1/48 Sikorsky S-70B2 Seahawk - 816 Sqn Royal Australian Navy

Well it's finally done after 12 years, albeit with a 10 year break in the middle.

This is far from my best work. Much of that is down to me, when you look at the close ups you'll see a lot of areas that really could have been done better. Some of that was because I started this so long ago and some was due to me deciding that it was more important to finish this project, rather than try and get it perfect. But, in my defence I'm also going to lay a section of blame on the kit and the conversion. 

The base kit has a number of accuracy and fit issues and the conversion is a little rough as well. To be fair, the conversion is old (early 2000's) and from a cottage manufacturer so I can forgive a lot of it's issues.  

Rather than repeat that information here you can check out the full build log here .

I've depicted an aircraft in the pre Sea 1405 configuration as this was how they were when I worked on them. 

The Kit

• 1/48 Italeri SH-60B Seahawk (Kit No, 2620)
• 1/48 Hawkeye Models Sikorsky S-70B/2 Seahawk conversion

Aftermarket

• Eduard SH-60 PE set
• Eduard Vinyl Remove Before Flight Tags 
• Aerobonus Chocks

Decals/Markings

• 1/48 Ronin Decals RAN 816 Sqn 60th Anniversary Tiger tail decals (SSM 076)
• Home made decals for the tail codes
• Home made mask for the side numbers and side NAVY markings

Paint

• Lightened mixes of Mr Color Lacquers 307 (Compass Grey) and 337 (Top Grey)
• Mr Color Lacquer 338 (bottom grey)
• Various Mr Color, Mr Hobby and Tamiya Acrylics 
• Tamiya X22 for gloss
• Dullcoate for the flat (I know the real aircraft is semi gloss but IMHO a flat finish looks more accurate in this scale).

The Base

• The surround is made from cheap skirting from Bunnings
• The Tarmac is wet and dry emery paper glued to a base and painted.

The Photos

1/48 Tamiya M-10 Tank Destroyer

The kit for this year’s NSW Scale Model Show’s “Panzer Tracks” trophy is any of the five (5) Tamiya kits that use the M4 Sherman hull.

I already had several of these kits in the stash as the New Zealand Division had quite a bit of armour in WW II, much of being based on the Sherman Hull. I decided on the M-10.

The model is depicted as a vehicle from A Troop 31 Battery, 7th Anti Tank Regiment 2nd NZ Division , Italy late 1944.

I really wanted to add a figure but there's virtually no decent, easily available or affordable 48 scale Commonwealth figures. I have the Tamiya set but there was nothing there that I liked the look of for this kit

The Kit

• 1/48 Tamiya M10 Mid Production (TA 32219 )

Aftermarket

• Legend Productions M10 set (rear deck and turret sides)
• Various Blackdog, Tamiya and scratchbuilt stowage items.
• Tamiya Brickwall 
• Verlinden 0.50 Cal with RB Barrel
• RB man gun Barrel

Decals

• Bison Kiwi Armour

Paint

• The base colour a mixture of Tamiya colours to try and simulate SCC 15 Olive drab. I have no idea of the ratio's or if it's even accurate
• Various Vallejo Acrylics for the details
• Flat Coat is Testors Dullcoate

Weathering 

• Oils for washes
• Various pigments for dirt

The Photos

1/48 Airfix P-51D Mustang Diablo

The new Airfix P-51D is the kit for the 2018 NSW Scale Model Shows "Airfix Cup".  So although the Mustang isn't really my thing I figured I'd build one regardless, just to take part.

I've built 2 RNZAF P-51's in the past so I wasn't in the mood for another one (plus they're pretty boring) so I figured I'd do a  colourful US one straight from the box but different decals.

I eventually decided on P-51D "Diablo" flown by Lt Glen W Wensch from the 486th Fighter Sqn  352nd Fighter Group.

The Kit

• 1/48 Airfix P-51D Mustang  (Kit No. A05131)
  
  My initial impressions when looking at this kit in the box was that it looked overly complicated for a 1/48 kit and I was a little worried that those pieces of the internal assembly, which were also part of the external fuselage would cause issues
  
  But after actually building it the kit is actually pretty simple to put together.  I estimate I only spent about 6-8 hours assembling the kit
  
  I found everything fit as designed and those internal assembly/fuselage pieces I was worried about worked well ensuring  the internal assembly sits correctly in the fuselage. Even the fit issues I've found are very minor in nature and are probably due to me not cleaning up the sprue attachment points  as well as I should. I also like the plastic Airfix have used, it scribes nicely in the few areas I needed to restore some panel lines.
  
  The cockpit is great for a 1/48 kit out of the box and the engraving on the kit is excellent.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Where possible , having a big clear plastic piece for the forward windscreen that also forms part of the fuselage is the way every windscreen part should be (The Tamiya's F-14 does  this as well).
  
  The only areas that I think could be improved are the treaded wheels, tanks and exhausts.
  
  This kit is definitely better than and more fun to build than the Tamiya kit.
  
  Spend the time doing the basics, especially cleaning up the sprue attachment points and you’ll be rewarded with a trouble free build.

Aftermarket

• Eduard wheels.
  
  These are really nice but IMHO the designers didn't give proper thought to integrating them with the kit legs. They suggest a butt joint. I ended up drilling out the hub to accept the Airfix leg.

Decals

• Kit Decals for everything but the art, codes and serials
• Kits World KW 48174
  
  I bought this sheet as I wanted to do the other aircraft on the sheet, a Pacific based Aircraft Enchantress. But when it arrived I saw the nose art for Diablo and changed my mind.
  
  Both the Airfix and Kits World decals went down without any issues. However I did discover that the Kits World ones don't like really hot water.

Paint

• Tamiya AS 12 as the base for the silver.
• Alclad for shades
• Mr Color Lacquers for the Olive drab
• Tamiya Flat blue with some white for the blue
• Tamiya NATO Black
• Gunze RLM Yellow
• Vallejo Acrylics for details
• Mr Color for the Gloss and flat coats

Build Threads

• Aussiemodeller
• Britmodeller

The Base

• The surround is made from cheap skirting from Bunnings. 
• The grass is just a mat. I've been experimenting with static grass but IMHO for 1/48 scale the mat is just as good if you want a field with short grass.

The Photos