Special Projects
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Occasionally, a bug bites and I just have to grab an idea and run with it.
These are my Special Projects.
Real Classic British kittery. Short run kits of subjects hitherto untouched by the mainstream. Known for their white metal detailing accessories, in their time, Aeroclub also made some beautiful little kits in both 1/144 and 1/72, with an especial interest in the years between the two World wars.
Airfix vs. Matchbox Lockheed P-38 Build
A comparison build, between the 1972 Airfix P-38J and the 1974 Matchbox P-38L.
A celebration of aircraft flown by the 'Senior Service'.
Building the kits of relative newcomer to the scale of 1/144, Attack Hobby Kits.
AZ Models 1/72 Hughes 500 Series
A relatively new venture, from the Czechmates of AZ Models. Although these are 1/72, they are still small models, you get two per box and they come in all sorts of interesting flavours. What's not to like?
They wait for me in the woods, you know...hiding under the weasels!
You can have them in any colour you want...as long as it's black.
I received a nice sheet of Gladiator decals, for 10 different aircraft.
At 1/72, it isn't a large model and I'm tempted to build those Hellers I still have in The Stash.
I'll have to acquire some more, but at least I'm now fully aware of which kits to look out for, which to avoid and which to giggle at for their pretention.
Now the new Airfix has been added to the Heller, FROG, Matchbox and even a Sword and a Hobby Boss have joined in.
Aircraft with feline influence, including the famous Grumman 'cats!
All for Dave998...'cos he asked nicely, although he wanted Birds of Prey.
Of course, whilst I still have some more Eagles, including Golden ones, in The Stash, alongside a Merlin and a modern Osprey, it appears that those who name aircraft have little knowledge when it comes to Birds of Prey. (Perhaps they are all truly cat lovers!).
If, however, I added all of our feathered friends, then the collection will grow significantly...
...And I will NOT be included every Hawker!
We'll begin with "ALBATROSS! ALBATROSS! Stormy Petrel on a stick! Albatross!"
A collection of seaplanes, (aircraft with floats) and flying boats, (aircraft with boat-shaped hulls).
Because small boys like Things Exploding, civil aviation has had a poor showing in the World of Plastic Kittery. That said, they're out there, if you know where to look. These are the ones I've enjoyed so far.
Bursting into an already-crowded kit market, back in the early 70s, Matchbox took on the big boys and might've won, if not for their attachment to diecast and the Oil Crisis.
These were the kits that did what today's manufacturers can only dream of...bringing new modellers into the hobby.
Most definitely short-run and not at all pleasant to build, these were, for a long time, the only option in 1/144. Fortunately, AModel have now provided and whilst these are only slightly easier to build, at least they don't cost exorbitant sums.
Like Aeroclub, another short-run CBK manufacturer, specialising in those less well-known and certainly less-well kitted, subjects.
Some of these suprb little kits can still be had from Colin at Freightdog Models.
Platz 1/144 Mitsubishi F1 and T2
Whilst these are essentially kits for the Japanese Gashopon market, they still make great little models and come in some cool schemes.
Revell 1/144 Dassault Dornier Alpha Jets
Initially released in 1993 and again in 1995, these were given a new lease of live in 2010...and the aftermarket did provide some rather nice decals.
Revell 1/144 Hawker Hunters...and THAT Xtradecal sheet!
In 2000, Revell produced their beautiful little Hunter FGA9 kit and I quickly bought two, just so that I could have both RAF and Swiss schemes. Then the Xtradecal sheet appeared, for RAF and Foreign Hunters and I began to acquire more of the little gems. I still haven't used all of the decals on the sheet, but I'm getting there and, in the time it's taken me, I believe the aftermarket may have more up its sleeve. Oh happy day!
It had been a while and there was much stunned surprise and then rejoicing amongst the modelling clans, when Revell released their first 1/72 Hunter kit, the F6.
Their superb little 1/144 work had been flying off the shelves previously and the new 1/72 was just as good, in all respects.
They later added an extra sprue and released the kit as an FGA9 and there were hopes that a T7, or even Hunters of more early vintage, would be soon to follow.
Alas, this was not to be.
For, in spite of initial enthusiasms, interest in the kit waned and demand had Revell put further developments onto the backburner.
Pity.
Any way, back in the day, I'd bought the F6 and managed to acquire the FGA9, before getting my F6 built. (Such was my rampant Stash Building, back then).
There then arose a decision to build both kits together, allowing me to compare and contrast and, perhaps more importantly, to allow me to have one in-flight, one grounded.
I just needed to decide would be which...
A celebration of aircraft associated with the infamous Red Baron.
The Sabre and it's kin.
Oh, we do like our sharkmouths and their associated sharp, pointy, teeth. You're be surprised, (or maybe not, on just how many grin and bear it.
