Pellsons Perceivings

[NARSES2]

There is a bridge these days, a BIG one!

I know Kit, which is why I was asking if they get to cross it. I'm hoping to take the train across one year 

[Pellson]

The kids usually prefer the ferry to Helsingør (yes, that Helsingør for you Shakespeareans) as they sell candy onboard. From there we usually just drive across Sjælland to take the next ferry from Sjællands Odde, going directly to Aarhus which is where our relatives live. And ferries are nice, compared to motorways...

[PR19_Kit]

And ferries are nice, compared to motorways...

Absolutely, I used to use them a lot when I was working, back and forth to the European mainland and Ireland like a yo-yo sometimes. 

[Pellson]

The X-Type is often referred to as 'a Mondeo in drag' amongst the more critical car types in the UK, but while some of its bits and pieces, including the platform itself, did come from Ford's Design Office at the time, Jaguar put a heck of a lot of development into it to make it more 'Jag-like'.

They ran it it on our 12 channel simulation rig for WEEKS before signing the ride off, and it felt most impressive when I rode in one.

There's a lot more to the X-Type than the cat callers like to think. A chap called Keith Adams has written a very good article about its development that can be found >HERE<

I like mine a good deal. It's the last Jag with the classic wooden dash giving an unparalleled feeling of old school wealth and class while still being rather anonymous yet elegant externally, avoiding too much attention and envy. Driven properly, it'll outrun anything from VAG and most from BMW on narrow and bendy roads, and it'll do that while granting its occupants a stylishness its contenders never has come close to. 

The wedding is tomorrow, but today, we went to what probably is Scandinavias best historic museum, Moesgaard Museum outside of Aarhus. Usually they feature special exhibitions, this time no exception. The current one is about Viking history in the east, focusing on the Scandinavian ancestry of the Russian empire, trade and economy. Many marvellous finds exhibited and the stories very well told. A great day, and we drove the Jaguar there on the very nice back roads through the beautiful Danish countryside and small country hamlets. A very good day indeed, closed out with the master barbecue of my wife's Danish uncle, supported by beer. Lots of it. And lovely late summer weather.

Now, bedtime, and tomorrow - wedding.

[NARSES2]

The current one is about Viking history in the east, focusing on the Scandinavian ancestry of the Russian empire, trade and economy. Many marvellous finds exhibited and the stories very well told.

Interesting. This side of the North Sea the focus tends to be on the Viking incursions into the British Isles, for obvious reasons, and sometimes into other parts of Northern Europe. The expeditions east are overlooked, although BBC4 had a good programme about the Rus a couple of years ago.

[Rick Lowe]

Many congrats on the upcoming Nuptials, Pellson - hope you are very happy (or continue to be so). All the best. 

[Pellson]

Many congrats on the upcoming Nuptials, Pellson - hope you are very happy (or continue to be so). All the best. 

At the wedding as a guest only. I've been married to the brides cousin for fifteen years now, almost to the day. Not regretting one of those days, btw, even if we've had some debates about the necessity of another kit or two over the years. 

Interesting. This side of the North Sea the focus tends to be on the Viking incursions into the British Isles, for obvious reasons, and sometimes into other parts of Northern Europe. The expeditions east are overlooked, although BBC4 had a good programme about the Rus a couple of years ago.

The Moesgaard Museum is a true jewel for the history buff. You can find their rather nice home page >HERE<. It's definitely worth trip, but beware. You will need more than one day to make it thoroughly.

We wrapped up our long weekend with a day at the Legoland fun park, much to the kids amusement. The landscapes and scenarii they've built up using these small plastic blocks are truly amazing and a pure joy to watch. Also quite fun was the industrial robot arm ride where you could select a number of moves to be made, the speed at which these moves then were performed and then strap yourself in a seat at the end of the arm, riding along. Really good fun, but not for the faint hearted nor the fragile. Asking the staff for the wildest ride possible payed off, I might add. 
Also cool was that the robot hall was decorated with old propeller blades and stuff, and on a very large bigsceen, they ran footage from Buffalo Airways up in Canada, with really nice sequences of the DC6, C-47 and best of all, C-46 Commando. Having an old Williams Brothers kit in the Stash^TM, inspiration came as a slap on the face. 

At the ferry home, across the narrows at Helsingor (Yes, I said "hi" to Hamlet again), the air was still lovely warm and tender, reading 19 C at 22:00 hrs. This morning at home though, there was ice on the windshield.. Not very inspirational at all...

