Navy Bird

I like it. I have the "little" 1:72 P-39N from Arma Hobby that I just have to build this year. Airacobras are cool. Cheers, Bill

Superb. That has to be amazing in person. 👍 👍 👍 👍 Cheers, Bill

Very nicely done indeed! One to put on my "stash replenishment" list. I too prefer colours other than black - your natural metal stands out. 👍 👍 👍 Cheers, Bill

I'm currently building the Airfix B.Mk.2(BS) and it only has the one set of wingtips for the B.2 (although it does have the closed bomb bay doors in addition to the Blue Steel fairing). If the K.2 has shorter wingtips, then I do not believe it is possible to build a K.2 from this kit (which also does not have any of the refueling hardware and baskets, etc.). I know you're asking if a B.2 can be built from the K.2 kit (the opposite of my situation) but I thought I would add my comment in case someone reading this thread had a question about going the other way (B.2 to K.2). For what it's worth... Cheers, Bill PS. Rather nice kit, by the way.

My sinus surgery and biopsies are set for Feb. 29. I'd like it a little sooner but I have my immunotherapy infusion next week and it's important that I get that before the surgery. Oh, I just realised the acronym for the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test I took is SNOT. Hadn't noticed that at first...how clever. 😕 ***** Only the top of the port wing needs its coat of white, and hopefully I can get to that today. The rest of it looks pretty good, albeit awfully, well, white. Cheers, Bill PS. Thanks for all your well wishes!

Thanks Martin. Hopefully 2024 will yield more builds (I have to work down my stash). My New Year's Resolution is to think small this year - no big kits like the Victor that take many months for me to build. Thanks Keith. Definitely a mixed year - luckily the holidays coincided with periods of relative good health for me. Maybe that's the answer to my problems - more holidays! Thanks Dave. Mentoring Carter with his model building is more satisfying than completing one of my own. It's really cool to see him progress with his skills - and he's only six years old! Although he did tell me that he feels like he is going to turn into "me." Not sure if that's good or bad.... Cheers, Bill

