socjo1

I ordered and received my first model-plates and made a photo- session. So, finally I invite you to visit RFI Gallery. Thank you for being here with me so long time, for lot of informations and support and for... patience. Regards, Michal

Finally done! I decided to make HMS Jed as she had nice and interesting camo, lot of AA Oerlikon guns and morover even minesweeping stuff. She had very interesting and eventful history too: as a part of 1st Escort Group she participated in crucial struggles on Atlantic during spring 1943, sharing two U-boot sinkings. In the autumn 1944 she was transferred in Far East. You can trace Work in Progress topic HERE. And group photos with Castle class corvette HMCS Copper Cliff still not finished Flower, HMS Hibiscus. Still not Escort Group, but one day, who knows?... Thank you for all your help, support and motivations for me, Friends! If you are interested in, I will show some details and close-ups in next post. Regards, Michal

Hi, 3D parts have visible printing - layers quite often. If you painting with brush its no problem. However if you like to paint with thin subtle layers of paint with airbrush, you need to polish with sandpaper, steel-wool or sometimes just scalpel's blade (on small parts) after priming. Like here: Regards, Michal

As always - stunning work, Rob, gratulations!

Excellent job, Tim! Very clean and precise. Could you describe us something more about installing these tiny brass rails (for example around funnel?) Are you drilling holes at first or positioning rails? Which glue you use? Thank you and best regards, Michal

Some time ago I found interesting films with Eskimo. She was filmed from polish destroyer ORP Błyskawca (Thunderbolt). More films like that you will find here. Regards, Michal

So many colourful ships! Very promising perspective. I love war-photos from Hvalfjord anchorage. Ships on the steepy and severe background. Will you plan make some ground and rocks too or it will be only sea?

Very fine model of elegant and somewhat sporty vessel. Rob, you inspires my martitime modelling and your works are just faboulous so I event don't ask why you left these steps (3D-residues) on the hull. Don't get me wrong - I'm just pretty sure you had your own important and mysterious reasons... Happy New Year! Michal.

@Tegethoff really sorry for it. Sad wiev. At your service, His Majesty 😉 Its true. This was HMS Jed's model after proper cleaning and spraying Mr. Surfacer: Nice wiev, isn't it? 😉 Finally I removed all paint with paint-remover and sprayed once more Alclad's Blackprimer and Microfiller. It was much stronger with better ahesivenness however it was not perfect too. If you want you can read full story here. Regards, Michal EDIT: I almost always try to weak Tamiya tape. Before sticking to model I stick it to my... forehead. Once or a few times. Another hint I heard is drying resin parts a few days on room-heater. And partd sshold be wrapped in tissue-paper. However I don't know if it works...

Dear Rob, Dear Friends, thank you very much for your friendly and supporting words - really "friendly kick of motivation in my lazy bottom". I realy appreciate it. To be honest I lost motivation and interesting for modelling for about half of year. I hope now I set the sails and I'm on positive course again. And maybe this is good point for start. I only today received my first ever plates for finished/almost finished/current/next projects. I like it! About Hibiscus... Unfortunately I have no new photos for you. I must confess Hibiscus is more difficult than I thought. Why? Let me explain. We have two groups of Royal Navy Hibiscus photos (later it was transferred to US Navy but it is different story): earlier and later. Earlier photos shows her without radar, while later she had radar: Here we have later version: However, I decided make earlier variant. At first I thougt it had normal bridge, like here: ... and this fanatastic 1/72 I found somewhere in Internet: However when I looked at photo I noticed somewhat different, we can see nonstandard structure with vertical and inclined supports in the bridge's back. and... I really don't know what it could be. And how it looks. And that's why my build stopped. Mayby you have any suggestions? I will be very grateful for help. However I think i just have to resolve this dillema and go further even without additional informations. About skiing, outdoor and: On August we finally did almost all 2MoorsWay in Devon (walked about 150 kms from 165) . Weather was quite demanding - some rain, lot of mud and even midges (!) on moors. New super-dooper tent leaked badly and it was absolutely frustrating (don't buy Neturehike Opalus tent. When we went back home I returned it and later bought excellent English tent Vango/F10 Erebus)... Especially for our son it was quite demanding... On the other side, it was absolutely special time and worth of all efforts and troubles. We met fantastic friendfull and helpfull people. Camped/wildcamped every night. Saw fantastic landscapes, villages, flowers and birds. Sang shanties in tent on sea shore. Visited Exeter, Bristol (lovely antiquarian shop on XVIII-century market!) and Weston-Super-Mere Heli Museum. I often tell my son "Remember, fun and satisfaction aren't the same." And this was really satysfying walk and holidays. (Over Avon River in Dartmoor) (On foto below you can see our tent too) Red Lake, South Dartmoor Abolutelly stunning walk along Barle River near Tarr Steps, Exmoor) Last, extra day of walk: Great Hangman near Ilfracombe. Perfect weather, easy path, great wievs, countless heathers: perfect reward and dessert. About winter. Now we have dull gray and wet weather. About 6th Dec there were a few nice days with snow. I was skiing my Back Country ski near Warsaw a few times, but this time was as well good for finishing paddling-season: It is mighty Wisła (Vistula) river near Warsaw. Beside all, activity and being outdoor is the best anti-depressant medicine I know. Dave, I apologise that you had to wait. There are only very short text about Cowslip and anly one picture: Thank you for your patience and watching. I hope next time I will have more interesting and modelling-related things to show you. Maybe HMS Jed's RFI? Regards, Michal Once again Happy and Better New Year for all humans and for you my Friends!

