What if

Ooh, look! I've done a thing! I've started a blog! :o

 ;)

Obviously, like most others, it's going to be a place to vent, rant & provide (slightly) personal updates.

However, I think I'll also use it to document my RW builds (few that they are), as I don't frequent any RW model building sites & (given the reported nature of most of them) I don't actually want to.

So, just a heads-up; I'm just starting a RW P-40M of 112 Sqn RAF based in Italy ca. early-1944.

Just cleaning stuff up at the moment, & preparing for a few upgrade sets (wheel wells, guns, exhausts & seat belts). The wheel wells are the biggest effort but I'm over 2/3 of the way there.

Anyway, gotta go to bed, now (it's almost 4am, Friday 20th, here), & I want to get this build done quickly (for the SA Plastic Model Expo in 8 days).

I don't care if they're RW or whiffs, glad to see this and looking forward to see WombatWorks products in the making.  :mellow:  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

I'll be glad to see your RW works any day. P-40s are always good.

Welcome to the Madness That Is Blogs... we don't bite, much, and only when asked...  :lol:

RW or not, looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Quote from: Rick Lowe on September 19, 2024, 10:30:47 PM... we don't bite, much, and only when asked...

Speak for yourself.. :wacko:  ;)

Looking forward to see what's shown - and said(!) here as well.

This had me excited to see ya RW builds to ..but like the other blokes ...don't care if it's RW or wiffy  :thumbsup:

Funny you went to sleepy land at 4am Guy cause that's when I got up this morning..extremely loud thunder and lightning and of course..the rain ..like hammers hitting my roof ..no chance of sleeping thru that .

Eight days?   :o
Good luck.   :thumbsup:

Welcome to World of Blogs  :thumbsup:

I assume the P-40 is 1/48th ? But who's kit, or is that a secret for the time being ?

Thank you, Chris, & of course it's 1/48! :bow:  ;D

Pic's of progress below:

What I'm going to be building;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-3wMs3cc/0/NFPVM36R5PC3Gc64wNNn8LTmbG9GphwDCkZh77BF9/X4/DSCN8664-X4.jpg)
(Click for Bigger View)

How accurate it's going to be is ... questionable, because 112 Sqn lost three P-40Ms (Kittyhawk Mk.IIIs) with the squadron code GA-M in a six month period between October 1943 & April 1944, & there aren't a lot of photo's I could find of any of them (& none very clear).

I've written on the painting guide that the one I'll be building (FR861) force landed north of Trogir in Croatia on the 22nd of March, 1944, after suffering Flak damage during a mission in support of Yugoslav partisans.

I chose the Trogir one because I was there on my Euro trip in 2018, & it's a beautiful place. ;)

Bits chopped up to fit the Aires wheel wells;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-xcvgfWr/0/MLXnTRM7NrPTMHXz87Zp3wPPKV5tq95BJ6pdFvvvD/X3/DSCN8662-X3.jpg)

Starboard (right) wheel well taped in situ for a test fit;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-LqXGpSz/0/Kw4Bs8CMZgmwZwVnTzcdFDmvnXfP3HnkPkfqV3sMf/X3/DSCN8660-X3.jpg)

Add top wing;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-jnTtZpL/0/KJc4b4QLfgB8j8Cj8rHZjdHnwjgChPj2x5h4vKV9X/X3/DSCN8659-X3.jpg)

Add half-fuselage;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-LhHDZ7G/0/MwVdqScF5GfLM9C46t7LSxkNjpmdLzbScGB7wb39k/X3/DSCN8658-X3.jpg)

Bits primed & drying ready for interior painting either later tonight or late tomorrow (SWMBO has decided I need to do "things" other than model building tomorrow);
(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-Dp96LBr/0/KMkbz3Sb57jSpnnv3JKD6VKBD55BprLXvxzR3znx6/X3/DSCN8663-X3.jpg)

They don't tell you quite how much cutting you really need to do, there's no mention in the destructions of cutting out part of the fuselage floor or making a larger space in the wings. Actually, pretty standard for all the parts I'll be adding from this set, they don't tell you half of what's required to get things to fit correctly. :banghead:

Photos of  work in progress are always of value, whether real world or whiffworld.  I will continue to watch with interest.

 :thumbsup:

Glad to see I'm not the only one who writes the colours name next to the code on the instructions.  ;D

It may have had something to do with the fact that the colour descriptions were rather inaccurate (wood brown = dark earth; light blue = azure blue; etc.). ;)



Some more prog shots;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-29kKjkJ/0/MW8KwG35637bhsRvd2fW8mZ9QWrcW3KkNrgZP6dnS/X3/DSCN8666-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-8HCNdXd/0/NGWJ3fgLcQbgJ4fgNGwGZLv2hXgG8gvzzMXrCkRZj/X3/DSCN8667-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-2p64Zzd/0/NgtnKgCNmTRwnXsHwDCnpfNWKCjfxxht94QJrkVpj/X3/DSCN8668-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-DRJM9GJ/0/KVDtPFv8dWksJFxVLX8q2HjLMdHpgLJgRJ7vHZQ8t/X3/DSCN8670-X3.jpg)
(2nd time through the paint shop for the wheel wells, screwed up the first attempt, so everything's running a bit behind schedule.)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-qfqXJ8V/0/M9zkzgZkWWV4XT7Tc2BBNFK42mtNPhKXfFTfvh267/X3/DSCN8669-X3.jpg)

Coming along nicely  :thumbsup:

US interior colours throw me I must admit. What with various shades of "Interior Green" and then the puzzle as to whether wheel wells etc were "Zinc Chromate" , the aforementioned green, or even bare metal.

Quote from: NARSES2 on September 22, 2024, 12:54:41 AMComing along nicely  :thumbsup:

US interior colours throw me I must admit. What with various shades of "Interior Green" and then the puzzle as to whether wheel wells etc were "Zinc Chromate" , the aforementioned green, or even bare metal.

It gets more confusing when you realise that there were at least two different zinc chromates used, one more "green" (generally used on USAAF aircraft) & the other more "yellow green" (usually used on USN aircraft), then each manufacturer had their own, slightly different, take on "cockpit green".

I'm using AMMO by Mig's A.MIG-220 FS34151 Zinc Chromate Green & a custom mix of Tamiya XF-4 Yellow Green & XF-58 Olive Green (2:1) to try to simulate the Curtiss version of "Interior Green" (moderate success, but tweaking it will just make it more difficult to replicate in the other two P-40s in the stash).

Have to say that your construction area organisation is mind blowingly good!  :thumbsup:
Mine most certainly is not.. :rolleyes:

Quote from: Pellson on September 22, 2024, 02:47:32 AMHave to say that your construction area organisation is mind blowingly good!  :thumbsup:
Mine most certainly is not.. :rolleyes:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/43/cb/be43cb7c315d839a1f8506c3f204c036.gif)

That's not what I'd call it! ;D

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-Q2khTBw/0/NgtKQdd4MgM8C3zx3zLrwQFKF4ZNNVGgtJ2QbR9Zb/X3/DSCN8671-X3.jpg)

(It's not what my wife calls it,either. :rolleyes: )

Fuselage is together! :thumbsup:

A little bit of PPP seems (so far) to be all that's needed to fill the gaps,

However, I'll have to do some re-painting of the cockpit, as the kit is pre one-piece cockpit rear bulkheads, so there are seams. :rolleyes:

Still waiting for the 2-part epoxy to cure on the wheel wells (forgot to check if it was regular or 5-minute when I mixed it). Still, should be good & strong when it does. ;)

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 22, 2024, 04:39:30 AM

Quote from: Pellson on September 22, 2024, 02:47:32 AMHave to say that your construction area organisation is mind blowingly good!  :thumbsup:
Mine most certainly is not.. :rolleyes:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/43/cb/be43cb7c315d839a1f8506c3f204c036.gif)

That's not what I'd call it! ;D

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-Q2khTBw/0/NgtKQdd4MgM8C3zx3zLrwQFKF4ZNNVGgtJ2QbR9Zb/X3/DSCN8671-X3.jpg)

(It's not what my wife calls it,either. :rolleyes: )

It looked better before you zoomed out..  ;D

That's not bad at all.
A clean desk is the sign of someone who doesn't do anything!

Well, yesterday not much seemed to get done but progress was good; I got the fuselage & the wings glued together, & the wings have joined the fuselage this morning (currently clamped & taped while the glue dries). :thumbsup:

I get confused by thinking 'Interior Green' should mean as used in the peopled parts... not so, they're 'Zinc Chromate'...  :banghead:

I've tried to keep a tidy desk but I usually can't find the parts that I need, this might change when I return to work as I will have the dosh to buy a filing system.

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 22, 2024, 02:32:55 AMIt gets more confusing when you realise that there were at least two different zinc chromates used, one more "green" (generally used on USAAF aircraft) & the other more "yellow green" (usually used on USN aircraft), then each manufacturer had their own, slightly different, take on "cockpit green".

Exactly  :banghead: Perhaps that's why we Wif, and no I don't mean pong  ;)

Today's update:


Where I was when I went to bed last ... yesterday morning (at Stupid o'clock :rolleyes: );

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-gs2Qpz2/0/KshGtL83v33HN3XWP2bJSSW455T8Zfvp5WthfbdsZ/X3/DSCN8672-X3.jpg)


Where I'm at tonight after midnight (at Not-So-Stupid O'clock ;) );

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-7K5PpVL/0/M9mBXhR7bjSzn3k6DhVS33H5HbXDv8vcmMNvzgbpx/X3/DSCN8677-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-vGm87b8/0/MTHCpJ3pCGNDng62cV2HRKgpR2FnfssW7jnjwFkzb/X3/DSCN8673-X3.jpg)
Had to move the aerial mast back because Hobby Boss thought it should go immediately behind the sliding canopy. :o )

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-rQZXkCN/0/KxGWhPmRBrRJk6nDDNndbjBPwDHCtvkV6bqQp28Qz/X3/DSCN8674-X3.jpg)
Note the crack in the canopy just in the top rear, where it joins the fuselage glazing - the joys of single-piece canopies with complex shapes & angles. :banghead: )

Bits & pieces awaiting priming and/or painting;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-fjr4Zdg/0/L3sFmkCqPcQKXsGTXPW3MWZ7NxBSSq5JBvGQxMNSJ/X3/DSCN8678-X3.jpg)


Well, that's all the modelling for today.


Thanks for watching!

 :cheers:

 :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:
I do like the P-40 ..ive got one but for some reason the canopy has just disappeared 🤔
Oh I just had an idea 💡 😳 😅
Watch this space ..well not this one ..another one  ;D

Quote from: Wardukw on September 23, 2024, 10:15:51 PM:thumbsup:  :thumbsup:
I do like the P-40 ..ive got one but for some reason the canopy has just disappeared 🤔
Oh I just had an idea 💡 😳 😅
Watch this space ..well not this one ..another one  ;D

P-40Q with a bubble? Just a thought...

Quote from: Rick Lowe on September 23, 2024, 10:16:58 PM

Quote from: Wardukw on September 23, 2024, 10:15:51 PM:thumbsup:  :thumbsup:
I do like the P-40 ..ive got one but for some reason the canopy has just disappeared 🤔
Oh I just had an idea 💡 😳 😅
Watch this space ..well not this one ..another one  ;D

P-40Q with a bubble? Just a thought...

Maybe  ;) ..maybe not  ;) 😁

Painting day, today.

The fuselage is primed - just a few little spots requiring a bit more putty-&-sanding, & a few bits of fluff that need buffing out. :smiley:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-M6LLdC4/0/Mxm5r7VdLXx26D6KfPPLmkxksRTgZcchGc8fbxs5j/X3/DSCN8679-X3.jpg)

Prop spinner painted SMS "Italian Red" (which is slightly ironic, when you think about it), & prop tips painted very, very, very pale pink as an undercoat for the yellow.

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-ZrfBf9Q/0/NS8Mt96P4zgkN7rWhpkxDr7VdWkxV42t8rztgDTkD/X3/DSCN8680-X3.jpg)


The instructions say to paint the prop blades "steel", but they're usually black ... Any suggestions (remembering "Real World" (or a moderately reasonable approximation thereof, anyway)?

Coming along nicely  :thumbsup:

Thanks, Chris! :thumbsup:


Azure Blue bit done;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-B5ZSMtf/0/KJHXHgHxKDRRkPPpDQ7n3skTQP8DkGNz7cNNRbqKb/X3/DSCN8682-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-BT4mf43/0/Mf66trTCVgd8TNx8MtLWmnKV8t2pTjJQZb92bV8x3/X3/DSCN8683-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-4KddD4K/0/MVMc5TwprxNtTHffvFPP3FHXbdQkFsqjfsL8Jcpmd/X3/DSCN8684-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-xB34mdR/0/KckwJ4L5VgxSNBLpDHqgpC3T896ZRjzSJctp83VzR/X3/DSCN8685-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-LcCqTWd/0/KtGb6qf8t8n5b2MhzXjLmqdQhdkpRLjfVxxGtdTBH/X3/DSCN8686-X3.jpg)

Note: The photo's look more purple-ish than it does in person, but there does seem to be a very slight purple tinge in the photo's of the real aircraft I've seen (the very few that are in colour) & the SMS Azure Blue I've used looks to be very close to the correct colour.


