Well guys:

We visited my MIL in hospital, and she is very angry with me for calling the ambulance. She doesn't want to talk to anyone; her sister, her daughter, or even us. She doesn't want us to visit tomorrow, because she is just fine and doesn't know why we are putting her through all this fuss.....lol

That means she is on the mend....lol....

Dom

Scorpiomikey

Thought you guys might appreciate a photo from the good old days before the government decided what was and wasnt safe.

Every time I take my F-18 Hornet to the beach, that kind of scene erupts. Mind you,

many more women 'LTL's'; Lost Their Laundry than that pic!.....lol....

It's just not safe!....The Humanity!!!.....The Humanity!!!...lol....

It's always funny when a statistician behind a desk has to tell trained specialists

when it is safe to sit on the wing of their aircraft, or peak out of an intake.....lol

Yes, theory trumps reality every time....

Dom

Gamera

Jim: Um, why go with the Hasegawa F-15E? I've read reviews that it's actually a F-15D that they slapped a set of conformal tanks on to get it on the market first. I picked up a copy years ago when I didn't know this. It builds into an excellent F-15D though, which I'm going to do with mine, Japan operates a number of F-15C and Ds as aggressors painted to resemble Red Chinese Su-27s. I have a cool set of decals to build one of these.

If you want a F-15E pick up the Monogram kit, excellent kit with great detailing and fine recessed panel lines. Plus it's way cheaper! I have one of these too, just need to the time to build them.

Don't even get me started on the Soviets. Read a book recently on their space program. Valentin Glushko, one of the pioneers was jealous of the father of the Soviet program, Sergei Korolev,  so he lied about Korolev's  loyalty and had him sent off to the death camps under Stalin. When Khrushchev took over Korolev was released and took over the Soviet rocket program but as you can figure him and Glushko never got along. Plus you had a Vladimer Chelomi who made all sorts of crazy promises about orbital battlestations and delivered nothing only sucking off funding from the real program . As big a mess as NASA was at times it's amazing that it was a well run organization compared to what the Soviets had...    

And gee guys, I do hope 2013 will be a happier and maybe even more boring year than 2012...

Russia, as History's largest Kleptocracy, all makes sense, doesn't it?.....lol......

I wonder who squealed on Mikoyen and had him sent off.

Not to be overly quarrelsome here...lol...

So why are the soviets now putting US astronauts into space, and the US can't?....lol....

Simple answer: Vlad now runs NASA....lol.....

Only comrades understand this joke......lol.....

This year I will endeavor to find that Tupolev "Fiddler"

Dom

Scorpionmike: Cool photo, love the guy in the intake!

Jim: Ahhh, ok sorry, my version is the old, old one. I'd also heard the complaint that the upper fuselage air brake on the E is larger than the D. Did they fix this as well? Or so I've been read, I'm certainly no expert here.

As to those questions about the F-15E strike Eagle, this is a new version with added sprue trees:

Check the Hobbylink Japan page here and you will see they added sprues "H" "J" and a second "A" which adds the correct conformal tanks and pylons, plus bulged gear doors, antennae and other differences from the original release. I guess in a way, those early releases were correct as that what was presented to the press at the original roll out of the of the F-15E Strike Eagle.

Thought you guys might appreciate a photo from the good old days before the government decided what was and wasnt safe.

Jim: Um, why go with the Hasegawa F-15E? I've read reviews that it's actually a F-15D that they slapped a set of conformal tanks on to get it on the market first. I picked up a copy years ago when I didn't know this. It builds into an excellent F-15D though, which I'm going to do with mine, Japan operates a number of F-15C and Ds as aggressors painted to resemble Red Chinese Su-27s. I have a cool set of decals to build one of these.

If you want a F-15E pick up the Monogram kit, excellent kit with great detailing and fine recessed panel lines. Plus it's way cheaper! I have one of these too, just need to the time to build them.

Don't even get me started on the Soviets. Read a book recently on their space program. Valentin Glushko, one of the pioneers was jealous of the father of the Soviet program, Sergei Korolev,  so he lied about Korolev's  loyalty and had him sent off to the death camps under Stalin. When Khrushchev took over Korolev was released and took over the Soviet rocket program but as you can figure him and Glushko never got along. Plus you had a Vladimer Chelomi who made all sorts of crazy promises about orbital battlestations and delivered nothing only sucking off funding from the real program . As big a mess as NASA was at times it's amazing that it was a well run organization compared to what the Soviets had...    

