The Gentlemanly Pursuit

[06/24]

I have come to realise that as I grow older, my modelling output is declining in inverse proportion to my years. I have also come to the reluctant conclusion that I own far more kits than I shall ever build, or, realistically ever want to.

So, what to do? I have imposed on myself sort of pre-new-year’s resolution. I shall not buy more kits than I finish next year. Since I haven’t finished a model all 2017 I think, I shan’t be buying much.

Having made this resolution, I promptly failed, since I acquired one of the Aldi bargain Gnat’s, and have ordered some extras (masks, pitot) to help finish it. But it’s not the New Year yet!

I have also realised that I have an incredibly irritating habit of starting build threads and then getting, distracted, bored or side-tracked and not completing them. So, while I shall continue my currently active builds on their own threads, any I start from now on will go here (if its 1/72).

I’ve had a couple of days off work as I have been unwell. Lacking the energy or concentration to model I consoled myself with reading, and an exploration of the stash.

image by jongwinnett, on Flickr

As well as the Gnat, two tentatively started builds muscled their way to the top. Harrier, my favourite childhood fast(ish) jet; Hawk, because one can never have too many; and the aforementioned Gnat. Alongside the royal Apache, I have decided to try and progress these.

image by jongwinnett, on Flickr

They will not be brilliant, but hopefully actually getting on and making something will restore some of my enthusiasm and confidence, which have waned over the past months.

The Harrier had seen the most progress, and the box contained, alongside the Airfix plastic, a Freightdog corrected tail, Master pitot, and decals which should enable me to do one of the No. 1417 Flight birds stationed in Belize (with the long term aim of doing a matching Puma of 1563 Flt)

So this was this evenings gentle warm up:

image by jongwinnett, on Flickr

image by jongwinnett, on Flickr

image by jongwinnett, on Flickr

Hope the idea of a portmanteau WIP is ok, hopefully more progress tomorrow.

[06/24]

Only now I have posted have I noticed the misplaced decal number on the seat. It shall be removed!

[06/24]

There are some rather appealing Harrier/Belize pics on here:

 

https://defenceoftherealm.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/aircraft-gallery-belize-harriers/

 

Looks like i may have to source a 1/72 umbrella

[Procopius]

Commando comic sighting!

[BIG X]

1 minute ago, Procopius said:

Commando comic sighting!

Try this for size...

 

 

... I just got this off Amazon - 656 pages of Commando capers - Battle of Britain stylee...

[PLC1966]

Aaagh, Belize,

this: https://www.ambergristoday.com/content/flashbacks/2014/august/18/when-british-airforce-harrier-jets-patrolled-belize

this: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/4410/appleton-151-dark-rum-bot1980s-litre

this:http://www.belikin.com/

and this: https://ambergriscaye.com/photogallery/110124.html

[Procopius]

3 minutes ago, BIG X said:

Try this for size...

 

 

... I just got this off Amazon - 656 pages of Commando capers - Battle of Britain stylee...

I've been trying to obtain some, allegedly for my boys, but tough to come by in the USA.

[Plasto]

Ye Gods...

 

We we have a couple of those commando collections ANZAC’s and ACTION! iirc... They are great fun.

 

 

[06/24]

16 minutes ago, PLC1966 said:

Aaagh, Belize,

this: https://www.ambergristoday.com/content/flashbacks/2014/august/18/when-british-airforce-harrier-jets-patrolled-belize

this: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/4410/appleton-151-dark-rum-bot1980s-litre

this:http://www.belikin.com/

and this: https://ambergriscaye.com/photogallery/110124.html

What is slightly alarming is that despite never serving in the RAF, and never visiting Belize, every one of those references was familiar to me from my reading on the subject.

[06/24]

17 minutes ago, Procopius said:

I've been trying to obtain some, allegedly for my boys, but tough to come by in the USA.

I dare say I can sort you, ahem, Winston and Grant out with a care package, although it may take a while (we cleared out 06/24 minor's stash not long ago, sorry!)

[Procopius]

20 minutes ago, 06/24 said:

I dare say I can sort you, ahem, Winston and Grant out with a care package, although it may take a while (we cleared out 06/24 minor's stash not long ago, sorry!)

Bless you. I can but offer you the trade goods of my people: abusive tweets, confusing tautological statements, and fried food, but as you live in Scotland, only two of those might be in any way novel.

[Cookenbacher]

You are quite the gentleman Jon.

 

Also, Commando Comics are the best. My favorites are Ground Strike and Ace Without Honour.

[Tempestwulf]

2 hours ago, Procopius said:

I've been trying to obtain some, allegedly for my boys, but tough to come by in the USA.

