Zenrat's Flying Circus

[Rick Lowe]

And by the time you come to build it, your Skillz will be so much betterer and more, you'll think it a doddle and wonder why you were so trepidacious before... trying to help, here - honest, Guv!

[Nick]

As detailed elsewhere, Lurgi has paused play.

An e-mail from a city hobby store today revealed to me the existence of a styrene 1/72 Martin Mauler.  This creates something of a quandary as i'd love one to add to the collection.  It would sit nicely in the stash next to the two Skyraiders and the Skyshark that are already there.
The issue, other than the price is that it is by A&A and i'm now wary of their stuff after building their La 200b.  Maybe i'll wait and see how one of the other A&A kits in the stash build.  I have a Mirage IV (really hope that goes together well as it's such a gorgeous aircraft) and an Il 102 flying tank.

Buy it anyway. You can sell it on if it really looks bad to build. If you make a loss? Call it rental fees. At least you'll have had it in your hands and are not left wanting one when they can't be found.

[The Wooksta!]

As detailed elsewhere, Lurgi has paused play.

An e-mail from a city hobby store today revealed to me the existence of a styrene 1/72 Martin Mauler.  This creates something of a quandary as i'd love one to add to the collection.  It would sit nicely in the stash next to the two Skyraiders and the Skyshark that are already there.
The issue, other than the price is that it is by A&A and i'm now wary of their stuff after building their La 200b.  Maybe i'll wait and see how one of the other A&A kits in the stash build.  I have a Mirage IV (really hope that goes together well as it's such a gorgeous aircraft) and an Il 102 flying tank.

Siga did a Mauler in the early 2000s, I bought it at the time and it's now just about ready to decal.  I don't know if the A&A kit is the Siga tooling or not. CMR did a resin Mauler and there was a vac form by Esoteric, although I've never seen one.

Edit: It is the Siga tooling, with etch, full weapon load and new decals.  The Siga one was a bit rough, on a par with late 90s MPM.

[PR19_Kit]

I saw a Mauler kit in the local Antics shop in Glos this week, Didn't think to see who made it though.    

[zenrat]

I'm thinking about it.

It's not like I really need one...

I've had the Skyraiders (both 1/72 Hasegawa - one with the toilet sprue, one without) for ages.  There are some interesting RW African schemes which I have a transfer set for.
Big, brutal, single engined prop attack birds appeal to me for some reason.  I think I will try to build a Skyraider this year - RAAF or RAN FAA probly.
But not with the toilet.  I think that might end up on an Aussie Wyvern.

[Rheged]

I think I will try to build a Skyraider this year - RAAF or RAN FAA probly.
But not with the toilet.  I think that might end up on an Aussie Wyvern.

Somehow, that seems entirely appropriate.

[Pellson]

It's not like I really need one...

Strictly speaking, I didn't need that last (latest) Sentry either, but I'm much happier fondling it than I was  looking at the Evilbay listing.. 

[zenrat]

Sometimes one can't explain why one desires a certain kit.
The Bandai 1/72 YS-11 for example.
It's a Japanese twin turboprop airliner.  Not something I would normally build but when I saw pics of them on the interweb it called out to me.
A few weeks later I missed out on one by "that much" when I didn't get snatchy at the Model Expo Swamp and Smell and  that really annoyed me as you never see them.
I have two now.  Not built either but as you say it is nice to fondle them occasionally and grok their differences.

At this years Swamp & Smell there was a 1/72 Ilya Muromets.  I didn't even pick it up and look at it (I thought "no way - not with all that rigging") but now i'm wondering...

[PR19_Kit]

The YS-11 was a really nice kit, and convertible into an Avro 748 or an Andover with a hacksaw and some PSR. 

As for that Ilya Muromets kit, I bought one a while back, and equally swiftly as you pondered on it, I passed it on, and for the same reason. ALL that rigging!

But it was a pretty nicely moulded kit nonetheless.

[zenrat]

I think the Ilya Muromets I saw was the Maquette kit.  There is also one by ICM in the one true scale.
It would make the ideal basis for a wacky Sky Pirates float plane.

I've also been tempted recently by a new mould Revell 1/25 1971 Ford Mustang.  I do like the '71 'stang.  The antithesis of the Mustang's '64 1/2 origin.  From agile Lightweight to Heavyweight bruiser in a mere 6 1/2 years.

[PR19_Kit]

.
I've also been tempted recently by a new mould Revell 1/25 1971 Ford Mustang.  I do like the '71 'stand.  The antithesis of the Mustang's '64 1/2 origin.  From agile Lightweight to Heavyweight bruiser in a mere 6 1/2 years.

My first boss at my last employer had a Mach 1, MONSTER of a car! He bought it from '.....some bloke in the pop music world.....'

Turned out to be Peter Gabriel, and the car's on one his album sleeves! 

[zenrat]

.
I've also been tempted recently by a new mould Revell 1/25 1971 Ford Mustang.  I do like the '71 'stand.  The antithesis of the Mustang's '64 1/2 origin.  From agile Lightweight to Heavyweight bruiser in a mere 6 1/2 years.

My first boss at my last employer had a Mach 1, MONSTER of a car! He bought it from '.....some bloke in the pop music world.....'

Turned out to be Peter Gabriel, and the car's on one his album sleeves! 

The only Gabriel LP I can find with a car on is this one.  That's not a '69 to '78 Mustang though (the years Mach 1s were in the range).  Shape of the front edge of the door is wrong.





Anyhoo, I have deemed myself to be over the Dreaded Lurgi enough to return to my shed.  I'm still prone to the occasional coughing fit (coughed a big lump of phlegum onto my toast at breakfast yesterday - yum) but managed to get a few hours in thisarvo.
It was slightly tricky remembering where I was on everything and what I was planning to do next.

WOT8 rolling chassis stage 1 is finished apart from exhausts and mounting the rear wheels.  It's going to be a civilian vehicle hence the non army colours used so far.
WOT8 WIP 16-07-2023 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
WOT8 16-07-2023 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Me.109 heavy fighter got most attention today.  I have christened it Dreistörer.  I finished off the cockpit (all kit parts apart from some Japanese aftermarket paper seatbelts) and closed the fuselage.  I  also realised that it would need more cooling than was available on the Me.110 wings.  I decided to give it a touch of asymmetry and add a single extra radiator inboard of one nacelle.  I've started scratch building this.
Dreistorer WIP 16-07-2023 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Dreistorer WIP 16-07-2023 01 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[NARSES2]

It was slightly tricky remembering where I was on everything and what I was planning to do next.

That's why I keep a notepad and pen on the bench

[PR19_Kit]

The only Gabriel LP I can find with a car on is this one.  That's not a '69 to '78 Mustang though (the years Mach 1s were in the range).  Shape of the front edge of the door is wrong.

Hmm, perhaps it was on the back of the sleeve? It was a LONG time ago, 1979 IIRC. 

[zenrat]

Dreistörer mock up.  I will either need to use tiny props or move the wings forwards.

Dreistorer WIP 22-07-2023 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr