My dad and I built the Airfix Sterling back in the sixties. Black plastic leviathan that hung from the ceiling in my bedroom. Dad was in the REME during WW2, at one stage seconded to USAF. We built B-17 "bit ol lace" and he regaled me with stories of the plane together with mustangs and Thunderbolts. Great kits and a wonderful Dad who I still miss. Loved this video.
My Grandfather flew the Stirling during the war. As I understand it, owing to it being designed and built before the outbreak of war, it’s wingspan was limited to allow it to fit into the hardened hangers that the RAF had built. This made the aircraft effectively obsolete due to it’s limited ceiling. As such my Grandfather mostly flew supply missions for the Dutch underground. Flying alone in the dead of night over occupied Europe. He was also involved in Operation Market Garden, towing gliders into Arnhem. An ill conceived plan in a terrible war that he and his crew made it through miraculously completely unscathed.
The thing about hangar doors is a myth. Much more complicated reason but essentially it was a weight issue. The Stirling had to requirements that the other heavies didn’t have to meet
It's just possible that your grandfather met my late parents as Dad was an engine mechanic and Mum a WRAF on Stirlings. They would talk about them setting off towing gliders for Operation Market Garden and the Dutch relief flights you mention. Dad converted to Merlin engines and was sent to the Japanese theatre.
My dad told me about the food droppings by these planes that saved his life and alot of peoples lives in the Netherlands. Thank you all brave people who liberated the Netherlands from the facists. We will always remember XXX
That's glorious. My uncle died in a Stirling crash in July 1943 - 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF. I'd love to build one of these as a remembrance - but yours has put anything I could do to shame. Great stuff.
Don’t let that stop you building yours! My grandfather died in a Wellington crash. I made a model of it as tribute but it would never make it to UA-cam! 😅
My late father was a ground crewman with 75 ( NZ).. He joined the Squadron when they were transitioning on to Lancasters at Mepal. He said that the Stirling was the only plane that he could walk under when the props were turning
Building mine from scratch using thin cardboard sheet, but had no idea of what the interior looked like, now i do! Thank you, itll really help. Yes, i make every part myself. To be different, im making the mk2 that would have been Canadian built with American engines.
My last kit was made 35 years ago using a tube of polystyrene cement and four little cans of Humbrol enamel. This vid was a revelation - all that detail, some of which you probably cannot see. Well done!
Lovely model! This brings back some distant memories for me too. In 1975 I started going to my local Methodist Church and discovered one of the stalwarts was the widow of a Stirling crew member and had been since 4th September 1943. She never remarried. Her late husband was Sgt. Robert Otley Lander, RAFVR. He was lost with his comrades in Stirling Mk III S/N BK774, markings LS-K of 15 Squadron The aircraft was lost close to the Danish coastline on a mine laying sortie. Sgt Lander and some of his comrades are buried in Frederikshavn Cemetery. What brave lads. And what pain Sgt Lander’s young wife must have gone through, like so many others. She talked to me about this just the once and, I think, only because she knew I was interested in WW2 history, particularly the RAF.
I built the Airfix Short Stirling, purely to get my hands on the tractor. That would have been in the mid 1970s. Sadly my Stirling has long since been lost to the sands of time, but I still have the tractor. I was delighted to see this Italeri build. A lovely trip down memory lane. Cheers Greg.
I was worried at first that this might be a re-boxing of the old Airfix kit, but was pleasantly surprised to see the better fit from the new mold, and improved decal sheet from the newer Aliteri effort. You did a really nice job.
@@markuspemler3489 Wenn du Airfix-Bausätze schon als Müll bezeichnest, dann solltest du mal Bausätze der Firma MACH 2 kennenlernen! Dagegen sind selbst die alten Airfix-Bausätze Muster an Präzision und Passgenauigkeit! Leider hat MACH 2 ausgerechnet etliche Bausätze herausgebracht, an die kein anderer Hersteller heranwollte. (z.B. Heinkel He 111 B, Blohm & Voss Bv 142, Bv 139 oder Dornier Do 26) Wer aus diesen "Bausätzen" etwas brauchbares und ansehnliches machen möchte, muss schon masochistische Anwandlungen haben! Momentan haben sie noch die Junkers Ju 352 und die Heinkel He 114, angeblich mit neuen Formen hergestellt.
My great uncle was killed in a Stirling from 199 Squadron, Sept 15-16, 1944. I was always looking for a kit to build and now, especially with the 199 squadron aircraft shown in the decal sheet I have to find this one an build it. Thanks for posting. Cheers
Great to see fine details of the interior and imagining where my grandfather sat as navigator over a two year period, hunting U-Boats in the Atlantic, whilst stationed in Cornwall in the Czech RAF. He had the unusual accolade as having started the war as a navigator in the Luftwaffe, then most of the remainder in the RAF. There was a perfectly good explanation!
