RAF Refuelling Set (Matador)

Chassis and cab assembled and chassis painted (mostly). 

Plumbing done 

I'm going BLUE!! I did the traditional / kit instructions brown in the 1980s, I'm ringing the changes this time. Saw some examples of it in blue livery online and thought it looked good. 

The dog has come to inspect... everyone's a critic! 

Bit more progress: cab fitted (after some filing down of the radiator thickness to get it in the gap behind that tow-hitch leaf spring), rear mud guards on, bit of rust weathering on springs... 

Bowser assembled, ribs ready to go: end is definitely in sight. 

Ribs are fitted 

... as is the ladder and those long strip bits on the top. No idea what they do - is that where the refuelling lines were stored or something? 

Decals make all the difference, and are probably my favourite bit.
(And, because it's an ancient kit from the days before they could do 3 colours on a single decal, it's my old favourite, the assemble-it-yourself RAF roundels - I've managed to get the red dots on pretty centrally without them looking like googly-eyes...) 

Loving how well this one has come together. 

Weathered/grimed the outside a bit 

Weathered/grimed the outside a bit 

Weathered/grimed the outside a bit 

Weathered/grimed the outside a bit 

"Oil"-ed up the plumbing 

All done, on display, currently ready to start refuelling a Fairey Battle.