Quote from: kerick on December 22, 2023, 08:30:00 AM

Quote from: kitbasher on December 21, 2023, 11:33:01 PMAh, the Swedish 30 kph 'tractors' 

I've family in western Sweden between Kungälv and Lilla Edet and getting stuck behind one of those things is one of the greatest irritations known to humankind.

Drive them on farms/private estates by all means, but not the open road!!

We get the monster sized farm equipment in planting season and again in harvest season around here. Slow and take up the entire road. Worst is when farmers drive them on the main highways where people normally drive 60 mph when people are trying to go to work!

Herefordshire is a very rural county, and so we regularly find all sorts of mighty tractors with huge **cludgering** machines attached on every road.  Many of our back roads are extremely narrow, and if you meet one of these behemoths , you get most accomplished in reversing rapidly into field entries, passing places, house drives and the like. Very few people grumble...............if you want to eat you have to let the farmers get on with their job.

**cludgering**  a non specific term covering just about any kit that is hung on the back (or often the front) of a tractor.

The snowing has continued throughout the day and in addition to that, the wind has increased, making the traditional family trip to the woods to find a Christmas tree somewhat less entertaining that it can be. Hence, we decided to postpone. After all, that tree doesn't have to be indoors until tomorrow evening.

Accordingly, I managed to get some time to myself, and decided to spend it on the Lansens, sorting most of the modifications from the original Avon Mk 21 to the later Mk 60 as well as some final touches on the noses. Also, all three belly tanks are now attached.

Working on these three, more than forty years old Lansen builds, it's increasingly turning into a combined project, keeping them together. Having realised that, it suddenly seemed more attractive to keep them together throughout, and hence, I think dad's old build will be used as an EW bird, closely inspired by the RW J32E ECM trainer. In doing so, I'll have an updated strike aircraft, an equally updated maritime reconnaissance and strike aircraft, an upengined EW bird and finally the supersonic interceptor. All the family. I might have a look at an alternative antenna setup to the original 32E though. That one on the top of the nose looks a bit like a wart to me..

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Also, as I got myself another Lansen kit, I can still build a Norwegian Lansen when I feel like it. I'll have to get another belly tank, though. Having seen one one a model makes the one without feel a bit naked.

Kip time now, though. Have a good 'un!
 

I know just what you mean about the Lansen's belly tank, it looks totally incomplete without one, rather like a later mark Meteor does.

Luckily I have a vacform Lansen tank to go on on my one and only Lansen kit, but it sounds like mouldings are feely available on the Swedish model marketplace, is that the case?

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 23, 2023, 05:26:04 AMI know just what you mean about the Lansen's belly tank, it looks totally incomplete without one, rather like a later mark Meteor does.

Luckily I have a vacform Lansen tank to go on on my one and only Lansen kit, but it sounds like mouldings are feely available on the Swedish model marketplace, is that the case?

Not freely, but you can buy a resin example that fits very well for less than 6 quid, corresponding. Look for "Maestro K7227".

If you can't get one from where you are - let me know as I'll be shopping for a few more myself.

We went to the forest today instead. Much nicer weather indeed. While still snowing lightly, the wind had all but died down and the temperature a few degrees C below zero made it a rather dry walk. And we got ourselves a nice tree too.

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Looks like even the dog was having fun! Great family pic.

Great family photo      Is that a frozen river in the background ?

I like the tradition of putting the tree up late, one coffee bar chain here in the UK put there's up on Nov 1st 

Christmas starts for me when the Trafalgar Square tree, a gift from the people of Oslo every year since 1945, is lit up in early December. I've always liked the plain white lights as well ? Must have some Norsk blood ? Mind you so have an awful lot of others over here 

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 24, 2023, 05:18:37 AMGreat family photo      Is that a frozen river in the background ?

