AdrianMF's 21 for 22, all 1/72

[AdrianMF]

It's been a weird year. I acquired a nerve condition rather suddenly in March that leaves me hardly able to walk, amongst other things. and a month in hospital in June (apart from nearly killing me) has brought me neither cure nor even a definitive diagnosis. All conducted at the leisurely pace dictated by the lack of resources in the NHS.

 

However, I'm still able to model and work (thanks to just about all human contact moving over to e-meetings) so that's been going well. Let's start in January, half way through my SPAD madness...

 

Airfix SPAD VII, a pretty horrible kit, with corrugated fabric effects filled on the wings and lots of work to make the struttery useful:

 

In its defence, the decals were great.

 

Then the Eduard SPAD XIII, which is undoubtedly a very accurate and detailed kit. However, there are quite a few fit problems (lower wing, cabane struts) which detract from the experience. However, all is forgiven:

 

The blue on the decal sheet was a strange shade veering towards cyan, so it's been overpainted back to a colour that works better for me.

 

Completing my SPAD obsession:

Count Baracca and his mount were unavoidably detained in the living room during the photo session:

 

The Matchbox GB brought an SdKfz 251 Hanomag (lovely kit):

 

And the Henschel 126, couldn't choose a scheme so I built both:

 

Adding a synchronised dance troupe for a little variety:

 

When presented with two scary vacforms you are meant to run away, not start them. Nobody told me that.

 

So first the Classic Plane Pfalz DXII (cue lots of "Pfalz Dawn" etc puns that had us all rolling in the aisles):

 

Then the Rareplanes/Warbirds Pfalz DIIIA in a scheme that I'm not completely sure ever existed, but it was too pretty to pass up:

 

The Eduard Nieuport 17 is a delightful kit, and I couldn't resist the dragon:

 

Somewhere along the way I acquired a Pegasus Fairey Albacore missing a fuselage half:

Lots of work on this one:

Choosing a scheme was hard until this picture turned up:

 

The Morane Saulnier 406 was missing from my French WWII fighter collection so (after balking at the FROG MS 406 kit) I built the Hobbyboss MS 406 in the FROG colour scheme:

 

More vacs (some people never learn) this time a Rareplanes/Warbirds Junkers D1:

I am reliably informed that if you have ingested enough psychedelics you can see Blue Meanies from the Yellow Submarine in the camouflage!

 

A sneaky Matador refueller from the Airfix refuelling set:

Not today, thank you! Try down the road:

 

Toko/Eastern Express Hansa Brandenburg D1:

 

FROG Spitfire XIV and V1 (I'm counting that as two builds):

 

KP Sopwith Swallow in the August Blitzbuild:

 

Hasegawa F-102A for the Century Fighters GB:

Full of missile-ey goodness:

 

Revell Macchi MC200 for the Revell/Monogram GB:

 

Airfix P-38F Lightning with Exito decals for the eponymous GB:

 

Scaleplanes Vickers FB19 vac, tiny at 3 by 4 inches:

 

And finally a Supermodel Fiat G55 which just failed to make the Christmas Blitzbuild deadline:

 

In progress?

* Second Airfix P-38F Lightning

* Frog Fiat G55

* Sd Kfz 234 in Armoured Cars GB

 

Shelf of shame?

* Fairey Long Range Monoplane (or Fairey Long Time Stalled) - this is the year! (again)

* Short Empire - looked up, saw the whole elephant, lost my appetite a bit. Thanks to JWM for building one from my fuselage blank!

* Tupolev SB-2 (Waiting for green squiggles, not enthused by anything Russian at the mo)

* Bristol Type 142 (needs stripping and repainting for shiny silver)

 

Plans?

* Too many to mention - at least half a dozen GBs including two over-ambitious builds. 

* Persuade people to join the NOT MY COMFORT ZONE GB!

Thanks also to the runners and denizens of this forum for your support and companionship this year. 

 

Happy New Year and may 2023 be a good one.

Adrian

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

So impressive and all beautifully made. A very nice all round collection with lots of plastic card, strip and head scratching innovation expended. Great job Adrian. 

Cheers.. Dave 

[JeroenS]

That is some output Adrian! Lovely little bi- and tri-planes, wow. Sorry to hear about your medical issues, I do hope some improvement is underway!

[bigbadbadge]

Great work on a great collection Adrian,  what a year for you.  Hope you're able to feel better soon and continue to keep at the bench and turn out more beauties like these. 

Chris

[John Laidlaw]

A wonderful collection, and I particularly enjoyed your vacform builds. Hope things look up for you, medically speaking, and soon.

