The Old Kit GB - Finished Builds

Dizzyfugu · November 28, 2016, 05:02:32 AM

...and here's #5 - a North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968.

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

More pics and some background here: http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,43028.30.html

Joe C-P · November 28, 2016, 06:11:08 AM

My first contribution, the experimental turreted DUWK:

TheChronicOne · November 28, 2016, 09:18:03 AM

Hey that's really good! One minor thing, though, you omitted a link to your build page.

NARSES2 · December 06, 2016, 06:36:49 AM

Iraqi Air force P-26 Peashooter http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,42861.0.html

[/URL

TheChronicOne · December 10, 2016, 02:28:50 PM

~~The first kit ever produced by Italarei when they were Aliplast.~~ Correction, this may be Aliplast's first kit but they actually split, one owner went on to become Italeriei, the other became Supermodels, the latter continued to produce the Centauro, not Italerei. (This is what I get for trusting rando quotes I see on the net!! My source was only partially correct.)

The Fiat G.55 Centauro done up as Vatican City Air Force plane in the Transylvanian Empire fictional universe. The Vampires had to have SOMEONE to square of with. .

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,43045.0.html

zenrat · December 14, 2016, 12:04:43 AM

#1 from me.

Messerschmitt Bf 109G. Southern Air Patrol. Iron Knob, South Australian Free State 1949.

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,43027.new.html#new

The Rat · December 14, 2016, 01:30:13 PM

The withdrawal of British forces from Iraq in 1954 led to a number of different factions vying for power, and in 1958
a military take-over occurred which resulted in the death of many members of the Royal Family. This development was
worrisome to their southern neighbour, Kuwait, as Iraq had long cast a glance toward it, and made dubious claims of
historical ownership.

It was decided to modernise the Kuwaiti military, and procurement of aircraft and armour was a priority. The air force
had taken note of the success of the Supermarine Swift during the Suez Crisis, when 56 Squadron RAF had put them to
effective use as ground attack aircraft. This had led to a dedicated variant, the FGA.4. Modifications included wing fences
to decrease the chance of pitch problems, and the addition of extra fuel. This was housed in tanks in the fuselage,
utilising the internal space created when the engine had been changed from the centrifugal flow RR Nene to the axial flow Avon.

The RAF had finally come to understand that the Swift would never be a high altitude performer, and decided that the FGA.4
would become their standard ground attack aircraft, freeing up Hawker Hunters for the high altitude fighter role, a task to
which they were ably suited. An export version was designated the FGA.4E, and Kuwait ordered 30. Armament consisted of
bombs and/or rockets, with the nose guns being retained for strafing and air combat.

Trials showed the predictable and chronic problems with hydraulic leakage, something which had plagued the Swift from its
very beginnings. But the tireless efforts of Tiltman Langley Labs eventually got things down to a workable and efficient level,
and led to the creation of Supermarine TL. This was a joint company which used personnel from each, and operated as a
semi-independent entity. They became known around the world as trouble-shooters for the aviation industry, and many
successful aircraft, and companies, owe their service lives to their work.

Well, here it is, horribly silvered decals and all. I hope to pick up some setting solution soon and get them snuggled down,
but with my talent for procrastination that could be long after the Group Build is over. This is the venerable Hawk/Testors
kit, and those familiar with it will know its shortcomings. Paints are Tamiya XF52 Flat Earth and XF59 Desert Yellow, and
Model Master Acryl 4765 Light Grey for the underside. Decals came from the Airfix 1/72 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 One of these
days I'll scrounge some decent looking bombs and rocket pods and slap them on.

Modelling_Mushi · December 17, 2016, 02:00:54 AM

Finished the Sopwith Sockeye, a 1/72 Airfix Camel converted to a monoplane float-plane, extra bits either scratch-built or taken from the same vintage Airfix 1/72 Albatross kit. Haven't had time to work up a backstory for this one.

WIP thread here : http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,42838.0.html - this also has a few more photos.

