Type II U-Boat

 My Type II U-Boat U20 is now complete. 

U20 was commissioned in February 1936 saw service first in the North Sea prior to being transferred to the Black Sea. In an attempt to avoid an overwhelming British presence around Gibraltar and throughout the Mediterranean U20 was broken into sections to be transported along the Danube to the Romanian port of Galați. She was then re-assembled at the Galați shipyard and sent to her new home in the Black Sea to serve with the 30th U-boat Flotilla against Russian shipping. 

She met her end, scuttled on 10 September 1944, in the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey. 

This 1:144 scale Type II is my second Revell U-Boat, the first being the 1:350 scale Type VII, both of which have been really nice to build, with what I think is some quality moulding and detail. I’m looking to use this in a B-24 Liberator diorama, so I’ve added a bit of poetic licence in applying an Atlantic colour scheme.

Type VII C U-Boat

My Type VII C U-Boat is now complete. This is U-96 as it was when it fought in the Atlantic between 1940-43. It met its end when it was sunk on 30 March 1945 at Wilhelmshaven by bombs during US air raid. 

During autumn 1941, war correspondent Lothar-Günther Buchheim joined U-96 for her seventh patrol. This experience was the basis for his 1973 bestselling novel Das Boot, which was adapted into the 1981 Oscar-nominated film.

The kit is Revell’s 1:350 scale which has some lovely detail considering its small size. I now need to decide if to use this or its 1:144 scale cousin in my B-24 Liberator diorama.

B24 J Liberator

 Just completed the first of a series of B-24 Liberators which flew from Dunkeswell, Devon, during WW2. 

This is US Navy B24 J Liberator B-6 “T” of VB-105, 1944-45. 

B-6 “T” was one of a few J-model Navy Liberators to retain the Emerson nose turret and a “high hat” upper turret. Note also the sea-blue replacement rudders. This aircraft was flown back to the US after the war. 

The model kit used in this build is the 1975 release of Airfix’s 1:72 B-24J Liberator with  generic decals from my stash. I scratch built the radar bubble replacing the belly gun turret and used Vallejo Air paints of White and US Navy Sea Blue to create, I hope, a passable likeness.

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The Kit

Brand:  Airfix
Title:   B-24J Liberator
Number:  05006-3
Scale:  1:72
Type:  Full kit
Released:  1975 | Rebox (Changed decals)

Curtiss P-40B Warhawk

On 7th December 1941 the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched a surprise attack on the then neutral United States. At just before 08:00 am, over 350 Japanese fighters, dive bombers and torpedo carrying aircraft launched from six aircraft carries in two waves against the Pearl Harbor naval base in Honolulu,  Hawaii. The intent being to prevent the US Pacific Fleet from interfering with Japanese planned military action against British and US South East Asian territories. Close to 200 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, every ship damaged or sunk and over 2,400 Americans were killed. This unprovoked attack led to the US finally entering WW2. 

In memory of this 80th Anniversary I have built 2 of the attacking Japanese aircraft: the Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bomber and the Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero fighter; and the defending US fighter: the Curtiss P-40B Warhawk. 

These are all from the current and excellent Airfix range of 1:72 scale kits. 

Nakajima B5N2 'Kate'

On 7th December 1941 the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched a surprise attack on the then neutral United States. At just before 08:00 am, over 350 Japanese fighters, dive bombers and torpedo carrying aircraft launched from six aircraft carries in two waves against the Pearl Harbor naval base in Honolul,  Hawaii. The intent being to prevent the US Pacific Fleet from interfering with Japanese planned military action against British and US South East Asian territories. Close to 200 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, every ship damaged or sunk and over 2,400 Americans were killed. This unprovoked attack led to the US finally entering WW2. 

In memory of this 80th Anniversary I have built 2 of the attacking Japanese aircraft: the Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bomber and the Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero fighter; and the defending US fighter: the Curtiss P-40B Warhawk. 

These are all from the current and excellent Airfix range of 1:72 scale kits. 

F-14A Tomcat

I feel the need, the need for speed! Maverick and Goose ready to launch in their F-14A Tomcat, their target being the Top Gun trophy. 

 

Spoiler alert 🚨 … it doesn’t end well! 

I found this mid 1970s Airfix kit - re-released to cash in on the Top Gun franchise (they saw me coming 🤣) - very dated. Raised panel lines, poor fit and plenty of flash led to a challenging build. Nice however to finally make use of my Italeri carrier deck!

Seafire Mk.XV

I made something a little different from this rapid build of Xtrakit’s Supermarine Spitfire Mk.22. This is my take on its cousin, the Seafire variant running the Griffin Mk 46 engine just before they added the dual propeller. 

Markings are of a Seafire Mk.XV 804 NAS HMS Theseus February 1947, so contemporary if not 100% accurate