Moments of Zen

[Rheged]

i use the standard child safe / school use  white PVA glue and apply sparingly with a cocktail stick,  its worked well so far. 

I scrounged my PVA glue from a teacher tidying up at the end of the summer term.  The school buys 5 litre tubs of the stuff (at about £12 a tub) and throws out any left at the end of the school year.   

[DogfighterZen]

Progress is always good to see/read about    It sometimes even shames me into getting some things done 

Same here, Chris. Sometimes it helps the mojo, it's cool to see stuff being created and that normally gets me going.

All of the gaps on the fuselage and wings have been taken care of so, the only bit left is to tidy up the sprue goo on the canopy deck and i'm ready to start masking for paint.

[Captain Canada]

Thanks for the updates. For sure it's always fun to read other's ideas, trials and tribulations etc.

[DogfighterZen]

So the Christmas season is money spending season, right? So i spent money on a lot of stuff...
Regarding models, having recently decided that i wanna build my favorite real world PoAF fighters in 1/48, i am missing a few so yesterday, i ordered a few that were missing from the list.
I already have the F-16AM, Alpha Jet and T-38 but i was missing some of the most iconic for Portuguese aviation lovers so i ordered Hasegawa's F-86F-40 and the A-7D/E.

Regarding the A-7, Hobbyboss did the A-7P in 1/72 but not in 1/48. They do have A/B kits but like on the 1/72 kit, the nose/intake section is grossly wrong. The canopy is too wide and the intake is too flat on the bottom and looks very weird. Hasegawa doesn't do A or B variants but their kit has better shape, excellent detail, a pilot figure and all the small parts needed because the A-7P were modernized As with E avionics and engine.

The P-47D... We have a few kits out there of this bird but i had my eye on the Tamiya kits for several reasons. Miniart supposedly now has the best kit out in 1/48 but, there's no info on how good it builds. Everyone knows the Tamiya kit is very good but the most available is the D-25, without the fillet for the fin, that part can only be found in the M kit, which is very hard to find these days at reasonable prices. Also has pilot figure, 4 different props to choose from and a full load of weapons.
It came out cheaper than the new Miniart kit at 45€ total. The other listings i could find were all over 100€ total, both outside the EU...

The F-86F is also available in 1/48 with the latest kit being the Airfix F-86F-40 but the Hasegawa kit still has some strong points for me over the Airfix kit like pilot figure with choice of two different helmets and masks, and also Sidewinder missiles and pylons. These are small details that will make a difference for a PoAF build as the Portuguese flew the Sabres till 1980. It does not have separate flaps and slats but seems to be an easier build and i also prefer Hasegawa's surface detail overall so that was my choice.
I have most, if not all the necessary markings and what i don't have shouldn't be too hard to find or even print myself so, i think that i'm just missing a few more kits like the Spitfires Mk.Ia and Vc and a Fiat G.91R, a Hurricane Mk. IIc and maybe a Super Tucano, that will most probably be acquired by the PoAF in the not-so-distant future. Don't want more than those in 1/48, the rest will be 1/72 but i do want to build a Puma maybe even a Merlin or a Lynx.

BTW, i also had a couple of 1/72 items on my cart and those were also acquired.
One of these items is the Brengun Two stage Merlin engines set for the Tamiya 1/72 Mossie kit. This will be used with the 4 blade props i bought a few weeks ago.
The second item is the Quickboost DEFA 30mm cannons for the Israeli A-4s but these will not be used on an A-4 but on an F-4... The short nose Phantoms didn't have a gun but the countries that had those variants wanted a better solution than the external gun pods so a solution was developed...
I've been wondering about where the cannons could be placed and i think that, much like on A-4s, the guns could be placed below the wing root to fuselage/intake junction.
I have checked technical plans of the Phantom's interiors and i believe that space could be found in that area for an installation much like the Israeli A-4s so, i'm sticking with that idea.

Bench related news aren't many as these last few days have been a bit chaotic with all the preparations for the family dinners and all... i did get to do a bit of sanding on the BB Gina's windscreen but i had to let it go when the family arrived for lunch today and stayed the rest of the afternoon.
Maybe now i have a few hours of peace and quiet to get something done...  

