hairystick

Superb job! The Perris bird has been well represented. Climbs like a demon as well. "It's got throttles on the ceiling, bench seats down the side, we are all passengers here, on our way to twelve-five" (with apologies to The Eagles' Hotel California)

You have acquired a second Airfix Bucc? I can give you the name of a very good psychologist...

Quite honestly I'd not bother with the hot bath. I have mine together now and simply working around the fuselage join an inch at a time then moving along will get a good result. Just take your time.

not available in deserts (but an entire range of colours & sizes are available and in stock at your local forest)

Space Marines from the movie "Alien"?

Phew! I'm glad that your information had sufficient references to check up on. I attempted looking back through this thread and on the web, but without luck (hence the original comment). This started with a P-51 build where I found out that the rudders of all marks, were fabric covered. Luckily the Spitfires were consistent! Lovely work on that actuating mechanism too. I'm guessing it is smaller than what I imagine!

I had the exact same thing happen with a corgi (dog, not a kid's toy) when I was delivering newspapers as a kid. Horrible excuse for a dog (dunno why Mrs Queen has the damned things) and didn't appreciate a swift boot. It didn't return and that has been my only bad encounter with dogs ever since.

I find Porsche drivers really get upset... Absolutely hilarious fun.

Peter, that rudder looks superb indeed! I have been wondering for a little while about the elevator trim tabs though. Are these metal or fabric covered? I would have guessed metal since they are so small.

Oi! First rule of bath mat club is you don't talk about bath mat club!

Ha! Yes, Sydney isn't really cold in winter. You also get less rain than Auckland... The right hand side console should have a sidestick much like in the F-16s. I was fascinated to find this out when I built a 1:72nd kit then went and watched some flight videos of that era. It was quite a few years ahead of its time considering that the F-16 was still around 20 years away! I look forward to seeing your progress on this kit. Keep up the great work.

Very nice work and in 1:48th too! Glad that the epoxy co-operated when separating the surfaces and re-gluing them. Some times you can get a "winter hardener" which copes better at setting the resin (no use what so ever when the adhesive is past its use-by date though.) Also, is there a side stick joystick on the right side of the cockpit?

Nice to hear that you are getting into it. That book is referred to as "the bible" in one of the Hellfire books, which are a modern approach to Brit helicopter warfare in Afghanistan. Ed Macy, Apache & also Hellfire. Both good reads.

Nuclear explosions are quite unintelligent, and would easily be fooled by that. They hate corners almost as much as Harley Davidsons. A wee dit about a "discussion" a few years ago. I was in Sydney Australia and the Bathurst 1000 race was on, so managed to get a train ticket. This event attracts quite a crowd and police were on the train to keep an eye on petrolheads of all types. Australian police are armed... A gaggle of chaps boarded together and proceeded to set up in the seats facing each other so that there were all eight of them looking at each other and proceeded to while away the hours playing cards by combining 2 packs of cards. The game progressed with loads of banter, cards being slammed onto the tables and much laughter. At one stage the three male cops came through the carriage on their rounds, and when they had passed the card players there was a call of "THREE QUEENS!"... The last cop froze in place, his hand moved onto the butt of his revolver and slowly turned around to face the card players, where one of them had just proceeded to turn rather pale! The chaps eyes opened into huge saucers and he very rapidly said (in a slightly higher pitched voice) "NO! The cards!" and rapidly picked up the cards he had just played, to prove his point! The cop didn't move for a second or so, then there was a very small hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth and a quick wink of the eye before turning back around and moving on. The whole carriage had been silent all that time and only when the three of them had moved into the next carriage did a huge amount of laughter emanate! Point was made by the plod, everyone had a good time and the day was uneventful. Law and order throughout (well, apart from the regular larrikins on the top of the mountain...). Great place, Great Race! One of the three best racetracks in the world.

Just remembered another hat I wear. Carbon fibre which the entire head goes into. Comes with an accompaniment of leather and motorcycle! It was mentioned by a southern American chap, that the term "redneck" relates to people (of all ethnicity) working hard-graft in the fields bending over tending to crops. It is not a derogatory term in that part of the country, but interpreted differently from outside the area.