And gee guys, I do hope 2013 will be a happier and maybe even more boring year than 2012...

BREAKING NEWS!

From Lake Michigan:

I'm betting a Grumman Hellcat.....maybe a Wildcat, but definitely a Grumman.

Dom

mikeymize

First off I wanted to thank all those who expressed kind words regarding the passing away of my dad; 3 months isn't that long but I'm just glad I was able to speak with him while he was still lucid and not lost in the fog,so to speak. Dom and Ken, best wishes to both of you with your respective family medical issues. I'm an optimist for the most part; hate negativity so I'll believe things will work themselves out.

On a lighter note, I'm loving the crazy Russian flying machines. There were some outstanding engineers in the design bureaus of the USSR in spite of Uncle Joe's paranoia. It's amazing what they did under those conditions. Of course they were always willing to "borrow" a few ideas from the Germans jet program as well as a smidgen from good old Uncle Sam. Never admit it though that could earn you a trip to the Gulag! Have nice day comrade!

interesting perspective on Russian aeroflot masheena....lol....

If I recall, Mikoyen (MiG) was sent to a Stalin camp on fears he was not loyal to Stalin. He ended up working from his camp and was later declared a Hero of the Soviet Socialist Republics....

Other faves of mine are the applied Mathematician Nikolay Zhukovsky, not to be confused with 'Poet' Vasily Zhukovsky.....lol...or Georgy Zhukov, who captured Berlin for the ruskies....lol

Of course, it wasn't all their way, the Russians captured German scientists, but we got Russian scientists like Igor Sikorsky, and Republic's founder Alexander de Seversky.

Like George C. Scott's General Buck Turgidson once famously said,

"OUR RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS ARE BETTER THAN THE RUSKY'S RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS"

lol......

PS...I think he is describing a BUFF's egress to the target there....lol

Dom

Jim:

Looks like you and I shared almost the same appendicitis story, I think I was 11 or 12 when mine began to abscess. My parents thought I was faking it to miss school for a few weeks, then when it started rupturing I was so sick they finally broke down a took me into the hospital....saved me

I thought Hasegawa had a problem releasing a true F-15E, what is the new one like?

Dom

Wow, this has been a tough year for many of us, no doubt! Even out here in the "real" world, it's been tough as well. One friend's mom has been in and out of the hospital. Another friends mom blew out her knee and had to have it replaced (and she is in her late 70's!). At work a couple of co-workers lost a mom and a grandmother. Hopefully 2013 will be better.

As to what we call our grandparents? I only had my grandmother and she was always "Gam" to me (or Gamma when I was little).

I'm jealous of you guys acquiring new kits. I would do the same, but just hadn't seen anything lately that catches my eye. I did get Academy's F-22A a few months ago, because it was offered as one of Squadron's daily specials, marked down from 40 bucks to about 15. Not as exiting as a new F-4 would be. I seem to find older jets more interesting, probably because of the experience they have and the history. The bit I added about the A-7's being used to train f-117 pilots is one example. I might make a trip cross town to Colpar's this weekend just to see what I can find. One thing I kind have been watching for is a new release by Hasegawa of the F-15E with parts added to correct the deficiencies of their earlier releases. Unfortunately, being Hasegawa, we are talking $$$$$$$$$ !

Also sorry about my little rant about the medical industry the other day. It was just one of those days. I would probably not be here as well at the age of 13 if hadn't been for Doctors, due to an appendix that was abscessed and could have burst at any moment. It was emergency surgery for me. Mom would have died at around 35 from cancer, dad would have died in his 40's and my sis would be gone from nothing more than a spider bite and her arm became septic. (It was kind of weird, you could almost watch the red lines progress up her arm!).

Not much to say about my A-7, been busy that last few days, but maybe I can get some bench time in later.

