What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Tuesday 14th May 2024

After a good night's sleep I feel refreshed and a brunch using up most of the ingredients in my kitchen. Which means another food shopping trip later this week.
Can't wait until I get a full sized fridge freezer, a hoover and some power tools. Maybe a steamer cleaner for those awkward parts I can't get to and see if it will refresh the mattress.
Having time off work means I can research new or old builds then compare them.
In the past this would have meant a trip to the library, I still intend to join the library in Charlton and explore the grounds of Charlton House.
When I used to go to the food bank in Welling Kent, the bus took me past the former military academy which has been transformed into a housing estate, there's quite a few places around the Charlton area that have been turned into housing estates. I'm sure one or two were nursing homes that I visited when I used to work at Harcourt Street the headquarters of st Dunstan's Charity now called Blind Veterans UK.
The new range of EV Campervans for 2025-2026 looks impressive, there's the traditional VW but a couple of new kids on the block could ruffle a few feathers. Still out of my price range and rental budget. The closest thing was spending the night on the sleeper train from Saint Austell to Paddington or camping when I was a Cub Scout.

PSR is needed for the 1/72 Avro-Breguet Atlantic AEW & C,  Bennie and the Jets seems appropriate good old Reg/ Elton John.

[McColm]

Friday 17th May 2024

I kept thinking it was Saturday today not that I have anything planned for the weekend, probably a bit of cleaning.
I received the remains of a 1/72 From Avro Shackleton MR.3 which is undergoing a kitbash. As most of the parts were missing. The Shackleton has a V-tail and a Magnetic Anomaly Detector boom. Uhder the outer wings a pair of Rolls-Royce Nene turbojets has been superglued, they came from the Combat Kit Avro Lancastrian Nene conversion set. The inner engines haven't been built yet. The fuselage and bomb bay doors plus the interior glazing has been fitted. The wings glued and also fitted. So far no problems. I have found a pair of control yokes from the Revell kit which will replace the ones not sent out in the Frog kit, a nose weight was fitted in the gap between the forward observer and the cockpit well.
The clear cockpit canopy has stress marks and I have found the windscreen from another Shackleton kit which fits over the front.
This could have belonged to the Maritime Testing & Research to Unit,so I will be buying the Freightdog decal set to complement the build.

Why am I awake at 4 in the morning,  I am creating the 'Super  Shackleton '. The nose radome from the Academy 1/72 KC-97L fits the space where the bomb airers' window and the turbofan blades from a 1/72 Fairchild-Republic A-10 fits the cowlings of the Frog Avro Shackleton MR.3. So now I have an all jet powered Shackleton. I don't know the parts seem to fit as though they were made for each other.
If I had the materials at hand it could be a contender for the 1960s GB but I don't think that I will finish this in time.
 The Super Shackleton was supposed to be the last hurrah, a stopgap until the HS Nimrod MR.1 entered service with the Royal Air Force but due to delays and Sandy's White Paper the Shackleton would soldier on until the 1990s. The need for speed was the solution for 18 Group Costal Command and 11 Group Air Defence. The Shackleton could do both at a fraction of the price, the noise issues had been solved and some of the avionics replaced. A new lick of paint applied to the interior and most of the gripes from the aircrews resolved.
The Super Shackleton did get a in-flight refuelling probe and what turned into the Yellow Gate ESM wingtip pods. The ECM sensors relocated and underwing weapons racks. Comfy seats installed, pinched from de Havilland Comet 4B along with the toilet and galley which allowed the Super Shackleton to be airbourne for much longer in a happier environment.

[McColm]

Monday 20th May 2024

The whiffery has ceased on the workbench as I have run out of rough sandpaper, the Avro Super Shackleton MR.7 has plenty of filler/putty to be sanded or filed down to look presentable for the next step.
I think the Hogwarts Castle Hotel complex could do with a refurbishment, maybe gluing some of the foundations and smaller pieces. N gauge is nearer the scale especially if I can get hold of a few of the model bridges kits and a station. The second part of the wooden bunkbed would be ideal for a stand and storage units underneath/bookcase.
Today is a bit of a clean up around the flat, I'm only dusting the window ledges in the hobby room as I know where most of the parts for finishing off my builds are. If I tidy this up I'll never find them again!
Besides next week I start college so no kits or supplies for June. The economy drive until July. Paint and decals being a priority, clear satin spray to stop the decals from rubbing off and the odd repair. So July will be a 'blast from the past ' and my duties as a moderator, senior moderator wow! The union of the North and South of the equator.

[NARSES2]

Best of luck with College 

[McColm]

Best of luck with College 

Thanks

[McColm]

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

I had a survey of my flat looking at the windows , emersion tank, bathroom and kitchen as part of the five year plan of repairs/replacement scheme by Royal Greenwich. The surveyor was very impressed with my hobby room.
I  received confirmation that the repair team will be out on Friday to hopefully replace the thermostats on the kitchen and hobby room radiators now that the council are moving over to a monitoring system to charge for the heating as it's a communal heating charge per month.

[McColm]

Friday 24th May 2024

Another day wasted waiting for Royal Greenwich maintenance team to come out to repair or replace the dial/valve on my kitchen and hobby room radiators. Maybe all they need is a squirt of WD40 and a wrench to turn them off.
Apart from the airing cupboard the kitchen is usually the warmest room in a house without a radiator. I'll check on YouTube if there's a video on the subject.
Well my flat is a lot tidier, still got a few modifications to do on the 3D puzzle of Hogwarts Castle Hotel then back to college next week. So no whiffery until July just reading what you lot have got upto and subjects of the past. All adds to the 'I could build one of these. '
No finish the ones you started first, primer, paint,  decals, lacquer

July 4th ,American Independence Day,  'standing in the rain ', 'say hello and wave goodbye '.Never thought the prime minister was a Depeche Mode fan.Takes all sorts to make a world.

Seems as I get older all the childhood toys that I had are now collectibles, I never played with slot cars maybe it's time. A basic set and I can build the scenery, Landmarks of London. Most of them are in kit form.
It's a case of getting back in a routine, the return to work and new challenges. Hey-ho another bank holiday weekend this might be my last one for the year. Positive thoughts.

[McColm]

Tuesday 28th May 2024

Have you ever had one of those feelings that things aren't meant to be, well I was supposed to be at Southwark College enjoying the Induction/Introduction but the curse of the GCSE exams has forced the start date to Monday 3rd June, the start time has changed from 09:30am to 12pm.
There has been a flurry of emails sent this morning and my fellow students were a bit perplexed ( well swearing isn't allowed on this forum) as like me I didn't receive any communication prior to this morning, anyway I love travelling on buses. I did try and top-up my oyster card but was denied access. I've found out that some of my direct debits have increased.
A chance to read up on your builds and past experiences.

[McColm]

Wednesday 29th May 2024

I'm feeling very tired and the sensation of being sick, I forgot to change my alarm clock so I've been awake since 6:30am. Constant visits to the bathroom and the changes that I'm going make once I start earning some money. Mirrors,  cupboard/shelves, toilet roll holder and some hooks for bathrobes/@towels. The bathmat, that sort of thing, the bath has a large front panel and it's a blank canvas, since the skirtingboards are in need of a lick of paint.
My temporary wardrobe frame has started to lean,maybe it needs a brace to straighten it out towards the bottom.
Good news the MPS team are coming on Thursday to hopefully repair/replace the dials/thermostat on my two radiators. I've been on YouTube to find out if it's a simple fix and in a normal house it's a simple case of stopping the water tank from refilling, bleeding the radiator and changing the valve. I don't know where the stopcock is in my flat and I don't have the necessary tools. Leave it to the experts.

I'm having many thoughts about using various 1/72 Catalina flying boats as floats for the C-97 and Constellation. I suppose if this works well then other builds will follow.
I'll stick with the pasta for the rest of the week and dry cereal.

[McColm]

Thursday 30th May 2024

Yippee the maintenance chap turned up and switched off both radiators' valves, new replacement parts are on order but won't be fitted until the autumn. The flat feels a lot cooler, so I've been trying to sand the 1/72 Avro Shackleton MR.7,the engine radiator exhaust pipes have been removed as they are now turbofans instead of the Rolls-Royce Griffon engines. The in-flight refuelling probe is an aerial from the Boeing EC-135N Snoopy kit which fits where the front observer in the nose would have sat.
Another home delivery not all bad with one substitution and a few items missing plus a refund, been watching a lot of YouTube videos although I haven't seen the Hornby Deltic DP1 reviews only the comparison between the Lima and Bachmann plus a few using the old Dapol Kitmaster kit & modifications to make it a runner.
I also do online jigsaw puzzles as I can't seem to load the new updated version of Real Racing 3 so that's been uninstalled probably needs new software or maybe my tablet needs upgrading.
Trooping of the colour will soon be approaching,  if you've never seen it live or are into that sort of thing it's worth watching. I got to see it with my stepfather, we had front row seats courtesy of Saint Dunstan's Charity for the War Blind . Those were the days. There's also the 80th anniversary of the D Day Landings, another trip organised by Saint Dunstan's that I went on. How those gliders landed at Pegasus Bridge is beyond belief. Parts of Cane still bare the signs of WWII. Can't be that many veterans left that took part.
 It's been a typical British summer's day sunshine and showers.

