The Antarctic and Arctic GB: All welcome; We made it to 32!

[TonyTiger66]

Hello everyone 👋 

It’s been a while since I suggested anything for a Group Build.

 

I’m not sure if it has been done before, but I’m just floating the idea of an Arctic and Antarctic themed Group Build.

 

Here they are, first the Antarctic;

 

 

then Arctic Circle:

 

 

Incorporating parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Canada, Alaska and Greenland. Am I missing any nation here?

 

I’m a geographer; more than anything else on Earth these regions have always fascinated me. 

 

The extreme conditions, the history of humankind’s efforts to reach the poles. To travel across the Arctic and Antarctica. To set up bases, perform research in the most incredibly challenging conditions.

 

Stories of bravery, of tragedy, of geopolitical strategic military planning and military/research base settlement, of trade routes, of climate and change. 

 

I thought this a good subject as it would encompass military, civil, commercial and research vehicles, aircraft, Icebreakers, Barques, figures in terms of explorers, structures in terms of settlements. Why not even indigenous flora and fauna? If someone would like to make a model of a Polar Bear; yes! By all means.

 

In terms of civil aircraft my only limit would be that to just fly on a normal air corridor above the poles would not be enough; any aircraft would need to be directly linked to the Poles, by airbase, by regular deliveries to the poles, by a record attempt or research directly related to the poles, of walking and non walking polar cargo.

 

I’m open to all (polite) suggestions, this idea certainly isn’t fully formed. If anyone would be interested in co-hosting, that would be most welcome!

 

Get your parka and snowshoes on, let’s get chilly and brainstorm the Polar regions for a creative and inclusive Group Build.

 

🏔️ ☃️ 

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

——————-

 

Hello everyone,

It may be too late but I’m going to try to make a list. I’m in hospital in the UK, happy to be here and being looked after very well.

 

 

I’m on a few tablets that make me a little vague; if I forget to add you to the list please remind me here or my PM.
 

Thank you for the really great response to this group build idea and many thanks to those that kept the plate spinning whilst I was unable to do it. 😊 👍 🤝 
 

I am very behind with Direct messages, I apologise and thank you for writing them. Really, very badly behind. I will endeavour to catch up ASAP.

———————-

 

I didn’t do it guv!! It’s all thanks to others with big thanks to @Robert Stuart. 
 

Here is the list; please check. If you are missing crime the list *please* let me know.

Also any people that have agreed to be co-hosts but are not indicated as so on the list please let me know.

Co-hosts are still very welcome indeed. Please drop me a DM or place a message on the thread, I will write back. Assume a *yes please* and big * thank you* ☃️ ⛰ 🥶 🧊 

 

I think we need; *One* more. 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😨😨😨.

 

Please Write to friends that like snowmen, beautiful Aurora Borealis, exploration, extremes and model making! Urgently 😆!!

 

The list (32 so far)

 

1: TonyTiger66 (host)

2: MarkSH (co-host)

3: Pin

4. Caerbannog

5. vppelt68

6. modelling minion

7. milktrip

8. zebra

9. Rabbit Leader

10. Romeo Alpha Yankee

11. Robert Stuart (co-host)

12. CliffB

13. John Laidlaw

14. Vingtor

15. Colin W

16. helios16v

17. whiskey

18. zegeye

19. Grandboof

20. Arniec

21. dnl42

22. nimrod54

23. Ernie

24. desert falcon

25. CorsairFoxFourUncle

26. bootneck

27. John D.C. Masters

28. janneman36

29. Marlin

30: Torbjorn

31: Procopious

32: The Spadgent

 

Yay! We are at 32!
 

A superb list of names too; I hope we pass the bunfight; this promises to be good and full of variety.

Thank you everyone.

 

Party time 😊!

 

🥳 

 

  Thank you to @Enzo Matrix for confirming that we are in for the bunfight in November 😊 .

 

 

☃️  ⛰

 

 

  

 

Tony ❄️ T

[MarkSH]

This sounds very interesting. I like the idea of doing one of those articulated tracked vehicles, if such a kit exists. Anyway great idea and happy to co-host if it comes to pass.

Cheers,

Mark.

[Pin]

Pe-8 or ANT-7 in Orange Polar Aviation livery

I'm in!

 

Especially if Tony hosts!

[MarkSH]

Some very brief lunchtime research brought the Trans Antarctica expeditions of the 1950s right to the front of my list some very interesting stuff; Neptune, Auster and Otter A/C, Sno-Cats, tractors and more.

