Son Of Medicine Man

I apologize!  I usually keep up on this!  I have been so stressed from work that I missed it!

Armed Forces week started this last Saturday!  I give a big salute to all of you who are and have served in the American Armed Forces!    Thank you Russ and Mike for serving in our USAF!  (If I missed anyone else, please don't hesitate to point it out!)

Ken

Thanks for that salute, Ken! We and all service personnel thank you for your confidence and support!

Russ

Looking good there, bud!   

Wow - 40 years with the same company! That is amazing! Please extend our congratulations to your wife!

Russ

Aaaagh!!!! I'm melting! Got home at almost 9 pm tonight and it is still 86 degrees in the house! Too late and too dark for my big backside to go climbing on the roof to uncover the evap!

My Pop was a WWII vet. Served North Africa and Europe from '41-'45. Had to be an ordeal as he went over on a ship! A photo of my Dad hangs on the wall in my living room, Nineteen years old and decked out in his army uniform!

Thanks for the mention of Armed Forces week Ken. I spent 25 years in active duty, guard and reserve. I'm certainly no hero but am proud of what we accomplished during that time. Lots has changed since I went off to Basic Training as an 18 year old kid; not all of it for the better IMO. The guys that I served with, especially during Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom were some of the best people I've known and getting thru those times together makes me really appreciate them more than ever.

mikeymize

Thanks for the mention of Armed Forces week Ken. I spent 25 years in active duty, guard and reserve. I'm certainly no hero but am proud of what we accomplished during that time. Lots has changed since I went off to Basic Training as an 18 year old kid; not all of it for the better IMO. The guys that I served with, especially during Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom were some of the best people I've known and getting thru those times together makes me really appreciate them more than ever.

Just serving is hero enough.

Well, I did make a tiny bit of forward progress. I enlarged those openings a bit to accommodate the PE parts:

Well that was a job all on to itself Jim!  Looks like you did a great job keeping them square!     

Ken

jimbot58

mikeymize

Thanks for the mention of Armed Forces week Ken. I spent 25 years in active duty, guard and reserve. I'm certainly no hero but am proud of what we accomplished during that time. Lots has changed since I went off to Basic Training as an 18 year old kid; not all of it for the better IMO. The guys that I served with, especially during Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom were some of the best people I've known and getting thru those times together makes me really appreciate them more than ever.

Just serving is hero enough.

Nice work there Jim & Ken, good to see someone making some progress- I haven't gotten much of anything done... 

jimbot58

Well, I did make a tiny bit of forward progress. I enlarged those openings a bit to accommodate the PE parts:

mikeymize

jimbot58

Well, I did make a tiny bit of forward progress. I enlarged those openings a bit to accommodate the PE parts:

Looking outstanding! Is the red stuff putty? Also how much better is the PE? I take it the plastic vents were too thick or somehow less realistic. 

Yes, the red stuff is Bondo Glazing and Spot putty. It's used for filling pin holes and small dings in automobiles to give a finer finish after using regular body putty. It's not perfect but I like it for filling major gaps. May still need to spray on some primer and sand to get a smooth finish.

The parts I installed are actually supposed to be flare and chaff dispensers, I believe.

I tried to fine references to support this, but all I could find was this:

The flare is obviously lighting the area just below the area in question and is still close enough to the aircraft to have just been launched.

The other thing I found was an Eduard set for a 1/32 scale F/A-18 dispensers.

Eduard Flare And Chaff

If you follow the link to the PDF document, it clearly shows them being installed in front of the wheel gear bays.

Seems every build always has a learning curve for me. I may have to post something in the aircraft section and see if I can confirm this. It's hard to find a lot of info on this aircraft as it is still fairly new.

Jim

Didn't stay so late at work, so I had a little more time to play.

Wheels on the tank-shot on some Future to gloss them up so I could add a wash: A coating of dullcoat with flatten them out again afterwards.

On the Growler:

Masked and painted the inside of the forward windscreen in preparation for mounting it:

I also got the PE HUD bent and painted. Carpet Monster nearly got this as well, but I beat him back! Why do these thing always go straight for they floor when the pop out of the tweezers? The old vacuum and aquarium net trick got him again!

Man these things seem to get smaller and smaller! I know it's got nothing to do with my age or eyesight!

Great job on that wash Jim!  Really brought the detail out nicely!  Also good work on the bending of the PE.  I know what you mean about how the parts seem to always want to pop straight out of the tweezers into the "black hole" of the carpet!

