Moments of Zen

[McColm]

Well done 

[Nick]

I've seen that Alouette or one very like it in the Air Museum at Sintra. That's a huge cannon sticking out of the side. Good work!

[zenrat]

Nice one mate.   

[kerick]

What they said! Well done!
Riding the mojo train is not easy. One day it's chugging along and the next day the wheels fall off.

[DogfighterZen]

Happy new year, everyone! 
So, first of all, thank you for words, gentlemen. Glad you like the "Lobo mau"!     

Are those HUGE filters on the exhausts anti-IR measures?

They're on the intakes, not the exhausts, and they're sand filters, Kit!
They added those after the first operations in Africa's dusty LZs. The SAAF and i believe a few others also used them on their machines.
The resin parts by Croco models aren't the best quality i've seen and not very accurate because the way they're assembled is to have them glued on the kit's intake exterior ducts, which is not correct. The real filters are attached directly on the engine's outlet. The duct we normally see on the Artouste engine is removed to put the filters in their place.

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This causes all sorts of shape issues... but anyway, it's what i had and if i hadn't found those parts, i'd have to scratchbuild them. I believe i could pull it off and probably with a more accurate result but i was lazy and didn't wanna spend the time doing it so i used the parts anyway and they do their work, i guess...
Note that the real helo on the pic doesn't have the support struts installed on the filters and it was one of the hardest details to find good photos of. The resin parts don't have the support struts so that's another negative point.
I'm curious to see the real 3D parts by LF models, not just the drawings because from the images available, i think they're missing some details but i'll wait to see the real prints.

I've seen that Alouette or one very like it in the Air Museum at Sintra. That's a huge cannon sticking out of the side. Good work!

Thank you!
I've been to the Museu do Ar in Sintra back in 2015 and the display wasn't as good as it is now, there was no Alouette there when i visited and the place seemed like it was in a maintenance period or they were in the middle of renewing the display. I'll have to go back there sometime soon as i need some reference pics for Alpha Jets and a few others.
Just don't take the Spitfire as a real world reference for Portuguese machines. It's as much of a Whif as my Mk.IX build! 
The one there is an early Mk.IX bought from the SAAF, that has the exhausts of a Mk.V's engine grafted on to represent the ones we had because none of ours were kept.
If they kept at least one example of the aircraft of the PoAF back in the late 1940s, we'd have a very nice display with the Curtiss Hawk, P-47D, , SB2C Helldiver, Hurricane IIb/c, Spitfire Mk.I/Vb/Vc with normal and clipped wings. 

Anyway, the mojo has been up since i finished the chopper so i've been working on both the Mustang XX and the PoAF Tomahawk IIb and this was how the bench was looking before the new year's eve dinner began...

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At the moment, it looks very similar but the decals on the Mustang are finished and it's waiting for a gloss coat to seal them in... the propellers are one step behind as they still need a gloss coat and then decals.
Regarding the Tomahawk, camo has been finished and masks removed, propeller and spinner were also painted and now everything needs a gloss coat, decals and another gloss coat after that.
Weathering will be kept light on both aircraft... I like the scheme a lot so i want both to look sharp, not like  they're ready to be scrapped.

Also made a shy start on the real world A-7P with the Fujimi A kit. All i did was remove parts from sprues, sand off the poor detail on the kit's instrument panel, glue the Airwaves PE part on it and that was that.
I'm still pondering the need for a resin cockpit as i will probably keep the canopy closed with a pilot in the seat but, at the same time, it's a shame because this is one of those builds that i really wanted to do my best and have a nice result as i love the SLUF and i really want to build a real world A-7P.
I've been hoping to see some brand come out with 3D printed cockpit decals... I know the Fujimi kit has been OOP for a long time now and it's not worth the cost to develop the set for such a kit so, i was hoping that the Hobbyboss kit would be the target for the AM companies. If they make that one , maybe it could fit this kit so, i still have to chose what i'll do with it.

 

[George the Cat]

very nice!!

[PR19_Kit]

They're on the intakes, not the exhausts, and they're sand filters, Kit!
They added those after the first operations in Africa's dusty LZs. The SAAF and i believe a few others also used them on their machines.
The resin parts by Croco models aren't the best quality i've seen and not very accurate because the way they're assembled is to have them glued on the kit's intake exterior ducts, which is not correct. The real filters are attached directly on the engine's outlet. The duct we normally see on the Artouste engine is removed to put the filters in their place.

Strewth, they'd hold a LOT of sand, that's for sure!

Thanks for the explanation. 

[DogfighterZen]

very nice!!

Glad you like the helo, thanks! 

They're on the intakes, not the exhausts, and they're sand filters, Kit!
They added those after the first operations in Africa's dusty LZs. The SAAF and i believe a few others also used them on their machines.
The resin parts by Croco models aren't the best quality i've seen and not very accurate because the way they're assembled is to have them glued on the kit's intake exterior ducts, which is not correct. The real filters are attached directly on the engine's outlet. The duct we normally see on the Artouste engine is removed to put the filters in their place.

