Navy Bird Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 (edited) Hi mates, Even though I guaranteed I would do better in 2015 than I did in 2014, I ended up with only four models completed in 2015. So much for my guarantee! Unfortunately, reality struck once again as I not only moved into the second phase of my cancer treatments, but my wife had four surgeries on her right eye. Thanks to God and Western Medical Science, I killed a lot of cancer cells and my wife's vision was saved. I think these two results, even though they took away from my time at the workbench, are the most important results from 2015! I retired on June 5, 2015, with the hope that I would be able to spend more time with my hobbies. That didn't happen, and not just because of the medical issues. I found out that playing with the grandchildren is a lot of fun! My oldest even built her first Airfix kit this past year, with very little help from me. If things can settle down on the medical front, perhaps 2016 will find more than four new models in the Navy Bird display case. But if not, as long as I'm still on this side of the grass and able to enjoy the family, so be it! So on with the four completions from 2015: 1:72 Brewster B-339E Buffalo Mk.I (completed in February 2015) Special Hobby This is essentially an out-of-the-box build, but that's because Special Hobby provides a beautiful set of resin detail parts so you really don't need much aftermarket. The only parts that weren't in the kit are the photoetch seat harnesses, photoetch landing lights, aerial wire, and a vacuform sliding canopy. Gotta love the tubby little gal...even though the kit had the "mother of all gaps." The link above will take you to the RFI page where you can see all the improvements and corrections that were made. 1:72 Vought F-8J Crusader (completed in April 2015) Academy The Crusader has always fascinated me, since it's such a dichotomy. Winner of many aerospace awards for technical achievement, yet a very dangerous aircraft to fly based on its accident record. Known affectionately as the "Last of the Gunfighters," yet it achieved the overwhelming majority of its combat kills with missiles. Nonetheless, it looks the part - it's menacing yet graceful, both important attributes of a fighter jet. In its day, many Naval Aviators preferred the Crusader to the Phantom II, and that says a lot. Follow the link above and you can see what improvements and corrections were made. (Yup, the strange alignment of the 'winders on the launch rails above is accurate.) 1:72 McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II (completed in July 2015) Hasegawa I have a confession to make. I hate grey jets. Really. But I like pointy planes that go fast. What to do? Find colourful prototype, retirement or anniversary schemes and just say no to low viz! So that's what I did. I built this for the F-4 Single Type Group Build here on Britmodeller, and I don't think I have to tell anyone about the history of the Phantom. The link above will take you to the RFI page, where you can see the improvements and corrections that were made. And a family portrait with an F-4EJ Kai from a previous Britmodeller Group Build... 1:72 Fairey Firefly FR.I (completed in mid-January 2016 - but started in August 2015, so I think it belongs here!) Special Hobby This early mark of the Firefly is part of a dual build that I started last summer. In addition to the FR.I, there is a TT.4 but it isn't quite finished yet. I started them both at the same time, but the TT.4 is taking longer since I decided to fold the wings, which required a lot of scratchbuilding. I expect it will be done by the end of January 2016, so I guess it will take its place in next year's Complete Waste of Time. The FR.I is essentially an out of the box build, but nicely detailed thanks to the resin and photoetch components included in the kit. (Yes, the ASH radar pod should be pointing down like that. It angled slightly downward so the radar could clear the prop arc.) Well, that's my pathetic output for 2015. Maybe if I finish the Firefly TT.4 in the next couple of days I'll add it to this group. After all, five months of work was expended in 2015 on both of the Fireflies. We'll see how it goes. I wish I could show some pictures of cancer cells being terminated with extreme prejudice, but I haven't found any yet. Rest assured that's one hobby I really enjoyed doing in 2015! Cheers, Bill Edited March 11, 2018 by Navy Bird Photobucket Eradication 30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Belbin Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Well, Bill for all your trials over the year, that's still three kits more than I managed to do!! I doff, as they say. Nick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Those jets are beautifully done. I remember the F-4 from the groupbuild, but that's the first time I've seen the F-8. It's one of the best Crusaders I've ever seen. Great work. Al 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Superbly done Bill and great photography too! Good to hear the big C getting a kicking too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blogs On Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Such lovely and high quality work Bill. It is far from pathetic! ( it's also twice as much as mine!) I hope 2016 continues to be a year improvement for yours and your dear lady's health. With many more years of playing with grand kids and making models. Regards Darren 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Here's to a happy and healthy 2016 Bill. The number of builds don't matter at all, as long as you have one going at all times for us to follow. I've enjoyed your build threads greatly, and always learn a lot along the way. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Maybe not as many as you'd hoped but everyone is a little gem! Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Great to hear you're making medical progress and killing cancer cells Very nice high quality modelling too, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Great builds as always Bill, each backed with a tutorial disguised as a wip! I've probably pinched more ideas & techniques from your builds than from anywhere. And I now know what wall paste is! Hope your health, and that of your good lady, continues to improve. Here's to a happy and healthy 2016. Edge 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 HI Bill. Superior modelling skills on display there - even though it's only on four - they are of such high quality! Hope you and your wife have a happy and healthy 2016! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate your comments and the very kind words. I think 2016 will be a big improvement over 2015, particularly on the medical side of things, but also with the modelling. The Firefly TT.4 is nearing completion (just finishing the painting on the outer wings, gear doors, etc.) and I'm looking forward to that. I've been working on the Fireflies since last August, and whenever I work on anything that long I get really anxious to start the next project. My next project will be a resin kit of a prototype aircraft that only flew for 43 hours before being destroyed in a landing accident. No other examples of the aircraft were built as the project was cancelled. The build will be a bit out of the ordinary for me, as I haven't sprayed this colour combination in well over two decades. I hope the paint bottles aren't dried up! Cheers, Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blogs On Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I'm intrigued. I will await with baited breath as to what the next master class will reveal! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 You might only have produced four but what a fantastic four! Congratulations on a successful 2015 (on all fronts) and all the best for 2016. Enjoy your retirement too. Duncan B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skids Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I would not call 4 awesome builds a complete waste of time. If I had those 4 to show for a year I would be over the moon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Here's to a happy and healthy 2016 Bill. The number of builds don't matter at all, as long as you have one going at all times for us to follow. I've enjoyed your build threads greatly, and always learn a lot along the way. Can't say it better than Cookie did, on all counts! (nothing wrong with doing four kits per year, anyway - that's my average! ) Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Well done Bill, a lot better than my meagre output, which i'm still trying to find... Love the F-8. Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basket Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Hello ! I discovered this topic through giemme F-4 J thread, and I was telling myself : what a sense of humour and an interesting pseudonym ! Let's go and see what the guy builds ! And to be honest I really like your birds ( especially the cruze ), congrats to you ! I wish you and your wife all the best for 2016 with HEALTH on top ! One last word : my average is 0.5 model a year ! ( and 1/48 only ! ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedders Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) Bill, your stuff is always inspirational. Although it's not my kind of thing, your F-8 just took my breath away. Justin Edited February 27, 2016 by Bedders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Beautifully crafted build's all of them Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts