Fleet Air Arm Group Build

sfcmac wrote:

Where is everyone? Holy cow!  I thought it was the week end?  Where are the girls? Where is the rum!  Where is the crew?  Oh my!

What do you do with the drunken sailor, what do you do with the drunken sailor, what do you do with the drunken sailor so earlier in the weekend???

AAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Tonight I hope to assemble the Stranraer, and maybe start cutting sprue for the Whitley. I did a little more research and the rear turret is of Frasier Nash design, think I'll start there with my vac parts and the resin guns.

Kids, alcohol and no. 11s do not mix, so model responsibly!

Cap'n Bondo, RAF CC,

Aaron the figs look great!!!!Really well done!!! I know your frustration with the 1/72 'bag as that is the kit I scavenged bits from to add to my Airfix one which had a much better cockpit area!!!! I heard that actually is the old Matchbox offering!!! Anyways will be next week before I can get those bits off to you!!! Will greatly improve the interior and the frontal area of the engine!!!

GLAD to her Nammy is doing ok!!! Thanks for the update!!! Spike and Roy need to report back in and then I think all will be accounted for!!!

 Ah right on time Brian. I finally have a bit of good news.  i Actually have heard from our lost hero, Namrednef! Yes he is healthy and well. As well as Nam can be I guess but he was swamped with a job recently that absolutely dominated his time. Very long hard hours but he says it is over and after a bit of recovery me may well see him again!  Thought you all would like to know he is fine!

 I think we have a brief check in now from most of our missing. Tempest Johnny with the new move and bum shoulder, Roy is being held prisoner in the basement,  extc... ectc everyone pretty much unless I am missing someone but Roger/spike/ desert rat/  I am hoping he just found a GF or something to occupy his time as that Border patrol stuff is no joke nowdays.  Anyone hear from him at all?

Argh I be pardin'n ye forgivness Aaron, I was stuck in the engine room swabbing the remains of last nights mid rats off the deck after the boys got a wee too much torp juice in em and the seas got a wee bit too rough.  I tell ye, that stuff may have been good goin' in, but it sure ain't pretty comin' out!

Good news be the Admiral owed me a favor (I whittled him a new peg leg!) and sent along a few bottles of his finest Cognac!  I know its not up ter the standards of our bilge pump oil....errr, rum......but I be sharin' anyways mateys!

Enjoy!

Brian

 Where is everyone? Holy cow!  I thought it was the week end?  Where are the girls? Where is the rum!  Where is the crew?  Oh my!

 Well I still be a building even in the strongest tempest of the gail I shall prevail! Build and Build some more FAA is the order of the day!  So FAA it shall be!  anyone ... anyone...

just an echo!

Well did the engines. Straight OOB except the paint suggestions.  Trumpeter wins out there as Tamiya wants the whole works to be mostly semi-gloss black.  The Trumpeter kit beats out the Tamiya in some detail as it includes all PE and stuff in the kit where as Tamiya charges extra on an already expensive kit!  And well the Revell kit. What you see there is the detail!

$ 8 vs $80 give and take I reckon! The Trumpeter kit and the Tamiya kit are the same parts just different sizes. They even go together the same way just in a diff sequence for some reason.  Wish they had included the crew figs. They would be great in 1/32.

 Oh Don't rock the boat baby! Don't tip the Boat over! 

Neu those are some great looking unique kits! SHould be quite a show!  Beware of the Capt Bondo! Guard yer mug well!

 Thanks Ritchie After progressing on the Tamiya and Trumpeter beasties I was looking for a way to jazz up the old Revell kit!

Ok finishing up on the figgies and ready to seat them in place when dry. I always use a bunch of paints. All types. Enamel, acrylic, water colors what ever strikes me. All part of the fun. The Uniforms are 6 diff shades of brown and there are 8 diff colors in the faces alone. A mixing of washes and touch ups. I added the PE belts and buckle to the gunner to give an undone belt as he is standing. Little stuff to add character.

