Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Daywalker wrote:

Cap'n- Your weekend sounds blissful!  I shall spend mine in retail hell catering to all of the young lasses coming in to look at jewelry.  Wonder if any will let me help put it on?

MEN IT"S WEEKEND IN THE ISLANDS!!! TIME TO BREAK OUT THE ALOHA SHIRTS!!! I WANT ART!!!

You'd better darn well believe it sailor. Order of the Day. The XO is having one commissioned in tartan, the CAG in Green Flight Suit, Nam in pink and the Commander in BNSF Pumpkin/Green. Don't ask.

Order of the Day.

Admiral, if it would please your nibs, and wiping the caviar from your chin, please put down that glass of Port and agree to judge the falling out of the men (?) in their Hawaiian shirts, to be the first order of business this next Friday evening. And of course you are invited to submit as well.

Needless to say I will be conducting inspirational exercises on the gratings all week. I will give the winner a model, parcel post, of my own choosing. Seriously.

And you haven't seen my good ones.

Spike, and I like that tag, although you have to share it with the great Roger, who swam out and retreived that Turkish cannon ball, wot dint no no better, as was quoted at the time; Spike that F6 is a nice model and the belts look much better. But what do I know.

Here's the Rum thing, no worries, be on call when needed and a good Aloha shirt will allow you access to the head again, otherwise please use the LEE  rail.

Mahalo, brothers. And think of those who had a nice tour, but risked all.

Daywalker wrote:

Cap'n- That's gotta be one of the loudest shirts I have seen in a while!  Thank you for not putting on your grass skirt for the piccie.

Ahhhhh Frank!!!! We weren't going there!!!! Now you have put the idea in his head!!!!

Well I am back up and running and able to upload piccys again. Had to get serious after reading Capt. Bondos  challenge to Loud Island Shirts...

Here are a few pictures of the Sea Gladiator kit I am working on. The kit is by Roden in 1/48 scale, there are aprox. 100 pieces of plastic. The P/E frets have over 200 parts. (I quit counting after that)  The engine inside the cowling.

And the start inside of the fuse.

Yes I know not much to show, but I really do not spend much time at the bench this time of the year when I can go Mtn Biking... And see stuff like this near my shack here in the PNW

On into Canada the river flows..

 Bet there is Salmon for days in the season!  Looks great and cool compared to here. Worked another 10 hour day and then had to do a bit of yard work when I awoke before dark. Now I am hot and tired and gotta go to work again!  Jeeze not much time for modeling today but I did get the glass mask and painted. Going open canopy on this one. Pilot painted and seated the touch up painting done and started a pretty intense rigging. Lots of that to do on these bi-planes. Even on the tail of this one.

Sean that Engine looks detailed for days! Looks like the same resin nightmare exhaust hook up that were on the skua and Roc!  I knew when I saw the work you were doing It was going to make me want to do more detail work.  Thats why I have to hurray and finish or you will make mine look really bad.

Cpt Bondo Sir, Have to clean up the plumbing a bit and I shall look and see if I have an appropriate attire to meet the dress code sir!  Is there a deadline?

BTW for the record I have once again misplaced my Propeller. Painted it a good base coat and set it somewhere safe to dry no doubt! Yes Sean I checked the Cutains this time . Man I must be getting really excentric. Think I will install a special shelf on the wall and label it put your propellers here dummy!

bondoman wrote:

Daywalker wrote: Cap'n- Your weekend sounds blissful!  I shall spend mine in retail hell catering to all of the young lasses coming in to look at jewelry.  Wonder if any will let me help put it on? Well if they do, here's that latest style! Modeled by me, Sir, beggin' yer pardon. MEN IT"S WEEKEND IN THE ISLANDS!!! TIME TO BREAK OUT THE ALOHA SHIRTS!!! I WANT ART!!!

OOWW!! MY EYES!  Going on vacation wit me dad starting Sunday.  Captain sir, will try to acquire appropriate attire by Friday maybe even a grass skirt.  Sean, what a view, nice work on the engine.  Aaron, I found your prop, Dee's avatar ate it (check the xray).  Glad to see you're still around Dee, hope you're feeling much better.  To all the Dad's out there, Happy Father's Day.

sfcmac wrote:

Looks like the same resin nightmare exhaust hook up that were on the skua and Roc!

You are very correct on that, 18 of them little buggers to attach. I pondered for days on how to assemble them. I wanted to spray the exhaust and the inner cowl ring a "burnt pipe " color without getting overspray on everything else.  What I did was place the engine in position inside the cowling and held it in place with a piece of tape across the back. I was then able to insert the pipes to match the spots on the cylinder heads . I used a thick C/A on the outter tip attachment to the cowl ring and I Did  Not cement them to the engine. One all 18 tips were attached I removed the tape and slid the engine back out. Sprayed it the color I wanted then placed the engine back in place with drops of C/A on the Cylinder locations..  Time consuming but I knew I would not be able to brush paint the pipes to my liking.