One, maybe two more colours tonight but the Azure Blue parts will be left overnight to dry properly.

The good thing about these SMS lacquers is that I could, if I wanted, mask up for the next colour within 2 hours, but I won't. ;D


Thanks, again, for watching!

 :cheers:

Controlling temptation eh ? Nice 😀 👍
His is going to look great ..yep I can already see that  ;)

Yep! ;D

Only did one colour - Jet Black, as an under coat for a couple of metallic colours, going to do the props in "Steel" & "Super Silver" for the oleo struts.


I really hope so, but there are already a couple of things that mean it won't place in the comp at the SAPMA Expo this weekend (putting it in, anyway). :-\  ;)

Coming along nicely.
I must admit, the blue looks a lot different from what I recall of the old Humbrol et al shades.
Or am I thinking of Mediterranean Blue instead?  :unsure:

That azure blue looks cool. Very Topheish. I may have to go looking for it.

 :thumbsup:

Thank you, gentlemen! :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:


@kerick:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-K268BgT/0/LQhP3d8BjMpgLf64fBtq49Lpt7wf8cXdxmMQq3M9F/XL/DSCN8687-XL.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-WdKXHRm/0/NLZcfTkD9NC4hfm6vKjkb5wWhnwkgcQR8SMnv3Ld2/XL/DSCN8689-XL.jpg)

Hope that helps.

Australian made. Don't know whether it's available overseas or not, but, as it's a lacquer, there may be issues with shipping overseas from Australian stores.

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 25, 2024, 04:55:55 AMThank you, gentlemen! :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:


@kerick:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-K268BgT/0/LQhP3d8BjMpgLf64fBtq49Lpt7wf8cXdxmMQq3M9F/XL/DSCN8687-XL.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-WdKXHRm/0/NLZcfTkD9NC4hfm6vKjkb5wWhnwkgcQR8SMnv3Ld2/XL/DSCN8689-XL.jpg)

Hope that helps.

Australian made. Don't know whether it's available overseas or not, but, as it's a lacquer, there may be issues with shipping overseas from Australian stores.

Pretty sure its available in the UK.  I've seen build ups in AMW using it.  Not sure about other places.
IMO its as good as Zero Paints lacquer albeit in smaller jars.

Yup the SMS range is available in the UK  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Rick Lowe on September 24, 2024, 09:59:38 PMI must admit, the blue looks a lot different from what I recall of the old Humbrol et al shades.
Or am I thinking of Mediterranean Blue instead?  :unsure:

Could well be. RAF lower surface colours in the Western Desert, especially in the early years, can be almost as much a minefield as the "Sky/Duck Egg Blue etc debates. What their Airships in Whitehall specified and what was available 2,200 miles away could be two completely different things.  :angel:

Colourcoats and Xtracolour both do a Light and Dark Mediterranean Blue in their range and they are both darker than most Azure Blues I've seen. Although the Light variant is reasonable near.

I'm basing my assessment on these photo's (amongst others);

(https://i.redd.it/vfjiykyrtl771.jpg)

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/TR_000978_kittyhawk.jpg)

(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fraf-112-squadron.org%2Fimages%2FLtUsher1a.jpg&hash=3442109e8f9a75e5cda430fabee2359903668889)

Good to know!

OK, Stupid-O'clock is getting very close! How did that happen? :blink:

Anyway, masking is done for the base camo colour & it has been applied, & all the "bits" are ready to be fitted.


So, here are the photo's of where I'm at this morning, before I head off to bed;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-xDwqXBz/0/K5BrnrQ8QwmdhxWD6zcxk5DgHZVvpK92pCrTQ3gjK/X3/DSCN8691-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-Tvf7qMt/0/MC2dPqD7Xvw8FL59Bq7rpGsjSwTGBkGbR5JVbfqG7/X3/DSCN8694-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-QQtvTm8/0/McdfsjXdHHpzjr3fKrQCP4MZjD7XCkxXFvn2hTpwB/X3/DSCN8693-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-7mNrqRt/0/M48VL8dTfdf2Nttw8h4WCJj2GpV6SnJjbRKzfCJdH/X3/DSCN8692-X3.jpg)


Seem to be running to schedule. Not quite a One Week Build but pretty damned close! ;)

Coming along really nicely mate  :thumbsup:  and you are tempting me to get one of the few 1/48 kits out of the stash post Telford  ;)  Perhaps my Eduard Mk I Spit ?

That underside blue in the photo ccertainly looks Azure to me  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 25, 2024, 04:55:55 AMThank you, gentlemen! :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:


@kerick:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-K268BgT/0/LQhP3d8BjMpgLf64fBtq49Lpt7wf8cXdxmMQq3M9F/XL/DSCN8687-XL.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-WdKXHRm/0/NLZcfTkD9NC4hfm6vKjkb5wWhnwkgcQR8SMnv3Ld2/XL/DSCN8689-XL.jpg)

Hope that helps.

Australian made. Don't know whether it's available overseas or not, but, as it's a lacquer, there may be issues with shipping overseas from Australian stores.

It's available here in nz Womby mate but there's a couple of problems..one is having  a airbrush capable of spraying it and two it's around $17 bucks a bottle  :o

Didn't say it was cheap, mate. ;)

However, from the bottles of the three main colours I've used on this I should be able to get 3 more RAF North African campaign fighters done.


Speaking of which, the P-40M has gone on hold.

Styrene (the Goddess of Plastic Modelling) has blighted me with destroyed decals (one fell onto the floor unnoticed & got rolled into scrap by my chair, & the other decided to bunch up into a knot of decal film that refused to be disentangled). :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Therefore, I'll have to hunt down some 1/48 white 24" RAF code letters to have any hope of finishing it.

I'll post some photo's of where I've got to later, once I'm a little less f___ed off (with myself).

In the meantime, I'll try to find something else to take to the expo on Saturday.


I knew I was feeling too good about how things were going this morning ... I should have stabbed myself in the hand & provided a decent blood sacrifice! :-\

OK, so this is where I'm at (see if you can spot all of the other annoying things that went wrong today, apart from the disintegrating decals);

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-LHwVXQZ/0/Kv2hKPhNpJZXSBCBpmhd3XjxGT7MMFQ8Fbs9LfRpJ/X3/DSCN8697-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-cTM25Wq/0/MX3ccr4PWbPkv6Ft8RQVbQfScfQZwCBbRQvxCkKdS/X3/DSCN8698-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-LmMBnh3/0/LbmHn5nCZw2h8qQSPWqg2bQdCdNt4FMRP4FghtCSW/X3/DSCN8699-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-sk58sw4/0/KWbNBPF8N5nH88Jgqw8n5CS6LTsb4Q4hjf7KGcbK9/X3/DSCN8700-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-6BGp3Nv/0/M4WpvccK7WDJgMfjxMbXDSJ8Qh7N7jxBPDjxpnsX5/X3/DSCN8701-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-9jbg9Ps/0/KKzMV2vWxwCDTB7PqP2dPH8JXMkXnDFhj9nRJRVpx/X3/DSCN8702-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-LxR94Qb/0/NSdpD9Ts56rGLsDsR5sW86996ZQ6jKrSLBhsxsZr3/X3/DSCN8704-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-4rF7JLC/0/NBxHCmtRK8hn6GdTnCWNzvddwh3XLSC6f9V66L4vZ/X3/DSCN8705-X3.jpg)

Landing gear hatches not fitted yet'

(https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-hRp3Cdt/0/LQL4F6BGB7MDLGpmFzwZSZp7RvVSJkVnPTdkK5pvd/X3/DSCN8706-X3.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/RW-P-40M-112Sqn/i-g9fZCcF/0/MWHpjTrLb5T5qsSdDn4ZgkJsvXtDXvTTjHq6nPdxz/X3/DSCN8707-X3.jpg)



Right, that's it for tonight.


'Night all!

 :cheers:

I wish mine would come out that nice! Well done!

Thanks, mate! :bow:

I guess having to wait gives me a chance to fix some of the things that went wrong yesterday (scratches, paint issues ... bloody decals! ... etc.) over time.

From the carnage comes beauty 😍  ;D
Very very nice matey 👍 😁

Nicely done. :thumbsup:
Warped prop blade at One o'clock & scratch above the Port exhaust stacks? :banghead:

Quote from: Wardukw on September 26, 2024, 08:03:29 PMFrom the carnage comes beauty 😍  ;D
Very very nice matey 👍 😁

Thanks heaps, Phill! :bow:

Oh, there's still carnage, ol' son, but now I can take a bit more time fixing it.

She'll never win any competitions but I can live with that.


Thank you, too, Rick! :bow:

The prop blades are fine (actually one of the better props I've seen/used), but the scratch ... let's call it what it is ... the gouge above the left exhaust stacks is one of the worst offences.

Paint it silver, call it a Near Miss and you're all better! :thumbsup:

Quote from: Rick Lowe on September 26, 2024, 10:32:49 PMPaint it silver, call it a Near Miss and you're all better! :thumbsup:

Tempting! ;D

I have had an email back from SAPMA about an issue I had registering kits for the Expo - My error, I missed that there was a cut-off at midnight last night. :banghead:


Anyway, they have said that I can bring some items for "Display Only", which is fine by me ... It means I can bring a few of my more "thought-provoking" models along. :thumbsup:

I'm thinking the Winchester may make another appearance, my Ukrainian Merkava IV ... Actually, the choices abound! I'll have to think on this after dinner! :wacko:

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 26, 2024, 10:31:06 PM

Quote from: Wardukw on September 26, 2024, 08:03:29 PMFrom the carnage comes beauty 😍  ;D
Very very nice matey 👍 😁

Thanks heaps, Phill! :bow:

Oh, there's still carnage, ol' son, but now I can take a bit more time fixing it.

She'll never win any competitions but I can live with that.

Oh there's always carnage...it's the timing tho which is most important 🙄 🤔
As in most cases tho..the timing ain't right  :banghead:  ;D

That's looking really nice mate  :thumbsup:

Thanks, Chris! :bow:

I'm fairly sure the Report Card would read "Could do better." ;)

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 27, 2024, 05:16:42 AMI'm fairly sure the Report Card would read "Could do better." ;)

Yea, but teachers always said that, even if you got 5 Stars  ;)

Quote from: NARSES2 on September 27, 2024, 05:18:04 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 27, 2024, 05:16:42 AMI'm fairly sure the Report Card would read "Could do better."* ;)

Yea, but teachers always said that, even if you got 5 Stars  ;)

Ain't that the truth.

*Also applies to annual work reviews

My mother says "more haste, less speed".
And she's usually correct.

It looks great considering the time you did it in.   :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

So how did you gouge it?  If it had been me it'd be when I was hurriedly clearing paint out of the slot for the exhaust and just grabbed the knife which fell closest to hand rather than using something better that wasn't immediately visible.  Well, that's what usually happens anyway...

Quote from: zenrat on September 27, 2024, 05:39:48 AMMy mother says "more haste, less speed".
And she's usually correct.

Exactly what my mum said, until I "dilly dallied" then I'd get a "will you hurry up for heavan's sake, I haven't got all day"  :angel:

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 26, 2024, 10:31:06 PMThe prop blades are fine (actually one of the better props I've seen/used), but the scratch ... let's call it what it is ... the gouge above the left exhaust stacks is one of the worst offences.

How visible is it from 6' away?

Quote from: zenrat on September 27, 2024, 05:39:48 AMIt looks great considering the time you did it in.  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

So how did you gouge it?  If it had been me it'd be when I was hurriedly clearing paint out of the slot for the exhaust and just grabbed the knife which fell closest to hand rather than using something better that wasn't immediately visible.  Well, that's what usually happens anyway...

Thanks, Fred! :bow:

Cause was very similar to what you described; to get the exhausts to fit (I had already ensured there was no paint by masking the inside of the slots) I had to sand down the bases until they were rice-paper thin, & they were still sitting too high, so I had to try to scrape out the bottom of the slot .... with the first knife that came to hand. :rolleyes:

So my mum was right again...   :-\

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Quote from: zenrat on September 28, 2024, 02:55:18 AMWhy do we do this to ourselves?

It's pennance  :angel:

When one fails to make sufficient sacrifice to Styrene she blocks common sense & guides one's mind along the path of stupidity. :rolleyes:

Sometimes when I'm trying to work on something and I have to sit back and take 5 minutes to settle myself then go back and actually accomplish something. Especially when my fingers start to shake. Last night I actually looked at my fingers and said "OK, are you done now?" It worked.  :o  ;D

Quote from: kerick on September 29, 2024, 10:56:13 AMLast night I actually looked at my fingers and said "OK, are you done now?" It worked.

