Spey_Phantom's corner of solitude

[Spey_Phantom]

well, since most of you started your own blogpost, i thought i'dd start my own (sure will beat searching threads to post/repost in.

so lest get started on post number 1 


modeling activity has been very low lately, work, chores, feeling down-times....but i have been doing some small parts to keep things going.
i have a sh*t-ton of work on the bench at the moment, from newbuilds to restoring older models, both Realworld and what if.
progress on the 1/144 carrier HMS Courageous is nearing the end, but its going slow, snailspeed slow, even "Chinese Ex-Varyag" slow, with work only progressing from time to time, same goes for the refit of my first 1/144 carrier (currently converting to STOBAR configuration).

aircraft wise, there is a 1/72 F-4E Phantom, made up as a Netherlands AF tigermeet bird, on the bench for over 3 months now with no progress, might have to finish that up soon.

right now, i am building 4 RW Belgian 1/72 Westland Sea Kings Mk.48, witch are currently on priority 1.
2 of them are for my collection, the other 2 are being build on request for friends. the first one, destined for my own collection, is already 30 percent finished, the other 3 are awaiting paint (inside) and sub assemblies.

once the Sea Kings are done, work can begin on the next project, witch is either 1/144 F-15's, F/A-18E's or F-22's.
some of you might remember my WWII beyond '45

thread: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,34057.msg538065.html#msg538065

started this a good year ago, inspired by The darkmasters's "Empires Twilight", but set in a '46 enviroment.
some luftwaffe aircraft have already been built, but the project has progressed little since it started a good year ago.
i have recently aquired a number of aircraft that will fit in the theme (A-1 skyraiders, Shinden, Bearcats, P-51D's, Luft'46 aircraft, DH Vampires, Spitfire F.Mk.22's, AN-2's, Be-6's, YAK and MIG's....) but also on the list are Missiles, Armour and even ships.

as for scenario's, already noted in the theme earlier was South America, but im currently trying to make up storylines for South East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Belgian Congo, USSR,.....


as for the future, i have been looking to build a small WW2 escort carrier or camships out of old shiphulls i have here, but Revells newly re-released microwings are a bit harder to find here then i first thought. so im gonna try to visit Ostend and Brugges while im at home to see if i can find any of those there, or i might ask my local LHS to order them special.


all in all:

while physical builds have been on the low lately, mentaly, my mind is popping with ideas, i have a weeks vacation comming up after next week, so i hope to get some work done, so can finally get things moving and clear the stash a bit.

more soon....

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog Entry 2

this week i continued to work at a slow pace, mostly on the 4 Sea Kings on the buildtable, the decals for the 4th still need to be ordered.

meanwhile, ive been doing some dryfit tests on a number of early mark spitfires, for a possible 2-seat racer conversion.
i have a revell 1/72 Mk.V in the stash to be converted to a Mk.Vb floatplane version with the parts of a PM Foatplane Spitfire (cheap kit, its cheaper then the aftermarket parts). anyway, the fuselage of the 1/72 PM Spitfire is utterly useless and not meant for the serious modeler, same goes for the canopy, however, it makes excelent whiff fodder  

im looking to converting it to a 2-seat racer, with the leftover canopy from an Airfix DH Chipmunk and the black/gold scheme and decals from the Airfix DH Comet racer (im planning on building that as a high speed RAF reccon bird anyway). other modification to be included are 2 3-blade contra-rotating props from 2 airfix Spitfire Mk.1 kits (the newer Airfix Mk.I/Mk.IIa comes with 2 3-blade props and a 2-blade fixed-pitch prop).

work on that should start as soon as the first Sea Kings are completed.

earier mentioned projects and theme builds are also expected to continue soon after.

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog entry #3

in the week that ive been home, i took the liberty of looking at the planning paper i posted 5 months ago:

in the WWII'46 listings in the near future im going to build:

-F8F Bearcat (Danish Air Force, 1945)
-Spitfire F.Mk.22 (Belgian and Netherlands Air Forces)
-DH Chipmunk O.1 (Observation version of the Chipmunk trainer for the RAF, armed with smoke rockets for FAC/target designation)
-SAAB J21 (Swedish Air Force)
-DH88 Comet (Swedish Air Force reccon aircraft)
-Spitfire PR9 (user unknown)
-MIG-15 Fagot (user unknown)
-P-39 Cobra (User unknown, possibly Danish or Australian)
-Bristol Baeufighter Mk.X (thinking Polish Air Force)
-F-86 Sabre (user unknown)
-F4U Corsair (Netherlands Navy, carrier HrMS Ruyter, Dutch east indies)
-DH100 Vampire (Belgian Air Force)
-Douglas Skyraider (Royal Navy)
-various Luft'46 models and planned IJN'46 (research pending)

in the 1/144, i got planned:

