N Scale Railroading 07-08 2008

For those of you following our series, welcome to the scenery techniques for the Spokane International Ry. If you're interested in modeling Northwest scenery for your portable layout or module, you picked a great time to join us. Before 1 get started, I was given the task to create the specific scenery found in the upper panhandle of Idaho. Mike Pagano supplied a few photos of the NP right of way cuts and fills plus the lake fill and the abandoned tunnel and the general hillsides for me to review (See figures 1,2&3).This gave me a feel of the area I was trying to recreate as a model. Traditional scenery material of plaster or Hydrocal was not what Mike had in mind for a lightweight portable project. I told him I had some experience with Styrofoam so Mike gladly gave me the job of getting the scenery looking like Mother Nature. The scenery techniques I am illustrating here can be adapted to other types of mountain terrain. Previously, Mike had designed and placed the track, structures, town, and lake. Now, my job was to make the ground scenery fit in naturally with these features. The final impression we wanted was for the entire layout to look realistic.

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N-Scale 05-06 2008

In early February, Kato released their version of the famous Southern Pacific GS-4 Daylight Locomotive #4449. I picked mine up on the 19th, sent it off to TopHobbyTrains of Staten Island, New York on the 22nd, and had it back on the 28th. It is now equipped with a Micro-Tsunami sound decoder and it sounds great. It also runs great. I put it through its paces on my layout to see just how it performed. I was a little apprehensive, having read quite a number of "tales of failures" from a couple of internet sites. With all of those in the back of my mind, I sent it off on my uphill, down dale layout with its many grades, tunnels and curves. I'm happy to report that I had not one problem of any kind. The traction tire problem did not rear its ugly head, nor did the uncoupling problem I had heard reported. The locomotive stepped right out and pulled the 10-car set of the Morning Daylight consist as though they were not even there. This trend continued when I added the four articulated chair cars that came as addon sets. In total, my Morning Daylight is over nine-feet in length. Admittedly my layout has grades of no more than 2%, but the way the loco strutted its stuff, grades of up to 4% should be no problem.

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The Bristol Beaufighter - A Comprehensive Guide for The Modeller

Just a couple of photos of Turkish Beaufighters of exist and most show them in their initial stages of use. All we can say here, until more definitive photographic evidence appears, is that these machines were Dark Green and Park Sea Grey over Medium Sea Grey. RAF roundels had been overpainted on the fuselage (in green), upper (green) and lower (light grey) wingsurfaces.The Type CI fin flashes were also still slightly visible under the overspruy of green. The entire rudder was red with the crescent and star insignia of Turkey in white high up on it (the crescent faced aft nn both sides). Turkish national insignia (45in square) were applied over the RAF roundels under each wing, although the photos do not seem to suggest that this was also done above the wings. A single call-sum letter (e.g.'R') was applied aft of the old fuselage roundel location in 24in high yellow characters.

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Scale Aviation Modeller International 2008 08

As we reviewed the interdictor Canberra a few months ago I am mainly going to concentrate on the specific PR.9 parts, but what I can say from my experience of this kit is that Airfix are back better than ever. This kit has used the least filler of any I can remember in the last five years, and remember this is a test shot! The cockpit area is the same as supplied in the earlier kit, which though nicely moulded is inaccurate for any PR.9 - not a problem for me as the interior is primarily black, but for those who want 100% accuracy there is room for some scratch building or the inevitable aftermarket set. As the ejection seat is the most obvious detail I replaced the kit part with a MB7 from Aires, which has a higher level of detail plus etched brass seat belts, all for £2.50. Not quite correct for a PR.9 but who's going to know if I keep it quiet. (You're fired! - Editor) Once completed the cockpit is located within the separate fuselage upper section. I added a little detail from wire to the rear turtle deck as photographs show two pipes wrapped in red insulation tape in this area which add a touch of colour to the predominantly black cockpit. The fuselage fit is superb and the bomb bays almost a snap fit.

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