AIRCRAFT - Battle of Britain Group Build (Jan 1st 2005 - May 31st 2005)

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 ... actually I think this meeting I went to today on thin-client PC replacements bored the germs to death... it's the only explanation!!!

I worked on a lot on thin client projects a few years ago and never a truer word has been spoken Tom, I didn't even know they were still pushing thin clients. I tell you if you want real test for your sanity try sitting through a whole day workshop discussing business scenarios around an increase to the health insurance rebate
Anyway on to a bit of modeling, I realised that I must be about the only one who hasn't actually posted any progress pics for the group and I sure don't want be called a wiener by tweets so here a couple of pics of the spit. The only changes to the standard Tamiya Spit Mk.Ia are the addition of armor plating and the Cuttting Edge seat. It's a great kit that really doesn't need a lot.







After I took these shots tonight I joined the fuselage and added the wings so I'll post a couple of more shots when the main paint job is done.

Time for bed
Darren

Darren, looks good!!! I like the seat... but things like those two gas cylinders make a cockpit as well I think!! Part of the kit or add on? looks great and can't wait to see it down the road a bit...

for anyone not posting... I ran into Kremps last night.. she was on a binge and three sheets to the wind. She was lying in the dumpster behind Lucky Luigi's Tavern... anyway long story short, she was out of luck with no cash so I hired her to police this here GB... to all the weenies not participating at least in the convo... she's gonna come and do the billiard cue thing to ya!

(Might send her to Sean's house just for the fun of it!)

---edit---

Darren, recently in public school, universities and even businesses there is a backsurge of interest in thin client because of the TCO thing.. reducution of end costs is a plus for a lot of the not-for-profit companies unsure what the future budgets might look like... thing is for me it is old news and to sit through a group singing praises to high heaven about it kinda gets old... especially when they all sounded a little TOO exhuberant about the whole thing... Second problem for us is, with an almost 100% Novell makeup, the cost of training the entire staff, there's only two or three of us even closely capable of doing it right now (some of the others I feel are incapable of truly learning Active Directory and managing MS), the increase in licensing (5 dollars per user license, then 35 dollars per Terminal services license per user X 5500 employees) etc.. etc.. etc... doesn't make it as attractive as it does to the money guys.. I am going to try to come up with some documentation this weekend to show the added costs would not support a major migration to this. One lab or one office at a time would be better until the learning curve is overcome, and also allows us to slowly acquire the licenses we need.

Darren The cockpit looks great, shame you have to seal it up in the fuselage really.

Are you leaving the cokpit hood and flap open to show it off?

JayB I'm going with the kit decals as they don't look too bad at all, and the only other aftermarket nightfighter decal sheets either, duplicate what I already have, or are for MkII intruders. I'm practising the black finish on the underside of my 1/72 Do217K as we speak, and I think I've cracked it.

Tom Kremps has been round making enquiries as to why I haven't started yet. I just showed her the three other kits on my bench, and gave her half a bottle of meths, it was all I had, and she seemed happy with that.

Oh, and she says she misses you

And as you can probably gather, the Hurri is still languishing in its box until I finish my current raft of builds.

Karl

Darren, very nice job on the pit. Looking forward to the next steps.

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Originally posted by KJ200 [brTom Kremps has been round making enquiries as to why I haven't started yet. I just showed her the three other kits on my bench, and gave her half a bottle of meths, it was all I had, and she seemed happy with that. Oh, and she says she misses you

Really? Did she say anything nice about me???

Understand the long line of builds thing.. finally got myself out of that barrel recently... today I am letting the future on the MArtlet cure while I finish the SBd... tomorrow is gonna be sweet!!! one AC to finish and it is about 80% done already!!!

QUOTE: [ Really? Did she say anything nice about me??? Understand the long line of builds thing.. finally got myself out of that barrel recently... today I am letting the future on the MArtlet cure while I finish the SBd... tomorrow is gonna be sweet!!! one AC to finish and it is about 80% done already!!!

It was really quite embarrassing, she just kept going on about how she missed you so, though what she said about Jules I couldn't possibly commit to print.