-refurbishment of my first 1/144 aircraft carrier (BNS Dendermonde) into a modern STOBAR carrier, with 3 MIG-29K's (operator classified)
-F-22 Raptor (RAF 111 squadron and USAFE 32TFS "wolfhounds", 3rd F-22 might be an Israeli version)
-E-2C Hawkeye (Royal Navy FAA, Hawkeye AEW.1)
-Sea Tornado GR2 (Royal Navy FAA, 2 versions)
-Merlin HC.4 Commando
-Zombite Fighter (from Thunderbirds "The Uninvited")
-Various F-15's (C, D, E and S/MTD, no idea what operators yet, some RW)
-3 x F-14 Tomcats (1 will propably be Genovian Air Force, another will be a French Navy bird, as for the 3rd, thinking an Area88 version)
-F-117N Navy Nighthawk
-Rafale-C (Morrocan Air Force)
-MIG-23 (RAF, 3 squadron, Flogger FGR.1)
-F-4 Phantoms (No ID. yet)
-F/A-18 Drones
-F/A-18E (1 Belgian, 1 NVLM and 1 might be Canadian)
-C-17I Globemaster III (Israeli Air/Space Force)

and as for other aircraft (all 1/72), i got planned:

-RAH-66 Commanche (USMC)
-2 x Angel Interceptors (OOB and Belgian AF, a 3rd might be added later)
-F-4E Phantom II (RNLAF, currently gathering dust on the waiting line)
-Royal Genovian Air Force F-22 or Sukhoi T-50
-SAAB JAS-39 Gripen (Belgian Air Force, maybe a Tigermeet version)
-P-51A Mustang (Luftwaffe, depicting a Bf109 as in Iron Eagle III)
-YF-22 Lightning II (might build it OOB, or as a whif)
-Tucano (might become a COIN fighter, thinking RAAF markings)

there are many, MANY more, but a lot of models have been stored away.
this list does not include RW models.

looking at the list of possible projects, i almost started getting stress-block  
part of me really wants to build these, but another side says "what was i thinking?".
i dont know whats wrong with me, could be stress, or maybe even a depression forming, but i kinda been having a hard time finding my creativity mojo, hense why my modelling activity is more mental then physical.

looking at the stash, even looking at some kits bought almost 6 years ago, wondering why i even bought them?
sorting out the stash, listing the projects, i made a desision, im now planning (uh oh, im "planning" again!  ) to relook al my projects and re-organise them into new seperate themebuilds, as noted in post 1, nspired by TheDarkmasters Empires twighlight.

so this is what i came up with at the moment:

WW2, Beyond 1945

this buildtheme, as planned about a year ago with already some models build, remains unchanged.
looking into the future, storylines for a reformed allied and nazi forces in Europe, with the European nations regaining theyre independent armed forces, plans also include storylines from South-East Asia, Australia, South America and even a Central-African campaign.
some extra models might be added, such as upgraded versions of aircraft seen late in the war, like the Me262, Hawker Typhoon/Tempest,...even Aircraft carriers might be added, but then in 1/144 or smaller.

Cold War II / World War III

formally known as the 1/144 themebuild project, currently under the working title "Rising Dragon".

with most of the aircraft in that theme has a storyline in the 2015/2030 timeframe, i decided to make it a theme on its own.
looking at recent events in the media and speculations on the rise of China's military power, in this buildproject, the idea is that near 2020, China would rise, equal, or at a point even replace the United States as the worlds leading military superpower. details are not figured out yet, but im thinking a large number of Chinese foreighn bases in Central-Africa, Pakistan, Cuba, Venezuela and other countries with relations to china.
might even ad a few spacecraft, ships and submarines to the theme. the 1/144 HMS Courageous aircraft carrier, now nearing completion, might become a part of that.
more details as they follow....

furthermore, im started to get re-equanted with 1/72, having been building in 1/144 for so long, its a welcome change.
having a large number of 5th Generation aircraft/helicopters in the stash, i cant wait to get started on them. starting perhaps with a Belgian Army Eurocopter Tiger-AHB (Attack Helicopter Belgium).

to reduce workstress and smooth contiuation of these theme's, other planned themebuilds such as "Cold war in the 30/40's" and 'return of the roman empire" (the latter started about 2 years ago, but with no recent activity) have been cancelled, parts of witch might be implemented in the 2 themes.

but first i need to set my priorities by finishing whats on the bench now.

[NARSES2]

Nils we all go through periods like this. It will go and the mojo will return.

I learnt a while ago not to make to many concrete plans (especially on paper) you only end up disappointing yourself. If you have themes, as I do, then keep them broad. If something your building fits then great, if it doesn't then don't try and force it. Just build it the way you want.

