What's on the workbench!

[PR19_Kit]

Some nurses can slide a blood sample needle into you so accurately that it slides in between the molecules of your skin seemingly, and you hardly feel it. 

Others have the skill level of a road mender however and just bludgeon the needle into you! 

[scooter]

Some nurses can slide a blood sample needle into you so accurately that it slides in between the molecules of your skin seemingly, and you hardly feel it. 

Others have the skill level of a road mender however and just bludgeon the needle into you! 

I've know paramedics at both ends of the scale.

[NARSES2]

Some nurses can slide a blood sample needle into you so accurately that it slides in between the molecules of your skin seemingly, and you hardly feel it. 

Others have the skill level of a road mender however and just bludgeon the needle into you! 

I know exactly what you mean Kit 

[zenrat]

The pharmacist who did my flu jab and covid booster last month (one in each arm) had a magic touch.  I felt nothing until later that day and then the soreness was minor.

[McColm]

Tuesday 5th August 2025

There's been a lot of emails to and from the Woolwich Crown Court over my expenses claim form, having provided them with some more information but I think that they are satisfied now. Just have to wait for this to be transferred into my bank account or receive a cheque from them.
I did a bit of research online for the NASA Space Shuttle, it seems that the Revell 1/144 model kit released in 1998 has got the right cargo but in the wrong order judging by the real world photos. I have realised that one of the rear thrusters is missing from the secondhand kit so a replacement part has been found and the movable crane has been repositioned making it a whiff, I'm now thinking of painting it yellow and adding the RAF Rescue decals. Other photos show the Shuttles with an off white colour on the upper surface, I'm not too sure where they got the dust from whilst in space.
 I went for a walk around the block, just to stretch my legs and bought some hay-fever tablets, no doubt the council will be out cutting the grass soon just in time for the public holiday.
After the walk I tackled ironing my uniform but had to stop as I have forgotten how to iron the sleeves of my jacket. They are an odd shape compared to the rest of the jacket. I'm hoping that the creases will come out once I start wearing it again. Might have a look on YouTube as there's bound to be a video for it 🤔.

[McColm]

Friday 8th August 2025

My calendar is almost full with work for the rest of August, I get a free breakfast and lunch at one of the sites near King's Cross Station and the Public holiday off which makes a change. It's reception work with Tuesdays and Thursdays being the busiest days. The site for Monday and Tuesday has turned off the air conditioning as the clients are moving out due to the place being turned into residential flats.
The other sites do have air conditioning and a lovely view from the 44th floor of Number One Canada Square.

On the workbench,  I meant to remove a topic and ended up blocking it as the 1/144 Revell Space Shuttle Discovery isn't working out as planned. I'll probably end up buying another one in September.
Last night I couldn't get back to sleep so I painted the two booster rockets white, made a bit of a mess on the central one but I can always paint over it at a later stage.
As to the Tiger Stripe  Westland Pelican the yellow has changed into a more orange colour, I have no idea why I painted over the Airfix decals but I have another set that I can use.
As to the NSX Honda, the holes have been plugged and it will be sporting a sunroof, the rear spoiler has been lowered. The rear window just needs a bit of bodging done and a respray.

[McColm]

Tuesday 12th August 2025

I thought that my days of working a double shift were behind me but fate has a nasty way of revenge. At 6:45am I arrived early to let a contractor in at the Mansell Street site, two hours later I was on my way to Number one Canada Square to work the 1pm to 8pm shift. I did have Wednesday and Thursday as my rest days but I have been called back to as cover for the Spanish Bank BBVA.
My touch typing should improve along with the copy and paste for the forms to be filled in on the daily basis at reception. At least I get fresh fruit and as much coffee in capsules as I can drink.
Whiffery will have to wait until the weekend. I did see the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar project, looks interesting although it was cancelled and then there's the Saturn-Shuttle. Both would have used the Saturn Rockets.
I think that a few more rattle cans of white paint and the 1/144 Revell Space Shuttle needs to be reprieved.

[McColm]

Monday 18th August 2025

I tried out the SL4 Super Loop from Shooters Hill/Kidbrooke Grove to Canary Wharf Station, its very quick and lots of buses at frequent times.
Waiting for me on my doorstep was a pile of parcels. I've got paint and filler, ran out of glue over the weekend and had to order some more.

[NARSES2]

Monday 18th August 2025

I tried out the SL4 Super Loop from Shooters Hill/Kidbrooke Grove to Canary Wharf Station, its very quick and lots of buses at frequent times.
Waiting for me on my doorstep was a pile of parcels. I've got paint and filler, ran out of glue over the weekend and had to order some more.

When the Super Loop first came in me and some mates were planing on travelling all the way around it in one day stopping off at every change point for a pint. Needless to say that idea fell at the first hurdle 

[McColm]

Friday 22nd August 2025

I have been trying out the Holy drink supplements which don't have any sugar in the sachets but do contain sweeteners and come with different flavours. I chose the energy,  dyra-tion and ice tea which comes with the flask (it's optional and has different colours). Just add the amount of water required and pour in the sachet of your choice. Give it a good shake and enjoy.
Just waiting on a few items to arrive, probably be delivered over the weekend.
 I know that there's a foot tunnel up by the Cutty Sark which comes out in Popular but surely someone could have installed a foot bridge between the O2 arena and Canary Wharf.
I'm not too sure if you can walk through the Silvertown Tunnel as an alternative, there's a foot path but no railings.

