My thoughts and what's on the workbench.

[McColm]

Saturday 11th March 2023

There must have been a big league team playing Charlton Athletic this afternoon as I have never seen so many coaches parked up outside my kitchen window, 

Not big as such, but for various reasons a good away support ; Accrington Stanley and the gate was just under 12,000.

Accrington Stanley are the first team I remember being taken to see Palace play against back in 1960, simply because Palace won 9-2 in Division 4. I think Accrington went bust that season ?

I suppose its a long road trip, so coaches seem to be a good way to get to Charlton, I just wish they wouldn't park in the bus stop just outside my flat!

[McColm]

Monday 13th March 2023

Well the Fairey-Kaman K-9 Helicrane is finally finished and photos plus a plausible backstory written.
A few more Airfix or Revell Fairey Rotodyne kits will be bought plus one or two Boeing V-22 Osprey kits.
So it's back to assembling the Airfix Aircraft Recovery Set or sanding the Convair Peacehaven. It seemed a good idea at the time, one of those long term builds that seems to get heavier every time that I lift it up! No turning back now as too much work has been added to it.
 I have a crazy idea for the Avro Shackleton MR.3, the V/STOL version. Inspired by the Fairey Rotodyne only this time using the Chinnook rotors and cutting the wings into stumps. The fuselage would be shorter and the twin tail fins kept but repositioned.
It takes a crazy mind to bring this to life. Keep those rivets!

[Pellson]

It takes a crazy mind to bring this to life. Keep those rivets!

That mind is bringing immense joy and creativeness into my world. Do keep the rivets! 

[McColm]

It takes a crazy mind to bring this to life. Keep those rivets!

That mind is bringing immense joy and creativeness into my world. Do keep the rivets! 

I am humbled by your reply.

[Pellson]

I am humbled by your reply.

Don't be, Stephen. Be emboldened! I love your creativity. You go where noone else dares, and it is so wildly inspirational! Your contribution to this site is massive! 

[McColm]

Wednesday 15th March 2023

It's so frustrating not having the energy to do the things that I want to do, instead I watch the world go by.
In my head the main achievement this year will be putting up shelves in my hobby room so I can run some trains up and down them. Two L-shaped shelves for experiments and scale references in buildings, battery powered.
On the paint side stocks are being depleted leaving lots of silver and aluminium acrylic paint. I can use this as a primer.
 The weather is changing again to a cold front, any excuse to stay in bed and watch TV programmes and films on my tablet or read.
Or have another rummage and find out if I have any more kits in the spares boxes!

[McColm]

Thursday 16th March 2023

I'm down to my last two model kits the Airfix Lifeboat Launch and the 1/24 Jaguar XJ-220. I have checked my calendar for April and it appears that I will be busy attending medical appointments.
I think one entry for the 1950s Group Build should be sufficient, which means that I can concentrate on finishing my started builds and start a process of gathering spare parts together in one place with labels so I know what is in each container/box.
I know this won't last long but I will have a better chance finding the parts for kitbashed builds.
 

[McColm]

Sunday 19th March 2023

In the UK and the overseas territories it's Mother's Day. I sent my mum a card which arrived very early, well the first week of March as I thought that the postal strike would distrupt the delivery.
 A whiffer said choose a colour for my builds and I must say that acrylic PRU Blue is my choice. I'm in the process of painting the BAC Lightning Thunderbolt and the Avro-Grumman P-45 Charlton.
I'm going to invest in some decals, clear gloss and primer. The use of resin /silicone to create moulds for propellers and small parts.
My bouts of insomnia has reduced some of my current builds and stripped others back to the original models. Some clearing up has also taken place. As the workbench doesn't usually look as tidy as it does this morning and I can see the top again!
At this rate I should be able to finish at least three builds per month which means in theory all of them finished by the end of the year, that's without any of the GB builds or holidays so it's 2024 instead.
I'm going to put some of the larger builds on my 00/ho layout, there's a few railway lines that cross runways which have to be coordinated to avoid collision.  Or the track can be laid as though it's part of the tour circuit.

