My stash just grew again 2021

[The Wooksta!]

I've won another 418 Squadron boxing of the Hasegawa Mosquito.  Hopefully this seller won't cancel and refund the cash.  Whilst the 418 sqn markings are nice and will look better on the Tamiya kit, I really want the 4 Sqn decals from it!  A second set would be good too, as an E can become an F with little modification.

Why this interest?  I've several photos of 4 Sqn Mosquitoes and rarely are two of them are in the same scheme!

The one that really interests me, TA539, isn't available on a decal sheet (few 4 sqn aircraft are, and of the sheet available, 3 of the four feature the same aircraft) and even if I knew the correct code letter (possibly D), the blue with yellow outline letters are simply not available.  Hence paying a small fortune for a kit I loathe and detest, just to get the decals.

Also on order from High Planes in Australia, and again costing a small fortune for what it is, an upgrade set for the new Airfix Vc.  Decals for three aircraft, two sets of wheels, rear view mirror and a new prop.  I blame Tony O'Toole for this entirely, as he posted a link to it on Britmodeller.

Very few references on the Ju 288

1 x 1/72 Huma Ju288C which probably will not be OOB

Surprisingly large, the 288, isn't it Alastair?

Not really as I have the Ju290 and He177 in the stash to compaire it to. It is a reasonable size I would say. Next to no interior though, but then that's what refferences are for.

Gondor

Very few references on the Ju 288, at least with cockpit interior shots.  I point you to the Monogram Monograph on the type, Number 2 Ju 288 by Thomas Hitchcock. But that was long out of print when I got mine in the early 90s.  There's a German publication, Junkers Ju 288/388/488 by Karl-Heinz Regnat (Bernard & Graefe Verlag ISBN 3-7637-6028-8) that's nearly as good and more recent.  My copy is dated 2002, so there should be copies kicking about.  It was part of a series - I've also got one on the Ju 90/290 - and some of them were later translated into English and released by (I think) Midland counties.

Edit: Copies of the Midland Counties English Language edition are available on evil corporation Amazon's website, starting at 17 notes.  Personally, I'd go through Abe books and get a copy from a smaller seller and not put extra money into the hands of Jeff Bezos whilst he screws his workers into the ground on near slavery contracts.

[kitnut617]

If you want to actually build a T33 as is, the Heller kit from the 70s is the one to have. Also comes with the reconnaisance nose.

It's not high on my (purely mental) to build list but if I ever see a Heller one at a good price i'll now feel compelled to snap it up whilst not quite being able to remember why.   

I have multiple copies of both the Heller and Hasegawa kits, the Hasegawa kit isn't as bad as what Lee makes it out to be Fred, it was the basis for my Twin Tailed T33 project and it came out quite good.

[zenrat]

...Personally, I'd ...not put extra money into the hands of Jeff Bezos whilst he screws his workers into the ground on near slavery contracts.

[PR19_Kit]

Dropped into my LHS today as I was in town anyway (as you do...) and they'd just had a delivery of the new (-ish) 1/72 Airfix Spitfire Mk Vc which had rave reviews on here recently.

One of them suddenly leapt off their shelf and landed in my shopping bag! 

Of course I felt honour bound to pay for it and bring it home, it would have been rude not to, eh? 

[NARSES2]

Airfix really do need to house train them before they leave China (Or wherever) 

It's a nice kit Kit, you'll enjoy it.

[Gondor]

Two items from eBay and one from Hannants today

1 x 1/72 Bird Models Ju388 S-1 mit Duka 88. Apparently their 147th conversion set for Ju188 by Italeri or Hasegawal. This is of dubious quality and misses out some parts necessary to build a Ju388 such as the intakes above and below the engines,
Another kit for my other half's stash, Airfix scale 1:1

From Hannants 1/72 Zotz ZTZ SP/005 Roundels of the world part 6 Middle East. This has roundels and fin flashes for Oman, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, UAE, Dubai & Jordan so lots of whiff potential.

Gondor

[Pellson]

Got some cheap spares from Evilbay today, among others two sets of tanks to the Tornado (standard & Hindenburgers), 1000lb GP bombs, ECM pods etc etc. Right now, I'm particularly pleased with the BOZ flare/chaff pod because I have a very empty pylon waiting for it.

[The Wooksta!]

Two items from eBay and one from Hannants today

1 x 1/72 Bird Models Ju388 S-1 mit Duka 88. Apparently their 147th conversion set for Ju188 by Italeri or Hasegawal. This is of dubious quality and misses out some parts necessary to build a Ju388 such as the intakes above and below the engines,
Another kit for my other half's stash, Airfix scale 1:1

From Hannants 1/72 Zotz ZTZ SP/005 Roundels of the world part 6 Middle East. This has roundels and fin flashes for Oman, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, UAE, Dubai & Jordan so lots of whiff potential.

