Quiet Mike

I read WotW occasionally, it is like a comfort blanket! Same for The Hobbit. I'd hate to be without either of these books. Another interesting HG Wells novel is The Wheels of Chance, a great account of what very early cycling was like, and also covers ground familar to WotW fans. I think the hero of the book cycles from London down to Salisbury? No science fiction, just modern technology.

Picked up Shot Down and in the Drink recently. Just finished it and liked it so much I found out it had a companion volume called 'on the run', so purchased that too! A good general history of the ASR during the Second World War. Although the facts and figures given are rather dry, there are also plenty of incredible rescues also covered that meant I couldn't put it down. Just finished Shot Down and in the drink by Mike, on Flickr

I'm still here chaps! Getting a bit of time on the bench which I'm very much enjoying, even though progress is slow. Can't seem to get the bit between my teeth, but it's not a race. It's the journey not the destination, as any VW bus owner will tell you. Progress on the Albatros interior by Mike, on Flickr Progress on the Albatros interior by Mike, on Flickr Now I'm not convinced I've chosen the right colour for the plywood here. I think I went too dark for my base colour. Adding oils for the wood effect, and then oils for the shading and weathering, all darken it so I think I should have started lighter. It's just something I need to keep experimenting with. Also it does look a little green in my photos? It looked a lot lighter before I got rather heavy handed with a burnt umber wash to bring out the detail, but when I close the fuselage up so little is visible. Progress on the Albatros interior by Mike, on Flickr And the little engine was fun to detail. I decided to add spark plug HT leads, but I don't think you can actually see them. I decided not to add them all to the distributor caps as they are definitely hidden away. Plus it was doing my eyesight no favours. Progress on the Albatros interior by Mike, on Flickr I haven't photographed the seat yet. I'm currently trying to add the PE seat harness that comes with the kit, but finding it a struggle to make them look like canvas, and not metal PE slivers. This will be a challenge I think! Anyway, in other news, our little cycle jaunt to Normandy was marvelous. A much needed tour. I had forgotten how much I missed bimbling along with a mate, and no fixed plan, other than stopping at cafes, bars and patisseries at every opportunity! Seems a long time ago already, it was baking hot that weekend! Haute Normandy Cycle Tour by Mike, on Flickr Haute Normandy Cycle Tour by Mike, on Flickr And also, I must confess, I have harboured the urge to build in balsa again of late. I actually blame @bigbadbadge for this! After admiring his lovely Puss Moth build I looked for a model in 1/48 but drew a blank. I didn't fancy 1/72, and the next option seemed to be the now discontinued West Wings kit. After several weeks searching one came up on Ebay for a reasonable price. I got impatient waiting for one to turn up though and also fancied a vintage Guillows kit. I built the Nieuport 6 years ago. I'd love one of their German WW1 kits, basically anything except the triplane! I've settled for a Sopwith Camel for now as the really old kits seem very rare and expensive, and all in the States. Scratching the itch to build balsa again by Mike, on Flickr Scratching the itch to build balsa again by Mike, on Flickr As soon as I've got a peg board I'll get one of these underway! (I use thin Celotex insulation, but my last sheet got used for the tortoise hutch build)

An impressive build. If you told me that was 1/48 I'd believe you!

Impressive scratch building on this kit, and the finished result is great 👏

Thanks Chris. I'm doing OK most of the time. Very bad with procrastination and getting distracted. All the classic ADHD traits really! That's the problem with trying new modelling techniques, I fret so much about doing them right, they never get done at all! I'm currently putting far too much thought into how to do the wood effect painting, instead of cracking on and learning from mistakes. At least I'm aware of my hang ups. Also, now the evenings are getting shorter, I'm feeling more comfortable in my den of a modelling studio. @AdrianMF , I checked out some of your ship build. That PE is crazy! Colour me impressed. I'm still getting used to the stuff myself. I'm usually a bit selective with what I'll actually use. These machine guns do look amazing, but that's only when I put my magnifiers on! My mince pies have gone to pot the last couple of years. (I was warned, you get to 45 and then your near vision drops off a cliff ... 😄 🧐 ) As for young Aitch, it baffles me where he gets it from. Yes we both love cycling, but there the similarities end. His fearlessness is amazing. He'd only passed his driving test a week or two and he drove to France to race for a French team for a few months. He'd barely got used to driving on the left! He'd bought a fancy pants chain set and electronic gears for a bike cheap this week, but in central London. His solution was to jump on his bike at 3am and cycle the 100 miles there to collect it. I'm off tomorrow for a much needed weekend of cycle camping in Northern France, so will get back off the saddle next week.

