Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Frank, outstanding work mate!!!! Taking on her own personality now and looking the part!!!!!!!!

Aaron the turret looks great!!!!! Nice work on the ammo belts!!!!!! I can tell you why Bruno follows Dee all over, when you come that close to death you tend to be VERY gracious to your saviour!!!!!!!!

Thanks fellas!  Glad you like her so far. 

Aaron- Limited bench time is not slowing you down any! Looking good, almost there!

For the light panel lines, I used ProModeller "light dirt" wash. I love working with that stuff, very easy to use and the effects show up well. 

Look what I found! Yippie! Should round out the World War II FAA Aircraft builds I am doing very nicely. Was my missing link!

Nicely done LtCmr, nicely done. Break out a clean shirt and be the guest of the Captain tonight in the CAGs dining room, the toft is off with the nurses again, however the XO may show his head. I've got a few rarish treats to share. 6 hours to... RUM!! Tonight the orders are for Mojitos! A research question, and well answered to the challenge of building a super turret, reckon I owe a response, Sir, I need those barrels (8) in 1/72. Source?

Happy Friday, gentlemen.

http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=QUB72017

 Looking at the above link these all have to be special ordered.  BUT good ol E-bay has the best price on them in 1/72!  Also there are 2 types. Oval perforation and round?  Looking at that in 1/72 scale must be a rivit counters dream though?

I'd go with these Bondo!  Have 10 sets available.

 http://cgi.ebay.com/QUB72021-Lancaster-Gun-Barrels-Oval-Perforation-1-72-Qu_W0QQitemZ270370368851QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ef3546d53&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

Hello lads,

sorry for my absence, HM Service is keeping me busy.

As most of you know I recently spent some time in Normandy paying my respects to the fallen. Tomorrow is the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings and I would like all of you here to spare a thought for those who have given so much for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Thank you.

D-DAY 6.6.44

Yessir CAG In fact it's my father's birthday. He woke up on 6/6/44 and all the church bells in town were ringing.

We have a new man, Mike to welcome aboard, sir. He seems a bit...um...sober, not that there's innithin wrong with that, yer holiness, but he's been invited to toss his bag in the vacant berth of Nam, pending that worthies return from Port-of-Spain or were e'r that pirat be off to. Hope he don't mind the bugs, and the crew will get him a mug and we're hopin' yer excellency will afford us a cask this latter dog watch. I've invited the worthy mac for a claret and a pipe, might be a good evening  to have a mojito or two. Main vittles a little smoked sausage, if'n I can pot the little basterd wit' my blunderbus! Bondoslide show of this weeks festies to follow for the few what might care. No viddies tonight tho.

Just in time fer the earnin' of the Admiral's double rations, especially also hopin'that scurvy Bondoman indeed did blast the sausage maker, here are pictures to show the Coastal Command is alive and well in the whist of a B-17E newly smeared wit da colors of the day, Extra Dark Sea Gray, Dark Slate Gray, and I suspect nolongeravirgin flat white.  She do look most fetching in these colors, all in the Admiral's stateroom do think.   Decals soon to follow, now that the search party has found them again after a three hour scourge of all the realm.

Well said CAG!

I shall take a few moments to think of them, and take an extra minute to enjoy the freedom their sacrifice guaranteed.  

John- Excellent work Sir!  

Hat's off to the Admiral. I get the scheme- measure 99 when seen from the side it has the aspect of a Douglas B-18, what fly's even slower than a Fortress 2, so you'd miss her aft.

Nicely done, and those ones that start white don't end white often, grubby mitts and all. First in the CC build tho damn yer eyes, beggin the pardon of your Scrambledegginess, I've ordered (hold yer breth, and please do!), gun barrels by the score for the various kites on the, um, in the box.

Here's the Captains log of the last 24.

Miss Bondo in full regalia, with her superior officer and his superior.

Miss Bondo receives her commission from Marin Catholic High School.

Proud father and fine daughter.

Time for RUM!!!

 Man o Man what a fine looking bunch!  And proud you should be of such a wonderful family.

 Hearty Congrats to your daughter on this my #2 son's 18th Birthday! A fine accomplishment on all counts not to mention her many other honors that you have mentioned along this year.  A fine congrats to her indeed! I feel your pride through the photos and a neer a more well earned moment it is! For you all!

 Speaking of me cleaning up a bit that outfi is da bomb!  I really like the blue tie as well. I don't get to wear them near enough now days but I do like the looks of it. Maybe I shall put on me tux and raise a glass with ye and  hope some of the greatness of the day wears off on me as well!