[NARSES2]

If they all arrive at the same time I pity the poor postman's back 

[DogfighterZen]

If they all arrive at the same time I pity the poor postman's back 

Well, all i can say is that my work will give me a spinal hernia way before he even needs a massage so, no sympathy from me!
The box with the F-86, A-7 and the 72nd goodies will be bigger than the ones i normally get... GLS delivery so it will be dropped off at my Missus' workplace, the local parish council office, which is also the post office for the village. I will be tracking the delivery and i'll pick it up after work so Patrícia doesn't have to carry it home. The P-47 is a single kit so it won't be too big.

Small bench progress update... the BB Gina is nearing paint stages, it's time to start thinking of what's next on the bench...

[NARSES2]

. GLS delivery so it will be dropped off at my Missus' workplace, the local parish council office, which is also the post office for the village. I will be tracking the delivery and i'll pick it up after work so Patrícia doesn't have to carry it home.

That's useful 

[DogfighterZen]

Yes. it is  useful, Chris. I basically get all my stuff delivered on hand by my missus... which is good but it also means that she knows about every single kit or model-related orders i get and, while she's totally supportive of my hobbies, it may be getting to a point where she's beginning to use it to blackmail me into buying more plane tickets than planes... travelling is something we both like to do so, no loss there, i guess...  

Regarding kits purchases, i have set my mind to buy much less this year for several reasons and the truth is, there isn't that much left in my wishlist, less than 10 kits, to be honest. Most are RW subjects that i like but aren't favorites so, 1/72 will be big enough for those. Only a few 1/48 kits in the list and a couple of those haven't been released yet so, i'll think about them later in the year.

Bench news are none... haven't done anything since i sprayed the green on the BB Gina because i've finally managed to dig out and fully revive my mojo for music after almost 5 years with very little composed or written...
A couple of weeks ago, i was at one of my band mates' new home for lunch, followed by a chilled out jam session, in which we created a cool reggae vibe... somehow, that one got stuck and has been looping in my head since then.
The feeling of making music and especially, doing it live with my friends, is something that i love too much to simply ignore for the rest of my life so, even if we don't even get to play gigs again, we can still get together and do what we love and have done for well over 20 years now.
Also, recently i have also been challenged by another friend to go on stage with his band for a song. They're a tribute band called Hybrid Theory. They cover Linkin Park exclusively and have been selling out shows around the world lately.
The lead guitar player is the mastermind behind the whole thing and also one of my closest friends, has been asking me to get my vocal cords back in shape for a big show they're planning here in Portugal.
Although i do like a lot of LP's stuff, tributes and covers aren't really my thing so i'm still thinking about it. It would be a cool experience as an isolated event for me so, it is very tempting. They've been playing for thousands of people each gig so, it would be like going back to the biggest gigs i've ever had with a couple of my bands and, although somewhat stressful, the big gigs are always a load of fun and i really miss it.
Anyway, the past week/weekend was mostly spent composing/recording and editing began during the week with a bouncy, round Bass line, mellow drums groove, some keys for the chill vibe and now my mates have sent me their WAV files with the guitars so i can finish composing and editing the instruments and record a final vocals track with lyrics later. It's not a complicated song, much the opposite... just a simple song to get my brain working and the juices flowing again...
I do have a full vocals line for it but i still have to find the right words to fill in the blanks so, that will take a bit longer.
From my experience, writing lyrics is something that's chooses it's own moments, so it's not something for which i use a formula or method, or even, choose the date and time for it to happen.
I've had moments like when i got to my friends one night at the beach, one was playing the guitar and said: "Hey Zen, sing something!"
I was tired from a gardener's day of work and i'd just been smoking so the, only words that came to mind were: "My mouth is dry, my feet are sore and i still haven't found what i've been looking for..."    
That ended up in a full song a few days later. OTOH, i've spent weeks and months, dozens of pens and tons of paper with the lyrics for some songs, some of which, were never finished.

