The Hunters and the Hunted' - kits and reference material

[adt70hk]

Good evening all

So whilst this great forum was sadly in the doldrums I started expanding from 1/72** armour into 1/72** wingy things.  As a result I have acquired a 'few' such kits, even managing to build some! 

It really got going in late 2019, when I bought a 1/72 Eduard Profipack Messerschmitt Bf110 G-4 nachtjäger (the 110 is one of favourite planes).  Having done so, I thought it would be nice to have a Lancaster as a 'companion' protagonist; queue the arrival of the Lanc in early 2020.  Then as so often happens in our world, the idea mushroomed and went beyond two kits.

The end result is a modest  collection of 1/72 kits and reference material in some way shape or form connected to the British WW2 bomber offensive, with the title being as above - 'The Hunters and the Hunted'.

It obviously contains a number of the 'hunted' British bombers, as well as a surprisingly large number of German nachtjäger 'hunters'.  It also includes some of the British 'hunters' in the form of nightfighters and other 'intruders' that went hunting for the nachtjägd....and that of course were also hunted by those same German planes.  In addition to the wingy things, there will be some 'ground dwelling' kits e.g. AA guns, radar and searchlights.

Whilst it's impossible to do every single option/variant of the aircraft involved, I am aiming to do at least one version of the main.....and in some cases, minor.....protagonists.

It also contains a surprising number of books bought specifically to aid my background research and improve my knowledge in general.

This thread will be used as a record to show all the associated kits in their boxed state, alongside the relevant books, pictures of which will hopefully appears in the coming days.

The thread of completed kits for this 'collection' can be found HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!!

ATB

Andrew


** As you all know, the one true modelling scale!!

[stikpusher]

Oh I do like the sound of this theme! (Too bad it’s gonna be in 1/72 😉😜)

I’m looking forward to seeing the builds!

[Leon]

This is going to be interesting Andrew!

[adt70hk]

May 18, 2023 15:17:10 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Oh I do like the sound of this theme! (Too bad it’s gonna be in 1/72 😉😜)

I’m looking forward to seeing the builds!

Thanks!!  As for 1/72 no choice....even if only due to the space!

[adt70hk]

May 18, 2023 15:31:09 GMT -5 Leon said:

This is going to be interesting Andrew!

I hope so!! 

[adt70hk]

Ok so I really should be studying but here's the first set of pictures, the RAF contingent.

There is one genuine set of duplicates, not a double post!

The story behind the arrival of the Revell Dambuster Lancaster and accompanying book bears retelling, at least from my perspective:

During the COVID lockdown my wife opened the door to the Amazon delivery driver, took the parcel off him, shut the door, came to the bottom of the stairs and in a fairly accusatory (if not entirely unjustified) tone called up asking me "What have you been ordering now??"........in complete honesty I replied "Nothing" because for once I hadn't ordered anything.....

......then and to my eternal delight, upon opening the parcel, she discovered the note from my mate (via Amazon) wishing me a happy 50th birthday!


ATB

Andrew

[adt70hk]

OK, so next up the German contingent.  Obviously mostly nachtjäger but a few examples of items that stayed on terra firma.

The 110G-4 is the plane that started this whole collection off!

The AZ Model 109s are not a double post.....I did have to by two of the same kit....a long story about my incompetence!

These are in rough order of purchase IIRC.

ACW as usual.

ATB

Andrew

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[406 Silverado]

Some BEAUTIFUL kits that you acquired along the way Andrew!! Words just aint enough to say adequate comments about what I'm seeing!! Just beautiful dude!

[adt70hk]

May 20, 2023 19:02:03 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Some BEAUTIFUL kits that you acquired along the way Andrew!! Words just aint enough to say adequate comments about what I'm seeing!! Just beautiful dude!

Thanks Joe, glad you like them.

It took just over three years to put together, from early 2020 until March this year.  Although where the German Nightfighters are concerned, I really only started the quest in earnest April last year as I lay recovering from COVID.

Part of it was obviously cost, there are 24 kits after all and of course every one needs a mask where it isn't part of the kit; only the Bf110 G-4 and Bf109 G-6s came with canopy masks.  Then of course I had to add some PE bling for some kits!!  In the case of the Stirling, I got it shortly after release and so had to wait a number of months before Eduard put out a mask for it.

However, the biggest problem was sourcing some of the kits at reasonable price or even at all.  As you might have guessed from the state of some of the boxes, a quarter of the kits are actually second hand as they're long out of production and so I had to make extensive use of eBay, as well a second-hand kit model company here in the UK.

The Halifax was fairly difficult to source for a reasonable price.  Halifax did a re-boxing of an old 1970s Matchbox kit in the same box as their own, much newer, tooling and so you have to watch out for that.  They come up on eBay two or three times a week but they almost always go for at least £30 plus postage.  £40 is pretty common but I have seen them go for over £60 - a ridiculous price in my opinion.  I got lucky and managed and found a 'Buy it now' from a charity shop for only £24 delivered.