Whatever gets the desired result.  :thumbsup:  ;D

So, I spent part of last night & all of today cleaning up the work bench & modelling room. There's a bit of mess off to the left, in front of the computer & further to the left past that, but it's much better than it was.

Mind you, if you go by the image below, you may find that last statement difficult to believe;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-fJgKq5T/0/Lkr5kZBMzjW8XNKkqhBr635pZr58wXBV6RS7z4TwP/X3/DSCN8917-X3.jpg)

This is because I started on my next build straight after dinner!

It's another Real World build, but one I have some decent (but far from perfect) photographic references for.

In fact, it's this M3 Grant;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant/i-VHb2XPP/0/MxPZfBVW6P89Nz5pVDJsV9MPjSLHhtkG4GpP96MrZ/X3/DSCN8145-X3.jpg)

https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant (https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant)

Used to observe/film the Malkara anti-tank rocket tests at Woomera in the early-1950s.

As I intend getting this one "right", I'll be taking my time &, possibly/probably, diverting off to do other, rather more "me" builds to escape this Realism thing.

First one of these is likely to be a "dark Santa" figure, using the Northern Wandering Knight figure from Pegaso (75-129);

(https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-ovuyzcdciq/images/stencil/500x250/w/75129_1624591852__47605.original.jpg)

Then, maybe, back to the RAMs pre-war exercise (Vickers Mk.II*), for which I have 3 more vehicles to complete & at least 2 more figures ... Or I might go off on another tangent, somewhere else completely. ;)

For what it's worth:

I'm using the Airfix (Academy) M3 Grant for this build & have already had to hack into it.

There are a surprising number of small changes made to the Malkara Grant & they're adding up fast.

I'll definitely have to go back to the museum & take more photo's to get some of the details right.

Got to get back to doing daytime stuff, now, but I'll be back with a photo or two of where I'm at tonight. :thumbsup:

The Aussies in WW2 did make quite a few changes to their Grants even before they went into combat and then made even more once in combat..your probably having to deal with even more modifications for this vehicle with some of the combat mods still present in a small part mate .
This sounds like fun 😁 😂

Sounds like you'll be having fun, anyway - looking forward to seeing it progress. :thumbsup:
(said in a completely NON-"Hurry the Flock Up" way... just so's there's no mistaking my intent... ;) )

Quote from: Wardukw on September 30, 2024, 08:51:55 PMThe Aussies in WW2 did make quite a few changes to their Grants even before they went into combat and then made even more once in combat..your probably having to deal with even more modifications for this vehicle with some of the combat mods still present in a small part mate .
This sounds like fun 😁 😂

I'm not sure Aussie Grants ever saw active service during WW2, there is mention of "M3" tanks of the 2nd Armoured Division being deployed to the Buna-Gona campaign, but the 2nd operated both M3 Grants & M3 Stuarts, & I've only seen mention of Stuarts in the books I've read that cover this part of the overall Kokoda Campaign. After that Matildas, & the occasional Stuart, were pretty much our only active combat tanks (plus a few captured Italian tanks in North Africa ... Oh, & Crusader Mk.IIs plus some captured Renaults in Syria).

From 1942 to 1944, after the threat of invasion went away, Australia wound down from 3 armoured divisions to one armoured brigade, with all the troopers being re-trained as jungle commandos.

Quote from: Old Wombat on September 30, 2024, 10:08:38 PM

Quote from: Wardukw on September 30, 2024, 08:51:55 PMThe Aussies in WW2 did make quite a few changes to their Grants even before they went into combat and then made even more once in combat..your probably having to deal with even more modifications for this vehicle with some of the combat mods still present in a small part mate .
This sounds like fun 😁 😂

I'm not sure Aussie Grants ever saw active service during WW2, there is mention of "M3" tanks of the 2nd Armoured Division being deployed to the Buna-Gona campaign, but the 2nd operated both M3 Grants & M3 Stuarts, & I've only seen mention of Stuarts in the books I've read that cover this part of the overall Kokoda Campaign. After that Matildas, & the occasional Stuart, were pretty much our only active combat tanks (plus a few captured Italian tanks in North Africa ... Oh, & Crusader Mk.IIs plus some captured Renaults in Syria).

From 1942 to 1944, after the threat of invasion went away, Australia wound down from 3 armoured divisions to one armoured brigade, with all the troopers being re-trained as jungle commandos.

The Australian Armour and Artillery Museum have a couple ..well many more now ...Grants that are vets ..some with the original wire mesh shields still on em ..there anti grenade screens made in the field and that makes em super rare vehicles indeed .
They have a bloke who's a walking encyclopedia on the M3 and he's rebuilt a few and owns more...im pretty sure he's the one I'd talk to.
He's just finished one for the museum..damn he's good 👍

The "rust-oration" rebuild. Yeah, I watched that. :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

I'm fairly sure it was he who mentioned that the Grants never saw combat with the Australian army, somewhere during either that build or the previous one.

So, where am I? :unsure: 

Oh, here I am! :lol:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-R7WT7xJ/0/Mpkt3VTcF5gvvsFXNc72PSFCrkj9TXcZTKQmBmb7P/X3/DSCN8918-X3.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-qjNRnZN/0/KqjRrNrbTHgNWWwj8XR5wspjNcqn8VK6gqDVzLSk2/X3/DSCN8921-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-mxmbL6b/0/MMHPR86LVNLxJGScWqHs2MvmDBvbXHsbNftqrrJm6/X3/DSCN8920-X3.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant/i-bgJ3cb2/0/Kg7Pz9n6Fctm6hF5pnKNbCQPSRGBc39X65Kz95bTX/X3/DSCN8147-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-trtzWkr/0/KfsvGnp6GjHJG6SpGJch53RQpbSDFgLLPWTdZ2XLg/X3/DSCN8919-X3.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant/i-khGpGrZ/0/K2PJT84NRR6dBBQ8Z729CCGZPS93Hsf3d3k3S5zZz/X3/IMG_2773-X3.jpg)

The vent on the engine deck that I have filled in should be at the front but it was easier to spin it around to use liquid cement to glue the angle piece to the styrene than to use CA to glue it to the putty.

As you can see, I'm doing the tortoise thing, rather than the hare. ;)

So, onwards & upwards! Back at it! :thumbsup:

Coming along well.  :thumbsup:

Sounds like the Grants might be some the British used in Burma? Is that possible?
Or did they add the mesh to the Aussie-based ones to stop the local wildlife from prying them open?  ;D

The Grants were, initially, kept in Australia to defend against invasion.

Once the threat of invasion went away they were kept on as training vehicles, because the Matildas suited the role better for the type of jungle fighting we were engaged in (didn't need to be fast but had to be capable of going into all sorts of terrain, able to kill most Japanese tanks & bunkers without too much trouble, & almost immune to Japanese AT artillery).

Any mod's done to them were probably done in anticipation of the potential Japanese invasion, & from lessons learned in the jungle.

As the Armoured Corps shrank the Grants were mostly put into storage, until being sold off after the war.

OK, that makes more sense than being ex-Burma theatre ones.
And Lessons Learnt from that theatre, as you said.

And the Matildas having the same sort of abilities they initially had in the Desert - makes sense, now you mention it.

Yep the Brits did use the Grant in combat against the Japanese...The British M3 tanks performed well as they traversed the steep hillsides around Imphal and defeated the assaulting Japanese forces. Officially declared obsolete in April 1944, nevertheless, the Lee/Grant saw action until the end of the war in September 1945.
Wiki info .
The US used it right till the end of the war with the Japanese ..the Marines used it for a bit but dumped em for M3 Stuarts and later Sherman's.
If I remember right this was one of the few Allied tanks used from the start right till the end of the war ..like the Matildas.

Oh by the way ...lovely work so far Guy 😆 🤣  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Wardukw on October 02, 2024, 09:46:51 PMYep the Brits did use the Grant in combat against the Japanese...The British M3 tanks performed well as they traversed the steep hillsides around Imphal and defeated the assaulting
Japanese forces. Officially declared obsolete in April 1944, nevertheless, the Lee/Grant saw action until the end of the war in September 1945.

My Uncle Ian was a Major in the 3rd Carabiniers at Imphal in WWII and was OIC of a detachment of Lees there.

Apparently they wrecked the opposition.................  ;D

Quote from: PR19_Kit on October 02, 2024, 10:37:54 PM

Quote from: Wardukw on October 02, 2024, 09:46:51 PMYep the Brits did use the Grant in combat against the Japanese...The British M3 tanks performed well as they traversed the steep hillsides around Imphal and defeated the assaulting
Japanese forces. Officially declared obsolete in April 1944, nevertheless, the Lee/Grant saw action until the end of the war in September 1945.

My Uncle Ian was a Major in the 3rd Carabiniers at Imphal in WWII and was OIC of a detachment of Lees there.

Apparently they wrecked the opposition.................  ;D

Oh I'm not surprised Kit about that at all..that 75mm gun firing HE would ruin anybodies day if their on the receiving end 😁

Guy the rustoration was great mate 😃
His knowledge going thru the junk pile was eye opening..a twisted chunk of steel or a random piece of cast steel he knew exactly what it was..epic mate ..loved that series 👌

Thanks, Phill! Still plugging away! :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

Quote from: PR19_Kit on October 02, 2024, 10:37:54 PM

Quote from: Wardukw on October 02, 2024, 09:46:51 PMYep the Brits did use the Grant in combat against the Japanese...The British M3 tanks performed well as they traversed the steep hillsides around Imphal and defeated the assaulting
Japanese forces. Officially declared obsolete in April 1944, nevertheless, the Lee/Grant saw action until the end of the war in September 1945.

My Uncle Ian was a Major in the 3rd Carabiniers at Imphal in WWII and was OIC of a detachment of Lees there.

Apparently they wrecked the opposition.................  ;D

When you look at what the Japanese had as front-line tanks, Kit, it's not that surprising;

Type 89 I-gō/Yi-Go/Chi-Ro medium tank
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Type_89_Yi-Go_at_Tsuchira.jpg/800px-Type_89_Yi-Go_at_Tsuchira.jpg)

Type 95 Ha-Go light tank
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Type_95_%28AWM_097336%29.jpg)

Type 97 ShinHoTo Chi-Ha medium tank
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Type_97_ShinHoTo_Chi-Ha_-_Patriot_Museum%2C_Kubinka_%2838251002671%29.jpg/800px-Type_97_ShinHoTo_Chi-Ha_-_Patriot_Museum%2C_Kubinka_%2838251002671%29.jpg)

There were other tanks that they tried to develop from 1942 which could well have been problematic but shortages of materiel & damage to their manufacturing infrastructure meant that none left the Home Islands & most barely got past the  prototype stage;

Type 98A Ke-Ni light tank
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Type_98A_Ke-Ni.jpg/800px-Type_98A_Ke-Ni.jpg)

Type 1 Chi-He medium tank
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Isshikityusensya.jpg)

Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Chi-Nu.JPG/800px-Chi-Nu.JPG)

Type 4 Chi-To medium tank
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Chi-To.JPG)

Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank (one incomplete prototype)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Chi-Ri.JPG) (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Chi-Ri_rear-side_angle_view.jpg)

In one battle US Marines were attacked with Ha-Ho light tanks and those guys were destroying the Ha-Go's with .50 cal machine guns..so that gives ya dome ideas about how weak those were.
I think it was a air field the Marines were protecting 🤔

Hm, yes, those Japanese tanks don't look in the same league as an M3, do they? And the Lee had TWO big guns as well!

Quote from: PR19_Kit on October 03, 2024, 03:21:36 AMHm, yes, those Japanese tanks don't look in the same league as an M3, do they? And the Lee had TWO big guns as well!

Well, the M3 Grant had one big low-velocity gun (75mm) & one small high-velocity gun (37mm) but both were quite capable of knocking out most in-service Japanese tanks.

The 75mm was for taking out bunkers..artillery with its HE rds where as the 37mm was thr anti tank gun .
Still not getting the ideas that a high velocity large calibre gun was the way to really kill a tank or field gun and bunkers and so on ...but they got there in the end ..so to speck.

To be fair, if the opposition didn't have anything but small arms, even the weakest tank in the inventory would roll right over them.

That said, fanaticism and banzai charges won't do you much good if the opposition has something decent to counter you with.

Still, some of their guns were capable of taking out Allied tanks - I have the Concord Sherman at War which shows a burnt out Sherman that was apparently hit with a Japanese high velocity 47mm round.

Quote from: Rick Lowe on October 04, 2024, 01:08:46 AMTo be fair, if the opposition didn't have anything but small arms, even the weakest tank in the inventory would roll right over them.

That said, fanaticism and banzai charges won't do you much good if the opposition has something decent to counter you with.

Still, some of their guns were capable of taking out Allied tanks - I have the Concord Sherman at War which shows a burnt out Sherman that was apparently hit with a Japanese high velocity 47mm round.

