Thorvics'Blog

[Thorvic]

No progress at the moment due to trying to stop a cold from developing. However I have looking at the brochure to keep the design in focus and formulate how the lower cockpit can best be assembled whilst including space for the nose gear, keeping some of the detail and including nose weights as its a T tail bird with under slung engines, even with the 6 main wheels there may still be a risk for a tail sitter.

Its going to be a long build, but as there is no rush I can take my time, after all the new Shackleton's are not expected till the end of the year, and that's the only new kit listed so far that would tempt me jump straight in and start building.

I'll probably buy some of the other new releases, but they would be more for the stash and future builds than must builds.

Of course this doesn't take into account what else may be announced at the Nuremburg at the end of the month, their could still be some new releases from other manufacturers that scream 'Must Buy - Must Build' but we'll have to see what's announced and when its due.

[Captain Canada]

We drop these fizzy tablets called 'airborne' into water and drink them. Seems to work really well to stem the onset of a cold.

I'm rather looking forward to the new Shak as well.

[Thorvic]

Well I failed, had a really annoying cough based Chesty cold since the 8th of Jan that has ruined the last two weekends and only just about feeling up to doing our own local show at Bolton this Sunday. Research, let alone building has been nil in these last two weeks so no progress what so ever with the 681. The only modelling stuff done has been to follow the forums and pick up the Airfix Defiant & the 2015 Catalogue off eBay.

Waiting to see what's to be announced at Nuremberg next weekend, so far the pickings have been slim for the Cold War British stuff for this year, although the Shackleton's will be nice and it was a pleasant surprise to see the Gannet AEW announced by Sword. Whilst it would have been nice to see a new Brit Toom, Buccaneer, Scimitar, Sea Vixen in 72nd, I guess I don't mind too much as it means less distractions from this years scratch builds as most of the interesting new stuff is not expected till the end of the year anyway.

[Thorvic]

Well we have Nurnberg 2015 Toy Fair starting tomorrow so we should get an idea of what's lined up for the Other manufacturers in 2015, we already know from the London Fair last week that the Airfix Shackleton MR2 appears to also have parts for the AEW2, so that looks like a 2nd boxing in 2016 of the AEW kit.

Academy appear to be doing the T-50 supersonic trainer/strike fighter in 1/72, however its supposed to be a snap kit so we'll have to see if the detail is retained over simplicity.

Hopefully we get to see what Italeri, the Czechs and the Japanese have lined up, hopefully some interesting Cold War types. However we'll just have to wait and see.

Whilst the kit announcements so far have shown that the Cold War/Modern types (Shack, Sea King) are not due till the end of the year it does mean less distractions and more time to focus on the HS-681, so a quite year might not be a bad thing.

[Captain Canada]

I hear ya Geoff. I'm looking forward myself to clearing off the work bench and doing a few surgeries. Kinda stuck in a painting kits different rut at the moment.....

A new RAF Toom would be nice though ! And I'm sure more than one of the new Sea Kings will wind up in the stash.

[Thorvic]

Well were at day 3 of the Nuremberg Toy Fair and apart from some rather nice sprue shots and test shots of some of the new Airfix and Revell kits. Still no details from Italeri bar a large scale Mirage III, nothing from the Czechs apart from Eduard and the far east manufacturers are quite apart from the previously listed Trumpeter/HobbyBoss range, most of which has been rolled back from previous years. So no new F-35B or C kits in 72nd apart from the Kittyhawk ones previously announced, no new cold war aircraft, so could well prove to be a quite year, at least until QTR4 when the Shacks and Sea King are due....

Not bad I suppose, the cough is easing a bit even with this wintery spell of weather so hopefully I can get back on with the HS681 soon.

[NARSES2]

Hope cough continues to improve mate 

My view on the dearth of new release news is that we are now coming to the end of the interregnum caused by the recession. Model companies R & D would have been kept on a short reign for a couple of years. Just my tuppence worth.

Airfix are the exception that proves the rule

[Thorvic]

Hi Chris

I suspect your right, not much further news came out of Nuremberg, one of the traders posted the Italeri line up on BM and most either carry over from last year, re-issues, re-boxing of others or new variants of existing tools. Focus appears to be shifting to their Wargaming line ups. World of Tanks etc. The Czechs now seem to show what they have in the works and are not specifically going with an annual line up anymore as their production methods are more its ready when its ready than a specific deadline.

All in all not too much there to look forward to, so that does make it a building year (hopefully). I'll still be getting the Beaufighter when it comes out, the Sword Gannet AEW3 is already pre-ordered, the Sea King Commando will be bought in multiples and I'll probably get both Shackletons just to judge both kits, and were bound to get some interesting stuff from the likes of Freightdog and S&M appearing so its not that fallow a year.

[Thorvic]

Back to modelling, got a bit more back into the mood this weekend as the cold starts to dry out, was able to double check my research and realised I needed to add a step to my new lower cockpit floor, which should make life easier in creating the new nose gear bay. Also managed to discuss the build with Gondor and thanks to him have been able to identify suitable wheels for the type which I can get in resin and have been duly ordered  .

So managed to get a bit done and will focus on getting that cockpit layout sorted before getting on with the rest of the fuselage mods, but at least i'm back on with it after that cold related enforced break.

[Howard of Effingham]

glad that you are feeling a bit better now Geoff.

[Thorvic]

glad that you are feeling a bit better now Geoff.

Well you saw I was a bit croaky at the Bolton Show, just hoping that this cold spell moves on soon as the current cold air really does get on your chest  .

[Thorvic]

Anyway now the build has finally come off pause, I think I am going to have to try and clean up my work bench before I can get stuck into the larger assemblies like the wing and fuselage so that's probably going to be the next job this weekend, hopefully the sales will clear up some space so I can get recent additions put away but I then need to crack on with clearing the work space, so I can get the drawing laid out and the various parts together ready to use.

[Captain Canada]

Glad to hear you're back at it. I too am looking forward to that Gannett.

[Thorvic]

Glad to hear you're back at it. I too am looking forward to that Gannett.

Gannet AEW is listed as coming soon now on the Sword website and Aviation Megastore say March 

http://swordmodels.cz/en/coming-soon/103-sw72088-gannet-aew3.html

[PR19_Kit]

So pleased they've plunked for the obvious 'B' Flight scheme. That fin marking just YELLS 'Gannet AEW 3'.