[Pellson]

At this rate I should be able to finish at least three builds per month...

Hell's bells, Stephen! That's my yearly output, and in a good year!   

[McColm]

At this rate I should be able to finish at least three builds per month...

Hell's bells, Stephen! That's my yearly output, and in a good year!   

I think living alone and not having a carer to look after me gives me the drive to get things done. Plus I need to get the builds off the floor, less temptation to use them for spare parts.

[McColm]

Saturday 25th  March 2023

The day hasn't started well,  with me spilling my first cup of coffee at least it keeps the dust down.
On the bench the 1/24 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Phantom Menace has returned to being a two door Ute/flat bed. The 1/72 Shorts Merlin AEW.1 is almost finished and looks weathered in places,  I just changed the direction of the paint brush. As for the Grumman Top Cat GR.1A this has lost its vertical tail fin and resembles the Northrop F-23 in certain angles. Whereas the YF-23B V/STOL is being tweaked.
My Spring cleaning continues at a leisurely pace, I'm still aiming at clearing at least one of my spare parts boxes. I've put a few bids on ebay for some broken aircraft models which will be kitbashed if I get the winning bid.

[McColm]

Tuesday 28th March 2023

I ate too much chocolate yesterday and I'm feeling queezy. Been up all night in the bathroom, better out than in. Chewed some ginger roots which really helped.
I will need to buy a soft closing toilet seat with the money from the Low Income Allowance in May amongst other items on my list.
Then there's the King's Coronation and party in the park on the bank holiday Monday, so since I haven't been to Charlton Park yet its worth a visit.
 Tea and toast is the menu for today, plenty of rest no physical whiffery until the acrylic paint arrives although a couple of backstories will need to be rewritten due to the almost finished builds with the changes made.
Stay safe and take care.

[McColm]

Friday 31st March 2023

I know that I should be attending my cardiac gym session today but my sleep pattern is a problem, just feeling tired all the time and I have gone back to having rests/breathers after walking up the incline to the local shops.
My concentration is meandering from one build to another, so the drive to get most of my started builds finished by the end of the year might take a bit longer than expected.
The 1950s GB has certainly opened my eyes to possibilities, a 1/72 Bell CH-46 Sea Knight in RAF markings and or the Fairey Rotodyne with two lifting engines something similar to the Bell XV-15 but with a 50s look about it.

[McColm]

Sunday 2nd April 2023

I have been using the MIG acrylic paint on the BAC Nebulous GR.1,  Golden Arrow F.1 and Argosy AEW.2. It's drying out a bit blotchy in places, so a second coat will be applied tomorrow after a rub down with fine wet & dry papers.
The 1/72 Convair EB-61 Peacehaven AEW.1 is in the process of being sanded down. My left arm is hurting due to the sanding, tried using my right hand but it doesn't feel right.
Just chilling out.

[McColm]

Monday 3rd April 2023

The 1/72 Italeri Boeing V-22 Osprey arrived, compared with the Airfix Fairey Rotodyne it's tiny but against the Revell 1/78 Rotodyne it's much closer.
I'm following the instructions going for the C option, can't see a great deal of interior detail with the ramp down but it prevents it being a tail sitter as to where to put the ballast in the nose is a bit of a problem.
My two boxes of spares and repairs should arrive Wednesday/Thursday, I've have seen several cheap kits of the 1/72 Avro Shackleton MR.3 and plan to buy these, although not complete the engines and landing gear will come in very handy. I can experiment in making some moulds, especially propellers.
The Lockheed L-400 and the Super Neptune or Lockheed Constellation Starliner.
The Convair EB-61 Peacehaven is now beginning to take shape along the fuselage, a C-130 style landing gear is a better option as it is less likely to snap when moved.