Pellsons Perceivings

[Rick Lowe]

How do you cut the rebates for the hinges Mr P?  The traditional way with hammer and chisel or do you use a power tool?
I favour doing it by hand (sic) having been taught how to many years ago by the best boss I have worked for.
It can be a very restful process.

Actually - and this might shock you - I don't. My hinges are salvage from the old shed this is intended to supersede, and they are hand made back in the 1950's by a local blacksmith, and made to sit on the outside of the wall and door.

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Another reclaimed part is the old lock, with a proper handmade key.

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I actually had good fun fitting that, not least the cutting of a proper keyhole. No cheating here, using the shield to cover up a big oval hole, or two big drilled round holes.

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Annoyingly, a thunderstorm appeared just as I'd fixed the second lock to the second door. Hence no possibility to hand that door today. The first one works a treat, though, and speaking of hammer and chisel - after having drilled out the general shape of the slot for the latch, I use hand tools to finalise it.

It's pretty satisfying building things like this, and making them work. While some may say that screwing structural beams together rather than using nails, or even older wood locking technology, doing it this way is fast, easy and allows for easy correction, should you c0ck up. And you inevitably do that, once or twice. Also, it does get sturdy enough, and considering that my dads old shed lasted 51 years, this, being sat somewhat higher from the ground, and using properly impregnated wood for the bottom frame, should last my time, and maybe even my children's.
Still, it looks much like the old shed, thereby adhering very well to the other buildings on our land, and by using these old hinges and locks, it actually looks as if it's sat there since the 50's, together with the main building. And that's a good feeling.

This is a classic example of re-use,  and I'm delighted to see it in practice. It provides an  impressive feeling of  continuity in a time of  instant self-gratification and short-termism. To re-use high quality ironwork is a task that needs a great deal of standing and looking at...............and cups of tea.

Agreed, all points!

Nice to see the old stuff being reused - if it's still doing the job, no need to replace it.  

[NARSES2]

and dad, while being a white collar worker for most of his life, always had a very practical approach to design and construction. If it works, it's good. If it looks nice too, it's excellent. But if it looks good but doesn't work, then someone'll have to start over again.

Not a bad motto for life as a whole   

[Pellson]

Ah, weekend! Having worked my first full week after four consecutive weeks off, I really have to say I'm not that enticed any more. Just give me the money and i promise I'll shut up and stay out of the way.. 

Anyway - I'm feeling the itch to do something but can't really decide on what to do. As usual, there's probably too much too chose from to really focus, but maybe due to the rather recent MiG's I've added to the Stash^TM, I've come to look into unit allocations etc of the Soviet/Russian AF, and with that, I just might be feeling the arrival of some lust to build Evil Forces.
This weekend, however, we're moving in stuff in the new shed and celebrating a birthday for a couple of friends, but maybe, just maybe next week..?

[NARSES2]

Just give me the money and i promise I'll shut up and stay out of the way.. 

That's basically the deal I got some 15 odd years ago 

Anyway - I'm feeling the itch to do something but can't really decide on what to do.

You know what they say ? If you've got an itch, scratch it    Enjoy the celebrations 

[Pellson]

Another weekend - and no modelling. Instead, most of the time and energy available went to visiting a concert in Stockholm on Saturday evening. As it is a few hours drive one way, the entire affair consumed most of the useable parts of that day, and as I have limited energy resources due to fatigue, most of Sunday went to just recuperating. But still a really nice event, both as such and as we were able to go the entire family. That's a first, our youngest not having been old enough until now. So definitely worth it, despite still feeling somewhat hungover.

Following up on my Evil Empire itch, I actually took a significant dive into the Stash^TM to dig out some Russian Air Force models. In particular, I was looking for a rather ancient Sukhoi Su-9 (Cooperativa) that I knew was in there, and while chasing that, I found both of my Su-15's (Amodel and Pioneer, respectively) as well as a Yak-28P (also Amodel) and a Su-7BKL (KP). As most of you probably know, the Su-7 and Su-9 are very closely related, almost to the point of being similar aircraft with different wings. That is also quite evident when comparing the model fuselages.
While at it, I also had a closer look at the two Flagons. The Pioneer, while being quite nice and simple from a construction perspective, does suffer from grossly incorrect air intakes, and the difference to the Amodel kit in this aspect is quite evident. However, I suspect that some judicious PSR could possibly at least camouflage the worst failings should one want to go down that route, but dry fitting a little bit just to get an impression of size and shape, I might have a better idea for that kit. We shall see. The Amodel one will however become Russian, as it looks now. One really needs such an aircraft to sit beside the Flogger and the Foxbat, methinks. And the Firebar, of course.

