Ice Cold In Alex "Katy"

My third Airfix Austin K2 Ambulance build, I just love this kit. This one is inspired by the 1950s classic book and film “Ice Cold In Alex”.

Airfix provide four decal options for this kit:

1. 30 Corps, Motor Ambulance Convoy, Royal Army Service Corps, North West Europe, 1944
2. British Army, North Africa, 1940
3. British Army, Alexandria, Egypt, 1942 (Not the one from Ice Cold in Alex)
4. Auxiliary Territorial Service, England, 1944 Driven by Princess Elizabeth. 

[1] & [4] I’ve already built and I thought I was going to have to use [3] as a best fit for this one but on second glance, I discovered Airfix actually include a couple more undocumented decals which amazingly enable the build of a fifth version. Yes, you’ve guessed it, Airfix include a set of decals for ‘Katy’, the star of the “Ice Cold” film! Although entirely fictional they are perfect for someone like myself, looking to add this iconic model to my collection. 

In addition to the 20th Century Fox inspired decals, I made a few more modifications:

I split and painted the windscreen to reflect the configuration used in the film and added a rope to front of the vehicle; the one used to pull Captain van der Poel from the bog. 

I added a spade to the front of the cab; the one van der Poel took with him on his regular excursions and I’ve added a few figures to represent the main players: Captain Anson, with his drink issues, Sister Diana Murdoch, falling for the Captain, and MSM Tom Pugh, never without his hat and, with head in hands, the world on his shoulders! 

I’ve left the roof(s) unglued to provide access to the interior detailing which has meant a little gapping is unavoidable, but it’s the only way one is going to get to see the players in the back. And, oh yes, have you spotted the bullet holes? These broke 2 drill bits to add, but it wouldn’t have been Ice Cold In Alex without them! 

I’ve had so much fun with this kit, the next one is really going to be a challenge selecting, this being such a hard act to follow.

Austin K2/Y Ambulance

Next up on the bench is an old favourite from a few years ago, with interest rekindled by Modelu’s release of the Flying Nightingale figures. 

This is the Airfix Austin K2/Y Ambulance for which Modelu printed me a special set of 1:35 figures. I’m so looking forward to seeing this completed.

Working on the wood floor and interior painting. 

I applied some chipping fluid to the cab floor  between the wood effect and top coat painting. 

Today I had a little fun chipping that top coat off to reveal a weathered bit of wood below. Probably won’t see much of this but I’ll know it’s there.

I’m loving this Airfix Austin K2Y Ambulance. 

I built one of these 2 years ago but as I completed it with the rear doors closed, I never looked to paint or fit the stretcher carriers and am now having so much fun building this bit up. I also never remember the PE around the roof vents, is this a new addition or did I skip this? 

I now have all the main bits sprayed up for the grand construction. If I can get away with a firm dry fit, I’m also thinking of leaving the roof un-glued so that I can pop it off to view the detailed interior which may just have a Flying Nightingale within.

Wheels and chassis joined with the body and I’ve lowered one of the beds as seen in photos kindly shared with me by a fellow modeller.  

Lowering that bed should allow me to install my Flying Nightingale Modelu figures which I’ve given a spot of paint to and am now trying them out for size. 

Decals on … oh my these Airfix transfers were so much more delicate than I remember they were last time.

I lost ‘Pat’ somewhere on the table, will probably find it stuck to my arm later and needed to dig into my spares for the medical badge which I somehow stuck in the wrong place and then it wouldn’t lift again.

It’s amazing how even after all these years and the thousands of decals I must have applied I can still have so many challenges.

Airfix 1:35 Austin K2/Y Ambulance finished as a vehicle from 30 Corps, Royal Army Service Corps, with a couple of Modelu British soldiers receiving treatment from the RAF Flying Nightingales following the 1944 D-Day landings. 

I’ve left the roof unglued to give better access to the inside view which I hope you agree works. Having been torn with how much weathering to do I feel I held back a bit too much and so I’m less pleased with the finish I attained than with the pure enjoyment I had in the build itself. 

Next up will be another of these Ambulances which I’m keen now to build as a North African campaign version as seen in that classic film “Ice Cold in Alex”

Two down, one to go!

