FG2Si

I like the classic grey as well. The black autonomous Andromeda with the skull and bones is kind of cool too. My least favourite is probably the carrier versions. I also have this set which will let me do one of each.

I built this when it first came out. The original stand will hold it but I always found it a bit tipsy. As for the transparent aluminum one, I'm not sure and your concern about the paint getting scratched when you put it in is valid.

The patrol cruiser would.have been great. A fairly sleek design.

Time for a bit of paint. I started on the red lower hull using Gunze's Yamato Red then realized that I should probably pre-shade it a bit. So I did some pre-shading with the same colour adding a couple drops of black to it. Then back to the base colour. I'll finish in the morning and then continue with the build.

My first real try at lighting a model is the Max Factory 1/20 Strike Valkyrie. I started it in the Go Large or Go Home GB and I've gotten two parts glued together... Still trying to sort out the lighting for that so I know what you mean.

No, I couldn't do that. She lets me indulge in the hobby generally without complaint. I think she's just more of a Star Wars fan than Star Trek.

A quick update. I found a couple small seams that I filled with Mr Surfacer 500. Just painted it on and will give it a quick wipe off when dry. I'll need to start doing some paintwork next so getting paint is the next step.

Thanks @Thom216! I haven't found 2205 available on disc but I'll keep an eye out for it. Yes, the end of 2202 was a bit of a "huh?". It's unfortunate that Bandai has stopped releasing new subjects.

Wow, that's fast progress. I had the 1/350 kit from Polar Lights. I got it before I was married but when my wife saw how big it was going to be upon completion, she suggested I get an alternative. So I sold it and grabbed a PG Millennium Falcon.

A few years ago they remade the series. It's called Space Battleship Yamato 2199 in Japan and Star Blazers 2199 overseas. The animation quality is excellent and they've updated the story a bit. They've done two additional seasons and a movie. The first two seasons are fairly easy to find either online or on disc. When I was in grade school, they would show Star Blazers at 8 in the morning on weekdays. A bunch of us would all watch it before school started and then run to school so we weren't late.

On the standard Andromeda class, they carry a pair of Wave Motion Guns. As this is a prototype, she has four of them built in. The gun muzzles are bifurcated . There's optional parts in the kit to replicate this small detail. I then added the upper hull in place. I can't believe how good the fit is here. You can't see the seam at all.

The recent ones really are excellent in terms of fit and finish. Most of their Star Wars kits are great to build as well.

Taking a short break from my Spitfire build, I've started on the Andromeda. As with most Bandai kits, this one is ostensibly a press fit kit. Although you could put it together without glue, I've used cement to make sure the joins are a bit more permanent. First up are the central braces inside the hull. There's a lower level near the bow and that just slips in place. It gets locked into place with the hull sides. The secondary engines are moulded in a single piece with a clear insert for lighting. So a quick mould seam cleanup and these are ready to go on. A better view of the clear bits. These then attach to the hull sides. Here she is with the hull sides in place.

Very neat looking model. I never would have thought of using a camera lens and tin can for a base. It does remind me a lot of the Colonial Movers ship from Battlestar Galactica. Carl

I'm guilty of buying more than one but it was a group buy. It was easier for one of us to buy them and save on shipping and brokerage fees. Mathieu underestimated the interest in the sets and will be running more off as fast as he can. So I'd say he's more limited by production time more than anything else. It's not like old school resin casting where once the moulds are worn out, that's it.

I got the main cuts done on both halves of the fuselage. I did a quick test fit of the nose out of curiosity. First you attach the kit bulkhead to the nose via some pegs moulded inside it. The bulkhead then give a nice anchoring point for the nose to the fuselage. With gravity and some tape holding things together. Looks like a Griffon Spitfire to me. I'm sure once I add glue, the fit will get even better.

Thanks Rich and Max. As soon as I opened the box, I knew I had to get to work on it. I think this is Tamiya Spitfire #10 for me. So once the stuff related to the conversion gets sorted, the rest should be straightforward.

First cuts to the fuselage. The instructions provide fairly clear instructions on where to make the necessary cuts. A quick test fit of the nose.

Here's the rest of the parts. Underwing rads and vertical tail. Exhausts. Even a couple spares which is nice. Retractable tailwheel to replace the fixed one in the kit. Prop and spinner.

It's 1/32 meant for the Tamiya XVI kit.

The much anticipated Laminar Flow Griffon Spitfire conversion arrived while I was away camping. After an initial look in the box, I've decided to jump right in. The entire conversion is 3D printed and one nice thing about that, is it allows Laminar Flow Design to put protective cages around the parts. Here's the new nose section. Freed from its cage.

Great work on the nose section. Nice job filling in some of the gaps from the kit.

Might have a queue jumper on the GB. This was waiting for me when I got home today from our camping trip.

Just pre-ordered the Achilles from my LHS for $188 CAD. Couldn't resist at that price.

The Achilles is one I'm after. Can't wait for this to come out in Oct.