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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:34:15 GMT -5
The Spitfire needs little introduction. Introduced into RAF service in late 1938, the Spitfire would see service until 1954 and fight in every corner of the globe and serve with many air forces. Probably it's most famous moment was the Battle of Britain in which it and the Hurricane were the chief fighters of the RAF. Although the Mk1 had been introduced in 1938 it had been continuously updated and by the Summer of 1940 there were essentially two variants, the unsuccessful cannon armed Mk1b and the original 8 machine gun armed Mk1a. The model is from Airfix and is of a Mk1a flown by Sgt A.W.P.Spears of 222 Squadron based at Hornchurch in Essex in which he was shot down in combat with ME109s on 30th August 1940. The aircraft would crash on a farm on the Isle of Sheppy in Kent and Spears would safely parachute to safety and rejoin his squadron. Spears would survive the battle and the war, retiring in 1970 as a Squadron Leader Airfix 1/48 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk1a - Sgt A.W.P.Spears - 222 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch - August 1940
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:34:34 GMT -5
And now from the opposition. The Messerschmitt Bf109 first saw service with the Luftwaffe in 1937 seeing combat in the Spanish Civil War and the first four variants were all powered by the Junkers Jumo engine. A major re-design in 1938 saw the adoption of the Daimler Benz DB601 engine which yielded 300 more horsepower for an extra 200kg in weight and required the radiators to be moved under the wing to balance the heavier longer nose. By the time of the battle of Britain a new variant the E-4 was entering production and this featured two wing cannon, improved armour for the pilot, and improved canopy and this is the version i have modelled. The kit is by Airfix and is a BF109E-4 flown by Unteroffizier Ernst Poschenrieder from Jagggeschwader 53 based at Le Touquest Etaples who was shot down whilst escorting London bound bombers on 30th September 1940 and would crash land at Broom Hill close to Rochester. Ernst would survive the crash badly injured and would require emergency surgery and it would not be until 1955 that he returned to Germany. A frequent visitor to the UK he remained in contact with those that got him out of the wreck and the medical staff until his death in 2009. Airfix 1/48 - Messerschmitt BF109E-4 - UO E.Poschenrieder - 7/JG53, Le Touquet-Etaples - September 1940
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:34:50 GMT -5
The one make BMW Procar championship started in 1979 as a series to support the European rounds of the F1 season and would feature current at the time F1 drivers plus other invited guest drivers on a rota all in the same car 5 of which were run by BMW Motorsport and a selection of others prepared by notable touring teams and one from the cars constructor Project Four. Project Four hired Niki Lauda and signed up Malboro as sponsor and he would take 3 wins and a 2nd in the year to take the championship in a hard fought battle with Hans-Joachim Stuck. The model is from Italeri and was actually one i bought in error but it turned out to be a fun build apart from the rear spoiler which was a pain. Italeri 1/24 - BMW M1 Procar - 1979 BMW Procar Championship - N.Lauda - 1st
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:35:22 GMT -5
Developed for a USAAC proposal for a multi engined bomber that was capable of supporting US forces based in Hawaii, Alaska and Panama, the Boeing 299 first flew in 1935 and exceeded all the proposal requirements. Unfortunately the test pilots crashed the prototype after forgetting to remove the control surface loacks which meant it was disqualified from the competition and its competitor Douglas won the order. Boeing were however asked to supply 13 more prototypes for evaluation and these were delivered in 1937 and would be so successful that they would enter service in in 1939 as the B-17A Flying Fortress. In the interim the aircraft had been under constant development adding turbocharging to create the B17B and an order was placed for over 500 of these and by the time of Pearl Harbour over 200 had entered service. Further developements saw the C with more power, the D with minor control changes and then after combat experience the E which was a major redesign with considerably more armament which lead to the F with even more armament which weant into action against Germany in late 1942. Combat experiance saw one last development which would become the most numerous the G with you guessed it, more armament. 8680 G variants were built and they would enter service in 1943 and form the mainstay of the American bomber force for the remainder of the war. The model is from Airfix in 1/72nd and depicts a B-17G named Skyway Chariot which served with the 8th Air Force in Europe and would be shot down over Berlin by a Me-262 on 8th March 1945. Airfix 1/72 - Boeing B-17G - Skyway Chariot - 351st Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group, *th Air Force, USAAC - RAF Thorpe Abbotts - March 1945
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:35:43 GMT -5