David R Lentz, Columbus, Ohio, USA (Sunday, 8 September, 2024) A re-boxing of the Airfix kit, complete with a tractor and amply laden bomb trolleys. Had I the money, I would have bought it for sentimental value, rebuilding what I decades past had assembled as a boy, quite as you have. Your video is a double treat: 1) a fond stroll down memory lane, and 2) an opportunity to learn how better to make of it a serviceable replica. Here in the States, several Airfix kits, for their shortcomings, hold a tender place in my heart: the de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito Mk IV light bomber, renowned as “the wooden wonder” racing across Germany’s skies regardless of the hour! The Avro Lancaster RAF four-engine heavy bomber, long recognised for its cavernous bomb bay; incidentally, has Airfix offered a mark with the Bristol Hercules 14-cylinder radial aircraft engines (as well as one with a set of the Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12 motors)? The Handley-Page Halifax RAF heavy bomber, an always reliable performer (I believe with four Bristol Hercules radials, at that), both of which I had constructed airborne en route to Nazi Germany’s industrial centre. The Short Stirling, the RAF’s third big warbird (I greatly enjoyed the tow tractor and trolleys; they are why I had built the long æroplane aground, displaying it undergoing preparatory servicing prior to some nocturnal, secret sortie somewhere over Nazi-held Europe), and the Vickers Wellington RAF Medium Bomber, known for its geodesic construction (I to my regret cannot recall the mark number of the latter four). At 3:00 in your video, I see on the sprue four radial engines. Are those the kind I had mentioned? This kit is of FAR better detail than the iteration of the Airfix Short Stirling model I recall as a boy, so this looks to be no mere re-boxing! Your assembly of the interior, especially the flight deck, is absolutely extraordinary, especially given the small scale of this kit. Incidentally, do any model makers produce any 1:48th-scale kits of this big warbird, the Halifax, and/or the Wellington bombers? All in all, a genuinely excellent job, mate! Now make them again, please! This time, all of them airborne, the propellers spinning, the crew members at their combat stations, all flying in close formation. Perhaps the speedy Mosquito is in the lead as a pathfinder.
I really enjoy your videos and especially your methodology, no nonsense, no pontificating on the best way of modeling. I like your choices in subjects as well. Keep these video’s coming!
Every time you start your videos and you do that "hi" with you arm, it reminds me of driving in the rain and watching my windshield wipers go back and forth !!!
Hey, Greg! Manuel here from Spain sharing the same feelings with that old Airfix Stirling kit. My father and I went to the models shop and it was love at first sight. We built it together, black plastic and huge wings! Still one of my favorite moments with plastic models, thank you for this wonderful video. Lots of good memories are back.
One of your build videos dropping on a weekend is a real treat to watch with my morning coffee. Takes me back to Saturday morning TV as a kid. The video is exactly as long as it needs to be and packed with information and tips and a friendly, no-nonsense approach to each build. The builds are always outstanding, but I’m also impressed by the way in which you know what you want to build and you put in the work to do it that way. Thanks Greg - impressive stuff.
Just watched this again. I love the detail in the cockpit, such as the navigator's table. This aircraft must have been a real handful to land, with such tall undercarriage.
I have been entertained! I reckon Italeri owe you big time- a huge thank you and a hand signed card every xmas at the very least for sorting this one. Awesome work!
Thank you so so much for this video Greg. So many tips and tricks I will use when building this, my first kit in about 20 years! I couldn't believe it when I (Tom) spotted this kit in a local model shop the other week, and the decal sets included, Goosebumps everywhere. EX-G - The Gremlin Teaser was my Grandads aircraft, so seeing it reproduced brings back a huge wave of emotions. And as an extra bit of nostalgic magic, he was also Squadron 199's artist, so painted the very distinct nose art, including the lady who my Gran was VERY much not a fan of! He also painted the Stirling mural housed in RAF Hendon. The squadron has a very interesting history, and was involved in operation Window during D-Day, dropping vast amounts of aluminium strips as a radar decoy. (so the bomb loadout might be incorrect) Currently researching all the kit and best paints I need to give this build my best shot, as a tribute to a talented artist and engineer, who I sadly never got to meet. Thanks again, excellent build.
Bonjour de France Merci pour vos vidéos très intéressantes Et celle ci , qui me motive pour commencer la boîte du Stirling que j’ai depuis quelques années ! Bonne continuation Très amicalement Philippe
I had one oif the Airfix Stirlings you mentioned. The plane it'self is long gone, but the tractor now lives, battered and rusted besides a barn on my model railway.
I’m looking at this having done the Airfix kit when I was an ill kid some 50 years ago. Then, the kit, crude by todays standard, was great because it had more parts than the others. I’ve bought this kit because me wife’s [first marriage] father-in-law died as a rear gunner in a 149 Sqn Stirling in 1943. I feel like a good Paint By Numbers hobbyist looking at a lecture by Turner or Stubbs . God, how inadequate I feel.
