The true old times are dead (1/72 92 Squadron Lightning F.2)

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

3 hours ago, Procopius said:

after watching the Poseidon Adventure (dreadful)

The original or the remake ? The original was better but as far as disaster movies go the original Airport from 1970 is my favorite.

 

3 hours ago, Procopius said:

I also opened up the box of a 1/48 (I know...) Airfix Lightning F1A/F2/F3 boxing, and whoever was selling it must have been either doing so on consignment (in which case, they did a bad job), or as part of an estate sale (which, given the number of sex toys and lingerie -- used? -- they're apparently selling right now, suggests a modeller with a fascinating inner life), but clearly they didn't know anything about models, because the box was packed to the gills with aftermarket, all left unmentioned in the product description, and I paid less than retail for the kit to begin with.

 

 

There's a second Aeromaster decal sheet, two or three resin cockpit sets...unreal. 

Wow what a deal … You could eBay all or some of it and make a tidy profit if you opt to not use some ? 

[JosephLalor]

3 hours ago, Procopius said:

Late last night, after watching the Poseidon Adventure (dreadful) with friends over Zoom, and swapping out a plate in the 3D printer*, I wandered over to the Lightning, and sanded it for a good ninety minutes around the tail.

 

 

 

Excuse the blurriness, it was almost 2AM.

My goal here was to thin down the exterior of the plastic to fair the Reskit engines into it. I had to use my scalpel a bit as well.

 

Before:

 

 

And after:

 

 

 

There's obviously going to be a bit of cleanup and sanding (and then more cleanup) still to come, but I think it's much improved now.

 

I also opened up the box of a 1/48 (I know...) Airfix Lightning F1A/F2/F3 boxing, and whoever was selling it must have been either doing so on consignment (in which case, they did a bad job), or as part of an estate sale (which, given the number of sex toys and lingerie -- used? -- they're apparently selling right now, suggests a modeller with a fascinating inner life), but clearly they didn't know anything about models, because the box was packed to the gills with aftermarket, all left unmentioned in the product description, and I paid less than retail for the kit to begin with.

 

 

There's a second Aeromaster decal sheet, two or three resin cockpit sets...unreal. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* I'm making some Space Marines for Winston, with the ulterior motive of forcing him to do some reading (of stat lines) by playing a bowdlerised version of Warhammer with him, with dear old dad taking a dive. 

 

 

"Why are some missing hands, Edward?" Look, I get left and right mixed up sometimes, okay? 

I seem to recall there being a novel in which the protagonist was called Bill the Space Marine, and he had a left right arm and a right right arm (or was it a right left arm and a left left arm?), transplanted from a dead comrade.

[Procopius]

22 minutes ago, JosephLalor said:

I seem to recall there being a novel in which the protagonist was called Bill the Space Marine, and he had a left right arm and a right right arm (or was it a right left arm and a left left arm?), transplanted from a dead comrade.

 

Bill the Galactic Hero, by Harry Harrison, perchance?

[gingerbob]

On 1/3/2023 at 12:20 PM, Procopius said:

...aging and deteriorating 2011 Subaru Forester, a car renowned for its ability to guzzle oil.

 

Ah, so my 2007 isn't unique!

[Mr T]

Bill (or Bil, the extra l was for officers only) the Galactic Hero  by Harry Harrison, would fit the bill nicely. Harry Harrison was a very inventive writer who penned such books as 'The Technicolour Time Machine'  a time travel novel with a difference, and 'A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah' set in an alternative time line where amongst other things, the American colonists lost the War of Independence. 

[Steve Coombs]

48 minutes ago, Mr T said:

Bill (or Bil, the extra l was for officers only) the Galactic Hero  by Harry Harrison, would fit the bill nicely. Harry Harrison was a very inventive writer who penned such books as 'The Technicolour Time Machine'  a time travel novel with a difference, and 'A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah' set in an alternative time line where amongst other things, the American colonists lost the War of Independence. 

I loved the Stainless Steel Rat stories, and was delighted to see something along the lines of "Jim diGriz laughs at locksmiths" on Coventry's Anarchy Bridge back in the 1980s. Never saw the fnords, though.

[Hook]

9 minutes ago, Steve Coombs said:

I loved the Stainless Steel Rat stories

Indeed!, this thread pushed me towards rereading them. Thanks!

[Rob G]

1 hour ago, Mr T said:

Harry Harrison was a very inventive writer

 

Indeed. I am a fan, but as I've aged, I've begun to find a lot of his stuff a bit cringy, somewhat dated and pulpy (including the diGriz tales). Which is somewhat sad, as I love 50s and 60s SF. The novel "Captive Universe" however, is excellent, as is the collection of short stories "Two Tales and Eight Tomorrows" - the lead story, "The Streets of Ashkelon" is haunting, and the closing one "I Always Do What Teddy Says" is chilling. 

[Mr T]

I had forgotten about the short story collection, which I am pretty sure I have somewhere. A lot of my sci-fi collection is stored away. His alternative history series based on the Kt-Pg extinction not happening was also interesting, but I don't think has worn well. The Transatlantic Tunnel book is almost Steam Punk. It has an atomic powered steam train, Arthur C Clarke firing rockets with the aid of a Babbage Engine and a Wellington using ground up coal for fuel. 