[Caerbannog]

Now this is a great idea. Just a question - "civil aircraft my only limit would be that to just fly on a normal air corridor above the poles would not be enough" - I guess those who first flew above the poles would be OK?

Maybe I would be in with a Byrd Ford TriMotor.

[Pin]

Just curious, would Chkalov's USSR-USA over The North Pole ANT-25 flight qualify?

 

[vppelt68]

You mean the Arctic Circle would be the defining matter, and everything north of it would be eligible? In that case, please count me in! I'm interested in WW2 operations in that region, but it's very active in this day too. V-P

[vppelt68]

Most of this good for the GB, @TonyTiger66 ?

http://en.aviation-report.com/exercise-arctic-challenge-2017/

[modelling minion]

Very interested in this, some great possibilities at either pole.

An LC-130 immediately springs to mind for Antarctica and something from the Cold War based in the Arctic circle with Arctic red panels and stars and bars, possibly used for snooping on the opposition.

So yes you can count me in!

[TonyTiger66]

8 hours ago, MarkSH said:

This sounds very interesting. I like the idea of doing one of those articulated tracked vehicles, if such a kit exists. Anyway great idea and happy to co-host if it comes to pass.

Cheers,

Mark.

Hello Mark 👋 

Thank you 😊 !

 

Yes, I will gladly take you up on your offer to be co-host should we get enough interested bods.

 

I’m not very well versed in AFV’s, not in the basis of many of the vehicles utilised in the polar regions. Nevertheless, I think that quite a few have been based on standard AFV underpinnings.

 

I love vehicles (I now own a ridiculous number of decaying and poorly potentially  classic cars) of all kinds. Planes, Trains, Automobiles, floaty things, motorcycles, snow cats, submarine things and space exploration things.

 

The polar regions have been host to interesting and often top secret events involving nearly all of those (trains 🤔?).

 

I think that it could be a custom build/modifying existing kit heaven for vehicle fans. As far as I know, some Japanese even tried to Motorcycle to one of the Poles!

 

I tried to find a few public domain images. I’m not completely confident in my ability to link photographs here using my mobile telephone, but here goes, some stunning vehicles here, I would be tempted to make one too:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the lunchtime research Mark, all research on this is welcome, even if the Group Build doesn’t get enough takers, I think we will unearth (well, dig out of the snow ⛄️), some great modelling ideas.

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

 

[TonyTiger66]

More vehicles:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

😃 

 

TT

[MarkSH]

Cheers Tony,

 

The Hagglunds BV-206 variant was the  vehicle I initially thought of but I am more swayed toward the Trans Antarctica Expedition equipment and two shots of one of the TAE Tucker Sno-Cat 743s are included in your post above, but also the Ferguson TE-20 Tractors that were fitted out for the 1955-57 expeditions are really interesting especially considering some of them made it all the way across the continent:

 

 

Heller do a 1/24 TE-20 it would take some work to convert but we love a challenge don't we?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[TonyTiger66]

8 hours ago, Pin said:

Pe-8 or ANT-7 in Orange Polar Aviation livery

I'm in!

 

Especially if Tony hosts!

Thank you Pin! Very kind 😊 

 

Superb subjects!

 

There are some good kits out there for those. I love the colours of those aircraft. 

 

My Russian is very poor these days, but I found this fascinating link.

 

http://www.polarpost.ru/Library/N-166/main-n166pole.html

 

On a similar theme; I would be very tempted to build the G1 that is blue and orange...

 

 

Then there’s this, for which I may have to sell a kidney to raise the funds needed to buy it. I’m sure that I need the kidney less than this kit 😍:

 

 

Welcome on board Pin, great to have you here 👍

 

Best regards 

TonyT

 

 

[milktrip]

Sounds like a great idea for a GB.  count me in.

 

cheers

Aaron

[zebra]

Excellent idea. So many interesting options. Count me in.

[Rabbit Leader]

Great idea Tony! 

It would be nice to add an Auster as an Arctic buddy to this Beaver kit.

Best put me down as 'interested', there's always colourful modelling options out there that help brighten up ones display cabinet. 

 

Cheers... Dave 

 

 

 

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

10 hours ago, Caerbannog said:

Now this is a great idea. Just a question - "civil aircraft my only limit would be that to just fly on a normal air corridor above the poles would not be enough" - I guess those who first flew above the poles would be OK?

Maybe I would be in with a Byrd Ford TriMotor.