My uncle lived near a church where three airmen are buried. Their sterling crashed into the water close to the town he lived in. Beside their grave is a propeller from their plane. And it is in remarkable good shape considering that the plane crashed into the water. Last time I saw the graves the propeller hub had been removed, I think the entire prop will be going through some conservation this winter. And I think next year it will be the 80th anniversary of the crash
Man, you have great memory. I don't have the guts to remove everything from a sprue and try to remember its adjacent number as I might get it confused. LOL! Man, o man, your kit looks very realistic as always! Great job Greg!🤠
Wonderful build wish Airfix would do a new Stirling in the early war years one of these was hit with our own guns, approaching The east coast the crew all got out and landed in our village Roos nr Hull.
OH dear Greg ! YES searched the last night between all that Boxes from moving to new home... AND YES right next to me now there is the airfix Box with that nice drawing on: the Short Stirling =)) AND YES i dream of a Dio with that tractor trolleys and arfix arifield vehicles and some "Männle" =) ) here goes so many wrong... you bring such a great smile on my face in this times ! Thank You !
just simply wonderful . my late great uncles had a friend who flew with 90 squadron , sadly he and his crew never came home , but both my late great uncles survived the u boat menace , thanks for the build tips , from lancashire
Hi Greg very nice build & story me personally still get that buzz when I get new kit Of late black jack display typhoon from conninsby just down the road&seen last 2times doing gardening typical &belkits mg metro 6r4 seen many times at Caldwell & very privileged to get passenger ride at bomber command centre this year great work as always Greg thank you jon
Wow! another beautiful build Greg, a little bit of scratch build mixed with an impeccable paint job. Always look forward to your videos. I grab a coffee and I’m ready to go.
Guess what is sat next to my desk ready for assembly. Yes this is the third iteration of this kit, the other two being the Mk. I and the Mk. IV glider tug I think. I have made the Mk. I and found it a fine kit; the panel lines look fine when painted, and require a lot less fannying around with washes etc. I could be wrong but on my Mk. I the injector pin marks were all where they wouldn't really be seen... let's see about them when I build this beauty, thank you for making the kit and the video!!
Fantastic job as always Greg. So glad you represented one of 199 Sqn’s, as it was my fiancée’s grandad’s squadron (he was a mid upper gunner in these beasts and his records show he flew in both R for Roger and G for George). I haven’t touched a model since my teen years, but when my son’s old enough, we’ll give this kit a go! 👍
Every time i see a built model it always strikes me as something that belongs in a museum for many others to see and appreciate because of the craftsmanship and the history it represents, but also because it's such a thing of beauty.
Amazing work as ever Greg, and truly hypnotic watching your videos. What a great looking bomber. I was looking at this kit myself, but now I’m coming to the end of Italeri’s 1:48 Wessex Uh-5 coastguard, it’s put me Italeri for life 😩 Thanks for sharing as ever. Jase 🇬🇧
The "injector pin marks" are actually marks from *ejectors,* pins that should sit flush while a part is cast and then push outward to help release the parts from the mold. Unfortunately, they tend to stick to far in or out, leaving obvious marks.
Hi Greg - I have a way to deal with dimples (and other such problems with clear parts). They can be filled with clear two-part "five minute" epoxy glue. After applying to the part, make sure there are no air bubbles. Once hardened, this can be sanded and polished smooth.
Hi Greg! I have to confess truly... most of your builds are not the object of my interest BUT each of your clips is really a pleasure to watch... keep on 👍🏽✌🏽
Per ardua ad astra, Outstanding example of your skills and perseverance. Always a treat to watch your build progress. The series of photos are wonderful. 'Target for Tonight."
Stunning work as always!. I’ve been mulling over getting this kit for some time. The ejector pins and deep panel lines always did kind of put me off. I too built the older Airfix kit years ago, and externally I’d say it looks better than the Italeri kit (yes, lots of rivets and raised panels), but it does look more to scale!. Either way you did my fave Brit heavy justice …Cheers !.
@@t55a2 Yes I use to have the old FM kit some years ago. It really was a dreadful kit, my personal opinion. Gives me the shivers thinking about it now 😬
Sublime magnifique très belle maquette de la part d'italeri le travail d'amélioration est fantastique la peinture de la déco est superbe de réalisme bravo pour cette magnifique réalisation
I do like the views of the finished model at the end, particularly the ones that have a viewpoint as if you are standing on the ground looking at it. The model has the same heavy, solid look as the real thing. Maybe we should call it a replica.
