Hope's Sword (4 x Eduard 1/72 Spitfires)

[Killingholme]

12 hours ago, Procopius said:

I forgot to do anything with the rudder of the clipped-wing IXe, so I'll probably have to break it off and paint it white and do an Israeli LF.IXe, unless one of you knows of decals for an LF.IXe with clipped wings, no Invasion Stripes, and no Sky band. I painted a Sky band on the IXc late, which means I can't do the USAAF Spitfire, since it didn't have one. I'm a mess. I'm all over the place today.

 

You could go Soviet...? (I mean from a modelling perspective, rather than in any sort of Flynn/Sessions kind of way...)

 

Will

Edited March 2, 2017 by Killingholme

[Procopius]

6 minutes ago, Killingholme said:

 

You could go Soviet...?

 

I have markings for one, but I'd have to repaint the tail.

[Killingholme]

1 minute ago, Procopius said:

 

I have markings for one, but I'd have to repaint the tail.

 

In Russia, such considerations are not considered insurmountable.

 

Will

[Procopius]

Just now, Killingholme said:

 

In Russia, such considerations are not considered insurmountable.

 

 

In the Soviet Union, it takes a brave man to not repaint the tail. 

[Killingholme]

Just now, Procopius said:

 

In the Soviet Union, it takes a brave man to not repaint the tail. 

 

Well, if you number yourself amongst such 'brave' men as Solzhenitsyn, Shalamov, Stajner...

[Procopius]

45 minutes ago, Killingholme said:

 

Well, if you number yourself amongst such 'brave' men as Solzhenitsyn, Shalamov, Stajner...

 

I've often wondered what I'd do if I lived in the Soviet Union. Probably get fired from Krokodil, best-case.

[TheBaron]

1 hour ago, Procopius said:

Probably get fired from Krokodil, best-case.

Those guys would have struggled for pace on Twitter I feel...

‘To reach any rottenness/And to stir rot without any mercy,/So that the NEP sludge does not flower,/And is not rotten./Here is the task of the Red Crocodile!’ 

https://ejournalscambridge.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/krokodil-digital-archive/

 

Not forgetting the executive aircraft of course:

[Procopius]

On 3/2/2017 at 2:33 PM, TheBaron said:

Those guys would have struggled for pace on Twitter I feel...

‘To reach any rottenness/And to stir rot without any mercy,/So that the NEP sludge does not flower,/And is not rotten./Here is the task of the Red Crocodile!’ 

https://ejournalscambridge.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/krokodil-digital-archive/

 

The archive is one of the many reasons I wish I could read Russian. Humour (and the justice system) under totalitarian regimes always fascinates me. I may be the only person on earth who enjoyed Night of the Generals.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Procopius
Night vice Knight, Jesus.

[Sprueloose]

Thank you for that Baron! 

[The Spadgent]

Eight pages in one sitting (almost) we have spitfires, tantrums, houses, hedgehogs, artistry, reality, dents and haircuts! I ran out of likes half way through but had to make it this far. How did I miss this? Great work PC, I find one build at a time enough fun for one human soul, you have FOUR this time. Seems too much fun for any human. ( I guess you're worth it though ) 

super impressed, keep it up bud.

 

Enjoying those, lovely stripes by the way.

 

John.

Edited March 4, 2017 by The Spadgent

[Procopius]

Sorry for the lengthy delay in updates, chaps. I've been more than a bit worn down, and a little depressed (today was the 19th anniversary of a profoundly adverse event that radically altered my life for the worse, and I'm always a little edgy around the lead-up, plus the world is terrible and everything I care about seems to be constantly teetering on the brink these days), but good news, Mrs P is off of her anti-miscarriage drugs, which means I sometimes see her awake after about 8 PM. Very exciting. Also more ultrasounds today, and we saw Protoprocopius Mk II doing parkour in the womb, so that was nice. As Mrs P wants a girl (and like Queen Victoria and anything but victory in the second Boer War) will not contemplate a boy, we've tentatively agreed on a name: Violette, after M. Szabo of George Cross fame. There is power in a name, I like to think, and so I'm glad we've agreed on one with a solid provenance. 

 

In any case, after a very, very, very long day (we spent five hours running errands and in the car), I managed to make myself a Horse's Neck, which as you know is brandy, ginger ale, and some Angostura Bitters so that you feel like you're getting use out of that pricey little bottle. 

 

Fig.1: The relaxant

 

By the time I finished this, on an empty stomach and with perhaps a rather overgenerous helping of brandy, it's safe to say I felt a sense of immense and placid well-being. Time passed, slowly. After a while, it stopped passing and I leaped into action.