Thanks Guy's for the comments on my meager start on the Gladiator and the scenery.  I feel Very Fortunate to live here with all this greatness in my "backyard"

Aaron I can only hope this kit will turn out to be Half as nice as your Lindberg. One thing about the Roden kit - It has two styles of props... A 2 blade and a 4 blade. If you cant find your I have a spare....

And to all you Guy's out there - Have a Wonderful Father's Day

Sean- Those were some great shots, loved the view!  Sure wish we had a view like that here.

Good idea on the exhausts, hope to see some pics soon!

Frank -  Glad you liked the pics . It has been too rainy and drizzly to get outside for a pic wearing a loud shirt. The rain doesnt bother me though, less work outside and more time at the bench. I am still attaching small bits of P/E to the Gladiator .

Now for some fun of shadows and high~lighting..

 Whew wish we had some of that rain down here. Been really REally hot and dry. High of 101F tomorrow.  Summer in Houston I guess.

 I am loving all that detail in that kit though. Wow watching all your work makes me feel like I cheated using resin!

 I still only have one side rigged up and strings dangleing from the other. Very tricky rigging on this Gladiator to make it look right.  I am getting there though. My motto a little each day right Ritchie?  Using that elastic repair thread Guy sent me. Works well but trys the patience. Hopefully I will get it finished tomorrow and start my mad search for the prop!

 Really am anxious to start on the Swordfish but don't want to neglect the Gladiator even if it is a cheapie kit! I still see them being sold for $10 so can't beat it. Gotta finish before Sean makes mine look like a paper plane!

Aaron -I just happened to be thinking about you while I was rolling a piece of P/E into a gun barrel ....... 

Actually I have just started to get into all this fun stuff. The worst part for me about P/E parts is pysching myself up to it.

I cant wait to see your rigging, well maybe not as that will be a tough act to follow for my old school fishing line wires.

Resin - Cheating ? Someday I will have to try out a kit with that stuff myself and see what all the fuss is about.  

Well off to make another barrel

PS I had to build a fire for the Wife tonight as the house was too chilly for her.. It's not polite to point.....

Nice little bit Sean. MG's are an underated concept at 1/72, and thanks to the Commander (perhaps) I've set up a veritable Browning factory here in the land of Bondopacifism.

I misunderstood that the rear turrets on my Whitley and Sunderland were the Boulton Paul design, in fact they are the Nash and Thompson design. I intend to start those two models from there, Falcon vacs and the good Cmr.s Quickboost gunbarrels, plus lot's of scratchie.

Ordered me paints, and does anyone want to join the CC mini-GB with me and John, I'd like something with a Leigh Light!

As for the effect of cold nights, well I once woke up across the floor and upside down, she's that formidable. Just my two bitsARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bondoman wrote:

! As for the effect of cold nights, well I once woke up across the floor and upside down, she's that formidable. Just my two bitsARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That sounds video worthy....

I am looking forward to seeing the 1/72  Browning MG's . I have for years just removed the barrels and used a piece of wire so my fumbly fingers would not wreck them..

No. Well, I've posted pics from Italy so we'll leave it at that. She's big.

Hey Sean this promises to be a very nice summer, what with the War in the Pacific GB, this one as always the  best, and look into the Guadalcanal GB if you haven't.

Sean that's great progress mate!!! Gotta love PE, even though it can be a pain in the backside at times!!! There was a gunbarrel similar to that one in th ePE for my 1/72 'Bag! I took one look at it and went, "Ain't no way!" I do have my limits lol!!! Plus how would I ever have gotten it to roll up small enough??!!

Bondo, looking forward to the whitley and flying porcupine!!!

Richie - The barrels were actually a breeze to make. I remember reading on the forum to heat the P/E to soften it. I then found a stick pin for sewing and bent the barrel flat over it. The pin was a little larger then the barrel size - but I then used a "popsicle stick" and rolled it over the pin and barrel on my cutting mat to make it smooth. Beings the pin was to large I next used a small piece of wire - inserted it and used the popsicle stick to roll it again which brought it to the correct diameter and made the edges meet.

OK Gents it we had about 15 minutes of sunshine this morning - long enough for me to get a pic for Capt. Bondo's Challenge.  

* Warning I wiill not be held Responsible for Vision Damage, Loss of Sleep or any other Lame Excuses*

And some 20 + year old artwork.

I remembered Hawkeye Pierce always having floral shirts so I felt the helmet was a great tribute.

Ar Summit, ye look like ye be ready for the standard shore leave in port!   Try to not have ye too much rum....keep it only a cask er two!

Brian

 Outstanding looking stuff so far Sean!  Love the outfit!  I see you like to blind the world with style!  Bet the nosey neighbors are stumped trying to figure that one out!