The Ju-88s were the trickiest though.

The Revell C-6 was very tricky and I have only seen three or four come up of this, their 'newer' tooling.  There is an old and poor 1970s Revell one doing the rounds for silly money for what it is and Hasegawa do one but the price for second-hand ones is through the roof and normally from Japan.  

As for the Zvezda G-6, that could have been the hardest, as I only ever recall seeing one come up.  But I got lucky and managed to grab it.  Again, Hasegawa do one but the price for second-hand ones is also ridiculous.

In both cases I had to resort to using a second-hand kit model company here in the UK, so paid a little bit more than I would have liked but not stupidly so.

Thanks again and glad you like them - I'm really pleased.  All I need to do now is find the time to make them!!

ATB

Andrew

[adt70hk]

Hi all

So the final instalment on this thread for the time being....my reference material....books and quite a few.

The COVID lockdowns gave me plenty of time to read.  Most were bought just to improve my general knowledge, whilst half the Mossie ones (not Haynes Manual and Combat Colours) were bought to solve a problem I had (watch this space)

You'll also see I have several books by former Luftwaffe pilots.  Most I still have to read but the JG 301/302 "Wilde Sau" book was recommended by a friend on the other forum I am on.  It is not a cheap book £20+ and it not a conventional book in the way the story is told but it is a very good book nonetheless.

He is a self-confessed nachtjäger nut and especially the Wilde Sau units, and so his advice was invaluable when I was making decisions on what German night fighters to buy.  He is directly responsible for me buying the two 109s and is indirectly responsible for another 5 of the German kits.

ATB.

Andrew

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FYI, these are in no particular order.


























First light is excluded from this collection,

[406 Silverado]

I've actually got Heinz Knoke's book "I Flew for the Fuhrer" and it's not a bad read. The rest of the material you have looks to be first class stuff. I'd like to have that Osprey book you scored.

[adt70hk]

May 26, 2023 17:22:19 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

I've actually got Heinz Knoke's book "I Flew for the Fuhrer" and it's not a bad read. The rest of the material you have looks to be first class stuff. I'd like to have that Osprey book you scored.

Thanks Joe.  Which of the Osprey books, the Aces of WWII?

ATB

Andrew

[406 Silverado]

The Modeling the Me110 book. I just aaaaaaalmost had me a Royal Class 110 kit

[adt70hk]

May 26, 2023 17:54:35 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

The Modeling the Me110 book. I just aaaaaaalmost had me a Royal Class 110 kit

Well Joe, once I'm finished with it, it's yours if want it (of course that could be a while given my build rate! ).  It's pretty small and light, so postage from the UK shouldn't be too prohibitive.

ATB

Andrew

[adt70hk]

Hi all

So this is the latest acquisition for this collection, which as you will have seen was a Father's day present from my daughter.

I've not read it yet but initial impressions are very promising.  It was only published in the Spring.

ATB

Andrew

[Tobi]

Now if all of that won't keep you busy for some time I don't know what. Great stuff!

[406 Silverado]

May 27, 2023 1:14:55 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

May 26, 2023 17:54:35 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

The Modeling the Me110 book. I just aaaaaaalmost had me a Royal Class 110 kit

Well Joe, once I'm finished with it, it's yours if want it (of course that could be a while given my build rate! ).  It's pretty small and light, so postage from the UK shouldn't be too prohibitive.

ATB

Andrew

We'll be tying up off to the side on that note Andrew. I actually do have the Aero Detail 110 book in pdf format if you're interested in that. I'll see if I can find the file.

[adt70hk]

Jun 29, 2023 0:59:39 GMT -5 Tobi said:

Now if all of that won't keep you busy for some time I don't know what. Great stuff!

Just a bit! 

[adt70hk]

Jun 29, 2023 5:17:33 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

May 27, 2023 1:14:55 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Well Joe, once I'm finished with it, it's yours if want it (of course that could be a while given my build rate! ).  It's pretty small and light, so postage from the UK shouldn't be too prohibitive.

ATB

Andrew

We'll be tying up off to the side on that note Andrew. I actually do have the Aero Detail 110 book in pdf format if you're interested in that. I'll see if I can find the file.

That would be brilliant - and very generous Joe!  Thanks.

Andrew

[406 Silverado]

Lemme see what I can do Andrew

[bradley25mm]

Some very unique kits you have. And a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to seeing these beauties built.

[adt70hk]

Jul 16, 2023 5:58:29 GMT -5 bradley25mm said:

Some very unique kits you have. And a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to seeing these beauties built.

Christopher

Thanks very much.  I really am very pleased with the collection.

You can find the builds I've finished so far, here: modelerssocialclub.proboards.com/thread/14325/hunters-hunted-completed-builds

Thanks for stopping by