Have to say this has been a great GB, some really excellent builds.

Ciao

Dizzyfugu · December 17, 2016, 03:51:34 AM

Floatplanes seem to be the season's fashion?! Here's another one, in teh air, at sea and on the ground, and #6 for the GB with some delay: a Gloster Gladiator Mk. II floatplane conversion; aircraft '461'/ 'Tubarão' of the Esquadrilha de Caça No. 3, Portuguese Aéronautica Militar; Lajed (Azores), 1949 (a modified 1:72 Matchbox kit).

1:72 Gloster Gladiator Mk. II floatplane conversion; aircraft '461'/ 'Tubarão' of the Esquadrilha de Caça No. 3, Portuguese Aéronautica Militar; Lajed (Azores), 1949 (Whif/modified Matchbox kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Gloster Gladiator Mk. II floatplane conversion; aircraft '461'/ 'Tubarão' of the Esquadrilha de Caça No. 3, Portuguese Aéronautica Militar; Lajed (Azores), 1949 (Whif/modified Matchbox kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

More pics and the background story here: http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,43081.15.html

kitbasher · December 17, 2016, 10:29:50 AM

YAKOVLEV Yak-23 'FLORA'

The Yak-23 was a development of the earlier Yak-15 and Yak-17 fighters, but the construction was all new. The Yak-23 used a Soviet copy of the British Rolls-Royce Derwent V turbojet engine, produced as the Klimov RD-500. It first flew on July 8, 1947 and was accepted for series production in 1948. In late 1949 they entered Soviet air force service, and were also ordered for export in 1949-50. The Yak-23 was quickly replaced in the Soviet service with the more complicated swept-wing MiG-15, which offered superior performance. That was not the end of the Yak-23, however, as hundreds were supplied to Soviet client states, including North Korea.
When the Korean War broke out on 25 June 1950, the Korean People's Air Force was equipped with World War II-vintage Soviet prop-driven fighters. The vast numerical and technical superiority of the United States Air Force, which, together with Navy and Marine aircraft, roamed the skies largely unopposed for a time.
Soviet pilots and technicians who were already operating Yak-23s in China were relocated to North Korea at the end of 1950. On 1 November 1950, eight Yak-23s intercepted about 15 F-51D Mustangs of the United States Air Force (USAF), shooting down one. Days later, however, the first 'Flora' was lost to a US Navy Grumman F9F Panther.
Flown by Russian, Chinese and North Korean pilots, the Yaks proved vulnerable to F-86 Sabres in air to air combat, and so were reassigned to ground support missions in early 1951 (being replaced as pure fighters by MiG-15s). It was when returning from such a mission over Gimpo on 9 August 1952 that Red 546 failed to return to its base at Onchon. No official cause of the loss was recorded.
On the same day whilst flying a Sea Fury off HMS Ocean, Lieutenant Peter "Hoagy" Carmichael downed a Yak-23 in air-to-air combat in the vicinity of Chinnampo. This would be one of the few times since World War II a piston-engined fighter aircraft shot down a jet fighter – was this perhaps when 546 was lost? (see http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,42214.msg740337.html#msg740337)

Build is at http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,42835.msg742503.html#msg742503

PR19_Kit · December 17, 2016, 11:09:27 AM

Super job there Dave, and I love the connection with your wonderful in-line Sea Fury, magic stuff.

zenrat · December 20, 2016, 03:07:51 AM

Stoopid Woody.

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,42869.msg751203.html#msg751203

Glenn Gilbertson · December 24, 2016, 09:07:14 AM

Gloster Assegai F.1, 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, Wildenrath, West Germany:

Story & build thread at:
http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,43127.0.html

Happy holidays!

zenrat · December 26, 2016, 01:40:58 AM

#3.

Bristol Blairgowrie.

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,42813.msg751785.html#msg751785

strobez · December 28, 2016, 03:51:37 AM

Well, here's my entry for the Old Kit Build... the Caudron Renault C.714.