Blackburn Buccaneer, 1:72

End-opening box - would much rather have a top-opener, easier to keep the unused parts in there then as I go along.
Should've gone for one of the other variants really, to keep up my vague Fleet Air Arm theme.

I suspect that painting the crew will be the slowest bit. Got to make sure I get them sat off-centre from each other as much as possible - the kit seems to have them sat directly tandem, which isn't right.

20g? 20g? What were Matchbox/Revell expecting me to use - depleted uranium?
Packed the nosecone with mini lead shot and only managed 10g. This plane is going to be a tail-sitter unless I can pack some more mass into the forward fuselage ]:->
“I'm sure that in 1974, depleted uranium was available in every corner drugstore, but in 2020, it's a little hard to come by..."

Some assembly required.

Getting some coats of paint onto her (very slow progress due to work - started in August, this is November!)

Legs, doors and that HOOFING great wing-mount pitot tube fitted - surely Matchbox have over-scaled that?? It could double as a lance...

She's on her feet (and has a first coat of varnish): very pleased to report that the ~20g mass I had to ram into the nose cone and under the cockpit (see earlier!) has done the job - no tail-sitting or wheelies here.

Disappointingly few decals on this model - guess it's of its time.

Two-tone filter applied, and some smudgey exhaust wash. Going to let this dry and then get busy with a Q-tip cotton bud and some thinners to tidy it up. Oooh, and peek-a-boo aircrew!