 

You could always try building 'Snowbird 1' (A319) operated for the Australian Antarctic Divison to resupply Australian Antarctic bases.

 

VH-VHD

 

 

or VH-VCJ

 

Hmmm, I have a USN or USAF LC-130 that needs to be built! Or in fact the above A319

 

 

[Robert Stuart]

My wife wouldn't forgive me if I let this one go (she is something of an Antarctic junkie).

 

Something I made earlier ...

[CliffB]

A great idea Tony.  It should be a very colourful affair!

Count me in please with a Scandinavian airliner of some sort (taking on board the requirement to demonstrate scheduled service to the Arctic region).

Here's one I made earlier....

 

 

Cheers

Cliff

 

 

[Pin]

When I was a kid I recall I was very impressed with a movie about Soviet Antarctic Expedition.  

The plot was that a caravan of sledges and tractors must deliver fuel to Vostok station from Mirniy station but the weather becomes very unfavourable as the temperature falls below -71, the point where diesel fuel becomes a jelly-like substance unless it is properly diluted with petrol. As it turns out the fuel was not properly prepared and the convoy faces certain death if they fail to heat the fuel to the condition when it could be used. They begin to head the fuel barrels on open fire but the fire catches one of the tractors and it burns down. They manage to approach the station but miss an important beacon and get lost, but someone on the station fires flares so they manage to get there eventually.

 

 

 

 

I found it in full on YouTube, the name is "72 degrees below freezing point". There are some really fascinated views on these magnificent machines capable of working and hosting their crews in such extreme conditions. 

Worth saying that many scenes, especially those that include unique vehicles were actually filmed in Antarctica

 

 

[TonyTiger66]

On 2/22/2019 at 12:51 AM, Caerbannog said:

Now this is a great idea. Just a question - "civil aircraft my only limit would be that to just fly on a normal air corridor above the poles would not be enough" - I guess those who first flew above the poles would be OK?

Maybe I would be in with a Byrd Ford TriMotor.

Yes, absolutely!

It would be great, almost essential, to see one of the Byrd expedition aircraft, the Barque, anything related, modelled. 😊.

 

I had struggled with how to describe the ‘normal air corridor’ thing.

 

I was once on an Air Transat aircraft from Toronto to the U.K.. I’m not sure if the destination may have been Manchester 🤔. This is over 20 years ago. Maybe a Tristar. Ex military I think. I have a photo of it somewhere.

 

It flew over the Arctic, a stunning view in the early hours of the morning. I’m fairly sure that there was a show of the Aurora Borealis, by optical illusion, almost alongside the aircraft.

 

Also, I recently viewed one of those ‘long TV’ shows (very relaxing), of a KLM Boeing freight aircraft flying from Schipol to Tokyo. Again, the air route was over the the Arctic, almost exactly over the North Pole according to one of the crew.

 

Both of the above, I thought, were out of the remit of the GB. I thought that there are enough opportunities for Civil Aviation  related subjects directly related to Polar work, settlement or exploration, like Byrd’s Fokker; a great example.

 

The Fokker was a civil and military aircraft of the time, specially adapted for Byrd’s flight. 747’s have been used for Antarctic cargo.

 

The Naval R4D-5 derivative of the DC-3 was the first aircraft to land at the South Pole, US Navy adaptations of the Lockheed Constellation flew there and so on.

 

I’m wondering if this is enough for civil aviation fans, or should I just say it’s ok for civil and cargo aircraft that are known to fly over eg the poles, to be included? 🤔 

 

Thanks for asking about this, it has allowed me to ponder the civil side further and yes; Admiral Byrd is essential 😊 👍 

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

[TonyTiger66]

Here’s a little inspirational subject matter for anyone that owns a kit of the DHC Twin Otter:

 

 

What a rugged aircraft and much respect due to the crew 🏅 

 

TonyT

[TonyTiger66]

On 2/22/2019 at 7:01 AM, milktrip said:

Sounds like a great idea for a GB.  count me in.

 

cheers

Aaron

Thank you Aaron! 

 

I will start a list 👍

Best regards

TonyT

[TonyTiger66]

On 2/22/2019 at 7:14 AM, zebra said:

Excellent idea. So many interesting options. Count me in.

That’s great,

Many thanks !

I will keep posting a few ideas for builds 👍

 

Best regards

TonyT

[John Laidlaw]

Wow - what a great idea! I have no idea what I'd build, but this really fires up my imagination. Please count me in.