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

NARSES2 · March 24, 2015, 08:01:59 AM

Working on the Caproni.

I've done a little detail work to the cockpit assembly, not much as the glazing could stop X Rays. The alterations I want to make to the upper fuselage are done. I needed to do these before fitting the side glazing and closing the fuselage up. The alterations to the lower fuselage are mainly to do with not fitting bits and filling holes etc so can be done when the fuselage is closed. Engine nacelles are built (landing gear can be fitted latter, I did check) and fitted to the wing. The wing halves and fit of the nacelles to wings is very good, will need a little PPP but no more and possibly less then the Invader. The fit of the wing to fuselage in a trial fit is also very good. Indeed better then the Invader in this case where the bomb racks foul the wing joins. I've double checked where I fitted the bomb bays and I don't think it's me ??

The Caproni is a really old kit and so far I'm enjoying it. Fit is good, so far and what little psr she will need doesn't bother me. Strange the Invader probably needs the same amount of psr and that gets me a little miffed, not much, but a little. I just expect a recent tool to be a better fit then an ancient one. Am I being to harsh ?

NARSES2 · March 25, 2015, 08:12:01 AM

The Caproni has her side glazing fitted and it was a very good fit. Don't know why but I expected problems with the clear parts due to the age of the moulds I suppose. The engine nacelles have had some putty, not much, added to the joins so are well on their way to being completed. I expect the fuselage joins will require some psr as well but not to much. Enjoying this old kit.

Invader has had the latest round of sanding. So spot priming and then see if psr is finished.

NARSES2 · March 27, 2015, 07:25:47 AM

Spent 4 1/2 hours at the hospital yesterday for my eye. Of that about 30mins was with the medics, rest was waiting time. Still doesn't bother me now I just "zone out". Basically no change. Come back in 6 months

Might get some work done this weekend but I need to sit down and work on the UK SIG's newsletter and I have a Diamond Wedding anniversary to go to Saturday so

Spey_Phantom · March 27, 2015, 08:58:11 AM

Hope your eye isnt to serious. My dad had a similar problem, turned out to be cataract.

Have fun on saturday

Captain Canada · March 27, 2015, 11:52:53 AM

Diamond wedding anniversary ? Wow ! Have fun.

Sorry to hear about the eye as well. Best wishes my friend.

DogfighterZen · March 28, 2015, 04:03:33 AM

I make everyone else's words my own and add my best wishes for you in dealing with that eye.

Party on!

kitbasher · March 28, 2015, 04:28:47 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on March 22, 2015, 08:06:43 AM
Well you don't expect to go to a West End musical and see something model related, but all I can say is that the production designer for Made in Dagenham must be a modeller ?

The scenes set in the factory have what appears to be giant sprues of a Mk II Cortina 1600e as their backdrop. There are at least 4 different sprues hanging from the "ceiling" with loads of parts for the car on them all with what look like very nice, thin sprue gates 1/1 scale of course. Couldn't take my eyes off them. If they were not inspired by a model kit then I don't know what did inspire them ?

My lady friend couldn't get what I was going on about at half time in the bar until I showed her the Defiant I'd got at Southern and she went, "oh, I see what you mean. It is the same isn't it"

How - why - couldn't you take your eyes off the set when there is the lovely Gemma Arterton to study in that production Chris???

NARSES2 · March 28, 2015, 06:17:00 AM

Quote from: kitbasher on March 28, 2015, 04:28:47 AM
Quote from: NARSES2 on March 22, 2015, 08:06:43 AM
Well you don't expect to go to a West End musical and see something model related, but all I can say is that the production designer for Made in Dagenham must be a modeller ?

The scenes set in the factory have what appears to be giant sprues of a Mk II Cortina 1600e as their backdrop. There are at least 4 different sprues hanging from the "ceiling" with loads of parts for the car on them all with what look like very nice, thin sprue gates 1/1 scale of course. Couldn't take my eyes off them. If they were not inspired by a model kit then I don't know what did inspire them ?

My lady friend couldn't get what I was going on about at half time in the bar until I showed her the Defiant I'd got at Southern and she went, "oh, I see what you mean. It is the same isn't it"

How - why - couldn't you take your eyes off the set when there is the lovely Gemma Arterton to study in that production Chris???