Strewth, they'd hold a LOT of sand, that's for sure!

Thanks for the explanation. 

Yep, would be more than just a bucket for sure...   
Was hoping to get the compressor running but the Wife has given me new orders and i'm to report to the living room in ten minutes for furniture assembly for Miss Olívia, The Baby... 
Maybe after lunch...

[NARSES2]

Was hoping to get the compressor running but the Wife has given me new orders and i'm to report to the living room in ten minutes for furniture assembly for Miss Olívia, The Baby... 
Maybe after lunch...

Better do as you're told     

[DogfighterZen]

Was hoping to get the compressor running but the Wife has given me new orders and i'm to report to the living room in ten minutes for furniture assembly for Miss Olívia, The Baby... 
Maybe after lunch...

Better do as you're told     

I fulfilled my orders and also took the dog out for a walk before it starts raining again. 
Now that i'm back at the bench, the compressor tank is filling up and i'm about to spray a clear coat on both models. While the varnish cures, i'll be working on exhausts, landing gears, wheels and small bits and maybe i can begin the decals on the Tomahawk tomorrow... Let's see how that plan goes...
There's no real rush because i won't have all the decals here to finish it tomorrow, i'm still waiting for a sheet that is to be delivered sometime next week.
And that is also the issue with the Mustang XX. I don't have a few decals i'd like to have on it so, i'm considering putting it on hold until i get them but that will mean almost another month of waiting before i can finish it...
I have a lot of stuff to work on besides these models so, i may end up waiting for decals to finish a model again...

[Nick]

I'll leave this 4 pics here for inspiration 
Sintra is a marvellous collection for Portugal. You have to get there soon.

[DogfighterZen]

You're totally right, i have to go there sometime soon, no doubt. Thank you for the photos! 
Reminds me i have to take a list of the stuff i wanna get good pics of when i'm there. I always end up forgetting to take the pics when i see aircraft or if i do remember, i end up walking around and look at stuff but come home with less than half the pics i wanted... Guess that gives me an excuse to go there several times, right? 

[NARSES2]

i end up walking around and look at stuff but come home with less than half the pics i wanted... Guess that gives me an excuse to go there several times, right? 

Has the wife seen that comment yet ??  

[DogfighterZen]

i end up walking around and look at stuff but come home with less than half the pics i wanted... Guess that gives me an excuse to go there several times, right? 

Has the wife seen that comment yet ??  

Nope, but it wouldn't be a problem for her. She likes to travel and i'm sure she can find something of interest for her that we can check out while in the area.
Mind you, we went to the Le Bourget air and space museum because of her. We had just dropped off a couple of friends at the Eiffel tower cause we'd both been to the tower and up there a few times before so, she asks me: "Any aircraft museums around?" and i just googled it without having a clue of where anything was. Saw that Le Bourget was on the edge of the city's limits and was thinking it was too much of a stretch but she says: "That looks like it's worth the effort, i wanna go."
For the Malta trip, we chose the routes we'd be taking to hit the most spots possible and we even ended up visiting the Imtarfa military cemetery on the way from the museum to Mdina.
Oh, and i brought models from both museums...
So... understand why i married her? 

Regarding models, did i get the stuff i wanted done? Nope...
Ended up just assembling the Tomahawk's wheels after those were painted... then i was feeling too tired and almost falling asleep as i'd been up since 5:30am so, it was over for the day.
Nothing planned for today so, i may get something done...🤞

 

[Steel Penguin]

i end up walking around and look at stuff but come home with less than half the pics i wanted... Guess that gives me an excuse to go there several times, right? 

Has the wife seen that comment yet ??  

Nope, but it wouldn't be a problem for her. She likes to travel and i'm sure she can find something of interest for her that we can check out while in the area.
Mind you, we went to the Le Bourget air and space museum because of her. We had just dropped off a couple of friends at the Eiffel tower cause we'd both been to the tower and up there a few times before so, she asks me: "Any aircraft museums around?" and i just googled it without having a clue of where anything was. Saw that Le Bourget was on the edge of the city's limits and was thinking it was too much of a stretch but she says: "That looks like it's worth the effort, i wanna go."
For the Malta trip, we chose the routes we'd be taking to hit the most spots possible and we even ended up visiting the Imtarfa military cemetery on the way from the museum to Mdina.
Oh, and i brought models from both museums...
So... understand why i married her? 

Regarding models, did i get the stuff i wanted done? Nope...
Ended up just assembling the Tomahawk's wheels after those were painted... then i was feeling too tired and almost falling asleep as i'd been up since 5:30am so, it was over for the day.
Nothing planned for today so, i may get something done...🤞

 

both of you look after each other ,  thats the kind of relationship that any married people should have and enjoy