I must have at least 60+ commando comics still in my hallway cupboard. Still read them, hell, they're one of the major sources of motivation due to their nostalgia.

[06/24]

So today I bought the first items for the @Procopius care package:

 

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

And work has continued on the harrier, which included, a wash and some graphite (pencil) to highlight the fan:

 

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

It didn’t want to close up around the nose, and has needed a surprising amount of persuasion.

 

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Still, once that was done, things have continued apace, although with my usual carnival of gluey thumb-prints etc., all very reminiscent of my childhood builds.

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

You can see the Freightdog tail here – a simple replacement but much better dimensionally, although I forgot to take a comparison shot, sorry.

 

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

And I have now stepped away from the bench to let the glue harden before clean up.

 

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

[06/24]

So, while the Harrier is hardening, and before 06/24 minor needs the bench for his art homework, I grabbed a few moments to start on the Gnat. Reading previous builds on the net had alerted me to some fit issues with the intakes, but forewarned is fore armed and with a little sanding they fitted fine.

 

Gnat by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

The interior is probably best described as minimalist 

 

Gnat by jongwinnett, on Flickr

[06/24]

Why build a Gnat? Well as a small boy growing up in the 1970s, my paternal great uncle lived in a cottage in Kemble. Sadly the only occasion I recall visiting was when my father went to clear the house after he died. I would love to say I saw the Red Arrows that day, but I cannot now, after the best part of 40 years, recall. But I certainly saw them flying Gnats as a child, and even now my mind sees the Hawk as their new jet, even though they've been in use for over thirty years.

 

Gnat by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

The aircraft Airfix has chosen is a survivor, ar Cosford:

 

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gnat/survivor.php?id=836

[06/24]

Some progress. Fit is...challenging...

 

Gnat by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Gnat by jongwinnett, on Flickr

[06/24]

Some references 

 

XR977 by scottspencer2012, on Flickr

 

209:XR977 by David Whitworth, on Flickr

 

208:XR977 by David Whitworth, on Flickr

 

and finally, doing what they did best...

 

Swarming Gnats by Rob Finch, on Flickr

[06/24]

Meanwhile the 'arrier's going to look a bit like this I hope:

 

Harrier GR3 by Andrew Evans, on Flickr

 

Harrier GR3 XZ991 by II AsH II, on Flickr

 

belize_1980 by Jeremy Osborne, on Flickr

 

belize_1979a by Jeremy Osborne, on Flickr

[06/24]

And so to bed. Harrier hasn't progressed since you saw it last, Gnat is essentially complete and ready for paint

 

image by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

and I've made a little progress on Harry's Apache, which I'll post on its own thread

[06/24]

For anyone foolish enough to follow my builds as any sort of instructional manual, I should point out that the Gnat received two triangles of lead flashing superglued inside the nose, in an effort to avoid tail sitting. Without doing this, I fear the CoG would have been somewhere aft the rear wheels, with consequent wheelie tendencies.

[Procopius]

41 minutes ago, 06/24 said:

For anyone foolish enough to follow my builds as any sort of instructional manual, I should point out that the Gnat received two triangles of lead flashing superglued inside the nose, in an effort to avoid tail sitting. Without doing this, I fear the CoG would have been somewhere aft the rear wheels, with consequent wheelie tendencies.

I can confirm that a Gnat sans noseweight looks like it's being piloted by Evel Knievel. 

 

14 hours ago, 06/24 said:

So today I bought the first items for the @Procopius care package:

 

Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Oh my goodness, Jon! You're far too kind to me...I mean Winnie. 

[neil5208]

On ‎01‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 8:45 PM, PLC1966 said:

Aaagh, Belize,

this: https://www.ambergristoday.com/content/flashbacks/2014/august/18/when-british-airforce-harrier-jets-patrolled-belize

this: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/4410/appleton-151-dark-rum-bot1980s-litre

this:http://www.belikin.com/

and this: https://ambergriscaye.com/photogallery/110124.html

Served in Belize in 92/93, The Guatemalan force came over the border a few times so the harriers would do bombing practice in the jungle nearby. They also liked to set fire to the training area with 30mm and rockets every time we where up there as well, so many days were taken over for fire beating! 

Personally familiar with the middle 2 links but avoided the last one, to many horror stories

[Cookenbacher]

Quick work on the Gnat, Jon, it looks great. The Harrier is also looking wonderful in its new resin tail.

[06/24]

Cheers folks. Finished the 'orrible 'ilux this evening but frankly it's crap and I'm embarrassed to add the photos. However, no one ever learnt from just success, so it's all grist to the mill. Only un-photogenic progress on the planes, filling and smoothing, so no photos, sorry.