Librarian's Banana

[Librarian]

I spent four weeks stuck on the sitting room floor then finally I was just able to get to the Doctor who sent me for an emergency MRI scan. Got the results about two weeks ago and not one prolapse but two, left and right. Awaiting an op as I can hobble for awhile and lie down but cannot sit or bend. Managed to do a lot of reading, goggleboxing and thinking. Dislike the DO335 intensely but always though it had a lot of whiff potential so been on and offing over three variants, with the idea of Spitfire a, b, c etc wings:



Top left:      A Wing, no armament. Only seen on pre-production aircraft
Top right:    B Wing Heavy fighter, two 20mm cannon
Mid left:      D Wing Destroyer, 37mm cannon
Mid right:    D Wing Ground Attack, 20mm cannon and 37mm cannon
Lower left:   E  Wing High altitude Heavy fighter/Bomber escort, two 20mm cannon
Lower right  E Wing High altitude Destroyer/Bomber escort fighter, one 20mm and one 30mm

All variants will have a 30mm through the prop hub and two 20mm above the cowling.
The Me509 will be a stablemate, low to medium altitude short to medium range fighter.

As I can I'll post updates.

[zenrat]

Intense sympathy waves being directed at you from down here.  Don't let it get you down, they know what they're doing and you'll be back as you were in no time.

From a purely aesthetic PoV I like the shape of the last pair best.

[Captain Canada]

I really like the shape of that last set of wings !

And hopr you are feeling better soon !

[Librarian]

Thank you. I have something planned especially for that third aircraft. Was going to make it into an ultra-long range high altitude escort for a Boeing Washington for atomic missions, both painted in that cool white, washed out insignia scheme. Then my mojo reacted and started considering "Could a 1/72 B-36 be '1/48ed'. Oh the possibilities, but again the idea of rescribing that monster triggers the heebeejeebies.

[Librarian]

Trying to catch up on my backlog. Started this a few months back and want to complete it...I'm sure I posted some pictures before but can't see them. Going to be part of the DeKameron family:





This is the reason I was asking about catapult decks and strops...want to attempt a diorama with the a/c (to be named with backstory later) in the nose high launch position much like the Buccaneer. Put a tail bumper wheel at the rear. Not really sure why I added the mudguard but the idea is that like Marine F4Us it also operates from rough land fields. There's a FLIR pod behind the wheel bay and we wouldn't want that to get damaged.

[Captain Canada]

Beauty. Such a neat looking aeroplane and one I've always wanted to build. Love the torpedoes !

[Librarian]

Painted up a coupla pilots...always loved those mad colours in Trigan Empire but then thought they could just as easily be Red Arrows crew :



Good news is that I saw the Neurosurgeon today to discuss the results of my scan. The prolapses are repairing naturally so he's decided to keep me on the painkillers and anti-inflamms for the time being and re-scan in six months. I was seriously dreading gen anaesthetic so OK with this course of action. I can sit for reasonable lengths of time etc so all good .

[zenrat]

Good news on your back.  Last time I investigated the operation route the risk of paralysis was 5% which was too high in my book.
Your body can do amazing things to heal itself given a chance.

[Librarian]

Finally managed to put in some work. This one is the DeKameron TA-2 Anopheles, seen here as the export version in colours of House Atreides. A close ally of House Plantagenet, the ruling Imperium family, whose Apophis was seen earlier, some aircraft have been given the green light for export. The home-brew Anopheles has the twin internal rotary cannon but as this weapon is not cleared for export or license this export version has four 30mm cannon, two in the wingroots requiring armoured blast plates on the cockpit sides. Based on floating fortresses she has very strong u/c, a weapons bay designed primarily for torpedoes (but can also deliver up to four mines), a FLIR pod with added benefit of disrupting airflow in front of the bay for easier weapon deployment and an arrestor hook. The Apophis was a private company venture to create a land-based attack variant of the Anopheles, built around the new and highly potent 30mm rotary cannon. Externally similar, internally both aircraft are very different with the Anopheles being much stronger for the rigors of hard deck landings:

[Captain Canada]

Happy to hear the good news on your diagnoses ! And happy to see the updates on the model ! Looks good. Love the bomb bay. Looks even better now that I've seen the underside shot from that angle. And maybe the pilots are just wearing emersion suits 

[NARSES2]

That looks good 

[NARSES2]

Neat work

[Tophe]

Belated congratulations for this model!

[Librarian]

In way of an apology I have to admit that I did not like the carrier diorama, even my harshest critic (my son) thought it looked boring, so decided to change her. Stripped her of carrier equipment, shortened the nose oleo and gave her a repaint. Torpedo plane....Italians....love those mad schemes from the Med so.....:





Hope this does not disappoint.

[Old Wombat]

That camo looks great, though the Brit markings look a bit odd with it but that's OK, we're used to that, & the build is top-notch!