 I actually finished all the rigging and really have finished just about everything up on my Sea Gladiator. Just gotta wake up tomorrow and clean up the old hobby room until the prop shows up. Painted it black and put it in a safe place to dry go figure. Besides finding parts in my window blind I have also found them superglued to a light switch or taped to the wall?  I dunno!

Don't envy you on that rigging you have to tackle. It is kinda intense on the Gladiator.  10 strands per wing that's what 20 and another six on the tail. Adds up to a lot of rigging that has to be placed evenly to look right.  Big chore. 

Couple of late night pics just cuz!

Besides sometimes the photos zoom and flash can reveal touch ups that need to be done that my eyes miss the first go around. Have to fix the paint in spots and clean it up. Maybe a bit of fade on the weathering and add the resin guns to the underwing pods.

Since looking at Seans engine pic been thinking hard on how to add that nice frame on the engine that holds the cowling. Seems to be a detail that really sticks out.  Thanks Sean like I didn't have enough to do already!

Anyhow you can see what a task the rigging is!  Thanks for looking! Gonna wake up tomorrow and clean my room! Oh the Humanity!  

Sean, ummmm.......great tribute to Hawkeye!!!

Aaron outstanding rigging mate!!!! Looks great!!!!! One thing, and I hope I don't bare the brunt of the commanders wrath!!!! The spreader bar at the X in the flying wires still needs to be installed before she can be deemed airworthy......sir. Shouldn't be a problem with your stretchy rigging and in 1/48!!!(<pep talk) Hope the prop comes down soon, btw have you looked on the ceiling perhaps? Things have obviously turned up in stranger places!!

Sean- LOL!  I agree, a fitting tribute to Hawkeye.   I loved that show.  Your Sea Gladiator is coming along well, that PE really adds a lot to it.

Aaron- Which of the three Malta defenders is this?  Looks like you about have this one licked, well done!

Ha ha glad to see you all approve of my clothing choice. My wife was not Impressed, nor was she the Day I mowed the yard wearing the helmet..

Stuff like that keeps the neighbors and passing through tourist on edge

Still making little bits of progress, I counted up 10 pieces of P/E to make the pilots seat.

That was a test of paitence if I ever saw one.. I am thinking resin next time ..

 Ha! That seat looks just like the resin one that came in 2 pieces!  I did have to clean some flash out the hole in the seat!  Most excellent Sean!  I think you got some kinda repressed need for torture tackling all that itty bitty PE!  Man I am glad I didn't try that!

 Frank I am trying to represent Hope as you don't see much of that one. Not a whole lot of jazz to the painting and markings maybe that is why?

Ritchie I will def put in the separators!  I added them to the Albacore at the end and it really shows up.  Man all these Bi-planes in the RN in 1940 wow!

 Trying to clean out my closet!

Probably just need to ask Frank to borrow Charlene since she is away for the summer.

Dang Sean, that seat is top notch matey!!!!

Brian

Man I swear I have just made a bigger mess! 

Anyways been taking breaks( too many) and researching the Sea Gladiator with the help of Sean who was just a great sport to start on his to help me along as well.

 The Malta Gladiators seem to be a classic example of how details can get twisted in history.

 3 Sea Gladiators they indeed were. But being used on land bases by six volunteers to fly against incredible odds.

And as Capt Bondo sez... " The Devil is in the details!"

Now I have seen these portrayed with wavy schemes, 4 blade props and even spitfire wheels.  The side demarkation line on the camo has been shown straight down even with the bottom of the door and a wavy kinda look that actually I think was a more RAF kinda look.

This pic says Malta but the details do not add up and support it's claim. Unless it is after 1941.

 The Standard scheme of 1940 seems to be the Straight demarkation line even with the door bottom.

The Mk 1 should have only a 2 blade prop so I can quit looking for mine.

And a final detail would be what was not on the Sea Gladiators of Malta.

Should look more like this I think.

 I came across this pic of a slightly weathered chap holding this pic with some emotion in his face. That means the world to me when it comes to facts.  A small pic but can be expanded nicely to clearly show the 2 blade prop and the fact that the dingy compartment between the wheel struts was not present.

 Now if the arrester hook was present or not. I can't see.  I would guess the weight and drag would  have had them removed but the grooves would be present.  I think I am going to put on the arrester hook anyhow as an unconfirmed artist liscence to show the Sea Gladiator origin.

If anyonr has info I lack please chime in as Sean has been a great help!

Sean- Mowing in your helmet?  I love it!!!

10 pieces of PE for one seat, YIKES!!!  Somehow, I think this one is Aaron's fault.

sfcmac wrote:

Trying to clean out my closet! Probably just need to ask Frank to borrow Charlene since she is away for the summer.

AAAAACK!!!   That photo freaks me out.