Kitbasher's blog: Too many ideas, not enough time.....

[kitbasher]

A decent bit of plasting smashing today, first time in ages.  Work in particular is getting in the way of, well, everything, at the moment.  Then family obligations on top of that, but the tend t be good so no point grumbling.  Work though just never go away.  However shouldn't really grumble about that either as there are some perks, e.g. off to Montreal for another ten days next week (second time since September), and with a bit of luck will pop into Udisco.  But I really would like a few days finishing all the unfinished builds - and finishing something by a GB deadline!!  Anyway, today I...

• Masked up and undercoated the J29's canopy framing - that means I can topcoat the rest of the fuselage next, and set about building up various metallic shades.
• Painted a bit more and dry-brushed my RAF100 Bronco cockpit interior, fitted the u/c doors, painted the wheel hubs and did some priming.  Next off will be undercoating the undersides and sorting out the seats.
• Completed a basic cockpit for my RAF100 Griffon Fury, assemble the fuselage, prepped the rudder (it's not a Sea Fury), fitted the MB5 Griffon nose and the wings.
• Fitted the u/c doors and painted wheel hubs for my RAF100 Meteor.

So nothing too exciting but enjoyable.  I very much doubt I will get any of them done by the deadline (and at the moment I'm not sure which one would be the front runner for completion anyway), so the target is to get all three finished for Telford.  Other than doing something for the Racing GB I will resist the temptation of starting something new - I will do this if I don't clear at east two of the part builds by the end of 2018!!

[kitbasher]

Telford has been and gone.  Missed it last year so it was good to be there and catch up with the guys who made it.  What a great bunch, too.

I was very well-behaved when it came to spending.  I knew what I wanted, and although tempted by resin Pioneers and T-6 Harvard IIs I saved myself for later when TSRJoe's P1128 conversion hits the streets.  I've plenty in the stash; I know it's probably very modest compared to many but I already know I'll never build them all, so best to focus on the ideas I have - or reduce the stash and get the replacements I want. Speaking of which, a tidy profit was had from the Kitswap thank you very much.

Anyway.  Various builds continue.  I want to finish of the RAF100 GB efforts that weren't finished in time plus crack on with the Racing GB effort.  Then really it has to be finishing off all of the various part-builds (whifs and real world), if only to get my modelling head tidied up!  However.....got a bit distracted whilst visiting ailing father-in-law last weekend.  Surprising how much of a FROG Barracuda can get done with a cutting mat, a modelling knife, glue and some clamps.  And before anyone tells me the Special Hobby Barra is better it's OK, I know.  this thing cost me £3 at Telford and is some simple whiffery.

And pretty soon I'll post up my Telford pictures!  Not too exciting, just the SIG stand.

[PR19_Kit]

  Surprising how much of a FROG Barracuda can get done with a cutting mat, a modelling knife, glue and some clamps.  And before anyone tells me the Special Hobby Barra is better it's OK, I know.  this thing cost me £3 at Telford and is some simple whiffery.

Indeed it is, but at £3 a FROG Barra is a STEAL! Well done. 

[kitbasher]

Up north keeping an eye on mum who's just out of hostipule following not quite an emergency but pretty bloody close to one stoma operation.  Amazing recovery for a 90-year old.
Brought some modelling up with me, hopefully progress stuff itherwise slowed to a crawl by life.
Today built a recently purchased Revell X-wing fighter.  Took minutes to build - just a bit of fun - painting as a Royal Aerospace Force machine will take rather longer.
Hopefully back to the Jet Comet, twin-Jumo MiG-15 (both PSR) tomorrow and MC.205 Veltro (repairs, paint stripping) tomorrow. 

[Rheged]

Up north keeping an eye on mum who's just out of hostipule following not quite an emergency but pretty bloody close to one stoma operation.  Amazing recovery for a 90-year old.
.
Today built a recently purchased Revell X-wing fighter.  Took minutes to build - just a bit of fun - painting as a Royal Aerospace Force machine will take rather longer.

I'm just back from up north keeping an eye on 93 year old mum, fortunately she's currently in good health but I really understand and sympathise with you.

As to the X wing, I've an old Lindberg Douglas X3 Stiletto I was planning to build as a Royal Space Navy interceptor. I'd be fascinated to see your finished artwork as a guide to what I might do.