Chris

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog entry #4

with the lack of motivation/inspiration, i decided to take Narses's advice and just build the first thing that pops up in my head, just to get the gears turning.

and last night i started with a simple 1/144 build, an F-117N, using one of Bagera's profiles, printed to scale as a reference.
had to reverse engineer it a bit to get the scale to be printed right. i already get a pair of new scratchbuild wings, sanded down and engraved a bit. still need to build new rear tail surfaces. as for the nosewheel, im gonna get one of a 1/144 F/A-18D kit i bought for parts (canopy and cockpit for a MIG-29KUB conversion)

here a couple of pics, still trying to get used to the new photobucket layout (witch i hate btw).





in the meanwhile, in an attempt to get my inspiration/motivation back, i bought a new book online, gonna have a good read before going to bed, a bit of research for my WW2 beyond '45 buildtheme.

[NARSES2]

Looks good Nils and like you I'm no fan of the new Photobucket layout 

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog entry #5

with the work on the carrier HMS Courageous now completed (airwing pending) i can now focus my efforts on the 4 Seakings on the bench + 1 thats under restoration.
work is starting to slow down again, as i am to mentaly exhausted to get anything else done.

reason is that things did not go wel personally this week, i am on the verge of loosing my job, following a corporate takeover (company might be moving to a location out of the area, might have to look for a new job), a Revell Miniwings order (48 kits) is over 10 days late as the courier apparently is an idiot that cant read a map/GPS or roadsigns (saying my home adress does not exsist, thank you gouverment who gives a greencard to anyone who cant read/speak/undestand our language). not to mention im still not over my flu 100% and my bike broke down last night.

at this moment im to tired/busy to do anything, but ive been through worse.

as soon as the Seakings and other models currently on the bench are done, im gonna start work on some of my best creations yet.
this will include a Belgian AF A400M (of witch 7 are on order for delivery in 2020), Belgian JAS-39 Gripen (additional decals from DACO on order, to go with my Belgian A400M and NH90TTH/NFH).

also on the list, for a spitfire GB on another forum is a Belgian Army Aviation Spitfire Mk.1
(2-blade prop, painted in the same colorscheme and markings as the Belgian Hurricane Mk.1 was in 1940. the spitfire was actually concidered but cancelled in favor of the Renard R.38, witch was eventually cancelled aswell, leaving the Hurricane as the only alternative, Belgium would have built 80 aircraft under licence)

also to be added later in 2013 (as part of the Euro'41 theme) are Belgian Douglas DB7 (revell 1/72 Boston Mk.III), Breguet Br693, Renard R38 (converted from a 1/72 MIG-3, preferably revell), Grumman G-36A (land based F4F Wildcat, not ordered in time, subsaquentially went to  the RAF and French Aeronavale) and Brewster B-339 Buffalo (semi-whiff, not delivered in time, 6+ aircrft got detained in Bordauox in June 1940, other 34 of 40 aircraft ordered transferred to RAF/RN)
im also planning to ad some Savoia-Marchetti transports to the collection.
there are many aircraft the other Allied countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, France,...) ordered that never got delivered by the time Germany invaded.

its similar like the earlier started "WWII 1946" themebuild plan, witch im now concidering canning aswell, and just stick to 1 or 2 themes (being the 1/144 theme and/or a "yet to be decided" theme) rather then multiple.

furthermore, my Cold war 2/WW3 plan (1/144 build) got canned, but im replacing it with a "Cold War Continued" 1/144 build, figuring Russian aircraft are more available then Chinese in that scale, not to mention Russian aircraft have a wider choice. might even include some East-German aircraft (SU-37, Su-47, MIG 1.44, IL76....).


more soon...

[McColm]

Your F-117N looks promising. I'm still pondering on an idea of putting a set of 1/72 F-14 swing wings on a F-117. Although they appear to be roughly the same size, getting the shoulder moulding in the right place, seems tricky.

[NARSES2]

I'm really interested in your alternative Belgium AF Nils 

Built the Renard R.38 and the twin fuselage project R.40. Got an R.42 still to build

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog entry #6

bench activity has been increased the last couple of days, as im trying to get 4 RW seakings (including 2 on commision) finished as soon as possible. and with 2013 only 2 days away, i started looking back at 2012.

now 2012 low kind of a low key year, i had more models added to the stash then the number that have been reduced, i even had to put about 50+ kits on the attic for long term storage, allong with a number of older pre-build models to make room on the shelves. in the mean time, im already starting to look at what im gonna build in 2013. i think i might start the yer with a1/72 JAS-39C Gripen in Belgian markings, although i do have to get things moving that are on the bench first.
i still have a 1/72 F-4E Phantom in Dutch markings, witch has been on the bench gathering dust for months, and i have the earlier started 1/144 F-117N SeaHawk, 1/144 L-188 Electra and 1/72 Spitfire Mk.V racer that need to get moving.

also, im getting in the mood to finally start work on that 1/72 Belgian Airbus A400M and many of those 1/144 kits.

