Robert Stuart

Been making slow progress with the Bugatti, but we now have some colour: There is some respray needed (e.g. near the driver's door), but there has been some progress.

Add to which, reverse turn every few turns forward, and pull out as you are drilling. This is to break up the plastic swarf, and to clear the same from the hole. Hope this will reduce your breakages. p.s. really like that exhaust

Not much glueing going on, but most opaque plastic has been given a coat of grey primer or black ... The clear plastic will need a little more planning before masking and painting.

What about a fourth, dummy, funnel?

Nice one There are a few SMS Emden videos on YouTube, this one is from Drachinifel

A small update The second layer of planks is on, and filled As is the stern post The hull has a base coat of white primer

Looks good Jeff, though I get the issue with the foc'sle. If bulkheads or frames are in short supply, a lot of wooden ship modellers pack the bow or stern with balsa - not sure how this'd work in Australia?

Thanks Jeff The second layer of planking is underway: Shown here with the next plank bent ready for application and graded planks. Graded planks? Well, colour sorted last night; changes in wood grain and angle of light shows some variation.

Thank-you guys for the likes. We are well overdue for a follow-up post here. The hull is assembled on bulkheads attached across a keel, shown here with the lower deck and support beams for the upper deck. False upper deck and bulwark cores added: This was followed by the first layer of planks (first of two planed). That looked OK in profile But, looking from below, the bow planks were spaced too far apart. Those planks were removed And replaced This involved a change of approach, by using the plank bender to iron each row of planks to conform to the bulkheads. Current state of the build

Thanks vppelt68, maybe true, but I'd like to model one of these ... https://www.airliners.net/photo/Portugal-Air-Force/Lockheed-F-16A-Fighting-Falcon/1581535/L https://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/1338324/15106-portugal-air-force-general-dynamics-f-16a-fighting-falcon/ Assuming the decals are up to the task

Thanks @Tojo72, it certainly looks thorough.

Following a couple of quiet months, these GBs seem to be coming around quickly now, at least from my perspective. See how this one goes. Back when a flag against our names was a strong hint as to which country we should build, Portugal was selected for me. OK, they are now decorative, maybe a gentle hint ... but my choice was made in earlier times. Portugal Now, I know little about Portugal or its armed forces, but I took a look to see what I could find. After rejecting ground forces as (nearly) impossible to model, two aircraft stood out as possible in 1/48. An F-86 and an F-16A. Already overcommitted on GBs, and with Denis's F-86 GB due to follow soon, I settled on the F-16A. OK, what is needed for a Portuguese F-16A? An F-16A kit, and some appropriate AM stuff, a selection from Model Maker Decals, and a 3d printed ADF tail from 3D-Chute Expert and a 'pit from Quinta Studio. Actually, the AM stuff isn't essential for a Portuguese build from the Kinetic kit. The ADF tail isn't shown in Kinetic's instructions, but the necessary plastic is in the box, the key detail is shown here alongside the 3d printed tail. The difference is subtle, but I feel the 3D printed part is better.

Thanks guys Think I dodged the warped chassis with this one. Not to say it isn't a weird kit. I've stuck a few pieces together. Everything is a butt fit, with just two location pins so far. Many parts are glued against a ridge (the radiator, front seats, and boot), which is helpful, but the only location pins were in the engine block - to keep the sides a fixed distance apart. Anyway, engine, boot, chassis, seats, differential, silencer, radiator and ?petrol tank? ready for priming.

Most likely silver paint. If I can find it, I do have some gold size and silver leaf which would do a much better job. My problem with the model's chrome plating is the quality of reflection; it'd be fine at full size and viewing distances, but (IMO) looks gross at model scales.

Thanks @Noel Smith, I'll take a look I've made a tentative start by removing the 'chrome' plating (is it really aluminium plating?). This was remarkably easy. I had planned on ten minute soaks, but, these only took about 2 minutes each in domestic bleach - the usual warnings about using chemicals apply. Rinsing after took more effort. There are a couple of pieces that need another go, but on the whole this worked well. I can start glueing next ...

With my shallop approaching completion, I'm starting a new wooden vessel. This is Vanguard Models's HM Armed Cutter Sherbourne – 1763. Sir Thomas Slade's most notable design was HMS Victory. Victory was laid down some four years before Sherbourne, though commissioned over a decade after. The box And content The figures and pin pusher are extras that I bought. Strip Wood The dark wood at the bottom is pear, the pale stuff in the middle is lime (or bass wood), and the dowels are (I think) walnut. The sheet wood: Shown here with the acrylic display stand. In addition to the book, the kit came with 19 sheets of drawings And, those figures I'll take a view on how I use these guys; as presented, they are more appropriate to Trafalgar and the Napoleonic period than to the 1760s. Side note: This Vanguard kit is Chris Watton's second Sherbourne in this scale. The other is still available; this version benefits from additional research and learning.

Thank-you for that insight into your sleep pattern, illuminating.

This video might be of interest, mostly Stuarts, but some other US light tanks

Thanks Stuart, @Courageous

That mast looks exquisite, that looks like very good work with your soldering iron.

Thank you @Andy H, @Silenoz I'm still learning, and hope to do better with my next build - one of these should arrive soon Vanguard's HM Armed Cutter Sherbourne

About three weeks later ... The crew are less skeletal, and even found some clothing: My main inspiration for this was the work of David Teniers the Elder, a Flemish painter, active about the time of John Smith's expedition (e.g. https://www.artnet.com/artists/david-teniers-the-elder/, https://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/t/teniers/jan1/index.html) and the modern statue of John Smith (https://historicjamestowne.org/visit/plan-your-visit/monuments-john-smith/, https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/captain-john-smith). On the boat itself, the rigging is finished: Including a few loose ends: With the crew given some colour, the boat looks like this: .

And, I believe, Pierre Veyron drove a Type 50 in his first Le Mans race.

That Bugatti (or French) blue? Maybe, but I have another colour in mind.

Hope not. White or pink should make good undercoats/base coats for your yellow.