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Richard M · Gold Star Joined: 26 Apr 2006 Posts: 3246 Location: Cyprus

Progress of Ratch's build will be reported here.
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"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die."

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Ratch · Posted: Tue 21 Aug 2007 22:09 pm Post subject:

Now, which one to do....

Halifax 'Friday the 13th'
Halifax conversion to glider tug
B-17G Flying Fortress
B-24J modified for 'Carpetbagger' missions
Sunderland in wrap-around camo
decisions, decisions, decisions

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Heggy · Silver Star Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 2302

B-17G Flying Fortress

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Michael
What's the use between death and glory?
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Ratch · Posted: Sun 30 Sep 2007 18:27 pm Post subject:

I've decided on Airfix 06013 Handley Page Halifax B III, and have retrieved the box from the stash

The traditional Airfix box contains an eight page, A4 size instruction booklet with 21 assembly stages and two finish options. Cockpit detail is scant, but there are many working features incorporated. The components are loose-packed in the box, without the protection of polybags. The transparencies are scratch-free, although the canopy framing is barely defined. The light grey mouldings are festooned with raised rivets and there is some flash in evidence. The decal sheet appears to be in register, and the tail fin flashes are separated into blue/white and red sections; a feature I have not seen in an Airfix kit before. Markings are provided for “Friday the 13th” of No.158 Squadron, RAF Elvington, March 1944 and No.78 Squadron, RAF Breighton, Yorkshire, 1944.
I will build her as a sister-ship to this one

Let's see if I've learned anything

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
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Brews · Posted: Sun 30 Sep 2007 23:22 pm Post subject:

I'm guessing that the first thing you've learnt is that H116 is a better match for RAF dark green <G>.

Ratch · Posted: Mon 01 Oct 2007 13:54 pm Post subject:

Absolutely Bruce

I may even use some Xtracolor authentics

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
500287

Ratch · Posted: Tue 02 Oct 2007 20:16 pm Post subject:

In-The-Box-Review:
The traditional Airfix box contains an eight page, A4 size instruction booklet with 21 assembly stages and two finish options. Cockpit detail is scant, but there are many working features incorporated. The components are loose-packed in the box, without the protection of polybags. The transparencies are scratch-free, although the canopy framing is barely defined. The light grey mouldings are festooned with raised rivets and there is some flash in evidence. The decal sheet appears to be in register, and the tail fin flashes are separated into blue/white and red sections; a feature I have not seen in an Airfix kit before. Markings are provided for “Friday the 13th” of No.158 Squadron, RAF Elvington, March 1944 and No.78 Squadron, RAF Breighton, Yorkshire, 1944.
Starting the build:
Beginning with the crew figures, they are quite crude and nondescript. The prone figure has a nasty ejector pin mark at the left ankle. Looking through my spares box I have plenty of figures from this kit: four pilots in total, four upper turret gunners, four tail turret gunners, two standing figures, eight prone figures and twenty co-pilots/navigators. All of these were cleaned up and will be painted, but not necessarily in the colours advised in the instructions, and the 'best' ones used.
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and was Jerusalem, builded here
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Ratch · Posted: Wed 03 Oct 2007 15:19 pm Post subject:

I've just been Google Image Searching for RAF bomber crews

as my references are fairly scant

The instructions quote the uniforms as Hu: 72 Matt Khaki Drill

a slightly unusual choice in my view

I know that some airmen wore thermally insulated suits or jackets, and maybe this is supposed to represent them

I may paint some in a glossy brown/tan to represent the Irvin glazed sheepskin suit, and others in a more conventional RAF Blue

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
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Ratch · Posted: Mon 08 Oct 2007 14:55 pm Post subject:

I've started painting the figures

but have since stalled

cataloguing my recent purchases from MFS

Hoping to get back to some serious work soon

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
500287

Ratch · Posted: Sat 13 Oct 2007 10:18 am Post subject:

The figure painting is laborious with 36 of them being done

but I've started on the cockpit, the innards have been cemented into the port fuselage and both halves of the fuselage have been painted Hu: 33 Matt Black

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
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Brews · Posted: Sat 13 Oct 2007 14:30 pm Post subject:

I'd steer clear of RAF blue.

Ratch · Posted: Sun 14 Oct 2007 10:42 am Post subject:

Ratch · Posted: Tue 16 Oct 2007 20:52 pm Post subject:

The figures are almost done, just a bit of Hu: 11 for the goggle lenses

I don't intend to pick out lots of detail in the office, just a little pencil-work and then building should commence in earnest

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
500287

Brews · Posted: Tue 16 Oct 2007 21:25 pm Post subject:

Ratch · Posted: Tue 16 Oct 2007 22:04 pm Post subject:

The only pictures of Halifax crew I could find were where they were posing outside their machines, often in varied and mixed uniforms

presumably these were upon their return from missions

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
500287

Brews · Posted: Wed 17 Oct 2007 00:24 am Post subject:

That's my take on it.

Ratch · Posted: Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:03 pm Post subject:

Things are starting to move along now

The crew (including spare figures) have all been painted

I don't suppose much will be seen in the dark interior

No problems assembling the tail turret

The top turret required some work to open up the slots for the guns and to remove a large protrusion inside which prevented it seating out properly

Again, little can be seen through the transparencies

but at least the guns work

Work continues...
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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
500287

Heggy · Silver Star Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 2302

Are the standing figures with the kit?
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Michael
What's the use between death and glory?
BabyShambles

Ratch · Posted: Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:33 pm Post subject:

Yes

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
500287

Owen · Posted: Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:44 pm Post subject:

Looking good so far Ratch

I've done my turrets a little differently (ommiting the crew). It looks like you had quite a lot of flash on the clear parts too.
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