 

I masked the tail of the LF.IXE and sprayed it white:

 

20170304_224659 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

Blammo:

 

20170304_224859 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

So money.

 

I guess I'm building a Soviet Spitfire, then. I have mixed feelings about this; I don't like bullies and I don't like Spitfires having to wear Stalin's colours, for the same reason I'm in no particular rush to build a Rhodesian or Apartheid-era South African Spitfire, but I suppose the Soviet Spitfire IXs were doing what Spitfires do best: protecting people. The one we're doing here defended Leningrad from Luftwaffe bombers, and you can't go wrong there.

 

I also finished up the gear door covers for the Invasion Stripe'd Spitfire:

 

20170304_234748 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

I missed a tiny spot, but if you say anything, your family will be in danger. 

 

Now it was time to do one of my least favourite parts: masking the wings to do the damned leading edge yellow bits:

 

20170304_231342 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

This takes forever, is no fun, and has a high potential for error.

 

20170304_234735 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

I think it went more or less okay this time.

 

Happy Birthday to the Spitfire! It's March 5, and 81 years ago today, she first took to the skies. 

 

"Now Pallas Athene gave Diomedes, Tydeus’ son, strength and courage to prove himself the finest of the Argives and win glory and renown. She made his helm and shield burn with unwavering flame...Such was the fire that streamed from his head and shoulders, as she thrust him into the heart of the fight where the enemy were strongest."

-- Iliad, Book V

 

 

[CedB]

Happy birthday Spitfire!

Great job PC, especially on the LE stripes - lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely, one for each (sounding a bit like a Valley girl now... ah, memories.)

Glad to hear Protoprocopius Mk II is doing well.

[Stew Dapple]

Your Spitfires are looking beautiful Edward

 

... and you made me laugh out loud at 07.00 on a Sunday, congratulations

 

The Soviet Spitfires were still killing Fascists, or at least guarding against them. If I ever get round to starting on my Royal Class set I'll be building the VVS option for one of them, and not just for a bit of variety to the markings

 

14 minutes ago, CedB said:

Glad to hear Protoprocopius Mk II is doing well.

 

Seconded. I trust (and believe) Mrs P's legendary determination and focus will result in a girl, Violette is a very beautiful name even without the heroic provenance.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[HAMP man]

Brandy in a plastic cup????? Another one of Obama's fiendish plots, no doubt.

 

Seriously Stunning Spitfires

 

Box on

 

Strickers

[The Spadgent]

Excellent paint work.

Excelent Mk 2 news.

Excellent drink!

 

pretty damn Excelent if you ask me. 

 

John

 

[Procopius]

5 hours ago, HAMP man said:

Brandy in a plastic cup????? Another one of Obama's fiendish plots, no doubt.

 

It's glass, I promise!

[HAMP man]

Bauhuas glass eh?

 

Oh the irony

 

LOL (as I believe the youngsters write)

 

Strickers

[Cookenbacher]

Three cheers (and four Spitfires) for Violette!

[Niles]

On ‎3‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 1:37 PM, Procopius said:

 

The archive is one of the many reasons I wish I could read Russian. Humour (and the justice system) under totalitarian regimes always fascinates me. I may be the only person on earth who enjoyed Night of the Generals.

 

No, Mr. P, you're not the only one.  I both read the novel and saw the movie with Peter O'Toole as General Tanz and enjoyed them both.  I saw the movie in 1970 when I was in the Navy with several of my friends and it fed our resentment and frustration with the absurdities of military life.  I frequently returned to reread portions of the novel until my copy mysteriously disappeared.   And when I was refreshing my German back in 1987 prior to a trip to Germany I was struggling through the novel in German. 

 

I've read a number of Hans Hellmut Kirst's novels besides Night of the Generals.  The major German characters in his novels about wartime Germany generally fall into three classes.  There are the Nazi stalwarts and true believers like General Tanz, the opportunists, sycophants, and enablers exemplified beautifully by General von Seydlitz-Gabler who are often more dangerous than the believers, and the resisters like Grau and Kahlenberge.  I liked Kirst's work.  He was also brilliant at depicting the backstabbing and duplicity of office politics.