The Cromwell MK.IV or to give it's full name the, Cruiser Mk VIII Cromwell (A27M) Mk.IV Tank, was a development of the earlier in service British tanks driven by the need to match the superior German armour of the time. Development was protracted as the Cromwell was essentially the third version of the base design and all three would enter service (Cavalier, Centaur being the other two) however the Cromwell would benefit from a 600hp Rolls Royce Meteor engine (An un-supercharged Merlin) which gave the prototype a top speed of 50mph The production variant was finalised in February 1944 with heavier armour and a raft of other improvements and would first see service on D-Day. Loved by it's crews for it's speed, it's ability to jump obstacles (including canals - I kid you not) the Cromwell could fire accurately on the move with it's dual purpose 75mm gun however it was found wanting against the latest German armour in the field and had to rely on speed and manoeuvrability to survive. The model is from Airfix and represents a tank from the Northamptionshire Yeomanry of the 11th Armoured division which fought in the Battle of Normandy from June to November 1944 and it is fitted with a Cullins hedge cutter to enable it to cut through the bocage (hedgerows) Airfix 1/35 - Mk.IV Cromwell - Northamamptonshire Yeomanry, 11th Armourmed Division - June 1944
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:36:14 GMT -5
This next one I found still sealed in its box for not a lot of money. Released by Airfix in 1992 it is a rebox of 1970s kit and was very simple with 42 parts, 8 of which were the wheels and tyres and another 8 related to unused parts for mounting a motor! Unfortunately, somewhere prior to reaching me it had been squashed, so I had to spend some time getting the roof back in shape (very hot water and pushing the glass into the shell got it nearly there) For all its simplicity it's a nicely moulded kit, though it was a mishmash of standard Pantera, GTS & the spoiler arrangement from a GT5! To that end I removed the spoiler mountings from the rear deck, filled in the bumper mounts and removed the front accessory lights to turn it into more of a GTS. Then I gave it a bad paint job, well to be more precise the primer went on well, the black went on well, the red went on well, but the lacquer did not leaving it looking like, well orange peel. Whether it was the new technique of paint over black primer or whether it was too cold when spraying, I don't know. Looks alright on the shelf from a distance but don't shine a light on it! Airfix 1/24 - De Tomaso Pantera
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:36:33 GMT -5
Developed initially to a Marine Corps requirement for a rugged close support aircraft that could operate from forward air bases with a long loiter time over the battlefield, the requirement was widened to include both Air Force & Navy requirements and would attract 11 proposals including one from North American Rockwell Aviation whose design would be selected. The OV-10 Bronco would be a twin engined design with twin boom tail and a central nacelle containing the pilots and weaponry and could operate from short runways and roads, aircraft carriers and with removal of the second seat it could carry cargo and paratroopers. It would first go into action in the Vietnam war for all 3 services and would operate in close support, light strike, artillery direction, reconnaissance and escort roles throughout the war with 81 being lost. Whilst the Navy phased the Bronco out of service in 1995, they remain active with the Marines and officially in storage for the Air Force though there is much secrecy surrounding current usage and as such i've modelled a OV-10A from the 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron which was equipped with Broncos in 1984, but it's current active operational status for both the squadron itself and its aircraft comes under the unknown or no comment banner Testors 1/48 - North American Rockwell OV-10A Bronco - 27th TASS, George AFB, Col Bob Johnson - May 1984
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:36:52 GMT -5
Thought I'd have a go at another road car specially something American, but I have come to the conclusion that the accurately painting the side trim is beyond me, so I'll need to look for other options The Galaxie originally appeared in 1959 as a trim package but in 1960 it became a model name in its own right and by 1962 it was the model name for all of Ford's full size models with the 500 being top of the range and the XL (Xtra Lively) coming with sportier trim and of course a V8. 1963 saw the addition of the four door hardtop 500XL plus revised trim and this fastback design sold well and was available with 8 engine and 5 transmission options plus different rear ends giving many different options. The model is from AMT and comes with the options of stock, custom and advanced custom for the body, interior and engine. I wanted to make a stock Galaxie, but I did add the custom wheels, and I've finished it in as close as I can get to Oxford Blue with a blue interior. AMT 1/25 - Ford Galaxie 500XL
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:37:12 GMT -5
In the 1930s Germany Army had standardised trucks into several types and manufacturers of the time would build nearly identical trucks to each specification. The 4.5 ton heavy (schwerer) truck class or 4500 series had a 16-foot-long wheelbase chassis which was designed to accommodate oversize loads and most came with either 4x2 (S-Type) or 4x4 (A Type) drive. Bussing-NAG built the 4500 series from 1941 to 1945 with production reaching nearly 15,000 overall with various body types, all powered by a 105 hp 7.4 litre six cylinder diesel. The model is from AFV Club of Taiwan and has been a real challenge and is probably the most detailed and for that matter fiddly kit I've ever built as I'm pretty sure the number of parts in the kit comes close to the real thing. This version is the 4x4 fitted with a 3 ton Bilstein crane that was attached to Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 209 (Mechanised assault gun detachment) whilst on the Eastern Front between December 1941 & September 1942 AFV Club 1/35 - Bussing-Nag 4500A Recovery Truck - Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 209 - Eastern Front Russia - 1942
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:37:31 GMT -5
From Belkits this is the winning car from the 1973 RAC Rally driven by Timo Makinen & Henry Liddon who after 80 stages topped the charts by a little over 5 minutes from another Escort driven by Roger Clark. Escorts would sweep the podium at this event Belkits - Ford Escort RS1600 - 1973 RAC Rally - T.Makinen & H.Liddon - 1st
