Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[DogfighterZen]

Great stuff! That Stuka look very good, very nice work! And i hope you get to solve the Avia's strut issues, it's also looking very good.

[NARSES2]

Well work continues on the Flying Pancake and as is my usual build pattern I've two others on the go as well. I've tried building one at a time but I'm more comfortable with 3 in various states of completion.

Got up early as it's to warm latter on, paint especially dries far to quickly.

I'm slowing working on the Kora conversion but in all honesty it's a bit of a pain. The resin isn't bad and the basic kit is ok (I'm not sure who's P-36 or P-40 it is ?) but the instructions are absolutely  Just some photo copies of poorly drawn originals and the ink in the copier was definitely running out when they were done. You have to identify the resin parts from the crude drawings as there is no other help offered. Some obvious, some you can get there with a struggle, but others ? Who knows and in all honesty they are so small who cares ? Got the blades added to the spinner today which was fun as there is no indication on the spinner of where they go. Still I reached in to the depths of my brain and remembered how to divide a circle into 3 

The third kit is a Planet resin item of another Vultee project that reached prototype stage but no farther. I'm on much safer ground with the Planet resin and instructions even if it is one of their older kits.

[NARSES2]

So some progress in the heat. Been able to get some work done by doing it in 20 minute or so chunks. Work room gets way to hot for anymore than that.

The Pancake/Flapjack has had her main paintwork complete, tidying up and then I can get her on her legs.

The Kora conversion kit also makes progress, despite the appalling instructions. It's their conversion for the Curtis XP-42. In Wif World mine will be one of the YP-42 development aircraft built before the project was dropped. During the great scare of 1941/1942 these were sent north to help patrol the skies of Alaska on the assumption that the cold weather might help with the engine cooling problems  . Apparently the engine over heated as soon as it was turned on !

Here's the fuselage and cockpit bits, plus the resin nose. As i said I don't know who'd P-36 or P-40 they used but it's not a bad kit even though it has some huge pour gates, so obviously limited run. The nose comes pre cut like this, and no they don't give you the cut off parts.



Since this was taken the cockpit insert (resin) has been installed and the fuselage halves joined. Somewhat surprisingly all fit perfectly. Even the resin nose is a pretty good fit.

The third project is the Planet 1/72 Vultee XP-54 Swoose Goose. Typical Planet kit of it's time. Some cleaning up of the resin needed, some serious filing at the wing tips, to remove pour stubs but a very good start. Here's where I've got up to.



On reading a few bits about this aircraft to get an idea of what an in service date might have been I discovered it had a couple of quite novel features. One was that the pilots seat was lowered from the cockpit, he sat in it at ground level, and it was raised into position. This explains the rather odd control column that is described in my book and as moulded by Planet. If in trouble and the aircraft had enough altitude then the seat could be ejected downwards, so an early ejection seat.

Mine will either be USAAF in the Phillipines or RAAF in Borneo being used for ground attack with it's two 37mm and 2 0.5" m.g.'s. As some of you know in my world the Pacific campaign runs about 2 years behind the real world one.

[NARSES2]

Slow progress on all 3 subjects, mainly because been up to other things, including getting to a couple of One Day Cups in the cricket - Come on Surrey 

The Flapjack/Pancake is being masked up for some fiddly bit painting. It really is an awkward little so and so when it comes to painting 

The XP-42 has had its nose fitted. It's a very good fit to the plastic parts, so well done Kora.

The XP-54 has finally had her innards finished and matted down. So I can start on the main assembly over the weekend. Although it's BBQ Sunday around a mates house, so bound to rain 

[NARSES2]

A little progress made.

Flapjack/Pancake has had her fiddly bits painted and will now have her legs fitted.

The XP-42 has got no farther than the last update. When blending/sanding large resin bits added to injection plastic I like to use Miliput even though mixing the blessed stuff drives me a little  for some reason. Anyway you guessed it, the tiny bit left over in the twin tubes (about what I needed) had gone off  In all fairness the tubes are a fair few years old but I need to get some more this week.

The XP-54 has had the fuselage module joined and had her first round of p.s.r. I've also cut the vac form canopy out and probably made the best job I've done on one, which I'm quite chuffed about  It's not to yellow and once fitted the heavy framing hides most of the work done on the cockpit, but thus is life.

[NARSES2]

Well I got my Miliput, applied it to the XP-42 and sanded most of it off again. The new resin front end doesn't look that bad.

XP-54 has had 2nd round of PSR, didn't need much and looks ok (Primer still to go on) so I can get on with the rest of the assembly.

On a personal note I had my day surgery yesterday. 2 1/2 hours under the scalpel (well multi use Endoscope) so I'm still feeling a bit sore and think the sedation is still in my system a bit so can't see me modelling for a few days. Anyway as my mate was driving me home we had to go through Tooting, a place I knew very well in the late 60's, early 70's and to my supprise Jane's Trains is still there opposite the station. Classic old world model railway shop who keep quite a stock of kits and accessories. Tooting station is awkward, 3 changes, but it will be good to go down and see an old fashioned hobby shop when I feel up to it 

[zenrat]

Is the Tooting Popular Front still active?

[Captain Canada]

Glad to hear the surgery went well Chris. Hope all is well soon for you. The Train shop sounds interesting ! That's a hobby that I've always had an interest in but time and financial constraints keep me from even thinking about it. Once the kiddies move out tho.....

[NARSES2]

Is the Tooting Popular Front still active?

Me and Jan used to drink in the same pub as Wolfie  Never saw him and the gang in there though 

[NARSES2]

Glad to hear the surgery went well Chris. Hope all is well soon for you. The Train shop sounds interesting ! That's a hobby that I've always had an interest in but time and financial constraints keep me from even thinking about it. Once the kiddies move out tho.....

And then the grand kids move in 

[zenrat]

Is the Tooting Popular Front still active?

Me and Jan used to drink in the same pub as Wolfie  Never saw him and the gang in there though 

I downloaded an episode recently.  It hasn't dated well.

[NARSES2]

That I can believe 

Old sitcoms that were set in the time they were filmed in age incredibly badly but those in period costume don't. Even Steptoe, because it was set around two guys who were just in old clothes can get away with it. The most aged one to me is if you catch old snippets of Man About the House, and I used to fancy Paula Wilcox !

Even old hospital dramas are reasonably OK because people are in uniform and 50's through 70's nurse's uniforms are 

Model wise I'm up and running again. Busy social week coming up but I want to get the Pancake/Flapjack on it's legs tomorrow

[The Wooksta!]

Paula Wilcox was in "Man about the House" and that series spawned two spin offs - "Robin's Nest" and "George and Mildred".  Both spin offs have aged badly and I loved them as a kid.

[kitnut617]

Paula Wilcox was in "Man about the House" and that series spawned two spin offs - "Robin's Nest" and "George and Mildred".  Both spin offs have aged badly and I loved them as a kid.

In North America it spawned 'Three's Company'

[zenrat]

...old hospital dramas are reasonably OK because people are in uniform and 50's through 70's nurse's uniforms are  ...

Ooooh Matron!