High Planes Models Gloster E.28/39

Usman Ansari
Looks alright.

What's this HPM kit like? Is it worth getting?

Jan Peters
Very nice 👍🏻

Robert Podkoński
Fantastic effect (even more taking into account the quality of the kit... 😉 )

Bruce Probst
Thank you for the kind words. Here's what I wrote on another forum at the time I made it:

"I found this kit to be a struggle to build and was annoyed at the difference between the accurate exterior and the mostly absent interior -- and what interior there is doesn't fit very well. Lots of scratch-building and fettling was required, and a fair amount of filling at the wing joints. Painted as "first flight" scheme, I used a combination of ancient Humbrol acrylics (originally purchased in 1989!) for the DE and the Yellow, with LifeColor DG from their "Battle of Britain" set. Sealed with Future; the decals came from a variety of sources: the serial number comes from the kit decals, the fuselage and under wing roundels from an old ModelDecal sheet, the upper wing roundels from an Xtradecal sheet and the fin-flash was sourced from a spare sheet I had from an Airfix Spitfire Mk.I kit. All the decals went on smoothly except for the Xtradecal roundels which wanted to fracture, but I coaxed them back into position OK. I sealed the decals with another coat of Future and then applied a matt varnish. Unfortunately this last coat scoffed at the supposed protective qualities of Future and attacked the paint at various locations. The upper-wing roundels (and only those) became clouded. On the lower surface, large areas of the yellow paint cracked like concrete. Not flaking; the paint coverage is still good! Just what was once smooth ... now isn't. I touched up what I could. It is what it is."

Usman Ansari
Thanks Bruce.

Well...unless I can pick one up dirt cheap I may give it a miss then. The one I'd seen online was a little expensive to justify buying considering what you went through with it, and there little 'fins' missing off the rear horizontal control surfaces that would need to be scratch built too. Not a big deal, but should've been included I reckon.

Anyway, you did a great job. It looks good.

Robert Podkoński
If I may suggest you something, Usman - try to find Special Hobby kit of Gloster E.28/39 instead.

Usman Ansari
Robert, thanks for the suggestion. I'll do that!

Bruce Probst
The rear "fins" are not supplied in the kit, but they were not fitted for all flights. You need to research carefully for the specific flight that you intend to model -- colours, markings and aircraft configuration varied slightly each time.

Usman Ansari
Ah, I learn even more. Thanks Bruce. If I can grab one of these cheap I probably will then.