I'm still here! Work has progressed very, very slowly, but that's OK. I'm having fun when I am at the bench. I have managed to do something just worthy of photographing, but left my old Canon at work. I've taken a few iPhone snaps but looking at them here rather on my screen, they really don't cut the mustard, so I'll dig the 450D out and stick the macro lens on next time! Making a start on the Eduard Albatros by Mike, on Flickr I'm starting with a few sub assemblies. I know the MGs don't really count, but this PE alternative was a first for me. All fairly straightforward, and fairly fiddly. I've ditched the cut off plastic muzzle and just using the brass tube 'barrels'. They've now been given a coat of matt black, and I've read that a rub with some graphic powder from a HB pencil looks very good, so I'll give that a go. Making a start on the Eduard Albatros by Mike, on Flickr In other news, young Harry finished a commendable 50th in the brutal Transcontinetal Race. He raced 4,060km in 12 Days, 15 Hours, 47 Minutes. We are obviously incredibly proud of him. We also think he was the youngest finisher. Harry's Transcontinental 09 by Mike, on Flickr Harry's Transcontinental 09 by Mike, on Flickr

Fond memories of driving our Ford 4000 on the farm when I was a kid! Great photos, thanks for sharing Gary.

We share keys with our neighbours, as we look after each others pets when on holiday. I popped round Friday morning before work to feed their cat while they're away. When I got back I was shocked to find our house was all locked up! My son had gone out while I was next door, and locked our place up behind him. I was stood there barefoot in shorts wondering what to do ... Aha, go back round and find our spare keys in our neighbours house! No dice, they weren't in any of the usual places you'd keep keys. Drat! I ended up noticing our bathroom window was cracked open, so shinnied up a ladder we keep behind the shed and got back in that way. There is no moral to this overly long story, sorry. (Other than a toe nipper tortoise makes a better guard dog than a bull terrier)

What an absolute belter! That's a stunning build, a tour de force of masking 👏

Wow, that's an incredible transformation. Beautiful.

Really enjoying watching this come together Chris, it's a beautiful build. Such a well executed colour scheme.

Beautiful result Neil!

Well, the tour is over now, but another distraction right off the bat ... My eldest son is taking part in the Transcontinental, a crazy unsupported endurance bicycle race across Europe, starting in Belgium and ending in Greece. For the next couple of weeks we shall be very nervously 'dot watching' him along the way as he heads into this crazy heatwave, solo. (I'm sure in a few days they will long for the rain they've had at the departure tonight) https://www2.followmychallenge.com/live/tcrno9/?50.558302,4.090836,14# The 80km Retro Ronde Sunday ride by Mike, on Flickr Us last month. We don't cycle together so this was a very rare treat on my birthday. (An organised vintage bike event) I did an 80km ride, and struggled. Harry did the 120km, finished 3 hours before me, and looked fresh as a daisy over the line.

Well, a choice has been made. Eduard Albatros DIII by Mike, on Flickr Impressive looking kit. Lets hope it's just as well engineered. Is this my first Eduard build? I think it is ... A tentative start was made last night. I was surprised that the fuselage halves have no locating pins? Cockpit detail good, hopefully this will be seen though the large cockpit opening. Eduard Albatros DIII by Mike, on Flickr A little research picked up since buying the kit a couple of years ago. Eduard Albatros DIII by Mike, on Flickr Not much else to report at the moment while the Tour is on. 🇫🇷

They look great together, what a stable!

Super clean build. After reading Fighter Pilot by Paul Richey I'm keen to build an early MkI. This build is very inspiring!

Wise words Ed! Glad you navigated through the wilderness and got back into the fold. Guessing the treker in your name isn't related to the Volkswagen Trekker? 😄 I'm usually quite good identifying CWGC sites but can't get the one on your avatar. I'm a keen battlefield tourer, but by bike not foot now. Somme Battlefield Cycle Tour by Mike, on Flickr I've managed to get up and take the mutt for a quick 3 mile stomp, made my current favourite breakfast of porridge (for some reason my teeth no longer like meusli. A couple of expensive trips to the dentist this year!) and now back in the den. Got a few hours before the tour starts so listening to the excellent BBC Proms Northern Soul session from last night on Radio3. Thanks @bigbadbadge I've never been away though! Just quietly lurking in the background getting my fix from other peoples build threads on here. @billn53 I'm constantly having to remind myself to clear up after myself, it's a constant inner monologue. Not helped by Child A inheriting this gene too.

