April 2022

 Hello everyone.  A fairly quiet meeting on the whole with only a few models on the table. Thank goodness for the two Johns, who between them,  showed us 8 models! Anyway, first up is the video of my pick of the day. I had to choose this one as you will see from the comments about it later. Nominally,  made by Peter Carlo, it is a Tamiya 1/48th scale Messerschmitt bf109G

The Table

Peter Carlo

Peter brought two models along with both of them what you might call hybrids. First up is the bf109G shown above.

This was originally one of my (DP) kits. It was to be my first attempt at a WWII German fighter since I was a lad. However, I brought it along to a club social evening to get suggestions as to why the wings wouldn't fit. Being a Tamiya kit, I knew it must be something I had done. Peter Carlo looked at it and worked out that I had the cockpit in incorrectly. As I still wasn't keen on doing something of this genre, I gave him the model and suggested that he fix the problem and then finish the model. It turns out that a quick twist with a modelling knife and the cockpit came out. It was, evidently, easily refitted in the correct position. Peter says that, in his opinion, this isn't one of the best Tamiya kits but he has made a nice job of it.

The second model from Peter is another one donated to him, this time by John Teagle (who wasn't here, unfortunately, to see the final result). This one is a HobbyBoss BAe Hawk Mk. 1a in 1/48th scale. Again, Peter has finished the build and done his usual nice paint job. This time, the Hawk is in an "interceptor" low visibility scheme.

John Ovendon

John brought three nice models along, all armour based. The first is a Dragon 1/35th M16 Gun Carriage mounting 4 x 50cal machine guns (know as the Meat Grinder) for air defence in Europe, 1944. This would have had a Polish crew. It has luggage  items from "Value Gear" (or at least that's how I understood it).

Next up was an M4 Sherman Wader from Italeri. The kit depicts one in the Pacific campaign but John has set it as in Europe on D-Day.

Lastly, John showed us a Takom "Elite" 1/35th scale model of a PzKfw III Ausf. M representing Panzer Lehr on the Western Front.

John Rose

John brought 5 models along with two of them being "work in progress" which he didn't want photographed so here are two of the three finished items.

Firstly, there was a Tamiya 1/35th King Tiger to which John had attached the Tamiya stick-on Zimmerit. Comment - "really good".

For some reason, I only got photos of one of the Archer vehicles. I think it is the Tamiya one. John thought that the individual track links were "not friendly". The missed item was a Bronco Archer which he considered less tricky than the Tamiya kit to build. Anyway here is what I have.

Personally, I think that that is one of the most boring models I have ever seen - sorry John.

David Pennington

David (Me) brought a 120mm figurine from the Mitches Models stable. This was a representation of Guy Gibson ready to fly. David was given the figuring as a completed but unpainted model so the finishing is all down to him. He had trouble getting the correct blue for the RAF shirt but eventually used an RLM blue which seemed to fit the bill.

Peter Terry

Last up is an unusual subject for a what-if! This is a 1/72nd scale KP kit of a Convair Pogo. This was an unsuccessful attempt at building a vertical takeoff aircraft. KP took the unusual step of issuing the kit with a series of "what-if" decals including the UK and Japan. Peter chose to use the Japanese markings. Hopefully, he will complete an RAF on for us to see soon.

Conclusion

That's it for today. See you on 28th April for the next social meeting and 5th May for the next full club meeting. Don't forget that you can click on all the images to see larger copies. Thanks for watching!

David

 

March 2022

 Well, another month, another table.

Not too many people and not too many models.

Firstly our usual featured model. This month it is the turn of Peter Terry and his nice little Mitsubishi Ki-46 Dinah made from an unusual L&S kit in 1/72nd.

Table

There were only 6 models on the table today but they covered a wide range of interests.

Peter Terry

Peter brought along a 1/72nd scale model of a Mitsubishi Ki-46 - better know as the Dinah. This model was built;t from a long forgotten manufacturer's range - L&S. Peter made it up in the camouflage pattern that the Japanese used in China and Manchucko (Japanese held Manchuria). It seems that this pattern wasn't used anywhere else so it is an interesting scheme.

