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

[zenrat]

According to Scalemates Hasegawa's Raiden was tooled in 1977 and last released in 2017 as a two pack.

[NARSES2]

According to Scalemates Hasegawa's Raiden was tooled in 1977 and last released in 2017 as a two pack.

Mine's obviously their third or fourth re-issue (1987), but it's got "Hasegawa made in Japan" embossed into the lower wing's innards which shows it's age a bit. As does the general lack of aids to fitment, there are a few, but not many. However for 1977 it's an impressive tooling and shows why the Japanese companies at the time were regarded as being at the top of the tree.

[Radish]

I'm currently working on 2 x Revell 1/72 Stearman Kaydet biplanes, both to be silly, of course, and armed...possible new engines, etc., too.
AND, doing some "Timewarped" colouring in books....so far a Desert Pink Hurricane I and an Fw-190A-8.
The plastic appropriate models will appear sometime.
But for the moment, today I began moving "stuff" as I'm re-decorating the Hall, Stairs and Landing in a mega effort of psychedelic colour and patterns. Should be complete by the end of the 4 week lock in.

[Old Wombat]

Hey, Radish! Was just wondering how our own friendly social flutterby was coping with all these UK lockdowns.

Hope it hasn't cramped your style too much, mate!

[NARSES2]

But for the moment, today I began moving "stuff" as I'm re-decorating the Hall, Stairs and Landing in a mega effort of psychedelic colour and patterns. Should be complete by the end of the 4 week lock in.

Glad to see the Good Lady Radish has you fully under control 

Tell Mid' I'll miss not seeing her at Telford.

[Rheged]

But for the moment, today I began moving "stuff" as I'm re-decorating the Hall, Stairs and Landing in a mega effort of psychedelic colour and patterns. Should be complete by the end of the 4 week lock in.

How nice to hear from Radish once more.  One was beginning to suspect that he  had run away to join the circus.......been abducted by aliens.......fallen through a hole in the space/time continuum and become supreme lord and master of an alternate universe...... but in fact all that had happened was  "Events, dear boy, just events"  as Harold MacMillan once said.

Much sympathy on the moving of "stuff";  I've just spent the last few days helping my elder son and family move house   and stuff-moving is all I've done recently.

We are all agog, waiting to see the results of your hall, stairs and landing work.  My compliments to your good lady.

[NARSES2]

Work progresses on the Raiden. The "innards" fit into the fuselage halves nicely and don't impede the fit of said halves. Having said that you are better of gluing the fuselage together in stages, front half, followed by the rear. If you do then the tail and rudder click into place, if you don't then it's more difficult to get the front half of the aircraft lined up properly.

[zenrat]

Thanks Chris.

Noted.

[NARSES2]

The Raiden is now a complete airframe 

Overall with a little bit of fettling the fit is exemplary, indeed the fit of the wing roots would put many a modern kit to shame. There are mould separation lines which need cleaning up on the smaller parts, but the hard plastic Hasegawa used/use helps with that. The only slightly tricky part is the instrument panel. It has a very small surface area on which it has to be fitted, and if not fitted properly it can affect the fit of the fuselage. Nothing serious, but I found it easier to fit it into the opposite fuselage half than the one in which I fitted the main cockpit insert. Gave me slightly more wriggle room and it's shape meant it was an easier and firmer fit that side.

Meanwhile some progress on the Fokker, I'll hopefully get more done at the weekend, and I thought of a way to wif my Martin B-10 using the transfers from the boxing I have which with one addition will give me an aircraft of a country that didn't have any 

[NARSES2]

Just realised I should be sitting in the pub on Birmingham New St station having a couple of pints before getting the train to Telford about now, 2.00 pm. 

What I'm really going to miss about Telford purchase wise is those "spontaneous" buys you make whilst drifting around the halls. That, and tools and accessories plus chatting to some of the smaller Czech etc producers and getting an idea of their plans.

Sad, but we have 2021 to look forward to, fingers crossed. 

[PR19_Kit]

Just realised I should be sitting in the pub on Birmingham New St station having a couple of pints before getting the train to Telford about now, 2.00 pm. 

What I'm really going to miss about Telford purchase wise is those "spontaneous" buys you make whilst drifting around the halls. That, and tools and accessories plus chatting to some of the smaller Czech etc producers and getting an idea of their plans.

Sad, but we have 2021 to look forward to, fingers crossed.

And I'd be packing the car prior to heading off to my #2 daughter's place (Did you know she was the RAF's Best.......Oh, you did, OK) before a weekend of Telfording.

You're dead right about all the UN-planned things we got to do while there, meeting people you'd forgotten abut, and being asked that embarrassing 'Did you ever finish that......?' question. 

[Nick]

Just realised I should be sitting in the pub on Birmingham New St station having a couple of pints before getting the train to Telford about now, 2.00 pm. 

What I'm really going to miss about Telford purchase wise is those "spontaneous" buys you make whilst drifting around the halls. That, and tools and accessories plus chatting to some of the smaller Czech etc producers and getting an idea of their plans.

Sad, but we have 2021 to look forward to, fingers crossed.

I'd be at work still but mentally panicking about whatever model I still had to finish for Telford!

[NARSES2]

During the silence this morning I got musing about p.s.r. for some reason and realised how my approach to it can be affected by so many different things. Normally I find it a chore that has to be done, but on occasions I detest it, whilst on others I can find it quite therapeutic. This can depend on how I'm feeling both physically and mentally as well as by such seemingly commonplace things as the weather, all rather odd 

Anyway currently I'm at the "I'll give it one more round, and that's it stage" with the Fokker which will mean that there will possibly be a couple of scratches left on the underside, probably caused by me and virtually invisible (but I know they are there), before fitting wings to fuselage and starting the paint job. But conversely I may feel like trying to eradicate the scratches tomorrow morning ; we shall see ?

I actually blame you lot for these feelings, as before I joined the SIG and the Site I was quite happy living in my own comfortable little world of what constitutes a respectable finish. However having seen the quality of other's  builds made me invest in a lot more sanding pads 

[PR19_Kit]

Oddly enough I too was thinking about the various philosophies involved with PSRing y'day......

Maybe it's because of the stuff I use (Presto, the same stuff that Dizzy uses) I always put on two layers before I even start to sand it. Perhaps that's because Presto shrinks a bit and I've never only managed with one coat.

Then I just KNOW the first sanding session will throw up lots of imperfections that I'd not seen before, so I don't worry about it too much. But after the third round I tend to get a bit hyper if it doesn't start looking smooth, viz my recent problems with the Avro Leeds. That was solved by a tip from Fred who suggested I use the rigid backing plate for the sanding material, and it worked first time.

I'm onto the second sanding with the wings of my S77 just now, and they better start looking smooth soon, or else!

[jcf]

I hate PSR so I spend the time fettling the parts and assemblies to improve fit and
alignment to eliminate PSR as much as possible.