T-34/85 Chinese Volunteer 215

 

Here’s the Rye Field Model (RFM) 1:35 scale T-34/85 finished as Tank No.215, commanded by Yang Aru, 4th Company, 4th Tank Regiment, 2nd Tank Division of the People's Volunteer Army(PVA), in 1953 during the Korean War. 

This has been an enjoyable kit to build albeit RFM’s instructions are a little vague in some areas: with part numbering a bit erratic, instructions to drill holes for bits without locating pins and some parts being missed from the instructions altogether. It kept me on my toes 😂

For the first time I used SMS acrylic lacquer paints which were a real dream and I can’t wait to give them another go. I lightly weathered using Abteilung 502 oils and Flory Models sand which I sprayed to give that dusty look.

F-51D Mustang

My 5th model of 2025 is Airfix’s F-51D Mustang, which I’ve selected to build as part of my current Korean War project. 

I found this a very nice kit to build. Although I had a number of different after market decals for both US and Commonwealth UN markings, I decided to run with the Airfix set and finished it in the colours of Mustang 44-74625/FF-625 of 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron stationed at the forward operating base at Hoengsong, South Korean in 1950.

I used my new favourite silver paint, Vallejo’s Liquid Metal, for most of the aircraft and added Vallejo’s standard aluminium acrylic to provide lowlights to the wings. This was a mistake as not only do I think the effect detracts from the overall finish, subsequent masking of the red wing tips removed some of the aluminium! Time to acquire the rest of the Liquid Metal range. The decals went on very nicely, and to be honest, this was probably what finally swayed me to go with Airfix’s and not the aftermarket ones, you know what you’re getting with the new Airfix kits. In view of my feelings towards the paintwork, I finished the model with a layer of satin varnish.

The aircraft features the nose markings ‘ROTATION BLUES’ on the starboard side cowling, presumably after the record of the same name which was popular in the US at that time.

As a result of the North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950, the squadron was moved from the Philippines to Taegu Air Base, South Korea in July. At Taego, the squadron exchanged its Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star jets for propeller-driven North American F-51D Mustangs which were more suited to the ground attack and support role. I thought, therefore, that it would be OK to use one of Academy's standing F-86 pilots with helmet rather than the WW2 dress figure supplied with the kit.

Next up will probably be a Chinese T-34 followed by a North Korean MiG-15 … I fancy a piece of armour!

Fokker D.VIIF

 My 4th build of 2025 is this 1:48 scale Eduard Weekend edition of the Fokker D.VIIF

This is my interpretation of the Fokker biplane flown by Ltn. Ernst Udet, in 1918. It’s a little different from the version in the kit as rather than fitting the lozenge pattern decal to the upper wing I masked and painted the stripes that Udet had on an earlier aircraft and  is believed he went on to add to this one too. I also painted the stripes on the tailplane to match before realising a decal was included. Ernst Udet the most successful surviving fighter aces of WWI, with 62 confirmed kills. He named his aircraft, LO! after his fiancée Eleonore ‘Lo' Zink.

I found this a nice enough kit to build, although as I usually find on biplanes, the holes in the wings had to be drilled out, they are never large enough to hold the struts; the length of the struts are either too long or too short for the gap between upper and lower wings and without a jig, the whole thing can all too easily slip out of shape! The decals look great but I found the amount of carrier film to be excessive and the many additional lozenge decals for the wings with little or no instruction somewhat confusing. Some of the detailing is excellent, especially the engine. I welcomed the addition of harnesses decals, although they look a little unconvincing when applied.

This has been both the first 1:48 scale biplane and the first Eduard kit I’ve built.  I was very impressed with the presentation: the quality of the instructions, the layout of the sprue pieces and the range of decals. I thought this may even have been the start of a WWI aircraft building phase for me, alas no. I’m still not a fan of how biplane kits have to be constructed and I can’t seem to make them look more than just a toy aeroplane.

However, I built this kit to illustrate a popular form of WWI nose art for a talk I’m doing later this week, and for this it’s perfect. It is also because of this that I have omitted the rigging. If, however, the model survives being transported to and from the event, I may have a bash at rigging it.

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II

Build No.3 of 2025. This is Airfix's 1/48 scale Airfix P-40 Tomahawk MkIIB. 

I've completed the build in the colours of AK128 BT-H, which was an aircraft of No.1686 Bomber (Defence) Training Flight at RAF Hixon in Staffordshire attached to 30 OTU (Operational Training Unit), in 1942. This is an unusual assignment for a fighter as 30 OTU was part of No. 93 Group RAF Bomber Command.

