Moments of Zen

[DogfighterZen]

 Ok, this will be my first blog or something of the type... Where should i start?
Maybe i should let you guys know a bit more about me...
Rui Reis is the name but when i first started riding bmx bikes when i was 12, everyone started calling me Zen because of the book about zen meditation i used to read while waiting for the heat to go away so i could ride.... and also, for "meditating" before i went for a trick i'd never done before and for just going "zennnn" when i was pedaling towards the ramps... 
Anyway, i've always lived in the Algarve, the sunny south of Portugal, Portimão, to be more exact. A typical tourism destination because of all the beaches and temperatures we get around here. One could call it Portugal's California. 
I come from a poor home, money was never abundant but mom and dad always sorted things out for me and my brother. My bro was one of the most influential figures in my life because he got into music at a young age and became a drummer so the bug caught me. From rock'n'roll to heavy metal, going through punk rock and alternative bands, since i was six, my brother showed me a lot of great stuff, i still have my favorite 4 vinyl records, Kill'em all, Master of puppets, Ride the lightning and And justice for all...
I got into modeling at about the same age and while i was assembling stuff i'd listen to those... a lot! That's also one of the things that helped me to learn English, i would read the lyrics, sing along and then if i didn't understand some word, my bro would explain and that's why i became a vocalist... but i guess that watching a lot of English/American movies and tv shows with sub-titles made the most part for that, my first English teacher on the 5th grade thought i wasn't Portuguese cause when she first asked me my name i answered in perfect English and then wrote it down...
I only managed to "sort of" build a few models back then, i remember i had the Hasegawa EA-6B Prowler and an ESCI Montana ANG F-16. Didn't finish them, but sometime after those i got the Italeri F-4S and F-14A+ just before i started riding bikes... That's when i forgot about modeling and, a few years later, while cleaning my room, my mom threw all of them into the garbage bin.. when i noticed they were missing from the shelves, she said i was too old for that stuff... 
So i completely put modeling aside as i was too busy with school, bmx and also, canoeing(i was competing in K-1, single seat Kayak but that only lasted a year or so)...
And after all these years, at the age of 34, i broke my arm at work and, while watching Top Gun again for the 1000th time, i decided it would be a good recovery therapy for my wrist so i bought 5 kits and some glue.
Now, with that out of the way, next entries will be modeling related, i have a few things on my mind and more on the bench at the moment.

[DogfighterZen]

 Ok, this post will be mostly about modeling... It was a good thing that i read that Portugal topic by Geoff on the alternative history sub-forum, as it gave me some motivation to start building the models i want to have in my version(s) of things... 

My idea is to build the aircraft that i've always wanted to see in Portuguese service since WWII. This is probably going to take me 10 years or more but i'm in no rush, i've been building up my stack... Although i still have to buy a few to be able to take it from the beginning, spitfire, hurricane, me-109...
The big problem for me is that Portuguese air force decals are hard to find as only a few companies make them and i think that most of them are out of production at the moment, and on top of that, variety isn't much! I will probably have to learn how to design and make my own decals as i have nobody who can help me with that... If there's anyone out there reading this, that knows how to make them and is willing to help, i'll pay good money!

Meanwhile, i'll be working on a few i've had on the go for a while now but always seem to suspend work because of work... i'm responsible for the maintenance of the outdoor areas (mostly the roads, villas, gardens and pool) at an art and wine estate here in the south of Portugal were we've been having our typical summer temperatures going between 25 to 35ºc... i can tell you it's murder under the sun while cutting hedges and lawns... i've been totally wrecked after work, but, as crazy as it may seem, i really love my job! It can be artistic and creative and as i love nature, i have the kind of office i like! 
We also have farm animals, cats, dogs, wildcats, foxes, warthogs, snakes, spiders and scorpions!! Kind of a small zoo mixed with vineyards and lots'a good wine! 
And to be honest, i also have a great boss, one of the nicest people i've ever met, and he's a millionaire... 
BTW, for anyone interested in a cool place to spend their vacation here in the Algarve, this is the spot:

https://www.google.pt/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.quintadosvales.eu%2F&ei=XPWWVfj4E8n5Utn5gbgL&usg=AFQjCNGtwJnJWiS5TElutCyRxqYuwzUDkg&sig2=LnQAEqg6n5FanMON9nWBOQ

