Steel Penguins braying

[Steel Penguin]

progress continues apace on the  chieftain,  its still a nice kit to assemble  and the fit is still good,  ill have to have a good flick through my reference material as well, se what I can find extra to add on, and around jerry cans, buckets, possibly a SLR or similar ( think ive still got a couple somewhere)  plus some canvas rolls, and possibly a bottle or 2.

[Captain Canada]

Looking forward to it. I think that would be the best part of a tank kit, busying it up.

[Steel Penguin]

I have to start this off with a warning to those of a delicate constitution.  the following post contains themes of a distressing nature in regard to stash accumulation

As ive discussed with some of you ive met, both myself and Mrs SP were gainfully employed, unfortunately that's now past tense, the nut and bolt manufacturers where Mrs SP was accounts manager has shut down as of 13:00 ish today.  They mainly made parts for the off shore industry, specialist nuts and bolts etc.  with the current low. low, bargain price of oil, no ones ordering new rigs, and there just hasn't been the work.  Im still fighting the "good" fight so its not emergency stations.
We have some cash put aside  so its not going to be a major problem for a wile. But im going to have to live off the fat of  the stash for a wile,  the horror, the horror,  im going to have to build things I already own, as opposed to trying to get more unbuilt kits in the house.  its not a major problem, ive an over strength warrior company  in 1:48 plus plenty of other bits, but its just that there are some cracking kits around and coming out, Tacoms new G6 Rhino spg kit for one,  it looks like an anti grav tank,  the picture of one turning at speed and obscuring its wheels with dust, had me thinking it was a FX model for a film the first time I saw it  .
Ill still be at IPMS, but aside from my one financial obligation, to a fellow wiffer, it may be that after a quick shufti at the other displays I will be very much a display sitter, so as to reduce temptation.  any other shows, either modelling or wargaming  are currently being rapidly written off as well.

Ill still be around here, and pin wheeling off ideas, if asked, and making notes on this here blog.  but may be a little slower on the  shiny uptake.

[PR19_Kit]

Oh dear, I hope Mrs SP can find something else to occupy her time gainfully before much longer.

[Weaver]

Oh what a bummer.

Maybe take it as an opportunity? Is there anything Mrs SP has been dreaming of making an own business of for years?

The G6 is a mighty fine looking beast. If they'd been around in the 1960s/early 1970s Gerry Anderson shows would have been full of vehicles using them as a basis.

[Steel Penguin]

thank you for the kind words gents. 
Mrs SP plans on looking in the near future, we had next week booked as holiday, so we still have next week booked as holiday  .  after that were also weighting to get the gardens redone due to a problem with contaminated land, the council ( who have been utterly brilliant the whole time this has been occurring,  I seriously rate them at 5 star for the stuff so far)  are saying it should be the end of autumn for the work to start, so we both agree that if shes home, an eye can be kept on the cats, fish  and everything else.
And  after that, who knows! 
the main thing is we have each other    and ( hopefully) with care just manage on my wage, so as ive said, its not emergency stations.
But were keeping our heads held high, and engaging the humour to full power ( probably full dry, we may want to use full military on occasion but its best to keep that as a reserve I think    )

[NARSES2]

Yup bit of a bummer, hope it all works out for her. A couple of my relatives work on the rigs and I knew times were getting hard but didn't realise it had filtered down through the supply chain yet.

Glad you'll still be at Telford 

Ill still be at IPMS, but aside from my one financial obligation, to a fellow wiffer, it may be that after a quick shufti at the other displays I will be very much a display sitter,

You can watch the display while I keep an eye on the wine 

[Steel Penguin]

Narses, got no problems with that    lets just hope no one drops a bottle again this year  ;(

We went out to Stokesay castle today, a lovely little place and another castle that could be done in 28mm wargaming, without needing a sports hall, arrived in wonderful sunshine, hade coffee and a sarnie, a good wonder round,  then more coffee and cake.     the way it is now ( post slighting) would be good for a wide range of periods, and a small bit of curtain wall and a couple of extra building would be good for pre Cromwell. and by reckoning would scale in at under 2` across in 1:48 ( large 28mm wargames scale ) as 1:56 makes the maths hurt my head 

paint and assembly continues on the Chieftain  now im past road wheels ( yay) its getting more fun again. 

[JayBee]

Narses, lets just hope no one drops a bottle again this year  ;(

Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha ! ROTFL. 

[Steel Penguin]

I admit it gave the stand a wonderful bouquet, and the floor wasn't sticky afterwards.
its more that I hate to see it wasted    honest!  perhaps a box or two may be a better idea 

[NARSES2]

Narses, lets just hope no one drops a bottle again this year  ;(

Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha ! ROTFL. 

Yea, yea, yea.

I didn't drop it. It ejected downwards. I was left holding the corkscrew which was hanging on to the cork for grim death and the bottle and contents just ejected downwards. Was obviously a Lufwaffe F.104 bottle. (was it the 104 that had the downward ejecting seat ? The XP-54 I'm building at the moment had one I know)

and the floor wasn't sticky afterwards.

The floor wasn't sticky because most of it was over me 

Seriously the IPMS floor manager just didn't want to know while the Centre cleaning staff couldn't have been more helpfull.

I shall bring a screw top this year 

[PR19_Kit]

Was obviously a Lufwaffe F.104 bottle. (was it the 104 that had the downward ejecting seat ? The XP-54 I'm building at the moment had one I know)

The early F-104s had downward ejecting seats, but by the time the Luftwaffe got them someone at Lockheed had come to their senses and fitted proper upward ejecting ones.

[NARSES2]

Was obviously a Lufwaffe F.104 bottle. (was it the 104 that had the downward ejecting seat ? The XP-54 I'm building at the moment had one I know)

The early F-104s had downward ejecting seats, but by the time the Luftwaffe got them someone at Lockheed had come to their senses and fitted proper upward ejecting ones.

Ah cheers Kit. Partially right at least 

[Steel Penguin]

Sorry Narses  I hadn't realised that had happened, that's the small detail that turns it form being a smile, to a not smile.
though I will agree that the centre staff are very good, and that's just from my interactions with them wile im fulfilling my caffeine cravings   

most of the upper body's done and the turrets under way,  the shape of the turret is always something ive liked,  the asymmetrical  streamlined shape is just ace,

[Steel Penguin]

I need to do the painting now,  I have to admit this was a far better experience with assembly than a certain other tank kit ive done recently    went together well, minimal flash, clear instructions.
then its decals, and I need to do the crew.