[Procopius]

6 hours ago, gingerbob said:

 

Ah, so my 2007 isn't unique!

 

Apparently a recurring issue with them. Our car has a rebuilt engine 55,000 miles younger than it is, because the prior engine simply...blew up, in a cloud of thick, choking smoke, while it was being nursed up a hill. Subaru replaced it free of charge, because not only did it burn oil, the "check engine" light never came on. A minor bagatelle, perhaps, but our next car (when we can afford one, which would require me not buying so many kits...) will not be a Subaru. Once stranded on a hillside next to a Dunkirk-like column of smoke, twice shy.

[Pete in Lincs]

RIP the boxer engine. Great fun when new but they will eventually wear and fail. 

Will the replacement be American or Japanese I wonder. 

I still have a copy of Harry Harrisons' Bill the Galactive hero. Pre Red Dwarf Amusing/Comedy Sci Fi.

[perdu]

It looks as if you can afford to hold back on kit purchasing for a short time PC, not short of raw materials are you?  

 

Pondering the discussion of Harry Harrison's produce I will never forget Technicolor Time Machine, brilliant.

 

Snorri?

 

Utterly sublime humour. Better by far than that Sleepery Jeem

[Procopius]

9 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Will the replacement be American or Japanese I wonder. 

 

Something we have more confidence in, like a 1973 Austin Allegro. (Honda Odyssey is the front-runner.)

[Pete in Lincs]

Just now, Procopius said:

Honda Odyssey is the front-runner

Yep. My Wife has a much loved Honda CRV. A good reliable all rounder.

[Galligraphics]

My first car was an Austin Allegro. A bit like a shed on wheels…

[Johnson]

39 minutes ago, Galligraphics said:

My first car was an Austin Allegro

Square steering wheel?

[JosephLalor]

22 hours ago, Procopius said:

 

Bill the Galactic Hero, by Harry Harrison, perchance?

Hi Edward, I think you and Mr T are right, thanks.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 hours ago, Procopius said:

like a 1973 Austin Allegro.

Personally I’d like an mint condition 1970’s Mk.1 or Mk.2 Escort. I just like the way they look. Though being as big as I am I may need to rip out the drivers seat and sit in back. 

[Rob G]

Re the Subies, I can but submit my 2009 WRX for inspection - 250 000km on it, doesn't use oil. Most of its mileage has been long distance work, no idling/slow driving in the city, so that may be a factor. Regular oil changes with top grade oil, and no need to idle/warm up the engine before driving may also contribute. 

[Galligraphics]

31 minutes ago, Johnson said:

Square steering wheel?

No mine was round. I think it was an ex-police panda car, because when we took up the carpet on one occasion we found some pale blue paint beneath the rather horrible brown repaint. Oh, and quite a lot of bits of windscreen...

[jackroadkill]

4 hours ago, Procopius said:

Something we have more confidence in, like a 1973 Austin Allegro.

 

The first car I stole was an Allegro... Ah, memories!

 

2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Personally I’d like an mint condition 1970’s Mk.1 or Mk.2 Escort.

 

Or maybe an actual rocking-horse poo?!

[perdu]

11 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Personally I’d like an mint condition 1970’s Mk.1 or Mk.2 Escort. I just like the way they look. Though being as big as I am I may need to rip out the drivers seat and sit in back. 

I had both versions back in the day, both had mint condition rust/rot around the turrets and rear spring mounts too, so I doubt if a mint condition does or ever did exist.

 

But boy did I love those cars, my first one was black when I bought it for shillings and hope, but in a really hot summer (yes we had those, it  ain't all climate change folks) my son and I spent a weekend painting it white with paint pads and Tekaloid vehicle paint to reduce the almost intolerable heat inside because we intended driving it to a holiday cottage in the South Downs.

 

We had that car for months until "That fateful Sunday morning" when I looked across the road into the distance, unencumbered distance with a gap where the car had been parked.

 

No trace ever found of it even though it wasn't worth as much as the insurer paid me for its loss.

 

I could operate the door lock with the edge of a half-penny coin, what a car.

 

 

[Rob G]

11 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Personally I’d like an mint condition 1970’s Mk.1 or Mk.2 Escort.

 

So, electrical problems, factory-installed rust and a complete lack of anything approaching luxury would suit you down to the ground, eh?

 

But yes, they are good looking little cars. 

[Fritag]

1 hour ago, perdu said:

But boy did I love those cars, my first one was black when I bought it for shillings and hope

 

My first car was a Mk 1 Escort too.  And boy did I love that red, rusty, rattly little car too.  Took me to officer training at RAF Cranwell. Managed to crash it into the back of one of the Flight Commander’s (thankfully not my Flight Commander) car in the snow of the winter of ‘81.  Well more of a bump than a crash.  One more dint on the Escort made no difference really.   Can’t remember what it did to t’other car.

[HAMP man]

Fell asleep at the wheel of my dad's Allegro coming back from a Yes concert at Bingley Hall at 2 in the morning on the M50 in 1977, hit a kerb bent the front disk and blew a hole in the sidewall of the tyre. Never changed a wheel so fast in my life, Dad was not amused as he had to take my Moggie Thou van into work and had the p**s taken all day.

Simpler times

 

Box on

 

Strickers