That's the thing tho Rick..in that assault the Japanese forces tried against the Marines the most powerful weapons at the time they had were 50cals..they hadn't gotten any larges guns to play with yet they still wiped the Japanese out ...many banziai charges the Japanese tried resulted in them being damn near annihilated .
In at least 75% of the time the Marines had nothing more than rifles and machine guns .

There was doubting tho that the type 1 47mm anti tank gun was a legit piece of kit ..the US feared that gun for sure.
That's partly why you saw all the thick wooden llanks being used as armour..and any else they could lay their hands on of course 😉 😄

True.  :thumbsup:

Against German tanks neither gun on the M3 Grant/Lee was especially effective but against most Japanese tanks the 37mm was quite potent & the 75mm HE was still quite effective at killing the tank, Phill.

Also, don't write the Japanese AT guns off as "useless", but rather as mostly ineffective. They could still cause some serious damage if used correctly;

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/47mm_Type_1_Antitank_Gun%2C_Sugar_Loaf_Hill.png)
IJN Type 1 47 mm anti-tank gun overlooks the battlefield, littered with knocked-out M4 Shermans and LVTs, during the battle for the Sugar Loaf Hill (a part of the Battle of Okinawa) - unnamed Japanese soldier

IIRC my Uncle said his troop, maybe 6-8 Lees, lost one of theirs against the Japanese tanks, and they knocked all of their opposition out, every one, but I don't know what type the Japanese tanks were I'm afraid.

Guy the Japanese had the 47mm type 1 AT and that did kill quite a few Sherman's..ive pics of Sherman's with multiple holes in the frontal armour from those guns and there's also a 90mm gun they had and had they fielded many of those the Allies would have had a hell of lot more losses that's for sure.
Nope ..no way would I call em useless by any means .

So-o, back to work on Wednesday (Where the Hell did those 3 weeks go? :unsure: ) & I've reached the stage where I'm going to have to get more & better photo's to progress much further on the Grant ... That & having to wait for tracks & casting markings to come into stock at my enabler's.

Therefore these are the last pic's of this build for a while, as she's being packed away until the Heavens align for her completion.

Doesn't look like there's been much progress but I'm being very finicky with this build (I want this to take out 1st Prize for Large Scale Armour next year at the SA Plastic Model Expo. :wacko: )

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-HCJbmr2/0/NBqnMWWQt6bbftHXGfTbXqzWxSdRZRzR6sscWZDJS/X3/DSCN8922-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-SFhx9tK/0/Kd5MsrSXpRM9K3qLkf8JTCRSMbG8hszxKfdXhBfsB/X2/DSCN8923-X2.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-NWgzqBd/0/LgCk7fLRFHsb39mbbrWg3bZzr33RN7jQqr8bzFWmM/X2/DSCN8924-X2.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-Dh5sqF4/0/LrJ9RvF8hnVcWqk7VM9GN8r5b9bxgzhXDP6xWqjXf/X3/DSCN8925-X3.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-qRvVcgs/0/KRF44X8HhBZhCkB5MsLGqgQhRcMmCct6MJN68tLGv/X3/DSCN8926-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-k9NC8FN/0/MbRJrp33gsmBTKtdP7q72kWVc3tFVFDWmxjDR5tZG/X3/DSCN8927-X3.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-Mhgs47d/0/K7QRCbXnbxg9qX93SjngPfjH6mVRt6tT8VgfnT227/X3/DSCN8928-X3.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-TJsbgNJ/0/LtWZXRWLtw5sDPqj4kDM8DNFBTTLdk9BmcPkkpGXW/X3/DSCN8929-X3.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Malkara-M3-Grant-The-Build/i-PQNCXsw/0/LxJJN5CpRr8QqNTL6wX6VZwPF8tTvSnthdHBq3264/X3/DSCN8930-X3.jpg)


So, this time tomorrow I'll have been staring at my Pegaso "Northern Wandering Knight XIV Century" in complete bemusement for about 8 hours ... Maybe more! :blink:

It's my first dedicated "figure" kit &, I was somewhat surprised to discover, it's all metal with the exception of one piece.

Of course, the parts count is nothing like that of your average AFV but I get the feeling that I'm slightly out of my depth with this one.

Stretching yourself...enhancing skills, and learning new ones.  :thumbsup:

Grant is looking good.

I wouldn't agree with you there mate..I don't think your out of your depth at all..yeah huge or a large parts count can be eye opening for sure but just keep chipping away mate and you'll be sweet .
I've built many tanks with over a thousand parts Guy and apart from the time it takes its all good..it's funny cause I've got a couple of friends who both love jigsaws yet they're shocked at the parts count from some of my models yet their happy to slap together a 2000 piece jigsaw  :unsure:  :o

I'm not complaining about the parts count, believe me, I'm less concerned than many about a high parts count on kits than many modellers are (unless they're indy tracks, of course :banghead: , but even them I can live with).

It's just that even the small parts count on this figure (17, including the base) doesn't fill me with confidence. :-\

Still, clean-up is done.

Next is working out where to drill to fit the strengthening pins - they don't have to be super-strong but strong enough to hold the weight of the pieces firmly against gravity.

Having watched a few YT videos, & read a few articles, I'll be using Araldite (2-part epoxy adhesive) to fix everything together. CA seems to be common for smaller figures (gaming, older pre-resin, etc.) but epoxies seem to be the go for heavier builds like this one.

Anyway, back to work tomorrow & I've been asked to start early (to fit an anklet to some bloke so he can catch a bus to wherever), therefore not much going to get done tonight.


PS: I did receive two more figure kits (resin) in the mail today Ubbe; The Great Pagan, 54mm fig from Abteilung 502, & English Knight: Battle of Poitiers (the 1356AD battle), 75mm fig from Panzer Art

Quote from: Old Wombat on October 08, 2024, 03:26:24 AMI'm not complaining about the parts count, believe me, I'm less concerned than many about a high parts count on kits than many modellers are (unless they're indy tracks, of course :banghead: , but even them I can live with).

It's just that even the small parts count on this figure (17, including the base) doesn't fill me with confidence. :-\

Still, clean-up is done.

Next is working out where to drill to fit the strengthening pins - they don't have to be super-strong but strong enough to hold the weight of the pieces firmly against gravity.

Having watched a few YT videos, & read a few articles, I'll be using Araldite (2-part epoxy adhesive) to fix everything together. CA seems to be common for smaller figures (gaming, older pre-resin, etc.) but epoxies seem to be the go for heavier builds like this one.

Anyway, back to work tomorrow & I've been asked to start early (to fit an anklet to some bloke so he can catch a bus to wherever), therefore not much going to get done tonight.


PS: I did receive two more figure kits (resin) in the mail today Ubbe; The Great Pagan, 54mm fig from Abteilung 502, & English Knight: Battle of Poitiers (the 1356AD battle), 75mm fig from Panzer Art

Soft brass wire ..not copper..easy to adjust but strong as to hold the weight..it works great mate 👍

Not much modelling being done today ... Yet ... Unless I can find something else to work on.

I've washed the Santa Knight & the parts are lying on the bench drying, so it's going to be a while before I get back to him.

I'm sure I'll figure something out ...

Quote from: Old Wombat on October 12, 2024, 05:43:17 PMNot much modelling being done today ... Yet ... Unless I can find something else to work on.

I've washed the Santa Knight & the parts are lying on the bench drying, so it's going to be a while before I get back to him.

I'm sure I'll figure something out ...

I use Iso dor cleaning white metal items Guy..best thing ..dries super fast  :thumbsup:
It's prefect for things with lots of nooks and crannies like tank tracks and we'll detailed figures 😀

Quote from: Wardukw on October 12, 2024, 05:59:23 PM

Quote from: Old Wombat on October 12, 2024, 05:43:17 PMNot much modelling being done today ... Yet ... Unless I can find something else to work on.

I've washed the Santa Knight & the parts are lying on the bench drying, so it's going to be a while before I get back to him.

I'm sure I'll figure something out ...

I use Iso dor cleaning white metal items Guy..best thing ..dries super fast  :thumbsup:
It's prefect for things with lots of nooks and crannies like tank tracks and we'll detailed figures 😀

I just used warm soapy water & a toothbrush, then rinse & let dry.

If nothing else it gives me time to think about whether I want to expand this into a small diorama &, maybe, get some other figures to go with it.

And listen to some German Mediaeval Metal & Musketeer Rock;

(Turn up the volume! ;D )

And a new(-ish) track I hadn't heard before;

Was going to be doing more on the Christmas Knight tonight but I've been called back in to work to cover the Night Shift Team Leader spot.

So, almost no sleep for 24hrs but I've taken tomorrow's arvo shift off.

Should be back at it tomorrow afternoon! :thumbsup:

The eldest daughter & the two grandsons are over from the Eyre Peninsula, so modelling is being pushed back a little (until everyone else is in bed).

Went to the National Motor Museum in Birdswood today with #1 daughter, her partner & #1 grandson.

Despite having lived about 30 minutes drive away for over 20 years & having visited Birdswood numerous times, I have never been to the museum previously.

Excellent collection of vehicles, some on loan but many actually owned by the museum, including several that have particular historical value (to Australians, at least).

I'll get the photo's I took with my phone uploaded to SmugMug & get a link in here as soon as possible.

Cool, looking forward to them!  :thumbsup:
(again, in a completely 'Non-Hurry-Up' way...  ;)  ;D )

In a completely non-hurried way; ;)

Link to photo's of the National Motor Museum, Birdwood, SA; https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/National-Motor-Museum-Birdwood-SA (https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/National-Motor-Museum-Birdwood-SA)

A few of my favourites:

1935 Hudson Eight
(https://photos.smugmug.com/National-Motor-Museum-Birdwood-SA/i-44hqqdV/0/LLpVFP4JXKCshMqR6KLsbqQzKbCrFVN7Qx9vBWJK4/X3/20241023_113735-X3.jpg)

2005 Holden EFIJY
(https://photos.smugmug.com/National-Motor-Museum-Birdwood-SA/i-GV2BX6D/0/Mhrd72hS2VFCGKsT389JSmLDXB5qFxsv3QktvzMdG/X3/20241023_114426-X3.jpg)

1937 Bentley Drophead Coupe
(https://photos.smugmug.com/National-Motor-Museum-Birdwood-SA/i-5jvH6dp/0/NWj3LLGr8xJKCgwkzmPFjpWSjzJzt5qc32VqcGxmR/X4/20241023_123003-X4.jpg)


Added bonus;

Link to photo's of the Beachport Museum, Beachport, SA; https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/Beachport-Museum (https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/Beachport-Museum)

Good pics.  Thanks for sharing.   :thumbsup:

It's a very crowded museum.  It seems to have got more so since I went there 20 years ago (or more).  It's good to see all those machines in the flesh but it is nice to be able to walk round them.

Do they not have the Bentley ute there anymore?

That Holden's something else  :wub:

 :thumbsup:

Quote from: zenrat on October 23, 2024, 03:43:14 AMDo they not have the Bentley ute there anymore?

Not that I saw, but there were so many cars (& motorbikes) that my eyes started glazing over towards the end, so I may just have missed it (unless it was in a particularly stand-out scheme?).

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 23, 2024, 05:49:22 AMThat Holden's something else  :wub:

Yes, it is! :wub:

The EFIJY is one of the very few Holdens I would ever consider owning (if I had the funds & it was for sale).

Quote from: Old Wombat on October 23, 2024, 07:09:33 AM:thumbsup:

Quote from: zenrat on October 23, 2024, 03:43:14 AMDo they not have the Bentley ute there anymore?

Not that I saw, but there were so many cars (& motorbikes) that my eyes started glazing over towards the end, so I may just have missed it (unless it was in a particularly stand-out scheme?)...

ISTR it was built to carry the sails of a racing yacht and was colourfully painted with the name of the owners cattle station (or horse ranch, or vineyard) signwritten on the sides.

Quote from: zenrat on October 24, 2024, 03:13:53 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on October 23, 2024, 07:09:33 AM:thumbsup:

Quote from: zenrat on October 23, 2024, 03:43:14 AMDo they not have the Bentley ute there anymore?

Not that I saw, but there were so many cars (& motorbikes) that my eyes started glazing over towards the end, so I may just have missed it (unless it was in a particularly stand-out scheme?)...

ISTR it was built to carry the sails of a racing yacht and was colourfully painted with the name of the owners cattle station (or horse ranch, or vineyard) signwritten on the sides.

Then there's a fairly good chance it wasn't there because that sounds like it would stand out a bit.

EFIJY
The coolest Holden ever made 😎
And i agree Guy...the only Holden id consider  ;D

Quote from: Wardukw on October 29, 2024, 12:56:11 AMEFIJY
The coolest Holden ever made 😎
And i agree Guy...the only Holden id consider  ;D

That certainly is one VERY smart looking car.  :thumbsup:

But I'd go for a Maloo, preferably one of the four GTSR W1s.  ;D

Nah.  Sandman.

