A Valiant Attempt (1/72 Suez Crisis Airfix Valiant)

[Procopius]

I am not, nor have ever been, a parent but am I making an erroneous connection to highlight that if you need some sleep because Winston won't sleep and if Winston only sleeps on your stomach... can't you sleep with him on your stomach? I understand that might create an undesirable pattern of behaviour if you do it all the time but in an emergency... no?

Well, in theory this is possible, certainly, and has been done, but Winston debuted a new move today wherein he passes gas noisily for what seems like a decade, then does a neat tuck and roll towards oblivion, still making a sound like a badly misused trombone. I expect this will come in handy during his future career as a rodeo clown. In any case, it was a stroke of genius on his part, because it ensures we must maintain a state of constant vigilance during the twenty hours of the day he seems to spend awake and/or out of his crib, thereby reducing us to dead-eyed, diaper changing, milk-dispensing automatons. Having had to apply soothing balm to a secret recess of young Winston approximately five hundred times this week, it's a little clearer to me now why my own father reacted so violently to being challenged during my callow youth.

[Stew Dapple]

I'm sorry PC but I really laughed at that... it probably becomes considerably less funny when you are subjected to it regularly whilst at the same time suffering a level of sleep deprivation that would probably be designated as 'Torture' by the UN under different circumstances.

Cheers,

Stew

[Cookenbacher]

Keep up the good work PC, with Winston and the Valiant - they both seem pretty wiley, but the rewards will be great.

[Ace From Outer Space]

Dear dead-eyed nappy changing automaton,

For quite a long time you will be the coolest bloke on the planet to your son, have no worries about that. Sebastian is three, and every evening he wants to help daddy glueing an airwoplane, or building his helicoptata. He loves it. I've just joined the IPMS and he keeps wandering around the house with the magazine explaining with delight how he is going to build the Valiant on the cover.

Is Winston's crib free standing? Our first one from John Lewis wasn't and Seb hated it. So we bought a crib called a Baby Bay which has an open side which clips onto your bed with the babies mattress being the same height as yours. My little one took to it the way CedB does to a double entendre, and it made things a little easier. He also co-slept with us for over two years before he went in to his own bed (Sebastian, not CedB, that is), and hard as it was, in the long run it has worked for us.

Anyway, wheres this Valiant of yours?

Cheers,

Viv

[CedB]

"... took to it the way CedB does to a double entendre..." Oi! I resemble that remark!

It's been a while since I've had any Dbl-Es and I think I may be over it... there, see, not a one flowed from my fingers. As the bacon said to the pork fillet, I think I may be cured.

Viv's answer to the Winston sleep problem is certainly more up-to-date than mine - I wuz bought up old school lad and if it were good enough for me... Our inherited method was to 'put them down' (the approved term) and let 'em wail until they got tired and fell asleep. It just takes a few days of sitting together as new parents listening to your new born howling, staring at each other in the way I guess axe murderers do, both wanting to give in. Used the same method with the dogs when they were puppies. (Hmmm, something seems wrong now I've typed that.)

Tell the kids today, and the won't believe ya, aye!

Stew I'm sorry you're not feeling too good - probably the relieved tension of the GB closing...

The Valiant wings look pucka PC - nice finish, good recovery, 9.6 points

[Airgunner]

Winston will be that age...someday....

And then you'll wish he wasn't and he was a little 'un again. Yesterday my two were 4 and 8, today they are 19 and 23 and I'm a Grandad to two gorgeous little girls. The time really does go that fast, so don't wish it away no matter how hard the going gets, you will regret it later.

Things will settle down soon, parenthood will become a breeze, and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about. If you can stick a Valiant together, you can sort out a 1:1 scale Winston. It really is child's play, and you'll be planning a brother or sister for him to play with.

As to being the coolest man in the world, you're already that, and always will be as long as you draw breath. Until he passed last year, my old man was the coolest man alive to me, the only thing I will never forgive him for is giving me my plastic addiction, but no ones perfect!

Chin up mate, you'll be right.

[keefr22]

And then you'll wish he wasn't and he was a little 'un again. Yesterday my two were 4 and 8, today they are 19 and 23 and I'm a Grandad to two gorgeous little girls. The time really does go that fast, so don't wish it away no matter how hard the going gets, you will regret it later.

I was just about to post almost exactly the same - although my two are now 30 & 26! - the Grandad bit is the same in my case though!

