Tag: wings
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SNCAN Martinet – Part Two – Pre-Armed
I am never quite sure whether I want the good news or the bad news first – but in any case I want to be warned what is coming. In the case of the Martinet I looked up another modeller’s build of the same kit and learned that Czech Sneeze had made a slight error…
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Oh Ye Of Little Faith
Draw Nigh And Listen Unto Me. Cement it twice and glue it three times. For that is the only way that thou wilt be able to keep the pissy little landing gear legs in their position, or the canopy on firmly. Or indeed the fuselage halves together. Add another layer of cement or glue and…
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Gloster Javelin – FAW 9 – Part Three – Trench Warfare
Try as you might to buy kits that need no major work, you are still at the mercy of the moulding shop. Tamiya may be a safer bet than FROG but do not let the tube of putty out of your sight… This was a case of trying the new sprue goo mixture. I finally…
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Tornado GR.1 – Part Two – Play Value
I am never one to decry play value. Whether it is a model railway layout or a burlesque dancer, getting pleasure out of fiddling around is what it’s all about. Above all, we want things to move… This was the case with the dear old Monogram airplane kits of my childhood. Things that moved sold…
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Curtiss Hawk II – Part Two – The Radial
I am always astounded at the enthusiasm of the Czech kit makers to produce ever-finer sheets of photo-etched brass. The Curtiss Goshawk has just such an offering, asking me to make throttle handles as fine as a hair. I have acceded to their demand to the extent of producing two fuel tank filler caps with…
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Westland Wallace – Part Four – Struttin’ Wid Some Barbecue
Or ” Jigging On The Spot “. The prospect of attaching eight interplane struts and four cabanes on the Westland Wallace called forth the engineer in me. Also the foam board fanatic. The basic requirement was that the struts sit straight but canted forward from the lower to the upper wing and that they allow…
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Short Sunderland – Part Three – The Problem Of Dimension
The choice of 1:72 scale to model for my collection is politic – I can only fit so much in a small space. Most of the aircraft can be built on a bench and shown on shelf. My new jigs make this a real pleasure. But occasionally the sheer scale of the subject defeats this…
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Handley Page Jetstream – Part Three – Big Body And Tiny Wings
I was always puzzled by two aircraft; the Douglas X-3 Stiletto and the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. They were fabulous looking and built for speed, but the tiny size of the wings always suggested that they just couldn’t lift themselves. There were troubles galore when they overloaded the F-104 but otherwise they seemed to work. But…
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Heinkel He 177 – Part Three – Having A Fit
Pink or otherwise – sometimes you get things that you just wouldn’t do. I’ve yet to find my limits but to be honest I’ve stopped looking… The dry-fit stage of the Heinkel promised to be a time of tears and gnashing of teeth. I’d seen what old Airfix moulds could do when stored in hobby…
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Matchbox Helldiver – Part Three – The Hubley Kit
If you are from North America you’ll recognise the name Hubley. They were a die-cast toy maker of the 40’s and 50’s who made larger size offerings. I owned a Hubley Bell telephone truck with working winch and pole trailer – surely an odd choice of prototype even for the times. I observed other kids…
The Little World 