(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2Ftangcla-com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F02%2FNV0A6436.jpg&hash=e6e456901a2ba65c53878fffdacdabd221c5e28d)

So long as the engine's large enough.  ;)

OK, family went back to Port Lincoln on Sunday, but I've been working, so modelling has been s-l-o-w. Still, things are moving forward in tiny increments ... Which is better than "not". :thumbsup:

My vision for my Dark Santa is not staying concrete but is, rather, evolving as I move forward. No drastic changes but a number of tweaks to the idea & image.

There may be some photo's over the coming days, but don't hold your breath. ;)

Industrial level gardening for the last four days plus some time painting the Dark Santa figure, finishing some bits off & fixing up others.

Getting there! :thumbsup:

Gardening involved digging up the pop-up sprinklers in my back yard, which have been mauled by the lawn-mower, & replacing them. This time I've put poly pipe around them & set them below ground level, with the poly pipe sitting up at that height.  I then top-dressed the lawn to start trying to get all the lumps & bumps out of it & getting it smoother & more level ... This will take a few passes to get done right (almost like PSR, really), while my brother-in-law paved a small section of what used to be lawn in front of the shed for me.

Back to work tomorrow, so bed time it is! :angel:

'Night, all! :cheers:

Seems like you've been having fun in the garden... :mellow:
Those types of jobs are some of my favorite to do in gardening... unless you have rock hard ground and there's no way to get a digger in there, then you're gonna have a sore back for a couple of days, depending on how many ditches you have to dig, of course...  :rolleyes:

Speaking of gardens - I once worked together with a bloke from Cirencester who exclaimed that "in Gloucestershire, we don't have gardens. We have land"

I never quite got that fully explained..

Quote from: Pellson on November 03, 2024, 11:07:49 AMSpeaking of gardens - I once worked together with a bloke from Cirencester who exclaimed that "in Gloucestershire, we don't have gardens. We have land"

Hah! Typical West Glos attitude! They think  they own the world on that side.

Nice to see some other works here Guy, do not venture down here much, but will try to remember the Blog holes exist more often.

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 03, 2024, 05:39:42 AMI then top-dressed the lawn to start trying to get all the lumps & bumps out of it & getting it smoother & more level ... This will take a few passes to get done right (almost like PSR, really),

So preparing the wicket for 25/26 already I see ?  ;)

Quote from: NARSES2 on November 04, 2024, 05:55:54 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 03, 2024, 05:39:42 AMI then top-dressed the lawn to start trying to get all the lumps & bumps out of it & getting it smoother & more level ... This will take a few passes to get done right (almost like PSR, really),

So preparing the wicket for 25/26 already I see ?  ;)

If you tried to play cricket on my lawn there's every chance the bowler could hit himself in the head with an unintentional reversed bouncer! ;D

Quote from: DogfighterZen on November 03, 2024, 09:27:07 AMSeems like you've been having fun in the garden... :mellow:
Those types of jobs are some of my favorite to do in gardening... unless you have rock hard ground and there's no way to get a digger in there, then you're gonna have a sore back for a couple of days, depending on how many ditches you have to dig, of course...  :rolleyes:

As I have a bulged disc in either the lowest/2nd lowest lumbar disc, back pain is to be expected. Luckily there were no trenches involved, just small sections required to remove & replace the sprinklers.

Also luckily, there is a decent amount of sand laid under the grass but I was still down to the underlying clay, which is either brick-hard or sticky & heavy (Littlehampton Bricks & Pavers are well known around South Australia &, I assume, Japan, as that is their major export customer) depending on the time of year and/or how much rain we've received (not much this year, despite the seemingly endless damp & cold over Winter).

But, yes, I much prefer industrial gardening to maintenance gardening. I hate our fruit trees (& would have them out in an instant, if they didn't produce better fruit than can be bought, even from the local fruit & veg shop) but I love the Japanese maples across the front of the house & all the various native plants that don't need pruning.

The lawn is just barely a lawn but just needs some TLC to bring it up to a child-friendly state for the grandwombats, so that's what I'm doing.

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 04, 2024, 07:09:57 AMAlso luckily, there is a decent amount of sand laid under the grass but I was still down to the underlying clay, which is either brick-hard or sticky & heavy (Littlehampton Bricks & Pavers are well known around South Australia &, I assume, Japan, as that is their major export customer) depending on the time of year and/or how much rain we've received (not much this year, despite the seemingly endless damp & cold over Winter).

But, yes, I much prefer industrial gardening to maintenance gardening. I hate our fruit trees (& would have them out in an instant, if they didn't produce better fruit than can be bought, even from the local fruit & veg shop) but I love the Japanese maples across the front of the house & all the various native plants that don't need pruning.

The lawn is just barely a lawn but just needs some TLC to bring it up to a child-friendly state for the grandwombats, so that's what I'm doing.

Sounds like the grounds of Chateau Rheged.  Heavy, sticky Herefordshire clay that bakes iron hard in hot summers and turns to slop when it rains.  Part of the garden was a temporary car park before the whole complex was converted from Rural District Council offices to housing, so that bit has a three inch layer of compacted gravel.  That's why I have to use a long chisel, a lump hammer and a wrecking bar to plant the roses..............but they are flourishing in the clay.

As to a "piece of green" for our  grand daughters to play on;  a great deal of heavy duty TLC  is needed before it is suitable.    I'm sure that your young wombatlings will enjoy  it whatever you manage to achieve.

Quote from: Rheged on November 04, 2024, 11:43:21 AM.but they are flourishing in the clay.

There's always an upside.  :thumbsup:  Though finding it can sometimes involve heavy excavation or an electron microscope... :-\

The Dark Christmas Knight is finished, with the exception of a few blats of matt clear on some of the fix-ups.

Will do that later tonight.

Then photo's, tomorrow, when I find a suitable background - white, red, green, brown & black are unsuitable, as they've been used in the paint job, so I'll probably have to hunt down something (pale) blue.

Started my next build - an AFV Club Stryker M1128 MGS (Mobile Gun System).

It is the first of my 7 (yes, seven) Stryker kits*. I hope to get a couple more of these done this year. They probably won't be finished until I've built all of them, as I want to do them all in a single, cohesive camouflage pattern, as a unit of the Royal Australian Marines Rapid Airborne Deployment (RAMRAiD**) Battalion.

I have used Stryker kits before, on my M1137A3 High Mobility Battlefield Logistics Transport;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/SAPMA-Expo-2017/i-NPdw7qt/0/730c0171/X2/DSCN4630-X2.jpg)

But this is the first time I've built one OoB.

And, as an armour kit, it's a nice, relaxing, familiar type of build! :wub:




[*: Eight, if you count the Panda M1296 Dragoon kit ... which I might, as the tyres (I just had a look) are a very hard vinyl/plastic, rather than the soft stuff that AFV Club & Trumpeter use.]

[**: Yes, I did have to think hard about how to get that acronym! ;D ]

The headline today is;

SWMBO (a.k.a. Mrs Wombat, a.k.a. Lisa) was declared "In remission" with her Non-Hodgkins' Lymphoma today, but still had to have 4 hours of immunotherapy, & will continue to do so every two months for the next two years.

Still, good news is good news! :thumbsup:

In further news;

Not much happened on the MGS - a couple of small pieces added, but that's it.

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 22, 2024, 04:25:32 AMStill, good news is good news! :thumbsup:

Indeed it is  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

Very good news!!!

I too am delighted to hear of Mrs Wombat's good  news.

Chuffed that the boss of our Womby has some good news..excellent 👍  ;D

Good news indeed!  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

Good to hear, hope she continues to improve.  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

Thank you all very much, gentlemen! :bow:  :bow:  :bow:  :bow:  :bow:  :bow:

All credit to AFV Club for the accuracy of this kit;

(https://www.bnamodelworld.com/image/cache2/1000x1000_contain/catalog/afvclub/AFV-AF35128.jpg?v=12)

But, by the Gods, they have included far too many miniscule parts! :o

I've just spent two days (when not at work, eating or watching YT vid's - sometimes even then) gluing on, mostly, pieces varying between 5mmx0.75mm to 2mmx0.5mm! :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

And their instructions aren't exactly clear on where some of those parts go, either.

Luckily for me, & in one of those wonderful coincidences the Universe serves up, The Chieftain (Nick Moran) put up the first of two videos on ... the M1128 MGS! ... just a few hours after I pulled out this kit to start building it, & the first video has proven to be a life saver when it has come to deciding where to put some parts & how to put them!




Anyway, I'll be back at this in a few minutes, & I'll try to get a build thread up-&-running towards the end of next week.


Cheers, All! :cheers:


PS: AFV Club has an updated M1128 coming out very soon, which is the same as the one Nick looks at in his video.

(https://www.bnamodelworld.com/image/cache2/1000x1000_contain/catalog/afvclub/AFV-AF35370.jpg?v=12)

very weird  :unsure:   i have literally just come her after watching the 2nd of those vids  :thumbsup:

good luck with the assembly, hope that it starts to get easier   :banghead:  :thumbsup: 

Hmmm, got one of these on the shelf, so interested how it goes.

Quote from: buzzbomb on November 25, 2024, 09:12:41 PMHmmm, got one of these on the shelf, so interested how it goes.

It's a good kit Brian mate...it's fiddlely in places like the hatch for the commander and the .50cal mount on the swing arm is super prone to be wacked ..turret fit is tight so some fine sanding is needed .
Everything else is pretty easy ..the hull halves on mine fitted very nicely together as did all the suspension components.
It's a better model in ways compared to all the Trumpeter versions I've built ..shame Trumpeter didn't build a MGS ...it would have been great for a ture comparison.

Happy joys! I've got COVID! :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Not bad, apart from the usual cough & running nose, I just feel lethargic. :rolleyes:

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 28, 2024, 10:28:34 PMHappy joys! I've got COVID! :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Not bad, apart from the usual cough & running nose, I just feel lethargic. :rolleyes:

Didn't ya get stabbed a wee while back against it ?? 🤔

Quote from: Wardukw on November 28, 2024, 10:36:51 PM

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 28, 2024, 10:28:34 PMHappy joys! I've got COVID! :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Not bad, apart from the usual cough & running nose, I just feel lethargic. :rolleyes:

Didn't ya get stabbed a wee while back against it ?? 🤔

Yes, but, like 'flu jabs, they only protect against the worst strains projected to be a problem during the following 12 months.

Obviously, this ain't one of them ... As I said, very mild, just annoying.

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 29, 2024, 12:03:35 AM

Quote from: Wardukw on November 28, 2024, 10:36:51 PM

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 28, 2024, 10:28:34 PMHappy joys! I've got COVID! :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Not bad, apart from the usual cough & running nose, I just feel lethargic. :rolleyes:

Didn't ya get stabbed a wee while back against it ?? 🤔

Yes, but, like 'flu jabs, they only protect against the worst strains projected to be a problem during the following 12 months.

Obviously, this ain't one of them ... As I said, very mild, just annoying.

Me being the mutant I am I can't really voice an opinion but mate the day I do get a flu or virus I'm certain it would end up turning me inside out  :o
Viruses are smart and what I think is with my body being so knackered the virus just can't be bothered ..no challenge 😆
Glad to hear tho that it's not kicking your arse matey 🙂

Well I hope it doesn't affect you to much mate, just play the "I'm ill" card while you can  ;)  ;D

Get well quickly enough to feel good, but slowly enough to enjoy being cossetted!

As I've given it to SWMBO I don't think I can get any sympathy from that side, especially as I feel rather guilty, considering she's still undergoing immunotherapy for her cancer. :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Extra incentive for you to get well soon then mate  :thumbsup:

Take care, both of you  :thumbsup:

Thanks, Chris! My symptoms seem to be easing off this afternoon, so possibly on the mend. :thumbsup:

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 30, 2024, 06:14:47 AMThanks, Chris! My symptoms seem to be easing off this afternoon, so possibly on the mend. :thumbsup:

We are greatly relieved to hear this!

Quote from: Rheged on November 30, 2024, 07:56:47 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on November 30, 2024, 06:14:47 AMThanks, Chris! My symptoms seem to be easing off this afternoon, so possibly on the mend. :thumbsup:

We are greatly relieved to hear this!

As my esteemed colleague has said!  :thumbsup:

Thanks, guys! :thumbsup:


I'm dreading tomorrow! :-\

My symptoms have eased more but tomorrow is back to work day & I'm worried my test is going to come back negative ... After spending the entirety of my four RDOs sick! :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Still COVID-positive, so no work today! :thumbsup:

Stay home, don't spread it, and build something cool.

Quote from: kerick on December 01, 2024, 05:32:14 PMStay home, don't spread it, and build something cool.

This is the plan! ;)

Quote from: Old Wombat on December 01, 2024, 05:37:52 PM

Quote from: kerick on December 01, 2024, 05:32:14 PMStay home, don't spread it, and build something cool.