Thanks Mikey;

My pop died in 1964. Heart attack, and man I was just 6 years old, so I felt so sick. He used to give me all of these quart baskets full of old telegraph equipment. He was 'Grampa', and I got into a fight with a teacher at school because she insisted we spell his name "grandfather".

Dom

Bockscar

Scorpiomikey

After a small amount of cursing and a little bit of blood. Heres the floor done.

Dad came and helped me. and as he was sliding a piece in it caught and ripped his knuckle open.

But its down. Gonna wait for it to settle a bit, got 7 more sheets to play with if i ever want to. Hopefully later tonight ill have at least part of my setup done.

Oh and thats not sunshine, its pretty gloomy here today, but the front room/office gets so much sunlight it doesnt matter.

Sorry Mikey, I'm confused, is 'Dad' your father in law?

Your pop died a year ago?

Listen, so sorry to here about that, my age is getting longer and my memory is getting shorter....

Dom

Dad is my Dad.

Pop is his dad. so my grandfather.

It gets a bit confusing because alot of people call their dad pop. But for us its always been Poppy and Nanny, Gran and Granddad to distinguish between Mum and Dads parents. My cousins wee boy used to call pop "Poppa necky" because he had 2 pops and he couldnt say Hector which was pops name.

Scorpiomikey

Pearl Harbour day was also my pops birthday. Or would have been. He died a year ago on the 30th november. Had a wee birthday lunch for him today.

I do the same on my Dad's birthday.  I take the day off from work and have a cook out.

Ken

Scorpiomikey

After a small amount of cursing and a little bit of blood. Heres the floor done.

Dad came and helped me. and as he was sliding a piece in it caught and ripped his knuckle open.

But its down. Gonna wait for it to settle a bit, got 7 more sheets to play with if i ever want to. Hopefully later tonight ill have at least part of my setup done.

Oh and thats not sunshine, its pretty gloomy here today, but the front room/office gets so much sunlight it doesnt matter.

Your pop died a year ago?

Listen, so sorry to here about that, my age is getting longer and my memory is getting shorter....

Dom

Son Of Medicine Man

I am sure most of you remember that today is Pearl Harbor Day, "a date which will live in infamy".

Ken

Here's a famous photo:

Photo credits area at:

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/ph-okm.htm

Still on my wish list is the big Trumpy version....maybe next year....

Dom

It's also my Sister in Law's Birthday.  With her, it's strangely appropriate...

Scorpiomikey

Pearl Harbour day was also my pops birthday. Or would have been. He died a year ago on the 30th november. Had a wee birthday lunch for him today.

Pearl Harbour day was also my pops birthday. Or would have been. He died a year ago on the 30th november. Had a wee birthday lunch for him today.

ScorpyMike: Cool, oddly the only A-4 I've ever built was a 1/72nd Airfix kit back when I was a kid.

Looking at the Wiki for Dead Island now. Normally zombies bore the krap out of me but this looks pretty darn cool! Wish you could use Voodoo against the zombies but other than that I just may pick up the PC version. I've been replaying Skyrim and a couple of other games and really need a good new RPG.

Thanks for the head's up Mike!

Edit: Went ahead and bought the game, downloading it now. Any way we could play a game together Mike?

I am sure most of you remember that today is Pearl Harbor Day, "a date which will live in infamy".

Ken

Mizer:

Many thanks for your wishes as well man.

Three months after my father passed I was still in a bit of

denial, it didn't just seem possible.

You are right about negativity, I suppose I am guilty of

adding to that pile on occasion.....ahem

Some of the Russian birds are beautiful, and others

you just want to shoot down and watch them crash while

you snicker. I love this one:

Photo credits at:

http://www.pilotfriend.com/photo_albums/timeline/postwar_mil/101.htm

Also this one:

Serious medicine for "Capitalist Pigs" Comrade....

Dom

First off I wanted to thank all those who expressed kind words regarding the passing away of my dad; 3 months isn't that long but I'm just glad I was able to speak with him while he was still lucid and not lost in the fog,so to speak. Dom and Ken, best wishes to both of you with your respective family medical issues. I'm an optimist for the most part; hate negativity so I'll believe things will work themselves out.