Very much so and she was very, very good in it. Nice voice as well. Problem the show has is that there are no memorable songs that you come out of the theatre singing.

The one I couldn't take my eyes off was when we went to see Chicago in New York. Christie Brinkley was guesting and we were in the front row, front and centre. She sat in front of me on a chair, did a high kick and crossed her legs and the legs went on for ever and ever

Couldn't sing, couldn't dance but who cared ?

NARSES2 · April 02, 2015, 07:01:08 AM

No real progress as such, to many other things to do (all fun). Just realised I've been retired 8 years

Actual anniversary was on the 31st March, and yes I did go early. Honestly do not know where the time has gone, been fun though

Anyway I've got my one week build out of the stash so I'm ready for that. Should get quite a bit of modelling done over the next few weeks as life slows down a bit (famous last words

)

PR19_Kit · April 02, 2015, 08:28:55 AM

You retired a year and a day before me.

Yes, I really did retire on April 1st...........

NARSES2 · April 05, 2015, 06:37:20 AM

Mainly concentrating on my one week build but the others have not stalled. Got the windows of the Caproni masked this afternoon. Did them before I joined the fuselage halves together, figured it would be easier for some reason ??

NARSES2 · April 06, 2015, 07:04:46 AM

Caproni has had the fuselage halves joined and I've figured out how I'm going to deal with the under fuselage gun position. I had a couple of very small gaps near the engine nacelle/wing root joint which were even a little to awkward to sort with the PPP/wet finger method. So I thought "PPP is water soluble, so ?". Anyway I mixed a little of it with water and using the tip of a scalpel blade ran it into the cracks. The mix flowed very nicely so that's that sorted with no real clean up necessary

Building my One Week Build has made me realise that my eye is having an effect on my modelling. The main problem is that it is effecting my depth perception/judgment of distance quite severely (3 attempts to get paint brush in water pot this a.m.

) and it's also exasperated my existing eye problems. Working on the resin kit which tends to rely on the Mk I eyeball to line things up has been a bit of a pain at times and I've screwed a couple of things. Not disastrously but they are a little askew. I'm going to have to start investigating the use of jigs and such like to enable me to line things up a little more accurately. Still not a great problem as I model for fun not prizes. Also the eye is not deteriorating and the Dr expects it to get better, eventually. the only problem is that logic and statistics dictate that eventually I'd win the lottery if I lived long enough

kitnut617 · April 06, 2015, 07:56:52 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on April 06, 2015, 07:04:46 AM

Working on the resin kit which tends to rely on the Mk I eyeball to line things up has been a bit of a pain at times and I've screwed a couple of things. Not disastrously but they are a little askew. I'm going to have to start investigating the use of jigs and such like to enable me to line things up a little more accurately.

It sounds like you need a bottle of Superglue de-bonder Chris --- for these lovely resin jobs you build

NARSES2 · April 07, 2015, 07:02:33 AM

Quote from: kitnut617 on April 06, 2015, 07:56:52 AM
Quote from: NARSES2 on April 06, 2015, 07:04:46 AM

Working on the resin kit which tends to rely on the Mk I eyeball to line things up has been a bit of a pain at times and I've screwed a couple of things. Not disastrously but they are a little askew. I'm going to have to start investigating the use of jigs and such like to enable me to line things up a little more accurately.

It sounds like you need a bottle of Superglue de-bonder Chris --- for these lovely resin jobs you build

Going to get some mate, but I'll end up spending a fortune on that and glue if I'm not careful

NARSES2 · April 12, 2015, 07:13:36 AM

Right got back to the normal side of the bench after the 1 week GB and managed to get some work done on the Caproni before clumsiness made me give up for the day. One of those days when you are just clumsy for some reason. I was clumsy on the bench, kept dropping things, was clumsy in the kitchen, kept dropping things, and in the flipping bath as well-------yes lost the soap three times

A day for listening to music and reading.

Anyway the Caproni has had her modifications completed to enable her to fulfil her role in the RAF and the basic airframe is together. I'm enjoying this and the old girl is behaving. Sure she's got raised panel lines, but she's an old lady now so they are to be expected

, but the fit so far has been very good and indeed puts the current Italieri Invader to shame in this regard. The latter is not to bad but should be better for a recent tool.