What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Thursday 20th February 2025

The 1/72 Airfix Shorts Sunderland that has been converted into the Sandringham arrived today, this will need a lot of PSR so I'm thinking of buying another Sunderland kit and adding the new nose and tail to it. The remaining fuselage will be used on the Sea Hercules build.
The other models are in 1/144  scale and in need of repairs.
 The 1/24 Ford Caprise RS3100 has been given the folded roof from the Revell Ford 1964 1/2 Mustang convertible. I will have to check and see if the Mustang Hertz Special was ever sold as a convertible. It was something Carol Shelby had created with the larger engine.
 Work continues on the 1/72 HS.748/BAe.748 Coastguarder III  MR.1, I have removed the Mach2 Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic glazed cockpit canopy but all the other features are undergoing PSR. It looks like a smaller Atlantic ATL.1 without the weapons bay.

Just waiting for three more parcels to arrive , back to the laundry and polishing my work shoes.

[McColm]

Friday 21st February 2025

Two of the Lima HST coaches now has the Northern Belle liveries however the coaches aren't the same size. I do have another coach which is the same length as the smaller one so some more decals will be required along with the paint for the power car & dummy power car.
PSR continues on the 1/72 BAE.748 Coastguarder III MR.1 although in the real world none were sold as maritime surveillance aircraft there was two four-engine concepts one with four Rolls-Royce Dart engines and the other with a pair of Rolls-Royce Darts plus a pair of Rolls-Royce turbofans. There was a twin turbofan model with the FASS radar and even the USNAVY pitched the idea of a C.O.D. for their aircraft carriers, the Royal Navy wanted the AEW version for the new aircraft carriers but they were cancelled, a decade or two later we got the three through-deck carriers.
As for the 1/24 Ford Caprise RS3100 this is turning out rather well, could be a contender for the rattle can along with the Coastguarder on the next time I'm on my rest days.
The two larger builds are waiting for me to work on the propellers where as the Breguet Br.1250 amphibious flying boat awaits a paint scheme. I think that I will concentrate on paint and decals on my next payday plus a 1/72 Shorts Sunderland and C-130. The width of the Sunderland will fit the gap in between the main landing gear of the C-130 which means I can have a go at creating the amphibious Hercules and build the Shorts Hythe . No the C-130 vertical tail fin doesn't quite fit the Sunderland which is a bit of a shame, Plan B.
A few more cardboard based buildings for my model railway layout for the Railway Stash and a goods yard. As for the 1/144 models I will source some spare parts or make my own.

[McColm]

It's the early hours of Tuesday 25th February 2025, whilst doing my rounds I have noticed that Coca-Cola will be sponsoring the European Football Championship this year. On the promotion front Dr Pepper is now available in zero sugar and there's a limited edition in cherry flavour. It's a bit too fizzy for me. Also in the Monster range a new exotic flavour will be launched soon,
On the die-cast front examples of the Corgi tram, single deck and the double decker in 00 scale although they aren't new they look like the samples for preproduction.
They have examples of Coca-Cola brands and products in glass show cabinets.
It's been raining on and off throughout the night, good job I don't need to do external patrols.
It's my last shift for February tonight, got a blood test this Friday so a bit of whiffery in-between sleeping on my rest days.
 I have been sleeping a lot better since I replaced my old pillows with some new ones. I now find listening to the highlights of Judge Judy on YouTube usually sends me to sleep. Some of the court cases are fascinating whilst others are very silly.

[McColm]

Saturday 1st March 2025

I spent most of the day in bed sneezing, runny nose. The heating is on low as the mornings have been a bit chilly but my flat feels like a sauna, been drinking lots of black tea with natural ginger. If I concentrate on using the Revell filler on the Lockheed Cormorant MR.1 I feel a bit better although I had to superglue the left wing in place due to a gap. I have noticed that one of the outer nacelles is a bad fit so there's a possibility of an engine swap. Maybe this Cormorant was the engine test aircraft.
The second Ravernsberg 3D printed puzzle Astronomy Tower arrived this morning, if I add the Metcalfe Castle card kits I should be able to create my own Hogwarts Castle, my other 3D printed castle is falling apart but I have kept the best cardboard boxes so some refurbishment work will be done with a coat of clear gloss to preserve it.
As to my Chinese Money plant its been flowering since December with more buds on the way, maybe its time to buy a lottery ticket!

[McColm]

Friday March 2025

I have ditched the Sainsburys Max Cold & Flu powders for something plant based and it seems to be working. The runny nose has stopped, no sore throat or fever although the occasional sneeze and cough. It's one tablet three times a day for 10 days, non-drowsy. Which has worked out well for me as I don't have to return to work until the 14th of March.

On the workbench the Lockheed Cormorant MR.1 is undergoing PSR now that it has four Rolls-Royce Tyne engines. The Tyne turboprops taken from the Revell Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic kit are now on the Shorts Swallow MR.1 which also has the Revell M.A.D. boom. The pair of floats has been glued underneath the wings in the folded position as they keep snapping off when I try and sand the model.
The BAe Coastguarder III MR.1 now has the sonobouy preselected launch tubes taken from the Revell Atlantic kit.
The remaining filler has been used on the shelf queens.

I have been catching up with the news I didn't know that King Charles had stepped down and the political situation was at crisis point over here in the UK.
I do know that I will need to cut back on my outgoings as my water bill has increased by £17 per month although buses and tram fares have been frozen until March 2026.

[PR19_Kit]

I have been catching up with the news I didn't know that King Charles had stepped down and the political situation was at crisis point over here in the UK.

WHAT? It's not April 1st yet you know..............................

[scooter]

I have been catching up with the news I didn't know that King Charles had stepped down and the political situation was at crisis point over here in the UK.

WHAT? It's not April 1st yet you know..............................

AP Fact check: https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-cancer-who-next-line-succession-d054f86ba17fe280bc7481a42921f3db

Charles's undergoing treatment for cancer, and has not stepped down.  William has probably assumed more duties.
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I'm still waiting for Harry to pull a Duke of Gloucester should something happen to William, and lock his niece and nephews up in the Tower.

[McColm]

Tuesday 11th March 2025

The Ravensburger 3D jigsaw puzzle of the Hogwarts Astronomy Tower is now completed, just got to build the Great Hall. I will buy the two smaller 3D puzzles that go to make Hogwarts Castle for parts and extensions to my current model which is falling apart.
One rattle can of Tamiya grey primer has been used on the 1/50 resin Eurofighter two seater Typhoon with conformal fuel tanks, the 1/24 resin Batmobile low-loader and the 1/72 BAe Coastguarder III MR.1. Although they are still drying an early indication on the Coastguarder means a little bit of PSR is needed.