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

[NARSES2]

Well P47 is finished, photos in a day or two.

Had a small problem with the windscreen, needed to trim it a little but that may have well been due to the thickness of a couple of layers of paint as the canopy fitted fine when dry fitted. Didn't bother with a couple of teeny bits, eyes were really not up to it. Also lost one of the tiny clear nav lights as it pinged off into who knows where when I trimmed it. Nav lights done with Klearfix.

I may well rejig my standard method of kit assembly, try a couple of different methods, fitting smaller parts earlier in the assembly process rather than at the end for instance. Need to find a way that suits my current eye condition. I'll try out a few things on my next couple of builds.

[TheChronicOne]

I'll be interested to hear about the new technique experimentation.

Can't wait to see the Jug!  I've been wanting to build one myself for 25 years. 

[NARSES2]

Dug some boxes out for the next trio to hit the bench.

First two are my usual fare and could have met over the skies of NW Europe in late 45 or 46.

Third is unusual for me in that it's a jet. Nice easy one (at least it should be) to go with the two limited run ones a 1/72 Tamiya Skyray.

She will be a wif but in who's service ?

FAA ?
Aeronvale ?
Royal Australian FA ?
Royal NZ FA ?

The latter is my preferred option at the moment. I have both Fern and Kiwi roundels and the scenario would be that New Zealand formed a FAA squadron to keep their hand in. They were based in Singapore and did tours on RN or RAN carriers that were on duty in the Far East.

[Captain Canada]

That sounds good ! Always nice to see somat a little different 

[zenrat]

I'd quite like to see a French Skyray.  So maybe I should keep an eye out for another kit and build one myself.

[Old Wombat]

My instincts scream RAN FAA but in my own alt. time line we went for the F-8 instead.

So, more considered thought says RNZN FAA, with, maybe, NZ supplying squadrons (fighter/attack & ASW aircraft, pilots & maintenance) to operate from a RAN or USN supplied & crewed carrier operating in the Pacific & Indian Oceans, & maybe SEA during Vietnam (given the aircraft type)?

[NARSES2]

I'd quite like to see a French Skyray.  So maybe I should keep an eye out for another kit and build one myself.

Yup it would look good. I've done an Aeronvale F-11 Tiger and that looked very smart.

[NARSES2]

Finished P-47 can be found here - http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,43209.new.html#new

[NARSES2]

Progress is being made on the MB 5, indeed it's going very well, touch wood 

On a completely different and non modelling note I got another invite for a scan yesterday, this time it's the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one which is just a ultra sound scan, so yes I will ask the nurse if it's a boy or girl even if she has heard it a zillion times before 

Anyway the accompanying page with all the different languages on got me both thinking and amused me a little. I needed a smile as both the football and rugby teams got beat yesterday 

The amusement ? The first bit of the multi language sheet was in English and started " If you do not speak English.....". Now a fairly senior senior civil servant once explained to me why they do this but it still amuses me when I see it 

The thinking ? Looking at all the different scripts the notes are written in I just wondered if people brought up to read this scripts find our Roman script just as unintelliagable ? Got me thinking about langause and writing and different scripts over my morning coffee in Costa's. Am I turning into an intelectual ? 

[Rheged]

Am I turning into an intelectual ? 

You can't become what you already are!    Or if you prefer, you are (with your wide range of interests and knowledge) what used to be called either a "polymath"  or more elegantly  "Renaissance Man".

[NARSES2]

Been pondering a few real world builds. Think I'll make a start on my Cyber Hobby Val to complete my Pearl Harbour trio.

Been looking at my new tool Airfix B.17 as will but need to find a camouflaged one as I don't do natural metal, or not to that extent anyway.

[NARSES2]

A bit more progress on the MB 5 and 109 and then when it got to cold in the modelling room I put up the folding table in the living room and did some initial tinkering with the Skyray. Looks as though it will be a quick build once it warms up.

[NARSES2]

Well I'll never complain about a 2nd or 3rd round of p.s.r. again after reading the article in January's SAM from the guy restoring a couple of Strombecker (never heard of them before) solid wood 1930's airliner models. Fantastic article and shows us how far we have come.

Mind you it's also news to me there was a thriving white metal after market in the 40/50's in the States. Doubt if there was one over here  (Kit ?  ) what with post war austerity. The times on the day I was born was only half a dozen or so pages because of rationing which surprised me when I was given one as a present a few years ago.

[PR19_Kit]

Well I'll never complain about a 2nd or 3rd round of p.s.r. again after reading the article in January's SAM from the guy restoring a couple of Strombecker (never heard of them before) solid wood 1930's airliner models. Fantastic article and shows us how far we have come.

Mind you it's also news to me there was a thriving white metal after market in the 40/50's in the States. Doubt if there was one over here  (Kit ?  ) what with post war austerity. The times on the day I was born was only half a dozen or so pages because of rationing which surprised me when I was given one as a present a few years ago.

After market white metal stuff?

I think I only came across that in the early 60s, some US firms did some great stuff for 1/24 cars then, and I've still got some in my 'Car Accessories' box in The Loft. I didn't buy my first plastic kit (a Lindberg 1/64 scale B-17G) until 1952 or 3 and built everything OOB until 1962 or so.

But my brother and I built Veron solids for some years before then, and they came as outlined cut balsa or pine shapes which you had to glue together and then file & sand to shape. They needed LOTS of PSR, but then the 'P' bit was a dope and sawdust mix which got everywhere.

It also resulted in lots of shouting on my Mum's part because we got it all over our clothes as well......... 

[NARSES2]

After market white metal stuff?

Yup propellers and the like. It's a really fascinating and eye opening article, full of pictures and the finished models look fine 

Strombecker used Western Pine pre-shaped