Zenrat's Flying Circus

[zenrat]

Yeah, but they look GREAT! 

That they do.

I plugged in the wings and tails this evening and then realised that it needs weight in the nose and I forgot to put any in before I closed it up.  Luckilly there is no internal nose gear bay so I can pour heavy glue in through the hole and into the solid nose.

I glued the undercarriage onto the Yak today.  Thankfully it doesn't tail sit.  I say thankfully because there is no room left to add weight.  I even had to put it in the nose gear bay and then paint it black in an attempt to disguise it.

[NARSES2]

I wonder what language they were speaking?

French?

Not a stupid suggestion, actually. French was a popular 2nd language in late Tsarist Russia & that carried on into early Communist Russia,

Indeed it was. Of all the European nations it was the French who could be considered to have the most sympathy for the early years of the Communist regime, perhaps remembering the struggles of their own revolution. Sympathy is perhaps too strong a word, but at least the Third Republic was prepared to give them a chance unlike most of the others.

[jcf]

A Privateer fire-bomber in action.

[zenrat]

Noice.  Thanks Jon.

[NARSES2]

I must admit whenever I see pictures/footage of fire bombers using retardant rather than plain water I always muse on the logistics/effectiveness of it as opposed to just plain water ?

[jcf]

I must admit whenever I see pictures/footage of fire bombers using retardant rather than plain water I always muse on the logistics/effectiveness of it as opposed to just plain water ?

It's thicker and it sticks, thus retarding the progress of the fire as it extinguishes.

[TheChronicOne]

Yup, that and what particular job you want to do. If you're dropping directly onto flame then water is likely the best option (and the planes that can refuel repeatedly in area lakes are great because of the quick turn around opposed to having to fly to a facility to re-up on retardant). However, if you want to pre-emptively try to save a neighborhood for instance, you would lay down a swath of fire retardant.

[kerick]

Many of the drops are to contain the spread of the fire so are dropped in front of the fire instead of on it

[Old Wombat]

Usually a combination of the two, retardant ahead of the fire front & water on the fire front to reduce its intensity, so the retardant works better.

[NARSES2]

Thank you gents I now know and understand, no more musing. 

[jcf]

Speaking of firebombers, my first personal experience was watching a TBM Avenger
making retardant drops on a fire in the hills to the West of our house in Kamloops in
the mid-60s.

[zenrat]

Started PSR on the Privateer today.  Jeez this thing has some ill fitting parts.  It doesn't have the trench like panel lines normally associated with Matchbox kits.  Instead it has far too lightly moulded raised detail.  Most of which I have now sanded off.

[zenrat]

The weeks between the end of one GB and the start of another are a dangerous time for me.  I know what I will be starting when the next GB begins but I can't get stuck in yet.
While I have builds on the go, if they don't keep me fully occupied my mind turns to what's in the stash that might be quick to throw together in the time available.
In this case combining AZ BF109 G0 (vee tail) and H0 (longer wings).
I am hoping it all goes together as easilly as Chris reports.  I'll prolly do it in one of the Whif schemes on the back of the box assuming I have the relevant RLM colours.
So far I have sawn off the conventional tail and glued on the vee tail parts.  I did this before joining the fuselage halves thinking it was a good idea.  Hope I was right.  I'm thinking i'll get a better fit and will be able to reinforce it inside before I close it up.
Other than that I put more putty on the Privateer (that's how much it needed - had to be done in two days), added some parts to the Sd.Kfz 222 and painted the wings and tails of the 'dyne.

I have also been rethinking making spinning props.  I have never really been happy with those I made for the Mu2 and so I did some research into alternative techniques.  Using decals on clear discs seems promising so I have drawn some up to put on this and on a Tamiya Razorback Jug that I want to build in flight.

[scooter]

Other than that I put more putty on the Privateer (that's how much it needed - had to be done in two days)

So...spackling the Privateer?

[zenrat]

Other than that I put more putty on the Privateer (that's how much it needed - had to be done in two days)

So...spackling the Privateer?

Feels like it.  Might speed things up if I take to it with one of my power sanders.  Maybe the mouse, as the 1 Kw belt sander might take off a bit too much...
I had to apply over two days as I ran out of places to hold the fuselage that were putty free.