 Congrats again Bill! and a toast to Ms Jr Bondo's new begining and great success in her future!

The 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions depart from 17 airfields in Britain.

2215 June 5, 1944

Membury Airfield, Berkshire

sfcmac wrote:

Man o Man what a fine looking bunch!  And proud you should be of such a wonderful family.  Hearty Congrats to your daughter on this my #2 son's 18th Birthday! A fine accomplishment on all counts not to mention her many other honors that you have mentioned along this year.  A fine congrats to her indeed! I feel your pride through the photos and a neer a more well earned moment it is! For you all!  Speaking of me cleaning up a bit that outfi is da bomb!  I really like the blue tie as well. I don't get to wear them near enough now days but I do like the looks of it. Maybe I shall put on me tux and raise a glass with ye and  hope some of the greatness of the day wears off on me as well!  Congrats again Bill! and a toast to Ms Jr Bondo's new begining and great success in her future!

That tie is a vintage Hermes, found it in a seconds shop. Her colors be white and blue, so it seemed appropriate.

I will be building two front turrets with twin .303s and two rear turrets with quad .303s for the pair of white under gray avions. Awaiting barrels, will use the Falcon vacs for cleary stuff and the rest of the innards be scratch. Aarons gun belt idea is a good one.

Boulton Paul was a Brit co. that made turrets, like Sperry statewide, for all of the major a/c manufacturers. Any of you crew that can cheek up and offer B/P info, or better yet aquit yourselves in the fine fashion of Mister Mac, with Boulton Paul infact modeling, about whatever they made will get an extra ration.

Signal from Fort Stranraer (code FS).

Admiral Jeaton sets the stage, First kit on the estuary, rest will follow. The Officers Mess has a fine view of the Loch, and a dance will be held.

The list so far:

Admiral Eaton: The Fortress 2

Captain Bondoman: Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and Short Sunderland

Bosun Luftwoller: Short Sunderland.

And that's it. Lot of U-boats out there, not many men here.

I've sent a couple of pressgangs out and will do more but a/c are needed, chaps.

FS out.

Morning gentlemen (and Dee )

Tis, 5:10 of June 6th here in New Hampshire of the god ole U.S.A.  Here is to the brave men of that fateful day!

We asked ye to go and save Europe.....and you did.  Cheers mateys!

Brian

The fallen will never be forgotten!!!!!

John, excellent looking paint on the Fort!!!!! Have always thought the CC colors to be quite striking!!!!!

Bill congrats!!!!!!! Ms Bondo Jr's achievements are something to be proud of!!!!!

Just got back from Model Expo and my 'bag is on the table!!!!!! When I arrived there today and placed my lil mate on the table, I looked around it, and just said to myself I a'int got a chance!! LOL I just was happy to be there and have gotten it finished just in the nick of time to leave here and get up there to enter with 15min to spare. I also didn't have time or knew to include as much documentation as possible!!! Staying back tnight and helping Darren aka darson judge a couple of categories was VERY educational as far as what is needed to score higly in competition!!! Plus all entrants gets a pass for the whole weekend!! Lots of GREAT looking stuff!! Aaron, there were TWO of the SH Albacores there!!!!!! Looking at them and knowing the  issues you had with the kit, made me appreciate how they got them lookin so well!!! Will be going back up monday to pick up my lil bird and go to the swap and sell!!!!! Always bargains there!! Today managed to get the old Hasegawa 1/72 Emily flying boat and an old friend, the 1/72 LS Pitts Special!!!! Snagged the Pitts for $7!!! Will defanately do better the second time around!!! Will post some pics after the weekend!!!

jeaton01  Sorry I was distracted by our all slickered up CPT Bondo and his wonderful Ladies.

 Great job on that fortress! That paint job scheme is just too cool for words! Really, It is very well rendered and you actually can see the effect!

 I need to do an update myself. Been slacking,

 Done loads of little stuff that just takes a lot of time.

Cut and added a very thin strip of Bare Metal foil around the metal cowling / exhaust cover. Gives it a look closer to the pics I think.

Wanted to duplicate the Tamiya Swordfish crew.  I really like the looks of them and see myself using them often in the future.  Made a better mold. I have a 2 part putty that takes 5 minutes but for crisper detail I use the latex high strength stuff. Takes 48 hours to cure and you get a flexable mold kinda like a rubber ball.

After curing I remove the orignals. It is a soft enough material to work and push them out. Couldn't get them out if it didn't stretch. Then To get a good resin pour I put the mix into a baby medicine squirter thing and inject it with a bit of pressure. It squirts back too be careful!

