Pellsons Perceivings

[Pellson]

I have a set of closed weapons bay doors from a Meng F-102A kit if your interested.

Thanks, mate. Can I have that option open? I'll give putty a try first, as I've already begun.

[Gondor]

No Problem

Gondor

[Pellson]

And now - something entirely different.

Last summer, Swedish/Kurdish indie pop singer/songwriter Laleh celebrated 40th birthday (I can't believe she's already 40!! How old does that make me?!) by arranging a birthday concert in her hometown, Gothenburg. She's a favourite of mine, and not only of mine, but of my daughters as well. A somewhat strange lady, Laleh, not entirely living in the same world as the rest of us, she nevertheless writes unique and very very emotional music.

Anyway - this weekend Swedish national broadcaster SVT re-sent the concert on telly, so we're rewatching it from home. It was indeed a magnificent concert. 40'000 people in other audience, and every single soul singing every word for almost two hours. E-v-e-r-y word!
Many, many texts are really close to me, mostly so perhaps "Vårens första dag" and "Some die young". The latter, Laleh performed in Oslo at the memorial for the Utopia terror killings, an unforgettable and resoundingly touching moment indeed, forever tying that song to the event, so on hearing that (again), I can't quite keep it together. Neither then nor now.

Adding a link if someone else has a few drops to spare. Don't forget to connect the better speakers/earphones.

>> Laleh @ the Utøya memorial concert <<

Well - I'll try to dry up and get back to plastic. This just ain't doing, is it?

[NARSES2]

It's amazing how music, and a good book, have the power to do that. Shows our humanity   

[Pellson]

Actually got the faulty wheel bearing off the long Defender this afternoon, just to find that
A) it's so badly collapsed that it's taken EVERYTHING with it.
B) despite checking and double checking, I still got the wrong stub axle. Cock. Then again, it's a Landy. What did I expect?

Regardless of above, it actually carried us home and I am now convinced that I easily can mend the bl00dy thing myself as I got everything off. Not too bad after all.

On a more interesting subject, I have managed to PSR those weapon bay doors into submission on the first of my two Super Deuces, and celebrated that by glueing the wing to the fuselage. That makes the last major glue joint sorted, leaving only tanks and some minor stuff as antennae and the usually last-to-go-on (since I alway break it) nose pitot. Not bad!

Tomorrow I might actually get to painting! 

[Pellson]

PSR-ed the 2^nd F-102D tonight. Almost done. This casting seems to be of a later date than the first one. The plastic is more blueish and there's significantly more flash on the pieces. And, obviously, the fit is a little worse.
Also, interestingly, the plastic seems to bond a little slower with the Revell Contacta glue I'm using. Strange.

As Dutch Dave said - I've re-puttied the fin, hopefully for the last time now. I'll sand it tomorrow and then we'll see. I need to shim in the wing as I did on the first one, but once that's done, it's glue-the-wings time again. And then, it'll go fast.

This one is headed for the Aegean ghost scheme, and as the Greeks have multicoloured drop tanks as well, I'll leave these off until painted. The Danes did not, hence the tanks went on immediately on the first Super Deuce.

This means there's not that much construction left. An antenna on the spine. That pitot tube. And then paint and decals. And I've even written a backstory! A quick one!

It's moved unusually fast to be me, but it feels good. We'll see if I even can complete at least one of these planes without pause.

[Pellson]

Finally got my thumb out buying decal fluids. That old Hasegawa F-102 sheet will need some reinforcement, and I'll be looking to decal soon. Better get it ASAP

[NARSES2]

Also, interestingly, the plastic seems to bond a little slower with the Revell Contacta glue I'm using. Strange.

Some older plastics do behave/react differently that's for sure. Even when it comes to something as simple as sanding or cutting. Undoubtedly our resident chemists will have an answer 

[PR19_Kit]

Just as I found with trying to meld the ancient Lodella DC8 fuselage with the more modern Airfix Concorde for the Conroycorde. Very frustrating.

[Pellson]

Completed - well, complete enough to paint - the 2^nd Super Deuce today and promptly began googling Aegean Ghost schemes. I'm having a good feeling about this too, despite the somewhat worse fit than the first one.
Have also started to paint the Faroese F-102D. So far, just the belly and the tanks, and they'll need a second coating as well, but it's really moving on. And I like that a lot!

