The PH build off

[Eric Mc]

To whet your appetites -

Their P51D box art



Their P51B box art



The B is a MUCH better model

The Fw190A/R boxart



The 109E box art. Again, likle the P51D, the model is very old



The later (and nicer) 109G



The Fw Flitzer

[Eric Mc]

Yertis said:

Well on Eric's list it's nearly all German aircraft, or American ones, which I suppose one must expect from an Irishman.

The Hurricane II is preferred by me because it is British, has a Merlin, and also has lots of scope for many different brush-paintable colour schemes. Does the Revell kit come with those big tank-busting cannon?

Au contraire - I mainly build RAF and Royal Navy subjects. It's just that, in 1/72, the 1/72 Revell range is not that great when it comes to good WW2 era RAF models (the Revell kits we get in the UK emanate from Revell GMBH). Their Hurricane II is nice but their Spitfires aren't that great. They've got a reasonable Spitfire V I suppose.

Their reissued Matchbox Gladiator, Fury and Walrus are nice - but they are biplanes.

Their Hawker Hunters are fantastic as is their new Gannet - but they are a little pricey for the criteria we have set here.

[Boosterdq]

Fw TL Flitzer Gets my vote

Booster

[Yertis]

Eric Mc said:

Yertis said:

Well on Eric's list it's nearly all German aircraft, or American ones, which I suppose one must expect from an Irishman.

The Hurricane II is preferred by me because it is British, has a Merlin, and also has lots of scope for many different brush-paintable colour schemes. Does the Revell kit come with those big tank-busting cannon?

Au contraire - I mainly build RAF and Royal Navy subjects. It's just that, in 1/72, the 1/72 Revell range is not that great when it comes to good WW2 era RAF models (the Revell kits we get in the UK emanate from Revell GMBH). Their Hurricane II is nice but their Spitfires aren't that great. They've got a reasonable Spitfire V I suppose.

Their reissued Matchbox Gladiator, Fury and Walrus are nice - but they are biplanes.

Their Hawker Hunters are fantastic as is their new Gannet - but they are a little pricey for the criteria we have set here.

The Spit V is the one I have waiting to be built, it's OK but the treatment of the lower wing at the back is poor.

Is the Hurricane the old Matchbox kit?

[SlipStream77]

Eric Mc said:

Yertis said:

I suggest close this poll now, and let's move things along quickly by getting the actual model sorted. Any further votes are only likely to reinforce the established trend.

Who is going to offer up a shortlist?

I'll get the ball rolling - all Revell, all 1/72


P51B
P51D (very old kit)
Me262 (single seater)
Me 109G
Me109E (very old kit)
Hurricane MkII
Fw190A/R
Fw TL Flitzer (Vampire lookalike but never actually built)

These are all cheap kits (should all be sub £7).

I've avoided bi-planes to give newbies a chance.

I don't think biplanes are that difficult, remember the more experienced modellers can let the newer members know the tricks and techniques, that's what it's all about.

I'm still keen on the Walrus, it's got a single engine, only 59 parts, a choice of 2 schemes, one very simple, the other more complex and for less than £6.

Rigging can look tricky, but again, with the right technique it can be quite simple and looks great.

You can view the plans from the link on this page...

http://www.revell.com/germany/aircraft/80-4391.htm...

[Eric Mc]

No - Revell's Hurricane is their own - and quite nice.

They do have an ancient Hurricane as well. I haven't seen it around for a while so I think it has been withdrawn to make way for the current version. I made the old one back in the early 80s and it wasn't that great.

The Matchbox one has canopy shape problems.

Revell haven't tried that hard with their Spitfires. Like many kit manufacturers,they have found it difficult to replicate the gull-wing effect that the Spit had on the underside of the wing at the wing root. To be fair, it is one area Airfix seem to have consistently got right.

Regarding biplanes, it was the rigging issue that led me to suggest we avoid biplanes for the moment.

Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 6th January 18:19

[Yertis]

Hmmm... German camouflage is tricky without an airbrush.

And that Flitzer thing was never actually built, it's just Luft '46 stuff.

[dr_gn]

OK, my nominations are reduced to:





Interesting schemes, and I've never built either before!

ETA I do have a Revell Mustang P-51D in stock (ancient) but the decals are knackered.



and a Monogram P-51B

Edited by dr_gn on Thursday 6th January 19:43

[Yertis]

All the other aeroplanes suggested so far are cissy, so I'm nominating this:

Edited by Yertis on Friday 7th January 08:47

[Nick_F]

Up for this, but aside from a few brushes I think I'll be starting from scratch - all my paints have died in the six years since I last used them.

[dr_gn]

Another nomination - always fancied one of these (but it's about £8, and has 2 engines) :

[Eric Mc]

dr_gn said:

Another nomination - always fancied one of these (but it's about £8, and has 2 engines) :

In my stash too - but I would want to airbrush it.

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

dr_gn said:

Another nomination - always fancied one of these (but it's about £8, and has 2 engines) :

In my stash too - but I would want to airbrush it.

No mottling though, and hard edged splinter lines...and, assuming airbrushing is banned, spray cans aren't!

I guess the final word on the rules and nature of the build should go to Zaxxon - it was his initial thread after all?

[Zaxxon]

I personaly like the idea of the Walrus for a first attempt, although the Horten is interesting as I wouldn't usually try that.

But the walrus gives so many opportunities

Exposed engine
Rigging wire
I think there was a civillian private owned example post war
Setting can be on ground or on sea
Extreme weathering

The more skilled modellers on this forum could teach really pass on some tips and help to the rest of us.

Also the Walrus deserves a lot of recognition, it was the most wonderful sight in the world for some pilots in need and was used in many daring rescues.

Any chance of getting 3 choices from all those interested then putting them to a vote?

I would still prefer to be allowed to airbrush, I used to do brush only but since using air I just could not see the point in stepping back.
If it means I am outside any competition then thats ok, I'll still make the model but use air.

Ive got a fair bit of paint to use up before it goes off

[Eric Mc]

I realised that I have two Walruses - so would be prepared to sacrifice one for the sake of the build off.

[dr_gn]

OK, my three nominations would be:

Supermarine Walrus
Lavochkin LA5
Horten

Since I would like to build any of those models regardless of whether it's a group build.

I too would like to hone my airbrush skills, but would also like to brush paint of old times' sake (and to see if I can still do it!).

I'd suggest if it's not a competition, then it's a completely free build, if it's a competition, it should have restrictions on aftermarket and airbrushing. Both options with a strict time limit.

[Eric Mc]

Sounds good to me.

[Yertis]

Rather than limited to a single type can it be "choose from one of these"?

Although I like Walruses I don't want to waste time leaping back into modelling with a kit to which I don't think I could do justice. Whereas I think I could make a fair stab at a monoplane fighter, and be quite proud of the result.

Anyway my choices would be

Hurricane,
Spitfire,
or Tempest

which I know isn't very adventurous but I'd like to end up with one or other of them on the shelf.

[Eric Mc]

The Huricane is the best of that little bunch.

[Zaxxon]

Maybe forget the competition for the first couple of goes.
As there will be a big difference in skills. DR_gn that ME109 that you linked to is stunning and shows a very high attention to detail and skill.

Perhaps we should keep it simple so the person who is voted for as having done the best effort (not necesarrily best model) can choose the next subject.