My stash just grew again (2016)

[Weaver]

Just tried the Altrincham and Wythenshawe Home Bargains branches, but came away with nothing. They had exactly the same Vampire/Hawk/LCVP/Fountain range as some of the others and I've already got as many as I want of those. It's almost as if some branches get supplies from one warehouse and some from another, but it's hard to see a geographical connection. Either that or the Spitfire/109/Dinah/Dauntless batch was the first, the Mustang/190/Hurricane/Spitfire batch was second, and the Vampire/Hawk/LCVP/Fountain is the current one....

[Mossie]

Had a quick look in the Hull City Centre branch yesterday, all they had was a solitary Spitfire IX.  I might make a slight diversion tomorrow to check out another branch.

[Chris Payne]

Bagged another Airfix 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX whilst on my travels today.

[Martin H]

A pair of Hasegawa IAI Kfir C2's via eBay, and a Valom N.A FJ-1 Fury and a Wespe models Mack 7.5 ton truck via Bungle arrived today

[Dizzyfugu]

A dirty cheap Intech F-16 in 1:72, as dedicated donation fodder. The landing gear will be mounted under the Academy T-50 (which comes with everything up OOB!), while the wings and maybe the air intake will end up... elsewhere.

[Steel Penguin]

Its the birthday special offer at Ground zero games https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/
spend over a tenner, wish the owner Jon a happy birthday, get extra stuff.  Ive been slowly buying since the late 80s, have never been disappointed with quality, and always amazed with order turn round times ( the order that arrived in the last hour was placed at 12:41 yesterday, so les than 24 hours from placing till delivery )
got a pair of  UN space command replenishment ships,   2 of the hand claw robots ( I see a pair of fork lift claws for moving boxes though)   the Knights Sabres set ( yup the official bubblegum crises lead figures come with etch brass sensor booms), and a set of boomers.  as freebies  a genom powersuit ( bubblegum crisis)  2 AD police from the same range,  and a scientist type in lab coat, and a cop in jeans  jacket shades and with a large pistol  that will go well with everything else.
very pleased 

[Dizzyfugu]

There's (still) BGC stuff around? Cool - any pics available?

[DogfighterZen]

A dirty cheap Intech F-16 in 1:72, as dedicated donation fodder. The landing gear will be mounted under the Academy T-50 (which comes with everything up OOB!), while the wings and maybe the air intake will end up... elsewhere.

Viper hunting season? 

After a few months of model buying addiction rehab, last night i blew it and ordered another Hasegawa 1/72 F-16I SUFA, which will be donating most of it's parts to the LoneStar resin parts F-16XL#2, and one of the Tamiya Vipers will be getting the SUFA specific bits.
And also got confirmation from Bigcat.pt that another 1/72 Sufa is on the way but i'll have to wait a bit for this one as the store didn't have it in stock. Still, will be 5 euros cheaper than anywhere else on the web. And BTW, the Hase kit at 30€ from Tokyo-Hobby was at least 3€ cheaper than all the Kinetic ones i found on the bay.

[NARSES2]

You're wrong.  They had a solitary PR19 when I got there around 2.50ish.  I looked about four times and a store assistant picked it off the shelf - it was end on, hence me not seeing it.  Needless to say, it's now residing with the rest of my Home Bargains swag.  As for them not understanding the Queen's English - this is Sunderland we're talking about here!  

God, what an awful journey that was. Possibly the longest metro ride ever and Sunderland train station, despite being given a makeover, is even worse than when I was last there in 1997.  Really dark and dingy.  The best bit of the whole thing was the journey back, travelling through some nice countryside.

Well at least me missing it meant your trip wasn't pointless   Must agree re Sunderland station, it's one of the worst I know and is just depressing. I just find it amusing that like a lot of stations outside London it "invents platforms" to increase it's self importance. Physically there are 2, an up and a down, but on the departure board there are 4   The Metro stops on 1 and 2 and the Northern Rail on 3 and 4, even though they are physically the same platforms. Some Northern stations divide platforms into 3, but at least use A,B,C and yes I have got the wrong train at Donnie once  

Anyway made N Shields before heading south (first time there) and got 2 Hurricanes, 2 Mustangs and 2 Typhoons. Why I have no idea but I got them  

[JasonW]

From eBay - 1/72 Hasegawa XF5U Flying Pancake and F11F-1 Tiger

From local shop - 1/72 Heller Mirage IV and Mirage 2000

Got the Hase Flying Pancake kit for less than $30USD  including shipping, quite the steal.

[The Wooksta!]

