Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[DogfighterZen]

Ok, i see that buying the Special Hobby Viggen with the mask set was a good choice then, i just hope they're as good as the one you use. Got to look up some of those Peewit mask sets too. 

[NARSES2]

Special Hobby have only just started to produce masks as far as I'm aware. They may have done so before but sold them under another name ? I've only seen the one which I got with my Me 109 E. Looks very similar to Eduard although the tape is a far darker yellow/orange. The Peewit ones are excellent, go on and perhaps more importantly come off well. As good as Eduard in my view.

Started on what is due to be my second Captured GB build. Will post more details when and if I make sufficient progress with it.

Been musing on the subject of the next GB which will be the Blue Light GB. Not sure if I'll take part, but if I do it will probably be a helicopter of some kind ? Haven't built a helicopter since I was in my early teens, so that was probably the Airfix Whirlwind or Belvedere ?

But on the subject of that GB and after watching Dr Who on New Year's Day I started musing on the subject of a Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dalek ? Then as one does I started thinking about the Adam's Family films which I watched over Xmas and the idea of merging a Dalek with Cousin It came to mind  . I blame Lockdown Fever 

[scooter]

But on the subject of that GB and after watching Dr Who on New Year's Day I started musing on the subject of a Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dalek ? Then as one does I started thinking about the Adam's Family films which I watched over Xmas and the idea of merging a Dalek with Cousin It came to mind  . I blame Lockdown Fever 

https://youtu.be/2MvbkehQqOY

[NARSES2]

 

[NARSES2]

Slightly surreal, almost Carry On moment this morning. As I live in a flat our general purpose recycling bins are in the communal bin shed, or used to be. 4 years ago when they started some development work on the estate the council moved them and they've been in various places since then. Anyway at the moment they are quite near the boundary fence to the development which is on quite a slope. So this morning as I lifted the lid to do my civic duty and recycle the blasted thing started to trundle down said slope all of its own volition, honestly officer, and I just stood there open mouthed. Luckily its progress was arrested by the afore mentioned fence so it only went some 20 yards or so. Needless to say I just casually wandered off in the dark whistling as I went. When I got back 45 minutes latter or so (fully legitimate Lockdown shopping trip) it was surrounded by a group of builders trying to unentangle it from the fence which in it's heavily laden state it had made quite a mess of. I said nothing and just thought of the ghost of Syd James, Kenneth Williams et al. 

[Rheged]

Even domestic wheelie bins can travel a  distance in windy conditions. I suspect that the wheel brake that most communal bins have (which is usually ON)  had been released by accident or design (by some annoying twerp)allowing it to trundle off, to the eventual detriment of the fence

Oh, and well done on fulfilling your civic duty by recycling

[NARSES2]

had been released by accident or design (by some annoying twerp)allowing it to trundle off, to the eventual detriment of the fence

The re-cycling bin guys probably forgot to put it back on last time they emptied it, which was ages ago.

Meanwhile the Raiden has had all it's transfers attached, which was quite a lengthy job, and can now have those final touches in order to finish it. Hopefully this coming week 

Had another idea for the forthcoming Blue Light's GB today, but it depends on the availability of some Metropolitan Police transfers ? At a pinch I could use some U.S. police department ones which are available I suppose, but would prefer to keep it at "home".

Also got wondering this morning how jet modellers finish their builds ? As a mainly prop job builder the last job on any build is the attachment of the prop. It's almost symbolic. Just wondered if jet builders had a similar ritual, bu with what ? Pitot tube or something similar ?

[DogfighterZen]

For me, it depends on the type and what parts will be easy to break off... the last bits are normally the weapons, antennas and pitot tubes, when there's no need to do any adjustments other than gluing them on correctly without messing anything else in the process. If those bits were already glued on and somehow managed to survive the build and paint process, i try to leave the last coat of varnish, be it matt or gloss, for the last thing to do before removing canopy masks, which would be the last thing done on the model, so i don't have to get my hands on the model too much, avoiding fingerprint marks. And these days, i normally do it with gloves if it's a matt coat because my hands sweat a lot and it's easy to leave shiny fingerprint marks on a matt coat.

[PR19_Kit]

In my case it's almost always the wheels. As most jets have a trike undercarriage, and the lager ones have bogies, getting all the wheels flat on the ground at the same time can be a pain. With something like my 'Snoopy Too' A-400M it was actually IMPOSSIBLE as there were so many of them and they were attached stupidly. 

In some cases it has the be the gear doors though, which is when they cover the wheels themselves, so can't be attached until the wheels are in place.

[NARSES2]

Right so here's my Ms 406 in Royal Thai AF Markings.

Story can be found here  https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=48585.msg909557#new

[NARSES2]

Not much progress after the 406, the Raiden is just about finished and I've "played" with a couple of other projects. Been doing a few bits of "necessary" stuff around the house. Hopefully back to the bench this coming week.

[NARSES2]

Well I am making a little progress on a couple of projects, but for various reasons they are all real world builds.

Been spending most of my "modelling" time with my UK What If SIG's Magazine Editors hat on and trying to sort out the absolutely years worth of old files, issues and magazine copies.  Couldn't quite believe just how much there was and how "unruly" I'd let the files get. Still I'm gradually making progress and sorting it all out, although my attempt to create a unitary system isn't helped at all by the various types of software that was used to create the stuff and the various file types it was saved in. Should have it sorted by the weekend or early next week at worst and then can return, hopefully, to the modelling bench. Although I then need to start looking at sorting the 2021/2022 GB Season out.  At one stage I had a partner who used to tell me on a frequent basis that I must have been an evil so and so in a previous life ? I'm, beginning to think she might have been right 

[zenrat]

We can do that for you Chris.  The telling you you are evil bit i mean.

Although I would be happy to decide the themes of the GBs for you...
 

[NARSES2]

We can do that for you Chris.  The telling you you are evil bit i mean.

Although I would be happy to decide the themes of the GBs for you...
 

Well you will be helping to decide them mate 

Meanwhile real world gets involved again. New fridge/freezer being delivered Sunday, annual boiler service Tuesday and annual opticians appointment (I need to prepare myself mentally for the bill  ) following Tuesday. Looking like my remaining "Captured GB" build won't be making the deadline. Still it will get finished.

[NARSES2]

Couple of shots of the Real World old school 1/72 Hasegawa J2M Raiden. Once you remind yourself just how old this tooling is it becomes quite relaxing. Nice build