Recent Posts

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 ... 10

Upgrades and Life Extensions GB / Re: Saladin R

« Last post by Old Wombat on Yesterday at 01:38:57 AM »

Thought this might amuse you;

From over on What If Modellers;

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=30511.msg1111775#new

Upgrades and Life Extensions GB / Re: Saladin R

« Last post by Claymore on April 18, 2026, 11:43:38 PM »

A few more bits of detailing and a spray of primer helps bring the wee beastie together and all for a little over £5 - bargain!

Upgrades and Life Extensions GB / Re: Saladin R

« Last post by Claymore on April 18, 2026, 11:36:45 PM »

With the Tamiya and Dragon models off the cards, I contemplated (for a few nano-seconds) butchering the Airfix Saracen when it eventually comes out. However:

1) The model isn’t due to be released here until the end of next month.
2) Any conversion would still be a massive undertaking - same goes for the Stalwart.
3) I have a bit of a soft spot for the venerable Saracen having stooged around in one out on the ranges and it remains one of the few models I would (will) build out of the box rather than chop up out of hand.

So, that left me looking at my entry-level Creality 3D printer wondering what might be possible. With 3 different Saladin and one Fox CVR(W) CAD files to play with a lot of accuracy and scaling checks followed which resulted in one of the Saladin being immediately rejected when it became obvious that it was essentially just a copy of the inaccurate Tamiya offering. I also had to account for the limitations of my filament printer by removing any and details that wouldn’t print. That pushed my abilities and that of my school-boy CAD program to our limits but eventually I got there and it was time to release the dogs of war - well, more like the poodles of printing!

The removed/missing detail all had to be replaced from the spares box or manufactured but the end result is pretty close to what I was after…

Upgrades and Life Extensions GB / Re: Chinese Ilushin Il-10 with turboprop

« Last post by Old Wombat on April 18, 2026, 09:18:27 PM »

OK, I'm watching!

Upgrades and Life Extensions GB / Chinese Ilushin Il-10 with turboprop

« Last post by MAT on April 18, 2026, 08:37:49 PM »

The Ilyushin Il-10 entered service in the Soviet Air Force in 1944, and became the standard ground attack plane for the Warsaw Pact. Communist China received 254 Il-10s, which served in the Assault Aviation Divisions of PLAAF.

But by the late 1960s these plane were becoming increasingly obsolete. So to extend the life of the Il-10, the PLAAF decided in 1969 to put an turboprop engine in the old airframe. Two testplanes were build. But time was up for the old planes, and in 1972 the Nanchang Q-5 Fantan jet fighter-bombers entered service.

But what-if the development of the Q-5 ran into troubles, and the beefed up Il-10s entered service.

My build will be based on a Kovozavody Prostejov kit from the 1970s, which I picked up in another century in what was then know as Czechoslovakia.