2023 wasn't a good modelling year at Chez Birdinski. Only three builds were completed, and one of those is pretty lame. It was a year with a lot of distractions - a trip to Florida, a trip to California, a trip to Hawaii for our 50th wedding anniversary, and on top of that we threw in a cruise for good measure. Add in some recurring health issues (one or two rounds with pneumonia, another Covid encounter, a never-ending sinus infection...you get the idea). Not a lot of time to build models. Oh, yeah, I forgot babysitting Dexter three days a week. 2023 was also memorable for what didn't get finished. I was ready to paint the 1:72 Airfix Blenheim Mk.IV, complete with more aftermarket than it deserved, when I left it just a wee bit too close for little Dexter's hands. Needless to say, the resulting hard landing was a total write-off. I also started the 1:72 Airfix Victor at mid-year, and I'm still working on that. On the positive side, I spent many enjoyable moments with my grandson Carter helping him to build his first Phantom (see below). Anyway, here are the three finished builds: 1:72 McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ Kai Phantom II (completed September 2023) FineMolds FineMolds have produced an amazing line of new tool 1:72 Phantom kits, finally surpassing the venerable Hasegawa, Revell, and ESCI offerings. (I've never seen any of the new Academy kits so I can't pass judgement on those and Fujimi still rules for the Spey versions.) I knew I had to build one of the new FM offerings as soon as I read the first online review - I picked the "Special Marking Blue" kit of the Phantom Farewell scheme from JASDF 301 Squadron because it's, like, cool. Lured by the beautiful metallic blue markings, and the allure of the new FM kit, I encountered the decals from Hell. I'm not sure why the Japanese manufacturers often have such thick decals. I've read about all the tricks - use hot water and Japanese solvents like Mr. Mark Setter and Mr. Mark Softer which, I'm told, have been formulated specifically for these kind of decals. If this is true, I still struggled getting these to snuggle down as I'm used to with Cartograf, Xtradecal, Microscale and the other usual suspects. Perhaps it was because the metallic blue ink process required many layers (pure speculation), perhaps it was because there were hectares of stickers, or perhaps it was because I'm an idiot. In any event, I persevered until I gave up. Gallons of every decal solvent known to man. (Except for Solvaset - last time I used that stuff it melted the styrene.) It is what it is. Under the lack of illumination at the far reaches of my display case, no one will ever know. Well, except for you blokes I guess. The build process is detailed in the WIP thread. 1:72 Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk (completed March 2023) Airfix This is the recent (albeit over a decade ago) "new tool" kit from Airfix of the Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk. OK, it's now called the A-4B, but I like those old USN designations. Much more informative than the USAF scheme that the politicians required so they wouldn't get embarrassed again (What - you mean the F4H and the F-110 are the same aircraft?). This is a nice little kit, but I felt the panel lines were a bit too deep and wide for my liking, and there were a couple of mistakes that I tried to clean up. The biggest was the curvature of the underside of the nose - not sure I made much of a difference but I tried. I'll take a participation trophy. Other than that, the biggest issue was getting the yellow and red checks to snuggle down onto the notorious Scooter rudder. Eventually we got there, but the amount of decal solvent required made some of the checks look like Dali painted them. I guess that's why it's called a solvent. I had to touch those up with a tiny brush but if you don't look too closely you won't be shocked. The WIP can be found here. 1:72 Nakajima Kikka (completed April 2023) AZ Model I've had this kit for a while and it's a typical AZ short run kit - in other words, it needs a lot of help in the detail department along with some tender loving care. I'm too old for the latter, but I was lucky enough to find a photoetch detail set from NH Detail (who I've never heard of) on a business trip to Sofia, Bulgaria. And that was a long time ago. But who knows - maybe I made something respectable out of it. Luckily, there were no stencils. WIP thread is here, complete with my mea culpa for painting the turtledeck the wrong colour. 1:72 RF-4 Phantom II (completed December 2023 by my six-year old grandson Carter) IMC Of course this is one of the infamous "battle-damaged" kits put out by IMC back in the neolithic. I picked this up from a vendor table at the local show for an ungodly two bucks, which is more than what it originally sold for. I supervised Carter on this build, helping mainly with the application of the stickers which came from a several decades old Microscale sheet which had some difficulty maintaining its structural integrity whilst in the water. I also helped him with his airbrushing technique which mostly involved making sure he didn't tip it too much and dump out the contents of the colour cup. Anyway, he even painted the afterburners fluorescent orange. This is the fourth model he's built - not bad for a kid his age I think. For his next model, I'll introduce him to the wonders of seam filling and sanding. Oh, be still my heart... I'll leave you with my favourite photo of 2023, from our trip to Hawaii. The gang's all here! (I'm the old guy with the credit card.) Cheers, Bill PS. I hate sand. PPS. From the left: Son-in-law, Daughter, Wifey, Old Man, Granddaughter, Granddaughter, Grandson, Granddaughter, Grandson, Daughter, Son-in-law, Son, Daughter-in-law.

And to make matters worse, I applied a panel line wash to make sure they were even more prominent. Silly old sod. I tried to convince myself it was the right thing to do because panel line washes were the Modelling Technique of the Month. If I can remember correctly, it's Tamiya's fault for highlighting washes in their magazine. Yup, the Crusader was the Academy kit. It's here. I shouldn't have done a panel line wash on that one either. Cheers, Bill

Amazing work! This was one of those "weekend" builds, right? Nah, just kidding. It would take me months to do all that rigging - well worth it though. Your model is outstanding. Cheers, Bill

Superb craftsmanship, Martin! I've been following the build thread and I really admire the skill and dedication you put into this effort. 👍 👍 👍 Cheers, Bill

Nice work on a subject you don't see that often. I have a real love/hate relationship with Anigrand. I've built several and binned several. For some subjects, though, they're the only game in town. Cheers, Bill

Very nicely done! I wish I had had the foresight to fill the panel lines when I built this kit way back when, it makes a world of difference. I guess I'll have to schedule mine for a "rebuild." Nice 109, too. I was amazed at the panel line difference between it and the Spitfire. I think the only things I added to the 109 were the trim tabs. Cheers, Bill

