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

[NARSES2]

Nothing to do with modeling, but my second great love, history. Was flicking through what was on the telly last night and came across a programme on PBS on the origins of WWI. Now what made this different to all the others out there was that it was made by Serbian TV and thus rather than concentrate on the classic GB/Russia/France/Germany/Austria Hungary story line it looked in much more detail to SE Europe and the Balkans. Because of this it also started a tad earlier than most Western European orientated histories which normally start with 1870/71, although occasionally with the rise of Prussia in the Danish and  Austrian Wars and went back to the Hungarian Uprisings of the 1840's and the birth of Austro-Hungary.

Fascinating to see such a well chronicled subject shown from a different perspective and I shall definitely be watching episode 2    Also need to find a decent starter on Austro-Hungarian 19th Century history 

[Rheged]

Fascinating to see such a well chronicled subject shown from a different perspective and I shall definitely be watching episode 2    Also need to find a decent starter on Austro-Hungarian 19th Century history 

I shall certainly look out for this programme, it covers a period I don't know enough about.  As to starter texts ,  The Balkans,  by Mark Mazower might amuse.  It covers the Fall of Byzantium to the present day  (my copy was 50p second hand);  The Balkans, 1804–2012: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers  Misha Glenny is expensive but good (I borrowed it from the library!) and Rheged minor recommends   Decline and Fall of the Habsburg Empire 1815-1918 by Alan Sked.

[NARSES2]

Thanks for the pointers   

[NARSES2]

August SAM dropped through my letterbox yesterday and it contains another of what is becoming their regular What If builds 

Tony Grand has converted the Anigrand Moonbat into the proposed mixed propulsion P-67E reconnaissance variant. The same article includes a nice build of the Hasegawa Shinden.

[PR19_Kit]

We're getting there..................   

[zenrat]

But is it somewhere we want to be?

I don't want whiffing to become popular and mainstream,  I like being on the edge.

[NARSES2]

I don't want whiffing to become popular and mainstream,  I like being on the edge.

We've just moved a little way back from the edge, that's all  . While Gary Hatcher's editor he'll not ignore us, but what happens when he moves on is anyone's guess ??

Interestingly in the same article Tony Grand mentions that until he built the Shinden he'd never built a Tamiya or Hasegawa kit ?? 

[NARSES2]

Spent yesterday with a couple of ex work colleagues, one of whom is Dutch, at Disraeli's old house Hughhenden Manor near High Wycombe. It was used as a RAF Bomber Command map making centre during WWII so as well as most of the house being set up as in Disraeli's time it also has a fascinating exhibition on the map making process. Lovely gardens as well.

On way back stopped off at a pub on the river at Marlow for a few drinks, just a little bit posh that end of the world, surprised they let me in 

[PR19_Kit]

On way back stopped off at a pub on the river at Marlow for a few drinks, just a little bit posh that end of the world, surprised they let me in 

The Compleat Angler by any chance? A CRACKING place, my Uncle and Aunt lived directly opposite on the north bank of the Thames.

[NARSES2]

On way back stopped off at a pub on the river at Marlow for a few drinks, just a little bit posh that end of the world, surprised they let me in 

The Compleat Angler by any chance? A CRACKING place, my Uncle and Aunt lived directly opposite on the north bank of the Thames.

No, it was the Ferry (used to be the Ferryman) by the island in the river and on the public footpath. There was a boat yard opposite and some of them were just    I've called it Marlow, but it's really Cookham I suppose.

[PR19_Kit]

Oh yes, I know that one too.

My Uncle kept his canal boat at that boat yard. Raymond Baxter kept his 'Dunkirk' boat at the mooring forward of Uncle Ian's. 

[NARSES2]

Oh yes, I know that one too.

My Uncle kept his canal boat at that boat yard. Raymond Baxter kept his 'Dunkirk' boat at the mooring forward of Uncle Ian's. 

Yup some of those "Dunkirk" boats are still around    I was explaining to my ex Dutch colleague that that boatyard was one of the main assembly points for the "Little Ships" flotilla before they set off down the river and over the Channel. 

[NARSES2]

Very little progress as I've been out and about a fair bit and then things to catch up with at home, when I've been home. Out and about next week as well. Still I did make a start on my next build. Major pieces cut from sprues and trimmed, so that gives me something to play with whilst paint and varnish is drying on the other two builds.

[NARSES2]

Well the La 165's finished and the full build can be seen here https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51730.new#new

[Old Wombat]