Thorvics'Blog

[Thorvic]

SMW 2015 felt a little different this year, due to looking after my father I couldn't stay over as I have done for the last 12 years and instead day tripped with Falcon. So it was a vey early start to get us on site for 7:30, rather annoying to be misdirected by a TEC security official who didn't understand that Exhibitors and Traders would be arriving at 8:00am to set up who hadn't been able to do so on the Friday, so after two trips round the outside of the venue in the pouring rain trying to get somebody to realise the issue so we could get in and do our duty of managing the back door !!!!

Anyway once that was done it was time to unpack, check out the display and then go get what buying I needed to do whilst having a look around and finding a loo. Got most of what I wanted on the first pass and went and had a look at the new Airfix Victor and the other new kits on display. Had a great day, fantastic to meet up again with Hobbes and Overscan as well as the rest of the UK crew, but it did feel rather strange to make our farewells after 4:30pm knowing that was the end of SMW for us two for this year, whilst the rest of the gang would have a good night out together and go through another day of on Sunday.
However it did feel like a long day by the time we were home, and I certainly felt it on the Sunday but as the weather worsened on Sunday evening I was kinda glad we weren't on the road trying to get back  ).

Anyway that's this year over with and time to focus on the next, Sunday did allow me to review my buys and I did end up cutting out the Freightdog VG lightning wings and adapted the Sword T5 to take them  .

So after spending most of the year on the HS-681 I'm going to have a couple of months building a few smaller more straight forward builds and finally do some of those kits that I have been stockpiling this last year, 

[Captain Canada]

Nice. Glad it worked out in the end. Looking forward to seeing the Lightning !

[Thorvic]

Someone on Britmodeller has posted up pics of the Mach2 Argosy kit and even taped up the major components to see what it looks like. It doesn't look too bad and with a decent clean up and careful building it should be a fairly decent kit. Tempted to jump straight in but I think I will keep to smaller sized aircraft for a bit as it will allow me to clean up my work area and put away the boxes used on the HS-681 build.

First off I really need to finish the RN Phantom that's been painted and awaiting decals since last year when I heard that RAM decals were doing early Phantoms, that should lead me into doing its counterpart the VG RN Lightning. Then I'll see what takes my fancy or inspires me.

[Mossie]

VG RN Lightning.

I'm guessing from the full belly pack that it's The Full Monty?  Solid nose, side intakes and Speys?

[Captain Canada]

3 that I'd love to see Geoff !

[Thorvic]

Well that was a bit of a crappy weekend, I was meaning to check the stash in the garage and migrate some of the stash in my room back into the loft so I can clear space and focus on what I want to build in the coming 12 months but the wind and the rain put an end to those ideas.

Instead I did a bit on painting and assembling the Sword T5, I braced the wing slots inside the fuselage to give more of a solid joint for the Freightdog VG wings, finished the cockpit apart from the seats, added the nose gear bay then when dry added the ballast. The fuselage was joined and now need to focus on creating the full length belly of the Naval Lightning.

I also started assembly on a High Planes Mirage IIIO but that will be real although used to illustrate a Cancelled Project  .

Going to see if I can get a few done before doing another kit bash, although all should be Project Cancelled in some form of another either directly or in support of it. Certainly looking forward to a few OOB builds including that nice new Shackleton once I get the bench clear to accommodate it.

Now I just need to see what new kits are lined up for 2016 and if they are Cold War era stuff that can be used in conjunction with Project Cancelled or if they just interest me such as the new Junglie (Yes its Cold War but the kit is tooled for 2010+ period so will have to see if back datable or if somebody does a resin set for it).

[Captain Canada]

Glad to hear the VG bird is progressing so quickly....can't wait to see that one !

[Thorvic]

Managed to get a bit of work done it last night which is good for me on a work night  .

I removed T5 tank and used the front tank from the Freightdog FGR Lightning set with the rear from an Airfix F-2A without cutting out the section the conversion set would fit to thus giving me the right length. (the removed F-2A tank will be replaced be one from the AlleyCat F1/3 conversion). The rear tank will need the slot creating for the arrestor hook and blanked over on the inside before they can be fitted, but at least its progress and with luck I should have the fuselage sorted by the weekend 

[Captain Canada]

Defo moving along then ! Sounds like a lot of work, but we know you enjoy it !

[Thorvic]

Sea Lightning is coming along, got the extended belly fitted in and extended the fin leading edge to crate the kink, The tails have been pinned to avoid the butt joint and next up is fitting and blending the wing.

[Captain Canada]

Oh I love it Geoff ! Looks so much bigger now as well. What an excellent addition to your collection that will be.

[NARSES2]

Great progress Geoff but I'm afraid the Sea Lightning in my view continues a great F.A.A. "tradition" of taking an aircraft designed for land use and converting it for carrier use. I can see it getting off the deck but landing would have been hairy to say the least or was it's landing gear changed to an amazing degree ?

Sorry if I'm being thick but although I'm fascinated by it, it's far enough outside my period of interest for me to know much, if anything, about it.

[Thorvic]

Great progress Geoff but I'm afraid the Sea Lightning in my view continues a great F.A.A. "tradition" of taking an aircraft designed for land use and converting it for carrier use. I can see it getting off the deck but landing would have been hairy to say the least or was it's landing gear changed to an amazing degree ?

Sorry if I'm being thick but although I'm fascinated by it, it's far enough outside my period of interest for me to know much, if anything, about it.

It wasn't the Navy's idea it was BAC trying to flog a Naval Lightning rather than see us buy Phantoms.

[Martin H]

Great progress Geoff but I'm afraid the Sea Lightning in my view continues a great F.A.A. "tradition" of taking an aircraft designed for land use and converting it for carrier use. I can see it getting off the deck but landing would have been hairy to say the least or was it's landing gear changed to an amazing degree ?

Sorry if I'm being thick but although I'm fascinated by it, it's far enough outside my period of interest for me to know much, if anything, about it.

It wasn't the Navy's idea it was BAC trying to flog a Naval Lightning rather than see us buy Phantoms.

And despite the fact that I like the Lightning, saner heads ruled in the Admiralty for once in procurement history.

[The Wooksta!]

I'm tempted to put the wing on an EE P.8 as an alternate to Spec F.155.