mitchem

Should have been posted ages ago, but my modelling lamp managed to fall on it while I was trying to make an aerial for the fuselage roof..... ....fuselage split, undercarriage pulverised and assorted other damage done. I didn't have the heart to throw it, so I started repairs while waiting for a set of white metal undercarriage replacements to arrive from Welsh Models. (Subsequently bought a couple of models from them at the same time, so it proved to be a very expensive repair !) First time I've ever built an Airfix Caravelle. The Two Six Decals for one of my favourite colour schemes was just the cherry on the top. The aerial is still missing (and it's going to stay that way !) .....back to Africa for the next one. mike

I'm liking the look of that.....a lot ! Must resist the temptation to buy one (Damn it)

Hey..... ....if I promise to build two, will that count as an extra vote ? (What the hell am I doing ???) mike

I'm in ! (with just about anything !) mike

Thanks comrade Keef, but as an honorary Turk (isn't that an oxymoron ???) all I can say is "Get yer Yak out - you know you want to" cheerski mike

Well Comrade Laurent, that's a damn fine idea ! However........ you're lucky not to be spending a week in isolation for not sharing this idea with the workers sooner (especially those of us who have already buttoned up our Yaks !) I'm thinking of putting the brakes on my build and letting you get ahead of me again - I'm pretty sure you have some more good ideas that we can all use. (you naughty little communist) keep up the good work mike

Man vs. Polystyrene Week 5 (People who live in glass houses should try acetate sheet....) Sorry about the delay in updating - been laid up with a very serious case of having to work for a living. Anyway, been looking at my slow progress and reading about Laurent's woes with the canopy for the navigator's cabin - just knew there was going to be tears (and there nearly were). After a dry-fit of the part, there were nasty gaps around the edges and after trying to fit the transparent bit in the middle, it was apparent that they were never going to fit together. Time to come up with a ludicrously complicated plan : Step 1 : Glue all of the pieces together with superglue and sand everything into place (Brute force and ignorance) Step 2 : Heat up some acetate sheet over the stove until it gets flexible, and while one of your relatives holds the model steady (you wouldn't want to risk burning yourself now would you ?), smash the soft acetate over the model and form a copy of the top of the fuselage. Step 3 : While the relative is applying ice packs to the red bits, mask up the canopy...... .....and remove the bit you spent so much time gluing and sanding. Step 4 : After telling the relative to stop whimpering, fit the new acetate mould onto the fuselage...... .....and then very carefully cut the new bit out with a new blade. Now I just need to mask the new bit up before sticking it back permanently to the top of the cabin - simples ! For my next trick, I'll coax the relative out from under the table with some sweeties and have a go at the glass-house on the front. (Anyone for a barbecue ?) cheers mike (p.s. no relatives were really injured or harmed in the making of this publication - honest)

ANOTHER -28 !?! I'll reserve judgement, but only because I may need to buy it off you. I'm beginning to think that my -28 is starting to look like the Ilyushin above after some aggressive sanding. Just don't know how I'm going to fabricate the mid-upper turret though mike

Aw shoot ! I was hoping for the Su-15, but this one will do just fine. Looks like a nice kit, but I see the tailplanes come ready moulded to the fuselage - isn't that cheating ? Be following with interest. I'm sure if it's anything like your Su-39 it will be a cracking job. mike

Man vs. Polystyrene - Week 4 Okay, got off to a reasonably good start and then went downhill pretty quickly. Starboard engine nacelle pretty much completed. (Really pleased with the way the brass tube worked as I have a Heller 707 with some ugly nacelles) - Brass tubing faired in with Milliput (I can mix the stuff in my sleep now...) - New intake bullet installed but not glued. I'll be taking it out and putting it back in at the end (the end - ) Time to get this sucker buttoned up (Don't panic ! It's just the way the photo has been taken - not the size of the gap that needs to be filled !) Stitched together late last night, and then it got nasty.... Navigator / Radar operator's cabin has been officially declared a disaster area. Lots and lots of cutting and grinding because - the diameter of the fuselage is significantly wider then the transparent nose-cone - there are huge gaps around the cabin's canopy (but that may be due to over-zealous carving with a No 11 blade) - the ejection seat doesn't fit in far enough (Bits and bobs posed to keep me going - port engine nacelle hasn't been completed yet) Looks like polystyrene has just been awarded a penalty Comments, criticism and ADVICE welcome mike

Excellent job Paul - I'm as envious as Hell after having just stuck the fuselage halves together on my build. When are you making a start on your next ? mike

Hi Laurent, How's your Yak going ? C'mon, we need some updates ! (I'm worried I'm going to overtake you....) mike

Sorry my imperialist friend - there's no way I can divulge that sort of information without the risk of being sent to the gulag. Can't you just work out the measurements from the photos, like you westerners used to do during the Cold War ??? (Apologies, this Russian thingy has blurred my vision.... ) Brass tubing used for the intake is 5/16" x 0.014 diameter and about 3cm long. That used for the exhaust is 13/32" x 0.014 diameter and 1.5 cm long. (I bought the tubing in 12" lengths from Antics in Bristol, but if you really want to go down this route, drop me a line - I've got a couple of pieces left over.) With regards to the model, I know I've been making it look harder than it really is, but if it hadn't been for this group build (and everyone's support), this Yak would never have seen the light of day ! cheers to you all mike

Right ! I'm holding Laurent entirely responsible for my temporary loss of sanity, as it was his idea to make some new intake bullets. After working on the kits intake bullets until the early hours this morning, I promptly woke up to find one of them missing. A couple of hours were wasted this evening looking for the missing part, before I took the plunge with some scrap sprue and some plasticard From right to left : - Scrap sprue shaped using a pencil sharpener and some sandpaper; three plasticard fins at the ready - Finished bullet with fins trimmed to size - Brass tubing ready to accept bullet - Kit parts waiting to accept tubing and bullet So here's what it will look like when it's fitted together : Okay, I'm off to put the other one together now - wish me luck and stand by for tears mike

Don't worry Keef - your day of reckoning is only a few heartbeats away - I can just imagine Mr Hannant and his staff at the show next week when they're unpacking the boxes : "Oh my God ! We forgot to pack THE Yak-25 for that masochist from South Wales !"

Great work there Paul ! Ace paint job and finish. Looking forward to seeing it completed and quite keen to see how you get on with the Trumpeter Su-15 (early version )...... .... (but don't let me sway your decision - just want to see how it builds up before I buy one ) mike

Thanks for the vote of confidence Laurent, but this is never going to be a show-stopper - more like a loft stopper 'cos that's where it's going if I ever finish it ! With regards to the intake bullets - you're absolutely right - they are a problem : I could make them fit (I found that 240 grit wet and dry can make anything fit !), but it will probably be easier to cut off the noses of the kit parts and glue them to smaller diameter plastic tubing, and then fitting three plasticard fins to each. (What the hell am I saying ?!?) Anyway - let me get back to the cockpit........ mike

Man vs. Polystyrene - Week 3 Making some slow progress on the Yak after a brief session of pumpkin-carving as opposed to polystyrene-carving Fuselage halves and tail-plane : - Rear undercarriage bay painted with a dry-brush of silver to bring out the rub detail. (Also added a couple of strips of L-bar on the forward bulkhead to aid the positioning of the undercarriage unit) - Notches cut in tailplane for undercarriage bay bulkheads (How's that for forward planning ?!) - Forward undercarriage bay installed - New plasticard bulkhead fitted to rear of of Radar operator's pit (faired in with a touch of Milliput) - New plasticard instrument panels cut out and fitted in both pits - Random plasticard aligning tabs added to port fusealge half With regards to the instrument panels, the kit part for the pilot is shown on the right. I've made a couple of decals (middle) to fit onto my new plasticard jobs (left) : Jumping the gun, I've been out and bought some brass tubing for the engine intakes and exhausts. Although I'm pretty please with the way they look, I know there are going to be issues trying to fit the intake bullets - Ho-hum We'll worry about that when we get there. Comments and advice welcome (as always) mike

Excellent ! Excellent ! Just make sure your 28PP stays one step ahead of my 28R - I'm picking up loads of tips cheers mike

Thanks for the info and the tips Laurent. I've noticed the difference in the thickness of the fuselage halves - I'm still thinking that this could be the least of my problems - I've just noticed what appears to be two small ejector pin marks on the outer tyre rim of one wheel - Yipppeeeeee !!! I've also noticed the fit of the engine nacelle halves - not good. I'm toying with the idea of using brass tubing on the inside of the nacelles, but only because I need the idea to work on another project I'm planning. With regards to the accuracy of the ejection seats, I'm lucky I live in a house that wouldn't care if I stuck a couple of lego bricks upfront ! - I'm going to stick with the KK-2's because they look a lot closer to the real thing than anything I could make out of the kit parts / tic-tacs. Looking forward to see the progress on your kit. Best Regards mike

....actually kev, one emoticon can say it all : I'm running out of superlatives dude ! mike

Okay gang. I've found my stock of 240 grit wet and dry - it's like having a shot in the arm, so I'm going for the jugular ! Stage 3 - Fuselage bits and bobs Top : Port fuselage half Middle (left to right) : tailcone, rear undercarriage bulkhead, forward undercarriage bulkhead, rear cockpit coaming, cockpit tub, forward undercarriage bay, radar operator / navigator's ejection seat. Bottom : Starboard fuselage half Missing from the pic are the dashboards for the two offices (more on those later) and the front cockpit coaming Thanks for looking mike

Thanks Paul. At the rate I'm going, I'll be lucky to make a pig out of this sows' ear ! I've just about forgotten what it's like to cut something off a sprue and glue it to something else, without having to alter it first to look like the piece in the instructions. Loads of fun....... mike

Man vs. Polystyrene - Week 2 Cockpit tub completed New plasticard bulkhead attached behind the seat (just know there would have been gaps otherwise) Scrap etched metal used on side consoles (probably going to be little opportunity to see it again on the finished article) Next uo - Front undercarriage bay Components hacked off sprue and now awaiting clean-up using power-tools Here's hoping three months will be enough....... mike

Top notch - hole in one ! (but then that's your standard) I can only aspire........ thanks mike