Zenrat's Flying Circus

[zenrat]

No, that was me talking. 
The statement was correct when I wrote it.
However, since then I have been rearranging the stash, flicking through new issues of Modelart Australia and AMW and browsing e-bay.  All of which brought me to the realisation that there is a lot more I need to get.  Not sure when i'll find time to build them all though.

Put new shelves up today and moved my collection of Hasegawa "Box Art" kits onto them.  i need more.  Not only do they look great but being released in the 70's they tend to be cheap.  Despite the fact that Hasegawa are still using most of the moulds, calling them limited editions and sticking inflated prices on them.

Structurally the Turbocat exhausts are sorted.  PSR to be done though.

Off to E-Bay now to look for cheap Hasegawas...

[Steel Penguin]

whew! 

[zenrat]

Dug out a Hobbycraft Su 22 Fitter E (or F? - the two seater anyway) and filled the nose with a mix of liquid gravity & epoxy.
It'll be a PDRV Republican Guard aircraft carrying most of an ICM Soviet air to ground missile set.
Probably in PDRV border patrol camo.

[Old Wombat]

And very pretty camo it is!

[zenrat]

Glad you like it.  I hope I can remember which colours I used.

The cockpits of the Hobbycraft Fitter are rather wanting and as I was thinking of modelling this one with the roofs open I started panelling them out today and in my spare moments at work sketched out some consoles and control panels to scratch up*.  Rear seater will be weapons operator rather then a pilot.

Also continued adding some texture and fillets** to the turbo cat exhausts.

I think I have finally found the scheme for my Airfix new mould Beaufighter.  While plagiarising Bill Gunstion for the Hovercar back story I re-discovered this USAAF PR XVI Mossie i'd forgotten about.


http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Photos.aspx?igphoto=2000571652
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Photos.aspx?igphoto=2000440612


* I also sketched my idea for the Tribeau for the old crap kit GB.  If I can get off my ar5e i'll scan it and post it in the appropriate thread.
** as in see a gap?  Fillet...

[zenrat]

The urge not to buy doesn't last long.
After looking at the latest issue of Modelart Australia I want a 1/72 (obviously) Hoplite.

[zenrat]

And after reading the latest AMW I know want a Tornado.  That won't last long though so I just have to stay away from evil-bay for a while.

Painted the (now improved) cockpit of the Fitter today and got the start of the (RAN) scheme on the Super Etendard.
I also completed another round of PSR on the Turbocat and glued the outer wings & horizontal tails together.

I've finally got my head round how to paint the Meng D9 and so gave all the parts a mottled coat of grey primer (over red) and then hairspray.  Next will be a coat of CAT yellow or a close approximation - time to get colour mixing.

And, to prevent the sound of fingers drumming on the bench while I wait for the next GB to start I pulled out the Airfix RAF rescue launch I started for the BoB GB.  I managed to do most of the grunt work back then but then put ti to one side when the GB ended.

[zenrat]

So, the RAF Rescue Launch is becoming a PDRV Revenue Protection vessel.
I had previously added a Bofors gun to the foredeck, done away with one lewis gun turret and replaced the other with a quad 303 mount.  Today I realised there was a 20mm Oerlikon in the box which I had forgotten about.  That goes on the aft deck.
Tax collecting in the world of the PDRV is a dangerous business.

[NARSES2]

Tax collection is dangerous or is it the tax payers who are endangered by the the methods used by the PDRV revenue agents ? 

[TheChronicOne]

Dug out a Hobbycraft Su 22 Fitter E (or F? - the two seater anyway) and filled the nose with a mix of liquid gravity & epoxy.
It'll be a PDRV Republican Guard aircraft carrying most of an ICM Soviet air to ground missile set.
Probably in PDRV border patrol camo.

Holy crap, that's killer!   

[zenrat]

Thanks Brad.  More here http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,39054.msg643655.html#msg643655

Tax collection is dangerous or is it the tax payers who are endangered by the the methods used by the PDRV revenue agents ? 

Citizens are proud to pay their taxes as they are used to further the aims of the People's Democratic Republic.
Tax avoidance is unpatriotic and punishable by 9mm audit.
The vessels and aircraft of the Revenue Protection arm of the PDRV military collect levies, tolls and fines from foreign registered vessels and perform anti-smuggler operations.

[TheChronicOne]

Thanks, I went and had a look! The extra pictures was a pleasant find. As usual, I find something not so obvious to fall in love with:  your "diorama" printed out is brilliant. I'll have to remember that. Bein' "po folk" and also lazy has me digging that.


"fuc'um"  Ahhhahaha!  Lmao when I saw that. 

Hey, I LIKE the "grease pencil" nose...



Going with Cuban livery was a good way to go. I've been contemplating doing a Cuban Fishbed, myself, as the decals that came with my Mig 21 were ruined and doing a Cuban livery would be relatively easy free handing.

Here's one someone else made, by Peter Mojzisek:



More here, for those curious: 
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/PMojzisek/My%20Gallery/MiG-21MF%20Cuba/MiG-21MF%20Cuba%20.htm


I've opened up a can of worms.. I'm slow getting around catching up on all the threads here on the boards, but I think I'll fast track some of your stuff because I need to go read about the PDRV in the alternate history forum. Seems fascinating.

[zenrat]

Thanks Brad.  Glad you like it.

I must write part 2 of the History of the PDRV.  So far i've only got up to WW2.  I have made notes though.

[zenrat]

Show and tell time.

Turbocat (Academy PBY-5 Aussie markings issue)- wings are not attached.  Panel lines need rescribing around the engines and PSR is still needed on the fuselage plus fairing in the nose turret hole (now full of fishing weights to keep its tail up).


Hobbycraft Su-22 Fitter.  Lots still to do.


Academy Super Etendard.  The RAN paintjob is done.  Clear, decals & fiddley bits next.


And last but not least, Airfix British Power Boat Company 63' High Speed Gunboat.  That's a Lanc tail turret sitting on top of the deckhouse there.

[NARSES2]

Nice "In progress" collection