/c legs on - I found that doing some minor surgery to the spare Airfix doors much easier than cutting out new doors - and the canopy is masked for painting.  Again, something else I'd like to get done for Telford and it looks somewhat different to it's original incarnation.  There's also another built up one donated by Uncle Frank somewhere in the stash that may end up as a radar nightfighter.  Again, that may be a bit more long term but the other Defiant gunney trainer has been located and the cockpit given a lick of paint.  This will be ready for Telford.

The major thing I had to get done today was some moulding.  Couldn't find the mould for the Beaufighter nosecone so I'd had to redo it but also at the same time I have to do a mould for the Lincoln nose glazing.  There's two on the go, using different parts to try to find an ideal solution.  I have some clear resin which seems to work a treat so one or two projects using a Lincoln nose should be easier to do.  Also took the opportunity to do a new set of moulds for Spitfire wheels - the old one is near shot with overwork, poor thing.

I did have another look at the Blackbird Lincoln conversion and having found the extension for the RAAF one, I'm looking at a possible RAAF Lancastrian with said longer nose, although I can't really think of a use for it.  I'll have to have a think on this one and it may end up as a mutant Lincolnian.  I'm still considering a Griffon or Centaurus Lincoln using a Shackleton wing which I know is definitely doable from the Revell kit.

As usual, too many projects to consider and this time many are large which means storage problems.

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[The Wooksta!]

Time for a wee update here methinks.

Been throwing a few bits and bobs together, in quite a few cases if only to get them together, some paint and markings on and get shot. 

The old Frog Vengeance being one such example.  Found it part started in a box - as you do - and couldn't remember what it was to be.  So, after getting it together - it's a right pig, give it a total miss - it's going middle east RAF (the real ones largely went to the far east), probably a maintenance unit in Egypt, but I'm unsure as to scheme.  Either the usual desert colours - Mid Stone, Dark Earth over Azure Blue or Dark Green, Dark Earth over med Sea Grey.  I'm leaning toward the former but it's had it's claws removed and getting a spinner.  Hate the thing and just want rid. 

I did have an idea for an Isreali one rescued from an RAF scrap dump in Palestine, but after doing this POS, I'm never doing another Vengeance again, so that idea is free if anyone else wants to run with it.

Next up, a Hobbyboss He 162.  I've always had a liking for this one and enjoyed what was a very quick and trouble free build but again, now it's together I'm unsure of a scheme.  Tempted with overall Black as an observer's recognition model but that's maybe too easy.  Argentinian? Or maybe a low viz overall RLM 76 high altitude scheme but with overpainted RAF roundels?  Whatever I decide on, it's in flight.

A Matchbox Canberra PR9, although it's getting armed with the 4 cannon gunpack from a B.(I)8.  Ideal for stooging over the North Sea at altitude and swooping down on Bears.  Again, this is a real pig of a kit and the other one in the stash I'll happily offload at cost (a princely 3 notes! - original Matchbox too, none of your Revell reboxes here!).  Very little fits or matches and a lot of filler has been used.  Wings yet to go on but it's moving apace.  PRU Blue and Med Sea Grey here.

I did do a little work on an Airfix Boston as a 633 Sqn machine - they had them in the book before getting Mossies - but it's not a nice kit IMO and I really just want it gone.

An assembled Heller Bf 109C got a bit further with it's tail feathers and undercarriage on.  Have a definite scheme in mind for this one - RAF captured in 1940 as one of the Luftwaffe night fighters got himself lost and ended up in Kent.  Dark Earth, Dark Green over yellow.  Quite like the Heller C variant as it's a quick and easy build.

So we get to the meat of the dish.  Beaufighters.  I wanted shot of me Revell/Matchbox ones, so threw one together (couldn't find the fuselage for the other, although it may be used as donor fodder anyway) and it's going Turkish.  They did get Beaufighters, but not TF.Xs.  I've one part painted, so I fancy that one as a Turkish one too and the one that's going together now will be in a later scheme of Dark Green over Light Blue, like their Spitfire PR.19s.  I need an u/c for this one so it may get a little held up.

I also put the u/c on a stalled Hasegawa TF.X which is a rocket strike aircraft operating from Gibraltar.  There's quite a few Beaufighters backing up and I'd really like them all done so I can try and have a bash at the developed version which led into the Grigand.  I've got all the bits it's just a question of time.