[NARSES2]

I know that there's a foot tunnel up by the Cutty Sark which comes out in Popular but surely someone could have installed a foot bridge between the O2 arena and Canary Wharf.
I'm not too sure if you can walk through the Silvertown Tunnel as an alternative, there's a foot path but no railings.

I've walked under both those foot tunnels many years ago. No idea if they are still open ?

As for a footbridge ? A) the river is fairly wide at that point and B) you still get the occaisional rather large ship go up to the Pool of London, so I'd hate to think how high it would neeed to be. The Thames is not in a valley don't forget.

[McColm]

I know that there's a foot tunnel up by the Cutty Sark which comes out in Popular but surely someone could have installed a foot bridge between the O2 arena and Canary Wharf.
I'm not too sure if you can walk through the Silvertown Tunnel as an alternative, there's a foot path but no railings.

I've walked under both those foot tunnels many years ago. No idea if they are still open ?

As for a footbridge ? A) the river is fairly wide at that point and B) you still get the occaisional rather large ship go up to the Pool of London, so I'd hate to think how high it would neeed to be. The Thames is not in a valley don't forget.

The Woolwich foot tunnel is closed as its having new lifts and repairs, the Greenwich one up by the Cutty Sark is still open and the lifts were working or one of them was. The Silvertown Tunnel does have a bicycle bus but you aren't allowed to cycle or walk along it.

[McColm]

Sunday 24th August 2025

In between watching Kingdom Services Group Limited videos and coursework in the module format the workbench is still untidy.
The  SJMc Space Ferry is now painted in red and so is the Space Shuttle, as no masking tape was used. In the background is a 1/72 kitbash using the Airfix Fairey Rotodyne and the Airfix HH-3C plus spare parts with quite a lot of filler/putty.









The 1/24 Academy Ford Caprise RS3100 has a Targa roof.

[McColm]

Monday 25th  August 2025

The Revell 1/144 Space Shuttle is undergoing conversion into the proposed Space Shuttle C but the model kit is fighting back. First the cargo hold doors wouldn't fit, had to use a pair from the spares box, then there's a problem with the launch vehicle's upper deck the booster rockets doesn't want to fit snuggly on it. I will probably have to drill underneath and add a pair of metal rods to hold the boosters in place.
Then there's what to do with the unused but ready made two pack filler, yes applied to the rest of the started builds.
The Cormorant has sustained some damage, I might have to buy another 1/72 Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion model and start again. Perhaps a twin-engined version or engine swap with the Atlantic ATL1 🤔.
The Batwagon has had all the gaps sealed, it will make a great paperweight due to the solid resin body.
The crazing on the BAC Sledge FRA-1 has stopped, so that will need sanding down.
Lots of white paint to get next month.

[McColm]

Saturday 30th August 2025

You will find me at a site called New Day which is a 20 minute walk away from King's Cross Station, having finished working two weeks manning the reception desk at 15 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf. I was thanked by the facilities management on Friday. It looks like I'll be back to cover holidays in the future.

Not too sure what's going on with the TalkTalk Internet it was down Friday morning and still down when I returned home but seems to be working now,  TEMU has a range of model kits, one or two of the well-known brands and others that I have never heard of before. They have a big clearance sale on at the moment so a new tablet or mobile phone for September.
I'm not too sure about the Council tax but I will be sending them a photo of my payments as proof that I have been paying it.

A thought occurred to me, what if the Royal Air Force had used the Avro Shackleton MR.2 or MR.3 during the Gulf War 1990-1991 as a temporary standby for the Tornado GRA.1 which at the beginning of it's deployment took heavy losses until the Buccaneer turned up.
Maybe the aircraft in Cyprus could have been refurbished or other aircraft awaiting disposal. Due to the lack of spare parts the engines would have been replaced and most of the maritime equipment removed.
With a bit of whiffery maybe five aircraft, two used as buddy-buddy refuelling tankers and three as bombers/attack, The guns would have been fitted with armoured plating and underwing pylons added. A similar system to that used by the BAe Nimrod MR.2P, in the plumbing for in-flight refuelling.
As I seem to remember tripping over the hose on the early examples.
I've read somewhere that the Shackletons were used in a similar fashion in the Far East so its not out of character but since there's no flying examples apart from the AEW,2s at the time this will remain as a whiff.

So the Lockheed Martin Cormorant MR.1 might have been a mistake using the Rolls-Royce Tyne engines from the Mach2 Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic, if there's a next time they will be removed from two Revell Atlaniques or the Heller C-160 as the Revell kit is a little bit expensive and over engineered for my purpose. Inner and outer skins, plus lots of details that can't be seen once the outer skin has been glued on. The DC-4 and the Airbus A400M are other examples.