Further update below - my prediction was a bit off the mark... As some rock star once said (can't remember who) "It's only life - it's not like it's anything important." 😕 I sprayed some more white today! Since I elected to use my airbrush instead of a spray bomb, I've divided the fuselage painting into seven separate jobs. Three and a half are now finished. Wishing more good health for your brother-in-law. Where can I get some sheer bloody mindedness? Do I need to be British first? I could emigrate I suppose... Thanks Dave. I've never been the type to sit around and mope. I'm a little hard on myself when it comes to my model building, but not with my health. John Cale the philosopher. Of course, today I was listening to the Zevonista when Life'll Kill Ya came on. "Requiescat in pace, that's all she wrote." Warren always had a unique way of looking at life. Too bad he didn't bother going to a doctor more often. Thanks. Great photos - I love that row of Valiants. ***** The PET/CT scan showed significantly increased metabolic activity in some areas of my throat and sinuses, plus increased size of some cervical lymph nodes. These areas "lit up" on the images. The doctor who wrote the report included a differential diagnosis (one or the other) between the never-ending sinus infection or a return of the lymphoma. I vote for the former. I see the oncologist next Tuesday, and my ENT doctor is going to move up my sinus surgery so she can get tissue for biopsies at the same time. Regardless, preparation for our trip to Ireland continues unabated. Flight reservations are made, along with all the tours and hotels. (I will admit to getting all the trip insurance I could find.) Wifey has wanted to go to Ireland for years, and I'm not going to let some cells who happen to really like radioactive dye get in the way! Cheers, Bill

Nothing like a good old bonk... Cheers, Bill

Awesome stuff. And a great shout-out to Eno and Byrne. I have a first edition CD of that record, including the song where the vocals are provided by Algerian Muslims chanting the Koran. I understand why that selection was removed from later editions, but it is a really cool tune nonetheless. Cheers, Bill

Thanks @Tornado 01 for the photos. ***** Sorry (again!) for the lack of progress. Things have been multiplying here lately, and not in a good way. My daughter had a miscarriage, and with my wife and I having dealt with that back in the mid 80s I know how devastating that can be. We've been spending a lot of time giving her the love and support she needs right now. On top of that, my oncologist doesn't like my latest blood work and physical exam, and has scheduled a "General Metabolic Tumor PET scan" for next week. Couldn't he have just called it a scan? Geez. Then his N.P. tells me he told her "this is about the time we expect it to be back." Oh joy. You may recall after my last PET scan I had to have my tonsils removed as they were pre-cancerous. I guess this all means those quirky little carcinoma nasties have been percolating since then. And just for fun, all the antibiotic treatments for my never ending sinus infection have failed, so I'm now scheduled for sinus surgery. Anyway, pile it on. I can take it. Cheers, Bill PS. I predict my daughter will bounce back quickly, my sinus surgery will fix all my upper respiratory issues, and the PET scan will show that the abnormal blood counts were caused by washing down too many pizzas with gallons of craft beer. PPS. I might even finish painting the Victor white.

Superb work on the vortex generators. Now how do I do that on a 1:72 Sea Harrier? Cheers, Bill

Ready for a big gonzo update? Yeah, me too. Unfortunately there isn't one. I've managed to paint the underside white, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. But then other things keep popping up - snowstorms, babysitting, cruising the local hobby shops looking for Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, grandson's lacrosse games, another mild case of pneumonia, etc. I've decided that I hate winter, so I'm headed to Florida tomorrow for a week. Somebody has to pump up the Disney share price. 🌴 🍹 🌴 🧉 🌴 I'll paint the rest of this baby when I get back. The white looks pretty good and has a nice satin finish. But it is too monochromatic and needs to be scuffed up a bit. Stay tuned for more excuses updates. Cheers, Bill PS. Ms. Bird and myself are planning to visit Ireland the last week of May. I haven't booked anything yet - maybe some of our Irish Britmodellers can make some recommendations (especially breweries and distilleries!). For sightseeing, all I have on my list so far is Newgrange. My maternal great-grandmother was from County Meath.