Ok, back to modeling, these are the few on the go at the moment:



- F-16W is awaiting a scribing tool for the panel lines on the wings and some more PSR on the wingroots and tailplanes, the intake and vertical fin fairings are totally shaped and sanded smooth, recently added ventral strakes, still no idea for markings or scheme.

- F-15C that i'm recovering from my stalled/failed builds to turn into an F-15C Silent Eagle,  will probably get a new canopy and definitely a new paint job, markings to be decided.

- Mustang is awaiting suitable PoAF markings for my alternative history scenario and it may be a while 'till i get'em...

- Eurofighter needs paint and weapons, markings to be decided.

- Harrier Gr.9 is waiting for resin gun pods, the kit doesn't have them and as i wanna do a close air support bird, i think it should have at least one gun pod.

- Me-262 is a recovery job i'm trying to do on a kit i gave to a friend's son but he wasn't able to finish it and asked me to do it, i should've remembered what i'd read about the kit, it was too hard for a 10 year old kid who's never done anything like this, even for me. But with lots of patience, i've managed to get it back together after it was almost totally taken apart, i'm using the kit's canopy but it'll be painted black. Filled gaps and it's just lacking some sanding on a few spots, before attempting to re-scribe lost panel lines and rivets, still don't know if it will be finished as a real world or whif.

And so, having a building speed about the same as Gondor's, known as Slower Than A Glacier Moves, which i'll call STAGM for short , who knows how long it will be 'till i finish one...

[NARSES2]

Neat collection on the go 

[Captain Canada]

Thanks for the life back-story ! You guys have a gorgeous motorcycle track ( well, race track, but I love to watch the WSBK race on it ). My mom threw all my models out when I was younger as well. Pity that.....

The collection of models looks awesome ! Looking forward to seeing them come along.

[DogfighterZen]

 Thanks, guys!

Captain, i'm ashamed to say, i haven't been there except for the Rock1 Music fest held there a few years ago.. but i'm aware of the reputation of the track itself. I used to watch all the Moto GP races on tv when i was younger but bmx started to take up most of my time, i gradually lost track of it all but my favorite times go back to Mick Doohan and Kevin Schwantz... About mom throwing the models away, i ended up forgiving her by dinner time when she cooked my favorite meal and dessert...

Well, i do have more unfinished builds but these are the ones on top priority at the moment because they're whifs. I'm really not interested in building real world stuff right now...
Last night i managed to remove and "save" the F-15's canopy, dipping it in Ultra-Pro, an equivalent of Future that is available in supermarkets in Portugal.
It´s now almost as new so that's a bonus, the pilot had is big donkey sanded off as he was sitting to high and having problems looking through the HUD...
Also managed to find some sprue bits that have a very nice shape to be used as bases for the canted fins. I've been googling around for detailed pics or diagrams of the SE's fins but it seems they were never built, i could only find CGI and artist drawings, so i'm scratch-building my own larger fairings.
I've also removed the weapons pylons and center line drop tank so it will be flying in stealth mode.
On the acquisition front news, i can say i'm going a bit crazy... I recently got a personal loan from my bank so i can buy a new car and some other things, but i've also included a modeling budget in the loan amount... Since then, i've been in contact with Yukio Kanesawa From LoneStar Resin Parts and i've ordered 2 sets of DSI intake conversions and 1 of each F-16XL, single and twin seater! These are in my all time favorites top list so i had to do it...

[Gondor]

And so, having a building speed about the same as Gondor's, known as Slower Than A Glacier Moves, which i'll call STAGM for short , who knows how long it will be 'till i finish one...