Today is my review at work, so we will see how that goes.  Could be interesting!

Ken

As interesting as why they wait nearly 5 months into the year to give you your review - cause if you get a raise, they only have to pay it for little over half a year...

Good luck, Ken!

Russ

Jim: Nice work! I don't even have carpet where I work and still things vanish! Happy to see you found your teeny HUD.

Ken: Good luck!

Hi Everyone,

I survived my review!  I guess I am employed for another year!

Yes Russ, our fiscal year starts on July 1st, so any raise would not come until then.  And what is funny is that our raises are not based on our reviews!  But the raises are "merit based".  Confused?    That makes two of us!

Ken

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

I survived my review!  I guess I am employed for another year!

Yes Russ, our fiscal year starts on July 1st, so any raise would not come until then.  And what is funny is that our raises are not based on our reviews!  But the raises are "merit based".  Confused?    That makes two of us!

Ken

Hey, raises are hard to come by, merit based or not.

Sounds like Russ has survived a few reviews in his time.....

Look where merit got him! I tell you, sometimes a boss absolutely hates your merits.....

Dom

Bockscar

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

I survived my review!  I guess I am employed for another year!

Yes Russ, our fiscal year starts on July 1st, so any raise would not come until then.  And what is funny is that our raises are not based on our reviews!  But the raises are "merit based".  Confused?    That makes two of us!

Ken

Congratulations Ken!

Hey, raises are hard to come by, merit based or not.

Sounds like Russ has survived a few reviews in his time.....

Look where merit got him! I tell you, sometimes a boss absolutely hates your merits.....

Dom

Thanks Dom!  I am just glad it is over with!

Ken

Son Of Medicine Man

Bockscar

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

I survived my review!  I guess I am employed for another year!

Yes Russ, our fiscal year starts on July 1st, so any raise would not come until then.  And what is funny is that our raises are not based on our reviews!  But the raises are "merit based".  Confused?    That makes two of us!

Ken

Congratulations Ken!

Hey, raises are hard to come by, merit based or not.

Sounds like Russ has survived a few reviews in his time.....

Look where merit got him! I tell you, sometimes a boss absolutely hates your merits.....

Dom

Thanks Dom!  I am just glad it is over with!

Ken

I hate reviews. Not only getting them, but giving them as well. Oddly enough, I haven't had a review in several years now that we are with this new company. I just passed my 5th anniversary and all I got was a form letter from the president (not the one in Washington). Several weeks later I notice that I had received an increase-no explanation. I don't know if it was because of time served or if it was some sort of merit thing. Not wanting to look the ol' gift horse thing in the mouth, I never asked.

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

I survived my review!  I guess I am employed for another year!

Yes Russ, our fiscal year starts on July 1st, so any raise would not come until then.  And what is funny is that our raises are not based on our reviews!  But the raises are "merit based".  Confused?    That makes two of us!

Ken

Congratulations, Ken!

Nothing funny about that, bud. The reviews give them leverage to keep you "in line" while the merit raises let them avoid paying you for what you're really worth. Insidiously simple .

Now back to modeling...

Russ

Yeah congrads Ken, nice to get some good news!

I've never gotten worse than a 4 out of 5 on an evaluation but dang I hate the things too!

Finally, some good news; glad to hear it Ken. Jim, I never would have thought chaff and flare in that location. Thought it was some bleed air vent or something being so close to the intakes. I seem to remember them being inboard of the AIM-7 rails on our F-15C's but I could be wrong as it's been many years since I worked on those birds. I'm always learning something on the forums!

Thank you everyone for the well wishes!  I appreciate them very much!

I had another late night at work.  So another night away from the workbench.  But I am taking tomorrow off!  So I will try to play catch up!

Ken

Hi Everyone!

No building tonight since it was our monthly local IPMS meeting night.  Another great evening!

I had planned on doing some building this afternoon but I got caught up on some much needed sleep instead!

So how is everyone else doing?

Ken

  T-34 is finally done; so many side projects going wasn't sure when it was going to happen. In my haste to get some pics uploaded I forgot to install the antenna on the right side. I found the kit very straightforward and smooth as with most Tamiya kits. I wasn't really happy with the look of the tracks. Maybe a coating of mig track brown or MM burnt umber would have helped.....next time I used a metal barrel instead of the plastic one cause I always mess those up somehow Used Russian armor green for most everything but tried to vary the shade with a mixture of grey. Did the road wheels as a mix of rubber rimmed and steel as this was quite common for these tanks during 1943. Overall, very happy with this and will surely do another in the near future.