Karl

Darren your pit looks great

Thad

Tom, looking forward to seeing the Martlett with markings. My 109 is all futured & out of the paint shop. I'll post some pics tonight or tomorrow, promise. Tomorrow is my favorite part of every build, decaling !!

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Originally posted by rjkplasticmod Tom, looking forward to seeing the Martlett with markings. My 109 is all futured & out of the paint shop. I'll post some pics tonight or tomorrow, promise. Tomorrow is my favorite part of every build, decaling !!

Really? for me while not least favorite, as it a sign of the build over the halfway point, it is certainly a second worst at best! Honestly my favorites are cockpits and masking canopies... the canopy is a big challenge to me.. especially with no use of the left wrist.. I have to turn my arm this way and that to line it up without messing up... maybe that's what makes it fun, because I have become adapted to it!

Looking forward to the pics!! tomorrow I will paste pics of a very shiny, but decaled Martlet... just so you can see it coming into shape...

Karl... I know wasn't it horrible? I've been trying not to say anything to Jules but it is hard sometimes... pity too... P.S. twasn't I who short sheeted your bed last night... might want to take a peek in on Sean tho.. something tells me he knows what happend..

I like decaling because that's when the model begins to come to life & take on the persona of the aircraft being modeled.

Regards, Rick

Thanks for the kind words on the pit guys.

Tom, I know what you mean about the little extras such as a fire extinguisher or oxygen hose or something that can spice up a cockpit, they can draw the eyes attention because of their color or their shape. In this case they are part of the kit, not an add on.

Karl, I am posing the access hatch and the canopy open (I always do if possible). It's just that with the first Spit I did, I removed the hatch before joining the fuselage which made masking the cockpit for painting a real pain. The next spit I did I scribed out the access hatch last and that was a real pain because I had to be real careful of the interior detail. This time I have scribed the access hatch so that it is just attached and should be easy to remove later. I have the Ultracast (of course) AM access hatch to add in as one of the last steps.

Rick, I'm with you on decaling I find it very relaxing and is one of my favorite parts of modeling and you're right, it is the point when the model does start to come to life. My other favorite bit is weathering, when the model stops looking like a toy and starts to resemble the real thing (well that's the plan anyway).

Hey, this Kremps babe is starting to sound like a real hotty!!!

Cheers
Darren

QUOTE: Karl... I know wasn't it horrible? I've been trying not to say anything to Jules but it is hard sometimes... pity too... P.S. twasn't I who short sheeted your bed last night... might want to take a peek in on Sean tho.. something tells me he knows what happend..

As much as I'd like to share what I know, I have been sworn to secrecy
I can be bribed though, I don't ask much.
1 extra bowl of Tapioca and a new donut cushion and I'll sing like a canary!!

QUOTE: Hey, this Kremps babe is starting to sound like a real hotty!!!

She's hot alright!!!!!
Picture a large woman, kinda resembling a Yeti in stature, with the facial hair of an adult orangutang, and when she walks, her backside resembles 2 possums in a hessian sack fighting.
With Toms failing eyesight she resembles the Perfect 10 , and Jules is too advanced in years to be fussy.

On the 109 front, I managed to finish the decals, and have decided to not apply the red walkway areas, my research depicts this as not always being applied to all aircraft, or being wiped out during camo application by various JG groups.
I also dont like them!!
Later I will Pledge it, then move to a wash before final assy and weathering.
Hopefully I can get pics soon, the time thing strikes again.

good to see ya making progress Sean! Ya might wanna watch it... you have half the group build moving in on your woman!!! Even Darren has a twinkle in his eye, you can't trust anyone I tell ya! I remember the time you fought old man Gregory over nothing more than your favorite marble! I guess now is the time I should back off! haha... loved your description of her though! The area I live in is crawling with possums to the visual picture was there!!!

My wing roundels are setting in right now with a coat of MicroSol... they aren't getting as wrinkly as the last set for the SBD so I hope they wont be one of those 5 applications of MicroSol to get them to set right...