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Dry fitting somewhat on the Yak was a fun exercise as well. I wasn't quite aware that the Yak is such a small machine, relatively. It's very much in the same neighbourhood as the Flagon. In my mind, I had it closer to the Foxbat, I have to admit. It's also a very, very elegant machine, and it looks to be good fun building it, despite the Amodel standard not really being anywhere near modern kitmaking. But as I'm raised on 1960's Airfix kits, I think I'll be looking forward to getting on with it anyway. Maybe that's the kit to kick off the mojo? Looking at it again, I think I'd like a recce version as well. I have to keep my eyes peeled on the 2nd had market for that. Amodel did produce kits of bombers, EW and recon Yaks as well, in addition to the interceptor. Hmm..

Well - I'll probably have to work a little tomorrow as well, but I might just dig some interior paint out. Maybe.

[kerick]

Do you have a Tu22 in the stash? Possibly for a diorama.

https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1693251657734197556/photo/1

[frank2056]

You have to approach any AModel with the knowledge that you will need to do plenty of trimming and sanding to get surfaces to mate and that you will have to make some sort of wing spar to support the butt joint wings... or if the wings have tabs, to modify the tabs so that the wings fit roughly in the correct position.

With that mindset in place, AModel kits will build up into nice representations of the original plane.

[Pellson]

Do you have a Tu22 in the stash? Possibly for a diorama.

I do have a Tu-22 (Blinder), but no Tu-22M (Backfire). Obviously, that can be remedied, and as I have a Tu-22M2 Backfire B (Esci), I would probably like a Tu-22M3 Backfire C as well sometime. There are a few Trumpeter ones on the local Evilbay as we speak, but funds.. Not to mention storage.. 

Re the diorama - you would think you could do with a nose and a cotton puff for smoke, but according to the proprietors of the airbase where this event took place, the Backfire in question only suffered "minor damage", so maybe not.. 

You have to approach any AModel with the knowledge that you will need to do plenty of trimming and sanding to get surfaces to mate and that you will have to make some sort of wing spar to support the butt joint wings... or if the wings have tabs, to modify the tabs so that the wings fit roughly in the correct position.

With that mindset in place, AModel kits will build up into nice representations of the original plane.

I have yet to embark on an Amodel kit, but I believe you do have a fair point. That said, many other makers, especially short runs, are the same or worse. I have built a few KP/Cooperativa kits f.i, so I hope I'll be good. I'll keep you posted.. 

[zenrat]

A Model Yak 28 fought me all the way but I think I won in the end.
Yak-28RR by Fred Maillardet, on FlickrYak 28R WIP 17-10-17 01 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Yak 28R WIP 17-10-17 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Yak 28 WIP 18-10-17 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Yak 28R PDRV 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[Pellson]

A Model Yak 28 fought me all the way but I think I won in the end.
Yak-28RR by Fred Maillardet, on FlickrYak 28R WIP 17-10-17 01 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Yak 28R WIP 17-10-17 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Yak 28 WIP 18-10-17 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Yak 28R PDRV 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Great job, Fred! 

[zenrat]

Thanks Mr P.
I have another in the stash but i'm not up to tackling it yet...

...give it a few more years to recover from the experience of the first one.

[Nick]

I have an Amodel Mig AT sitting half done in the stash. I lost patience with it a few years ago because it was so fiddly and nothing seemed to fit where it should. It's rather telling that there are no build reviews to be found online.

I might look at it again in the next few months.

[Pellson]

Well - I have actually cut some plastic again!

Having had a proper look-through of the Soviet parts of the Stash^TM, I felt an urge to start with the old Cooperativa Su-9 Fishpot B that has been sitting in there for at least fifteen years. The Fishpot is a rather overlooked interceptor, only ever having been used by the Soviet PVO, but it is, actually, a rather impressive machine. The kit, however, isn't ideal. In particular the nose looks much too narrow, and maybe even a little bit short. Looking at the quite closely related KP Su-7 Fitter sprues, the fuselages are almost identical, but looking at photos, the Fishpot is supposed to be both wider and somewhat longer up ahead. And to soothe some potentially racing minds - yes, I'm aware that the Su-11 Fishpot C is yet another and different aircraft, being even longer and fatter forward.