I also dug out my Six from the depths of the Stash^TM, but stowed it again. While it looks like another quick and cool job, I didn't get that tingle it takes to hit the ground running. Next time, maybe.

The loss of Robert/Kitnut 617 hit me a bit, I have to admit. While my own illness has taught me that there's no such thing as living forever here, I'm also beyond doubt convinced that what we call death is a transition. Not an end. And that is comforting, despite all else. I'm looking forward to continuing the whiffing in Robert's (and the others) company on the other side. Who knows what scales and tools one might work with then.. 

[PR19_Kit]

I suspect that ALL scales work over there, but you can bet that Robert's still only working in  his fave 1/72. 

[Pellson]

Painting. Not my favourite stage in the process, but having built (and loved) multicoloured Matchbox kits from an early age, you quickly realise you HAVE to paint.

Anyway - both Deuces have gotten two out of three main camouflage hues on. Neither will make do with one coating only. Bugger..
That Greek Aegean Ghost scheme looks to become quite nice on the big delta. Grey, but still a bit colourful, like the German Norm 81. Just need to find some Hellenic decals.. 

Speaking of the Norm 81 scheme - I have a few German planes built but left hanging because I can't seem to close off the backstory. Annoying. I have a great concept, but I fear I'm over complicating things, making it hard to complete. I might just post some pics and return with the backstory as and when I sort it. Shall mull on this.

And speaking of Matchbox kits - I have to admit I like them, trenches and all. Like the Matchbox Voodoo. Building the Super Deuces, I couldn't help but dig out an old Voodoo that I think I built before I moved out from my parents. I never really took to that USAF-ADC scheme, though, so why not fresh it up a bit? And playing around with it, I suddenly realised that back in the day, I had turned the main canopy backwards - and it fit! Well - that's corrected now.. 
Also looking for an alternative scheme and even maybe owner, and in that process, I stumbled on Dizzy's lovely RF-101J from two years ago or so. Which, even if it's a Monogram/Revell rather than Matchbox kit, really looks great. Which, incidentally, made me want to build my own take on that. Well - I'll need another Matchbox Voodoo for that, which I don't have. Cock..

[Pellson]

As described in the Super Deuce thread, some progress there. I'm on the roll, it seems, and thats a great feeling! Unfortunately the long Landy still isn't. Ah, well..

I also decided on remaking the old Matchbox Voodoo as well, while on the interceptor theme. Entirely new weapon setup and a new owner incoming. Good inspiration from Dizzys recce bird and now I'm quite looking forward to see it take shape. Painting is a proper PITA, though. I like the result, but the process - not so much.

Weekends tend to be more family biased than modelling biased, so short term progress is uncertain. I hope to get another coating on the Danish Deuce tomorrow anyway, and I think I'll decide on the Greek being worn or new. Chris's excuse is most often mine as well, but this time... I don't know.. Further comments over at the appropriate thread are still welcome.

I also don't know what to make next. I kind of wore myself out a little bit on the German theme, so maybe I won't do the Foxbat now as i had planned. That elusive backstory is nagging me and I don't like that. This should be pastime only, and a good 'un too. Maybe I'll just rest it for a while instead and see what turns up next spontaneously.

But now - Kip time.

[Pellson]

I have a set of closed weapons bay doors from a Meng F-102A kit if your interested. Kit that TF-102 conversion set is horrible, saying that I have got no further with the small Greek company resin TF-102 conversion .

Gondor

PSR has emerged successful, so I'll let you keep your doors, Alistair. Many thanks for the offer, though.

Otherwise, not quite in the mood today, so I'll just post the odd already built German aircraft to see if that cheers me up.

[Pellson]

Well, that all out Luftwaffe assault lifted me enough to paint a couple of Deuce radomes and some dark grey on the Great Dane. So far, so good, I guess. I've also found another actual photo of a Voodoo with underwing stores, so now I've marked out for pylons. So that's good too, i suppose, even if it would have been even better if I'd sorted the pylons all together. But it's been one of those days, hasn't it?

It's pretty outside despite the cold, but I really could do with spring now. February seems such an unnecessary month right now. And March too, if we're going down that road. But the dog likes the noise his paws makes when he steps on frozen grass, even if he needs his polar jacket not to shiver into the next dimension. Stupid little bugger.

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Well - tomorrow's looking the same but greyer. Maybe that's my cue to sort some pylons.