Looks crazy - in positive sense of meaning. Congratulations - especially Revell's Tonka is really demanding and difficult model. Your looks great.

If I can, I choose MicroMaster. In my opinion Black Cat is real good option, but Micromaster is just the only one at the top. Why? It is more detailed but first of all: unfotunately Black Cat miniatures has quite signifitiant printing layering-residues. You can remove it with spraying with base coat (Surfacer, Alclad microfiller etc). and then polishing but there is always risk of fragile part's damage. Regards, Michal And last but not least: Happy post-Christmas for all! And Happy New Year...

I think its too late but there is quite nice book about British LSTs: "Ships Without Names: The Story of the Royal Navy's Tank Landing Ships of World War Two" by Brian MacDermott. It has 120 pages, and lot of nice photos. It contains full list of all British LST. Then you just trace these ships on NavSource, as Rob wrote... Regards, Michal

Australia + United Kingdom + United States? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AUKUS

Absolutely fantastic information, thanks!

Very good result, gratulations! ...and very interesting ship as well. I found short film with HMS Vanguard and shortly we see there one of these interesting sea "bugs". Maybe inspiration for diorama? Regards, Michal

When I made my 1/350 Castle I had to add skylight under aft AA platform as model's producer (White Ensign Models) totally had forgotten this detail. Unfortunately I found only 2 photos of this skylight. There is one in the book "Corvettes of the Canadian Navy" by K. Macpherson and M. Millner while another I found on excellent http://www.forposterityssake.ca/RCN.htm page. Both are very similiar. Here you have HMCS Hespeller from Forposterity's sake webpage: There are very good Castle's drawings in "Anatomy of the Ship: the Flower Class Corvette Agassiz" book. If you'll write me your E-mail via Private message I'll send you part of these drawing and some more photos if you want. Best regards, Michal

Hi @Pete_W I wil look for it on Monday and let you know. Regards, Michal

Very interesting project! Im admiring modellers who create its models simply form scratch especialy 1/700 with really good details! I like very much this class and some time ago I made Castle class corvette from White Ensign Model 1/350 set and showed her on Britmodeller. Maybe you will find some interesting informations there. HMCS Copper Cliff - Castle class corvette; White Ensign Models 1/350 Best regards, Michal

I keep my finger crossed for finishing your model! I like your model very much too! Italieri seems just simpler without so much detailing. They were really beautifull planes. Especialy with shark- mouths... Once again thanks for kind remarks, Michal

Hi Christian, beware Malcolm Wright's book. It is realy poor. Beside very sloppy graphics, many, many informations are incorrect. Sorry to say, but it is sad fact. You can find discussion about it here, on Britmodeller, and at another forums too. I think the best way for you is just asking and looking for earlier discussions. I'm pretty sure you will find here many friendfull and helpfull people, true experts, as I did. I will look your build with interesting, as I have a Tribal in my plans too. Best regards, Michal

I made this model a few months ago and I know it is brilliant little kit. However you achieved even higher level and made real masterpiece. Absolutely fantastic job, congratulations. Was real pleasure see your model. I appreciate excellent photos too and modification's detailed description. Thank you. Michal

However, I think true pearl in the crown are I World War planes, really big and unique collection. And you have for example the only one preserved PZL P.11c fighter. First fighter which fought against Luftwaffe in September 1939. Here you have list and photos of Museum's planes: List of planes and virtual tours: Virtual Tours Regards, Michal

Thank you for all your kind words and likes. I appreciate it! Well "Pinkfire" is already done: You can find it here: PINK! Spitfire PR Type G / PR Mk. VII, Airfix 1/72 And I really hope somebody comes with aftermarket... model. To be true in my opinion such interesting and important plane like Tornado deserves deserves a new kit, with great details but better menufactured and easier to fix. I had to make many pauses during construction as my morale gets down... Thanks, Brother. Glory for Ukraine, glory for freedom! Best rergards, Michal.

As always, great model with eye-catching markings. Congratulations,, Alex.