Hi Greg, thank you for this entertaining video. Very nicely detailed model kit - the decals are impressive and the fact that you can choose from five different versions is also very positive. I particularly like the interior design. You also did a great job with the painting and the realistic aging. I'm thrilled and happy to leave a subscription here. I am interested in history, especially the regional past. On August 2nd and 3rd, 1943, Hamburg was to be bombed again. However, there were various difficulties, so that my hometown was bombed as an alternative target. My father had often told me about this. A bomber (No. 214 Squadron Stirling III EF409 BU-V) was shot down by the German air defenses on the return flight and had to ditch in the Wadden Sea. ...just a short history excursion. I look forward to more videos! Cheers, John
A diorama idea to show off interiors of aircraft. A backboard with an airfield scene. No wings on the aircraft with the stub of one glued to the backboard. Half the fuselage left off exposing all the interior work. [I you want to go further, perhaps include the inner wing of a four engined bomber with undercaarriage and an exposed engine.]
I have just started building this kit, the MKI, (been in the stash for around 6 years!!) and right from the out noticed a few issues: The instruction sheet doesn't have all the windows numbered! What was going on there? Also, the windows that are numbered are all called out as 13E, there aren't enough 13E windows to complete the glazing and there are several apparently identical windows marked on the sprue as 17 not shown on the instructions!! Some very poor detail control at Italeri going on there. Whilst not a deal-breaker, this sort of stuff is so easy to get right, I know as I sub-contract for Airfix and am involved in producing instruction sheets on occasion. All that said, I do like the kit, lots of nice detail, very nice gun turrets and internal detail for those who like that sort of thing (I left out the stuff in the rear of the fuselage, unless the rear crew access door is modelled open, you just aren't going to see it). This is a big improvement on the very old Airfix offering and captures well the overall hefty, ungainly character of the real machine, looking forward to completing it.
I too used to build model in the 70s when I was a kid, mostly Airfix and Tamiya models. I got back into it during Covid and bought a Hasegawa F/14 Tomcat and I was pretty surprised how bad the quality was compared to the old days. Parts were hard to fit, didn’t have lugs etc, and no pilots! Models always used to have pilots. Can’t believe quality has gone backwards.
@@GregsModels used to live in School Lane !! Greg , went up to the camp a few times and sat at the end of the runway watching the Tornado's of 617 take off !!! magical man !!!
My dad and I built the Airfix Sterling back in the sixties. Black plastic leviathan that hung from the ceiling in my bedroom. Dad was in the REME during WW2, at one stage seconded to USAF. We built B-17 "bit ol lace" and he regaled me with stories of the plane together with mustangs and Thunderbolts. Great kits and a wonderful Dad who I still miss.
Loved this video.
My Grandfather flew the Stirling during the war. As I understand it, owing to it being designed and built before the outbreak of war, it’s wingspan was limited to allow it to fit into the hardened hangers that the RAF had built. This made the aircraft effectively obsolete due to it’s limited ceiling. As such my Grandfather mostly flew supply missions for the Dutch underground. Flying alone in the dead of night over occupied Europe. He was also involved in Operation Market Garden, towing gliders into Arnhem. An ill conceived plan in a terrible war that he and his crew made it through miraculously completely unscathed.
The thing about hangar doors is a myth. Much more complicated reason but essentially it was a weight issue. The Stirling had to requirements that the other heavies didn’t have to meet
It's just possible that your grandfather met my late parents as Dad was an engine mechanic and Mum a WRAF on Stirlings. They would talk about them setting off towing gliders for Operation Market Garden and the Dutch relief flights you mention. Dad converted to Merlin engines and was sent to the Japanese theatre.
Likewise my father was with 190 and 620 squadrons Great Dunmow .sadly gone but not forgotten ❤
My dad told me about the food droppings by these planes that saved his life and alot of peoples lives in the Netherlands.
Thank you all brave people who liberated the Netherlands from the facists.
We will always remember XXX
Very interesting history lesson for an old American soldier- Thank you for sharing British WWII military history!
That's glorious. My uncle died in a Stirling crash in July 1943 - 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF. I'd love to build one of these as a remembrance - but yours has put anything I could do to shame. Great stuff.
If you could find out the ID letters on Uncle's plane it would be a touching tribute to build it.
Don’t let that stop you building yours! My grandfather died in a Wellington crash. I made a model of it as tribute but it would never make it to UA-cam! 😅
My late father was a ground crewman with 75 ( NZ).. He joined the Squadron when they were transitioning on to Lancasters at Mepal. He said that the Stirling was the only plane that he could walk under when the props were turning
Building mine from scratch using thin cardboard sheet, but had no idea of what the interior looked like, now i do! Thank you, itll really help. Yes, i make every part myself. To be different, im making the mk2 that would have been Canadian built with American engines.
My last kit was made 35 years ago using a tube of polystyrene cement and four little cans of Humbrol enamel. This vid was a revelation - all that detail, some of which you probably cannot see. Well done!
Thank you for not spending any time on excessive weathering. Those birds didn't grow old over German skies.
