December 2024

I finish the year as it began, with something colourful !

My main build of the month is this colourful Hobby Boss kit of the Sikorsky MH-60J “Jayhawk” helicopter used by the US Coast Guard for medium range rescue and maritime patrol.

And finally, here are a number of small (1/72) AFV models that I have built (or in some cases, simply painted)  as side projects alongside some of my more complex builds:

• FV4333 Stormer HVM anti aircraft vehicle,
• FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor,
• M142 HIMARS artillery rocket system
• Thales Hawkei protected mobility vehicle.

Three of these are 3D printed models, of  varying levels of complexity, but all relatively low cost compared with plastic model kits.   The level of detail achieved is pretty impressive, although it does take away a lot of the fun of model building!

October 2024

A Ship and an Aircraft this month, representing the best of humanity and also its darker side !

The Shannon Class Lifeboat is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) latest seagoing lifeboat.  Airfix have produced a superb and relatively easy to build 1/72 kit of this boat to celebrate the 200th anniversary of thefounding of the RNLI.

The MQ-9A Reaper is widely used by western aligned forces around the world.  Very much larger than its MQ-1 Predator predecessor, it is heavily armed and can remain in the air  for up to 40 hours at  aheight of 50,000 ft.

November 2024

Two helicopters join my early Fleet Air Arm collection this month.

The Hiller HT.1 joined the Royal Navy as a training helicopter in 1950.  A simple and easily maintained design, it was ideal for initial flying training.  This is the recent LF Models kit.

The Wessex HAS.1 started life as an ASW helicopter, but was soon pressed in to an additional role as a commando carrier.  Seeing heavy use in the Borneo and Brunei conflicts where it frequently landed Royal Marines in remote jungle clearings, it was quickly nicknamed the “Jungly”, a title that has stuck with the Fleet Air Arm’s Commando Helicopter force.  This is the Matchbox kit, with a few modifications,plus decals from theold FROG kit.

January 2025

Another year begins (the 19th year of this website).  I have grand plans for this one, so let’s see how it goes…..

The F-35C is the conventional carrier-based variant of the Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.  With folding (larger) wings and tail hook, it is visibly larger than the F-35A and F-35B variants.   

This is the Orange Kit / Orange Hobby kit of the F-35C.  Up until very recently, this was the only kit available, and it still passes muster.   This one is in the markings of shore-based VFA-101 “Grim Reapers”, one of the first US Navy squadrons formed to use the F-35.

February 2025

A long planned  project finally comes to realisation and a nostalgia ship build reminds me of the 1970s!…..

The Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1 (XV-8A) was developed from Hawker’s P.1127 vertical take-off development  aircraft for evaluation by a tri-national squadron from the UK, USA and West Germany.   Incorporating quite a few changes from the original P.1127, it paved the way for the amazing Hawker Siddeley Harrier  (AV-8A).

The Royal Navy’s Daring Class of destroyers was developed from the WW2 era Battle Class, to incorporate wartime lessons and subsequent developments. Noticeably larger than traditional Destroyers, HMS DARING was the lead ship of the class.  This is the old Airfix 1/600 scale kit, an example of which must have been one of my very first ship kit builds, back in the early 1970s.

March 2025

A double build covering this month and next (and possibly further) of aircraft from the 1990s Yugoslav Civil War…..

30 years ago this year, I was sitting on a warship in the Adriatic as part of the NATO/WEU Blockade trying to prevent weapons and fuel reaching the warring parties in the Former  Yugoslavia. Ranged against us (but fortunately not actively fighting us) were the Serbian-Montenegro Air Force, Bosnian Serb Air Force and the Croatian Air Force.  

The Super Galeb was one of the aircraft operated by these forces and forms the first of my Yugoslav Wars builds this month.  This is the rarely seen YuMo kit of the Super Galeb, in Bosnian Serb markings.

April 2025

The second of my Yugoslav Wars models is now complete, and another modern AFV joins my collection…..

