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

[NARSES2]

The 190 and Yak have had their main paintwork completed so can be "Kleared/Futured" and then have their transfers. One of my favourite bits, brings a model to life and has been known to save kits that I had very nearly thrown.

Some work done to the Tigercat. Cockpit looks quite busy just needs masking tape seat belts and a couple of sidewall dials. I keep a ready supply of these. Narrow strips of Tamiya tape, painted black with some coloured dots on them - mainly white but some red or yellow. Just adds a little interest when you peer through the canopy. Also added some more weight to her. I think she will have more white glue used then model glue.

I've worked out her squadron and base so need to find the markings now. Not sure about armament. Wondering if standard British 60lb R.P.'s could be used off USN zero length rails ?

[Mossie]

Hurri looks good Chris, and good it's to see the Karas/Rabe in different clothes.

[Captain Canada]

What's your method for the future coat ?

And yes, that Hurricane does look good !

[NARSES2]

What's your method for the future coat ?

Nothing special Capt. I just use a nice wide flat brush. Normally a couple of coats do it. I do decant the future into an old jar for ease of use but now't is added as the old advert goes.

Tigercat fuselage is closed up and it is a superb fit  Just clicked together and I just ran a little liquid glue via capillary action into the join. Reminds me of those old Monogram 1/48 USN aircraft. Mum and dad used to buy me one for Xmas and birthdays as a kid. They were superb kits and all those "working" parts  Fond memories.

[NARSES2]

Not much done, a little bit of progress on all 3 current builds but not much you could shout about. Got a few social type things on at the moment, lunches etc. Be like that for the next couple of weeks as it's coming up to my birthday  Also trying to get the motivation to get the SIG Newsletter sorted, proving more difficult then usual for some reason ?

However as I was in Sutton yesterday for lunch I got to the local Halfords and got some primer and Rover Midnight Blue for my Tigercat. Sutton's Halfords is the only one around here that is in a high street, albeit the wrong end of Sutton's, and thus easy for me to get to. The others all require a specific journey to get there, various methods of public transport and fair use of shank's pony 

[NARSES2]

Some progress on all 3 kits this weekend.

The FW has started to get her markings put on as has the Yak. I got a real surprise when some Hasegawa transfers came off the backing paper almost as soon as I put them in the water   Getting there with both of these. My eye problem seems to be giving me trouble when applying transfers then it does with most other things. Judging distance is a pia so getting the paintbrush in the pot can be interesting at times  Seeing the specialist again in May but regular check ups between now and then.

The Tigercat is continuing to go together. She really is a joy to build, I just wish a few of these modern kits would go together so well. Sure there's some flash to clean up, but that's due to the age of the tools, and ayway there isn't much of it. Just needed a little bit of Perfect PP on a couple of seams around the engine nacelles and that was it. I want to get these sorted before I fit the wings to the fuselage as they will be easier to clean up that way. The wings look as though they will need a tiny bit of putty but again PPP and a damp finger should do it. Not sure whether to bomb her up or not ? If I do think 2 x 500lb's and 6 British RP's.

Decided I'm going to finish these 3 before starting anything new. Then it will be a Hurricane fest  

Finally whist sorting out some travel arrangements realised that if I'm going tto make the Hendon show this yyear it will mean an early start from Derby on the Sunday morning.Just checked the trains and should be able to do it, but we will see nearer the date  

[NARSES2]

Just a short update. Some more transfers added to the 190 and Yak, plus wings are now fitted to the Tigercat, and are as good a fit as the rest of her. Surprised how big she is, pretty thing though. Glad she's going to be shore based as I don't think she'd fit a RN Carrier ? Left the engine nacelles off so I could add more weight if necessary. Didn't need to so I must have taken note of comments made earlier...thanks gents 

Think she will get 2 x 500lb's and 6 rockets

[NARSES2]

Yak has had her markings finished so I can add the undercarriage etc. Pleased my idea for national markings appears to have worked 

Tigercat is ready to be primed, so as the forecast is reasonable for tomorrow I may be able to get out on the balcony and prime her.