Got you guys the Future today, the postal place was already closed so will mail it tomorrow... so according the the USPS site it should be out to Darren by no later than Wed next week! Next month I will send another shipment for those I missed, forgot about Cossack and would nice for you all to be able to have a bottle to call your own! I will send three bottles this month... and however many I need to send next month... a full bottle should last you at least a year if not more!

Mine is about 9 months old and still WELL over 3/4 full! And no nonsense about paying me back or anything... I might need something from AU one day...

on that note, the Roo is doing good Sean... took to my three lads like a champ! Tito is a good match for her in a boxing match as they are about the same size... Frank is lightning fast so he gets his nips in... Rudy (the pup) rides around in her pouch all the time so he's happy too... Haven't named her yet... thinking about "Eugenia Imogene" after Nurse Kremps...

OK, here's a pic of the 109 out of the paint shop. All nice & glossy from the Future topcoat.


Tomorrow, decals !

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Got you guys the Future today, the postal place was already closed so will mail it tomorrow... so according the the USPS site it should be out to Darren by no later than Wed next week! Next month I will send another shipment for those I missed, forgot about Cossack and would nice for you all to be able to have a bottle to call your own! I will send three bottles this month... and however many I need to send next month... a full bottle should last you at least a year if not more!

Thanks again Tom, as soon as the package arrives I will split it three ways and send their thirds off to Jules and Sean.

Rick, nice looking 109 , tell me, what have you got stuffed in the pit as masking?

Darren

Hey Rick, that aircraft paint job looks really really good! Anymore people in IT? Well, er, yep, me too, well, sort of. I'm a systems accountant, and investigate IT systems from an accounts perspective. Right now I'm struggling with Oracle (give me SAP anyday!).

I've been a bit slow on my build of my bf-110 as I've got two 'urgent' jobs on, namely a Churchill for my IPMS meet on Tuesday, and my Komet (only 2 weeks so far a 24 hour build!). As for the bf-110, well, a fair bit of PE has been painted, and I'm adding it in bit by bit to the cockpit. So far the instrument panel is finished (although it's slightly below how I expected), and the radiators (are they radiators? the metal slats next to the rear gunner).

This has been a really fun GB to be a part of, even if my build has gone backwards! When the seatbelts are added in, and the tub attached, I'll photograph and upload.

Rick said not to try and build too many kits at once, advice I should have heeded! When I was painting the cockpit of said Komet I used RLM66. Then whilst it was drying I painted the cockpit of the MiG some Humbrol 164. When it was time for the second coat of RLM66, I had forgotten that I'd painted the MiG, took the pot on the desk, and merrily brushed away thinking 'hmm, it looks a different shade, once it has dried it will be OK. Let's just have another look at the lid colour. Uh Oh....!'

Darson - My part completed Spitfire (BoB, but started before the GB), is also a Tamiya 1/48 Mk.1 You've done a beautiful job on the cockpit, especially the instrument panel. Yes, the Cutting Edge seat is much nicer than the standard one. If you see the picture I added of mine to the bit about the Sutton harnesses, you can see that quite clearly! I think the only bit of filler mine has needed so far is on the underside, at rear of where the wing assembly joins the fuselage. That's Tamiya for you!

Darren, Osher, Thanks guys. The pit is "masked" with some foam rubber. I cut it slightly larger than the opening & then stuff it in. Works like a charm & a lot easier than the wet paper towel method.

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Originally posted by rjkplasticmod The pit is "masked" with some foam rubber. I cut it slightly larger than the opening & then stuff it in. Works like a charm & a lot easier than the wet paper towel method.Regards, Rick

Oh wow! This is why Finescale is some useful! Such useful tips. I've used masking tape and paper (and not been too successful) in the past. I will use this method next time. Thanks!

You're very welcome Osher. The great thing about this Forum, and especially Group Builds, is the sharing of knowledge & tips to help make modeling easier, more fun & exciting.