Supermarine Walrus

Having a rest from my Airfix Austin K2/Y ambulance and the Flying Nightingales to build the Supermarine Walrus I picked up from last week’s North Somerset Show. 

I’ve been on the lookout for one of these for some time. My inspiration for this build, for as you know there always has to be one, is an event in November 1939 when a plane struck a power cable at the RAF base in Malta sadly killing Flt Lt Patrick Booth R.N. and Leading Aircraftman Norman Burns. Norman Burns was my grandmother’s fiancée. 

While there had been vague family stories of this, full details were only discovered when clearing through old paperwork which included not only paper cuttings but letters, photographs and the saddest thing of all, the telegram!

So this has to be among one of closest builds to home that I’ve done. 

This old Walrus kit naturally has a good deal of flash to it, needed a touch of seam filling and I’m going to have to do something with the front of that engine!

The moulding for this same engine was lacking a hole for the propeller and instructions omitted this important feature too. I think the designer for this part definitely had his/her mind elsewhere when they threw this together. 

As this is going to be a pre-war 1937 Walrus, the next step is to give it all a coat of black primer ahead of a silver body and a return to that engine for some colour and detailing. 

Having masked that rather horrible canopy and given it a coat of silver / aluminium, I also decided on adding a missing hole where the air intake should have been and then reached for some pre- war roundels and random numbers from the stash. I do love the foot 👣 “walk here” markings which I used as Airfix intended directly from the kit.  

Once dry, I’ll add the wheels as although it would have been attached to HMS London’s catapult while at sea, while docked in Malta it was based on land at the RAF local airfield. 

Completed! 

Airfix’s 1957 tooled 1:72 scale Supermarine Walrus A02002 re-released with Adam Tooby box art and new decals in 2011. 

I chose to finish the kit inspired by the Walrus’s of 711 Sqn FAA RAF Catapult Flight flown from RAF Kalafrana Malta and attached to HMS London in 1937. Against my better judgment I even chose to add rigging to the wings and realise now why I build so few biplanes! 

Decals are a mix of Xtradecal 1920-1939 Pre-War Roundels and a random set of Model Alliance Wings of Silver aircraft numbers which look the part rather than me having any intention for them to exactly match the fated K8345, my inspiration for this build. 

RAF Douglas Dakota Mark III

Airfix 1:72 Douglas C-47 Skytrain finished as an RAF Douglas Dakota Mark III using Xtradecal after market decals for aircraft FZ692, known as ‘Kwicherbichen’, of No. 233 Squadron. Figures are the two sets of RAF Flying Nightingales, one with Wounded, from Modelu and the base is just something I threw together. The painting was predominantly airbrushed using Vallejo, including the D-Day stripes. 

It was 13 June, one week since D Day, when three nursing orderlies, Corporal Lydia Alford and LACWs Myra Roberts and Edna Birkbeck; each travelling in an RAF Douglas Dakota, departed from RAF Blakehill on the first casualty evacuation flights to Normandy. The moment of their return was captured by an official RAF photographer. The welcoming party of newspaper correspondents dubbed them the ‘Flying Nightingales’ and the name stuck. They were the first British women on active service to be flown into a war zone.

In recognition of their courage, Douglas Dakota ZA947 in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has been know to be painted to resemble Douglas Dakota FZ692 which took part in casualty evacuation flights with ‘Flying Nightingales’ after D Day.

Nice kit, fabulous figures and great fun all round. 

D-Day Spitfire Mk.Vc

A bit of 1:72 scale fun with an Airfix Spitfire MkVc and Modelu figures.

Here ground crew quickly apply D-Day invasion stripes to a Spitfire which tomorrow, 6th June 1944 will be engaged across the Normandy coast directing naval gunfire against stubborn enemy positions. 

P-38J Lightning

The Italeri P-38J Lightning finished to depict “BAMBI” of 55th FG 338th Fighter Squadron in its D-Day ground attack role.

I’ve painted a set of July 1944 invasion stripes and had to quite a bit of cutting and filing to rework the undercarriage flaps to go for the wheels up config as one of my scale modelling buddies, mr.airfox asked for.

The undercarriage and wheels are actually very nicely moulded but in order to avoid the inevitable tail sitter issues this will be mounted on a stand. 