Well, that's enough music-related ranting from me on this forum so i'll get back to the subject.
Paint will be sprayed on Gina's BB today... hoping to get the underside done so i can give it a coat of varnish and apply markings.

 

[NARSES2]

Yes. it is  useful, Chris. I basically get all my stuff delivered on hand by my missus... which is good but it also means that she knows about every single kit or model-related orders i get and, while she's totally supportive of my hobbies, it may be getting to a point where she's beginning to use it to blackmail me into buying more plane tickets than planes... travelling is something we both like to do so, no loss there, i guess...  

  

Good to read about your musical abilities    I've never had a musical bone in my body, I was even excluded from the school choir when it was compulsory in the first couple of years my voice was/is that bad    Mind you I do appear on the chorus of the live version of Bob Marley's "No woman, no cry" as I was at the Lyceum for the concert where it was recorded, so that's my musical claim to fame 

[DogfighterZen]

Yes. it is  useful, Chris. I basically get all my stuff delivered on hand by my missus... which is good but it also means that she knows about every single kit or model-related orders i get and, while she's totally supportive of my hobbies, it may be getting to a point where she's beginning to use it to blackmail me into buying more plane tickets than planes... travelling is something we both like to do so, no loss there, i guess...  

  

Good to read about your musical abilities    I've never had a musical bone in my body, I was even excluded from the school choir when it was compulsory in the first couple of years my voice was/is that bad    Mind you I do appear on the chorus of the live version of Bob Marley's "No woman, no cry" as I was at the Lyceum for the concert where it was recorded, so that's my musical claim to fame 

I'll have to go have a listen to that version...   
Regarding musical abilities, i used to think i didn't have music in me, hence the fact that i was almost forced to be in my first band because i already spoke good English and was a "popular guy" at school because of my BMX exploits and all the demos and national TV appearances associated... BTW, i hated that people who would simply ignore or even make fun of me, my clothes and small bike before, started coming up to shake my hand and pretend they were my friends after i became "famous" in town...    I could easily see who was sincere and who wasn't but, unfortunately, the later were the majority.
I'm not a very social guy and that was always something i had to struggle with when my bands had gigs so, you can imagine that it took quite a while for me to feel comfortable with being the frontman of a rock band. I just do it for the music, which is what i love.
I like to think that everyone has music in them but some have the chance to explore that world and learn how to express their feelings through sound and some don't. I'd never know if i hadn't tried it when i was a teenager. And believe me, i was very surprised to find out i could do something, even if i'm not a "virtuoso" or a musical genius. I guess it all comes down to the same reason why i do whiffs, it's about having fun doing it. Above everything else...

And BTW, that reggae tune i was talking about in the previous post is now a full song and it's coming out good, especially after 5 years since i last wrote or composed anything. It has a very catchy chorus and it's the type of song that makes anyone tap their foot, at the very least...   just needs a human touch with the drums and bass, which are still the synths i did to have something to begin composing the song with on my laptop, not real recorded tracks. Not a big deal, guitars were recorded last Friday, already edited and put in place in the multitrack session on my DAW(Digital Audio Workstation).
Now i need words for the verses so i'll have to put my "lyricist" hat on and scribble something to sing. Easier as i already have the words for the chorus.

So, getting back to the subject of the forum, i've sprayed the underside of the BB Gina with some XF-19 but i haven't been feeling well today so i was a bit lazy with the masking and had quite a bit of overspray on some camouflage d areas. That means i'll have to go back and fix it... not much of a problem but it's annoying.
And in hindsight, i should've masked the underside as it already had the XF-19 on it and do the camo after, would've been much easier but i guess i leaned my lesson now...
At least the demarcation line is sharp and the masks i did use, didn't peel off any paint when i took them off so, it could be much worse.

Also starting to think about what to build after this one... I still have the kits i'd dug out before i started the BB Gina, Comanche, Alpha jet, ASF-X Shinden II and A-7P beside the bench so, i may end up pulling one of those onto the bench very soon...