I know it's a trite thing to say,but don't wish the time away PC. Winston sounds as though he's exactly like my son was at that age, & I too couldn't wait for the non sleeping, nappy changing, kicking & screaming days to stop. They did soon enough, & I can't now really for the life of me remember the good parts of that time with him. And good parts there must have been, because in the more remote way you have when you're a grandad, you can actually see the delightful bits of babies development. Try to store away those good bits in your memory for they all too soon grow up!

Keith

[rob85]

I only shop at M&s but then I do work there so it's only right...

Anyhow as for the lack of sleep, I feel your pain. Our first did nothing but sleep on us or in our bed, we did a ced style biting the bullet and put her in a cot at 5 months. With the other we were given hell as he had a silent reflux brought on by a milk allergy which kept him up all night for about 6 months. What I will say is that at 6 months you can start getting into a routine which is so much better.

As for the wife break down, mine had a number of these as the whole thing is rather mental. Your doing the right thing by doing all you can for her and being understanding! Tough time but you will get through it and it will be looked back on fondly!! And you may even laugh... Actually can't promise the last bit depends on your sense of humour.

As for the valiant it's coming along beautifully so well done.

Also may say publicly thanks for the transfer sheets you a complete legend!!

Rob

[Col.]

The hardest thing I've ever had to do was not respond to Iona's cries when we were trying to wean her off the habit of doing it for attention. Wait, who am I trying to kid, we were trying to wean ourselves off the desire to lavish attention upon her at every opportunity. It took a wee while but we all survived the experience and grew as a result of it.

A good friend gave me two things to keep in mind not long before Iona was born; "This isn't about you any more" and "Every moment you miss with a child is one you will never get back" He was right on both counts. I've had some amazing things happen when least expected and the good things far outweigh the hard nights lacking in sleep and feeling frustrated. Looking over the photos we've taken always make me smile for that reason. Enjoy your second official chance at childhood PC

[philp]

Hang in there. My boys are now 30 and 24 and my baby girl just turned 18. Lost my youngest son 4 years ago in an auto accident when he was 18 so relish every sleep deprived minute. Sooner or later things will get better.

My first born had to be double diapered because of a hip issue. My second had to sleep in a hammock type thingy on a slanted board with a heart monitor hooked up to him so we could nudge him when the alarm went off. Somehow we survived all of those things. Just seems really hard when you aren't getting much sleep.

I did luck out with my first born as I was working nights. Wife would put him to bed and I got home between 1 and 3 am and would get him when he woke around that time. Change the diaper, give him a bottle and watch Danger Mouse on Nickelodeon. Then put him to bed and the wife would get him the next time he woke up.

Really don't remember how the others slept but we also did the Ced trick of letting them cry themselves out a few times and yes, that is pretty hard to keep yourself from rushing in and soothing your little one.

Also the memory loss is not due to old age. It is a survival mechanism that humans have so that we are tricked into having more than one kid. Trust me on this.

Last bit of advice. Happy wife, happy life.

[Leonl]

Last bit of advice. Happy wife, happy life.

Yes very, very true.....

[Procopius]

So, like virtually every British aircraft of the 1950s, the Valiant was festooned with vortex generators. On the resin tail, these are PE parts that you can add separately. The true masochist can also sand off the wing VGs and replace them with PE parts as well.

I am not a true masochist -- I shrink from pain.

However, I still need to add the VGs to the tail, so here we are. Happily, there are (too shallow) holes indicating where the VGs go, along with small notches to indicate angle.

I have to say, it's very heartening to read how many of your children have an interest in modelling -- my father and I were never close (one of my earliest memories is attempting to poison him with orange juice mixed with milk, which amazingly he saw through immediately), and don't really share any interests, which I'm sure accounts for some of my trepidation with young Winston.

Lost my youngest son 4 years ago in an auto accident when he was 18 so relish every sleep deprived minute.

Please accept my most sincere condolences, belated though they may be. I only have the merest inkling of what you must have gone through, and I'm so sorry.

[general melchett]

Good job on the VG's PC, very gentlemanly conduct. The only thing I'd say though is that's it's a lot easier to add the fin mounted ones once the model's painted and the fin flash is on...are they glued into place or just a push fit ?

As for the joys of sproghood, well I couldn't wait for my daughter to get to the stage where we could actually hold a meaningful conversation.......she's 24 now and I'm still waiting ! My father, (ex RAF aircrew) introduced me to modelling when I was about 6 years old and would sit with infinite patience whilst I merrily destroyed a perfectly good kit of an aircraft he'd flown, the victim was usually a Hunter, before giving me many words of encouragement on what might be a better way of approaching it, never critical which I've not forgotten....We spent a lot of time helping our daughter through schooling and childhood in the same way my parents did and all I can add is that the years of nurture (torture) are definitely worth the effort ........my daughter is now a school teacher, so something must have worked......