Anyway, checking the kit, the Cooperativa plastic is actually very, very nice to work with. Solidly cast, with the Airfix kind of soft, tensile plastic, it's really nice to handle and cut. Accordingly, I expect modifying the nose will be a rather simple affair, actually. However, the part breakdown leaves something to be desired. The cockpit is to be built from a multitude of flat parts, even splitting the seat in three. Hence, some preassembly is required before detail painting, and this is something I'm not really too enthused with. A never-ending sequence of shaking and stirring paint tins, painting for five seconds just to reseal the tin and clean the brush. And then all over again from the start, just with another hue. Having seen this, I decided to take a closer look in the KP Fitter as I, quite rightly, suspected a similar design. Oh yes, it is..
To mitigate somewhat, I then decided to build these two Sukhois in parallell. That way, the annoying painting sequences should be a little longer and at least twice as useful. And having concluded that, I realised that the Amodel Flagon also sits right in front of me, with a nearly as annoying cockpit design and definitely the same paints to be used. Best to let that tag along too. And having decided on that, the next Amodel kit, the Yak-28P Firebar, suddenly looks so lonely, so I decided to let that join the club as well. The more, the merrier, right?
The result is that I'm now sitting at my table, happily cutting, sanding and testfitting away while trying to keep the different parts to their designated kits. It is a bit crowded, but so are the best bars, methinks, so I'm making do.

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Also, this is giving me a quite nice opportunity to compare different kits/kitmakers. As said, the Cooperativa plastic material was a very positive surprise, as was the sturdy locating pins and matching holes, fitting so well that most main parts actually can be snapfitted together. However, some internal parts, such as the ridiculous engine exhaust representation did not fit at all, being too large. Some sanding later, however, and after a little snapfit aided testfitting, it works our rather well. Detailing is engraved, and quite finely so, but the cockpit part layout and design.. Hmmm..

The KP Fitter is, as said a very, very closely related kit to the Cooperativa Fishpot. That said, there are some major differences. Tha casting is not at all so sturdy, rather being a little on the thin side. Also, there isn't anything even remotely looking like locators, leaving the modeller totally unaided in aligning different parts. Well - I'll glue in a few shims in the fuselage before mating up surfaces, I think.
Also, flash is much more evident, and the panels are of the raised variety, in sharp contrast to the rather nicely performed engravings of the Fishpot. The part breakdown is, however, all but identical, meaning the same annoying seat construction also here.

Finally, the two Amodels.. Well, they're a very different story indeed. While the parts look quite good on the sprues, at least the ones you can see behind all flash, the plastic (a yellowing dirty white material) is so brittle so it is nigh on impossible to cut any parts off the sprue without breaking it. And then you haven't even started cleaning up flash and spruegates.. Also the lack of fit is compulsory throughout. NOTHING fits! On the other hand, we're supposed to be modellers, right? In my book, that means that you should be able to make things fit. Or even build some parts on your own, should the need arise. At least if you're past your first fifty models.. And, most importantly, once you've made stuff fit - it does look the part!

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But these two interceptors will be a chore..

Oh - and for anyone wondering about the Flogger corpse to the right in the photo - it's to donate some parts to a MiG-23BN build I have had in my plans for a while now. Mainly, the intake splitter plates.

[Pellson]

Well - in the end, progress has been a bit limited. I only managed to get a little black paint on some details before life interfered, but in a good way. An old friend unexpectedly popped by, and one that I haven't seen in too long. A most lovely surprise!

Some time also went to investigate cockpit colours. That famous Russian teal is elusive and I suspect I'll have to mix something on my own as I can't find anything even close in my paint drawer. Or maybe a trip to the LHS.

But - I have actually gotten started! Some more painting tomorrow, perhaps, and then maybe some real building. 

[Old Wombat]

Hope this helps;

GSI Creos' Mr Hobby/Mr Color 391 = Russian/Soviet Interior Turquoise Green (Solvent-Based Acrylic Paint)

AMMO by Mig Jimenez's A.MIG-223 = Interior Turquoise Green (Acrylic Paint)