Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Great to have you back PC ! The builds are looking good to boot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 So as I sit here watching The Sweeney (I assume the large gentlemen in this episode wearing tam o'shanters, blue jumpers, and scarves are football fans?) and waiting for the decals to conform to the model, what better time than now to get caught up? So what have I been up to? We're still all healthy and safe here (despite Mrs P's teaching assistant catching Covid after flying to visit family for Thanksgiving, as you do if you're an idiot). We finally sprang for a professional-grade hair trimmer last month and cut my hair, as the birds have been mistaking it for a nest and landing on it, to my intense discomfort. Then began a delicate and complex dance, as I attempted to convince Winston to allow me to trim his hair, as he'd begun to look like Shaun Cassidy c.1976. Unfortunately, someone (Mrs P) had repeatedly praised his "beautiful curls", and Win was loathe to submit to the shears, by which I meant when I asked, he tore off through the house screaming. Winston does not handle change well. We bribed Grant into getting a trim with the promise of food, hoping to show Win how easy it was, but Grant scuppered this by sobbing the entire time. Perfect. Well, we got Winston anyway, eventually. Majestic beasts, aren't they? Emphasis on beasts. Anyway, Mrs P is off in Michigan for the first time in six months, which means I'm alone for the first time in six months. Magical! I'd forgotten how much I missed modelling. I'm building a semiautomatic Sten MkII, but it's just not the same. 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Lovely to have you back mate Cheers, Stew 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandie Dinmont Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 25 minutes ago, Procopius said: So as I sit here watching The Sweeney (I assume the large gentlemen in this episode wearing tam o'shanters, blue jumpers, and scarves are football fans?) I’m not familiar with this episode but I fear that not only are they football fans, they are intended to be SCOTTISH football fans and would like to reassure you, should you ever fancy venturing to these parts, that we’re not really like that. Well, most of us anyway. Nice Hurricane. Enjoy the peace and quiet. Craig. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Laidlaw Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Good to see "Letters from Illinois" again. We've all missed them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 2 hours ago, Stew Dapple said: Lovely to have you back mate Cheers, Stew It's good to be back, Stew. I always forget how restorative a good healthy swear at a decal that's somehow curled around itself in eight dimensions can be. 2 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 What a start to the new year! The omens are good! Those two are looking very smart PC, very smart indeed. The boys of course - and the models! 3 hours ago, perdu said: LOOK CED, SHINY!. In case you missed it Edward, Bill and others are training me to gloss coat before transfers. I’m a slow learner... or maybe lazy and reluctant. 2 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 2 minutes ago, CedB said: I’m a slow learner... or maybe lazy and reluctant. No shame in lazy reluctance, Buffers! If there was, I'd never be able to live with myself. 1 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 tee hee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 I even added the stencils. And you know how lazy I am about stencils. 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Lovely looking Hurricanes, PC! You're not the only one who is not a big fan of stencils. I usually only stick on the really big, can't miss 'em on a photograph stencils, and forget the rest. Regards, Jason 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teuchter Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 14 hours ago, Procopius said: ' I'm building a semiautomatic Sten MkII, but it's just not the same' he casually inserts in the conversation! Glad you are all well, but I didn't think it was that bad over there? Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 10 hours ago, Teuchter said: Glad you are all well, but I didn't think it was that bad over there? It's not, by any stretch of the imagination, no. It's more a case of "I'm allowed, and I can, so I will". In terms of practical danger to other human beings, a semi-automatic Sten is a fairly inefficient means of dispensing ruin. But it will go nicely with the Lee-Enfield and the Webley. Having managed to get this far, after like, nine months, I've decided to try and ruin everything so close to the finish line by attempting weathering. It's been so long since I've been modelling that I literally cannot recall what I did with two of my airbrushes (talk about first-world problems!), or even which weathering products I own, so what could go wrong? I used a mix of pre-thinned enamel washes and Tamiya smoke airbrushed very inexpertly from a 0.18mm airbrush. Then I decided the RNFS Hurricane I was probably more beaten up than MacRobert's Reply, so I broke out the pigments, and brushed a thin layer of fixative over the model. Err...okay, well it doesn't look this bad in real life, I promise. I also applied some small dots of a lighter blue oil to the roundels, to try and make them look weathered, but I don't think it took. Well, I tried. Now both models are in my dehydrator hopefully getting ready for a nice overcoat and then final bits and bobs assembly. 