R.A.F

AMT 1/48 Douglas A-20 Boston IIIA

/ Bruces Scale Models / Leave a comment
  • Built; 2014
  • Aftermarket Used: True Details wheels, Master Barrel gun barrels Vector control surfaces
  • Decals: Various spare decals with nose art being hand painted.

Another two builds of the same kit in parallel.  AMTs kit is getting rather old now and we really need a new one.  Detail is soft, although there are now sets available for it from Vector, and it has several inaccuracies including metal control surfaces where they should be fabric and I believe the main landing gear is to far backward, or forward, cant remember which.  That said, it is a pretty viceless build.  The only weak point being the undercarriage attachment.  It is incredibly flimsy.  Mine have sheared off twice!!.  The doors also have poor attachment points.
I cut out all the control surfaces and replaced them with the Vector resin replacements,
I built the RAF one for a group build on an on-line forum.  It was the first time I had used the salt chipping method, and I was quite pleased with the results.  I wanted an machine that reflected the haste with which some units applied their invasion stripes., so the stripes were hand painted using vallejo paints.

As there are no decals for this scheme in 48 scale I used various generic sheets for the codes and national markings and hand painted the nose art.  She was flown by an Australian crew.  Im really hoping a new tool kit of this important aircraft is released soon.  The A.M.T kit has served well, but is long overdue for replacement.

 Xtracolour enamels were again used

Douglas Boston Mk IIIA Royal Air Force. England. 1944

Hasegawa 1/48 Hurricane MkIV

/ Bruces Scale Models / Leave a comment
  • Built: 2013
  • Aftermarket Used: Rocket rails and radiator recast from Guideline Publications items, Ultracast wheels and exhaust
  • Decals: from the “decal bank”

I have always loved the look of the Hurricane armed with rockets. Again it evokes memories of building the 72 Airfix kit as a child. It was another model I wanted to revisit, so my second Hasegawa Hurricane used a resin conversion set from Guideline Publications which included the armoured radiator and resin rockets and rails. The rails were rather twisted so a friend kindly recast me a new set. Searching out colour schemes was interesting as it was quite difficult locating photos of rocket armed Hurricanes. I eventually settled on this one from South East Asia Command, although you will note it has no codes or serial. Much searching and asking of questions failed to reveal an accurate combination I could use. This model was also riveted with my new Rosie the Riveter tool, although I just confined it to the wing upper surfaces

Hawker Hurricane MkIV 20 SQN Royal Air Force. Burma 1944

Hasegawa 1/48 Hawker Hurricane IIc

/ Bruces Scale Models / Leave a comment
  • Built: 2012
  • Aftermarket Used: CMK Drop tanks, Ultracast seat
  • Decals: Sky Decals

The Hurricane has to rate as one of my favourite WW2 aeroplanes. At the time it was released, hasegawa’s was probably the pick of the bunch. It did have some inaccuracies, the fabric effect was a bit too pronounced and assembly was made unnecessarily complicated by the underside, fuselage wing join being straight through the middle of the fabric detail. Totally bizarre engineering from Hasegawa. That said, its finesse and crispness of detail was light years ahead of the Monogram and Hobbycraft kits, those being the only other players on the 48 scale Hurricane field. Although the monogram kit could be built as a IID and a IV with rockets which was totally cool.

As a child I can remember building the ancient Frog kit in these markings. Who can forget that box art of Kuttlewascher blasting over the burning German hangars? So doing this kit in these markings is an ode to that original Hurricane I did long ago.

The decals came from a Sky decals sheet, with me sourcing the red dope repair patches from an old Monogram Hurricane sheet, which also came with these markings.

Paint would have been xtracolour, which was my go to paint for many years, until the Dangerous Goods Code imposed by Air carriers meant it could no longer be sourced here on shop shelves.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc 1 SQN Royal Air Force. Redhill. U.K 1942

Airfix 1/48 Hawker Hunter F6

/ Bruces Scale Models / Leave a comment
  • Built: 2019
  • Aftermarket Used: Eduard P.E Flap set . Eduard dedicated cockpit set
  • Decals: Xtradecal

Ive previously mentioned I’m loving Airfix’s new releases. The Hunter was a monty for them to put out in 48 scale, but I feel they have rushed this kit a little. It is decidedly lacking the detail of some of their other releases such as the Walrus and Blenheim. Lacking in both cockpit and surface detail, the flap bays are also strangely devoid of detail despite Airfix offering them as separate parts, so the lack of moulded ribs and stringers is mystifying can be displayed down. Airfix have also missed a door actuator off the front nose wheel leg, as only one is provided.

The model builds quickly and easily. I cant remember too many issues. ( for some reason, I failed to write this up after completing the kit, so this is being written up about two years after building the kit) The blue tac I used to hold the canopies to an old paintbrush handle whilst spraying them left a stain that could not be removed, even using Mr Thinner, which normally removes everything else. A reaction to the blu tac is the only thing that comes to mind that would have caused the stain as it would not polish out or wipe off using the afore mentioned Mr Thinner. This forced me to cut apart the closed canopy as the model would be displayed with open canopy.

The hunter had many interesting schemes, airfix though provide options for three simply camouflaged machines, albeit, from two different Air Forces. A more interesting scheme was found on an Xtradecals sheet which had been in the decal bank for some years, looking for an excuse to be used.

Gunze Shine Red stood in for a very passable R.A.F. Signal Red. Gunze was also used for the Light Aircraft Grey with M.R.P Light Arctic Grey which is an off white being used for the white. It looks white out of the bottle, but when compared to the white of the roundels one can definitely see its a very pleasant grey. Its defiantly a masking intensive scheme, but certainly is eye catching.

And thats the Airfix Hunter, a decent, but not outstanding kit. I am perplexed though why Airfix has not followed it up with the F.G.A.9

Hawker Hunter F6