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

NARSES2 · March 17, 2013, 08:01:50 AM

Afraid not, they've since had their undersides painted and they are different. I like working on 2 of the same together. 3 at a time, the Hurricanes, was a bit "samey" but two is just right for me.

Wyvren is going together and is bugging me. Don't know why. Maybe it's the way the instruction sheet is broken into loads of sections and doesn't seem logical to me, but then I'm old fashioned. Maybe it's the fact that some of the fit isn't as I'd expect. Sure nothing a little micro strip welding can't fix but I expected better. I'm no nit picker regards fit, I build lots of early limited run after all, but some things are just a bit "odd". Maybe it's the fact I left it part started for ages and can't really get into the build. Anyway whatever she's going together and will get primed this week. Going to be real world. A second will get wiffed.

NARSES2 · March 18, 2013, 08:26:58 AM

Progress on the Skyrockets. Upper camo colours going on. One is a colour I always have problems with for some reason, dark slate grey. Always find it difficult to get a decent coverage and it tends to run ? (I'm using Xtracrylic by the way). Anyway used a different method with this one. Primed, first coat DSG, a light sanding and then second coat. Seems to have worked better then usual anyway. I think another problem I have with this colour is that it always looks "dirty" to me and that just irks me....the inner CPO coming out perhaps ?

Anyway while I was waiting for the first coats to dry I built a XP-67 Voodoo

I say built, it's the old CMK kit that I bought of Mike McEvoy a couple of years ago. It's only got 2 main parts - fuselage/blended wing and the tail appendage. Now waiting for the Miliput to dry so I can sand the joint. Will be a P-38 replacement, probably in the Phillipines circa 1946/1947.

Now this is another small grump I have. I always mix way to much of the stuff. It's impossible to cut off 2 parts thin enough for what I usually need (nice way of increasing sales ?) so I always end up with way to much which then goes to waste. People say you can use it as nose weight but a) it doesn't seem heavy enough for me : b) I don't build many nose wheel aircraft : c) if I did I'd forget where I put the stuff

I suppose you could mix the unused stuff with lead shot ?

The Wooksta! · March 18, 2013, 08:47:24 AM

MPM never did the Moonbat - CMK did a resin one that was reboxed by Airmodel which *might* have been out in an MPM box but I can't remember them doing it if they did.

NARSES2 · March 18, 2013, 09:04:24 AM

You are absolutely right Lee. It is the CMK kit. I've amended the post. Got confused (age ?) as I'd been looking through my MPM/SH kits just before

Ta

Chris

Radish · March 18, 2013, 11:47:55 AM

Age respects no one, lol.....

NARSES2 · March 19, 2013, 08:22:41 AM

Opticians - eye drops - bright lights - blurred vision - headache - no modelling $:-\$ Luckily don't need new lenses so that's saved upwards of £300

Radish · March 20, 2013, 01:53:21 AM

Bugger.
Luckily I needed glasses but nothing else, but the trouble with these new lenses is I can see all my wrinkles now. I prefer the older, more blurred images lol.

NARSES2 · March 22, 2013, 08:09:27 AM

Right the Skyrockets are painted and have their transfers on. Let the overall coat of Klear harden overnight then I can start on the final laps tomorrow.

The USN one will be the F5F-1 Bobcat and the FAA one will be the Grumman Kittywake Mk II. I've gone with a different name for the FAA aircraft as that's what they did initially with Martlet for Wildcat and Tarpon for Avenger etc. The Mk I Kittywakes were the 20 de-navalised aircraft taken over from the Belgian order and were used at shore bases.

The Moonbat has had the Miliput sanded back and hopefully will get primed this weekend

NARSES2 · March 24, 2013, 05:03:42 AM

Right I tried priming the Moonbat out on the balcony but it was to cold and windy so matting the Skyrockets is on hold. Won't get them finished for a while now as I'm off travelling in the next couple of days. Don't want to rush them and when I get back the weather should have improved

kitbasher · March 24, 2013, 06:00:22 AM

You've got a balcony?

? Posh wotsit.

Come the revolution mate......

Rheged · March 24, 2013, 07:06:51 AM

Quote from: kitbasher on March 24, 2013, 06:00:22 AM
You've got a balcony?? Come the revolution mate......

Have you not seen the pictures on the news of Grand-Moderator Narses von und zu Croydon standing on the balcony, receiving the plaudits of the devoted population?

Come the revolution, Comrade Chris will be safe.........every regime needs moderators of his calibre!

NARSES2 · March 24, 2013, 08:11:43 AM

The balcony is because when the council built these flats back in 1956 they gave us them instead of gardens. And yes my parents did move in in 1956 with me as a 4 year old. No gardens but loads of green space and woods next door. The hill is so steep they couldn't pack to many blocks in and those that are, are only 3 story for the flats and 5 for the maisonettes (now there's a 50's word ?) Moved out on marriage, back when divorced - what are mums for

My old history master (who I still see for a pint occasionally) reckoned I'd be leading the revolution when it came but was never sure which side I'd be leading ??

Radish · March 24, 2013, 12:44:26 PM

Ahh....the '50s......

NARSES2 · March 25, 2013, 07:28:16 AM

Had a slightly serendipitous * find today. Whilst touching up the tail fins of the USN Bobcat I used Extra Dark Sea Grey instead of the Intermediate Blue

Now this has been corrected but it did make for a very attractive camouflage scheme. So I may well build a mid war USN aircraft with a upper scheme of Intermediate Blue/Extra DSG over white undersurfaces. The blue/EDSG will be in the standard RAF style.

* Does anyone else remember Serendipity Dog ?

NARSES2 · April 08, 2013, 06:44:22 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on March 17, 2013, 08:01:50 AM
Afraid not, they've since had their undersides painted and they are different. I like working on 2 of the same together. 3 at a time, the Hurricanes, was a bit "samey" but two is just right for me.

Wyvren is going together and is bugging me. Don't know why. Maybe it's the way the instruction sheet is broken into loads of sections and doesn't seem logical to me, but then I'm old fashioned. Maybe it's the fact that some of the fit isn't as I'd expect. Sure nothing a little micro strip welding can't fix but I expected better. I'm no nit picker regards fit, I build lots of early limited run after all, but some things are just a bit "odd". Maybe it's the fact I left it part started for ages and can't really get into the build. Anyway whatever she's going together and will get primed this week. Going to be real world. A second will get wiffed.