Lovely model! This brings back some distant memories for me too. In 1975 I started going to my local Methodist Church and discovered one of the stalwarts was the widow of a Stirling crew member and had been since 4th September 1943. She never remarried. Her late husband was Sgt. Robert Otley Lander, RAFVR. He was lost with his comrades in Stirling Mk III S/N BK774, markings LS-K of 15 Squadron The aircraft was lost close to the Danish coastline on a mine laying sortie. Sgt Lander and some of his comrades are buried in Frederikshavn Cemetery. What brave lads. And what pain Sgt Lander’s young wife must have gone through, like so many others. She talked to me about this just the once and, I think, only because she knew I was interested in WW2 history, particularly the RAF.
I built the Airfix Short Stirling, purely to get my hands on the tractor. That would have been in the mid 1970s. Sadly my Stirling has long since been lost to the sands of time, but I still have the tractor. I was delighted to see this Italeri build. A lovely trip down memory lane. Cheers Greg.
I was worried at first that this might be a re-boxing of the old Airfix kit, but was pleasantly surprised to see the better fit from the new mold, and improved decal sheet from the newer Aliteri effort. You did a really nice job.
...who will ever rebox airfix trash
@@markuspemler3489 Wenn du Airfix-Bausätze schon als Müll bezeichnest, dann solltest du mal Bausätze der Firma MACH 2 kennenlernen! Dagegen sind selbst die alten Airfix-Bausätze Muster an Präzision und Passgenauigkeit! Leider hat MACH 2 ausgerechnet etliche Bausätze herausgebracht, an die kein anderer Hersteller heranwollte. (z.B. Heinkel He 111 B, Blohm & Voss Bv 142, Bv 139 oder Dornier Do 26) Wer aus diesen "Bausätzen" etwas brauchbares und ansehnliches machen möchte, muss schon masochistische Anwandlungen haben! Momentan haben sie noch die Junkers Ju 352 und die Heinkel He 114, angeblich mit neuen Formen hergestellt.
My great uncle was killed in a Stirling from 199 Squadron, Sept 15-16, 1944. I was always looking for a kit to build and now, especially with the 199 squadron aircraft shown in the decal sheet I have to find this one an build it. Thanks for posting. Cheers
A new video from Greg always brings a smile to my face.
Always!.
I must say, for a Italeri kit the final result is just amazing
Great to see fine details of the interior and imagining where my grandfather sat as navigator over a two year period, hunting U-Boats in the Atlantic, whilst stationed in Cornwall in the Czech RAF. He had the unusual accolade as having started the war as a navigator in the Luftwaffe, then most of the remainder in the RAF. There was a perfectly good explanation!
A beautiful, beautiful model!! You are always great, sometimes you are brilliant!
Bob
England
Wonderful build and finish. I occasionally hand paint the window framing as you have done here. I find a dark pin wash will further define the frame.
David R Lentz, Columbus, Ohio, USA (Sunday, 8 September, 2024)
A re-boxing of the Airfix kit, complete with a tractor and amply laden bomb trolleys. Had I the money, I would have bought it for sentimental value, rebuilding what I decades past had assembled as a boy, quite as you have. Your video is a double treat: 1) a fond stroll down memory lane, and 2) an opportunity to learn how better to make of it a serviceable replica. Here in the States, several Airfix kits, for their shortcomings, hold a tender place in my heart: the de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito Mk IV light bomber, renowned as “the wooden wonder” racing across Germany’s skies regardless of the hour! The Avro Lancaster RAF four-engine heavy bomber, long recognised for its cavernous bomb bay; incidentally, has Airfix offered a mark with the Bristol Hercules 14-cylinder radial aircraft engines (as well as one with a set of the Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12 motors)? The Handley-Page Halifax RAF heavy bomber, an always reliable performer (I believe with four Bristol Hercules radials, at that), both of which I had constructed airborne en route to Nazi Germany’s industrial centre. The Short Stirling, the RAF’s third big warbird (I greatly enjoyed the tow tractor and trolleys; they are why I had built the long æroplane aground, displaying it undergoing preparatory servicing prior to some nocturnal, secret sortie somewhere over Nazi-held Europe), and the Vickers Wellington RAF Medium Bomber, known for its geodesic construction (I to my regret cannot recall the mark number of the latter four).
At 3:00 in your video, I see on the sprue four radial engines. Are those the kind I had mentioned?
This kit is of FAR better detail than the iteration of the Airfix Short Stirling model I recall as a boy, so this looks to be no mere re-boxing! Your assembly of the interior, especially the flight deck, is absolutely extraordinary, especially given the small scale of this kit.
Incidentally, do any model makers produce any 1:48th-scale kits of this big warbird, the Halifax, and/or the Wellington bombers?
All in all, a genuinely excellent job, mate! Now make them again, please! This time, all of them airborne, the propellers spinning, the crew members at their combat stations, all flying in close formation. Perhaps the speedy Mosquito is in the lead as a pathfinder.
I really enjoy your videos and especially your methodology, no nonsense, no pontificating on the best way of modeling. I like your choices in subjects as well. Keep these video’s coming!
This is exactly what I thought!
Beautiful model great finish
Thank you for this build. My father, who died last year, served in the RAF and worked on the Stirling in the last war.
