Spitfire, Mk V Trop. Greek Air Force, 336 Squadron

Greece was defeated and occupied by the Germans in a lightning operation. However, this did not mean they stopped fighting. Pilots from that country managed to escape to Egypt, where, under the command of the RAF, they reformed a fighter squadron that fought alongside the 8th Army, following the entire route from the Egyptian border to the invasion of Italy.

In 1943, equipped with Spitfires modified with the Vokes air filter, they participated in the occupation of Italy, in the poorly organized and even more poorly executed occupation of some of the Dodecanese islands, and flew up the peninsula to the Battle of Rimini, fighting against the Luftwaffe, providing close air support, and patrolling the Adriatic and even the Aegean Sea.

 

But in September 1944, the German troops unexpectedly withdrew from Greece, so a force had to be urgently sent to fill the void and occupy the territory. Spitfires from the RAF's 335 and 336 Squadrons were sent, and as soon as they arrived back home, they reacquired their national markings. Although by 1945 the old Mark V Troops were already obsolete, they were no longer fighting the defeated Luftwaffe; they were only used for ground tactical support, a role they continued to fulfill until the end of the war.

Modelism

For decades, the only 1/72 scale Spitfire Mk V Trop model was the simple (though many would say rudimentary or prehistoric) model from PM, a Turkish brand somewhat uncommon in the West. They produced it in two versions: a local version with Turkish markings and an export version with USAAF markings. It was a simple model, technologically very similar to the old Airfix Mk IX, with few parts, one-piece wings, a very thick canopy, and practically no interior. However, it was very accurate in proportions and shape.

GALLERY

This is a PM model, but with modern modifications. When I imported these models, I kept this one. I recently assembled it with a new interior, a thermoformed canopy, and modern acrylic paints, all applied by hand using El Viejo Marino paint. It represents the aircraft in 1945, already based in Greece, without camouflage. It was believed that the weight savings improved performance.

 

 

P-38 LIghtning, Droop Snoot, Conversion, part 2

 

The P-38 Droop Snoot doesn't exist in 1/72. Here, I continue its conversion. I made the mold of the bomber's nose and thermoformed it with acetate from a supermarket meat tray.

 The pieces were now in place, adhered with white glue, and reinforced with epoxy modeling clay.

The nose was filled with acrylic filler to match. 

With the basic paint job complete, several coats of varnish are applied. I begin with the insignia.

Now for the air intakes. The Airfix model is a P38F, and the Droop is a conversion of a P-38J. I also built them with epoxy modeling clay. This sculpting process is quick and easy, but the drying time is not. I'm almost finished with the stars. The last correction is the toothpick tips.

I build the propellers on a metal axis (a nail), using acetate and epoxy modeling clay.

 

Once the model is finished, I apply another generous amount of varnish, in several coats, and place it inside a clear box to dry.

Ya terminado el modelo, le aplico otra generosa cantidad de barniz, en varias capas y lo pongo dentro de una caja transparente a secar

P-38 LIghtning, Droop Snoot, Conversion, part 1

 

One of my old 1/32 scale models was the Droop Snoot, a field-modified version of the P-38J that would serve as a Pathfinder bomber guide. Equipped with a Norden Secret Sight, it could signal bombers where to drop their cargo, either by having them all bomb as soon as they saw the leader do so, or by using flares or incendiaries to indicate the target.

I've decided to recreate it in 1/72 scale, using the Airfix Lodela model, which will require some radical changes, to begin with. There are no aftermarket models for this scale, so I'll have to use old-school scratch techniques.

 

First, the nose is different, very different. To incorporate a navigator, the Norden sight, a pair of portholes, and a bomber nose, which involves building them, since they are so different, I make a structure out of plastic rods from branches.

Now I shape them, filling them with epoxy modeling clay and sculpting them into the appropriate shape. This takes time, as it's a material that needs to be allowed to dry properly.

P-40 Collection 1/72

This is almost my entire collection of P-40s, from a Monogram P-36 to a P-40N curiously also from Monogram, although I suspect it is the old Aurora mold, I have old Lodela from the Optional Line for Collectors and Frog, also a new Hasegawa, P-40B / C / E / F / K / M / N, Tomahaw and Warhawk, I almost complete all the countries, although mixing the models in 1/144, 

 I still need some Egypt, Belgium, Holland, the one captured by Germany and the Finland, along with a fantastic one of Sky Captain and the one of John Wayne from the movie Flying Tigers, I have heard of one captured by Communist China and of course the P-40 Phantom, an Internet myth, but very good for modeling, also I am missing the P-40Q, which I will have to do from Scratch, as well as the experimental XP-42, 46 and 60.

I still need to photograph a few scattered pieces, along with the 1/144 and 1/48 copies.

 

The collection in its displays.

 

Mirage IIIE, Revell, 1/72, RAAF

 

 

I really like Australian-themed models. I already have a respectable number of models on that subject. One of the first was this Mirage III, from Lodela, one of Revell's lost molds. I assembled it in the 80s when the model came out in Mexico, based on the image of a RAAF aircraft in a book by Gunston.

I don't remember what paint I used, possibly Pactra, as at that time, the aftermarket didn't exist, I painted the badges, the only way to have models that didn't have the standardization of mass production. This became customary, so much so that I think that in my collection of Mirages almost none are direct from the stock market.

P-1D Mustang, Texas Terror, Revell's Collector's Choice

 This is a very old model, it has been in my collection for decades, it is from Lodela, from the Special Line for collectors, which I assembled in my childhood, in fact, it is the first one I finished with extended landing gear, because for me, since I was very young, it has seemed to me that the normal situation of an airplane is in flight, so almost all my collection is like that, except for rare, "commemorative" models, like this one.

And this one celebrates an era in my life, the era of Secondary School, that last moment of lack of responsibility in life, when the border between the carefreeness of childhood is replaced by the audacity of youth, when you change spending your weekends at home, painting and assembling for going to the cinema or in my time to the Disco, with some beautiful woman.

The model, as I said, is Lodela, 1/72 scale, the paint is Pactra (Green) and Lodela (Aluminum), the decals are the originals, the whole model was retouched by here and there, with El Viejo Marino Paint, only small peels and the darkening of the white, at that time I did not varnish my models.