Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Dee is sprung from the hospital! Probationary status as if any ill feelings show up she must go back at once.  She is home though and I have the promise of a good nights rest for once!

Hooray!  Rum, Rootbeer and MidRats for all!!!!!!

Brian

WOOHOO!!!! Home DEE!!!!!!!!!

Aaron, any word as to what it is at all yet?????

  Yeah sorry it was a stroke or strokes.  They can see them in the Cat-Scans and MRI's but are not sure why she had them.  Her blood pressure and cholesteral are all quite good. Maybe even a little on the low side.  All the other test for Vertigo and infections extc. Negative no issues there.  Their best guess is some kind of blood protein that is causing clotting but the test needed to verify that is giving us fits. It is quite painful and involves taking arterial blood from close to the big nerves and gives a sensation of having your funny bone hit repeatedly.  Every attempt has failed as they need about 12 viles of blood and she clots up and plugs up the needle after barely one tube and can't stand it. They have tried 3 times with the same result so without it we are kinda treating the symptoms and will continue to try to diagnose the cause on an out patient basis baring any further spells.

 The Dizziness is under control with some strong medicine and she has a steroid regime to follow for inflamation that they hope will improve her hearing. To early to tell. They told us that in about 2 weeks the dizziness should pass and negate the need for that medication. Makes her a bit loopy feeling but she is functional to walk and do the important stuff without assistance.

 No dietary resistrictions just rest and observation until further notice.  At least she is home resting in her own bed and able to be on the computer and listen to loud TV without fear of disturbing others. Helps with the stir craziness from being stuck in bed since early Easter morning.

 I think I got my first real good nap in today myself.  Even been staring at the Ventura again! ACK!

Aaron-

I am so happy to hear that she is back home, WOOHOO!!!

I bet those FedEx and UPS drivers aren't, though.

LtCmr collect a group of fife boys to carry the "figurehead" to the Officers Mess, where the Capt.s'll attend to her. Rum for all; heck it's Wednesday but Ships Surgeon- She needs a shot!

Sawbones, I'll need a full report forthwith, and confined to quarters she be but I'd like the drummer boys to audition in her cabin for a general merriment.

Put the sow that's tied up aft on the spit- ribs and grog for all. And let's give all hands to the rail in dress whites, Bravo flag aloft, horizontal black stripe as the Captain's ashore, and a salute to the McNeal family.

Thanking the XO for his leave to ration the rum, distribute the doughnuts and pull the pork!

Capt. Bondo, RN, USN ( and proud of it)

 Thanks everyone. She's a tough cookie with a good attitude I figure she will be up and kicking soon.

Oh as for me the fact she went to bed nice and early has left me some free time to fool around with the Ventura again. I am messing with some different sequences in the build to get to where I want to be. 

 I am going to make my own version again instead of the kit offerings. They have some nice choices other than the French Version but I am saving those for a friend to tackle!

 The Vacuform canopies are difficult to mask and very soft. My experience with the Halifax showed me it was easier to cut through the part than thru the tape with a hobby Knife so I am going to do the frame work with home made decals or Bare metal foil. Both work well and I have sprayed the top color on a decal sheet and foil suare in preparation for this step. Have to do one in the bottom color for the lower rear window as well.

 Took a few pics. Not much to show but getting some interesting photo effects from the flash and drying future.

 With the base coats all on I have futured her up without windows in preparation for decaling. The pics look odd as I said but I got a good finish when dried and am really proud of how well my toliet paper/ superglue/ Mr Surfacer body work turned out.  Looks real natural especially in the troublesome tail section.

The little details I added to the Engines and vents really show up! I think the Bombbay really turned out well as well and looks as if the kit was made with these as options.

 Like I said not a whole lot to show. Drying paint but the colors are on and the decals being made!  Going to try Frank's technique on the props and also the leading wing edges as this will be a South Pacific bird from 1944 and the Coral dust really gave some unique wear and weathering in this theatre of the war. 

 Hopefully tomorrow I shall be able to finish the scratch built gun barrels and decals and have more to show.

 Still kinda tired and don't wanna push it tonight but it is nice to do something in my normal routine again!

 Thanks again fellows! Your the Best!

 BTW Bondo did you lock Nam in the outhouse again?  That man vanishes faster than my $$ in a hobby store!  Night all!

Glad to hear that Dee is home. Home usually makes someone heal much faster.

The Ventura is looking good. Are you going to leave the overspray from the wings on the body or is that just a blue reflection from the future??

Question: I am still looking for the Tamiya acrylic Low Vis greys for my A model Tomcat. I have a Tamiya E model Hornet in a Low Vis scheme. Would the colors be the same???

Cheers,

Evil Herc

Herc,

welcome aboard! Glad to have you on board.

Aaron,

thats great news about Dee! I hope you are both able to get some rest. Hope she makes a full and speedy recovery.

God Bless.

 Thanks CAG ! She is up eating Fruit Loops in Bed right now. That's about as romantic as I get.

 Evil Herc that overspray shows up really bad with the flash but will not be an issue due to the paint scheme on this particular bird. This one has the Blue from the wings extending all the way up to the top blue. Sorta like the Corsair.  I was sleepy last night and ask myself why I hadn't mask it then was like Oh yeah. Duh? 

What a diff a good nights sleep makes.

TANGO 1 wrote:

Aaron, thats great news about Dee! I hope you are both able to get some rest. Hope she makes a full and speedy recovery. God Bless.

Aaron Ventura is looking great!!!! Your body work looks au naturale!!!!

 Time for an update!!!!!  Ventura wise no change with Dee yet 2 weeks they say...  Sigh. In the meantime I am working to meet the deadline of 1 May!  Less than 2 weeks left! AHHHHH!!!!  Panic Panic! Everyone ! No abandoning this ship  so work continues!