[kitbasher]

Cheers Mr Rheged, much appreciated.  My journey is 200 miles each way, hope yours is shorter with fewer roadworks!

X-wing fighter scheme: mulling over a few ideas but not settled on anything yet.  That said it won't be flashy or colourful, more Lightning (as in F-35) or Typhoon.  I have settled on a squadron, will need to make my own markings though.

[kitbasher]

Gosh it's been a while. 

So, plodding on with a number of builds.  Trying not to start anything new until the part-builds are finally done.  Have been pretty good with that resolution this year, mainly due to lack of modelling time.  Trying to get both of the +/- Engines GB builds done by the deadline - might be difficult but Telford is the backstop (as it will be with as many of the non-GB part builds as possible).

[kitbasher]

First World Problems:
Plodding along with various part-built whifs plus the engines GB entries when I start thinking Operation Downfall Tempest IIs (late 45, early 46).  That then reminded me of ongoing NOVO Barracuda whiffery (it becomes the Buzzard - RAF dive bomber in SE Asia), but I persuaded myself to go real world (which would require a bit of scratch building of the interior) and finish it in British Pacific Fleet markings.  And BPF-style markings is what the Downfall Tempest II would get.  See the thought process?

Then I got back to Barracuda whifs and thought ‘it could have two engines’.  Sort of like a low tech Shorts Sturgeon that actually saw service.  ‘I could graft Airfix Mosquito nacelles on to it...I could get a cheapo pre-loved Mossie at SMW’.

Mmm.  Very tempted.  If I want a Barra as a Barra I’ll get the new issue Special Hobby kit.  But would a twin Merlin Barra work?  Need to investigate.  Quality stash-delving time required to mate up parts!

BTW have considered a twin-Hercules Barra using Matchbox/Revell parts (will need to buy a Beau). 

Whatever I may decide on will leave the Barra with a gun-packed nose.

EDIT:
And thank you Aeroplane Monthly for the SR.53 article - the voices in my head have returned, shouting ‘resurrect the SR.153 idea [in a loud Mrs Doyle voice] go on, go on, go on!’.  Another SMW purchase necessary - and no, not an AZ SR.53, something else that breaks my self-imposed rule of not buying something that had languished in the stash but eventually sold, but will again be cheap and ‘pre-loved’.

[PR19_Kit]

The only problem with a twin engined Barra is that you're almost bound to do away with the delightfully bizarre main landing gear, and go with something dreadfully conventional, like a Mosquito's gear. And the wing fold would end up much more logical too, unlike the real thing.

The Special Hobby kit is wonderful, well worth the expense, and very unlike the good old FROG version, I should post a pic of the sprues side by side..... 

[kitbasher]

The only problem with a twin engined Barra is that you're almost bound to do away with the delightfully bizarre main landing gear, and go with something dreadfully conventional, like a Mosquito's gear. And the wing fold would end up much more logical too, unlike the real thing.

The Special Hobby kit is wonderful, well worth the expense, and very unlike the good old FROG version, I should post a pic of the sprues side by side..... 

of course, dreadfully conventional and more logical - there's always a down side!

and yes I've seen nothing but good reviews of the recent SH barra.

[NARSES2]

I agree with Kit the SH Barracuda kit does look the business on the sprue. 

[kitbasher]

Matched up the Barra wings and fuselage to a Mossie plan, and I think temptation is getting the better of me!

I knew the Barra was big but it’s still a surprise to note that it’s a three-seater made of lead that’s almost as a Mossie but with only one engine.

[PR19_Kit]

I saw the one they're rebuilding at Yeovilton earlier in the year, and the depth of the fuselage is astonishing! 

Quite how it flew with only one Griffon is a mystery.

[JayBee]

It did not in fact fly. It was so ugly that the Earth shrank away from it ! 

[kitbasher]

Namedrop alert!

Have been in Montreal the last 10 days and made the regular trip to Udisco.  Rumours of its demise are premature, but I don’t think it’ll be much longer before it closes.
Get there soon if you want an Airfix Nimrod, Airfix F-15s in original 1980s boxing and ancient Revell stuff that really should be at knock-down prices.