Building the Airfix 1/72 scale "D-Day Air Assault" diorama set Part three - the troops

[@brianartillery]

Those figures have stood up really well - I can remember playing with these back in the 1970's. One of them, the running pilot figure, was carried with me everywhere for years. I was an avid reader of the 'Biggles' books at the time, and I'm sure that had something to do with it. It wasn't until fairly recently, that I noticed that the crew person holding that .303 aloft, is a lady of the WRAF.

[@SteamGeezerUK]

That's a woman? I'll have to have another look 🙂 I've always been a big fan of the Biggles stories too. I'm sure I have a Camel somewhere - might have to dig it out and build it...

[@wonsworld61]

brilliant .. some of them are right out of the 1966 Battle of Britain movie :)

[@SteamGeezerUK]

Thanks, I appreciate it 🙂

[@stealthracer]

Couple of little hints! 1) I've found Humbrol acrylics spray beautifully, if you use Tamiya thinners. 2) To paint a figure, try cutting the base off before you start painting. Then drill a small hole up into the leg, to insert a length of wire to hold it by.

[@SteamGeezerUK]

Interesting about the Tamiya thinner. I usually stick to each manufacturers' own brand, so I tried it with Humbrol acrylic thinner, but I'll try it with the X-20A and see what happens. As for drilling into the legs, that's normally what I do, but these things are made of an awful rubbery material that makes drilling like that extremely difficult, but it's a good tip in 99% of cases 🙂

[@julianbye9066]

The figures look amazing. You've inspired me to build mine next

[@SteamGeezerUK]

I'm very glad to hear it. Feel free to drop by the Staff Canteen on Facebook and share some pictures when you're done 🙂

[@shankershaft]

They look great ! NICE WORK !

[@SteamGeezerUK]

Thanks, I appreciate it 🙂

[@the-primered-thumb]

Nice moustache painting there mate, nice one 😉👌

[@ianthomson9363]

You can almost hear him saying 'Tally Ho, chaps!'

[@SteamGeezerUK]

Thanks, I appreciate it. Honestly, I've seen people paint figures at this scale where you can count the nose hairs. It blows my mind... 🙂

[@nigelbranthwaite8471]

Did you note that WAF has a mustache, funny but mean. Do agree some of the Ground Grew has some very good details ( for its age)was able put their rank on there should when I did a small diorama using an Airfix 1/ 76 AEC Matador lorry which I converted to a RAF flatbed. All done when my eye sight was good , not like now were I have to where Hobby classes, Dam Old Age.🙄

[@SteamGeezerUK]

The woman doesn't have a moustache, the officer does 🙂The detail in parts of these models are so good, it's a shame they're let down by poor moulding on other parts and the horrendous mould lines, plus a weird choice of material. I wonder if these would come out better in styrene rather than this rubber stuff...

[@aleksanderk6311]

What’s the best way to clean those rubbery mould lines… here must to be a good way to

[@SteamGeezerUK]

If anyone knows, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

[@brianartillery]

​@@SteamGeezerUK - A risky, but successful method I have used in the past - and it IS risky, so please don't blame me if it all goes horribly 'Pete Tong' - Light a candle (not a tea light, you want a larger flame), and getting your flashy figure, I used to stick a darning needle through the base, as a handle - pass the figure quickly through the flame. This should melt the flash/mould line, and not the figure. 'Quickly' is the operative word here. Literally pass it through the flame at the sort of speed you'd put your finger through, to annoy parents with. Should you end up with a molten blob of plastic singeing the tablecloth, you went too slowly, and the sky will fall in. Practice on a couple of dull figures, ideally.

[@ianthomson9363]

I'd love to know why originally Airfix moulded their figures in this awful material and why they still persist in using it. Why not use the styrene that's good enough for everything else? The results look good though.

[@SteamGeezerUK]

Thanks mate. I honestly have no idea. Maybe it works better for these smaller figures or something, or maybe they bought a job lot of it and they're determined to use it up? It's not nice stuff to work with though.

[@brianartillery]

They were originally made as toys and polyethylene, the plastic they sre made from, was seen, in the 1950's as a durable, harmless and safe material for children to play with - the first few sets were rather crude, but got replaced with better ones when Airfix realised that people were using them in wargames, etc. Interestingly, the 'R.A.F. Personnel' figure set, had it's origins in the set of groundcrew (in hard styrene), included in the 'Refuelling Set' kit.