Outstanding work, David! If it were up to me, I wouldn't do any weathering. But that's just me. Cheers, Bill

Quick question - there are two vents on top of the wings midway along the wing root. Eduard have you place a photoetch cover over these. Sound correct? Cheers, Bill

Grain of wheat lamps. How's that for a statement on how old I am? Cheers, Bill (currently annoying wifey with Night of Desirable Objects by Snakefinger)

I think it's called getting old. Although I'm past the "getting" part. 😕 I have two models in my collection that are anti-flash white, the Buccaneer S.1 and the TSR.2. Both were painted with Testors 2143 Semi-gloss White enamel. I recently bought 12 bottles on eBay, so I'll use that. But I wouldn't invest any money in Testors - modelers look back with nostalgia on the halcyon days of Model Master and thank them for forcing us to find other brands that are actually supportive of the hobby. Got it. Only the tail bumper remains, right? Thanks - that will reduce the amount of paint I'll need. Yeah, but I don't remember the really good parties...too much Doom Bar perhaps. Cheers, Bill

Interesting videos, thanks for sharing. If I don't get moving on this build, it will end up with moss growing on it too. So, Eduard says tart up the gear doors. Authentic? If other such sets are a guide, probably not. But it looks cool. These photoetch meshes most likely shouldn't be proud of the surface, but I paid for them so I put 'em on. Fixing a hole - this should fill the gap between the Blue Steel fairing and the fuselage. Card stock to the rescue. Sure am glad I don't have to fix those ejector pin marks in the bomb bay. The putty queen. The fairing fit like a glove. Not. Plus, more sinkholes than Florida. I keep finding additional areas to apply filler. Perhaps it's my subconscious mind's attempt to delay painting this monster white. But that can only go so far, and the inevitable deed must surely be done. I like that crescent wing! Gustav and Godfrey done good. The various antennae are left off until later. Same with the refueling probe and the pitots. I have the Master set for the refueling coupling/pitot tubes and I think I will cut off the styrene equivalents and pre-drill for the turned metal, especially for the pitots. That way I can add in the bits that go into the notches on the wings prior to painting. The inserts that go into the forward portion of the canopy don't seem to fit real well either, and that will need to be rectified prior to paint. So, things are moving along, albeit glacially. In these days of climate change, glaciers move more quickly than they did when I was a lad, but they're still pretty slow. Cheers, Bill PS. Still searching for new places to putty. PPS. Little Dexter got his hands on this one too, but fortunately it did not suffer the fate of the Blenheim. Yea. PPPS. Maybe I should not leave the models where he can reach them...

I got an Academy 1:72 P-47 with the receipt still attached. $2.00 from some thrift shop. It's good to know that somebody loves me. Cheers, Bill PS. Nice weathering on your thumb.

I had a shelf collapse back in the 80s...I think I managed to repair them all. Of course I wasn't so picky back then ... Yeah, the grandkids always want to play with the models. The display cases are locked, but the workbench is not. What I've done recently is give some of my older models to the kids so they can play (landing gear and armament are immediate casualties) but perhaps that just instilled the 2-year old with the notion that's it's OK to do so. My bad. He certainly didn't mean to break it - after he dropped it he accidentally stepped on it. Oops. I hope you're feeling better. I've had it several times now - it's no fun. I think so too. That will be a few years from now though - maybe five. Then he'll be seven which is the age that Carter is at now. I'll need to get a bigger workbench if all three of us are working together on a project! I'm thinking of a Jaguar XKE. Of course, I still need to finish the Victor. And I have the new tool Valiant and Vulcan sitting on the shelf as well. That is creative. Much better than "I inadvertently knocked them all off the shelf whilst I was dusting." Actually the fuselage was all together, although I really didn't like the way the canopy fit. You're right about the front and back fuselage join - terrible. I used some shims to make it better, but still a lot of filler was needed. I was in the process of trying to figure out how to make the canopy blend into the forward fuselage better. I probably should have followed the directions - perhaps the accident will allow me to mend my ways! FROG huh? I'll have to make sure that the grandkids don't know what it stands for. Cheers, Bill