Nick's Notes

[Nick]

It's taken nearly 4 hours but the Gnat is mostly put together, sanded and puttied. As usual I shall give it a squirt of grey primer to bring up any defects for correction.

Then it'll be a standard RAF dark grey and green camo scheme. I might do it in a wrap around pattern just to make it that little bit different.

[Rick Lowe]

As planned this will be in RNZAF markings. I see this as part of a Joint Phantom Force (Phantom Phorce!) with Australia where the training and maintenance costs are shared between the nations.

A Kiwi Toom? Looking forward to that! 
They'd probably have based some of them in Oz, like they did with the Scooters.

[NARSES2]

Then it'll be a standard RAF dark grey and green camo scheme. I might do it in a wrap around pattern just to make it that little bit different.

Certainly different

[Nick]

I changed my mind. The Gnat now has a light grey underside. It's a generic RAF dark grey and green overall. Still need to fix the front wheels on, paint and insert the pilots, fit the canopy.

The ESCI decals were a little fragile around the edges but seemed to be sticking down OK this morning. I need to find some numbers that might suit the Lebanese scheme. Fortunately they look like standard RAF font so there must be some in my stash.

A good push when I get home tonight and it should done by midnight.

[Nick]

A few weeks back I was given a small SR-71 kit from Hobby Model Kits. I put it together this afternoon and promptly binned it. My thanks to the donor (and the courier!) for the stand that came with the aircraft 

We all know of brands that don't meet expectations. This is one of them. I'm no big fan of knighthoods and medals but one would be utterly justified to the person who destroyed the moulds for this kit.   

[zenrat]

Not even any use as whiff fodder?

[Nick]

I haven't done a lot of kit building lately - had a rotten cold this week and work has started being really busy - every day is a Saturday 

What I have done is rebuild and upgrade my PC with a stonking new CPU - AMD 5900X. Should be able to run my games a lot better now 

It surprised me just how many of my model tools came in use to get the PC done. I had to move the innards into a bigger case to make it all fit.
Needed the brushes to clean out the dust in the corners, short tweezers to press a tiny button, the long spring tweezers to put the really awkward plugs in place, scalpel to trim off some edges, the dentists putty filling tool to get springs to clip on, and so on.

[NARSES2]

So do we see a new career beckoning Nick ? No seriously mate well done 

[Nick]

I've just heard that my club needs to find a new venue. St Brides Institute where we have met for the last 3 decades has decided to bump the room fee from £70 per night to £180. We'd been half expecting an increase in the fee but that level is extortionate.

[PR19_Kit]

Corporate Greed Rules OK. 

[Gondor]

I want a couple of times to a model club that met in a pub, well the small function room in the back. No modelling done at all but a nice frendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Gondor

[NARSES2]

I thought St Brides was run by the City of London Corporation on the basis of its founding principles Nick and was thus semi charitable ? Obviously not.

[Nick]

Today I found out about a Mig-21 on display in Ukraine. It looks like a great topic for a diorama. Sadly it was on the news - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62163071

https://goo.gl/maps/c1MHqA7V76236jVH8

Vinnytsia was hit by Russian missiles. The young lady I work with comes from Vinnytsia and was able to tell me what all the buildings were. None were legitimate military targets. The large ruined building behind this was home to shops and a womens health clinic.
She got married in the Registry Office behind it, https://goo.gl/maps/sZgsssntXQjvo39FA  and her husband is still there with his parents in an apartment less than 1km from the blast. All the building windows were shattered. They went to concerts in the House of Officers just across the road - it's now a burnt out ruin.

I'm not in the mood for models lately.

[NARSES2]

Watched that on the news last night as well Nick and felt down, but to work with someone from there makes you realise the impact even more 

[Nick]

I have a new job! 

Starting at the end of August I shall be employed by Ringway who manage the roads for Hertfordshire County Council. I will be working in their control room taking calls and arranging for road repairs and managing the traffic flows etc. I even get to put messages up on the roadside signs 

It's a 30 minute drive from home, free parking on site, Monday to Friday only, shifts so I can avoid the rush hour traffic and a heck of a lot more money than I get now