My stash just grew again (2013)

[NARSES2]

Picked up the Airfix Fw 190 A8 from MZ/Smiths. Used my 20% off voucher from January Airfix magazine and the young lad scanned the page rather then get me to cut it out 

This will be Luftwaffe 1946 and get 2 RX-4 rockets (Freightdog) instead of the outer wing guns. May well get some extra armour plate slapped on as well. I've often wondered how practicable these wire guided missiles would have been against bombers with a defensive fighter screen...suicide mission I would have thought ? Always admired infantry who could use the AT variant from behind partial cover let alone fighters *

* As far as I'm aware the only mass use of the wire guided AT missile was by the Egyptians against the Israelis when they re-crossed the Canal. It was fairly successful, even if didn't get many kills it made tank commanders wary or so I've read anyway . Although it can be difficult to get a balanced account of anything in that region. One newspaper account I read at the time spoke of the mass of wires trailling the battlefield.

[Mossie]

First time I've ever posted with a Christmas haul.  Normally I'm not allowed to the put models on the list (well, I can ask, but I get a wry smile!) but this year the missus was desperate.  Sometime it pays to be a bloke that's awkward to buy for!

Early War Miniatures 20mm scale Mark VIII tank
Early War Miniatures 20mm scale Mark IX troop/supply carrier
Toko 1/72 Sopwith Salamander TF.2

All part of the Great War 1/72 armour fetish I'm going through, with the centenary next year.  I've got several kits I'll  be doing real world, but these are all based around a loose idea I've mentioned for something based around Plan 1919.  This was an idea floated for a mechanised campaign similar to Blitzkrieg, and I'm picking up late WWI equipment ad-hoc while the idea forms more fully.

The Early War Miniatures stuff are wargame pieces and a bit crude. Single piece castings with a few detail bits, they'll knock up in less than an hour.  The angles are out (the sides of the Mark VIII are different sizes) and there are plenty of air holes to fill, but should do for my purposes, especially if I display them in a dio to take the eye away from the misalignments. 

The Toko Salamander is a nice looking kit I've been after for while.  Esoteric subject to get a mainstream kit.  An armoured strafing variant of the Snipe, it was one of the earliest fighter-bombers to take to the skies.  Around 500 where built but never saw full service due to the armistice.  It would have featured heavily in Plan 1919.

[Daryl J.]

Academy F-4B Phantom

[Dizzyfugu]

An Italeri IAI Kfir C.1 (the USN F-21A kit)
A Hobby Boss He 162 - will be (heavily) modified, inspired by a nice build by Tophe some time ago which I accidently found while digging here... 
Saw the Airfix Lightning F.2A at a local shop - was tempted but COULD resist! I still have a NOVO and Hasegawa Lightning in the pile... 

[PR19_Kit]

I still have a NOVO and Hasegawa Lightning in the pile... 

Comes to the same thing, as does the Revell one, but eventually the Airfix Force upon you will be............ 

[Can't you tell a Star Wars episode on TV I'm watching?  ]

[Gondor]

From "The Works" today

1 x 1/72 Airfix Bf-109E gift set

1 x 1/72 Airfix Fw-190A-8 gift set

Gondor

[Green Dragon]

Actually got a kit for Christmas this year, Revell Clone Wars AAT Grav Tank from my Nephews and Niece.
Also got the 1/72nd Gatling Gun set from Hat on Saturday, intended for a diorama of a section of steampunk Victorian Airship gun deck if I ever get round to it.

Paul Harrison

[Dizzyfugu]

This will be Luftwaffe 1946 and get 2 RX-4 rockets (Freightdog) instead of the outer wing guns. May well get some extra armour plate slapped on as well. I've often wondered how practicable these wire guided missiles would have been against bombers with a defensive fighter screen...suicide mission I would have thought ?

AFAIK, tests turned out that using the X-4 was rather complicated when the pilot had to steer the missile AND fly into a hail of 0.5" rounds (not to speak of potential escort fighters which had just dropped their auxillary tanks...).
So, any X-4 on a single seat fighter is rather SF - even though tests with larger planes in which someone else would steer the missile while the pilot could do his job were more successful - even though the high basic speed made steering and hitting something a lottery. That is/was the also the result of tests of French F4U with wire-guided anti tank missiles in Northern Africa. Try to fly sucha thing at ground level, while steering a missile into a rather tiny target... The idea was quickly rejected.

IIRC there also had been tests with Do 217, carrying Hs 293 missiles(!) on the back, which were to be launched against bombers from below. For single-seaters, racks with unguided missiles would be more practical, in many ways.

A Fw 190 two-seater with reduced gun armament (or a converted Ta-152!?) with two X-4s could be an option, though. Hmmm... 

[Thorvic]

Would a TA-154 make a better missile carrier where the nav can guide the missile onto target or a two seat Me-262

[Thorvic]

Just received the new Academy 1/72nd F-35A Lightning II, much more refined detail than the Italeri version although it has the multicoloured sprues as per the Fujimi kit of the F-35B which i find annoying as a simple light grey is generally the choice. Another plus is the inclusion of underwing pylons and stores which the other kits dont have.

[Army of One]

Well......I dunno if swmbo'd has been on the wine but......Max my 5yr old says that mummy has got me two kits.....sure enough during a phone call she says she got me an airfix starter  kit of a Me109 and a FW190A8 from an aldi in crewe....for £3.49 each......!!!!!

[NARSES2]

IIRC there also had been tests with Do 217, carrying Hs 293 missiles(!) on the back, which were to be launched against bombers from below. For single-seaters, racks with unguided missiles would be more practical, in many ways.

Didn't know about the Hs 293  Agree re the unguided missile option

[Howard of Effingham]

Mrs z gave me a piece of paper with "coming soon" and this picture on it.

Woo hoo!

i've seen this one mostly finished by someone at the model club i go to.

it seems to make up well and its certainly eye-catching.

[NARSES2]

Not stash as such but topped up my Humbrol paints box in MZ/Smiths.

[Army of One]

From an Aldi in Crewe..........all 1/72 starter kits Airfix...all £3.49......Kittyhawk, Me 109 and a P51....bargains.......