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

[NARSES2]

And yet in soccer it is permissible to put the ball between the goal posts with any part of the body other than the hand.

True, I scored a cracker of my bum once !  Mind you they obviously changed the "no hands" rule for a certain Mr Maradona  (I'll ignore the use of the S word on the basis you are Antipodian

In Australian Rules Football on the other hand the last part of a player the ball hit before it passed between the posts must be a foot.   

Didn't know that, but then again don't you get a bonus point if any part of an opposing players body passes between the posts at the same time as the ball ? 

[NARSES2]

Some progress on all current projects. Must admit I'm struggling a little at times for various reasons and then the following day everything in the garden is rosy. I know why and it's likely to remain that way for a bit. Still progress is progress 

The Beaufighter is just about there, basically just the canopy framing to do, then fit the rockets and the props and she's done. Airfix have moulded the wingtip navigation lights as individual pieces, 4 in all, and they are tiny  Getting them off the sprue and then cleaned up is enough to test a saints patience. Still we got there in the end even if she has got the wrong style of lights for the build. Carpet monster struck whilst cleaning up. I then proceeded to drop the second style of piece but luckily found it first time.

Avia is in the paint shop. It's a gorgeous kit but a combination of Eduard's almost scale thickness for the struts etc and a lack of positive location points means that attaching the struts and gear legs etc is an absolute nightmare. 1/48 you could probably pin and drill, but 1/72 

Stuka is now ready for camouflage and the AW for her fiddly bits then transfers.

[NARSES2]

Beaufighter is finished  Come out reasonably well although there are a couple of boo-boo's. Made a couple of schoolboy errors really and caused myself some problems by not thinking properly and rushing. Still I'll know when I build the next one, which will be a wif.

Avia is still giving me  and is shedding struts like an oak tree does it leaves in Autumn. Getting to the point when it's going to become more a chore than enjoyable so might get parked for a few days.

[zenrat]

I've got a new mould Beau to build when I get inspired.  Any tips as to what not to do?

[Gondor]

Any tips as to what not to do?

Glue the parts together end to end in numerical order     

Well you did ask 

Gondor

[NARSES2]

I've got a new mould Beau to build when I get inspired.  Any tips as to what not to do?

Not what not to do but rather follow the instructions  Strange I know but seriously Airfix have sorted them out well, just avoid the attachment of things that are going to get in the way latter, like the rockets or torpedo (if using). In most of their new tool instructions there are places where you shake your head and mutter "I know better than that" but in the main Airfix have got it right and they really do repay a good read through before commencing the build..

[zenrat]

Thanks Chris.  And thanks Gondor for a possible new approach to Whiffing 

[NARSES2]

July Airfix mag has a build of the soon to be released late Beaufighter (with thimble nose). I will be getting it and she will be a late war TorBeau.

The build in the mag whilst nice is rather over weathered to my view and the panel lines almost pop out and hit you in the eye ? Just wondering if it's just me or does anyone else who's seen it feel the same way ? Maybe I'm just not "en vogue" with the latest trends ?

[PR19_Kit]

The build in the mag whilst nice is rather over weathered to my view and the panel lines almost pop out and hit you in the eye ? Just wondering if it's just me or does anyone else who's seen it feel the same way ? Maybe I'm just not "en vogue" with the latest trends ?

I've mentioned it many times, the current fad for 'pre-shading' drives me NUTS! The model ends up looking just that, like a model, NOT like a small version of the real thing.

Perhaps it's to do with the rise of the die-casts in recent years, all of which seem to have over deep panel lines, so the published reviewers try and make their plastic offerings look like die-casts?

[Thorvic]

No I agree Chris, they seem to replicate weathering and paint techniques for 1/24th or 32nd scale build onto 1/72nd which seems like over kill, hard used at sea or hot desert climates sure the main paint will weather and fade but stuff based at air stations shouldn't really be that bad, not only that they got to town fading the paint schemes and then apply decals !!!! so you tend to have full colour tone markings on faded paint which looks rather daft to me !. (Yes I know they would keep id markings touched up to keep them visible, but surely that would be a more patchwork affair).

I blame it on the dearth of weathering materials we have theses days, intended for armour to look the part of duty on the battlefield, and now its become a fad. Can't you have something freshly delivered or well maintained by a fussy crew chief anymore ?

[zenrat]

As it's model expo here next week I think i'll make a special effort to look for and photograph the most unsuitably weathered aircraft.

One day I will get round to building that rusty Chevrolet Corvette i've been thinking about...

[NARSES2]

I blame it on the dearth of weathering materials we have theses days, intended for armour to look the part of duty on the battlefield, and now its become a fad. Can't you have something freshly delivered or well maintained by a fussy crew chief anymore ?

I agree Geoff. Never used the stuff myself as all my models are built on the basis that they have either just been delivered to the squadron or have been cleaned up for a very big wigs visit  Another point is that in conflict, especially WWII, a lot of aircraft didn't survive long enough to weather that much. Some did of course and there are some examples in photographs of some very worn and tired looking aircraft. Towards the end of the war on the Allied side it was sometimes easier to replace an aircraft rather than repair it, there were that many replacements in the maintenance parks.

Seriously good, ins scale weathering can look very good, but a lot is overdone, especially as you say in 1/72.

[Captain Canada]

I had seen the advert for the new Mag on FB and can't wait to see that Beau myself Chris. I hope they arrive here sooner than later ! I can see a navalized, post-war AEW type

[NARSES2]

Well the Avia can now be glossed and have her transfers. This kit continues to amaze and annoy me in equal measure. Amaze me with the finesse of the detail and the fit ; annoy me with the difficulties in getting things to glue where they are meant to  There are no attachment aids/guides what so ever and the struts etc look to be scale thickness and are near impossible to attach accurately, at least for someone on my pay grade !

The AW can also now have her transfers as she is standing on her own wheels, or would be if she wasn't resting on her bum. Solid resin, so no where to put weight, tail prop required. I've really, really screwed this build. Indeed I almost ripped it apart and indeed may still do at some point. It would be quite easy to go back to a basic shape and add the detail parts properly. I'm an average modeller at best and unfortunately for various reasons I'm no where at my best at the moment which is why I've started nothing new recently. Still it's been good therapy and despite screwing it its done me good to model so at the end of the day its cheaper than a therapist 

[NARSES2]

Nothing done so far this week as I've had a medical week. Morefields on Tuesday for my eye checkup and the "wet whatever it is" is getting better  Doctor showed me the scans on the screen and even I could see the improvement since December. No injection and back in 6 weeks rather than 4....result 

Even bigger result is that I had the examination at St George's that has really been playing on my mind of late this morning. Lets just say it involved a camera and a certain part of my anatomy. All went well and there isn't a problem, just a small polyp which they are going to remove. If I'm honest the natural pessimist inside of me had feared the worst and that was playing on my mind and really effecting most things I did, including my modelling. It's also why I didn't make the Northern show. Staff were excellent and as promised it was completely painless if a little odd. They had a screen which you could view the procedure on and thus see what the doc is seeing. Fascinating and takes your mind off it. When the NHS works it's fantastic and this morning 

So now my mind is sorted I can clear the two kits that have really suffered off the bench next week and start something fresh including my Naval GB build when I get back from the trip to see my tribe latter in the month