Knightflyer's flights of fancy and mental musings

[Knightflyer]

So here we are, a New Year just beginning, an old year just done (with apologies to John Lennon!)

It seems a good time for a review of what's just been, and I'd be interested to hear how other's felt their modelling year went, and look forward to comments and queries regarding mine

Well from a modelling point of view the year started badly. I packed my modelling away for Christmas 2015 as my modelling area (aka the dining room table) was needed for a big family Christmas Following that and due to my attention being focused on my daughters wedding and then my son's early in the year, I didn't start modelling again until April 20th  All together I didn't do any modelling for 4 months of the year and barely modeled in two. Conversely compared with last year December this year has my busiest modelling month

I started 17 models and finished 16 (1 of them a carry-over from 2015, three still to do!)as I normally aim for 30 models a year you can see it's not been the best year modelling-wise 

However 7 of the 17 were whiff models, and I am grateful to 'The Power of Whiffery' for relighting my mojo. I probably wouldn't have got restarted until much later in the year if it hadn't been for Whiffing 

So here's to 2017 !

[kerick]

Wow that's busy! Carry on!

[Knightflyer]

Well it says something when you go to write in your own blog and you get a
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message! 

So not a brilliant year really, but I felt I ought to put something down

Not sure how many models I've done this year, or how many I've bought, although I think both are down on last year    &

I have managed to sell some kits as well - probably about 0.5% of the amount I need to sell!

Anyway - 6 kits on the go at the moment - 4 real-world and 2 whiffs

5 are ready for decaling, conversely it's all the latter kits awaiting completion of the first kit of the bunch I started - a more complex Valom kit 

Still if I cat get the grass mowed quickly this weekend I should get some modelling done - and the log-jam dispersed

For the record

1) Valom Bristol Buckingham (RW)- propellers + canopy to fix in place, touch-up painting and decals
2) Airfix Spitfire 19 (RW) - decals
3) Hasagawa Mustang (RW) - decals
4)Airfix Spitfire 22 (RW) - canopy + decals
5) PM Fury (WI)- decals
6) PM Fury 'Hamsin' (WI) - decals

Here's to the weekend! 

[Knightflyer]

Well the weekend is here and 'work' on the Buckingham is proceeding ......it may even get finished! 

Slightly concerning thing is that in addition to the six kits listed above I found that I'm actually working on a SEVENTH one as well - not saying that I'm getting disorganised...but!!! 

So the additionally 'found' kit is an Airfix Sea Hawk ...another real world build.

I think therefore I have enough to keep me busy and happy over the weekend! 

[Knightflyer]

So no "What-If" modelling done over the weekend - but completing three "Real-World" kits means I'm a step closer to working on my two in-progress "What-If" models

Also updated / amended / tidied my Modelling database - still shows me I've too many kits - but I will get rid of some soon....ish

Make's me wonder what I'm going to do with the several (6+) FROGspawn Sea Venoms I have - some ideas came to mind whilst I was editing / musing

Sea Venom drone (yellow/red paint scheme a la Sea Vixen) or target towing (black/yellow stripes - light grey uppers?)

[PR19_Kit]

Sea Venom drone (yellow/red paint scheme a la Sea Vixen) or target towing (black/yellow stripes - light grey uppers?)

Al of the above. 

[TheChronicOne]

Good to see ya!! Sounds like some real progress has occurred, now time for the whif progress!! 

[Knightflyer]

Well quite a good weekend of modelling

However all of it was real-world, whilst not in itself a bad thing does mean no further progression with any whiffery

The two Sea Fury whiffs are sitting on the shelf, and it's the mental block I'm having with them that made me turn back to real-world builds - so as it stands at present my modelling bench (aka the dining room table) has the following on it or near it

1) PM Fury (WI)- most of the decals applied, but I'm not happy. Used Ventura Seafire decals and the finished look is just not right

2) PM Fury 'Hamsin' (WI) - awaiting decals, just not sure to go blue/white/red or push the boat out and go blue/red roundels - plus i need to research serial numbers and secondary markings

3) RS Models MB-152 (RW) - wings and fuselage assembled
4) Chemetic Martin Maryland (RW) - wings attached to fuselage, filler to be applied (lots of it!)
5) Matchbox Tempest F.6 (RW) - wings attached to fuselage, engine section to be assembled and added to fuselage

Please feel free to comment or query  - the stimulation keeps me going! 