I like the tradition of putting the tree up late, one coffee bar chain here in the UK put there's up on Nov 1st 

Christmas starts for me when the Trafalgar Square tree, a gift from the people of Oslo every year since 1945, is lit up in early December. I've always liked the plain white lights as well ? Must have some Norsk blood ? Mind you so have an awful lot of others over here 

I'm brought up this way. We can put up most decorations late November but the tree goes in the day before Christmas Eve. That's not negotiable.

Re the lights - as they're supposed to mimic candles, how can they be coloured?

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2023, 07:09:50 AMRe the lights - as they're supposed to mimic candles, how can they be coloured?

'Doped' candles maybe? 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 24, 2023, 07:48:09 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2023, 07:09:50 AMRe the lights - as they're supposed to mimic candles, how can they be coloured?

'Doped' candles maybe? 

I'm too young, mate. I wasn't even born in the swinging sixties.. 

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2023, 10:32:42 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 24, 2023, 07:48:09 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 24, 2023, 07:09:50 AMRe the lights - as they're supposed to mimic candles, how can they be coloured?

'Doped' candles maybe? 

I'm too young, mate. I wasn't even born in the swinging sixties.. 

They always say that if you can remember the "Swinging Sixties" then you weren't there  I just caught the tail end of them really : 16 in 68. 

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 24, 2023, 05:18:37 AMGreat family photo      Is that a frozen river in the background ?

Don't keep me on tenterhooks, my brain needs to know, it's incredibly intrigued   

It might be a  bit of the frozen Baltic! 

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 25, 2023, 02:09:03 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on December 24, 2023, 05:18:37 AMGreat family photo      Is that a frozen river in the background ?

Don't keep me on tenterhooks, my brain needs to know, it's incredibly intrigued   

Sorry, gentlemen. It's neither, only a snowed-over meadow. The Baltic (or at least the fjord where we live) is about 600 m behind the photographer.

We had an absolutely lovely Christmas eve yesterday, capping it with midnight mass in the church in town. Good turnout, good hymn singing and a chaplain with a sense of humour. Violent snowfall made the trip there and back again somewhat of an adventure - which actually added to the experience. However, a Defender will pull through.

Nothing modelling related in the parcels this year, but then that was as expected. I much prefer to follow my whims when it comes to modelling, rather wanting books as gifts - which I got. Five of them, to be precise.
Our youngest, however, got an F-16 from one of his sisters. Dad might have been a tad involved, but I played my unknowing part well, even having an extra interested look at the kit. And he is a happy chappy.

Today, I've had to clear the yard from the worst snow. It's about ten inches of it now, all heavy which makes me even more happy that I've mended the snowblower.

That done, I might not do much more today, actually. Maybe I'll start that Lego Technics classic Defender that's been sitting around for a bit, or I'll continue with one or more of the Lansens. Or I'll just read. That's the nicest part of this holiday - you can actually choose entirely what you want to do. Or not.

Quote from: Pellson on December 25, 2023, 03:58:22 AMThat done, I might not do much more today, actually. Maybe I'll start that Lego Technics classic Defender that's been sitting around for a bit, or I'll continue with one or more of the Lansens. Or I'll just read. That's the nicest part of this holiday - you can actually choose entirely what you want to do. Or not.

That's all well and good when you have someone else to do all the catering!

Hope you and yours have a great day.

Gondor

Quote from: Gondor on December 25, 2023, 04:44:00 AM

Quote from: Pellson on December 25, 2023, 03:58:22 AMThat done, I might not do much more today, actually. Maybe I'll start that Lego Technics classic Defender that's been sitting around for a bit, or I'll continue with one or more of the Lansens. Or I'll just read. That's the nicest part of this holiday - you can actually choose entirely what you want to do. Or not.

That's all well and good when you have someone else to do all the catering!

Hope you and yours have a great day.

Gondor

Thanks a lot, Alistair.

Re the catering - we sorted all of that yesterday morning, and now, we're likely stuck with leftovers till Epiphany..