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:37:58 GMT -5
Initially proposed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant in the early sixties as a flying infantry vehicle, a mock-up was prepared in 1966 for show to senior member of the Soviet armed forces, who were not that keen. American experience in Vietnam with helicopters changed their minds and further mock-ups were built which translated into a build order in 1968 with the first flying tests conducted in 1969 and testing in 1970 before it was accepted for use by the armed forces in 1972. Development would see the introduction of further versions which were more gunship orientated with two separate cockpits for the pilot & gunner, a four barrel 23 mm nose mounted cannon and the ability to carry a wide variety of weapons. The most numerous version is the Mi-24V (Hind E by NATO) was introduced in 1976 and more than 1500 have been built since it entered service in 1976. It would see its combat debut in Ethiopia the next year in limited numbers, but it's first proper test was the Afghanistan invasion in 1979 where it was used against the Mujahideen who called it the Devil's Chariot. The model depicts a Mi-24V from the 262nd Helicopter Squadron which were based at Bagram and is in 1/48th scale Zvezda 1/48 - Mil Mi-24V - 262nd Helicopter Squadron, Soviet Armed Forces - Bagram Airbase 1988
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:38:19 GMT -5
Developed from a 3 axle 3 ton truck originally introduced in 1928, the military version differed with twin tyres on the rear axles and spoked wheels and would be built in many different iterations. 1934 saw the introduction of the D1 with a slightly longer wheelbase, improved drivetrain and 6 cylinder 100hp 11 litre diesel and through to 1943 when production stopped some 6300 were built seeing service on all fronts with the German military until the end of the war ICM 1/35 - Henschel 33 D1 - Unknown Unit, German Army - France 1940
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:38:42 GMT -5
Another build and another new to me manufacturer being Kinetic Models out of Hong Kong whose main specialism is 1/48 aircraft kits The Harrier was developed by Hawker Siddeley in the late 50s to take advantage of a new engine developed by Bristol which featured in the parlance of the time directable fan jets. British Government disinterest in the project meant Hawker financed the project themselves with assistance from the US including NASA and two prototypes were built and tested which proved promising. Only then was there some official interest, and an order for 9 further prototypes was placed only after collaboration had been sought and accepted from both the US and West German governments. Finally, in 1965 the RAF ordered 6 further evaluation aircraft which then led to an order for a further 60 in 1967 which entered service in 1969 as the Harrier GR1. The GR1 developed into the GR3 with a more powerful engine and uprated electronics and all earlier models were converted accordingly in the 1970s plus further aircraft were built with a final total of 122 produced. The Harrier would see service primarily in West Germany though some were stationed in Norway and Belize however it's final deployment would be the Falklands War in 1982 where 10 were sent in support of the Royal Navy Sea Harriers and operated from HMS Hermes as ground attack aircraft for the duration of the conflict. 3 of the 10 were also hastily modified for the air defence role which enabled them to carry Sidewinder missiles, and it is one of those I have modelled which maintained air cover post the conflict until late 1982 though detachments of Harriers would remain on the Falklands until 1985 Kinetic 1/48 - Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 - No.1 Squadron, RAF - Port Stanley, The Falkland Islands - 1982
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on Apr 11, 2022 5:39:19 GMT -5
Remember this? Special Hobby 1/48 - Gloster E.28/39 Next up is what Gloster did next. After the E.28/39 proved that jet propulsion was viable, Gloster presented a proposal for a twin-engined jet fighter in late 1940 which was approved in early 1941. A prototype began taxiing trails in 1942 and in March 1943 the fifth prototype took to the air followed by several more with different engines and some changes to control surfaces before in January 1944 the design was finalised for production which would be the Rolls-Royce powered Meteor F1. 300 were ordered, and the first versions were cleared for service in July 1944 and would equip 616 Squadron who would receive 14 making their combat debut on the 27th of that month initially in home defence for the interception of V1 flying bombs. The 4th August saw Flying Officer T.G.Dean & Flying Officer J. K. Rodger take off from Ashford in Kent on a V1 patrol when almost immediately they spotted a V-1 ahead heading toward Tunbridge Wells. Dean would first take a shot with his guns, but they then jammed, so he then brought his Meteor alongside the V-1, slid his wing under the V-1’s and slowly pushed his control column to the left and banked, the force of air lifting the V1s wing which unbalanced its autopilot until it abruptly flicked over on its back and dived into the ground exploding harmlessly in the open countryside. A few minutes later Rodger closed on another V1 and opened fire with his four 20mm cannon it went down in open countryside near Tenterden marking. Tamiya 1/48 - Gloster Meteor F.1 - 616 Squadron, RAF Ashford, Flying Officer T.G.Dean - 4th August 1944
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Post by oldirish33 on Apr 12, 2022 20:04:06 GMT -5
Some very, very nice work Andy! Looking forward to seeing more of your work!
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