[Knightflyer]

Blimey - was it really November when I last posted on here?

Well as it's the last day of the first half of the year and there is the RAF group build coming up I'm trying to mentally reset the clock here

It's been a rather mundane first half of the year, and the fact that models (1) and (2) above are still in the same state probably says something about how things have gone.

So I'm desperately trying to finish models off here before starting on stuff for the group build, it won't happen today, but hopefully this week will see completion for a clean sheet start next week.


One thing I must say before returning to the modelling table - I'm just completing the Anigrand Vickers Valiant as a camouflaged XD818 and I've found it a pleasure to build


As before - Please feel free to comment or query  - the stimulation keeps me going! 

[Knightflyer]

Well yesterday didn't progress as well as it might, mainly because I've misplaced all my British black letter/number decal sheets 

I know I'm untidy but the Roundels and white letters are where they should be, so I'm REALLY annoyed at my own untidiness!  x2!!

So now modelling has to come to a halt whilst I do an open-ended tidying job until I find the sheets.


I did finish the real-world Anigrand 1/144 scale Vickers Valiant though....so there was a positive!

[NARSES2]

I have a fondness for Anigrand as well 

It's amazing when you lose something what else you find that's long forgotten whilst looking for it 

[TheChronicOne]

Hope you find them quickly. I remember one time I was looking for some and they were in a random-ish kit box. I remembered after the fact that I put them in there because it all came in the mail at about the same time. Otherwise, there was no reason for those decals to be in that box. Moral of the story... check places you might not want to. lol

[Knightflyer]

Hope you find them quickly. I remember one time I was looking for some and they were in a random-ish kit box. I remembered after the fact that I put them in there because it all came in the mail at about the same time. Otherwise, there was no reason for those decals to be in that box. Moral of the story... check places you might not want to. lol

That is pretty much the situation  I think the last time I used them was probably April LAST YEAR!!! on the Supermarine Spiteful I did, where and why I put them somewhere other than where I should have done is lost in the depths of time. I've looked in the possible places, now I've got to look in the impossible ones  !

[TheChronicOne]

Oh man, them's the pits. But hey, like you said, if you get an organized work space out of it, then at least there's that. Sometimes that's all you can do... just start cleaning up and organizing and going through each, and, every, little, thing.   


All I can say is.... better you than me!        I went through it earlier in the year and decided to just re-do the whole shooting match. It took about a week and a half but I got everything much better organized and freed up a ton of space.

[Knightflyer]

Well I think my mojo has melted!


I've just gone and sat at my modelling table, picked up a couple of models that are on-going, handled them, looked at them, and then put them back on the shelf 'cos the urge "just ain't there" 

So this is the current state of play as it stands


1) PM Fury (WI)- started 30/09/17 Well  I used Ventura Seafire decals on this and was unhappy with the finished look. I've now removed the originally applied decals and used Xtradecal Pacific Fleet ones. It now looks much better, I just need to wait for replacement black serial numbers and letters (see above!) and it'll finally be finished.

2) PM Fury 'Hamsin' (WI) - started 30/09/17 still awaiting decals (from at least last November!) , I think I'm going to go with blue/red roundels - I've an idea which squadron markings I want to use but I still need to research serial numbers and wait for those replacement serials

3) Great Wall 1/144 Avro Vulcan (RW) - started 01/02/18 detail painting and cockpit 'canopy' to add, plus the decals - it was this kit that I've just had the mental block with. So close to finishing, but miles off still 

4) Airfix Beagle Basset (RW) started 10/02/18 another one that I should be able to just pick up and finish, but it just isn't floating my boat!

5) Pit Road 1/144 TSR.2 (WI) started 18/02/18 nearly done - just waiting on those ruddy serials!

6) Hasagawa Grumman Wildcat  (RW) - started 28/04/18 I started this one as a 'quick fix' get me started on modelling again - not to self, any aircraft with invasion stripes IS NOT a quick fix!

7) Airfix Fiat Falcon/Finch (WI) started 16/06/18 another quick-fix, and this almost was, if it wasn't for those missing serials!  I could have left it until the start of July and it would've fitted into the GB nicely. I may yet get out the other (or is it two?) Fiat G.91 kit I have and do it for the GB.....when I've got these kits finished!


So there you have it. Since September I've started 13 kits and finished 6. I used to reckon on 3 kits a month ....I must be slowing down in my old age! 


Please feel free to comment or query  - the stimulation keeps me going! 
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