Lovely modelling Kevin, particularly impressive in such a tiny scale.

Thanks for the compliments gents, appreciated. Here it is, declared as finished. The photo's are not the best but it gives an impression of the finished model representing the 421 Flight Spitfire Mk IIa flown by Pilot Officer Keith Lawrence during November 1940.

Thanks for the complimentary remarks chaps. I don't feel it's one of my better efforts overall. I was pleased however with how the Vallejo Metal on the airframe turned out. It just might turn out to be my go to for natural metal finishes.

Declared this one finished this afternoon. Generally enjoyed the build with the exception of the cockpit. Internal detail disappointingly crude and the vacform canopy bears only a passing resemblance to shape of the area of the fuselage it is supposed to fit onto.

There are two schemes in the 'standard' kit. One for it in the 1940/41 scheme and the second for it's appearance at the MAF air show in 1956 and subsequent display in the Air Force museum in Rome.

The What if  idea is quite fanciful because with a top speed of just on 230 mph it was slower than a Wellington bomber and that's before any armament was added to it.

Anyway before I got highjacked by Biggles intrusion I was about to post todays up date on the Spitfire. Here it is just out of the spray shop painted in the delicious but elusive late 1940 'Sky Blue'. It'll disappear now for a couple of days for the paint to properly dry out.

Great work here Andy, the shading works well. To my eyes it's an ugly looking beast even by tank standards.

Over the years I've been fascinated by some of the research aircraft particularly early jets. Spying this Valom kit at Telford ignited yet another build theme for me. Here's the first of what could be a long line but in reality will probably only amount to a very few pioneering aircraft.

Two Caproni Campini N.1's were built however only one has survived and is now displayed at the Italian Air Force Museum at Vigna di Valle, near Rome.

The Valom kit is a mixed bag being dimensionally accurate with fine surface detail however the cockpits are woeful. The etched instrument panels share only a vaguely shape to the fuselage contours, the joystick control wheels are massive and crudely moulded. There is no way this model will be finished with open cockpits.

This afternoon I sprayed it with Vallejo Metal Color over their black surface primer and am pleased with the result.