Every time you start your videos and you do that "hi" with you arm, it reminds me of driving in the rain and watching my windshield wipers go back and forth !!!
Hey, Greg! Manuel here from Spain sharing the same feelings with that old Airfix Stirling kit. My father and I went to the models shop and it was love at first sight. We built it together, black plastic and huge wings! Still one of my favorite moments with plastic models, thank you for this wonderful video. Lots of good memories are back.
😎👍
I love the paint job.
Realistic and attractive, yet simple.
Takes artistic skill to do that.
The detail on these 1/72 scale mobel kits have come a long way since I built them as a young teenager back in the late 50's early 60's.
One of your build videos dropping on a weekend is a real treat to watch with my morning coffee. Takes me back to Saturday morning TV as a kid. The video is exactly as long as it needs to be and packed with information and tips and a friendly, no-nonsense approach to each build. The builds are always outstanding, but I’m also impressed by the way in which you know what you want to build and you put in the work to do it that way. Thanks Greg - impressive stuff.
Thank you very much Martin, it's a pleasure 👍
Just watched this again. I love the detail in the cockpit, such as the navigator's table. This aircraft must have been a real handful to land, with such tall undercarriage.
I have been entertained!
I reckon Italeri owe you big time- a huge thank you and a hand signed card every xmas at the very least for sorting this one.
Awesome work!
It's just a shame that some manufacturers don't think about the build process when engineering a kit. Airfix seems to manage this 👍
What a lovely build of this kit, stellar job Greg, love it! 🥰
Thank you so so much for this video Greg.
So many tips and tricks I will use when building this, my first kit in about 20 years!
I couldn't believe it when I (Tom) spotted this kit in a local model shop the other week, and the decal sets included, Goosebumps everywhere.
EX-G - The Gremlin Teaser was my Grandads aircraft, so seeing it reproduced brings back a huge wave of emotions.
And as an extra bit of nostalgic magic, he was also Squadron 199's artist, so painted the very distinct nose art, including the lady who my Gran was VERY much not a fan of!
He also painted the Stirling mural housed in RAF Hendon.
The squadron has a very interesting history, and was involved in operation Window during D-Day, dropping vast amounts of aluminium strips as a radar decoy. (so the bomb loadout might be incorrect)
Currently researching all the kit and best paints I need to give this build my best shot, as a tribute to a talented artist and engineer, who I sadly never got to meet.
Thanks again, excellent build.
Thank you so much, Greg
I made up the Airfix Stirling in 1968 and I agree the addition of the tractor and bomb trollies was a nice bonus.
Bonjour de France
Merci pour vos vidéos très intéressantes
Et celle ci , qui me motive pour commencer la boîte du Stirling que j’ai depuis quelques années !
Bonne continuation
Très amicalement
Philippe
I had one oif the Airfix Stirlings you mentioned. The plane it'self is long gone, but the tractor now lives, battered and rusted besides a barn on my model railway.
I’m looking at this having done the Airfix kit when I was an ill kid some 50 years ago. Then, the kit, crude by todays standard, was great because it had more parts than the others. I’ve bought this kit because me wife’s [first marriage] father-in-law died as a rear gunner in a 149 Sqn Stirling in 1943. I feel like a good Paint By Numbers hobbyist looking at a lecture by Turner or Stubbs . God, how inadequate I feel.
All the great kit makers. Airfix, Frog, Monogram, lots of fun as a kid in Carpenders Park circa 66.
My uncle lived near a church where three airmen are buried. Their sterling crashed into the water close to the town he lived in. Beside their grave is a propeller from their plane. And it is in remarkable good shape considering that the plane crashed into the water. Last time I saw the graves the propeller hub had been removed, I think the entire prop will be going through some conservation this winter. And I think next year it will be the 80th anniversary of the crash
,where iS this town?
Kudelstaart by any chance? Lived there as a kid and we had a similair story
Man, you have great memory. I don't have the guts to remove everything from a sprue and try to remember its adjacent number as I might get it confused. LOL! Man, o man, your kit looks very realistic as always! Great job Greg!🤠
Cheers, it doesn't always go my way, every now and then I end up in agony city 😎
I had a go at the airfix Stirling yonks ago I liked the box artwork with the bomber being loaded up it is still so memorable
Another museum quality job by a master. RESPECT!!!
Great job Greg...thank you for talking just what was necessary, some fellow modelers keep talking and talking and talking...
Wonderful build wish Airfix would do a new Stirling in the early war years one of these was hit with our own guns, approaching
The east coast the crew all got out and landed in our village Roos nr Hull.
A silk purse from a sow's ear Greg, you are a craftsman!
you are a master. un believable... a true professional modeler..and you are so modest...
OH dear Greg ! YES searched the last night between all that Boxes from moving to new home... AND YES right next to me now there is the airfix Box with that nice drawing on: the Short Stirling =))
AND YES i dream of a Dio with that tractor trolleys and arfix arifield vehicles and some "Männle" =) )
here goes so many wrong... you bring such a great smile on my face in this times ! Thank You !