Fw 190 has had a few more transfers added. Most of the main markings are from the spares box and are a bit of a mish-mash manufacturer wise. I've only used a few of the stencils from the Airfix sheet and to be honest they've not behaved that well. Took a while to come off the backing sheet and then had trouble getting them to "stick" onto the surface. The kit has a lot of stencil data (unlike the Hurricane which had minimal) and I'll only be using a few of the more stand out ones, so I'll report back on how they behave.. I'm not a fan of stencils on 1/72 models, doesn't look right to my eyes. Some of those Japanese F4's look like billboards ?? So far the 190 doesn't come up to the standards of the Hurricane, it's still nice but the Hurri is superb 

[NARSES2]

The soothing power of a mug of steamy Tea  Started off with a bit of a disaster and an aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  , had a cup of rosie and suddenly the world looked better 

Primed the Tigercat and I don't know what happened  Whether the aerosol spewed out crap, or there was some dust in the container she was in and that was blasted onto the surface I don't know. However the underside was encrusted with particles of something 

Then fitting undercarriage doors of Yak to legs and would one of them fit ? Would it heck. The hole through the doors for the leg goes clean through the part, so when I did get it on I was left with an unsightly divot on a painted door 

Had a cup of tea and returned to the model room. The Tigercat was quite easily cleaned up with a couple of light passes with a sanding sponge and a swipe of PPP fixed the doors, so all is alright with the world again 

I did the Airfix 190 transfers a disservice yesterday. Put the rest of the stencils on and they behaved very well. Indeed they behaved so well I put the lot on and there weren't as many as I first thought. So it was probably me faffing about yesterday. Must admit the eye was giving me some gip, and they were taking rather a long time to get on yesterday so may have dried out a bit.

Anyway there will be a bit of a pause on these for a few days. Should return to the bench early next week

[NARSES2]

Final bit of progress until next week, and I have to do the SIG Newsletter then as well.

Got the Tigercat reprimed. Think I know what went wrong previously. I use old vegetable/meat containers from supermarkets to hold the model while I'm working on them. spraying them. I think I hadn't removed all the cellophane from around the edge of one and it had got extremely brittle what with sunlight/age/aerosol. When I sprayed her the force kicked up a lot of this very brittle cellophane. Oh well no serious damage done and lesson learned.

[NARSES2]

Very little (next to none if I'm honest) progress due to socialising  , just got the Tigercat's tail sprayed up for the I.D. markings.

I should (best laid plans ?) get a lot more progress done next week. Not sure if I will finish the Yak and FW but they will get close. I always find there are a hundred or so small things that need to be done at this point of the model making process. Indeed I've started keeping a notepad with a page for each build so I can tick these final bits off as they are done. Another sign of the ageing process ?

Already know what my next builds are - a real world Hurricane, a couple of wif ones and a modified Karas and Lysander for my alt A.H. scenario. I want to get the bench cleared first before I start these though - discipline required. Must speak to Radish 

[Captain Canada]

Socialing and associated hangover 

I tried keeping notes as well....pretty much for the exact same reason. I'd list what I thought I could accomplish in a single 'session' and tick them off as I went. I really should try that again, as sometimes I just sit there, in front of the tele, staring at the kits.....

[NARSES2]

I tried keeping notes as well....pretty much for the exact same reason. I'd list what I thought I could accomplish in a single 'session' and tick them off as I went. I really should try that again, as sometimes I just sit there, in front of the tele, staring at the kits.....

I keep a notepad on the bench and have a page for each build. I jot down all the fiddly little bits that come at the end of a build - fit pitot, fit inner undercart doors, paint footstep etc - and just cross them out as they are done. I've given up trying to predict what I would get done in a session. In that way lies madness 

[NARSES2]

Well best laid plans as they say  

Very little done this week. Combination of things really. Putting the SIG Newsletter together seems to dampen my modelling ardour for some reason, weathers been good so been out and about a bit, plus finishing the b/day celebrations. It takes a week or two at my age   Plus with the gippy eye I do have to be in the right mood to concentrate a bit more then usual.

Still got the Tigercat sprayed up using Halfords Auto Spray. Think the rubber gloves are going a bit though so may be some detritus on the thing. Will check and remedy when fully dry.

Hopefully get some more done next week

[NARSES2]

Think the rubber gloves are going a bit though so may be some detritus on the thing. Will check and remedy when fully dry.

Yup, had to sand the damage back and re-spray, done now. When I sanded the muck away the finish looked exactly as if the paint had worn away to reveal the primer. So do I publicise the "rubber glove technique" as a rival to salt weathering ?