Angus Tura

Thanks @HarryHobbyin. I think you'd have to say it's a keel, but i hadn't thought about that either. Alan

Hi. This is now painted and ready for decals and a bit of detail painting. I agonised over what colour to paint it. The instructions just say light grey, and dark grey for the sensor-ball. I've ended up just leaving it in Mr Surfacer 1500 grey and I think it looks about right. The panel lines, of which there are pleasantly few, have been done with an 0.2mm pencil and then the whole glossed with Mr Color super-clear gloss with a tiny drop of the Mr.Surfacer to take down the panel lines a bit. 3D printed resin bits are in AK grey primer and Mr Color C306 and Alclad pale burnt metal. Alan

Hello, These have been repainted but still too little contrast, so this is actually a third go. The VLS base has been resprayed with Mr Color C031, dark grey, and the missiles with 50:50 C073, aircraft grey and C311, FS36622. Then the panel lines done with a new toy, a Pentel Orenz 0.2mm pencil: The top missile has been over-sprayed with Mr Color super-clear gloss with a tiny bit of grey in it to reduce the panel lines a bit and the flying one at the bottom is the right way up, as it were, and the top side is glossed with no grey in the varnish. I didn't try the pencil-panel lines on a camouflaged aircraft before and I'm not sure if the panel lines will show through a fuller coat of darker grey. If not I'll redo the pencilling after the top side colour. I'm going to try out various greys on the top sides of the wings till I find one that contrasts enough. Thanks for looking, Alan

That is looking very good, Mike. I note from the packaging that it is only about half the age of your recent Samurai... That banner would certainly take a bit of painting! Alan

Thats lovely on all levels, Mike. Grief is the cost of love. Alan

Now this i have not seen before! Great subject. Alan

Happy new year. I painted this 1/16th Insomnia Miniatures bust in the Christmas Blitzbuild and thought that, by now, I would have put it in the gallery here also. I painted it not least to try out W&N metallic oil paints. They are great but I've been surprised to find that they dry a lot matter than they go on and they're a good deal less sparkly after 2 weeks drying. Photographing this is really beyond my skills. These are, left to right, the figure two weeks ago in my camera's "original" and "auto" settings; and then the figure now in the same light conditions and camera settings. Via the camera I think it actually looks a bit better now than before. So, I hope you believe me. I'm going to spend a happy session with higher highlights and deeper shadows in a couple of days, and touch up the plinth a bit. See you later. Alan

I am looking forward to this, Ian. Great subject. Alan

Certainly up for this. Please add me on. Alan

Very nice Tom. I love how "busy" it looks. Alan

Happy New Year. I always like an extension but this one is particularly welcome. I love making drones not least because there is no cockpit. This one has instead, however, the supercharger intake which needs to be painted before assembly. It also asks for a lot of weight in the nose. I noticed that the nose gear leg is covered in photoetch and I couldn't figure out why the detail on that hasn't just been molded in. I hope it will serve to make the nose gear strut more rigid, to stand up against all the lead-shot in the nose. I've painted and assembled the propeller to make it easier to make a painting-handle on assembling the fuselage. After all the blitzbuilding going on, it's a relief to take a photograph without my watch! See you later. Alan

Just the last few bits. I think this brace-like thing might be for catapulting. These are a lifting hook, and a tiny, even in 1/16th pitot. The pale grey a the front of the port wing join is a bit of magic-sculp epoxy putty, which is the only putty used. There have been quite a few bits with sprue melted into joints as a filler. Alan

I thought it was usually early May BH, as opposed to Easter. I see that this year its Easter. Could it be a 4-day BB @Enzo the Magnificent? That is, add on Good Friday? I do think the NYBB is a good idea but because of you English-types lack of a 2/1 BH, I hope it wont be at the expense of the Christmas Blitzen. Sorry to DNF the inaugural one: i might as well start as i don't mean, but am likely to, carry on. Alan

Hi. Here is the last picture, from an entry in the new New Year Blitz. I lost a whole day to Hogmanay party prep or it probably would've been OK. A great little kit, I should say, but limited-run and in need of a little love. The airframe is complete but the wing/fuselage joints need a bit of attention. There are two injection molded details which are a little hatch and, I think, a pitot. The 3D printed bits are very nice but will need a little detail painting. All a bit much for a blitzbuild-minus-a-day. Alan

I think that's 7, in answer to the gallery question. That looks great Adrian. Gold star for the Fulmar canopies. Alan