Peter Carlo

Peter brought along another couple of tidy 1/48th scale aircraft built from Kinetic kits. The first is an F-84 Republic Thunderstruck. This one is fitted with JATO (jet assisted take off). Evidently, Peter has seen one of these take off - a great deal of black smoke and then the rockets get dropped for collection later.

Peter's second model was a Lockheed Martin F-16 in Norwegian colours.

His comments about both were along the lines of "little filler but check three times before you glue!"

John Ovendon

John showed us a diorama based on a Great North Road plaster base. Basically, there is a Bergpanzer IV (recovery tank) fishing a Kubelwagen out of a river. The river is constructed using clear resin and suitable paints. The Bergpanzer is from a Trumpeter kit. The Kubelwagen is a Tamiya model whilst the figures come from a variety of MiniArt sets. Incidentally, the soldier on top of the tank with his arms outstretched started life as a football goalkeeper!

John's main comment was that he was never going to work with resin again!

John Rose

Just for once John only brought one model but it was a very interesting one. He took a Ryfield Models Sherman, which comes with a complete interior, and made it so that the inside was very visible. You will see his ingenious solution.

As this is work in progress expect to see it at a later meeting.

David Pennington

David is on a bit of a walk along various Star Wars models. This time he brought along a 1/216 scale Millennium Falcon. He was impressed with the high quality of the moulding considering that the kit only cost £9.00. Most of the little red markings were decals (!) but, strangely, a few areas around the very edge required painting - both on the top and the underneath!

Conclusion

A quietish meeting but interesting nonetheless. Don't forget the next social meeting on Thursday 24th March. Also, don't forget that you can click on each photo to see a larger version.

February 2022

 A nice little gathering this evening with 11 people and 15 models on the table. First up is our featured model. Again, there is no competition, I just select one at random. This month it is Jeff Adams' superb 1/35th scale M4A3. Just look at all that stowage.

I have an apology to make. I forgot to bring my photo booth so the background is the table and the lighting has created some strange effects which I hope I have corrected.

Now on to the table:

Bill Banks

Bill brought along a pair of Airfix 1/72nd scale models. One was the Hunting Percival Jet Provost in RAF trainer red.

The second was, according to Bill, his first ever Spitfire! This was a Mk. 1a.

David Pennington

David brought along an unusual model - a Revell 1:112 Star Wars X-Wing fighter. A nice model with lots of decals but no undercarriage so he had to put together a small base for it to make it look as though it is flying.

Jeff Adams

Jeff brought along two items for the table. The first was, as expected, an M4A3 Sherman built from a Tamiya kit but with a Formations resin turret, Legend stowage and Tamiya figures but with Hornet heads.

Jeff's second item was a mini-display of two Napoleonic War cannons. One is a British 9 pounder field gun and the second is an 8 pounder French gun. Both are Historex models and have been build out of the box.

John Ovendon

John brought along there very different models. The first was a Borgward IV Wanze rocket launcher vehicle that was built close to the end of the war so not many saw service.  It is a 1/35th scale Das Werk kit but is very tiny.

Secondly, he showed us a Rubicon Models  1/56th scale King Tiger II. This is notable because it has a full interior. Quite a kit by all accounts but needs some very hot glue to get it to stick.

Lastly, and more traditionally, he showed us an Italeri M32 Recovery vehicle built out of the box but with "dot oil" weathering.

John Rose

John was another with three models on the table. Firstly he showed us a Dragon King Tiger in Ambush camouflage.

Next up was a Tamiya "Archer" fully out of the box.

Lastly, as is usual with John, there is an interesting "what-if". This is a PzKfw V Panther but with a Resin Twin 5.5CM Ack-Ack turret!

Peter Carlo

As an aside, my wife bought me a Tamiya 1/48th scale Phantom kit for Christmas. If I have any chance of making it as nicely as this pair of Revell RAF  F-4s then I will be amazed!

