Airfix 1/72 Shooting Star - Korean War

After reading a good book on a subject, I invariably get the itchy modelling fingers. So it was with the Korean War book from Max Hastings. I therefore bought an in period model kit to make. As it happened it was a "model I missed as a child", aka the Airfix Shooting Star (re-released in the Vintage Kit series for old nostalgic fogies like me to buy). As a kid I was still very much a "WWII Spitfire Propeller" aficionado. I thought jets were a bit like cheating and not as interesting as the "piston-engine" planes (see below, I did not quite understand jets, I thought they were flying vacuum cleaners):  

A bucket-list project for the winter months. This also means I will be on the lookout for Airfix re-releasing their Mig-15 [and as Bob Cordery pointed out .. The Gloster Meteor as flown by the RAAF and just as importantly, available in Airfix Vintage].

Birthday presents ...

Trying to keep my mind off the Scottish Independence vote, so I decided to look back at my recent birthday presents (see below):

Some nice catches:

• Three 1/144 Pacific planes, I can now make up a flight of Wildcats (3) and Dive Bomber Dauntlesses (3) with the above acquisitions
• A must buy when I saw it Zvezda 1/72 or 20mm BEF 2pdr (I now have a troop of three)
• The old Matchbox (now Revell) 1/76 ANZACS, full of character, spot on! 

Dare I turn on the telly/radio today?

More Revell 1/144 Aircraft (Pacific War/Battle of Britain)

While "in the zone" of putting together 1/144 aircraft, I finished off my single-engined (Pacific War) American planes and started on the backlog of Battle of Britain aircraft (see below):

I know they will come in useful one day! I am still lacking in Japanese opposition (I have two Zero's) but am waiting for the Revell kits to hit the shops in my area. I reckon six in total would be a nice force. Meanwhile I will try and build up the US force to flights of three.

The Battle of Britain forces stand at 8 x Me 109's, 3 x Me 110's, 6 x Mk I Hurricanes and 6 Mk II Spitfire's. It is just a case of making them up and painting them.

WW2 US 1/144 aircraft production line

While I was on holiday I settled down to an industrialized production line of US 1/144 aircraft (as well as the 28mm Sparabara). A collection of US Pacific aircraft (see below):

• Hellcat
• Aircobra
• Corsair
• Warhawk

Cheap and tantalizing enough these Revell mini-kits are perfect to build up into formations of flights of three. Revell also do the Japanese opposition but I have not seen hem in the shops yet.

I will have to did out my "Battle of Britain" Spitfires, Hurricanes, Stukas and Me109s from the sam erange, I remember a bit of a bulk buy I made last year still residing up in the loft

The Zvezda surrogate "DC3 Dakota" or "C47 SkyTrain" the Russian license-build LI-2

A grainy photograph (see below) of the Allied equivalent of the Ju-52, the legendary "DC-3 Dakota" or "C-47 SkyTrain" (I'm really not sure of the difference). This is courtesy of Zvezda providing a cheap model to surrogate in. It was a Russian license made version that was still used in the Cold War, called the Li-2 and it does the trick for me. Eagle eyed aviation experts would see many a difference but again I care not.   

It will appear on my tabletop where paratroopers or supplies are needed. The Russians also used it in a light bomber role (or shall we say "pressed" it into service) bit I removed the defensive dorsal turret to pull it firmly into the DC-3/C-47 stable. Having got one (on an evaluation trial), methinks I'll try and pick up another couple.

Father's Day Present

After much hinting (a careful fortnight campaign of orchestrated name dropping to my two eldest children: "Ahem, Daddy wants a Spitfire") and the availability of the said Airfix kit in a leading Supermarket chain meant I got what I wanted :)

And some Toblerlone milk chocolate to boot, so I am chuffed! I don't believe I ever had this model as a kid. I certainly had the early MkIa and I'm pretty sure I had the MkIX version too but somehow I missed out the Mk Vb, perhaps because to my young eyes it looked too much like the Mk IX with the 20mm cannon.All I can say is that I know better now.

The chocolate now consumed, the Spitfire (with its circa 1974 mould) to look forward to making. Time to reclaim a "painting tray" area as the house move looks to be put on hold.

P47 Thunderbolt

Just a beast of a machine. Pure power under the hood. Not as pretty as the Mustang but effective nevertheless.

However once it lost altitude it could never regain it quick enough.

 A tank of a ground attack aircraft. More lost to AA fire than enemy combat I believe. It roamed mercilessly on search and destroy missions behind enemy lines and in close cooperation with ground force.

This is a 1/144 Academy kit, used primarily as a Western Allies 1944 air asset marker for my 20mm games, although part of me hopes to be able to dogfight with it some day :)

A "Little Friend" for the 8th USAAF: 1/144 P51D Mustang

Saviour of the USAAF over the Reich, the fighter that defeated the Luftwaffe in the contest of the skies. Sure the Thunderbolt was the heavy-weight bruiser, but the Mustang could mix it and regain altitude to return to defend the bomber formation.

When "drop-tanked" its range was phenomenal, even visiting Polish airspace on operation sorties in late 1944/45. To quote from Johnnie Johnson's "Full Circle: The Story of Air Fighting":

There was great competition among American fighter pilots to get their hands on the Mustang, Don Blakeslee pleaded with his general to exchange their old Thunderbolts for them. But a great daylight offensive was planned, the Normandy invasion would take place within three month and so the general answered that he did not see how Blakeslee's group could become non-operational for several weeks while they retrained on to the new fighter. 'That's OK, General, sir," replied Don "We can learn how to fly them on the way to the target!" 