[NARSES2]

I'm not a very social guy and that was always something i had to struggle with when my bands had gigs so, you can imagine that it took quite a while for me to feel comfortable with being the frontman of a rock band. I just do it for the music, which is what i love.

It's amazing how many shy people end up fronting bands or acting, I know a couple 

[scooter]

I'm not a very social guy and that was always something i had to struggle with when my bands had gigs so, you can imagine that it took quite a while for me to feel comfortable with being the frontman of a rock band. I just do it for the music, which is what i love.

It's amazing how many shy people end up fronting bands or acting, I know a couple 

Ew...People.

Super introvert here too.  However,  I have zero issue with public speaking (including q & a sessions), and find it much easier than "making small talk"

[NARSES2]

I'm not a very social guy and that was always something i had to struggle with when my bands had gigs so, you can imagine that it took quite a while for me to feel comfortable with being the frontman of a rock band. I just do it for the music, which is what i love.

It's amazing how many shy people end up fronting bands or acting, I know a couple 

Ew...People.

Super introvert here too.  However,  I have zero issue with public speaking (including q & a sessions), and find it much easier than "making small talk"

Must admit I was far more comfortable giving presentations at work than the after conference drinks and meal.

[DogfighterZen]

I'm not a very social guy and that was always something i had to struggle with when my bands had gigs so, you can imagine that it took quite a while for me to feel comfortable with being the frontman of a rock band. I just do it for the music, which is what i love.

It's amazing how many shy people end up fronting bands or acting, I know a couple 

Ew...People.

Super introvert here too.  However,  I have zero issue with public speaking (including q & a sessions), and find it much easier than "making small talk"

Must admit I was far more comfortable giving presentations at work than the after conference drinks and meal.

Yea, i'm also like that. Somehow, i find it's easier to face a thousand people staring at you than one on one conversations, especially after the gigs, when we had folks asking for signed CDs and shirts, and just to talk to us for bit. It's very gratifying and i appreciated every single one of the fans but i'm not a people's person so it was something i really wanted to get done and over with ASAP, so that i could go rest for a bit, drink my glass of Licor Beirão and chill with some green. It was much easier when the sessions were scheduled for later and we had some time to change into dry clothes, rest and talk about the gig.
Then, if we had time to hang around, i could go out in public and socialize for a bit... Still, i always wanted to take a few minutes after the gig to go over what went well and what didn't. It was good to do it right after because everything's still fresh in everyone memory and some stuff would most probably be forgotten by the end of the night for several reasons...  
It is weird that some shy people end up doing stuff where they expose themselves much more than most people normally do but, i guess that for me, it was a challenge to deal with being shy mixed with my love for music. I'd been a music enthusiast for most of my life and when the chance came about, i guess i just went along with it to see where it would take me. Mind you, i had been a piano student for a couple of years when i was 10 up to 12 years of age so i did have some background but, never did i imagine that i'd be able to sing and make my own music, let alone that anyone would like to hear me sing or enjoy my music. OTOH, it was hard work to get to a point where i was certain i was doing it right ir, at least, didn't hurt anyone's ears while doing it.
Not sure if i'll ever have the chance to play live gigs with my band again but at least, i'm making music again, which is something i've always loved and missed a lot. I compare it to whiff modelling because it's something created by me and it feels so good when i finish a song that sounds good to my ears, much like when i finish a model that comes out close or exactly like i'd imagined it... and obviously, even better when it exceeds expectations. 

Speaking of models, i've just turned on my compressor and am now shaking paint to spray on the BB Gina to fix the mess i made yesterday...

[Nick]

I'm not a very social guy and that was always something i had to struggle with when my bands had gigs so, you can imagine that it took quite a while for me to feel comfortable with being the frontman of a rock band. I just do it for the music, which is what i love.

It's amazing how many shy people end up fronting bands or acting, I know a couple 

I read Bob Mortimers autobiography "And Away!" last week. It is very good and entertaining. I'm sure most of it is true but Would He Lie To You? 

He admits he was the shyest person at school and uni but it wasn't till he met Jim Moir aka Vic Reeves and got roped into going on stage that he really came alive.