"Cookies" and other clever stuff: This website does not use "cookies"!
In truth I wouldn't even know how. To my mind, "cookies" are good for only one thing; eating.
Comments or suggestions regarding this web site are always welcome.
Please contact me via feedback@gengriz.co.uk
Please feel free to copy or use any of my model photographs except where I have specifically marked them.
I ask only that you give me credit for them (preferably with a link back to my site!)
and that you do not use them for any offensive, discriminatory, political or religious purpose.
Images on my website that are not my own and any content that is linked to this website from another
may be subject to specific copyright conditions. If in doubt, please e-
A number of Imperial War Museum pictures are used on this site under the IWM Non-
www.gengriz.co.uk is a privately maintained non-
a record of my model building activities and possibly as a reference for other modellers
who share my enthusiasm for aviation, would like to draw on my experiences of model kits,
or learn a little about the machines they represent and the amazing people connected with them.
© 2021 www.gengriz.co.uk
For model builds earlier than this, please use the “Last Years Models” links on the navigation bar.
February 2020 |
| |
|
A very long time ago, I was lucky enough to observe a series of large scale Soviet
Navy exercises off Murmansk. One of the things I really hoped to see was a Helix
helicopter, but only the much older Hormone put in an appearance. In retrospect,
I now think the Hormone is the marginally more interesting design and have already
built an Airfix kit of that type, but in any event, I have now assembled a Kamov
Ka- |
March 2020 |
| |
|
An important addition to my helicopter collection this month. The Sikorsky R- | |
|
|
A combination of early retirement and limited activity, as I seek to postpone the
arrival of the Coronavirus at home for as long as I can, has allowed me to do a little
more building than normal. As a result, I have a mid- |
April 2020 |
|
Lock- |
|
What a difference a month makes and not a good difference ! Although in lock- I’m spending a good amount of my spare time model making and have picked up on two old favourites for this month; a FROG Fairey Gannet, using the old Model Decal markings and a little bit of hacking to make a Gannet COD of HMS ARK ROYAL. | |
|
|
I’ve also added to my (not insignificant) collection of Hawker Sea Hawks, this time using the modern Hobby Boss kit to build an aircraft of 810 Sqn onboard HMS ALBION at Suez. The kit does provide these markings, but I have used another old Modeldecal set to correct a few small errors. |
May 2020 |
|
|
|
Throughout the last month I have continued building a few older favourites “with
a difference”. As a result, FROG and Airfix dominate, starting with a different
take on the old Airfix Fairey Firefly. As supplied in the box, this builds into a
grey and sky Mark V Firefly as used in Korea, however a few quick changes allow it
to be built as the short- Here then is my Firefly FR.4 from 814 Sqn, in HMS VENGEANCE in 1949. | |
|
|
Although the Mk.1 Firefly was pretty much obsolete by 1949, it still lasted a few
more years in RN service. Indeed, some of the first UN air strikes in Korea were
undertaken by Royal Navy Mk.1s (accompanied by Seafires) from HMS TRIUMPH. This
is one from a more peaceful setting, an aircraft of 766 Sqn at RNAS Lossiemouth in
1949 wearing the post- |
June 2020 |
|
What strange and sad times we live in. As a”shielded” person with an underlying condition, I’ve been stuck at home; thank goodness for the internet and modelling! |
|
This month marks the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of St Valery- For no particular reason, I have added two US Aggressor aircraft to my collection. Firstly, an Italeri F- | |
|
|
Then, not quite so pleasant or as detailed but still enjoyable, the 1980s era Airfix
F- Take care everyone - |
July 2020 |
|
|
|
During lockdown I’ve made quite a few kits, but these are probably my favourites so far. Harking back to the late 1980s, this is a Fujimi F- | |
|
|
Then, a slightly different slant on a UK Phantom - |
August 2020 |
|
|
|
Some additional F- First then is the new Phantom FG.1 of 892 Sqn Fleet Air Arm in HMS ARK ROYAL, 1977. | |
|
|
Then, depicting a newly delivered Phantom FG.1 of 767 Sqn at RNAS Yeovilton, with
the unmodified F- Finally, with a total of 6 Phantoms now in my collection, I have taken a few group
shots and added two new F- |
September 2020 |
|
|
|
Whilst waiting for my latest Phantom to dry/set/complete, I started a quick build of an old FROG Buccaneer to join it. This one uses some Xtradecal markings to represent a Buccaneer S.2 aircraft from 801 Sqn in HMS HERMES, serving in the Mediterranean during 1968. As the smallest of the RN’s 1960s carriers, HERMES struggled to operate large modern aircraft, but nevertheless played her part in full. | |
|
|
Then typically, I had the Buccaneer bug, so had to build another. As a result of
the 1960s RN Carrier force draw- Here then is one of those early transferees, a Buccaneer S.2A of 12 Sqn at RAF Honnington in 1969, looking all shiny and new. |
October 2020 |
|
|
|
Built last month in recognition of the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day, this is the old (1973) FROG kit of a Grumman Avenger, operated by 857 Sqn of the British Pacific Fleet . The FROG kit may be old, but in 1/72 scale it can still hold its head high. | |
|
|
This one was in fact built back in the depths of the April 2020 lockdown. It’s another old FROG, this time the Martin 167 Maryland, as operated by 771 Sqn Fleet Air Arm and representing the Royal Navy reconnaissance aircraft that confirmed that the German battleship Bismark had sailed from her Norwegian lair in 1941 . |
November 2020 |
|
|
|
This month I have started on a slightly longer term aircraft project, so to keep things going until I have something I can show, here are two AFVmodels that were built earlier in the year. The first is the Trumpeter LAV-
| |
|
|
Secondly, a Cougar MRAV engineer vehicle, as also used by the USMC in Afghanistan
and Iraq. The British Army also uses a variant of this vehicle, albeit more heavily
armoured. This was one of the mysterious Chinese “4D” models that appear on e- |
Gengriz Scale Modelling Website
My virtual Display shelves -
December 2020 |
|
What a nightmare year this has been, but it’s nearly over now, so here is something
special from the What- |
|
This is the Project X Vacform of the Hawker P.1121 “Hurricane” from the late 1950s / early 1960s. I’ve chosen to represent a Hurricane of 603 Sqn Royal Auxiliary Air Force, providing air defence of the Northern Region. This is also, in a roundabout way, my 2020 Battle of Britain memorial build, since 603 Sqn, flying Supermarine Spitfires, were the highest scoring squadron in the battle. Thank you to those who have read the website and commented on my models over the year. Take care of yourselves and those around you. Enjoy your Xmas break as best you can and I wish you all the very best of luck for a better 2021. |
January 2021 |
|
|
|
Over the Christmas break I have been occupied building a number of small trainers.
First up is this Airfix Shorts Tucano T.1 of No.1 Flying Training School, Linton- | |
|
|
The Tucano was accompanied on the training syllabus by the Grob Tutor T.1. This is a Tutor of 727 Naval Air Squadron, which conducted Flying Grading for new RN pilots out of Plymouth Airport, then at RNAS Yeovilton. The kit comes from Heritage Aviation models in resin, vacform and white metal. |