Not a whole lot going on here. Stayed home today as the little cold I have been battling all week finally had its way with me, and I was up most of the night trying to hack up a lung, or at least part of one. In the meantime, my ribcage feels like a horse kicked me. I might sit down at the bench for a while, because I'm sure I won't be ready for bed anytime soon-I've pretty much slept most of the day anyway.

The service for my friend's Mom is tomorrow morning. Jack (my friend) called me and told me if I wasn't up to it, he would completely understand. I hate to not go as he was one of the first people there when my mom passed. The other bad thing is that its at the same place as my mom was so no doubt I will get emotional.

Mickeymize do you have experience painting those "rubberband" tracks on these small scale armor pieces? Not only color but type of paint? I've heard some types will eat them.

Well Jim;

All the best.

Sometimes I swear suffering never had a better partner, or styrene a better master.

Back in the first week of April, my missus had a cough.

I had to sleep in the guest room on the couch-bed for a month,

and I finally was able to get back to the regular bed 2 weeks go,

and i can't re-adjust......

I now have permanent jet-lag. that's why I am tapping this in at 3:30  a.fargging m.

Yeah, I miss my mom too, she was a witch, kept me by her bedside, I was there for her by her side when she passed, and she had went and left left everything to the nether persons....gotta just suck it up and move on.....ain't laffin' about that.

I am starting to realize, forgiveness cannot be demanded, it must be earned, and when folks die,

they lose that opportunity......oh well, genetics are working Okay. Other thing, I'm not the first person in town left high&dry with the old folks debts!!!

Shiiiishhhh....enough negative stuff.

Got a handle on those F-4P intakes, rebuilt a bulk-head for the intake turbos, and re-pinned the splitters to get them back on the fuselage.

Dom

mikeymize

  T-34 is finally done; so many side projects going wasn't sure when it was going to happen. In my haste to get some pics uploaded I forgot to install the antenna on the right side. I found the kit very straightforward and smooth as with most Tamiya kits. I wasn't really happy with the look of the tracks. Maybe a coating of mig track brown or MM burnt umber would have helped.....next time I used a metal barrel instead of the plastic one cause I always mess those up somehow Used Russian armor green for most everything but tried to vary the shade with a mixture of grey. Did the road wheels as a mix of rubber rimmed and steel as this was quite common for these tanks during 1943. Overall, very happy with this and will surely do another in the near future.

Fab T-34!

I knew  a guy, 40 years ago, he got blown up by one of those. I think it was Kursk, and he and an associate tried to dash across a road, and he woke up in Germany.

Great weathering, needs scratchy stuff, but I know you know about that, that cable could use a blackening wash or sludge, that would make it pop. You have a knack for the rust effects.

-Dom

Hi, Ken,

Glad you got some rest for a change - the model can wait .

Russ

mikeymize

  T-34 is finally done; so many side projects going wasn't sure when it was going to happen. In my haste to get some pics uploaded I forgot to install the antenna on the right side. I found the kit very straightforward and smooth as with most Tamiya kits. I wasn't really happy with the look of the tracks. Maybe a coating of mig track brown or MM burnt umber would have helped.....next time I used a metal barrel instead of the plastic one cause I always mess those up somehow Used Russian armor green for most everything but tried to vary the shade with a mixture of grey. Did the road wheels as a mix of rubber rimmed and steel as this was quite common for these tanks during 1943. Overall, very happy with this and will surely do another in the near future.

Looks good, Mike. I don't know much about painting and weathering armor but I think you did a fine job.

Russ

Bockscar

 

Fab T-34!

I knew  a guy, 40 years ago, he got blown up by one of those. I think it was Kursk, and he and an associate tried to dash across a road, and he woke up in Germany.

Great weathering, needs scratchy stuff, but I know you know about that, that cable could use a blackening wash or sludge, that would make it pop. You have a knack for the rust effects.

-Dom

Cool story, Dom!  I assume he was German...?   When I was stationed in Germany, we lived in a small village in the Eifel mountains near Bitburg. Our landlord was a wounded veteran from the battle of Stalingrad. He was captured when the Germans surrendered and spent 8 years in a Russian prison camp. When they released him, he had to walk the whole way back to Germany on his wounded leg. When we met him, he was in his seventies and he was still building houses. Those were tough people in those days.

Russ