Home Bargains, Brockwell Centre, Cramlington:

5 x Hurricane mk I "rag wing"

2 x Spitfire mk Vb

4 of the Hurricanes are being sold on - two for cash monies and the other two are hostage swaps.

I checked t'other Cramlington store (Manor Walk) after a mad dash to get there before it closed, only to find Vampires, Hawks, the two Dauntlesses I saw on tuesday, that Higgins boat and the stupid fountain.  Really should have nabbed a Vampire or two but wanted to save me cash for Brockwell. 

After finding the wait for a bus back to the Toon was half an hour, I retired to the nearby pub over the road for a pint of Bulmers Original in the beer garden.

[Snowtrooper]

After a few months of model buying addiction rehab, last night i blew it and ordered another Hasegawa 1/72 F-16I SUFA, which will be donating most of it's parts to the LoneStar resin parts F-16XL#2, and one of the Tamiya Vipers will be getting the SUFA specific bits.
And also got confirmation from Bigcat.pt that another 1/72 Sufa is on the way but i'll have to wait a bit for this one as the store didn't have it in stock. Still, will be 5 euros cheaper than anywhere else on the web. And BTW, the Hase kit at 30€ from Tokyo-Hobby was at least 3€ cheaper than all the Kinetic ones i found on the bay.

Don't the Kinetic ones actually come with the Skunkworks IDF Weapons Set sprues (or NATO Weapons Set for the non-Israeli Vipers), whereas with modern Hase kits you're usually lucky to get even gasbags? (Older Hase Vipers at least had a pair of BL755's among other things.) If so, then Hasegawa only seems cheaper.

Regarding the LoneStar resin set, has it actually been seen on sale somewhere, at a price that is not at least twice that of a Monogram XL? Yes, I know, LoneStar is more accurate, but for my tastes Monogram offers better value for money considering I would whiff it anyway...

[Green Dragon]

There's (still) BGC stuff around? Cool - any pics available?

Here you go Dizzy. https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/bgc-figures.html
Always had great service from Jon, very fast delivery here in the UK.

Paul Harrison

[Dizzyfugu]

There's (still) BGC stuff around? Cool - any pics available?

Here you go Dizzy. https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/bgc-figures.html
Always had great service from Jon, very fast delivery here in the UK.

Paul Harrison

Thanks a lot! The Knight Sabers set looks very nice. 

[DogfighterZen]

Don't the Kinetic ones actually come with the Skunkworks IDF Weapons Set sprues (or NATO Weapons Set for the non-Israeli Vipers), whereas with modern Hase kits you're usually lucky to get even gasbags? (Older Hase Vipers at least had a pair of BL755's among other things.) If so, then Hasegawa only seems cheaper.

Regarding the LoneStar resin set, has it actually been seen on sale somewhere, at a price that is not at least twice that of a Monogram XL? Yes, I know, LoneStar is more accurate, but for my tastes Monogram offers better value for money considering I would whiff it anyway...

Yup, you're right about the weapons, the Hase kit only has two pairs of aim-9s, the N/P and the L/M, the pair of BL755s, and a pair of aim-120B... and the 370 gallon drop tanks. Not the coolest, most modern ordnance but it is a full loadout for the Viper. Besides, this kit is supposed to be a parts donor for at least 3 other builds.
The Kinetic Sufa has the IDF weapons but if you think of it, you'll only use them on the kit if you're building a SUFA... not my intentions. The Hase kit has better detail in some areas(specially the CFTs and electronics spine) and the Kinetic in others(cockpit, weapons and gear bays), the rest is up to modelers preference. I already had another one of each so that will make 4 1/72 Sufas in my stash.

The LoneStar conversion sets, XL#1 and #2 and 2 DSI intakes cost me around 120€, with tracked shipping from Japan and customs fee.
Resin parts- 65€, Tracked shipping-20€, Customs fee-35€.
Considering that Monogram XLs are out of production, have worst detail, to buy one in auction and pay for shipping and then customs, it comes out much more expensive than 1 Lonestar set and the Hasegawa F-16(less than 15€) for parts, together.
Going by the last i saw on auction, a normal Monogram kit would cost me at least 60/80euros to buy now. The two i was lucky enough to find, came out cheaper indeed, but i spent a lot of time looking for them. The first i bought was in a Monogram job lot and cost me 40 euros for 3 kits from Canada. The second one was around 40€ for the kit alone and that was the cheapest i could find in almost 1 year of looking for it.
Hey, if you can find the Monogram XLs at a good price, great, but for me, the Lonestar conversions are a much better deal.