Scot R I found tweezers from stamp collecting hobby to have very precise tips. Some are broad yet flat. Others come to a very close tip. Tweezers are like paint brushes. One set just isn't enough to cover every eventuality. You need a bit of variety to get you through certain tough projects.

Also, you could try to experiment with a different CA/superglue. Maybe something that sets more or less quickly could be what you're needing.

Eddie Mann There is quite a variety of shapes, sizes and prices if you search here for: tweezer.

LucLuke B I tried using a stickie cut to shape and a toothpick dipped in melted wax. Both work quite well for tiny bits.

Gary Kitchen Thanks Scot, Eddie, Luc. I've also invested in an angle-poise magnifier and LED light which has also helped.

Olivier https://royalmodel.eu/it/ seems to work from where I am.

Gary Kitchen Thanks Olivier, it must be my laptop firewall blocking for some reason.

Gary Kitchen This is going to be my first real build where I learn as I go and try and develop my skills beyond 'build and paint'. Never worked with PE, primed anything or washes etc. But am really looking forward to it. In hindsight should probably have picked a bigger model and scale, for a first time with PE but cèst la vie...apologies French friends if that's an incorrect accent.

Pierre Vauthier watching and good luck !

Alex K Good luck with this, Gary! And keep in touch, re your Zumbach projects...

Gary Kitchen Thanks both. I see that the norm is to take a few pics at key stages and so I'll try that. All guidance appreciated.

Gary Kitchen @Alex K thank you and I will. I will hope not too bother you to much once I get my hands on that book. I just need the libraries to open. At the moment the ambition is P.11c>406.c>Hurri>Spit>Auster>Beech18(thanks)> Texan>A26invader
That's a lot of modelling though. And I will probably do it non-sequentially to build the aircraft I didn't build as a kid (sorry Battle of Britain!). One last Q from me: does your book indicate what plane he stole to fly around looking for his unit and ultimately to Romania? I think it was civilian but can't find a make?

Alex K No bother at all, Gary, it's a pleasure. Thanks to you I got to slowly (re)reading Zumbach's book. Regarding the light plane that enabled him to escape to Romania, unfortunately he doesn't give any specifics, only that it was a Polish-made civil light plane requisitioned by a Polish Army unit, the commander of which asked him to do some reconnaissance for them. Sometimes he flew alone and sometimes with an aircraft mechanic - BUT, given that during his final escape to Romania he took along two more pilots, I suspect that this might have been a RWD-13 ( SCM Topic: RWD-13 / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RWD_13 ). From a modeller's point of view, it would have been easier if it was an RWD-5 ( SCM Topic: RWD-5 ), but as this was a 2-seater. and given the extra passengers I think of the RWD-13. But I may be wrong. I wonder if Polish researchers have more to say about this.

Alex K Regarding his immediate post-war / late 1940s smuggling days, I think I have definitely identified four: a Percival Proctor V (the Frog Proctor kit might do the job), two Airspeed Consuls (civilian version of the Airspeed Oxford), and the French-registered Beech 18. We will talk of all this when the time comes. (And I humbly wonder if anybody else has researched this topic...)

Alex K And, yes, this might lead to lots of modelling - as you say, it is rather important that you get your hands on his book (although: don't believe everything he says in it!) - and, I think you are on the right track, first dealing with the more documented wartime warplanes, before tackling the more esoteric postwar aircraft he flew.

Gary Kitchen Hi All, a quick question on these No. 45 Sqn Vengeance Mk.2's. Despite research I can't seem to confirm whether or not 'The Saint' motif was common across all the planes or not. It doesn't seem to appear on the Mosquitos that replaced them as far as I can tell. Box art and old photos show 'P' and 'V' as having it but I will be building 'H' AN656 eventually and am wondering whether or not to include it? Gladly take advice and/or pointers as to where to look.

Alex K Hi Gary, and welcome to Scalemates. I will follow with great interest your Zumbach collection (I sometimes think of that too), especially when you'll tackle his smuggling (Bonanza, Beech 18 etc) and Katangan/Biafran planes Good luck with the entire collection - cheers!

Gary Kitchen Hello Alex. Thanks. I discovered Zumbach when was helping my son build his Mark Vb Spitfire "Donald Duck". A bit of digging reveals him to be a very interesting man with lots of scope for modelling. I am trying get my hands on his book "On Wings of War" but will need to wait for the Libraries to reopen. I am modelling a couple of P.11c aircraft even though I know he didn't actually manage to fly in Sep 1939, mainly out of respect, also I like the aircraft and I want to start with the 111 Eskadra badge which later becomes the 303 Sqn. badge.

Gary Kitchen Also, I am struggling to get info on his smuggling aircraft so your clues are really useful. Could you give me a link to any reference for the 'smuggling' period. Mainly I'm looking forward to finishing it all off with A26 Invader in Biafra, but that's some distance down the line.

Alex K By all means, I'll try to help in any way I can. I have the original book in French, but sooner or later I'm sure you'll be able to grab a copy of the English edition. For the Katanga/Congo thing, there are some things online, and for the Biafran affair the inevitable book is the absolutely fantastic "Shadows: Airlift and Airwar in Biafra and Nigeria, 1967-1970" by Michael I. Draper, Hikoki, 1999. As for his smuggling years, much less is known. In his book, there's only one photo of a Beech 18, F-BEDC, plus a Bonanza that doesn't show much. While researching on another (but slightly connected) topic, I think I have found some other planes as well from this period (Airspeed Consuls, Percival Proctor). I'll be happy to share info, photos, ideas, whatever - let's stay in touch, you can also PM me whenever you like. In the meantime, between the PZL and his famous Spit, I see that Arma Hobby provides decals for a 303 Sq. Hurricane flown by him, so, it seems there are things to do before time comes for the more esoteric subjects. Keep in touch!