No.1686 Training Flight were equipped with P-40 Tomahawk aircraft formerly used by No. 112 Squadron in North Africa and it is suggested that this is why they retained their distinctive Sharks Teeth markings. The aircraft of this unit were required to fly simulated fighter attacks against Wellington bombers, of 30 OTU, so that the turret gunners could practice against a fighter attack whilst airborne.

This Tomahawk met its end  in a taxiing accident at RAF Hixon on 23rd December 1943, when RNZAF pilot, F/Lt L.M. Ralph, inadvertently struck a fuel bowser whilst heading either too or from the main runway at the airfield. Whilst he escaped the incident without  serious injury, his aircraft was less fortunate and was immediately scrapped.

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The kit: 

Brand: Airfix

Title: Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II

Number: A05133A
Scale: 1:48
Released: 2024 New decals

Korean War M4A3E8 Sherman 'Tigerface'

My Korean War M4A3(76)W Sherman is built. 

Although I spent, what seemed a long time, applying oils and pigments to give it a look of wear and use, I haven't really achieved the grimy finish I was expecting. I'm, therefore, assuming this tank represents the time when Lieutenant General Matthew B. Ridgway replaced General Douglas MacArthur in the in April 1951 and I have read that he, amongst other moral boosting actions, got soldiers cleaning their vehicles again!

This is inspired by a tank of C-Company of the 70th Tank Battalion which was one of the first three tank battalions to deploy in the Korean War, where it saw significant action.

From what I understand, as the United Nations forces engaged with the Chinese People's Army along the Han river in Korea in mid-February 1951, several US tank battalions decided to paint their tanks with giant tiger faces, the idea being that they hoped superstitious Chinese infantrymen would be scared by their fearsome faces!

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The kit:

Brand: Airfix

Title: M4A3(76)W Sherman

Number: A1365
Scale: 1:35
Release: 2019 New decals

Republic P-47N Thunderbolt

First build of 2025!

Revell's 1:48 scale Republic P-47N Thunderbolt 44-88835 'Red E Ruth' of 19FS 318FG Le Shima 1945 with Pilot Capt Don Stuck in the cockpit.

This is a Pro Modeler 1997 moulding re-badged and relased by Revell with new Decals in 2012. It was a nice simple build with none of the silly over engineering Airfix have indulged in recently. The figure was brilliant albeit with the canopy closed he's not very visible. Engine detail is likewise very nice, but unlike Andrew's PE2, there's no way to expose this. Overall, a reasonably good kit if you want a P-47 bubble top in your collection.

I actually purchased this for no other reason than it was keenly priced and I thought I could use it as an exhibit for a Nose Art presentation I'm giving to the local u3a Art Appreciation Group later this month.

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The kit:

Brand: Revell

Number: 04867 (80-4867)

Title: Republic P-47N Thunderbolt
Scale: 1:48
Released: 2012 New decals

F-86F Sabre - Mikes Bird

Here’s my second Christmas F-86F Sabre, Capt. Charles McSwain’s “Mikes Bird”, which coincidentally flew in the same squadron as my first F-86, “The Huff”: 39th FIS / 51st FIW, Suwon (K-13), South Korea.

Although I can not find anything about the history of “Mike’s Bird”, I did learn an interesting fact relating to why it and its fellow squadron aircraft wore yellow bands and had checks on their tails. 

When the Americans arrived in Korea with their F-86 Sabre it became apparent that it looked dangerously similar in flight to that the Soviet MiG-15. Therefore, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing (FIW) started to paint forward-slanting black-and-white stripes on their fuselages - similar to 'D-Day invasion stripes - to prevent F-86 Sabre pilots from mistaking each other for the MiGs. When in  November 1951, the 51st FIW Group transitioned to the F-86 Sabre, their commander, Lt Col George Jones, didn't want to just copy the 4th FIW stripes, so he asked Capt Ed Matczak, his group material officer and budding artist, to design something different. He came up with the rearward-slanting yellow band on the fuselage, and yellow bands on the wing and tail. Later, the wing also went on to add the black checkered markings copying the WW2 design used by 325 Fighter Group the 'Checkertails’.

In my build of “Mike’s Bird” I used Academy’s amazing 1998 moulding of their 2011 “The Huff” kit and while I used the kits “The Huff” decals on the 1:48 scale Airfix kit I shared earlier, these “Mike’s Bird” decals were gifted to me by a good friend from the original 2011 Academy kit that he had in his stash. However, while the moulding has stood the test of time the decals less so, but if you’ve been following you’ll know that I pressed on regardless!

If you were looking to build an F-86F Sabre and were undecided over whether to go 1998 Academy or 2022 Airfix, unless you wanted to show the earlier model’s extended leading edges, I’d have to recommend Academy every time. From quality of design to crisp moulding, detailing through out from interior to engine, guns to airbrakes and most surprising of all, two excellently crafted pilots!

Happy Christmas all!