From Lorenzo: Reach for the Sky CamoMint style - no guns just cameras (35pts)

This next offering is well off my beaten track and comfort zone - except that was not always the case.

I am offering it as a DIY kit bashing entry in the library. (20 points please)

As a kid I made kits and these were I think aircraft before I discovered tanks and AFV's I think I must have made a spitfire but only remember a Mosquito, a Blenheim Bomber and some biplanes! Once I discovered wargames it was all tank kits and the rest is history as they say. However last year a new Osprey publication caught my eye. All about Photo Reconnaissance in World War 2.

So eventually I got the book for Christmas as a gift, then there was AHPCXIV plus a trip to a Doncaster Toy Fair repleat with aircraft kits. The next minute I had bought my first aircraft kit in decades. I could be making spitfires for the next ten years easy - just off this one book. It is a seriously interesting story. As I bought two kits (in case I fouled up the first one) I am quite tempted to try the Soviet version or US version which was preferred over their own Mustangs! Where to start - at the beginning of course - so no flashy blue or pink for me (notoriety is that PR flew special pink versions for dawn or dusk tactical missions but no one it seems can quite agree on the shade of pink). I gave up when I stumbled across an online site explaining that many colour war images were actually laboratory created in the 1940's then subsequently rediscovered years later but without clear provenance they were not originals. The moral of this story is to stick with pre 1900 wars except you then get all the artists interpretations - basically you cannot win so paint what you like!). Instead I opted for a 1939 experimental Mk1 in - wait for it - CamoMint.

My small bit of online research confirmed that aircraft like ships and even tanks are a "technical" nightmare. Add to that the absolute perfection of images aircraft kit modellers post online, then I simply offer a suitably rustic view on what would become a very important part of military information collection.

Transfers were from a very fast Hannants delivery after another supplier failed to deliver for me.

In the book the early paint scheme shows no white on the fuselage roundels. I tested my painting skills on a spare transfer and decided to leave it white - my explanation is the painter was following the roundel painting standard! Apparently there were zillions of painting standards even before the war got properly going. Anyway thats my get out.

The green I opted for was a washed out vallejo AIR 71.009 green over a Miniature Paints Matt White used as a primer undercoat main colour. None of the other whites I had held on the plastic too my liking. MP Paints are sold by Coritani so good on them as I only had a few of their paints. They came to my rescue. I then overpainted the lot in VJ MC152 silver grey very well watered down. I kept thinking of those painters at some french airfield in 1940 with german armour blithely racing past ("nope - slap on another coat of camo mint white wash Aircraft Man Jones......") A rare photo of the experimental flight in operation on the ground in Nancy, France 1939 is included in the book.

Finally the completed model - ok I may well varnish it all matt and have a go at the white on the fuselage roundel. Out of interest I do not use airbrushes at all in my hobby, owned one years ago but decided I prefer the brush. So what you see is all slapped on with an equivalent standard royal airforce 6 inch brush. Except in one of the photos it shows a paint job being done with a real life paint sprayer - hey ho.

So AHPC14 has dragged me further off the beaten track so much so that next week will be a no show - sorry folks. Points tally - i am not sure 15 pts for an aircraft? 20 pts for DIY kitbash

20mm vehicle = 15 points

History = 20 points

 Total = 35 points

Sylvain: I really like the research you did on this model. It makes you look at the model in a different way. I also which I could have access to all the vendors in Doncaster Toy Fair... Great job on that Spitfire, it looks clean and ready for action. Another great posting from the Monday Crew!

P.S. I added you labels.