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Originally posted by osher Darson - My part completed Spitfire (BoB, but started before the GB), is also a Tamiya 1/48 Mk.1 You've done a beautiful job on the cockpit, especially the instrument panel. Yes, the Cutting Edge seat is much nicer than the standard one. If you see the picture I added of mine to the bit about the Sutton harnesses, you can see that quite clearly! I think the only bit of filler mine has needed so far is on the underside, at rear of where the wing assembly joins the fuselage. That's Tamiya for you!

Thanks for the kind words osher. If I had my choice again I probably would have gone with the new Ultracast spitfire seat which is a huge improvement over their old one as it now has the Sutton harness extending over the top of the seat so that can go through the armor plate the same way the Cutting Edge seat does. Oh well, next Spit maybe.

My only two complaints about the Tamiya Spit Mk.I would have to be the seat and the instrument panel which has basically no detail on the dials at all. But that's really nit picking as it's a great kit

Cheers
Darren

Tom, thanks for the Future, you are da' man!!

Glad you like the Roo, I cant begin to describe how much it took to get that giant mouse past customs!!!
Hope you get many years of enjoyment, and when she gets too old, well,.................

lol! actually tweety there was a story back in the late 70;s here about jack in the box using roo meat up in the NE (New Jersey area) they say it tastes like chicken...

Got wash number one on the 109 drying
Tomorrow I'll wipe away the excess, then apply wash number 2, and fit the remainding bits.
Thats the plan anyways!

cool! yeah it's early here still so I have the whole day ahead of me... going to try to finish more decaling on the MArtlet and get some pics this afternoon... and try to finish up as much as possible ont he SBD as I have till Tuesday to finish it..

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 lol! actually tweety there was a story back in the late 70;s here about jack in the box using roo meat up in the NE (New Jersey area) they say it tastes like chicken...

I know this is probably a tad sacrilegious but roo meat is quite common here, you can buy it in the supermarket for pet food or in the gourmet section, go figure. BTW it tastes nothing like chicken, it's much more "gamey" if you know what I mean.

Also, my daughter has drawn a picture for you to say thanks for the Future, can you send me you postal address please?

Cheers
Darren

QUOTE: Karl... I know wasn't it horrible? I've been trying not to say anything to Jules but it is hard sometimes... pity too... P.S. twasn't I who short sheeted your bed last night... might want to take a peek in on Sean tho.. something tells me he knows what happend..

Tom It was the bit with the Koala that really shocked me!

As for the 'short sheeting, I never noticed, once I had my sedative that's it lights out for 12 hours!!

Rick The 109 looks great, and the foam rubber idea has to be easier than blutak or tissue.

Karl

QUOTE: Originally posted by darson I know this is probably a tad sacrilegious but roo meat is quite common here, you can buy it in the supermarket for pet food or in the gourmet section, go figure. BTW it tastes nothing like chicken, it's much more "gamey" if you know what I mean. Also, my daughter has drawn a picture for you to say thanks for the Future, can you send me you postal address please?

yeah I would probably eat it with no problem... but there was a big ruckus here with all the animal rights activist and what not clamoring about widespread massacaring of the harmless roo etc... of course they were being advertised as 100% USDA Beef.... I guess that was part of the ruckus...

And yeah will zip it off to you in a bit... I like pictures!!! Is it one of Nurse Kremps? (hopeful look)

Thanks Karl. I find the foam rubber to be a very easy way to mask open pits. Being a very lazy kinda guy, I go for easy every time .

Regards, Rick

Hey all-First off-good work on the Spit cockpit and the Bf109. Pushing me to start using aftermarket components. However, probably the first step would be to move up from the Monogram kits I've been working on. Anyway, progress made on the He111 this weekend. Decided to paint the entire plane flat black, use poster putty to mask the night camo and then paint grey. Almost worked too. However, I didn't make the 'patches' large enough. Talked myself out of redoing the entire process and followed Tom's earlier advise and broke out the paint brush and expanded the existing black patches. 'blotches' too small
After brush touch-up. Overall, I'm ok (not estatic, but I never am) with the outcome so far-especially since it is a 'reasonably priced' Monogram.....