 First up is 2 Sqn. XT888 - 1974 - RAF Laarbruch representing early RAF aircraft.

Secondly, 56 Sqn. XV470/FD - 1992 - RAF Wattisham in low-vis markings

Peter's work is always superb so please click on each image to open them up in another tab to see them in their full glory!

Peter Terry

Peter's contribution my be small but is exquisite in its finish, even down to the tea grouts that make up the diorama base! This is a Zvezda 1/76th scale Russian SU-122 self propelled gun. He felt it needed some figures to give it scale but...

John Teagle

I was nice to see John back at the club again after a gap of a few months. He brought along a Hobby Boss BAe Hawk T 1a. This is work in progress but I missed taking a photo so we look forward to seeing it finished. Sorry John!

Crispen Block

Crispen brought along a range of interesting items. Number one was a Das Werk kit in a box and, to date, unstated. This was a 1/16th scale StuG 3.

He also brought along a range of new items including some RP Tools Rolling tools and some 1/35th metal conduit, which is an add on to Trumpeter BR52 or BR86 locos.

Conclusion

Well that's it. Quite a good meeting with lots of chat and lots to look at. Next meeting is the social meeting on 24th February.

January 2022

 January is always quiet and our meeting reflected that. There were just 6 of us around the table and only three of us had brought models. I usually avoid putting my model on the turntable for the "featured model"  but there was a tale of woe attached - of which more later.

Three of us had brought models for the table and the other three had all brought kits that they were planning to build.

Peter Terry

Peter brought along a "heritage" Airfix kit in the shape of a Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX in "French" airforce colours - actually RAF and Pierre Clostermann.

Peter Carlo

Peter showed us a huge model of a Douglas Skywarrior built from a Trumpeter kit in 1/48th. He says that he thought about converting it to a B-66 but it would have involved too much work. There are two perfectly formed jet engines buried inside the model. Peter says "at least I know that they are there!". It was a complicated kit with, as an example, over 30 parts to the cockpit alone.

                                       

David Pennington

David brought along three 1/24th scale cars, one of which had been seen before. 

Firstly, he brought along a pair of Ford GT40s. One was a Meng kit and one a Fujimi, both purporting to be the Ken Miles/Denny Hulme car from Le Mans 1966. The cars differ in quire a few ways, not the least in the height of the car, the shape of the back window and the colour of the orage/red stripes on the bonnet.

David explained the "mud" on the windows which wasn't mud at all but overspray coming from him spraying the grill on the rear end of the car and forgetting that it was a mesh so the paint all sprayed onto the inside of the windows! Oh well, another one for the bin! 

The other car he brought was a Tamiya 1/24th scale Mercedes AMG GT3 in custom Haribo colours. In 2016 HARIBO Racing Team entered the Mercedes-AMG GT3 "Haribo Racing, No.88" for the seventh race of the VLN long distance driving championship at the Nurburgring, ultimately finishing 2nd. The kit went together like all Tamiya kits. The one problem was that he tried using Zero Paints 2 pack varnish which, unfortunately, formed a lot of "pebbles" on the finish. He used 2,000 grit paper to get some of it off but it was too hard to shift. Finally, it was improved a little by a few coats of Gauzy Intermediate varnish.

Crispen Block

Crispen brought along some Tamiya kits to show us and explain that he was building a 1/16th scale diorama so needed these as models for him to make larger versions.

Andrew Stacey

Andrew had made a visit to the model shop in Long Milford and purchased an unusual kit. This is  a 1/56th scale Rubicon Models Centurion Mk. 5 tank. Interestingly, this requires ABS (plumber's) glue as it is made from a different type of plastic.

John Ovendon

John also brought along a box rather than a model. This time it was a Das Werk Borgward IV PZJg. Wanze.  The Wanze was equipped with with six RPzB 54/1 anti-tank rockets. These rockets were also known as the Panzerschreck or in english tank fright or tank's bane. 

Conclusion

Well, that's it. Lets hope for a bigger turnout next month. Don't forget that you can click on the images to see larger versions.