Exquisite Workmanship Greg, A challenging subject indeed, A magnificent outcome 🫶
Amazing to see one of these kits assembled properly.
In awe of your patience and dedication. I've made a few plastic kits in my time but nothing remotely on this level! Respect to you sir!
Thank you👍
Your video`s without music is a blessing...
just simply wonderful . my late great uncles had a friend who flew with 90 squadron , sadly he and his crew never came home , but both my late great uncles survived the u boat menace , thanks for the build tips , from lancashire
Thank you
@@GregsModels my sincere pleasure
A silk purse yet again Greg! Brilliant modelling.
I can't build those small scale kits anymore, getting too old. You did a wonderful job!
Hi Greg very nice build & story me personally still get that buzz when I get new kit Of late black jack display typhoon from conninsby just down the road&seen last 2times doing gardening typical &belkits mg metro 6r4 seen many times at Caldwell & very privileged to get passenger ride at bomber command centre this year great work as always Greg thank you jon
Wow! another beautiful build Greg, a little bit of scratch build mixed with an impeccable paint job. Always look forward to your videos. I grab a coffee and I’m ready to go.
Many thanks!
Built mk4 glider tug 3 years ago. Really great kit from same manufacturer!
Once again a sublime build Gregg and a truly wonderful finish. You’ve really done the aircraft justice
Guess what is sat next to my desk ready for assembly. Yes this is the third iteration of this kit, the other two being the Mk. I and the Mk. IV glider tug I think. I have made the Mk. I and found it a fine kit; the panel lines look fine when painted, and require a lot less fannying around with washes etc. I could be wrong but on my Mk. I the injector pin marks were all where they wouldn't really be seen... let's see about them when I build this beauty, thank you for making the kit and the video!!
I also bought many models back in the day from the model shop in King's Lynn.
There was a great model shop in Downham Market, long gone 😥
*This Italeri kit is fabulous and you put it to the top! Very good work on the paint and the details.*
Beautiful and cunning work as usual. It always brightens up my weekend even more when one of your builds appears.
Thank you
I think that is a really good representation of the Sterling. Well done. From Ireland.
Fantastic job as always Greg. So glad you represented one of 199 Sqn’s, as it was my fiancée’s grandad’s squadron (he was a mid upper gunner in these beasts and his records show he flew in both R for Roger and G for George). I haven’t touched a model since my teen years, but when my son’s old enough, we’ll give this kit a go! 👍
Get him started on some of the new Airfix kits first; or if price isn't an issue, a Tamiya tooled kit 👍😎
Every time i see a built model it always strikes me as something that belongs in a museum for many others to see and appreciate because of the craftsmanship and the history it represents, but also because it's such a thing of beauty.
Thank you
Amazing work as ever Greg, and truly hypnotic watching your videos.
What a great looking bomber.
I was looking at this kit myself, but now I’m coming to the end of Italeri’s 1:48 Wessex Uh-5 coastguard, it’s put me Italeri for life 😩
Thanks for sharing as ever.
Jase 🇬🇧
You really are a master of your craft Greg, I always really look forward to your videos, whatever the subject! Thank you.
The "injector pin marks" are actually marks from *ejectors,* pins that should sit flush while a part is cast and then push outward to help release the parts from the mold. Unfortunately, they tend to stick to far in or out, leaving obvious marks.
What a great way to start my Sunday morning!! Once again, spectacular build! My favourite modeller on UA-cam... hands down! Thankyou and take care
Always a pleasure to hear from you Edward; take care 👍
Lovely crisp details and camouflage.
Hi Greg - I have a way to deal with dimples (and other such problems with clear parts). They can be filled with clear two-part "five minute" epoxy glue. After applying to the part, make sure there are no air bubbles. Once hardened, this can be sanded and polished smooth.
Thanks Eric I'll take that on board for the next time 👍
Hi Greg! I have to confess truly... most of your builds are not the object of my interest BUT each of your clips is really a pleasure to watch... keep on 👍🏽✌🏽
Thanks, will do!
My Granda built Stirlings during World War 2. I remember building the kit you mentioned with tractor and trolleys 😃
Per ardua ad astra, Outstanding example of your skills and perseverance. Always a treat to watch your build progress. The series of photos are wonderful. 'Target for Tonight."
I struggle with the final photos with builds, but these hit the spot, thanks 😎
I have this kit in my stash and you've inspired me to crack on with it. You have made a beautiful job Greg, fantastic work, looks stunning! 👏 👍
Thanks Robert 😎
Stunning work as always!. I’ve been mulling over getting this kit for some time. The ejector pins and deep panel lines always did kind of put me off. I too built the older Airfix kit years ago, and externally I’d say it looks better than the Italeri kit (yes, lots of rivets and raised panels), but it does look more to scale!. Either way you did my fave Brit heavy justice …Cheers !.
