Kitbasher's blog: City slicker turned beach bum

[NARSES2]

£5 

[kitbasher]

So tonight I've decided to focus on a couple of half-finished real worlders rather than press on and finish the fourth of the Telford Four.  Interior green inside my scratch-built Airfix Val cockpit (seat and a few bits and bobs still need to be sorted there, but sidewall painting is a must at this stage).  Also proof positive that Marcel Lobelle was either a sadist or simply not a 1/72 kit basher, namely masking and painting the Airfix Battle canopy -he'd have gone for a much simpler affair if he had been a modeller himself!.  I've done it before with my 'Fairey Falcon' (http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,21075.msg299160.html#msg299160 - can't believe I was building that 4 years ago right now!) and there's a further Battle-based whif waiting in the aisles (definitely a 2013 project).

Anyway, my New Year's Resolution (pick any calendar) is to finish off all unfinished builds, although I am tempted to build either an Academy P-47D or an Airfix Bird Dog over the Christmas period to to prove I can do it.

As fo next year, there's plenty on this year's 'to do' list that hasn't been touched yet, so i'll try and be a good boy and see this year's plan through to fruition, even if it is a year late!  Or I might do a load of other stuff.....   

[NARSES2]

Seems to be a Canopy thing going on at the moment with you, me and Pyro 

Academy P 47D - nice kit, builds quickly and well 

[kitbasher]

Chilly, frosty Saturday morning. 
Weekly raid on Sainsbury's imminent, SWMBO is out for the morning so smuggling potential is very high and a sneaky visit to the LMS is seriously tempting.
Must resist though!  Promised myself I wouldn't buy any kits at Telford but failed miserably.  And I've asked Santa for an Airfix F-51D in the hope that they'll be out before Christmas (the Airfix elf at SMW suggested they would) and I've one of Colin's Mustang IVa conversions ready and waiting for it.  But why not just get one of the current boxings, I hear no one ask.  Well, I need one of the marking options - the one other thing I've asked Santa for is a Heritage Aviation 1/72 Cavalier/Turbo Mustang conversion for the Academy P-51D I've had in the stash for a while, so there's a future whif project giveaway!
Meanwhile I've managed to get a little more done to the in-progress Battle and Val, and I've two ideas for 2013 whif mini-themes rattling around my head.  There's a bit of a crossover between the two, all will be revealed in good time.

[kitbasher]

Penny has dropped - I know how to do some serious modelling during 'The Interregnum' without actually building very much. 

• Long overdue task #1: finally sort out modelling references and file away properly - get rid of unwanted remants of magazines, etc, afterwards. 
• Long overdue task #2: sort out and finish cataloging the stash, put aside those items I want to get rid of and get a 'Kitbasher's Klearout' box started.

Oh, and sort out the loft generally!

[The Wooksta!]

Could I be the first to scrounge the Dominican Republic markings from the F51 when you nab it?  There's a Spitfire 22 earmarked for their markings at some point.

[kitbasher]

Could I be the first to scrounge the Dominican Republic markings from the F51 when you nab it?  There's a Spitfire 22 earmarked for their markings at some point.

Aaah.  That's what I'm after, Lee.  More than welcome to the USAF markings though.  And if I get round to building the Airfix PR19 Spit in early 2013 you can have there Swedish markings.

[kitbasher]

Well, no modelling since the last entry, but at least I've made a start sorting model reference material, cataloging my unbuilt kits (and associated accessories) and sorting out items for disposal.

Santa a brought me an new Airfix F-51D (very nice) and a Heritage Turbo-Mustang conversion has now been ordered for the stashed Academy P-51D.

Also dug out a Merlin Vampire T.11 that will offer up parts for what I've decided will be my first whiff of 2013.

[kitbasher]

Did a bit more sorting out of reference material that will be used for forthconing builds.  Still no actual model making though - must do a bit of hurling quick builds together before I forget what it's all about!  I have a number of builds in mind that should go together fairly quickly - I think I could do with a bit of 'back-to-basics anyway just for the fun of it, and a hobby is about fun, right?

Popped down to The Aviation Hobby Shop for the first time in a while.  Got some Aeroclub stuff, the 4+ Wyvern book and the brand new Combat Colours no 8 - Merlin Spitfires.  Yep, so new it's only just on the SAM website. Some of the stuff I'd already gleaned from old copies of SAM, but there are some surprises in there.

It was only £2.75 but I resisted the temptation to buy a 1/100 Tamiya A-6 for whiffery.  I opened the box and yes, my cunning plan would look both feasible and I hope convincing.  Seriously tempted to go and get it next week maybe!!

[kitbasher]

....on second thoughts I must be strong and not get the A-6!
Here is the cunning plan - and anyone can feel free o do the built as I will not now do it.  At 1/100 scale the front end is remarkably similar in size and proportion to a 1/72 Jet Provost T5/Strikemaster.  Think of the two small engines fitted to the T-37/A-37.  The fuselage length and span are not too dissimilar to a 1/72 JP.  Omit pylons and stores, paint up in Training Command/Support Command colours and you have an 'alternative' JP5

And the Tamiya 1/100 IL-28 is just crying out to be whiffed as a Luft '46 single-seat jet fighter (with a little tail surgery to get rid of the gunner's position).

And they are cheap kits too.

[kitbasher]

Meanwhile the original scene from the excellent 'Downfall' has has been used on numerous occasions for comedy subtitles (I think there's even one about Ryan Giggs!), but here's a version dealing with the perils of light aviation, and the disruption landing at the wrong airfield can cause: http://myflypal.com/video/loststudent.html

[PR19_Kit]

Hehehe, I've seen that clip SO many times, including the real thing in 'Downfall' of course, but that one takes the cake. Superb. 

[kitbasher]

Yay! Got my modelling room back!!
Celebrated by starting on two quick and dirty (I hope) Hawker Hunter builds but must get back to the Battle, Val and a couple of other part builds that I need to finish before starting any more projects. I feel a real-world Hampden coming on, I must admit.
Dunno why, just fancy the idea.

[kitbasher]

Hands up those who knew Boris Karloff was born in a house that is now a chippy?
Saw the blue plaque today. Peckham Rye, SE22, literally round the corner from where my daughter now lives.

[NARSES2]

Now I knew Boris was born in Peckham Rye but not that the house is now a chippy. Brings a whole new meaning to Kenneth William's line from Carry On Screaming "Frying tonight"