Rich B

Bigger is better. Cheers, Rich

As we are now on a 3 week stand-down courtesy our microscopic friends' world tour, why not maximize modelling efforts in between bouts of spring cleaning and entertaining the cats. To this end I will crack open this kit. I plan on doing it as a standard line jet, liberating FAF markings from another Draken kit in the stash. After taking this pic I found the Aires cockpit and Master Model pitot probe in the stash so they will be used as well. I think I have a weapons set, so I can add some ordnance. Cheers, Rich

While working on my Viking in the Nordic Group Build, I came across the Legend bust in the stash. Being a glutton for punishment, I figured why not. Although the box says U-Boat Commander, to me he looks more like a S-Boat commander. Besides, I have a 120mm U-boat Commander in the stash as well. Not a lot of parts in the kit. Quick clean-up of the pour stubs, addition of some extra support pins and assembled with CA glue. A shot of primer and some base colours blocked in. Cheers, Rich

While digging thru research material on our Viking friend I found some anomalies with the shield. First, the shield was a bit under size, Gulating laws defined the diameter to be 32-36 inches. Some shields as small as 28 inches and as large as 37 inches in diameter have been found. Second, the planks making up the shield usually ran horizontally. Third, Vikings didn't use straps to hold their shield. They had a single handle that usually ran near the full diameter. And finally, there was a strap on the back that allowed our warrior to sling his shield on his back while on the march. Gulating law also proscribed two iron reinforcing straps running parallel to the handle near the outer edge but with little archaeological evidence that they were used. Armed with this information, the modifications began. I made a new shield from 1mm sheet styrene a little over 2 inches in diameter with 6 scribed planks. The centre was bored out to accommodate the iron boss that protected the hand while holding the shield. The boss I made from the nose of a drop tank, the inside slightly thinned to fit the hand, found in the spares box. The leather edge was made from epoxy putty and the nails/rivets from styrene rod. I carved the handle from styrene stock and the carrying strap from heavy foil with wire buckles and attachments. I removed the leather arm straps from the shield arm and separated the forearm at the elbow and hand at the wrist. They will be re-positioned due to the new hand hold, the next step in our adventure. Cheers, Rich

I had also ordered some decals from Stoppel for a Danish F-86D a couple of weeks ago and they showed up out of the blue in the mail today. I had heard nothing from them since the order was put in, haven't even received an invoice for them. I'll be sending him an e-mail to see what I owe him. Cheers, Rich

Hasegawa just released the 1/48 "Scandinavian Draken" kit with decals and parts for a Swedish S35E, a Danish RF-35 or a Finnish J35FS. I picked one up from Hobby Search. Cheers, Rich

Welcome and greetings from the Great White North. I too have Irish roots. My paternal grandmother (with the ancient Irish name of Holtsbaum) was born in Clonakilty, Cork. My 3x great-grandfather was a German POW sold to Spain by France, liberated by the English and then served with the Minorca Regiment in the Napoleonic Wars. Ireland seems to have been their garrison when they weren't at the front. My great Grandfather and two of his brothers were RIC. All the family had left Ireland for Canada, the US and Australia (one brother only made it as far as Lancashire were he joined the Police Service) before the 1912 Home Rule Crisis. The rest of the family tree are Scots and Moonrakers. Cheers, Rich

Looking good. Looks like the wingtips have sprouted screamers. To reduce weight the P-51D had the weight on wheels safety system eliminated. Pulling the Emergency Release lowered the doors and locked the Landing Gear Handle in the down position. If the gear handle was moved to the "UP" position while on the ground the gear would retract as soon as the aircraft was moved. Crew chiefs also liked the flaps down because the refueling crews could then reach the wing fuel ports from the ground. To get my canopy to sit properly I had to trim about 1-2 mm from the bottom of the canopy cross brace where it attaches to the canopy and bevel the lower edge of the canopy to a near knife edge from about 3 mm aft of the canopy bow. Cheers, Rich

With all the fixed wing activity, figured we need a plane guard. Cheers, Rich

Adding a rotary-wing aircraft to the mix. A rotor fold kit is in the mail somewhere between Hampshire and the frozen tundra of northern Alberta. Cheers, Rich

Mustang IVa KH676 3 Sqn RAAF Italy, Apr 1945 ex-USAAF P-51K-1-NT 44-11379 TOS 23 Apr 1945 coded CV-A assigned to F/Lt Alan F. "Dusty" Lane A/A Cat I damage 01 May 45 (flown by WO McDonald) SOS 06 Aug 45 SOC 26 Feb 47 Airfix 1/48 Mustang IVa, brush painted with Vallejo, weathered with oil washes and pigments. Cheers, Rich

Work proceeded in fits and starts for the last few weeks here at the Mustang Ranch and I wasn't as diligent in photographing the last steps. A couple of details added to the kit. First, moving the oil breather vent back up to the right hand side cowl from below the right wing leading edge/cowl intersection. That location is were most warbird restorations have the vent moved so they don't get the oil spray down the side of their pride and joy. The "screamers" were also added to the wingtips. They were whistles that the Luftwaffe attached to 1000 lbs bombs and the Aussies adapted them their P-40L's and Mustangs, emulating the Stuka siren. Priming and painting was uneventful. The kit provided codes are in Sky, so after they were applied I brushed painted over them in white as they were on the prototype. An oil wash to highlight some of the panel lines and grubby it up a bit followed by some pigments to dust it up and add exhaust streaks. Finally, some light scuffing on the left hand wing root and leading edge. A quick grass and dirt parking spot for it, and we can call it done. Cheers, Rich

My Norseman, Thorir, is coming together. I'll leave his axe hand and shield off until painting is completed. There were a couple of air bubbles and small seams long the arms and waist to fill with epoxy putty. While I was at it, I found during research that most Vikings wore wool leg wraps (what we call puttees now) so I converted what looked like gaiters to wraps. I also added some extra fullness to the blousing of his trousers. Now to let the putty dry and final sanding. I sharpened the undercut between layers of clothing in a few locations to give better definition. Cheers, Rich

Kagero published a book on the HA-1112 that does have some info on the HA-1109. There are a couple of threads on this site that discuss the aircraft. Other than that, I spent time searching the internet and piecing info together. Cheers, Rich

Finished the Triplata last night. More pics in the RFI. Thanks for following along, Cheers, Rich