 This is what I am attempting to represent!

Page 22 Pv-1 Ventura in Action! This is a honey of an aircraft because it is unique in all the pics I have seen thus far!  The Girl art riding the wing!  Too cool!  She speaks for herself and is a rarity in WW II US Navy Aircraft as most artwork was forbidden by regulation.

Also the 3 color paint scheme is very non-standard!  Most looked like this.

This one has the dark blue touching the wings at an odd angle.

So To  show Evil Herc I am not a haplass over sprayer ( Yet)  here is what she is looking like.

Lumps on the tail are from dried future drops. Used a little much there. The first coat of paint and future coat was to smooth the sanding and body work. Future is self leveling and more forgiving than Mr Surfacer in a large covering to get rid of the Orange skin on this low pressure injected plastic. Any drops like that are easily removed with windex and a Q-tip and a bit of rubing.

Making the decal is challenging. I used no less than 5 pics to get the pose on this plane close!  The detail in the pic is not to visable but Summit has been tutoring me  in the art of creating a 1940's blonde pin up from modern day girl pics.  He is pretty picky in his taste in women too!  I mean I have looked at Blonde women in bikini's all day trying to find the right ones! Lotsa work but somebody has to do it! 

Nam wouldn't pose for me....

 A quick check to make sure I haven't any more Overage of dried future drops hiding and Its ready to decal!

 Next up will be the Guns and Clear parts!

Whooooeeeee, can't wait to see that bird all finished Aaron!  She is looking sah-weeeet

Brian

Very cool Aaron!!!   She's really coming together now. 

Aaaah... did you say two weeks left... oh crap!!! 

Looking very good Aaron!  You are a model-building master IMHO.   Now that you're all primed up with these FM Venturas, perhaps another will sweeten your palette!  I think that "white 891" would look great on your workbench.

I must learn the secrets you mention of the pinup, do you think Sean would tutor another?

Dee,

Welcome home.  Get to feeling ornery real soon, the UPS and FedEx guys miss you!(so do we!)

Aaron,

Nice job so far, look forward to seeing it done.

Herc,

If you can get them, Tamiya makes a spray of Light Ghost Gray, you might check to see if they do a dark ghost gray as well (I think that was a couple of the colors you were looking for).  I know they do spray stuff for the JDM that we cant get stateside (makes doing a certain F1 car kinda difficult).

Thanks Buddy and everyone!  She didn't leave the bed much today at all.  Been keeping my eye on her!

 Frank I could never deprive you of such a wonderful opportunity to polish a diamond from this lump of coal using a belt sander! LOL!  Remember you have the Aleutian Fetish! LOL!  You can explore new horizens!  I think the build thread on one of this is like watching an episode of Survior Man!  Lets go eat some bugs!

razordws wrote:

Aaaah... did you say two weeks left... oh crap!!!

Gentlemen, starch those blues and prepare to be topside in full rig for the commencement of festivities, second to none and free for all,

The XO has allowed me to open the 12 year old dark stuff for tomorrow's mess, as Lent is over and we've all been redeemed. So let's get to it and I'll aver a little known fact that the CAG has shared with me:

May 1st is the 240th anniversary of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. So we'll hoist a few for the "Iron Duke"!!!

Capt. Bondo, USN and RN (when he can find one)

Dee keep Aaron on his toes & crack that whip to get him to finish his ventura. I believe the pic I commented on was taken before you finished the paint scheme.  :)

I looked over the how to articles and found a "Top Gun Cat" and he used these colors.

I sprayed the top side blue gray (FS 35237), the sides of the

fuselage and tails dark ghost gray (FS 36320), and the undersides

light ghost gray (FS 36375).

Can Anyone please give my the crossover to Tamiya Acrylics. We have now entered the rainy season here in Okinawa, so I am waiting for the good days to try out my new airbrush. I am off to drink my share of the Rum & chase the lases.

Cheers, Evil Herc

 No problem Evil Herc! I get that all the time!

 But what we need to ask ourselfs! Is the re occurring questiom? Where Is Nam?!!!

Well Aaron after looking closely at the "Where is NAM" pic I figured it out......

He is in the Huey taking the picture :). Hope all those beach bunnies are enjoying the privalage of lots of wind in their hair!! Wonder if that wonderful Huey Vib gives em tingles like a Harley. Evil Grin

Cheers, Evil Herc

P.S. I disavow any knowledge of NAM having too much rum and doing the YMCA on top of the Porta Johns.

Hmmm...  I think I spotted Aaron...

razordws wrote:

Hmmm...  I think I spotted Aaron...

Good one Dave!  And will somebody get Nammy Boy off of the head, before he falls off again?  Sheesh!

bondo- Glad to hear we're having the good rum tonight, instead of that rot-gut bilge concoction we usually have.  Oh, the humanity!

pipers call please the CAG is approaching from astern in the GR.3, XO is on the bridge and Capt. Roy is flippin' flapjacks in the Wardroom, leavin' yer nibs wots off onna tangent- wait, stops piratical talk and returns to lucidity.

It's been the week from hell.

First, we welcome D back to the land of the living, and I invited the Marines up from their deck to put her to bedrest and keep her company.

Second, and last, I know where Nam is but cannot share it.

Oh, and also, I salute you all and this one's on me!

Captain Bondo, RN when he can get one and USN most of the time.

bondoman wrote:

It's been the week from hell. First, we welcome D back to the land of the living, and I invited the Marines up from their deck to put her to bedrest and keep her company.

Oh those poor Marines! Like the saying goes she needs a few good men!

 Better get the whole division on alert!

Dave How did you see thru my disquise?!

bondoman wrote:

Second, and last, I know where Nam is but cannot share it.

So Nam went off world via the Stargate?