[Dizzyfugu]

As a late side note to the Norm '83 discussions above: Humbrol's 86 might be RAL 6003, but it's rather the WWII version that was applied to German military vehicles in the Hinterhalt scheme. The "modern" Olivgrün is - at least when fresh - a more saturated and darker tone, that reminds a lot of FS 34102 but is a tad lighter. Long ago, Humbrol offered this variant in their Authentic range. However, Humbrol 86 works pretty well on a model with Norm '83 because it offers a good contrast to the darker FS 34079 - similar to contrast problems with the green tones on models with USAF SEA scheme colors, where FS 34102 and 34079 have very little contrast at small scales.

[Pellson]

As a late side note to the Norm '83 discussions above: Humbrol's 86 might be RAL 6003, but it's rather the WWII version that was applied to German military vehicles in the Hinterhalt scheme. The "modern" Olivgrün is - at least when fresh - a more saturated and darker tone, that reminds a lot of FS 34102 but is a tad lighter. Long ago, Humbrol offered this variant in their Authentic range. However, Humbrol 86 works pretty well on a model with Norm '83 because it offers a good contrast to the darker FS 34079 - similar to contrast problems with the green tones on models with USAF SEA scheme colors, where FS 34102 and 34079 have very little contrast at small scales.

Useful! Thanks, Thomas.
Having tested on that scrap Hunter, this is exactly my conclusion re the recommended Hu116/Hu117 hues. Hu86 does give more contrast but at a price - the hue is a tad cold. I might have found the solution in the Revell range, though. Their  designated RAL 6003, the R361, is just a tad lighter than Hu117 but still warmer than Hu86. I think that's where I'll end up.

Revell enamels do dry quickly on the model, though. I wouldn't want to paint larger surfaces.. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Yes, for modern RAL 6003, Humbrol 86 is a bit dull. 

[perttime]

The current one is about Viking history in the east, focusing on the Scandinavian ancestry of the Russian empire, trade and economy. Many marvellous finds exhibited and the stories very well told.

Interesting. This side of the North Sea the focus tends to be on the Viking incursions into the British Isles, for obvious reasons, and sometimes into other parts of Northern Europe. The expeditions east are overlooked, although BBC4 had a good programme about the Rus a couple of years ago.

Vikings also went pretty far south from the Russian area. Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Even North Africa. I remember a film where a bunch of Vikings went back home with somebody who looked like a Middle Eastern or North African warrior.

Obviously, Vikings also raided the Finnish coasts but didn't feel like staying.

[NARSES2]

I must be one of the few people on the planet who has never owned Lego    When I was a nipper my building was done with either Mecanno or some small earthenware bricks which were cemented with white glue, can't remember what the roofs were, but they came with sets of blueprints to build bungalows and two story houses, great and messy fun 

Moesgaard Museum has been duly noted for when I start travelling again next year 

[NARSES2]

Vikings also went pretty far south from the Russian area. Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Even North Africa. I remember a film where a bunch of Vikings went back home with somebody who looked like a Middle Eastern or North African warrior.

Obviously, Vikings also raided the Finnish coasts but didn't feel like staying.

The BBC series covered their exploration of the Volga. I've a vague memory of the film you are talking about and given that Vikings served in Byzantine Armies  (Varangian Guard) it's more then possible that some returned home with slaves or POW's.

I've always found it interesting that the Guard was mainly composed of Norsemen and the Anglo-Saxons they had displaced 

[perttime]

Vikings also went pretty far south from the Russian area. Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Even North Africa. I remember a film where a bunch of Vikings went back home with somebody who looked like a Middle Eastern or North African warrior.

Obviously, Vikings also raided the Finnish coasts but didn't feel like staying.

The BBC series covered their exploration of the Volga. I've a vague memory of the film you are talking about and given that Vikings served in Byzantine Armies  (Varangian Guard) it's more then possible that some returned home with slaves or POW's....

Found the film: 'The 13th Warrior''
Antonio Banderas was Ahmad ibn Fadlan , "a court poet of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadir of Baghdad, until his amorous encounter with the wife of an influential noble gets him exiled as an "ambassador" to the Volga Bulgars. Traveling with his father's old friend, Melchisidek, his caravan is saved from Tatar raiders by the appearance of Norsemen. "

[Rick Lowe]

The 13th Warrior is good, from what I remember - must be just about due for a rewatch...

Narses, I think you're referring to Linka. A set of rubber moulds you poured plaster into, and IIRC there were tiled roof sections, too. 1/72 ish scale.
I never did get around to using mine, I think because I could never find proper Plaster of Paris back then.