Beginnings of my 1:144 aircraft fleet

[aferguson]

thanks for the info, jlspec

[Epap]

The DeAgostini Soviet series has just released the IL-28 twin engined jet bomber in 1:144th scale ( according to one eBay vendor ). This bomber was manufactured in huge numbers---about 10,000 examples---and was used by all of the Soviet allies and "client" states as well as China, N. Vietnam, etc.. Here's a picture:

[aferguson]

interesting....i hope it is close to 1/144, i don't always trust vendor's claims as they tend to state items are in popular scales to help sell them.

i'll check it out....thanks for the heads up Epap.

[aferguson]

just received my deagostini amiot 351. This is probably the best model in the series, with tight join lines, nice accurate paint job and very nice markings, including the tail flashes on the inside of the tail fins.. The cockpit interior would benefit from a paint job, so hopefully the canopy can be removed but otherwise it's a nice model of an obscure french wwii bomber.

[Dauntless]

Really like to have that Soviet IL-28 bomber. It would look good next to a couple of Soviet Migs of the era.
I'll be looking for one now, thanks.
I seem to remember that you did a larger scale of this one Epap?

Haven't even started on the French bombers yet. Was looking at the Altaya Leo, but read the dihedral could be off.

Just got my F-Toys Wing Kit 7 I ordered today. Ten planes, even got the special P-39, though if not that important a scheme, maybe change that one into a regular US Army Airacobra. The stripes are awful looking.
Good thing about this one is the canopy panes are olive drab, so one could just paint the other surfaces a solid OD and underneath army grey.

I was going to make the French P-39 into a possible US Army version as it's standard OD and grey undersides, but was looking at the decals and it looks like you get extra Russian markings. A pleasant surprise.
Hopefully it's the Russian ace of P-39's Pokryshkin with 53 kills flying it. Have to look closer at the decal sheet. Anybody know anything about it?

Not too keen on the Huungarian Me-109E either, but looks like no tampo insignias, and could possibly change it to a Luftwaffe plane with German markings decals I'd have to get.

[aferguson]

the 109 is Romanian i think, not Hungarian.

it appears the Il-28 is not actually 1/144 but more like 1/150. Close enough i guess.

nice to know about the French p-39, i may get that one now.

the striped p-39 is one of the first 'aggressor' aircraft used by the US. These planes were used to train bomber crews in aerial gunnery. They were called 'zebra squadron' iirc. It evolved into Operation Pinball where non lethal bullets were actually fired at P-63 Kingcobras.

[Dauntless]

That's interesting thanks. Maybe leave it alone. Rubber bullets perhaps?

My Dad, a crack shot (got a citation for it) during WWII in the USAAF was excluded from being a bomber gunner because he was colorblind.
Ended up in Greenland instead.

[aferguson]

i think the bullets were glass or bakelite or something like that. They just shattered on impact and did no damage. Interesting idea but still must be a tad unnerving to the fighter pilots.

i bought an il-28. They seem to be selling super fast and prices are going up so i got one for $31.50 shipped. It's possible in a few weeks i could have got it for less, if they become more available, but i'm weak.

[Epap]

I wish the idiots who run the DeAgostini website would update their listings. They've already released four planes that are not even cited on their website.

[aferguson]

that's pretty typical of most manufacturers....their websites are always way out of date. Not sure why that is but it's very common.

[Dauntless]

So an Altaya Armstrong Whitworth Whitley came up for auction a little while ago. Got outbid
...but I managed to get a Bismarck PBY, and an Avro Manchester from the same seller.

One of these day I will get an AWW.

[aferguson]

just picked up a Dragon 1/144 Ju-87B Sharkmouth. I'm not wild about sharkmouths on aircraft (except P-40's) but it's the only green Ju-87B in 1/144 except for model kits. At least it's a well known aircraft that participated in the invasion of Poland, France and the Battle of Britain, so it has a rich combat history.

[Dauntless]

Was looking at those Stukas a while back. Don't know much about them, but they do look ok.
All diecast with some plastic parts I'm guessing?
I noticed they got the B, D, and G model.

You can get some of them cheaper than the F-Toys or Cafereo.

[aferguson]

the F Toys and Cafereo D's and G's are hair cheaper and probably a bit better than the Cando's. But there are no other B's or R's around, so i also got the Snake as well as the Sharkmouth.

[Dauntless]

Weren't the Germans supposedly the first with the Shark mouth, or at the same time as the Brits and US?

[aferguson]

i think the germans did it first, the brits copied it in north africa on their p-40's, the flying tigers saw the british p-40's in a magazine and copied the idea onto their planes.

[The_Helicopter_Pilot]

Is there an company that makes fairly good cheap Diecast heli's?

[The_Helicopter_Pilot]

I found this, not sure if its Diecast though here's the eBay item number 151001615450
Also, has anyone ever seen this?
111044426809
Little expensive though...

[Dauntless]

Don't know anything about those Doyusha's. Looks like it's plastic with the extra parts on a model sprue though.

Those F-Toys Betty with Ohka were the special/ secret aircraft I do believe. Like to have the set, but a little too expensive for me.

Didn't know Dragon made 1:144 diecast helicopters. Apparently there were at least three (look at the close-up)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-DRAGON-AH-6 ... 4854013003

[aferguson]

that seller used to be selling the betty/ohka's for $75 each. Now that he's down to his last two he's jacked the price. No chance i'm going to pay either price....the ohka's just an inch and a half long for cripes sake and the betty's bomb bay isn't even modified to hold it. Some day a new one will come along.

[aferguson]

has anyone got the Altaya 1/144 sr-71? It looks decent and i'm considering it as an alternative to the more expensive upcoming Dragon one.

[aferguson]

looking for opinions on the Dragon 1/144 F-117. It looks pretty nice but they have hi-lited all the panel lines in light grey, which i think looks dumb. I do like the optional opening bomb bay feature though.

http://www.flyingmule.com/products/DM-51051

Can anyone offer an opinion of it or offer a better alternative? The Altaya one i don't like.

[aferguson]

does anyone know what the camo on this altaya c-47 is supposed to represent? It looks familiar but i can't place it. Maybe it's just that it looks like the Euro 1 scheme from the 80's.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOUGLAS-C-47-SK ... 013wt_1170

[The_Helicopter_Pilot]

does anyone know what the camo on this altaya c-47 is supposed to represent? It looks familiar but i can't place it. Maybe it's just that it looks like the Euro 1 scheme from the 80's.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOUGLAS-C-47-SK ... 013wt_1170

That looks more like a camo for a late-war AC-47...

[aferguson]

found this info on the plane represented by the second Altaya Ju-188 scheme.

The caption says it belonged to 6/KG 2 but as far as i can tell, there wasn't any 6/KG 2. Maybe it should be 2/KG2? They were based in Holland and France and converted to the Ju-188 towards the end of '43.

Anyway, the scheme is ligit....i'd had my doubts.


http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index ... opic=32367


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And here is a reference of sorts for 'squiggles' . It seems the pattern on the upper wings is not quite right and the squiggles should also be on the underside. Assuming the model in the pics i'm posting is correct of course..it probably is. Shouldn't be too hard to fix up the Altaya a bit. I'm going to leave the upper surface scheme alone as it has 'the look of the thing' even though it's not quite the right pattern.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/inde ... eschwader/