The SOKO NJ-22 Orao was another Yugoslav design that saw combat during the bitter Yugoslav Civil War from 1992 to 1995.  This is the recent Litaki 1/72 kit, and once again I have chosen markings for the Bosnian Serb Air Force.

My second build of the month is more current; an Archer FH77BW L52 mobile artillery piece, as recently acquired by the British Army to replace AS-90 SPGs that were gifted to Ukraine.  This is another Osiris 3D printed 1/72 kit, once again with some truly superb detail.   Markings are self made (inkjet printed) to represent  the sole British unit using this system,19 Rgt Royal Artillery (The Scottish Gunners).

May 2025

Two more of the superb 1/72 Osiris 3D printed models join the collection..

The FV434 Maintenance Carrier  is used by the REME to undertake maintenance in the field.  Based on the long-lived FV430 series, it features a load deck and a HIAB crane for engine changes.

The  Foxhound Light Protected Patrol Vehicle was introduced to the British Army in 2012, to replace the infamous “Snatch” Landrover.   Based on the Force Protection Europe “Ocelot” MRAP vehicle, the British Army has a fleet of 300 of these flexible vehicles.

June 2025

Two older models this month (both from FROG). In the background I am working on my largest model of the year (perhaps of all time), a 3D printed 1/72 scale Astute Class Submarine (teaser photo).   This will take some time to complete, so I am building some of the less complex models in the stash as I go along.  

First up is this BAC Lightning F.6 of 11 Sqn at RAF Leuchars in Scotland, during 1967.  The kit was sold by FROG, but my early issue kit was actuall y produced by Hasegawa  (FROG’s mould was slightly different).

Secondly, I have built a very old and familiar kit, the FROG Hawker Sea Fury. This was one of my first kits, and I believe that this build will be my third one.

The provided RN decals are more than a little suspect (they represent a display aircraft in the early 1970s), so I have scratched together an alternative of a Sea Fury FB.11 from 810 Sqn in HMS CENTAUR at Malta during 1955, one of the very last front-line Sea Fury squadrons.

July 2025

Two similar builds this month.  These are both Hasegawa F-4U Corsairs, with Xtradecal markings depicting their service in the far east with the Fleet Air Arm.  

Both aircraft are Corsair Mk.IIs and both from 1834 Naval Air Sqn,part of 47 Naval Air WIng based onboard HMS VICTORIOUS.  

First up is a Corsair of the Eastern Fleet during 1944.  These aircraft saw their first combat during the raids on the Tirpitz in early 1944, but by the end of that year they were in the far east and showing a bit of wear and tear.

The second build is from the same ship and sqn, but 6 months later as part of the British Pacific Fleet and showing even more wear and tear !    

August 2025 - 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain

Two foes this month from 85 years ago.  Firstly, the Airfix (2010 mould) Spitfire Mk.1A, representing 610 Sqn Raux AF, based at RAF Biggin Hill, just south of London.

610 Sqn was one of those that bore the brunt of the early attacks on RAF airfields in the South East following the fall of  France.

…and representing those attackers, a Dornier Do-17z-2 of Luftwaffe 1/KG3, using the 1971 FROG kit.  The Dornier saw wide action throughout the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, with KG3 playing a major role.  

This aircraft took part in the early attacks on channel shipping (“Kanalkampf”) then Operation “Eagle Attack” the Luftwaffe attempt to destroy RAF Fighter Command as a prelude to invasion.  

September 2025

In a previous existence, I was the senior engineer responsible for some of the defences of the Falkland islands.  My areas of responsibility were warships, although I took a close interest in the Tornado F.3s that had recently arrived to defend the islands.  Several years later, I was involved in the provision of data connectivity that allowed the Eurofighter Typhoon’s deployment  to replace those Tornados.

This was the Typhoon’s first ever front line operational mission and a small force of Typhoons continue there to this day, bearing the markings of the famous 1435 Flight RAF.   This is the recent Airfix “starter kit”.