EDIT: Furthermore, with the recent passing of the great Gerry Anderson, i have been looking at the stash and im gonna be building a number of tribute models, including Thunderbird 6 (Tiger moth 1/72), 2 Airfix Angel Interceptors and a 1/144 Zombite Fighter.

anyway, on a personal note, regarding to the recent takeover at work, i have decided NOT to move to the new factory some 50km away, reason is that i cant get there without a car (even with the company carpool, concidering the distance between home and rendez-vous point, it takes to long). so i said im willing to stay on where i am till the old place closes down (witch wont be for another 3 to 6 months). in the mean time, im gonna look out for a new better paying job closer to home.

2012 was a good year, but 2013 will prove to be a bit turbulent, i have been through worse, so i say "2013, bring it on!"  

[McColm]

All the best in getting a new job.

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog entry #7

first new blog entry of the year, not much to report, except for some good and bad news.

lets start of with the good news, i started building whif's again, after a small hiatus. im currently working on a 1/144 MIG-29KUB, using experience gained with the earlier MIG-35 attempt. further, 2 more MIG-29K's will be added to those and will be placed on the refitted ex-Dendermonde aircraft carrier, in New-Flanders Navy markings. the carrier refit itsself is also making progress, with the first layers of new paint being added to the deck. other, more personal, good news my lovelife is changing, for some time i believed nobody liked me, and now im being chased by girls 



and now, the bad news  , in terms of employment, its a bit worse then i first thought, apparently the place will be closing down much earlier then first was announced, namely as of the end of February, so i have to get a new job quicker then i thought.
with the crisis in Europe at the moment this is going to prove to be a challenge, but ive been through worse.


im hoping to post pictures of new models very soon 

[PR19_Kit]

im hoping to post pictures of new models very soon 

The pictures of the other 'models' are pretty good already...... 

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog entry #8

after a long whif-downtime, i finally got my mojo back 
earlier this week, i started on some smaller 1/144 kits and also managed to continue the refit of my first 1/144 aircraft carrier.

in the meantime, the idea's are flowing in again, and my motivation has also made a comeback.
im gonna try to finish the 4 RW seakings this week, so the bench can be cleared to start new 1/72 whiffie goodness.

already on the drawing board for 2013 are:

Modern/next gen:

-1/72 Belgian AF Eurocopter Tiger-ARH
-1/72 Belgian AF Saab JAS-39C Gripen (Daco decals have already arrived for this kit)
-1/72 Belgian AF Airbus A400M
-1/72 Belgian AF EC-135 (the "would-have-been" replacement for the Alouette II)

-1/72 DDR Mig-37 Ferret (currently making Low-Vis markings for that)
-1/72 Genovian AF Eurofighter Typhoon
-1/72 Genovian AF F-22A Raptor
-1/72 West-German army EC145 (SAR, UH-1D replacement)
-1/72 USMC RAH-66 Commanche
-1/72 .....
-various 1/144 aircraft

Vintage:

-Various 1/72 Luft/RAF/USAAF/Euro'46 projects
-1/72 Belgian Aèm Spitfire Mk.1 (1940)
-1/72 Belgian AF S.A.Bulldog
-1/72 RNLAF Stearman
-.....

i also have various models planned for theme/group builds, as for the asiarama i was thinking of a 1/144 PLAAF Tu-95 Bear-D with some modifications, maybe even remove the reccon gear for a new bombbay & cruise missiles 

more soon....

[Spey_Phantom]

Blog entry #9

as i said before, im back in the modelling bussiness, and my motivation is at an all time high.
my BAF Gripen is going very well, just started painting  

meanwhile, i have started making parts for my next build, a New-Flanders KC-787 Tanker/Transport.
about an hours work this morning has been spent on the boom, to be fitted on the tail of a revell 1/144 Boeing 787-8, most of the time being spent on digging in the spares box.

after a lot of sanding, cutting and dremeling, i came out with this.
i did a dry fit on the kits tail, fits quite nicely.



this afternoon, im gonna be looking into converting a pair of 1/144 droptanks into underwing HDU's for the tanker. followed by painting the rest of the Gripen.
as for the KC787 color scheme, im thinking of a civilian style scheme, overall white with a yellow/black trim, grey underside and a yellow tail with a Flemish black lion. (the scheme inspired by the previous civil-style color scheme of the Dutch KDC-10 and Belgian A330). im also gonna be building an airbus A320 in the same scheme.

meanwhile, i just a 3rd commision build for yet another Belgian Seaking Mk48 (this time a camo version), so thats expected to start soon, that is as soon as the other 2 commision-built (and 1for myself, the other being recently completed) seakings are done.

more soon....