I'm infamous! Not sure if that's a good thing or not or if its applicable now seeing that I have finished three models so far this year 

Gondor

[DogfighterZen]

Well, you're probably keeping up with the melting speed, which can be seen as both a good and a bad thing, isn't it?
I'm still going for my 2nd, which in fact, could be sooner than i expected. Arrived from work today with my mind set on getting some work done on something and ended up doing a lot more than i expected... not much but did the final sanding on the Me-262, the last bits of putty and CA glue used on gaps are now smooth and re-scribed were i could. It's just so that my friend's kid gets it finished, he really loves aircraft. But that's not all, in whif builds, the F-15CSE has had its fin fairings shaped and glued in place and then the fins went on with, what to my eyes seems close to the 15º angle of the proposed setup for the real bird, although i think that they're sitting a bit forward of the original position. I'm opening a WIP for this one on the current projects section so further updates will be posted there.

[DogfighterZen]

 How's it, Folks? Pretty hot around here... beaches are busy and traffic is slow...  
So, as i recently got the loan credited to my account and went on a shopping rampage, at least for my normal spending habits...  
In reality, the conditions were gathered as everything else in life is taken care of and has been going well. As i needed a lot of stuff besides a car, why not make it time to have a better equipped working bench... or maybe i should get one of those first?  



In the pic above are already delivered items.
From Portuguese shop BIGCAT Models, were a set of 4 tweezers, drils 0,5mm to 2mm, mini razor saw, panel line engraver, sandpaper, Dragon tri-grit sanding sticks and Micro set. In this order were also included two kits, Revell's 1/72 Alpha Jet and Meng models 1/72 G-91R, and 4 corresponding Santa Cruz FoAP decal sheets.
Also bought a "portable" vise at a local LIDL, which is very useful for all kinds of chores, it has a rubber lining on the clamp and on the base, but that one forms a suction area when you turn the handle on the side, it sticks to the table like an angry octopus! I believe it's solid enough for almost any modeling related hacksaw work. Loctite CA, 3M masking tape and cutting mat came from the local Staples store, the mat is A4 size but enough for the occasional bench/kitchen table. I do have plans to buy a desk that fits the space reserved in the hut. 
Also received 5 other FoAP decal sheets for various aircraft, 4 Colorado sheets from Kitmania Portuguese shop and an older sheet from a Portuguese company "Atelier 43" which, i believe, is closed by now, it's almost impossible to find anything about it on the web.
From my LHS, another 8 Tamiya paints, including the SEA scheme FS equivalents, Vallejo airbrush thinner and their equivalent product to Micro set/sol and finally, a 1/72 Airfix F-86F.
The Alpha Jet, G-91 and F-86 are the variants used by the PoAF so, in a few years these will be built as real world models.
Different story for the Hasegawa AV-8B Harrier II, bought on the bay from YourmateUK, from whom i bought another kit just yesterday, a 1/72 Academy F-16CG/CJ mainly for the weapons, landing gear and canopy but i'm sure the rest of the kit will be useful some day...
Other whif related orders have been placed, including Pavla 30mm resin gun pods for the Harrier Gr.9 i'm building in Portuguese service, a Matchbox Alpha Jet for, probably a one seater, combat capable variant, a bunch of upgrades including photo-etch for the Hasegawa Harrier, an F-16 canopy from Rob Taurus  and Orion F-16 fuselage reinforcement plates for a real world PoAF F-16AM block15 i wanna build in the future, but i've read these are out of production so might as well get'em now.
And finally, the first 1/48 model i'm buying cause i really wanna build it, the Kinetic F-16E Desert Falcon... I say the first because i already bought a P-40 and a Spitfire in 1/48 on an ebay Monogram joblot because it had the only 1/72 F-16XL selling at the moment. As few of you may have noticed from my posts around here, i'm a Viper fan...   to the Mighty Viper!!  
But this will probably also end up in a whif scheme/markings/nationality. Maybe finish it in Have Glass type scheme with PoAF Lo vis markings... http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee65/Scorchi0/HaveGlass2_zps91ef3b8d.jpg
Some may find it boring but i just think it's the sexiest thing...
Still, after all the stuff bought, there's still so much stuff i can think of but i'm getting down to the last euros of the amount reserved for this madness and won't be buying anything modeling related for at least the next 6 months...

