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

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

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


Tomorrow, decals !

Regards, Rick

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...

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.

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

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

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..

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

Darren your pit looks great

Thad

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

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!!!

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

Regards, Rick

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, 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.

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

Glad your'e feeling better Tom. Looking forward to seeing the Martlett in all her glory.

Regards, Rick

Jules - OMG!!!! [:0] I dated her in high school! ended up in a body cast after the senior prom dance! She put me in a head lock and spun me over her head... she called it "break" dancing.... well, I guess I can put the flask of castor oil back under my matress.... no need for a celebration...

Sean -- hang in there! haven't seen ya in awhile but hoping you get time to read this now and then... it's not all over since Kremps left, I heard old maid Lunchalot has an eye for Aussies as well!

To everyone else! Thanks for your kind words during my bout with feline leukemia (it's the only thing that fit my symptoms in the medical dictionary) I think I am back now... got my Martlet almost all the way futured tonight... gotta do the bottom but having too much fun being back in the swing of things a bit tonight! Going to take Darren's advice and have a scotch Irish whiskey to help me feel better maybe... actually I think this meeting I went to today on thin-client PC replacements bored the germs to death... it's the only explanation!!!

Bob --- ok now I am really scared... I gave up wondering who else was in IT by the third person or so to "come out of the closet" now I am wondering who ISN'T in IT in this build now!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by jboutin So are you just going to use the Kit decals? I'm thinking of trying to use the custom decal sheets that you can put in your printer so I can get the right code letters and serial for a YO*B or YO*J hurricane. Rick and Sean, the future works awesome. I'll have to post some pics of the the cockpit once it is assembled. Inlaws are in town so not much will happen this weekend.

Above is what I hope to make Sean (the pic in my signature is just one I found on the net which happens to be a mk1 from the BoB), I am still several weeks away from needing decals but I will definitely let you know how it turns out (I'm a slow builder and I also have a Typhoon Mk1B I have to finish sometime too). I noticed you picked YO*S, perhaps it is for your initials?, Also what does 'BOL' mean? I've heard of LOL! I also noticed that you have used the flipped camo pattern as the one in the pic, how did you decide? also the tail insignia is different than some other pics I have. In some it shows thin bars as below and in others it shows the rudder insignia as covering the whole forepart (excluding the movable part). Do you know which one you will choose?

Just to add to the nose art discussion--in my research I've seen more examples of nose art painted on birds by Canadian pilots, or Canadian squadrons than Brits. It may have simply been a cultural thing as well.

Another example of that sort of thing though was a squadron which painted a bumblebee in the midde of the fuselage roundels. not nose art per se, but customization nonetheless.

Jay, glad to hear the Future worked for you, and am looking forward to seeing pics of the bird (BTW, is the YO-X in your sig the one you're modeling?) BOL this weeken with the in-laws Oh, and let me know how the custom decal printing turns out.

Sean

The Eagle Squadron had some nice aircraft to model, but alas, as noted, they showed up shortly after the "official" dates for the BOB.

Regards, Rick

Thanks !!! I was worried about rugby season starting and getting projects on my bench finsished or set up for the next off-season...but strangely I find myself thinking about staying up late on Saturdays and Sunday to do an Eagle Squadron Spit...

Joe, did a brief google search and found that the first eagle squadron (RAF 71) was formed in sept 1940 but didn't fly its first operational mission till Jan 1941. That is assuming the website got it's source correct. This is the link I read.
http://www.fourthfightergroup.com/eagles/es.html

Rick brought up a good point..>EAGLE SQUADRON...I looked but did not see anyone putting one of these in on the build...Anyone out there got one on the bench? If not I may give it a try...Our preseason training starts up next weekend...time may be tight though...

That and the maintenance issues. Also, painting personal markings was probably a low priority during the heat of the war. Some of the Eagle Squadron aircraft did have some pretty cool markings, however. Of course the Brit's were defending their homeland, while the US flyboys were just helping out.

Regards, Rick

Agreed...I would assert however that it may have been more specific to Fighter Command. There were plenty of bombers that did have some art work...i.e. "City of Lincoln" etc. Granted these may have been purchased by certain municipalities to aid the war effort.

I would liken it to the attitude taken by the US Navy during the war, The VF-27 Catmouths not withstanding...

Joe, thanks but I have the book in my reference library. Yes, there were some personal markings on RAF birds, but nothing compared to the Yanks. I think RAF command discoraged the practice.

Regards, Rick

KJ200, I lied! I just bought me the squadron vac-formed canopy so I guess I got some AM after all. But thats it!
Yes those ejector pin marks are a real SOB. I've started sanding mine and I think it is working, but very carefully so as to not sand off the rivets and other detail close by the marks. I'm not to worried as it will be on the bottom and I'm just taking it easy in this build anyway .

So are you just going to use the Kit decals? I'm thinking of trying to use the custom decal sheets that you can put in your printer so I can get the right code letters and serial for a YO*B or YO*J hurricane.

Rick and Sean, the future works awesome. I'll have to post some pics of the the cockpit once it is assembled. Inlaws are in town so not much will happen this weekend.

QUOTE: Originally posted by rjkplasticmod Dry brushing the raised detail in the dials is easier for me than trying to actually paint the detail. For my Hurricane, think I'll do the Hasegawa 1/48 Mk I in the markings of 242 Squadron, RAF, flown by the Canadian W. McKnight. One of the few RAF birds to actually have some nose art. Regards, Rick

Rick,

I have some interesting photos of not necessarily nose art but an equivalent. It is from the book "Fighter Boys". It seems that pilots did in fact personalize thier aircraft. Granted the Brits are much more subdued then Americans or even Germans. However, around the cockpit, either forward or immeadiately aft there are some interesting markings. I wish I could elaborate more but I am at work and the book is at home. May not be helpful with a Hurri seems most of the art was on Spits. For example a shamrock on a Irish pilots mount, believe his name was Finnacune. If I had an internet system that was worth a tinker's dam I would scan and send them to you...I will try and get out the publishing info if any one is interested in the book.

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Fellow IT'ers ... kinda wierd we all ended up in the same build.. and cover almost every end of the spectrum from planning to maintaining.. now all we need is a PC Tech and we'd have a company!

Tom-hope you're feeling better.

Small world, ain't it-I'm a software support analyst (ERP pacakge).

As far as the He111, I ended up painting the whole thing flat black followed by dull coat. My plan (as if I had one) is to apply poster putty over the upper surfaces and then paint a mid-grey. If it doesn't work, then back to plan B-paint upper sufaces grey and then grab the brush.

Sean (Tweety)-hope your life gets back on track soon. Miss your wit & wisdom.

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Welp... Jules bad news for ya... well for Sean actually... Kremps got fired... ends up they caught her in the cookie jar so to speak... she was skimming off money from our ice cream allowance accounts... serves her right! I know Sean will miss her but good riddance all the same! Hmmm wonder if she is gonna take back his Xbox?

Tom, Mate i heard the news in the Sunroom yesterday during our weekly fingerpainting class We in the East wing we're going to have us a little partyto celebrate until we heard who was replacing Kremps................Head Nurse IVANA LUNCHALOT formerly of the Ukraine......She won Gold for the Russian Team during the 70's for ...........yep you guessed it Shot Put Forget billiard balls this one plays with Bowling Balls[:0]