[cardiff guy]

Real quality work really like the Duce and a half.

[bianfuxia]

Fantastic models! And like others above I hope that 2023 brings you some better health! Happy new year!

[RidgeRunner]

All very nice, Adrian.  that G55 is particularly nice

 

Martin

[GREG DESTEC]

Excellent output Adrian. They all look great to me but I particularly like the MC 200, which brings back fond memories. 

 

All the best for 2023

 

Cheers Greg 👍

[Dave Slowbuild]

You are amazingly prolific Adrian, without compromising on quality.  
Best wishes for 2023, and hopefully a return to better health.

 

If there was a vote I’d go for the “half-a-core” Albacore!  
 

Dave

[Bertie McBoatface]

Your workmanship is truly outstanding in the small scale, and despite medical issues you've produced a memorable collection this year. 

 

Get well soon. 

[markoid]

I love the Fiat G55. Where did you find that beauty? 

[corsaircorp]

Waow !! Impressive collection Adrian !!

Congratulations my friend !!

Sorry to hear about your health issues... I wish you a complete recovery !!

Sincerely.

CC

[Sky Keg]

A rather impressive 2022 Adrian.  I would be happy with half of your total and quality.  Keep it up and we look forward to what you share with us in the coming year. 

 

Mike

[AdrianMF]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

 

3 hours ago, markoid said:

Where did you find that beauty? 

This kit was one of four that I bought from Ace Hardware In Berkeley CA for $1.75 a pop (9.99 reduced to 3.50, half-price Sunday) back in the day when they had a whole basement full of second hand kits - happy days!

However, this kit and to varying extents all other offerings in 1/72, have been superseded in terms of quality, accuracy, price and availability by the two-in-one Sword kit with seven scheme options for the two models including a splinter one. I’m not affiliated to Sword in any way, but I am currently trying to choose which schemes I want to do!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[davecov]

A very nice collection of impressive builds, Adrian. 👍

 

Dave

[Muchmirth]

What an output for one years work!! Lovely finish on all.

Paul

[MRMRL]

That's a great collection for the year, love the colour schemes on the biplanes. Hope 2023 brings you better health, we are the most complicated of machines, it takes a while to figure us out at times.

[markoid]

4 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

 

This kit was one of four that I bought from Ace Hardware In Berkeley CA for $1.75 a pop (9.99 reduced to 3.50, half-price Sunday) back in the day when they had a whole basement full of second hand kits - happy days!

However, this kit and to varying extents all other offerings in 1/72, have been superseded in terms of quality, accuracy, price and availability by the two-in-one Sword kit with seven scheme options for the two models including a splinter one. I’m not affiliated to Sword in any way, but I am currently trying to choose which schemes I want to do!

 

Regards,

Adrian

Thanks Adrian. I’ve just ordered one. (Two!) 👍

[AliGauld]

Just a bevvy of utter beauties.

I truly hope that you will recover soon.

All the best.

 

Alistair

[JWM]

Adrian, congrats! Very fruitful modelling year with great enlargement of collection, despite the medical problems (I am so sorry about it...) 

I wish you fast and complete recovery, and equally nice set in the 2023 yearbook!

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

[Cookenbacher]

Wow, that's an amazing production run Adrian, and that Albacore fuselage half - you don't even need a full kit!

[AdrianMF]

Thanks again for the comments and the companionship throughout the year. 
 

2 hours ago, Cookenbacher said:

and that Albacore fuselage half - you don't even need a full kit!

True, I don’t need a full kit, but I sure as heck prefer it . It was interesting to do one half, because it helped me realise that the fuselage is primarily a structure for holding all the other bits (flying surfaces, engine, undercarriage and cockpit) in specific positions relative to each other, and then secondarily it is covered in a more or less streamlined way. With that in mind, it’s easier to build - add all the joining surfaces for the other bits (and the other half) and check that they all line up with the other half - and then after that throw in some bulkheads and filler to get the shape right.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[nimrod54]

A fantastic range of models there Adrian, and even when presented with some major obstacles (missing fuselage half ) all have been completed to your usual high standard.

 

I look forward to seeing more in 2023.

John

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

Some astonishingly brilliant models Adrian! 

The Dance Troup comment made me spit my tea out! I was laughing so much😁 Were they performing a song titled  "L.U.F.T.W.A.F.F.E" sort of a Village People tribute? 🤣

 

I'm really sorry to hear about your poor health. Hope you get well soon.  Happy New Year !

 

Kind Regards, Andy