Gondor

Bird Models has a distressing tendency to quite frankly make stuff up. There was no Ju 388S, either built, planned or projected.   Closest to an anti-shipping 388 was the proposed M series, intended for use with the L-10 Friedensengel glider torpedo.

I've a feeling he's got mixed up with the Ju 188 S-1/U, which were rebuilt Ju 188 S airframes with 50mm cannon and Jumo 213 engines (which had become the Ju 388K, the 188T became the 388L, the 188J became the 388J).

[Gondor]

Two items from eBay and one from Hannants today

1 x 1/72 Bird Models Ju388 S-1 mit Duka 88. Apparently their 147th conversion set for Ju188 by Italeri or Hasegawal. This is of dubious quality and misses out some parts necessary to build a Ju388 such as the intakes above and below the engines,
Another kit for my other half's stash, Airfix scale 1:1

From Hannants 1/72 Zotz ZTZ SP/005 Roundels of the world part 6 Middle East. This has roundels and fin flashes for Oman, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, UAE, Dubai & Jordan so lots of whiff potential.

Gondor

Bird Models has a distressing tendency to quite frankly make stuff up. There was no Ju 388S, either built, planned or projected.   Closest to an anti-shipping 388 was the proposed M series, intended for use with the L-10 Friedensengel glider torpedo.

I've a feeling he's got mixed up with the Ju 188 S-1/U, which were rebuilt Ju 188 S airframes with 50mm cannon and Jumo 213 engines (which had become the Ju 388K, the 188T became the 388L, the 188J became the 388J).

I did realise that it was made up Lee but I was after it as a source of parts anyway as it wasn't expensive and the quality shows that. Anyway I may use parts to make a different J version, a What-If version, an operational aircraft which will make it a whiff in two ways as long as I can make a decent pair of engine nacels etc than I will be happy.

Gondor

[Dizzyfugu]

Two items from eBay and one from Hannants today

1 x 1/72 Bird Models Ju388 S-1 mit Duka 88. Apparently their 147th conversion set for Ju188 by Italeri or Hasegawal. This is of dubious quality and misses out some parts necessary to build a Ju388 such as the intakes above and below the engines,
Another kit for my other half's stash, Airfix scale 1:1

From Hannants 1/72 Zotz ZTZ SP/005 Roundels of the world part 6 Middle East. This has roundels and fin flashes for Oman, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, UAE, Dubai & Jordan so lots of whiff potential.

Gondor

Bird Models has a distressing tendency to quite frankly make stuff up. There was no Ju 388S, either built, planned or projected.   Closest to an anti-shipping 388 was the proposed M series, intended for use with the L-10 Friedensengel glider torpedo.

I've a feeling he's got mixed up with the Ju 188 S-1/U, which were rebuilt Ju 188 S airframes with 50mm cannon and Jumo 213 engines (which had become the Ju 388K, the 188T became the 388L, the 188J became the 388J).

I did realise that it was made up Lee but I was after it as a source of parts anyway as it wasn't expensive and the quality shows that. Anyway I may use parts to make a different J version, a What-If version, an operational aircraft which will make it a whiff in two ways as long as I can make a decent pair of engine nacels etc than I will be happy.

Gondor

The person behind these conversions also steals ideas w/o credit... 

[Gondor]

The person behind these conversions also steals ideas w/o credit... 

That's a supprise..... NOT!!

Gondor

[The Wooksta!]

Those Bird 388s are clones of the old Toad Resins kits/conversions too. His Ju 388 J-8 is just Toad's 388J-4 with the white metal cast in resin. The quality of the resin in the photos doesn't look too clever either.  The nightfighters look to be ripped from Toad's second tooling, whereas the 388S and the bomber nose kits are from the older moulds, as other than the 388L-0 Toad never retooled it.

However, right now he's the only game in town for a Ju 388. Kora's kits have vanished and the Special Hobby ones go for stupid money. Some clowns on eBay are asking for a hundred notes.

Looks like he's pirating a lot of older resin kits and conversions for the Luftwaffe '46 crowd. The He 177-277-274 stuff is ex Toad, ditto the Me 262C and there's at least one Unicraft "kit" there too. Mind, the resin quality will be 110% better...

I'm not against anyone cloning rare kits/conversions for personal use or to hand out to mates, but doing it as a business is simply not on.

[Gondor]

I'm not against anyone cloning rare kits/conversions for personal use or to hand out to mates, but doing it as a business is simply not on.

1000% with you on that Lee

Gondor

[Dizzyfugu]

I'm not against anyone cloning rare kits/conversions for personal use or to hand out to mates, but doing it as a business is simply not on.

[Dizzyfugu]

Won unexpectedly an Italeri OA-4M Skyhawk two-seater at ev!lbay for only EUR 6,50,-.