As I’ve messed with Italeri’s plans to have their kit  finished with undercarriage lowered, I’m not now going to be able to display their lovely detailed cockpit interior with open canopy as many others have done.  An aircraft in flight, after all, has to have a pilot so I’ve had to raid my spares box! 

It looks good and sleek in the painted plastic but difficult to really see its beauty on its stand. I fitted drop tanks as just after D-Day Allied planes were still flying the channel as airfields were built and just check out those rocket launchers!

Dogfight Double - Me109 v Beaufighter

 Phew, this charity shop acquisition of Airfix A50037 1:72 scale Dogfight Doubles is finally complete.

This 2008 reissued set contains a 1973 moulding of a Messerschmitt Bf109G and a 1958 moulded Bristol Beaufighter TF.X. and without exception they are showing their age. 

I’ve finished the pair with brush using the provided pots of acrylic paint.  The Beaufighter is in the colours of 404 squadron Royal Canadian Airforce based at Wick in 1944 and the Bf109G as JG53 “Pik As” based in Sicily 1943. The likelihood that these would have, therefore, met in a dogfight is so unlikely to say the least. 

Being without doubt the worst kits and finish of any I’ve completed in quite some time, I fear for their future. I foresee a dusting disaster on the horizon!

Now back to the P-38 Lightening which has been patiently awaiting a return to the bench! 

Sherman Firefly Vc

 Next up .. the 1:35 scale British Sherman Firefly Vc from Dragon models. 

8 packets of sprue, 3D printed, metal and photo etched parts. Just look at that bag loaded with track pieces!

Making progress with the Sherman Firefly Vc. 

Having built dozens of these over the years it’s amazing how familiar the Sherman is to me. This is very fortunate as Dragon Models instructions are somewhat questionable, with important bits and steps overlooked, incorrectly numbered parts and a distinct lack of clear guidance on where some pieces even go.

This kit is a real mixed bag but I’m enjoying it and that’s the main thing 

The main elements of the Firefly are now together ready for painting. I still have the tracks of which there look to be over 100 pieces, but that’s for later.

My Dragon Models Firefly has now had its base camouflage colour applied over my favoured black primer. I know I some may say I should probably have gone with Olive Green but I want this to look 100% British and thus US Sherman colours are out! 

 

My assumption here is that although the host Sherman would have arrived from the US in its factory fresh olive drab, once the British had fitted their new and improved 17-pounder, they would have given it a fresh coat of paint.

I've, therefore, gone for a bottle of AK11373 Khaki Green No.3. from the AK Interactive paint set: "British Army Colours North-West Europe, 1941-44". I've never used this before, but it is apparently the green that the British Army used during WW2 and definitely has a more brown hew to that of the Olive Drab; I guess this also reflects the two nation's uniform choices, British khaki v US green. Food for thought.

Time for the tracks. These are the most detailed I have ever attempted and there are no flexible track alternatives! 164 parts and this is just part of one side! 

Day 3 on these tracks and the build goes on! 

I have never known anything like these from Dragon models. I’ve not counted all the bits needed but I can’t think there will be less that 300. 

It took around 500 pieces over 5 days to construct these tracks. While, I’m all for adding a bit more realism, I think Dragon Models lost the plot here. The instructions were less than helpful and eventual fitting around the rear and forward drive wheels appears all wrong. I’m just glad I recently picked up a big tub of Humbrol Smart Mud as this is going to be most handy in disguising this most disappointing finish

Well, I couldn’t leave those tracks looking like that after all. Another couple of house stripping them down and using fuse wire, superglue and a lot of trimming I’ve created a more realistic look but feel a good application mud will still be required.

I’ve also interviewed a 3DGizmo figure for the tank commander role. The Dragon Models figure is built, but I’m not sure he’s going to make the grade. Will see how both shape up as the build continues. 

Next up is the loading of accessories and fun weathering bit.

Finally! Dragon Models 1:35 scale British Sherman Firefly Vc in the markings of 13/18th Royal Hussars, 27th Armoured Brigade, Normandy 1944. 

Using Vallejo and AK Acrylics, Abteilung 502 oils, MIG Pigments, 3DGizmo figure and scratch built camo netting, apart from the 500 piece track design, this has been a joy to build! 

This completes my 1:35 scale D-Day80 AFV model collection … what next