Uncle Pete

That's a cracker. I got back in last year and I'm currently on something like number 18 and still struggling. You've done a great job on accuracy as far as I can see. On my own models I settle for "near enough for jazz". Hats off to you for diving in with the bigger scale... The extra detail in 48 compared to 72 is a bit too daunting for me.

Nice job! And Hot Shots was the BEST! WAR MOVIE! EVER!!!

You've done it again! Somehow, however small your models are you manage to make them look big.

Very nice. For what it's worth, I like 'em clean (and not just because I'm afraid to try weathering!)

Looks like the Japanese didn't have much in the way of a maintenance budget. A lick of paint on Lt. Fuchida's plane might have brightened it up a bit! Cracking job.

That's your first since returning to plastic as an adult? I'm on number 17 (or thereabouts) and still trying to get them looking more-or-less like some sort of flying machine never mind actual accuracy. Preshading? I haven't even dared! Great work... I hate you!

Little help, please... I'm in the process of seeing if Italeri's 1:72 F 104G can take a joke and wondering about the "sit". There doesn't seem to be anything in the plans calling for nose ballast and it certainly looks like it won't need any but before I close up the fuze, can anybody tell me if a typical 104 is likely to sit back on its bum? I'd hate to get it all done and dusted only to find it pointing somewhat skyward instead of nicely on all three feet but I'd rather not put the weight in if it's not necessary. Thanks in advance.

I think we may have found the title of your autobiography...

Beauty! Scratching is not for the faint-hearted but scratching in 144 of such a small plane is sheer madness! Hopefully, when they carry you away to the asylum they'll let you take your tools so you can show us some more.

Is it worth the effort? Better question, is it worth the effort to you, the builder and to hell with everybody else. As the eternal newbie I'm happy to get a Spit looking roughly like a Spit (even if it's not actually a Spit but a Seafire) and leave the wing bulges, wheel choices and moving bits and pieces 1mm here and there to you pros. Both of them are the goods, though, as far as I can see and I wouldn't know which was the modification. Smashing jobs. Much as I'm a fan of the traditional RAF war paint, I must say the silver one is rather yummy.

I think you might be confusing Martians with Russians...

Another couple of gems. Another couple that make me say, "You ain..." well you know the rest! But your description of the many changes the machine went through in its life reminded me of an old joke... A fella was hiking in the hills in Virginia and stopped to chat with an old-timer who was chopping firewood. In the course of the conversation he remarked. "That's a fine axe you have there, sir." The old-timer said, "Well. believe it or not, this is the axe used by George Washington when he chopped down the cherry tree." "Good heavens, "said the hiker, "It's in remarkably good condition considering it must be abut 300 years old." "Well, it's been well looked after... it's had five new heads and eleven new handles since then."

Cracking job and nice to see a 17 in war paint. The usual American bare metal finish is eye-catching but good old RAF camo looks so much more businesslike.

If anybody is going to the London Science Museum, let me know... I live only about two miles away and would love to meet some of the mysterious characters I see on here. (You just have to be patient with my deafness... Occupational hazard and the reason I'm retired)

With such self-deprecation I would tend to assume you're a transplant from the UK but earlier in the thread you mentioned your midwestern accent. I've decided you're an honorary Brit whether you like it or not! I was a long-time honorary American, having lived over there from 75-09 in various states. (My personal state was usually confused.)