It's a funny old game Roger. I can't put my finger on it. A general lack of get up and go. Everything seems to require more effort these days. I've enjoyed following your builds though. That Anson ... 🙌

For the nosy burgers who want to see in that box of broken model kits on the bench - Vintage Nostalgia Festival by Mike, on Flickr Vintage Nostalgia Festival by Mike, on Flickr The box was a fiver, on a stall at a local show my mates run. I couldn't leave it there!

I've been using my little modelling den as a dumping ground since Christmas, with general clutter quickly accumulating on every single flat surface. And when the flat surfaces filled up, non flat surfaces were next ... it was pretty bad and not a trait I'm proud of at all. Something I've always been prone too, but it's getting worse the older I get. (I was 50 a month ago) I'm extraodinarily good at procrastination too, so having to face up to clearing all this junk up was easy for me to avoid! Well, home alone with hurricane winds outside, and a Tour to watch in the background, I couldn't really put it off any longer, time to try and get organised and find some of these flat surfaces again. In case you're thinking, these are actually the 'after' photos. I didn't take any shots of the 'before'. I told you it was bad. Hello armchair! It's been a while ... Time to clear the bench after 6 months of neglect by Mike, on Flickr Time to clear the bench after 6 months of neglect by Mike, on Flickr Now I can nearly get to the workbench! Time to clear the bench after 6 months of neglect by Mike, on Flickr Well, it's getting there! Unfortunately now the kitchen table which was spotless this morning is now covered in books and boxes that still need to go somewhere I think I can see the faint glimmer of a light at the end of the tunnel though. Not sure yet if it's an oncoming train or not, but will worry about that tomorrow. If I can end this weekend with a clean workbench good to go, I will be a happy bunny. I've not had a bad 6 months by the way, I've just not been in the right head space to sit down and focus on a model. I can't say I've filled my time with other productive pursuits, but March and April were fairly busy doing a couple of spring clean jobs on the camper. The sluggish on hills motor was correctly diagnosed as a broken oil thrower ring on No3 piston. Thankfully a very good chum is a whizz on engines and did a great job replacing the barrels and pistons and giving the heads an overhaul with new valve guides. Fixing the low compression by Mike, on Flickr While he was working his magic on the engine I thought it would be a great idea to poke around underneath with a screwdriver. 2023 - Engine Overhaul and Cargo Sill Replacement by Mike, on Flickr Replacing cargo door sills by Mike, on Flickr So, a bit like model building, I guess. And kinder on my rapidly failing eyesight! Putting in a new floor by Mike, on Flickr I've still not entertained the thought of building a scale model of it. It's been earning it's keep since though. Me and Child A whipped round France and Belgium in it last month for a bit of battlefield touring on the Somme, and a great vintage ride called Retro Ronde in Belgium. Somme / Retro Ronde 2023 by Mike, on Flickr It's currently braving the weather on the marshals campsite at the Festival of Speed, even though they pulled the plug on the event today because of the high winds. So, thanks for getting this far. I'm hoping me waffling on about nothing has actually made me commit to getting back on the bench. I've started a project thread now. Under that box of broken kits is the 1/48 Eduard Albatros DIII, and next to is an SE5.

Stunning build Roger!

Amazing result Johnny, the Phantom looks Phabulous! I've been absent from the workbench this year so thanks for helping with my modelling fix. Hope you get the all clear soon.

Just catching up here Chris as I'm regretfully only popping in occasionaly at present. The Vamp is looking stunning! I've got one on the wish list, but as I've not touched the bench for 6 months buying another kit seems rather a folly 🙄 That Puss Moth looks lovely. I had not heard of the type until last year when I had the good fortune to stumble across a couple on different occasions. (Actually 2 years ago, time flies ... 💨 ) Eroica Britannia at the Goodwood Revival by Mike, on Flickr Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum by Mike, on Flickr I immediatley searched for a kit, but was dissappointed I couldn't find it in 1/48. (Just noticed you can build a flying balsa version though ... tempting!) Will make a super stable mate for your Gypsy Moth 👍

To my shame I've never opened a Dickens book ... 😳 But Hound of the Baskevilles is one of my favourites by Conan Doyle. I enjoy reading the books as much as watching or hearing the many audio/film versions.