What else?  The Revell Shackleton AEW2 needs assembling and I'd like that out of the way afore the Airfix one comes out.  I've an Airfix Shack that's being backdated to MR1/T4 configuration, although I've other duties and scheme in mind for it.  Plus something else that's been on and off for some time and frustratingly close to being done.  I *will* finish it in time for Huddersfield!

And I will try to get at least one of the many Lancasters done, if only to clear some more room!


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[The Wooksta!]

Reality has struck.  It seems the Turks *did* have the Beaufighter TF.X, so that plan is all to pot now.  The two part painted ones are now masked for the second coat of paint.  The two Turkish ones will have to be something else. One could possibly be Chilean.  It's so random and out there that it could just work.  Or not.  We shall see.  Alternatively, I could just remask that blasted thing.

Two Pegasus MB5s that have been languishing are now refitted with u/c legs.  Admittedly stolen from the Novo Firefly, but that's cool.  They're far more whiffable.  One is going 2TAF, because I like them and I fancy using the rocket rails from the Firedog Beaufighter.  Still undecided on the second, but it'll need some cleanup of tape glue.  IIRC, it was to have been navalised but on reflection, I'd rather keep it RAF.

I've also got a pair of Frog/Novo Blenheims to the primer stage.  One's going to be a courier aircraft (sans turret) on the Malta/Gibraltar run, so EDSG/Dark Slate Grey over Azure Blue is going to look rather fetching, especially with red spinners.  T'other has the gunpack and I'm minded towards a mid war nightfighter scheme of Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey with Night undersurfaces.  Not sure if it'll be a squadron hack with a Beaufighter unit or with one of the OTUs.  Either are plausible, but the latter has that "I'm not quite sure it's a fake" element that I really enjoy.

The Canberra has stalled, largely because the wing fit is so awful. Pity.  I was rather attached to that idea.  Still, it's been advanced a bit further so no real loss.  However, it does mean that the second Canberra PR9 I have in the stash is now up for grabs for what I paid for it.

Had a look at one of the Lancasters that's stalled, a far east "Grand Slam"  May have to do some destruction as I'd fitted it with Village Inn and the Grand Slam aircraft were largely lightened to ensure the got off the ground! No fancy heavy gear for you, me laddo!  As it is, she looks to be ready enough to mask for spraying.  I may have to do similar work with the second Grand Slam carrier, although with that having the more powerful Merlin 85s, weight may not be an issue.  However, that's already been sprayed underneath...

Really need to get some primer and hopefully, this weekend will be dry.



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[The Wooksta!]

My thoughts on the Beaufighters and what to do with them have kind of crystalized.  And then fractured as there's another two that could slot in nicely.

I had thought of Dutch for one of the EDSG machines and Yugoslav for the as yet unpainted one but then I got thinking, which is never good.  The first was based on seeing the artwork for the Firedog Beau and thinking that it would look nicer with Type C1 roundels over the same scheme.  Night intruders with rockets blasting Luftwaffe nightfighters on the ground is a nice idea.  This would take care of the unpainted one so one of the EDSG machines could still get the upper colours as EDSG and Dark Slate Grey but with night undersurfaces and still toting rockets to deal with any surfaced u-boats at night.  That leaves the third aircraft which was always going to have the latter scheme but with Sky undersurfaces to have rockets and the big tank for the Banff Strike wing.

But I still like that Yugoslav idea and I have some old Frog Beaus kicking about.  No, I'd rather build the Matchbox one as it fits together with minimal fuss.  May keep an eye out for one or two at a reasonable price.  I have a decent stash of Airfix ones but would rather use them for real world ones (I've seen four Firedog ones in different schemes and all with the same squadron.  It'd be nice to do all four together).

A quick look for the Frog Beau unearthed a part built Novo DH Comet racer.  RAF fast communications for that one, I think.  Quick and simple - Dark Earth and Dark Green over Yellow or maybe Sky.  I also located a Pegasus Miles Master I that I'd quite like as a cheap fighter, although I'd have to change the radiator setup to something that looks more like a Lancaster one.  More long term for that one.

Threw together another Novo Blenheim, adding the fighter gunpack.  Dark Slate Grey and EDSG over Night for intruder missions over Italy in late 1940. I'll mask off the canopy later so I can prime it and the other Blenheims tomorrow or monday.

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