Between the Wars was a glorious, golden age of aviation, when the RAF wore silver wings.
That said, silver can be a nightmare to paint with a Hairy Stick!
Some idiot once said that you can't have too many Spitfires. He was an idiot and it was idiots like him that kept the model companies churning out the same old, same old, year after year...instead of more interesting stuff and filling the gaps in our collections.
That said, there are a goodly number of different marks and one of each would be sufficient for me...so this is my attempt to record the evolution of the Spit.
Initially made by F-Toys for the Japanese Gashopon market, these were then bought by Sweet as vehicles for their beautiful decals. The kits are very basic, though adequate and, with a little modelling, can be turned into nice little models.
The success of these then allowed Sweet to begin their own range of 1/144 kits and the rest, as they say, is history.
The RAF 74 Tiger Squadron Project
Whilst quaffing a pint of Riggwelter one evening, I became aware of the prevalence of 74 squadron aircraft within my Stash and my collection of built models. After no small amount of research, I became more aware of this outstanding Squadron and its exploits and of the many and varied aircraft it flew. Further research told me that it was a completely achievable goal, to seek out and build examples of each and every one of those aircraft. Whilst many models could be built and appropriately decorated out of the box, I was reassured that, where suitable decals may be absent, then the aftermarket would provide.
To further enhance my appreciate of the development of this squadron and of fighting flight in general, I chose to build the subjects in chronological order. I reached for my Roden SE5a...
'Twas a good year for new CBKs, the same year I was evicted from the warm into the world!
We're an island nation, so it always struck me as somewhat perverse that the defence of our coast and seaways should have been so poorly resourced.
True, almost when it was too late, resources appeared in time of war, but only for those resources to be withdrawn again soon after, as if lessons were never learned.
Not content to simply give us models to play with, FROG sought to educate us about our proud aviation history.
These were the kits that did just that.
Aircraft from this conflict never seem to get the right degree of attention and respect, probably because they ain't ever Shake 'n' Make kits.
Well...I learned how to do rigging and set to...
Since Airfix brought our their exquisite Tiggie, back in 2014, I've been building them and building them again. There are lots of schemes to choose from, covering decades of flight.
Marvellous.
Tiny Tomcats: The Grumman F-14A/D in 1/144
The very first kit I built, beginning my modelling renaissance, was the newly-released Revell 1/144 Grumman F-14A Tomcat, in Black Bunny guise. Gorgeous little kit and I soon acquired and built its boxmate. When Revell re-released the kit as the F-14D, again, I bought two. I then discovered Dragon and old LS kits and had to try those out. Following donations from a certain modelling magazine Editor, I began to build more and, before I knew what was happening, I learned just how many Tomcats can fit onto a standard dinner plate.
Tiny Tonkas: The Panavia Tornado in 1/144
After enjoying the Tomcat, it seemed only fair to look at something more home-grown. When Revell released their own Panavia Tornado in 2006, the old LS, Dragon and Academy kits could be plundered for their decals...or be subjected to some proper modelling. I went for the latter appraoch and, whilst many Tonka schemes have now been covered, I am yet to Collect 'Em All and Revell keep on producing more each year, thanks to the penchant for anniversary schemes those Germans seem to have.
Whilst the market seems replete with tiny Tonka, it is easy to get confused as to which kit you are actually buying and so the Project acquired a secondary, educational agenda. Readers can now learn what it is they maybe getting and, just because it has a Tonka on the box...
The Finns had a bad time during WW2, suffering particularly harshly at the hands of the Russians. Attacked first during the Winter War of 1939-40 and again, during the Continuation War, which followed Operation:Barbarossa. They were then left between a big rock and a very hard place and ended up aligning themselves with Nazi Germany.
It's well worth noting that, whilst they appreciated arms from the Nazis, they were never allies in the same manner Italy or even Japan was. Their territory was of valuable strategic importance to both the Nazis and Soviets, but both sides failed to realise the importance the Finns had for their country and independence.
Initially provided with aircraft from the UK and France, they acquired aircraft that had proved to be far from satisfactory within their home air forces and so the Finns were given what were, in effect, hand-me-downs. That said, the courage, skill and tenacity of the Finns ensured that their fights were never one-sided, (unless it was to the Finns' advantage) and they proved to be a real force to be reckoned with.
Needing a Theme one day, I noticed an abundance of unbuilt trainer aircraft and decided to build them.
Generally, unsung heroes, these are the aircraft that taught our hero pilots to fly.
Once I'd got going, I was amazed at just how many there are...
As with many, my fascination began with P1127 and grew from there...and there's much more than simply Harriers, not matter just how wonderful that particular aircraft is.
Why let the cats have all the fun?
Actually, tracking down dog-related aircraft proved to be a challenge...
Whilst we were enjoying a Golden Age of silver dope, across the pond, the Americans were applying a little more colour...