[Procopius]

Oh Shropshire fudge! I forgot about the fin flash!

[amblypygid]

My recollection is that the first eight weeks were the hardest time, especially for my wife. I was just about ready to list my son on ebay when he smiled at me, and those eight weeks were forgotten in an instant. And there were a couple of times when I was instructed to take him away and not to return with him. Remember what the bigger baby-like Winston never actually said: "When you're going through hell, keep going".

[keefr22]

Oh Shropshire fudge! I forgot about the fin flash!

Do they make fudge in Shropshire?

[Procopius]

Do they make fudge in Shropshire?

I'm sure it's happened, and for the purposes of a minced oath: yes.

[keefr22]

Ah, the old minced oath. They definitely make those in Shropshire. Nice with custard....!!

[AdrianMF]

Goodness me. Tough choice between about a hundred PE vortex generators and sleep deprivation. Some guys have all the fun...

I know Winston will be totally worth it. Vortex generators where you can't see 'em, under the tail - I'm not so sure...

Regards,

Adrian

[Martian]

Nice work on the vortex generators.

Martin

[Gremlin56]

I'm sorry PC but I really laughed at that... it probably becomes considerably less funny when you are subjected to it regularly whilst at the same time suffering a level of sleep deprivation that would probably be designated as 'Torture' by the UN under different circumstances.

Cheers,

Stew

Wait until your prostate goes haywire Stew, Getting old is real fun

[Procopius]

Yeesh, look how long I've left this. Geeze.

"Can I talk to you about our lord and savior, the Supermarine Spitfire?"

Winston's getting big, and alarming strong. My wife claims that last night, after I retired to bed with a migraine, Winston cried from 10:30 PM (when I went downstairs and slept on the couch) to 2 AM, when I returned, sleepily rolled my cell phone (as a social media person I sometimes have things happen workwise at weird hours, and I also use it for an alarm clock) up into my t-shirt, picked him up, rocked him to sleep, handed him back to her, grunted "this was a fluke", and then went to sleep in our bed.

I have no recollection of any of this. Believe it or not, as you wish.

At any rate, I've been working a little on the model, mostly sanding the wing leading edge. Imagine, however, my excitement when Alclad released RAF High Speed Silver as a colour! I ordered two bottles, and sprayed the gear doors of the kit.

The Airfix Valiant, it turns out, has a very pebbly, uneven surface, with weird skeins of plastic running through it like stretch marks, and I had to sand down the Alclad with 4000 grit micromesh, and then respray, then polish that with 6000 and 12000. It looks...okay... now. But I see why there are very few Suez Valiants about.

Additionally, the resin control surfaces -- which are subtly different from the kit ones -- for the tail had a weird crinkly effect that meant I had to sand them down too, wearing my trusty gas mask (thanks Cookie!) until they looked rather less like they were made from tin foil. One of the PE vortice generators perished valiantly during this, but I have more.

So yes, little has been accomplished as of late, and I have no photos for you tonight. Tomorrow I go to the IPMS Butch O'Hare show about 45 miles from my house, the closest modelling thingy to me. Mrs. P goes to Florida with Winston on the 14th for a week, so I look forward to the brief return of unlimited free time for a spell.

[Navy Bird]

Alclad High Speed Silver eh? Does it look much different than Aluminium or some of their other shades?

Kids grow up quick. Even in just a few days. We're watching it with our grandchildren. Wifey got a new eyeball today. Yikes, do I feel old.

Cheers,

Bill

[CedB]

Needs must...

Cute photo

Definitely a fluke and nothing to do with... what's it called... when they miss you being there... 'something' anxiety... gnnggghhh.

Up 'early' for SMW. You know, after our BoB trip, what I'm like early in the morning. Apologies.

Great effort on the Valiant. Alclad, hmmm. Looking forward to some pictures when you can.

Smiley face. Grunt. Sorry.

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

One of the PE vortice generators perished valiantly...

I see what you did there.

You have to love America. Here we have IPMS shows called things like "Salisbury", "Yeovilton February Show" and (daringly omitting the place name) "Scale Model World". You are going to a show called Butch O'Hare. Bubba Gump is next week, Cletus Appalachian Inbred the week after?

Winston looks a dude, noisy or not.