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForestFan Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Glad u and yours are safe and well. The Hurris are looking great, I’ve even built one myself which was an enjoyable experience! Want to get their Wildcat at some point. Good luck with getting these across the finish line 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 1 minute ago, ForestFan said: Want to get their Wildcat at some point. Their Wildcat is one of the few kits I kept after The Great Reduction earlier this year (which I still mostly don't regret...mostly), alone with their Yab-1b, PZL P.11c, and, uh...something like six or seven of their Hurricanes, and a bunch of Eduard Spitfires. And two Hobby2k F-4C Phantoms. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Hi Edward, Happy New Year mate, the Hurris are looking good, thanks for brightening my 3rd January morning. I confidently predict someone will be along soon to dampen it. Steve. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Happy new year and glad you got some time to yourself! I’m waiting on mine, it comes next week! a sten! How cool, my inner child is leaping at this news, good luck building it. he hurries look fantastic and the weathering is a good addition. May I ask about the dehydrator? What is this for? Looks technical. nice work on the hair cuts my boy used to go metal about the, as in punching screaming fits. I pinned him down the once and cut his hair, he calmed down after a while of being sandwiched between my knees.... but then all work was undone when I caught his ear (ever so ever so slightly) with the clippers right at the end.... he’s 8 now and is fine about it, still eyes me with suspicion when I go near his ears though. Rob 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 39 minutes ago, rob85 said: he’s 8 now and is fine about it, still eyes me with suspicion when I go near his ears though. Surely you mean ear, Rob? They're on their pins! https://www.flickr.com/photos/99473324@N00/50792118758/in/dateposted/ PXL_20210102_215318478 by Edward IX, on Flickr 48 minutes ago, rob85 said: May I ask about the dehydrator? What is this for? Looks technical. "To save money" (the whole panoply of equipment required costs many times any possible savings) I reload spent .303 casings. Part of the process is washing them in an ultrasonic cleaner, and then drying them out, so that they don't get the new primer or powder damp. So enter the dehydrator. 1 hour ago, stevehnz said: Hi Edward, Happy New Year mate, the Hurris are looking good, thanks for brightening my 3rd January morning. I confidently predict someone will be along soon to dampen it. I could write a really long post with no pictures... 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrzeM Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 3 hours ago, Procopius said: "To save money" (the whole panoply of equipment required costs many times any possible savings) I reload spent .303 casings. Part of the process is washing them in an ultrasonic cleaner, and then drying them out, so that they don't get the new primer or powder damp. So enter the dehydrator. WOW .303 casings!!! And I thought it was for drying mushrooms or apple slices... Good to see you back! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share Posted January 3, 2021 12 minutes ago, GrzeM said: WOW .303 casings!!! And I thought it was for drying mushrooms or apple slices... At some point I'm hoping to get one of the Polish-made Mauser rifles from the interwar period, but they're pricey here. That and a Vis 35. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 4 hours ago, Procopius said: "To save money" (the whole panoply of equipment required costs many times any possible savings) I reload spent .303 casings. Part of the process is washing them in an ultrasonic cleaner, and then drying them out, so that they don't get the new primer or powder damp. So enter the dehydrator. The first bit very much so, the second, after annealing them (dropped into water after the base gets too hot to hold while turn the neck in a gas flame) I just shake them out & give them a couple of hours in a warm over (</=50 centigrade) on fan bake. Not as much fan gadget wise as yours. I bought 40 rounds of Greek mil surp .303 this morning, now I'll have to get up to the range & try it out. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliGauld Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 I well remember being on the range at RAF Leeming during a summer camp. We were taking our marksmanship stuff with a Lee Enfield .303. I was a very naïve 4'10" young lad and the Range Officer took one look at me and said "Prone position only, Sonny" Just as well I had a huge bruise on my shoulder for quite a while, never felt a kick like it. Still got my RAF Marksman's badge though. Cheers, Alistair 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teuchter Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 I guess @Procopius and @stevehnz will have seen British Muzzleloaders and Forgotten Weapons on youtube? Interesting comparisons of bolt action rifles and development histories. Don 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 16 hours ago, Procopius said: At some point I'm hoping to get one of the Polish-made Mauser rifles from the interwar period, but they're pricey here. That and a Vis 35. I've got a Spanish-made Mauser from the early 40's. I've had it since about '81. Chris 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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