davecov

Thanks Steve 👍 Dave

Thanks Adrian. 😀 Yes, I did have a good time away and I got home today. Hopefully, I will be able to resume modelling tomorrow. My DH4 build was made for a Scale Models group build and you can read about the build here. My Sopwith Pup build is also on that site. Dave

It has been a while since I posted in this thread but that is because I haven't been spending much on cars, having achieved my aim of having every 1/32 Airfix car kit. However, I couldn't resist another purchase: Airfix 1/32 Morris Marina (03405-0) I already have one in my stash and the price paid for that one was the most I have ever paid for a kit. This boxing was almost £30 cheaper than the other one so I couldn't resist it. As Airfix damaged the original moulds for this kit and it can never be produced again, the price of these kits will increase over time. Even so, I intend to make this one. Dave

At last I can report a bit of progress in that I finally had a CT Scan (colonography) yesterday. After two failed colonoscopies already in the last couple of months, it was a relief to finally get a procedure done. I now have to wait up to ten days to get the results. Hopefully, that will reveal just what is going on inside and they can untangle the web of symptoms caused by a host of illnesses I am suffering. The main thing is that I will know one way or another if there is a tumour, polyps, bleeding within a body cavity or nothing at all. I was also told this week that I may have hypothyroidism. A blood sample was taken for a T3 (Triiodothyronine) test and while I am just in the lower end of the normal range, I will have another T3 test later this year. As for my RA, the flare ups are reducing during the day but night time is still a problem. Still, things are a big improvement on how I was when it was diagnosed last August. I am still waiting for an end to my anaemia so that I can start on the Sulphazalazine immuno-suppressors. I now have the luxury of having just over two weeks without needing a visit to my health centre or the hospital. Aileen and I are going away to Dunkeld next week for a break. It is a place we have been to a few times and by the time I get back home again I should have the results of the CT scan. Dave

I passed my test in a white Mini Metro in 1989 in Portsmouth. The BSM instructor who should have taken me for my final lesson that day, resigned and I had to cope with a strange instructor and an even stranger car. The test had it's moments too. The examiner took me down a back road only for us to be confronted by a dug up road. He told me to turn around in my own time and it wouldn't be part of the test. No pressure then, and I managed fine and he said that I didn't need to do the manoeuvre or a hill start as I had just done them. BTW, he told me about one person who failed his test because he couldn't find his car. It was my mate and he had borrowed a different car for his test but he couldn't remember the make or colour! By the time he found the car, the examiner had to fail him as there wasn't enough time to complete the test! Dave

I haven't done any more work but I have been looking at the Gloss Black Base that I have in my paint store. Here are three incarnations of Alclad 2 Gloss Black Base. On the left is my favourite version and it has been used very successfully over many years. There is still a small amount left that I use for small jobs. These 120ml bottles cost about £6.35. The middle version was Alclad's replacement which cost £3.99 for 60ml, and was the one I used for this Stratojet build. Alclad was sold to Ammo and they produce Gloss Black Base in 30ml bottles. They cost an unbelievable £6.95 per bottle. I have used the Ammo MiG with good results but it is too expensive to use on large projects: When I had the painting issue with this build, I dug out another unopened 60ml bottle of Aclad Gloss Black Base and there is a problem with it. I haven't opened it but a lot of the thinner has evaporated and what remains is solid. I reckon the current opened bottle has started to go the same way and possibly explains the mixed results in the coverage: That is all for now Dave

I continued with the airbrushing but with mixed results. I sprayed the inside of the engine exhausts with Alclad 2 Jet Exhaust (ALC-113) and then sprayed the outside with Alclad 2 Pale Burnt Metal (ALC-104): So far so good but I then hit a big problem when I sprayed the wings and tailplanes with Alcad 2 Polished Aluminium. Patches of crazing have appeared and I will need to sand back, re-prime and spray again. I have had this happen only once before and that was due to a reaction to the last formulation of Alclad 2 Gloss Black Base. Ironically, I still have a small amount of very old Alclad 2 Gloss Black Base that works really well but I don't have enough for painting such a large model. BTW, Alclad recommended grey primer as a base but I always found that I got better results with Gloss Black Base. I guess I should do as I am told in future: One tailplane was fine but the other not so much: A similar result with the drop tanks - one good, one bad. This time I had used Alclad 2 Dark Aluminium (ALC-103) which would appear to confirm there is a problem with the Gloss Black Base: I won't take any corrective until next week as I need to let the paint cure before I start sanding it back. I will now concentrate on the cockpit area. That is all for now Dave