 I always hope that someday soon aircraft figgies will catch up to the standards of the new Armor figs. Both resin and plastic.  But since Capt Bondo would not allow me to crew the Stringbag with Afrika Korps Infantry I had to make something from nothing.  Not too bad a result considering I started with just an idea!

Not a problem Aaron!!! Was wondering what I was going to do with them. Will try and get them off 2mora but might be Monday if not. Have to make copies of the instructions as well. The figs are looking great!!!!! Want to find a homemade way to cast stuff!!! Where there's a will there's a way!!!

Neu!!!!!!! Looking forward to those builds that's for sure!!! And the accompanying pics!!!!!

Woo Hoo!! a Sea Hawk. That's a first, good choices. Welcome aboard, rum call is at Second Dog Watch.

Captain Bondo

-Neu-

to the FAA Group Build!  By all menas, glad to have you aboard.  If you could, send a private message to Tango 1 and he should add you to the roster.

Looking forward to your pics!

sfcmac wrote:

Most excellent and after a conference with the XO, promotions may be in order. Figure modelling is a special talent.

I had no internet access for a couple of days, hence the relative calm. But I see the men have been busy. About to break sprue on the Whitley: painted the fuse halves already on the sprue. Where in the hell are those Ukrainian MG's?

Summit wrote:

Yeah Richie - send that  P/E to Aaron , he needs it but is too shy to ask for it....

Yeah, Aaron was just going on to me the other day how much he enjoys those massive PE sheets, ESPECIALLY in 1/72.  I have it on good authority he would LOVE a set of PE for that itty bitty Stringbag, don't you think Sean?

Aaron- Looks like the resin gods have smiled upon you again!  Excellent work.  I bet we soon see an add here at FSM advertising his line of resin bits.

Hmmm PE for 1/72 scale? Well if you can spare it Ritchie This old itty bitty Stringbag could use all the help it can get.  I get a new found old respect for what you accomplished everytime I look at it now! Jeeze man o man you really set the bar with that one!

Been piddling a little more seeing how things turn out.  I cleaned up the figs a better and reshaped things like feet and such that needed rebuilt.  Then Primed them up.

A quick gluing of a foot to the bottom of a dixie  paper cup makes for a convenient, tempory paint stand and handle.

Now a really quick not so careful coat of the base colors. Not worried about staying in the lines just yet as I want coverage and color.  Plenty of time to blend and  nip pick when we start shading them with lighter and darker shades.  Playing with the idea of using some PE belts on them especially on the gunner so I smoothed out his waistline and hopefully will have a very visable detailed belt and buckle there when done.

I do a little at a time. Paint a color and let it dry then move on to the next. Following the basic paint as you would get dressed.

May check out those belts and buckles and see how feasable that is to accomplish.  May need the practice if Ritchie has 1/72 PE. Good grief what have I gotten into?

Poor Bruno!!!!! OUCH!!!!! That musta hurt!!!! Aaron, the figures are looking great my friend!!!! Really look th part they will be playing!!! I have some extra 1/72 Swordfish PE, would like me to send them to you???

 The story you are about to read is true. No names have been changed because no one is innocent and needs to be protected.

Well then there is this sad story of Bruno the doggy that chose to relieve hisself on a fire ant hill in the lawn. Needless to say the ants were not amused and bite poor Bruno right where it counts the most.

 Since then this poor pup has feared the grassy lawn and only stays on the payment. Then today the most daring of UPS delivery men  dashed for the door with my 1/72 Swordfish and Dee sent the viscous attack dog Bruno out after him!

 Oh the commotion ! Oh the Humanity! The Ups Man dropped my package and ran for it!

Then taking full advantage of distraction, in broad daylight the bandit struck! Peering into the window to make sure it was all clear!

He then made off with all Bruno's dinner!

 Bruno now having a paved path to the street dashed for freedom!  Off they all went! Screaming and fleeing and chasing!  Right down the neighborhood.