The resin mix cures quick. Liquid to solid in about 2 minutes and the last fellow was a victim of the thickening goo. I save the mistakes for future modifications though. Thought you may like to judge the results.

 I still don't quite understand the complexity of some parts. The lower air intake was 3 pieces that are ill fitting and take a lot of work to turn into an air intake. Seems over complicated. Must be like how Bondo said just too many diff sub contractors involved in the final kit.

The Props are interesting. Silver fronts with black backs. Yellow tips only on the backside.  First I have heard of that.

Think I have been reading too much of Frank's threads. I hollowed out the solid flat exhaust and then kept going doing the same with the fuel dump pipes and the intakes on the nose top.

Think it is all starting to pay off. The Engine looks pretty good. The little things are really making a diff in details.

 Got the Skua on it's gear already and the Roc close behind.

Had one really big disaster! I dropped one of the windscreens which gives these birds a real uniquie look and rolled my chair right over it.  Pulverized it right down the middle.

Never had done anything like that before. Usually I just loose them for a day or 2.  Well have to see what I can doo to fix this mess up? Hmmmmm. More brain power. Better take a vitamin!

Gentlemen, enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdF5Yiiwn8Q

Brian

Aaron, your casting skills are almost as good as your modeling skills!!!!!!!! They look great!!! Really coming together now, pardon the pun! Pitty bout the windscreen!!!!!!! Maybe heat form one over the other??!! Or make a mold and vac form if possible??!! I know you will come up with something!!

Brian, excellent video mate!!!!

Well can't stand it!!!!!!!! have to share a few pics of Model Expo '09!!! Will be going up tomorrow for the swap and sell, and to pick up the 'bag. After having worked on it for so LONG, I sorta felt like I was leaving a child in someone else's care for some reason. Anyways, here's a few pics. wWill be getting close ups of the finished 'bag after the weekend. Enjoy!

Here's the 'bag on the contest table!

....and here is why I said I didn't have a chance!

and another....

and another...

One of the two Albacore's

One for Frankie

Massive Trump 1/32 Thud

Awesome flames

one last one tonight, Tamiya's 1/350 U.S.S. Enterprise, no joke there are a few open canopies on the Tomcats, Hornets, and Intruders!!!! trust me lol

Will be getting more pics tomorrow!!! Enjoy!!

Richie- I never logged in to tell you how well I liked your Swordfish I am Even More Impressed that it is an  Airfix Kit Some nice looking entries, I would have to say the Tamiya Enterprise would be my favorite. I have always wanted to build the 1/350 version myself. Thanks for sharing the pics and I am looking forward to more. Your Build sure looks like a Winner to me.

Aaron - Can you get a replacement canopy through Squadron ? Or better yet it looks like you could make even a better one with come clear packaging and styrene strips for the framework. Great job on the builds and the figure castings are out of this world. Got any German Pilots to clone ?

Richie- Gorgeous, simply GORGEOUS!!!  Love that little Stringbag.  Foloowing along with the build has been a treat, thank you for sharing!  I shall keep my fingers crossed for you at the contest.

Sorry I missed the drinks in the wardroom last night, but I was at the bench hoping to finish the Corsair last night.  Almost made it, but decided to put it aside and do the final bits this morning.   Couple of little things I would do differently next time, but isn't that always the case?  Overall, I am happy with the way she turned out.  Here are some pics, hope you like!

Richie,

Thanks for the pics, looking forward to more.  Don't ever count your model out until the judges come back.  You know where all the mistakes are, they don't.  Good luck.

Richie, the Stringbag looks like the clear winner to me, but I may be biased!

Frank, dear lord man, that Corsair s simply a work of art buddy!  WELL done.  WELL done indeed!

Brian

Thank you very much Sean, Frank and Buddy!!!! Buddy, words well spoken mate!!!! As I've said before, we are our own worst critics sometimes! Thanks for those words really!!!

Frank, that is an amazing build!!!!!!!! Truly stunning!!!!!! WELL DONE!!!!!!! One to be proud of!!!!

Thank you as well Brian!!!!!

Hiya,

Richie Ive had a little look about at the work youve done on the swordfish and I think the result is outstanding, it looks more than good enough in amongst the rest of em. Well done on a great job and good luck.

Frank yet again I find myself asking 'how on earth does he make paint look so good', its simply beautiful, really smooooooth .

cheers...

Can anyone point me towards a good site for some FAA Hellcat reference pics etc?

Cheers...