This is the plan! ;)

 :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:
There's always an Upside!  ;)

COVID's still hangin' around like a blowfly at a barbie! :rolleyes:

Quote from: Old Wombat on December 02, 2024, 03:39:48 PMCOVID's still hangin' around like a blowfly at a barbie! :rolleyes:

Chuffed to hear your still sick mate 😆 🤣 😂
Such a strange thing to say 😁

More hope for the boss getting much better very soon bud 👍

Stay at home with Covid or go back to work? Hmmmmm, tough choice!

Getting very close to commencing painting on the RAMs MGS. :thumbsup:

My only issue is that I don't have one of the colour-shift paints I want for the optics. :rolleyes:

Quote from: Old Wombat on December 04, 2024, 06:26:52 PMGetting very close to commencing painting on the RAMs MGS. :thumbsup:
My only issue is that I don't have one of the colour-shift paints I want for the optics. :rolleyes:

Ok.. be interested to see that. I have been using that colour shift sticky film for yonks. the A5 sheet goes a long way when you are using 1mm x 2.5mm bits  ;D

I just use the multi colored confetti shapes. One bag full lasts a lifetime. I usually use the blue, green and the darkest red in the bag.

Quote from: buzzbomb on December 05, 2024, 02:57:38 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on December 04, 2024, 06:26:52 PMGetting very close to commencing painting on the RAMs MGS. :thumbsup:
My only issue is that I don't have one of the colour-shift paints I want for the optics. :rolleyes:

Ok.. be interested to see that. I have been using that colour shift sticky film for yonks. the A5 sheet goes a long way when you are using 1mm x 2.5mm bits  ;D

Yeah, well, that didn't work out as well as I'd hoped (too "metal-flaky" & not the right tones) but I'll stick with it.

Christmas Chaos descended upon the Wombat Burrow this morning in the shape of my elder daughter, her partner, my two grandsons & their two dogs! :o


So, my current build, glacial as it was, is going to get even slower, & there is no way in Hell that I'll be able to start anything new. :-\

Oh xmas time ..don't ya just love it 🙄😒

It's like how my day went ...water pump on a 08 Jeep Wrangler..easy as hell job..except two bolts snapped removing the pump ..took 2 hrs to get em out ..then decided to replace all 7 of em with M6 x 22 mm grade 8.8 bolts so they'll never be a problem again..all back together..running the engine...top radiator hose super hot..the bottom one .cold ..knackered thermostat  :banghead:
Now gotta wait till Monday for a new  to be shipped in...man I love xmas  :angry:

What type of dogs ?  ;)

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 20, 2024, 06:22:03 AMWhat type of dogs ?  ;)

Usual occupants:

1 x 7yo Sable Straight/Working-back German Shepherd (none of this stupid hip-dysplasia inducing sloped-back over-breeding here) - de-sexed male [Kokoda/Koda]
1 x 15mth old Chocolate Labrador (under-scale, insane, hyperactive, mobile organic-garbage disposal unit & food thief) - female [Kitty]*

Visitors;

1 x 6(?)yo Boxer-x-Labrador-x-American Staffy (looks mostly Boxer with a hint of AmStaff; high-strung & constantly on alert; also a bit of a food fiend but not as bad as Kitty) - de-sexed female [Mildred/Millie]*
1 x 7(?)yo Cocker Spaniel-x-Labrador (looks all tan-&-white Cocker Spaniel, though; little fluff-ball lookin' for loves) - de-sexed male [Fraser]



[*: Note that, although Kitty is a runt for a Chocolate Lab, she is as long & as tall as Millie but broader (fit,not fat).]

Is there not a fancy "special breed" name* for a Cocker Spaniel/Labrador cross?
Cockador springs to mind.



*Labradoodle, Groodle, Cockapoo, Cavoodle, Multishit...

Quote from: Old Wombat on December 22, 2024, 01:15:41 AM1 x 15mth old Chocolate Labrador (under-scale, insane, hyperactive, mobile organic-garbage disposal unit & food thief) - female [Kitty]*

Perfect description of any Labrador and most Retrievers  ;D  ;D

Quote from: zenrat on December 22, 2024, 02:11:46 AMIs there not a fancy "special breed" name* for a Cocker Spaniel/Labrador cross?
Cockador springs to mind.



*Labradoodle, Groodle, Cockapoo, Cavoodle, Multishit...

Labradoodle refers to a Labrador/Poodle cross here in the UK. You see a lot of them nowadays post Covid, apparently their popularity is down to the facr they don't shed hair ? The breeders are trying to get them registered as a new type of pedigree.

I have heard of Cockapoo being used by someone who doesn't want to admit they have a mongrel being used for a Cocker/Poodle cross.

Quote from: Old Wombat on December 22, 2024, 01:15:41 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 20, 2024, 06:22:03 AMWhat type of dogs ?  ;)

Usual occupants:
1 x 7yo Sable Straight/Working-back German Shepherd (none of this stupid hip-dysplasia inducing sloped-back over-breeding here) - de-sexed male [Kokoda/Koda]
1 x 15mth old Chocolate Labrador (under-scale, insane, hyperactive, mobile organic-garbage disposal unit & food thief) - female [Kitty]*
Visitors;
1 x 6(?)yo Boxer-x-Labrador-x-American Staffy (looks mostly Boxer with a hint of AmStaff; high-strung & constantly on alert; also a bit of a food fiend but not as bad as Kitty) - de-sexed female [Mildred/Millie]*
1 x 7(?)yo Cocker Spaniel-x-Labrador (looks all tan-&-white Cocker Spaniel, though; little fluff-ball lookin' for loves) - de-sexed male [Fraser]
[*: Note that, although Kitty is a runt for a Chocolate Lab, she is as long & as tall as Millie but broader (fit,not fat).]

That might be a bit of socialization fun. My brother's family brings dogs to his farm. His dogs are not acceptive of "Furriners". So he has a pound he puts up to seperate the groups. Lots of stand off evil eye business, then much joyousness/sulking when the roles change when the innies become the outies and vice versa.

Have a great Christmas Guy with all your family.... and pets. ;D

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 23, 2024, 05:34:50 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on December 22, 2024, 01:15:41 AM1 x 15mth old Chocolate Labrador (under-scale, insane, hyperactive, mobile organic-garbage disposal unit & food thief) - female [Kitty]*

Perfect description of any Labrador and most Retrievers  ;D  ;D

Quote from: zenrat on December 22, 2024, 02:11:46 AMIs there not a fancy "special breed" name* for a Cocker Spaniel/Labrador cross?
Cockador springs to mind.



*Labradoodle, Groodle, Cockapoo, Cavoodle, Multishit...

Labradoodle refers to a Labrador/Poodle cross here in the UK. You see a lot of them nowadays post Covid, apparently their popularity is down to the facr they don't shed hair ? The breeders are trying to get them registered as a new type of pedigree.

I have heard of Cockapoo being used by someone who doesn't want to admit they have a mongrel being used for a Cocker/Poodle cross.

I find this fashion of crossbreeding somewhat hard to understand. The reason for having bred dogs like we have for a century and a half is to create specific features that are predictable. Buy a Labrador, and you KNOW it will be ridiculously friendly, constantly starving and totally unable to not try to submerge itself in any puddle looking at least somewhat damp. Buy a Dachshund, and you know you'll be getting a dog that mentally will be grumpier than your haemorrhoid ridden old uncle, but loyal to a fault.
Crossbreed, however, and actually you don't know for sure what you get at all.

Or it's just me being completely out of touch as usual..  :rolleyes:

Our family has always had a mutts for pets. Works out just fine. Each dog has had their own personality without being crazy in any one way.

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2024, 12:49:42 PMBuy a Labrador, and you KNOW it will be ridiculously friendly, constantly starving and totally unable to not try to submerge itself in any puddle looking at least somewhat damp.

Most perfect definition of a Labrador I've ever seen  ;D  I shall contact the Kennel Club (the UK's registry for pedigrees) immediately  ;)

My niece and sister in law have to Mutts from the same litter. Mother was a Poodle, father a Chihuahua (with a ladder obviously  ;) ). They'd been bred purposely the seller said  :angel:  and went for £450 each 14 years ago. My niece's looks like a largish Chihuahua and is lovely and calm, my sister in law's looks like a tiny poodle and is a nutter - still.  :wacko:  My niece also has a Great Dane (Daisy) who is gorgeous.

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 25, 2024, 03:15:54 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2024, 12:49:42 PMBuy a Labrador, and you KNOW it will be ridiculously friendly, constantly starving and totally unable to not try to submerge itself in any puddle looking at least somewhat damp.

Most perfect definition of a Labrador I've ever seen  ;D  I shall contact the Kennel Club (the UK's registry for pedigrees) immediately  ;)

It's all experience, you know. There's been labradors in my family all my life, and while individuals in many ways, there have been common denominators, I tell you..  ;D

Quote from: Pellson on December 25, 2024, 08:21:20 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 25, 2024, 03:15:54 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2024, 12:49:42 PMBuy a Labrador, and you KNOW it will be ridiculously friendly, constantly starving and totally unable to not try to submerge itself in any puddle looking at least somewhat damp.

Most perfect definition of a Labrador I've ever seen  ;D  I shall contact the Kennel Club (the UK's registry for pedigrees) immediately  ;)

It's all experience, you know. There's been labradors in my family all my life, and while individuals in many ways, there have been common denominators, I tell you..  ;D

I used to take the family's Golden Retriever for walks when up north visiting the Tribe, and whenever I took it along the beach I always had some chocolate in my pocket so that I could get her out of the sea, she'd sell her soul for a bit of Cadbury's  ;D

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 26, 2024, 04:02:37 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 25, 2024, 08:21:20 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 25, 2024, 03:15:54 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2024, 12:49:42 PMBuy a Labrador, and you KNOW it will be ridiculously friendly, constantly starving and totally unable to not try to submerge itself in any puddle looking at least somewhat damp.

Most perfect definition of a Labrador I've ever seen  ;D  I shall contact the Kennel Club (the UK's registry for pedigrees) immediately  ;)

It's all experience, you know. There's been labradors in my family all my life, and while individuals in many ways, there have been common denominators, I tell you..  ;D

I used to take the family's Golden Retriever for walks when up north visiting the Tribe, and whenever I took it along the beach I always had some chocolate in my pocket so that I could get her out of the sea, she'd sell her soul for a bit of Cadbury's  ;D

Retreiver souls aren't very expensive, to my experience..  ;D

Quote from: Pellson on December 27, 2024, 03:45:23 AMRetreiver souls aren't very expensive, to my experience..  ;D

And here she is, God bless her. Bess in her prime. Long gone now  :-\

Bess 2.jpg

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 27, 2024, 05:55:13 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 27, 2024, 03:45:23 AMRetreiver souls aren't very expensive, to my experience..  ;D

And here she is, God bless her. Bess in her prime. Long gone now  :-\

Bess 2.jpg

Now that's a happy looking face 😁
A very cheerful lady 😀

Took a modelling free day, today, & played World of Warships instead.

For those who know:

I only play Co-op Mode, & only run British, Australian & New Zealand ships (with the exception of 1 US destroyer at any time).

I ran through all of my destroyers (x 3) & light cruisers (x 9), including 5 that appeared in my dock since I last played & 1 that I "researched" & "purchased" (not with real currency) today (HMAS Hobart, ca. WW2), then I "sold" the 3 that weren't RAN/RNZN ships.

Life events have been sapping my drive to build (not my desire, just the drive).

My wife had surgery yesterday to remove the third different type of cancer in three/four years. Two different forms of Non-Hodgkins' Lymphoma & this one, which I believe is some form of sarcoma ... maybe.

Don't know what sub-type of NHL the first was but she was just about to be declared clear of that when they found her legs riddled with "Fibrous" NHL, she had just finished her chemo for that (still on immunotherapy) when they did a PET scan, which showed massive shrinkage of the FNHLs but revealed something else in the root of one of her ex-tonsils. ENT specialist thought it looked like a cystic infection & removed it as he normally would, & sent it away for testing, as he normally would, but it wasn't an infection cyst, it was a cancer.

On top of that, we've been in the process of changing our mortgage over to another lender, which is never a pleasant task but almost 1% difference is still almost 1% less we have to pay out.

Anyway, none of that has been conducive to getting stuck into modelling.

I hope to get back on track in the next couple of weeks.

Quote from: Old Wombat on January 15, 2025, 05:28:16 AMLife events have been sapping my drive to build (not my desire, just the drive).

My wife had surgery yesterday to remove the third different type of cancer in three/four years. Two different forms of Non-Hodgkins' Lymphoma & this one, which I believe is some form of sarcoma ... maybe.

Don't know what sub-type of NHL the first was but she was just about to be declared clear of that when they found her legs riddled with "Fibrous" NHL, she had just finished her chemo for that (still on immunotherapy) when they did a PET scan, which showed massive shrinkage of the FNHLs but revealed something else in the root of one of her ex-tonsils. ENT specialist thought it looked like a cystic infection & removed it as he normally would, & sent it away for testing, as he normally would, but it wasn't an infection cyst, it was a cancer.

On top of that, we've been in the process of changing our mortgage over to another lender, which is never a pleasant task but almost 1% difference is still almost 1% less we have to pay out.