On a lighter note, I'm loving the crazy Russian flying machines. There were some outstanding engineers in the design bureaus of the USSR in spite of Uncle Joe's paranoia. It's amazing what they did under those conditions. Of course they were always willing to "borrow" a few ideas from the Germans jet program as well as a smidgen from good old Uncle Sam. Never admit it though that could earn you a trip to the Gulag! Have nice day comrade!

The skyhawks were given to me by dad. Ive only just started them.He has started the cockpits and interior so i just quickly buttoned it up with some weights last night (After a tidy up on some of the paint from his shaky hands) Tonight ill start on the exterior and planning the paint. Should be fun. Ill leave the second skyhawk til i can figure out how to sort the instrument cowlings. Its going to be done as a late model K with the upgraded glass cockpit. Basically the same as what was in the F-16's so i need to raise the cowling up and add a bigger HUD. 1 project at a time though.

Also i have a new game arrived today (Dead island, only horror game to ever give me nightmares lol) and ive got 2 shiny new Eduard kits arriving in the next couple weeks (I hope)

I ordered the new mold BF-109E-1 and the BF-110G both in 48 scale.  

Bockscar

Yaah...those commies....lol:

Dom

That is just plain funny!   

Ken

Bockscar

My MIL is stabilized, her blood pressure had soared to almost 200 so the doctors

are keeping her in for a suspected heart attack. The little dog is freaked out she

is not home.

Good news, my Christmas present to myself arrived, it is the Trumpeter 1/72 Bear.

Until you see these things it is hard to guage the substantial differences in size

between this Soviet heavy bomber and the BUFF.

The Bear was a re-design of the B-29 Nato "Bull" TU-4, and maintains the B-29's fuselage radius.

The kit is fantastic, a real beauty, and I'm quite happy to have it in the stacks.

 

Dom

Hi Dom!

Just like I was saying to Scorpio Mike, there is nothing like the feeling of seeing that package waiting for you on the front step when you get home that you have been waiting for!  It is just like Christmas!  Then you open it up to find the kit inside, still factory sealed, ready to be built to your specifications!

Ken

Scorpiomikey

Im sure i mentioned something about this thread being cursed.

Last night, when i got home from work. There was some mail waiting for me.

Whats this? Lets open it.

WOOT WOOT Phantom alert.

But wait, theres more.

Upon further inspection however, The photoetch is for a J/S model. The intakes are significantly too short (Probably for an earlier version) and the other bag contains a refueling probe head....still trying to figure that one out. At the least i can use it on my skyhawk.

Now i need to do something about this.

Well its a start i suppose.

Humpback skyhawk in the works, at the rate im going it should be complete over the new year. I was to use the skyhawk to get my bench set up properly. You guys know how it is, a new bench is never right till youve run a few kits through it to work out the kinks.

Very cool Scorpio Mike!  It is always nice when a package arrives with a kit inside!  So I take it the extras were not expected?

It looks like you have a good start at getting the workbench broke in.  Are you losing interest in the Skyhawk?  If you are, maybe you need to find a kit that really electrifies you.  Is there something that you have been saving for a special occasion?

Ken

Well:

The top photo is a project that became the standard for small drones and stable helicopters, ie no counter-rtational prop on the tail boom, as the counter rotational momentum was supplied at shaft. Like Kamov. Or even the Kusnetsov engines for the Bear.

The other photo is of a NASA attempt at cutting every American Males' hair by the government, at supersonic speed, yeh, I wake up dreaming about that all right, so it stands as clear technological equivalent to that fat Soviet fantasy!!!

Good one Mikey!

Dom

Yeah the ruskies did some strange stuff, but then who didnt?

Yaah...those commies....lol:

Dom

My MIL is stabilized, her blood pressure had soared to almost 200 so the doctors

are keeping her in for a suspected heart attack. The little dog is freaked out she

is not home.

Good news, my Christmas present to myself arrived, it is the Trumpeter 1/72 Bear.

Until you see these things it is hard to guage the substantial differences in size

between this Soviet heavy bomber and the BUFF.

The Bear was a re-design of the B-29 Nato "Bull" TU-4, and maintains the B-29's fuselage radius.

The kit is fantastic, a real beauty, and I'm quite happy to have it in the stacks.

Here's the Bull:

Dom