pigsty

Nor did the F-14, as I recall. The images were projected onto the inside of the windscreen.

The picture is the same as one on the Wikipedia page about the H-6 - which may make it real. What appears to be the pod overlapping the wheel is actually a grey patch on the tyre - similar ones are visible on the other mainwheels. So the pod is on the rear fuselage, although they could definitely have done a better job fairing it in. Some sort of data link looks about right. Hasn't the Badger changed? New radar, six missile stations, engines off the Tu-143 ... before long it'll be like Trigger's broom.

Well, send him over! And he's handily placed for the Southdowns show in May, too.

Our show's on - this coming weekend. Still time to blag a day away from the shopping!

Something to relieve the winter blues - just after you finish the very last mince pie and just before you spot that bit of tinsel you missed on Twelfth Night. Yes, the North Surrey Show is back. It's on Saturday 3 February, 10am to 4pm, once again at the Banstead Community Hall, SM7 3AJ. For traders we have: Elan 13 Miniatures Simon McArthur HB Models Sovereign 2000 Jon Pol Guideline Publications R.M.Models And from the clubs we have: Aldershot BMSS Cambridge MAFVA East Kent Modellers Hailsham Horsham Gr

Superglue (cyanoacrylate) is most people's option for resin. Small amounts of strong PVA would do it too, though they wouldn't be as permanent.

Pictures on the way, I hope. They were someone else's pigeon, I was doing the competition most of the day.

Aeroclub used to make white metal propellers, although that was a long time back; some might still be on eBay or similar. If you want weight, though, why not slip a bit of lead (or fishing weights) into the fuselage? The Beaufighter doesn't need nose weight and there's plenty of room.

Two days on and I think I've just about recovered ... Thank you to all who turned up, visitors clubs and traders alike, for making this one of our best shows yet. We had record footfall and record competition entries, and a lot of happy people, and it was busy right to the end. Roll on next year!

Just a couple of days to go now. As well as the show and the finest flapjacks south of the river, there's an open competition, too.

It is indeed getting closer! In case you've seen our show listed in any magazines, we're definitely doing it on Saturday 4 February. You can turn up on Sunday, but you may have to do yoga instead.

It's never too soon to start plugging a show ... The small but perfectly formed North Surrey coffee shop and model show will be on 4 February this year, in the usual place, Banstead Community Hall, just off the High Street in Banstead. That's SM7 3AJ for your sat-nav. Confirmed traders are: Elan 13 Miniatures Guideline Publications Tony Bareham Simon McArthur John Pol Mezzer's Minis Sovereign 2000 And confirmed clubs are: Aldershot BMSS Cambridge MAFVA East Kent Hailsham Horsham Gravesham

A lot of things have to be left out of models for various reasons: they'd be too small to show up, they'd cost more to mould, they'd put off pocket-money buyers. Things like brake lines, accurate guns (not the ones that look like broom handles), wire aerials - more often than not you've to sort out your own. But as far as I'm concerned, seat belts should be standard, especially in a cockpit that's (i) easily big enough to fit them - anything in 1/48 or bigger, and (ii) full of other detail. Missing them out spoils the effect. And I don't buy the idea that you can do without if you include

It's not meant to be a review. The "Pass Notes" column is a brief mickey-take of something that's in the news. It's fitfully funny but mostly just pointless snark. That's the good news. The bad news is ... reviews of model kits? In national newspapers? Fat chance!

Really? There were times when the aisle in front of my stand was so packed you couldn't move, and the members' queue on Saturday went clear across the car park. Plus they estimated several hundred entries in the competition, possibly over a thousand.