Anyway, none of that has been conducive to getting stuck into modelling.

I hope to get back on track in the next couple of weeks.

Madame Rheged, who has had to cope with me having had cancer, sends her best wishes  to you as she knows exactly how YOU feel  in these circumstances.  Both of us send your good lady our supportive thoughts, prayers and best wishes.

Pretty challenging situation.

Hope all goes well moving forward though :thumbsup:

Best wishes of a full and quick recovery for your lady.

Same as the rest of the blokes Guy ...hope ya lady has a fast recovery and you too.

sh1t.  Thats a ba5tard.   :banghead:
Me and my mob are thinking of yours and you.

Don't forget that sometimes focusing on glueing pieces of plastic together can take your mind off of all your problems.

Being a chronic cancer bearer myself, I am well aware of your Mrs's situation. My significantly better half, however, reinforces the Rheged family opinion above - it's strangely but clearly worse to stand beside the patient.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Oh dear Wombie, I just caught up with this thread. How awful for you both. :(

Hoping things go much better before much longer.

Thanks, guys! :thumbsup:

Mrs Wombat is only two days out from the surgery, so is in some pain & has been told to expect it to get worse over the first 10 days, & the new med's she is on are making her quite groggy for much of the day, Tomorrow is immunotherapy for the FNHL day, so I'm taking that off work.

Your best wishes have been passed on & are greatly appreciated! :bow:

Bl**dy hell mate, sorry to read all that. Please pass on my thoughts to Mrs W and don't forget to stop looking after yourself as well

Take care  :thumbsup:

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

As all have said; condolences, thoughts and prayers, and please look after yourself too.  :thumbsup:

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Take care of each other and I hope it all goes well.

I hope you both get better soon. Being the care giver is tough too. Take care of yourself.

Thank you, everyone! :bow:  :bow:  :bow:


Had some good news today, the "cyst" isn't a cancer, it's back to being an infection (a different infection! :banghead: ).

The wife is seeing the ENT specialist on Friday &, as I have Friday off, I'm going with her, because I want to know how the Hell one thing can give 3 different results when tested*!

Of course, going on the run it's had, only time will tell what it really is! :rolleyes:




[*: As a person of a somewhat logical/scientific bent, understand that the first diagnosis was made on visible evidence, & I have considered that the current infection type can lead to cancers, so maybe there were a few cancerous or pre-cancerous cells in the first biopsy. Let's hope his explanation stacks up.]

That IS good news for all of you.
Still keeping up the positive vibes though.

That sounds pretty positive, magic stuff there.  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Old Wombat on January 21, 2025, 03:29:16 AMThank you, everyone! :bow:  :bow:  :bow:


Had some good news today, the "cyst" isn't a cancer, it's back to being an infection (a different infection! :banghead: ).

The wife is seeing the ENT specialist on Friday &, as I have Friday off, I'm going with her, because I want to know how the Hell one thing can give 3 different results when tested*!

Of course, going on the run it's had, only time will tell what it really is! :rolleyes:




[*: As a person of a somewhat logical/scientific bent, understand that the first diagnosis was made on visible evidence, & I have considered that the current infection type can lead to cancers, so maybe there were a few cancerous or pre-cancerous cells in the first biopsy. Let's hope his explanation stacks up.]

Smear some in a Petri dish and see if it grows. That will tell you if it's an infection. Science isn't that hard sometimes.

Quote from: zenrat on January 21, 2025, 03:37:53 AMThat IS good news for all of you.
Still keeping up the positive vibes though.

I'm fairly sure that positive vibes will continue from every one of us!

Quote from: kerick on January 21, 2025, 07:12:48 AMSmear some in a Petri dish and see if it grows. That will tell you if it's an infection. Science isn't that hard sometimes.

Well, the bits are gone, now, but, if you really want to, you can try to take a swab & see what happens. ;D

I have a fair idea, so I'll just stand back & observe. :wacko:

Quote from: Rheged on January 21, 2025, 08:37:29 AM

Quote from: zenrat on January 21, 2025, 03:37:53 AMThat IS good news for all of you.
Still keeping up the positive vibes though.

I'm fairly sure that positive vibes will continue from every one of us!

Thank you! :bow:

Good to hear the news Womby. :thumbsup:

I had a couple of lumps discovered a few years ago and they removed them with no problem and after tests they were cysts  :thumbsup:  Came about because of the NHS send your Poo through the post system for checking. They now offer this up to age 75, just had the all clear on my latest one. Must admit watching my internals on the small tv screen they gave me to watch was amazing, that and the Italian nurse who held my hand  :wub:

All the best of course to Mrs Womby moving forward.

Hope to have you back on the tools shortly when things pick up  :thumbsup:

Quote from: buzzbomb on January 22, 2025, 01:33:39 PMAll the best of course to Mrs Womby moving forward.

Hope to have you back on the tools shortly when things pick up  :thumbsup:

Definitely!

Quote from: NARSES2 on January 22, 2025, 05:37:56 AMthat and the Italian nurse who held my hand  :wub:

That always helps, too!  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Rheged on January 21, 2025, 08:37:29 AM

Quote from: zenrat on January 21, 2025, 03:37:53 AMThat IS good news for all of you.
Still keeping up the positive vibes though.

I'm fairly sure that positive vibes will continue from every one of us!

Mate you can be 100% certain of the vibes ..as many good vibes as humanly possible going to Mr and Mrs Womby  ;D

Thank you all for the good thoughts, unfortunately they haven't been enough.

Mrs Wombat was taken to hospital yesterday unable to eat or drink. It appears she has a very low grade COVID infection, possibly from as long ago as November, when we both had it.

It didn't show up on RAT's but the hospital does PCR tests on everyone admitted & that came back +ve to the dread lurgy.

This may be the cause of her throat swelling. Her specialist isn't happy with what the public hospital are doing & saying, & she was meant to go to the private hospital where she had the op today but they (pretty-much any hospital) don't accept confirmed COVID-positive transfers in.

So, it's become a game of "wait & see".

Poor ol' chook is not a happy camper, right now.

Oh for goodness sake, that's really terrible Womby.  :banghead:

Hope the accepting hospital can sort her out pretty soon. Best wishes to the pair of you.

 :banghead:

Hope all works out ok Womby  :thumbsup:

Good Lord what a run around! I hope this gets resolved soon. You have my prayers.

Not good. Plague is still out there so hoping with proper treatment it is resolved soonish.

Thanks, all! :bow:

Heading off to visit shortly. Shall pass on the good wishes! :thumbsup:

Quote from: Old Wombat on January 27, 2025, 05:02:25 PMShall pass on the good wishes!

Yes, please do!  :thumbsup:

Sadly, there are more and worse lurgies awaiting their turn...

I'll be bringing SWMBO home tomorrow. :thumbsup:

Have to take a few more days off work to be carer as she is still at some risk.

Glad she'll soon be on the way home  :thumbsup:

Thats good to hear.
 :thumbsup:

People heal so much better at home. I hope everyone feels better and gets back to normal.

 

Quote from: kerick on January 30, 2025, 07:18:12 AMPeople heal so much better at home. I hope everyone feels better and gets back to normal.

My sentiments exactly...home is comfort ..hospital is not ..im not a fan even tho they are a necessity .
Hope the good continues Womby mate 🙏 👍

Well, so far, so good! :thumbsup:

Quote from: Old Wombat on January 31, 2025, 12:50:13 AMWell, so far, so good! :thumbsup:

Excellent stuff matey 😀

Quote from: Old Wombat on January 29, 2025, 03:23:59 AMI'll be bringing SWMBO home tomorrow. :thumbsup:

Have to take a few more days off work to be carer as she is still at some risk.

Great news!  :thumbsup:

Thank you, All, from Lisa & me. :thumbsup:

Her recovery seems to be going well & she hasn't kicked/hit me whilst I've been injecting her over the last couple of days (12 months of nurse training, 40-ish years ago, seems to be paying off ;) ), we'll see if my luck holds out over the next 3 or 4 days. ;D

Great news matey 👍...great news that the boss ain't clouted ya and great news your not being clouted  ;D  ;D

 ;D  :thumbsup:

Modelling has been on an extreme go-slow, lately, as I try to catch up on things that I fell behind on while SWMBO was in hospital & recovering.

Tomorrow was supposed to be my "Me Day" but that's been thrown out the window, because I now have to go & collect a camper-trailer tent we've bought for my elder daughter with my ute.

Would be so much easier if I could put it on my trailer but that's unregistered, at the moment, because there's no point, as I can't get it through the garage to the road, as the younger daughter (who is living with us) has all of her household stuff filling up that side of the garage.

RLS! :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:  :banghead:

Family - if it ain't one thing, it's another...

This, too, shall pass; you'll get there eventually - voice of experience.

Some people may have noticed a certain lack of activity around my Stryker MGS build.

This is because my mojo has gone AWOL, don't know where to but it's probably because I'm not happy with the Red 'Roos I've used for the markings.

I haven't over-sprayed them yet, because I'm pondering what to do. I have smaller black 'Roos that would be OK but it isn't the size that's the issue, it's the colour. I don't really want either red or black, I'd rather blue - specifically, Tamiya XF-18 Medium Blue, or something close to it.

To do that, though, I have two options - masks or decals.

Masks for 'Roos can be bought (I have to look further afield to see if the Red Roo PE masks are available elsewhere other than my usual supplier of modelling materials) or made (I have made one for the larger 'Roos but I don't seem to be able to get the smaller 'Roo right), & then I have to trust my ability to spray the 'Roo masks without screwing it up (which I'm not 100% convinced I can).

Decals will require buying inkjet printer decal paper & seeing what I can do with that. In all honesty, this is probably my best option, as (if I get it right) I can print an entire sheet to use for future (near-)current RAM AFV's.

In the meantime, I have to apply for a permanent position in the Team Leader role at work. This is a challenge - making a self-confident (I know I can do the job), modest (I find it near impossible to "sell" myself) introvert (I prefer keeping myself to myself) to go out & wave his flag, & brag about how wonderful he is, is nigh on excruciatingly painful! :o

Oh, well! Onwards & Upwards! :rolleyes:

Quote from: Old Wombat on March 10, 2025, 07:24:18 AMIn the meantime, I have to apply for a permanent position in the Team Leader role at work. This is a challenge - making a self-confident (I know I can do the job), modest (I find it near impossible to "sell" myself) introvert (I prefer keeping myself to myself) to go out & wave his flag, & brag about how wonderful he is, is nigh on excruciatingly painful! :o

Not one of those 'having to apply for the job you've been doing very well for the last 2-3 years' situations surely?

I thought that sort of silliness had gone with the 20th Century. I had to do that once, but a LONG while ago, and I just said that they either confirmed me in the job or I'd leave.

So I left.  ;D

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 10, 2025, 07:45:39 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on March 10, 2025, 07:24:18 AMIn the meantime, I have to apply for a permanent position in the Team Leader role at work. This is a challenge - making a self-confident (I know I can do the job), modest (I find it near impossible to "sell" myself) introvert (I prefer keeping myself to myself) to go out & wave his flag, & brag about how wonderful he is, is nigh on excruciatingly painful! :o

Not one of those 'having to apply for the job you've been doing very well for the last 2-3 years' situations surely?

I thought that sort of silliness had gone with the 20th Century. I had to do that once, but a LONG while ago, and I just said that they either confirmed me in the job or I'd leave.

So I left.  ;D

Not quite, I've been in the Higher Duties Pool for the role for about 2 years (along with a few others) but not in the role full time.

Plus, Government - Government can't just promote someone who has been full-time in the role for years & doing it perfectly, they are required by law to advertise the position & assess all applications equally.

Quote from: Old Wombat on March 10, 2025, 08:07:35 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 10, 2025, 07:45:39 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on March 10, 2025, 07:24:18 AMIn the meantime, I have to apply for a permanent position in the Team Leader role at work. This is a challenge - making a self-confident (I know I can do the job), modest (I find it near impossible to "sell" myself) introvert (I prefer keeping myself to myself) to go out & wave his flag, & brag about how wonderful he is, is nigh on excruciatingly painful! :o

Not one of those 'having to apply for the job you've been doing very well for the last 2-3 years' situations surely?

I thought that sort of silliness had gone with the 20th Century. I had to do that once, but a LONG while ago, and I just said that they either confirmed me in the job or I'd leave.

So I left.  ;D

Not quite, I've been in the Higher Duties Pool for the role for about 2 years (along with a few others) but not in the role full time.

Plus, Government - Government can't just promote someone who has been full-time in the role for years & doing it perfectly, they are required by law to advertise the position & assess all applications equally.

As another government minion, this is true.  I had to apply for my promotion (with requisite application fee), and had there been more than one applicant (me) I would have had to actually test for my position.  The advantage was that the announcement was published by the Civil Service Commission as an internal agency promotional opportunity and within all personnel coded as "Fiscal" job titles.