My new Harder & Steenbeck airbrush arrived today: It comes with two nozzles, .28 and .45 mm sizes: This is my fourth H&S airbrush but as nice as it looks, I am going to use my trusty H&S Ultra for this build. I have been using it as my main airbrush for the last 11 years: Priming of the white sections has been done. Although not shown, the white was covered with H130 Satin White: I then masked off the white sections and have applied a coat of Alclad 2 Gloss Black Base which I normally use under metallic finishes: The wings were also done: That is all for now Dave

On my inkjet printer, I always used to set the print settings to the highest quality pictures, use glossy decal paper and make sure that the paper setting is set to Glossy Photo Paper. Even then, if the original image hasn't the highest of resolutions then it will still appear "dotty". I stopped using the inkjet some years ago because it could be a bit hit or miss sometimes and there was the additional fixing of the print afterwards. Dave

More progress to report. The forward interior has been painted with H226 Matt Interior Green: Although I could have installed the rear wheel well after the fuselage halves are joined, I decided to glue it in place now. Just as well, as I needed to add extra bits of plastic card to get the starboard side to match the port side: The wheels have been brush painted and are dry-fitted at the moment: The front wheel bay and wheels. This bay really has to be fitted before the fuselage halves are joined: Front wheel bay has been glued in place: I brush painted the front of the engines although I will probably airbrush them later: Wings, tailplanes and engines were masked ready for airbrushing some white primer. I am not starting on that just yet as I am waiting for a new airbrush to arrive: That is all for now Dave

At last I can get down to some painting. First off were the ejection seats but they still need a bit of fine detail painting and varnishing before they are finished: The twin engines were filled and sanded and all raised detail was removed. They were then glued to the pylons which also had the detail removed from them. The pylons needed a fair bit of work to sit correctly on the pods: The filler around the pylons has been smoothed off with a damp cotton bud: I applied some H81 Matt Pale Yellow to the outrigger doors and the outrigger wheel wells: The main wheel wells and doors have received two coats of H81 Matt Pale Yellow: That is all for now Dave

I'm not sure if they did use the exact same seats but they look okay to me, especially as I don't suffer from AMS. 😉 Dave

Real life has got in the way of this build but I have started work on it again tonight. The fitting of the wheel wells has proved to be a real problem and has required a lot of fettling with a lot of chamfering of the bays. I have found that the front wheel well needs plastic rod either side to give a snug fit in the fuselage. Unfortunately, this means that I cannot fit the bomb bay doors until after the fuselage halves are closed. On the other hand, the rear wheel well fits a lot better if it is slid into position via the bomb bay: I punched out some 10 thou plastic card discs and glued them into the ejector pin marks: I have just received a pair of Wolfpack F-102A Delta Dagger seats in the post which means I can now start on the cockpit detailing: They are quite nice and should look good once painted: That is all for now Dave

I got the information about the regiment from a Star Decals sheet that is on sale on Hannants and covers New Zealand and Australian tanks and AFVs in Africa and Middle East WW2. Sherman Mk III, Universal Carrier, M3A1 White Scout Car, Dingo Scout Car: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/72-A1064 then it was a case of Googling 9th Australian etc. BTW, T21330, is one of the featured vehicles on the decal sheet but camouflaged and without the "Mr Chips". Dave

Last week I had a phone call from the hospital Rheumatology Specialist to say that they were very worried about my last set of blood tests. Not only am I anaemic but my white blood cell count is still very low too. I said that I was having a colonoscopy today (25th) which hopefully, would shed some light what is going on but alas, the colonoscopy didn't take place. Although I had taken the bowel preparation and fasted as directed, the doctor was unable to progress due to not having a clear enough route. As that has happened twice in eight weeks, I said that I wouldn't like to do it for a third time. He said that it does happen quite a lot and he reassured me that they are going to arrange for a CT colonography instead. He said that should reveal exactly what is going on and he suspects polyps or a tumour. An upper endoscopy two weeks ago didn't reveal anything untoward "up top". I can recommence my iron tablets now (had to stop for a week prior to the colonoscopy) which may help my anaemia long-term. Another blood test is scheduled for next week and so the investigations go on and on and on! My RA has almost been forgotten over the past few days but I am afraid that I am suffering a big flare-up at the moment, thanks to the weather. That has limited my modelling time again. Dave