Gimme Shelter

Hi there - this is particularly nice and well thought out. I have just purchased the IMAI 32cm long T2 kit and was considering building her dropping her pod as you have depicted here. Having had a quick shuffle through my kits box contents, I can see that although smaller, your version of T2 is by far a nicer moulding and more accurate in shape. Very nice indeed

I can't believe its now been 13 years or so since I first started to follow this build - and I admit that I have been distracted a number of times over the years however an annual check-in to see how you are getting on is quite incredibly refreshing - not to mention mind blowing. Modellers like you keep Evergreen in business !

What an enjoyable project to ponder through - 'Perfect Grade', yep been there and got the T shirt with Bandai on their so-called 'Perfect Grade' Star Destroyer (and later on this kit too). My memory of their perfect grade ISD being a ton of childish obsessive fixated notes poorly translated from the manufacturer about the ISD ( I think they actually believe that ISD's really exist in real life and that Japan may one day get a deal from the Empire to convert one of their car factory's to building the real thing) and a load of electrics that were either not long enough to connect, confusing notes (if you can't read Japanese) and a load of redundant connectors - not to mention that you also have to take the kit completely apart to replace the battery once its flat. I am probably a bit late to the show here but I too also built this kit as a commission - the rear cockpit bulkhead was clear and I simply overlaid the decal - when backlit, those 2 x LED's turned the cockpit into an array of detail lights and switches. Having built this kit and the 3ft studio scale Diagostini parts-builder Falcon, I can really appreciate the effort and hard work you are putting into your kit - and shall look forward to seeing more from you soon Good luck, and May the Force be with You, always....

A quick update below - test fits of the Sub and back wall. I have built and fitted the crane too but don't have any photos yet as its setting up against a set square. I have a ton of HO & N gauge scaled fencing and rails being used here, ladder etc. Once the back wall is primed and painted/weathered, I'll go about fitting the railings etc and the signage text. One of the photo stills I took showed a yellow dinghy in the background behind Stingray, so this was added just prior to the last pouring of resin. I have some AK transparent water effects for the water surface ripples to also add to the resin base

Over a week in to May now and still no sign of that wretched book I've ordered so I've stuck to the launch hangar and spent my spare time for modelling the resin base and continued work on the hangar back wall. My calculations were pretty much spot on - after 3 separate nights of individual kit pouring of AK Resin Water kits (375ml each), I am now just one more level (1 extra AK kits worth) of resin pouring away from completing the water base. The fish I ordered along with the vents and pipes from Renown Gaming seem to be working okay so far too - I felt I had to include them as Stingray was pretty much always zooting about the screen surrounded by fish of some sort - or being chased by the Terror type. I have managed also to burn off any bubbles that appeared while pouring the resin, however I noticed 2 white dog hairs trapped in between the 1st and 2nd levels of resin which has really Pi*sed me off. Alclad candy bottle green seems to have worked too not the best of pictures below due to a reflection of a picture on my garage wall but this is where it presently is, prior to the last level of resin going down tonight Depending on what your are watching the scenes on, and the quality/resolution of the display you view with, the hangar scenes are very brief and seem to have been shot from only 2 angles. Two of the best I could capture below gives a good idea of what I am trying to replicate. The detail around the crane varies - some scenes show the crane extended and some show the aperture below the crane with open or closed gantry doors. I have some old Airfix Pontoon bridge side railings to use for the crane build stage.

That's a lot of money if it gets caught being smuggled in the house by the Mrs.... but its worth a try!

an interesting conversion / topic to take on as a new project I have picked up that same kit a few times from the shelves of Timeless Hobbies and erred and put it back, always wondering what the box contents may turn out to look like, and this conversion will be very unique.

Top marks on all your hard and so very finely detailed hard work there Are you aware of these trinkets from LACI https://laci-ltd.uk/en/resin-sets-144/83-boeing-747-400-landing-flaps-revell.html

wot wot wot - you're putting a 747 aside for a C-17? Shame on you mike !

That looks quite superb - and I'm glad about the urge you have to build more civil kits this year if this one is anything to go by Looks stunning Tipp top

Looking extremely complicated there Mike Keep it going - once its painted and wearing her decals, she will be transformed into a very interesting little skypig John

One of the nicest 727's I've seen being built so far - what an amazingly well built model and great justice to your own product. It's looking quite amazing to date. I'm looking forward to seeing her completed

looking very interesting there Eric - what a choice of livery too. I love those resin engine trinkets Good to see you back behind the modelling bench once again too my friend. John

you are the king of scratch and kit bashing - looking particularly interesting, and much bigger now Keep up the great work there

I feel I should apologise for not spotting this thread from the onset - what a fantastic subject and home grown project - I'll enjoy tagging along from hereon