On the other side of that issue, when I was with British Rail, and waiting for the APT Project to really get going while I was testing bridges, they had to advertise the job that I'd first applied for on the internal listings.

When it came round my immediate boss said 'This job spec's written so tightly it ought have 'Only Kit Spackman may apply' written in there!'  ;D

Since this human is a invalid and working in an employed position will be something I'll never do again all I can say here is the best of luck Guy mate 👍
Hope the best for ya here .
So I'll yap about the mojo buggering off and the decal/mask problems instead.
Decals have there advantages when you can print your own ..certain colours are a real pain to print..like reds and yellows ..so white decal paper should fix that problem well mate ...same deal when I would spray anything like yellow ..gray primer first..then white then top colour ...ya get a good solid cover.
Masks have there advantages too..once layed on and sitting flat it looks far more natural ..it's instant and shows all the surface underneath the paint ..the vinyl ones will last forever if ya look after then and apart from the work needed..laying em..spray painting ..gently peeling em off I do prefer em to decals.
Also you can weather the marking so much easier than a decal.
There's cost to look at too ...decal paper..printer ink and so on..the costs can mount..ive still got masks from ten yrs ago which are still pretty much perfect.
I wonder if you can get Roos as PE templates like with US stars and German crosses...would be cool if you could 🤔

All the best with the job, Guy.  :thumbsup:

And more importantly, the models!  ;D

Good luck there Guy. So glad I am out of the job market now. Not sure I would survive.

Models and Hobbies 4 U (https://www.modelsandhobbies4u.com.au/catalogue/category/decals?srsltid=AfmBOopJJlDTIXPWvPHpmSM-kKCxM1yaCsf3FI0O1NLIfhjbc3sVSE-T) have a good range of Custom Decals for Australian Subjects, although the normal black and red, so not much help, but other markings on the sets might help.

Dare I say, you could also commission a set be printed with your artwork. An A4 size sheet is a shedload of decals
I have bought blank decal paper from this guy, but nothing else so just a starting point really
DrDecalmrhyde (https://drdecalmrhyde.com.au/)

Best of luck with the job application mate  :thumbsup:  Just glad I'm long out of that market.

Best of luck! I hope it works out well!

Thanks, guys! Five days to deadline (well, just under, now) & I'm struggling a bit. :banghead:

Quote from: NARSES2 on March 11, 2025, 06:03:51 AMBest of luck with the job application mate  :thumbsup:  Just glad I'm long out of that market.

Me too!

Oh, happy joy!  :rolleyes:

After a couple/three days of feeling a bit sinus-y I've tested positive to COVID.  :banghead:  :banghead:

Oh, well, two days off work (that I can't really afford) gives me the opportunity to tidy up the post-MGS build mess in the modelling room.  :-\

 :banghead:  indeed.

That's a "B" mate. Hope you feel better soon

NO fun. :(

It's not that bad, it's less debilitating than a mild 'flu, it's just bloody annoying - as I have next to no leave of any sort* (about 8 days total) because it has all been chewed up taking my wife to various tests & treatments.  :rolleyes:

SA Govt policy is that any carer's leave I take comes out of my sick leave/annual leave; Federal/Commonwealth Govt policy is that carer's leave comes out of a different pool, separate to sick/annual leave.  :banghead:  :banghead:




[*; Actually, that's not quite true; I have a decent chunk of Long Service Leave, but that has to be taken in either (I can't recall which right now) minimum 2-week or 4-week pre-arranged blocks.]

I never have figured out how any organisation/government can define a fixed amount of sick leave.

The human body isn't like that, it can't be predicted in what it will do in any way, and saying that people can't be sick for more than a time THEY define is just inhuman!

Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 15, 2025, 03:10:51 PMI never have figured out how any organisation/government can define a fixed amount of sick leave.

The human body isn't like that, it can't be predicted in what it will do in any way, and saying that people can't be sick for more than a time THEY define is just inhuman!

You know that.

I know that.

Govt/corporate knows "Dollars!" ... but usually arse-about.

They tend to see the "front-end cost", whilst failing to see the not-so-hidden-to-thinking-people expenses & lost productivity of one sick employee coming in to work & passing their illness on to a dozen more employees.

PS: The other thing I forgot to mention is that I've now exposed my immunocompromised wife (undergoing Cancer immunotherapy) to the other Big C.

PPS: And COVID is by far a bigger threat to life than either 'flu or RSV in Australia (see below, taken from the Aust. Bureau of Statistics);

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Not-a-Gallery/i-2DHHQVZ/0/L3vGvB48f2Jksb9LsCZfPDhdGTHxs87fQ6w9BgKZC/X3/Acute%20Resp%20Infection%20Deaths%20-%202022-2024-X3.png)

Quote from: Old Wombat on April 15, 2025, 07:04:14 PMPS: The other thing I forgot to mention is that I've now exposed my immunocompromised wife (undergoing Cancer immunotherapy) to the other Big C.

Oh, Bollocks - hadn't though t of that wrinkle! :banghead:

Hope you can both stay well or get better very quickly, as the case may be, respectively.  :thumbsup:

Yeah; as an asthmatic, other respiratory complications are no fun - I can well do without them.

That sucks buf...hope y'all get over this as fast possible.

Quote from: Rick Lowe on April 15, 2025, 10:33:29 PMYeah; as an asthmatic, other respiratory complications are no fun - I can well do without them.

You and me both Rick, even mild colds make an asthma attack more likely, and please don't mention POLLEN!  :banghead:

Thanks, gent's! :thumbsup:

When I was at British Steel (the real one, not the Chinese knock off) we had 3 months sick leave on full pay, then a further 6 on half pay (full pay at the discretion of your manager) then if you were still off sick there was a discussion with a separate Board as to if it was a case of early retirement or continued leave of absence which was then negotiable. They were very generous. I had no complaints.

If your partner was off sick, then that changed as society did. Initialy you needed to be married, but as the years went by the definition of partner changed. However you still got a month on full pay and then 2 on half pay (full if manager said so) and then again it was negotiable.

Some of the early retirement/redundancy packages were very generous in the 80/90's.

Quote from: NARSES2 on April 16, 2025, 05:47:03 AMSome of the early retirement/redundancy packages were very generous in the 80/90's.

Ah, the Before Times...which I will stop there, lest I get several shelves worth of The Book thrown at me.

Our union negotiated a pretty substantial leave package.  10 days of both sick and vacation for employees during their first 5 years, starting 1 January, plus 3 days of administrative leave that must be used before the end of the year.  After 5 years, 5 days added every 5 years, until 30 days vacation (I think.  That particular state website is down).  But you can only carry over two weeks of vacation; sick leave never expires until retirement.  Although you can donate your unused leave to anyone short in the agency.

Quote from: scooter on April 16, 2025, 06:08:46 AMOur union negotiated a pretty substantial leave package.  10 days of both sick and vacation for employees during their first 5 years, starting 1 January, plus 3 days of administrative leave that must be used before the end of the year.  After 5 years, 5 days added every 5 years, until 30 days vacation (I think.  That particular state website is down).  But you can only carry over two weeks of vacation; sick leave never expires until retirement.  Although you can donate your unused leave to anyone short in the agency.

That's good? :unsure:

Even ours is better! 12 days of sick/carer's leave & 4 weeks of annual/recreational leave (6 weeks for shift workers - although we've been shafted on that, & only get 5 weeks) accrued annually, 90 days of long service leave after 10 years (& it continues to accrue after that) & you can save your sick & recreational leave for as long as you're employed (assuming you don't get sick or don't use it when you are sick, & don't go insane working without a significant break).

When I was still teaching, holidays were fixed, but you could have three months medical leave  at full pay, six months at half pay, then further half pay time after consultation between the local authority and your doctor.  Early retirement on medical grounds meant a reasonably generous pension, but it took a lot of (metaphorically) jumping through medical hoops to get there.   That's how I left teaching.

Quote from: Old Wombat on April 16, 2025, 06:38:33 AM

Quote from: scooter on April 16, 2025, 06:08:46 AMOur union negotiated a pretty substantial leave package.  10 days of both sick and vacation for employees during their first 5 years, starting 1 January, plus 3 days of administrative leave that must be used before the end of the year.  After 5 years, 5 days added every 5 years, until 30 days vacation (I think.  That particular state website is down).  But you can only carry over two weeks of vacation; sick leave never expires until retirement.  Although you can donate your unused leave to anyone short in the agency.

That's good? :unsure:

It's better than what corporate America gets.  Most folks are lucky to get two weeks a year off.  When SWMBO was working at our local supermarket, she had to cash out her unused sick days at the end of the year.

Quote from: scooter on April 16, 2025, 07:35:11 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on April 16, 2025, 06:38:33 AM

Quote from: scooter on April 16, 2025, 06:08:46 AMOur union negotiated a pretty substantial leave package.  10 days of both sick and vacation for employees during their first 5 years, starting 1 January, plus 3 days of administrative leave that must be used before the end of the year.  After 5 years, 5 days added every 5 years, until 30 days vacation (I think.  That particular state website is down).  But you can only carry over two weeks of vacation; sick leave never expires until retirement.  Although you can donate your unused leave to anyone short in the agency.

That's good? :unsure:

It's better than what corporate America gets.  Most folks are lucky to get two weeks a year off.  When SWMBO was working at our local supermarket, she had to cash out her unused sick days at the end of the year.

Man, that sucks! :o

Corporate & government are, generally, the same here in Aus. Although some corporate organisations are more generous, & Federal get carer's leave out of a different pool to their sick leave.

UK sounds pretty good, to me (at least historically). ;D

Quote from: Old Wombat on April 16, 2025, 09:47:27 AMUK sounds pretty good, to me (at least historically). ;D

Me too.

Our US Headquarters were appalled at the way we had sick leave etc. in the UK and tried to impose the US system on us. I suggested to the US based Worldwide Service Manager, my boss over there, that if he REALLY wanted to enforce that system he'd have to supply all our service contracts from the US as all my guys would leave!

It took 2-3 weeks of persuasion before it got through to him that I wasn't joking!

That's because US businesses have had either slave labour or illegal-immigrant labour as a stick to hold behind their back to hold down the wages & conditions of American workers.


Oh, & the British have done very similar things in the past - why do you think there are so many of Irish descent in the Tyne & Liverpool?

Be coming good around not.. hope so anyway.

Plague is still out there. Did get my flu shot today though to give me the false sense of invincibility to that malady. ;D

Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 16, 2025, 11:29:28 AMOur US Headquarters were appalled at the way we had sick leave etc. in the UK and tried to impose the US system on us. I suggested to the US based Worldwide Service Manager, my boss over there, that if he REALLY wanted to enforce that system he'd have to supply all our service contracts from the US as all my guys would leave!

It took 2-3 weeks of persuasion before it got through to him that I wasn't joking!

Back when the company I work for was taken over by a US one, they tried the same...
A big, fat 'Nope' on that - our Stat Holidays and leave entitlements are all Legislated.

AIUI, in the US you even have to negotiate to have statutory holidays off as part of your remuneration package, is that right?

Quote from: Rick Lowe on April 21, 2025, 05:29:09 AMAIUI, in the US you even have to negotiate to have statutory holidays off as part of your remuneration package, is that right?

Pretty much.  If it's not the major US Federal holidays (New Years, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas) you're working that bank holiday.  New Jersey's Civil Service includes all the major holidays, minor holidays (the other bank holidays), plus Good Friday and Election Day.  Of course, essential employees, like the State Police don't get those days off, but do get OT.

Well, that sucks.  :-\

No modelling lately & unlikely for some days to come.  :-\

2 x extra adults, 2 x grandsons & 2 x extra dogs ... It's a madhouse around here!  :o

Quote from: Old Wombat on April 21, 2025, 06:05:34 AMNo modelling lately & unlikely for some days to come.  :-\

2 x extra adults, 2 x grandsons & 2 x extra dogs ... It's a madhouse around here!  :o

But Time with Family is good, too.

Hope it all goes well.  :thumbsup:

Had my back stabbed with a couple of corticosteroid jabs to counter the pain from my bulged disc(s) & osteoarthritis this morning.

Makes sitting or standing for too long a bit uncomfortable, at the moment, but, from past experience, the results should be worth it.

Over the next couple of days the back should go back to "normal", then the steroids should kick in after two or three days with improvements developing over the next couple of weeks, until it feels & acts like a "proper" back.

At least if it reacts like the last lot I had, about three years ago.

Hope that all works as intended/desired for you, Guy.  :thumbsup:

Me too, I never knew that getting older would be this painful.

Thanks, guys!  <_<  <_<

@McColm: I was hoping it wouldn't get quite this bad, but tripping over a dog & landing awkwardly a few years ago (then tripping again at work last August) buggered that idea.  :rolleyes:

@Rick: It should, if the last is anything to go by.  :thumbsup:

Hope the back improves mate  :thumbsup:

 :thumbsup:

Yep ..same here ..hope ya back to ya old self very soon matey 😉

Yes what did happen to the day when you could call it "Shaggers" back  ;D