 

Oh, thinking about humor under totalitarian regimes, yesterday I was thinking that for liberals when faced with uncontrollable situations humor and satire are the refuge, and for conservatives in such situations refuge is found instead in threats of hellfire and eternal damnation for their tormentors.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Niles

[TheBaron]

Your last post is a most happy one in all respects PC. Increases in Clan Procopius and in Quality Spitfires both raising a smile of fellowship on this side of the Atlantic.  (You'll have to pretend that they're Horse's Necks.)

Tony

[Procopius]

9 hours ago, Niles said:

I saw the movie in 1970 when I was in the Navy with several of my friends and it fed our resentment and frustration with the absurdities of military life.

 

That must have been an incredibly interesting point in history to be in the navy, though I imagine that probably wasn't your feeling at the time. Were you on a ship or ashore?

 

9 hours ago, Niles said:

 

I've read a number of Hans Hellmut Kirst's novels besides Night of the Generals.  The major German characters in his novels about wartime Germany generally fall into three classes.  There are the Nazi stalwarts and true believers like General Tanz, the opportunists, sycophants, and enablers exemplified beautifully by General von Seydlitz-Gabler who are often more dangerous than the believers, and the resisters like Grau and Kahlenberge.  I liked Kirst's work.  He was also brilliant at depicting the backstabbing and duplicity of office politics.

 

Well now I feel uncultured -- I've only ever seen the movie. I gather the book differs rather a bit from it.

 

9 hours ago, Niles said:

Oh, thinking about humor under totalitarian regimes, yesterday I was thinking that for liberals when faced with uncontrollable situations humor and satire are the refuge, and for conservatives in such situations refuge is found instead in threats of hellfire and eternal damnation for their tormentors.

 

I think in a general sense that's true, though I might suggest powerful and powerless for conservative and liberal, since the latter two words are so loaded these days. The powerful aren't really in a position to joke about the state of affairs they've created, so all they've got are threats, whereas the powerless can't do anything but joke. Well, until they get some Spitfires.

 

Speaking of, no real work on them tonight. Another long day, totally devoid of the relaxation I was promised (not that I believe these promises anymore now), so all I did was some brush touch-ups on the sky bands. Winston jammed a car key up my nostril, and in that instant, my mind expanded to encompass the entire universe and I had a fleeting glimpse of the cosmic plot before it collapsed back in on itself. This distraction probably saved his life. Toddlers are a delight.

[TonyTiger66]

8 minutes ago, Procopius said:

Winston jammed a car key up my nostril, and in that instant, my mind expanded to encompass the entire universe and I had a fleeting glimpse of the cosmic plot. This distraction probably saved his life. Toddlers are a delight.

 

This made me laugh and cringe at the same time !

 

Maybe he's preparing himself for a future career in the SAS ?

 

Violette is a lovely name and it's good to hear Mrs. PC is doing well and may see a little more of the evenings.

 

After you gave me the information that I shared my birthday with the Spirfire yesterday, I went to see one at the Australian War Memorial. 

 

Truly beautiful close up. As are your models close up on my screen . The Leningrad protector is a good choice.

Nice work on the leading edge yellow stripes. These worry me, immensely and regularly  .

 

Brandy for you, nice. I'm nursing a little hangover, having put a little dent in a bottle of 10 year matured Glenmorangie last night.

 

Regardless of that, here's a 'hair of the dog' 'cheers' to ProtoProcopious II  .

 

All the best

TonyT

 

[Procopius]

6 minutes ago, TonyTiger66 said:

Nice work on the leading edge yellow stripes. These worry me, immensely and regularly  .

 

I hated them, but then I got some Tamiya flexible tape, and now I merely despise them. It just requires some careful and tedious masking and a reliable bottle of yellow.

[John Laidlaw]

21 hours ago, Procopius said:

I managed to make myself a Horse's Neck, which as you know is brandy, ginger ale, and some Angostura Bitters so that you feel like you're getting use out of that pricey little bottle.

 

I had, surprisingly, never heard of this drink! Off I went to Wikipedia-land... the drink has its own page, and sounds lovely. It also has this line:

"Author Ian Fleming, in the 1966 book Octopussy, describes the Horse's Neck as "the drunkard's drink"."

 

It will be mine...
 

[CedB]

3 hours ago, Procopius said:

Winston jammed a car key up my nostril, and in that instant, my mind expanded to encompass the entire universe and I had a fleeting glimpse of the cosmic plot before it collapsed back in on itself. This distraction probably saved his life. Toddlers are a delight.

 

He's driving now??!! If not, my crystal ball (fnaar) foresees a "Darling, have you seen the car keys' and a tittering Winnie in your future...

Toddlers are a delight? Like your Spitfire exhausts, I like the irony.