Anytime 👍
Very nice indeed 😉
I've always liked the Stirling and the Halifax. I wish someone would do a 1/48 of them.
You and me both!
FM do a 1:48 Halifax, Sanger do a Stirling 1:48 vac form
@@t55a2 Yes I use to have the old FM kit some years ago. It really was a dreadful kit, my personal opinion. Gives me the shivers thinking about it now 😬
Strangely calming watching you do this. Excellent result.
Thank you! Cheers!
My uncle was killed over Holland in 43 in a Stirling ,jumped by night fighter nice work on this kit
Beautifully executed. Wonderful subtle weathering...
Thank you so much 😀
I do exactly the same thing when painting all the canopies, do it by hand and clean w toothpick and ur done
Just watched this again, even better than the 1st time , well done mate
Morning Greg, another fine Build of a great subject, keep em coming.
Greg, just one word, FABULOUS!
Love the nostalgia surrounding this kit.
Sublime magnifique très belle maquette de la part d'italeri le travail d'amélioration est fantastique la peinture de la déco est superbe de réalisme bravo pour cette magnifique réalisation
😎👍
I do like the views of the finished model at the end, particularly the ones that have a viewpoint as if you are standing on the ground looking at it. The model has the same heavy, solid look as the real thing. Maybe we should call it a replica.
I think you're a God of modeling and true artist beautiful planes man.....
Great kit, good detail. Good video. Great job, good skills.
Stunning build as ever Greg and I always come away with a few hints and tips for future builds, so thank you! Looking forward to your next build :)
😎👍
Really enjoyed this build, thank you for your no nonsense approach great looking model thanks 🙏
What a superb job. I am very impressed.
Superb idea with the brass!
Hi Greg, thank you for this entertaining video. Very nicely detailed model kit - the decals are impressive and the fact that you can choose from five different versions is also very positive. I particularly like the interior design. You also did a great job with the painting and the realistic aging. I'm thrilled and happy to leave a subscription here. I am interested in history, especially the regional past. On August 2nd and 3rd, 1943, Hamburg was to be bombed again. However, there were various difficulties, so that my hometown was bombed as an alternative target. My father had often told me about this. A bomber (No. 214 Squadron Stirling III EF409 BU-V) was shot down by the German air defenses on the return flight and had to ditch in the Wadden Sea. ...just a short history excursion. I look forward to more videos! Cheers, John
Thanks John 👍
Another great build Greg. If ever the nose of an aircraft looked 'determined' it was the Stirling!
So true 😂😂
You did a good job with that. Apart from a few things you pointed out, that looks like a contender for 'best in scale' for a Sterling.
Now know where I was going wrong all those years ago. Gute Arbeit!
A diorama idea to show off interiors of aircraft.
A backboard with an airfield scene.
No wings on the aircraft with the stub of one glued to the backboard.
Half the fuselage left off exposing all the interior work.
[I you want to go further, perhaps include the inner wing of a four engined bomber with undercaarriage and an exposed engine.]
Great job Greg, you really did the old girl justice!
That was a most enjoyable and fascinating watch, thank you. Beautiful end result 👍🏻👏🏻👌🏻
Thank you 😎
I have just started building this kit, the MKI, (been in the stash for around 6 years!!) and right from the out noticed a few issues: The instruction sheet doesn't have all the windows numbered! What was going on there? Also, the windows that are numbered are all called out as 13E, there aren't enough 13E windows to complete the glazing and there are several apparently identical windows marked on the sprue as 17 not shown on the instructions!! Some very poor detail control at Italeri going on there. Whilst not a deal-breaker, this sort of stuff is so easy to get right, I know as I sub-contract for Airfix and am involved in producing instruction sheets on occasion. All that said, I do like the kit, lots of nice detail, very nice gun turrets and internal detail for those who like that sort of thing (I left out the stuff in the rear of the fuselage, unless the rear crew access door is modelled open, you just aren't going to see it). This is a big improvement on the very old Airfix offering and captures well the overall hefty, ungainly character of the real machine, looking forward to completing it.
I too used to build model in the 70s when I was a kid, mostly Airfix and Tamiya models. I got back into it during Covid and bought a Hasegawa F/14 Tomcat and I was pretty surprised how bad the quality was compared to the old days. Parts were hard to fit, didn’t have lugs etc, and no pilots! Models always used to have pilots. Can’t believe quality has gone backwards.
Marham i used to live there !!! i loved it !!! you make a cracking job kidda thats beautiful work !!!!
Very fond memories of Marham, and the Victors.
@@GregsModels used to live in School Lane !! Greg , went up to the camp a few times and sat at the end of the runway watching the Tornado's of 617 take off !!! magical man !!!
Awesome build. I learn so much from your builds
Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful. Thank you. Inspirational as ever. I wish Italeri would shorten those Brownings!
Some areas look suspect, especially those chin pitot tubes.