My first nights sleep without any interruptions, slept soundly.

[Nick]

The De Havilland Museum has part of a Horsa Glider that was recovered after years in a field being used as a garage and workshop.
When you look closely at the timber and plywood construction you're hard pressed to consider using it as a shed, let alone flying 200 miles in it and then practically crashlanding in an enemy field under fire.

Much respect to those who flew into battle in them, and the glider pilots who were expected to look after themselves with only a pistol and no extra danger pay.

[PR19_Kit]

At the Army Air Corps Museum at Middle Wallop they have a Hamilcar glider, or most of one, that really WAS being used as a garden shed before they found it. 

It's displayed as if it's in the middle of being built with a carpenter manikin in the middle of the cargo hold sawing up bits that they have yet to fit and a woman carpenter manikin standing on the upper fuselage working too. All VERY impressive.

They have a couple of Horsas there was well, but I think they're repros, but very good ones.

IIRC the then Chief of the Air Staff said that the landing of those three Horsas was the finest piece of airmanship that took place on that day or days.

[McColm]

Friday 31st May 2024

With the radiator now turned off in my kitchen the temperature has dropped although looking at next week's forecast the sunshine and showers will start to get warmer.
 Whilst watching the traffic pass by my kitchen window which overlooks the A206 South Circular Road I occasionally see the odd LEVC van, Harrods has a few of them. Apart from the Airfix quick build there doesn't seem to be any in a plastic kit format just the taxi which I have yet to travel in the RW.
Having driven the TX1 and FX-4 it would fit in my collection of vehicles driven. I've also driven a fire tender and an ambulance but not a police car.
Ideally I fancy driving around the mainland in a campervan so many places that I haven't been to or revisit places that I have stayed at whilst on holiday or when I was a Trade Plate Driver.
 Next Monday might be a shambles as I wonder if any of my fellow students got the amended email about the change of the time to 12pm instead of 09:30am.

[McColm]

Sunday 2nd June 2024

It's been very quiet in the close, must be the European Football Cup and the start of the Tennis season, package holidays or something I don't know about.
I'm having withdrawal symptoms from not being able to whiff, looks like I will be buying the Revell 1/72 Breguet-Dassault Br.1150 Atlantic ATL1 as the Mach2 model hasn't turned out the way I wanted it to be. Besides the cost of the Hasegawa/Revell Lockheed P-3 Orion kits keep rising. It's a substitute with a lot of potential, once I have sorted out the wings.
A few more card kits will also be bought, hopefully the Metcalfe N gauge won't look too out of place for the 3D printed jigsaw puzzles of Hogwarts Castle. This has undergone a few modifications, I still intend to add some lighting on its own layout.
 It will be around August when things return to the 'normal status 'for me, just taking it day by day at the moment.
As to the book reading an investment of a bookcase or corner cabinet. I could build one if I had the right tools. Passed 'O' Level Woodwork when I was at school and I did a bit of the Open University course. I think upcycling is a better option.
All I can do is wait and see what happens in the next three weeks.
Take care and stay safe.

The 1/72 H.S. Atlantis,  1/72 H.P. Victor AEW.5 and the 1/72 F-4B have been dismantled. The wings of the Victor have been glued together and the cockpit of the F-4B has been glued on the front end. The T-tail has also been glued on towards the rear. The slipper fuel tanks have been reglued to the Victor wings but aren't the same length , the T-tail looks a bit off centre.
The Atlantis and the Victor AEW.5 will be rebuilt along with a F-4 Phantom at a later date.

[McColm]

Friday 7th June 2024

I've finished my first week of college and I am worn out, got a bit of homework to do which is catching up with the course work and research for a PowerPoint presentation for next week when we cover the topic First Aid, starting on Tuesday.
A package was waiting for me, at last the Falcon Triple Conversion set: 1/72 Grumman E-1B Tracer, Lockheed AP-2H the Grumman F9F-8P Cougar. I think that I have enough spare parts for the Grumman Tracer although I don't have the donor kit the Hasegawa S-2A Tracker which will be a welcome distraction from the week I've had. 'Things can only get better ' as they say, three weeks and it's all over.