Not infeasible if you consider the length of the journeys to and from the Reich, but also a measure of how the American fighter pilots felt they had to so something for their compatriots flying in the daily massed bomber formations.

Meanwhile, this is a nice little kit from Academy, not much to it parts-wise but it paints up a peach.  

1/144 P38J Lightning

Flown in both European and Pacific theatres it came into its own in the latter, where the huge distances afforded its range to be utilised to full effect.

The wargame project associated with this model is the ambush (nay assassination) of the Japanese Admiral Yamato. The full battle would need six Zero close escort, two Betty bombers and four hunting P38J's.

As the close escort and bombers split up when "bounced" it is justifiable to half the scenario planes again. Therefore I am half way there with a Betty, a Zero and another P38J away from an interesting club-night game.

Another Academy kit.

Contrails over Japan: B-29 Super Fortress 1/144 Scale

When I was a kid the prestigious sign of model madness was having the bright silver 1/72 Airfix Super Fortress hanging from your bedroom ceiling, or nestling atop of your wardrobe (perhaps shamefully broken into several pieces by an unappreciative sibling/mother), or even cluttering up most of the desktop that was supposed to be for doing your homework on (well s*d 'x' and algebra!).

I never quite made the grade, I had the B-17 Flying Fortress but never the B-29 Super Fortress, perhaps it was a Pacific thing and I was more European focused, Dunkirk to D-Day. However in my second childhood I can come close to model madness thanks to Minicraft:

Sadly too big to fit sensibly in my camera frame using my novice technique!

The wargaming potential for the B-29 is even more restricted than the B-17, despite my possession of a couple of 1/144 scale Zero's. No I think I have this one for pure gawp factor.

Note: My other crazy model wish in 1/144 scale is the B-52 Cold War bomber, which by my reckoning would push the 1/72 Super Fortress for the same amount of bedroom ceiling/desk space. I'm still selling my 1/96 project, nay desire for the Revell Saturn V as educational, but resistance shall we say from others remains strong (but Xmas is coming).

Into the Wild Blue: B-24 Liberator 1/144 Scale

Continuing the flypast of my 1/144 Minicraft American Bombers is the four engined heavy of Ambrose's "The Wild Blue" fame the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. OK perhaps flying a little too close to the ground for comfort:

Again another model that was heavy on the use Micro Sol and Set. It was a nice one to finish despite all the "holding of breath" with the decals. I think it was worth it :)

In the background can you hear the tramp of 20mm Platoon 20 British Infantry in battledress, alongside the dark mutterings for the disgruntled Metal Morian Goblins? They are coming.

B-26 Marauder 1/144 Scale

Minicraft 1/144 scale model. Intended as useful for top-cover/window dressing for a late war 1944-45 (perhaps operation Cobra) WWII 20mm Cross Fire or Command Decision game. I remember seeing a low fly-past of a flight of the these (or at least twin engined US bombers of the period) in one of the early Band of Brothers episodes.

I tried to get a weather worn look about the model through the GW paint transition from Boltgun Metal to Chainmail to Mithril Silver. The decals work (as in I could put them on without storming out in a tantrum) thanks to Micro Sol and Set combinations.

Yes, I'm still working on the Platoon 20 British Infantry in the background ;)

B17-G starring in the 'Queen of the Skies' over the Reich

Meanwhile flying above the Reich is "Old Doodlebug" possibly heading towards those KonigTiger armaments factories. A nice (more wargame "space" friendly at least) 1/144 model of the B-17 aka the 'Queen of the Skies' from Minicraft. Admittedly any wargame would probably be centered relative to the B-17's movement, but it is feasible to fit this thing on a reasonably sized table, perhaps even in formation with a couple of supporting friends. The alternative is to start dropping down the scales to 1/300 which is less appealing from a modeling perspective.

In paiting the model itself I was experimenting with trying to get a weathered look by shading up from Games Workshop's "Boltgun Metal" as base shade, through their "Chainmail" as a mid-tone to highlighting with their "Mithril Silver" paints.

I am still debating with myself regarding the results and I am considering whether using a weak wash with Anita's Acrylic Black Metal would be better. I just don't like "shiny silver" planes but I guess some were that shiny! However I think from what I've seen on the web and books the bombers soon became war-weary in appearance.

The wargame potential for me lies with an adaptation to tabletop of the old Avalon Hill "B17 Queen of the Skies" (solo) board game I possess.

Over the Skies of the Reich

While searching through some IKEA storage boxes I came across these boys I had painted earlier this year or last (I think). They have a feel of my recent painting schemes anyway. A base shade then a highlight :)


The early version of the Mustang, the P51B (form the Airfix "Texas Hun Hunter"kit). Painted with Tamiya and Games Workshop "Citadel" paints.


Versus the up-gunned Me109-G (again the kit is from Airfix) with 20mm cannon in under-wing pods. Not sure about the Me109 paint scheme, it seems too Matt in retrospect, maybe a satin varnish is required. This could be partly from the Humbrol acrylics I used for the grays, they seemed a little chalky and fast drying on the brush for my liking.


Not really air combat wargaming scale, unless you have a very big table, but a nice bit of eye candy representing air assets in 20mm tabletop battle IMHO. The stands came from Games Workshop marked for "Big Flyers". I had not the heart to tell the assistant what kits they were really for so I left him with the impression it was something Elvish. He took my money anyway.