Spey_Phantom's corner of solitude

[Spey_Phantom]

Is that a Saetta under the wing of the Andover?

no, thats a P-51D, buit as a Cavalier Mustang II 

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog Entry #347

wow, has it really been almost 5 months since my last post? okay, its time to get you up to speed.

i havent been sitting idle all that time, some time ago, i finished up a realwork project (it was a TBM-3S2 Avenger of the Netherlands Navy)

at this moment, i have various 1/144 scale models on the bench in various stages of completion. these are 1 F-4E phantom, 2 Mirage F-1's, 2 (or 3) UH-1H Hueys and an MQ-4B Global hawk.

i have been stuck at home for the past 4 weeks now due to an overstrained elbow, which makes workign almost impossible as i can barely lift anything with my left arm. today, the doctor gave me a 2-week extention, but im gonna try to go back  to work after next week.

meanwhile, i finally got my last tool i needed for my workbench, a spraybooth. i was planning to build one myself but out of safety conciderations, i decided to buy a complete one, went with the Fengda FD-520.
space for this thing is a bit scarse, so im gonna replace one of the older drawers with a deeper one (cheapest one i can find, doesnt need to be metal), screw some wheels on it to move it arround and turn it into an airbrushing station, might even bolt on my airbrush compressor on it aswell. another option is a simple computertable on wheels, that could be a better option.

in model terms i have plenty of ideas to start with, so expect to see some completed WHIF models soon....

[Spey_Phantom]

Update:

The new table came early, i was able to start building the new airbrush station a bit sooner.

Here's what i got setup right now.

[Old Wombat]

 

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog Entry #348

its been a few weeks since i got stuck at home, but at least it gave me the time to get some builds done.
last week ive completed a number of ongoing builds, including, all 1/144 whifs, 2 Mirage F1's, an F-4E Phantom, an RQ-4B Global hawk aand 2 UH-1H Hueys. im gonna post pics of those later today 

meanwhile, before starting anything new, im gonna try and finish up a few unfinished kits on the shelf of shame, its a mix of RW and WHIF subjects.
these include:

1/144:

-4 x Spitfire Mk.1 (2 RW and 2 WHIF)
-1 P-47D Thunderbolt (RW)
-1 P-38F Lightning (WHIF)
-2 x Potez 630/633 (converetd Bf110, RW and WHIF, one is a testbuild, the other a conversion prototype)
-1 Messerschmitt Bf110 (WHIF)
-1 F-14D Super Tomcat (WHIF, but i have no idea what markings yet)
-2 x Mirage 2000-5 (WHIF, no idea what markings yet)

1/72 (gathering dust for a few years now):

-F-16AM Fighting Falcon (RW)
-Airbus H135 (RW)

i want to complete a few of these, just to make room on the shelves, and the fact i want to start on new projects soon.
another project i started  a few months ago, it a 1/144 airport diorama (mentioned in one of the last posts), ive got all the materials i needed, the models for it are also mostly here (would still like to get a DC-4, looking at you Academy, hurry up with that C-54 already). i should get underway soon, after ive resolved an unexpected issue with the backdrop.

meanwhile, im still working to getting my new spraybooth operational, the last pieces and parts i needed are here so its likely im gonna use it in my next big build project. since all these upgrades have cost me a pretty penny, im gonna have to cut back on my hobby budget for a while, especially new stash additions, with the exeption of paints, glues and decals.

more soon....

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog Entry #349

there's been some progress since last time, so lets have an overview 

last weekend, i managed to get 2 WIP builds done, the 1/144 P-47D Thunderbolt (Finished as a RW aircraft, OOB) and an F-14D Tomcat (in WHIF Salanguan Air Force markings).
im still trying to get some of the other WIP builds moving again, so i can start on new projects soon.
im also still trying to work out some of the final details on the 1/144 scale airport diorama, that isabout to go into next gear soon.

meanwhile, in a dream last night  , i suddenly found one of my next big build ideas. in that dream, i was at a airshow, and suddenly taxing in front of me was a Handley Page HP.42, in the classic USAAC colors (the blue fuselage and yellow wings scheme). when i woke up, i had to write it down and im looking to start at this one the moment the bench is cleared 

benchtime is gonna be lowered again as starting this week, im back at work after spending 6 weeks at home with a painfull overstressed elbow (tennis-elbow). it still hurts from time to time, but at least its not as bad as it was in the beginning. i could still feel painfull moments there for the next 3 to 6 months.

more soon....

[PR19_Kit]

That's going to need a LOT of yellow paint! 

[zenrat]

Building your dreams.   

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog Entry #350

its hard to believe that its been 3 months since i last posted an update, shame on me!
ive been having a hard time getting anything done, ive mostly been tinkering with in-progress builds and dryfit tests.
im not going to lie, but the missus and my son have been hogging up all my free time, i hardly have any me-time at all!

i was stuck in a bad case of modellers block for a while, but now i think im starting to get out of it.
now i have 1 more week of work to do before im going into my 4-week vacation time, and im hoping to get a few things done in that time.

looking at the large collection of incomplete and unfinished builds has made me block up, so to ease the workload, i have cut back or cancelled a number of projects.
in 1/144, im cutting back the number of spitfire Mk.1's from 4 to 2, both RW builds, the 2 WHIF versions are going on ice for a while until the workspace clears. 1 of the 2 "Bf110 to Potez 633" is going to get cancelled and use as a parts source or testkit, the other will also go on ice until the workspace clears up. same goes for the Crown Bf110 upgrade/improvement project.

to 1/144 airport diorama has made some progress, but work on the terminal building has been on hold for a month now due to lack of ideas for the interior details, i will have to look into that so i can finish it up and start on the bigger works and get that competed withing the next few months.

plans to convert a Revell 1/142 fishing trawler into the RV Sirius (from TinTin: red rackham's treasure) have been put on hold for now.

another large project im cancelling is the WHIF "Salagua project", the project is stalling and its giving me headaches, so i decided to cancel it and replace it with another, more simple, WHIF air force project, modernday Rhodesia (a self governing British territory, like Canada or Australia). i havent got a back story yet, but who needs one. some models i was planning for Salangua are now going to be Rhodesian, including a C-130J-30, but im still not decied on the color scheme, either classic 60/70's RAF camo (green/grey with light grey underside), high-vis white (like the early Australian C-130E's) or the classic Rhodesian dark earth/green camo. im thinking of using either the UDI roundel (lion in green/white roundel) of the old RRAF (RAF roundel with 3 assegias).

there are so many ideas in my head, but so little time to get them into plastic 

more soon....

[NARSES2]

Family come first mate  , but glad the mojo's seemingly returning 

[Old Wombat]

Totally agree with Chris, plus there are always too many ideas & too little time.

My stash is a perfect example of ideas outpacing builds.