Now myself ? I simply picked up my box and returned to the airconditioned work room.  Gee I hope she found her doggie?!

 Heck I am just happy someone hasn't decided to make my home into some reality show!

Hey Aaron, I really like the pose of the rear gunner.  Looks very natural!  Can't wait to see how the rest turns out!

Brian

Did someone say sushi?Swordfish??? YEAH!!!

Thats much better than stupid models

 Wow another article? I just got my 1/72 Revell Swordfish delivered today!  So it's on baby!  Oh yeah it is on a triple whammy Swordfish extravaganza! Or another one of my momentary laspe of sanity. Take yer pic! 

 Wanna show some of the progression of the figures for the 1/32 Swordfish just because of the time it has taken.

 First you take you little men and cut them to pieces! Just like Capt Bondo at the all you can eat buffet!

Then you put em back together much like Frank in stein. Get it? er nevermind...

at this point I am trying to make two figs for each position. Six figs for 3 seats so I can pick and choose which I like the best for look and fit.

Then a good preliminary test fitting of the crew before they get the final clean up and paint prep.

 Ok pretty satisfied I can work with these chaps. Get them painted up and I am ready to Join the Fuse halfs on both the 1/32 and 1/48 Stringbags!

Heck I forgot I gotta catch up that 1/72 one now

 Man with all this effort I am losing it but at least I can still tell the diff between  Ritchie and Buddy! Oh that was bad. I must need some coffee with torpedo juice creamer.  Oh that just sounds nasty!

Poor Frank ! To have killed so many brin cells at such a young age. So young so young.... At least Bondo , Sean and I have an excuse for such eccentricities!  Were married to the same chick for decades! That 'll do it!

Ritchie Great article on the Barracuda! It arrived today and I was pleasantly surprised to read info that didn't bash it to death as an ugly failure!  Very good stuff you sent me Thankyou!

That Buccaneer with all the fixins looks cool!  1/48? I bet it is a large build!  I can't wait and see what you  do with all that stuff!

My 1/72 Swordfish should be here today to complete the trio and put me back on track.  I have spent all week trying to create a decent looking crew that fits for the 1/32nd Trumpeter Swordfish.  I know I obcess a bit about the crew but there are worse things.... like Soriety Christmas ornaments on your bench!

My Texas Chainsaw Massacer progress thus far. We shall see what I can come up with eh?

 Well back to it!

lewbud wrote:

Frank, I think you meant Richie, right?  It's okay, you were reading without your optivisor again weren't you.

  OOPS!  Sorry fellas, my mistake.  Who slipped Torpedo Juice into my coffee again?

Daywalker wrote:

Cap'n- That is another fine looking subject, worthy of your best efforts!  I love the sight of Matchbox plastic, with those colors.  Really takes me back... Buddy- that's a lot of goodies for your Buc! (Sorry about the pun, couldn't resisit mate!)  I'll be looking forward to your pics, don't see those built very often either!

Frank,

I think you meant Richie, right?  It's okay, you were reading without your optivisor again weren't you.

Cap'n- That is another fine looking subject, worthy of your best efforts!  I love the sight of Matchbox plastic, with those colors.  Really takes me back...

Buddy- that's a lot of goodies for your Buc! (Sorry about the pun, couldn't resisit mate!)  I'll be looking forward to your pics, don't see those built very often either!

Well I am about to break sprue on the Buc!!!! If I wait till I finish the Corsair as originally planned, it will be quite some time before it would happen Here are a few pics of the kit and goodies I have for it!!! Would love to find a vacform canopy as well but no luck yet!!!

have taken the stuff out of the bag and an initial trial of the fuse halves show that this is still a typical Airfix kit that will excercise the building basics and filling of sink holes. "Looks like another Christmas in the trenches"-Home Alone 2

Hey Bondo, that thing looks pretty neat!  Can't wait to see what magic ya work on that thing!

Brian