[DogfighterZen]

And now for a modeling related post...
I've been catching up with my country's history, reading a lot and now that i've got a bunch of FoAP decal sheets with the suitable markings for WWII time period Portuguese aircraft, i decided it's the time to let it loose!
This is going to kick start my idea for one alternative history course, where the Portuguese dictator Salazar stood by the Allies and joined them in the war in 1941, as Churchill invoked the Anglo-Portuguese alliance for use of the bases, airfields and harbors in Azores islands. After changing his mind and ending all relations to Nazis by conceding the use of the island's military bases to the Allies, being against Hitler's anti-Semitic ideals, Salazar decides that Portugal should be involved and help the Allies in the war. Further details to be added when the model is finished.

[NARSES2]

Interesting idea Zen, looking forward to what comes from it 

[DogfighterZen]

Interesting idea Zen, looking forward to what comes from it 

Thank you! I've been at it today and made a little progress on the first aircraft of my alternative history's PoAF. I'll be posting some pics soon.

[Old Wombat]

And now for a modeling related post...
I've been catching up with my country's history, reading a lot and now that i've got a bunch of FoAP decal sheets with the suitable markings for WWII time period Portuguese aircraft, i decided it's the time to let it loose!
This is going to kick start my idea for one alternative history course, where the Portuguese dictator Salazar stood by the Allies and joined them in the war in 1941, as Churchill invoked the Anglo-Portuguese alliance for use of the bases, airfields and harbors in Azores islands. After changing his mind and ending all relations to Nazis by conceding the use of the island's military bases to the Allies, being against Hitler's anti-Semitic ideals, Salazar decides that Portugal should be involved and help the Allies in the war. Further details to be added when the model is finished.

Wonder if this wouldn't have tipped the scales in favour of Spain joining the Axis fold?

[NARSES2]

And now for a modeling related post...
I've been catching up with my country's history, reading a lot and now that i've got a bunch of FoAP decal sheets with the suitable markings for WWII time period Portuguese aircraft, i decided it's the time to let it loose!
This is going to kick start my idea for one alternative history course, where the Portuguese dictator Salazar stood by the Allies and joined them in the war in 1941, as Churchill invoked the Anglo-Portuguese alliance for use of the bases, airfields and harbors in Azores islands. After changing his mind and ending all relations to Nazis by conceding the use of the island's military bases to the Allies, being against Hitler's anti-Semitic ideals, Salazar decides that Portugal should be involved and help the Allies in the war. Further details to be added when the model is finished.

Wonder if this wouldn't have tipped the scales in favour of Spain joining the Axis fold?

I don't think so. Franco was more concerned with consolidating his control in Spain. External conflicts so soon after such a divisive Civil War are probably not conducive to that. I think a reinforced Blue Division is as far as he would have gone

[DogfighterZen]

Well, i read that Salazar did have a few meetings with Franco to get him to not join the the Nazi side in the beginning of the war. Churchill later wrote Salazar thanking him for his efforts to prevent the war extending into the peninsula. Franco was also held back because of the reasons Narses2 mentioned as his generals advised him not to. Later during the war, there was the Iberian pact signed, saying that Portugal and Spain would fight together any invading army.
Franco wouldn't go to war easily but that is one of the possibilities i'm considering, one path, Franco joins the Axis and Salazar goes with the Allies, another would be Salazar going with Hitler too...

On the plastic front, i've finished one!

[DogfighterZen]

Just a teaser... I'll be posting more of it with the backstory in the current and finished projects section later on.