Clunkmeister

Well, time to dust off the old clunker and get her running. Covid kind of put a damper on everything, but I’m sick and tired of watching the summer go by. Had two tires low, but were only flat on the bottom. Everytime we take this thing out, we hear people laughing for blocks around Salmon, White, and black ain’t the most masculine color scheme in the world

Happy Birthday, Old Bean! I hope you had a joyous one and got spoiled rotten! Šťastné narodeniny

The death of the three and four engine airliner is here for good now. Fanjets are incredibly reliable now and much, much more powerful. But no matter how good they are, I still can't imagine flying to Australia onboard anything with less than three functional engines.

I had flown the DC-10 fsairly locally. Caribbean mostly, but to Germany as well. I did some research and found out that their DC-10s were the -30 series and were put in service for the long, long, LONG intercontinental flights. They served the Company extremely well through the years. Like other airlines in the world, a new guy comes and brings in new blood, he suddenly drastically expands, places a multitude of new orders, and before you know it, they go broke. But Canadian Airlines paid way too much for the Wardair name, and that spelled their doom.

I spent some premium time on Wardair’s DC-10s. I agree, it was the absolute best service I’ve ever received on any airline, anywhere, anytime. But if I had to go widebody, I always tried to book a DC-10. I loved that big ol’ bird that got such an undeserved bad rap. They were big, smooth, quiet, and reliable. They had everything the 747 had, except the upper deck.

I remember Boeing’s three holer as well. Air Canada flew the heck out of them, but my favorite scheme? OK, a better pic...

I remember those when I was flying. They were everywhere. YTH, YYQ, everywhere. I logged a few miles in the back as self loading freight, too. They were mighty loud when sitting in the bac third of the cabin, but in front of the wings, they gave you that oh so sweet twin turbine whine that would make any cold heart beat hard and fast. And yeah, they’d climb out like Apollo 11.... Back when a 737 was a 737, not like today’s universal tin can.

The HPH B-36 or B-52 work really well, too.

My all too real fear is that Joy sells my model stash and my gun collection for what she THINKS I paid for them. She cottoned on to my very first ZM Skyraider and when she saw the invoice, she took it out, laid it on the kitchen counter, and said we could eat for a month for what I paid for it. I only made it worse when I couldn’t eat Rahman noodles that long and started to explain that $200.00 doesn’t buy much food these days. I don’t remember much after that...... My advice from living that one out? Don’t be like me. Just hang dog and slink away into your doghouse. It’s much less painful. But these days I get my kit fix, she gets western boots and furniture. She likes Western frontier furniture must live me I do so it suits me fine. If she was in to flower patterns I’d have to re-examine my priorities.

Haha. I kept mine, too. Since back in my kid days hauling grain to the elevators after harvest. Doubles, triples, tank, but since I haven’t used it since 09, my hazmat lapsed. Drove for real from 98 till very early 09. Sold out and never, ever looked back. Ok, a quick peek on occasion, but that’s it.

Just the thought of that gravel flying makes my bottom get all tight and all. And Ron, what’s with that 233” WB? Stretch that baby out. W9s look best at about 275”. Add a few dozen chicken lights while you’re at it and a set of locomotive air horns on the roof. This guy’s gotta be a real highway hero. A left lane lead foot flier. But I’m more a Peterbilt guy, as in stretched 359 with a Cat 425 and twin stick 6 and 4.

I was looking in my stash and I keep coming back to the original Fokker built boxing. I see two schemes I like, which, Co- Incidentally (that’s how we say it in Texas, two words, both with a big ol’ drawl) I just happen to have two of that boxing. I like Willi Gabriel’s mount, a VERY early production Fokker machine which has the Dr1 style streaky camo, which is also the box art, and the second is Gotthard Sochsenberg’s mount, a very late production ship with the high mounted guns of a BMW equipped aircraft, but still sporting a Mercedes. His is the yellow and black chequerboard scheme. Building one of these will be an adventure. A little secret. I’ve always relied on my mono line structural rigging to actually rig the aircraft for me. In other words, just like the real riggers: use rigging tension to keep it all plumb. I hope it's strong enough to withstand handling without rigging.

I honk my biggest hesitation with the DVll is the absolute multitude of schemes out there, and guaranteed, I’ll build a wrong version for the scheme I chose. DVlls are sort of like 109s and Spitfires. They are incredibly studied, and there are still one or two original unrestored birds out there. So there’s no “hey, nobody’s here to tell me it ain’t right” like I can get away with on a Pfalz DXll or Gotha.

Once, when he was in a good mood, he had posted stash pics. He had a decent enough stash. But what’s the use if you don’t build them? I really enjoy the builds. I tend to more of the mega rigging projects, so a D.Vll will be different.

I actually use the fuselage halves as a jig in all the builds with a tube frame, so I’ll probably be ok.

Interesting, Gazz, and yes, I remember you telling me about this. Ve head some talk of problems getting the cowlings to fit, among other things. I hate the thought of ruining a kit, but I’ve been there more often than I care to admit.

I’m a bit surprised here. I thought there’d be many people chiming in on this one.

Yessssss! Absolutely believable and perfect weathering as well! Brilliant work!

Welcome to LSM! You’ll enjoy it here I expect, many knowledgeable, friendly folks here to help you out. Personally, I prefer the natural aluminum look, and that means a late war G for the most part. Also, don’t count out RAF and Naval birds as well. Yes, most Navies or Coastal patrols flew Liberators, there are still some decent Fortress schemes out there as well.

Damn!

A classic W-9!!! Ohhhh boy! Ron, you sure know how to pick ‘em! I’ll be following this one my friend, in a big, long nosed, chrome covered, black smoke belching, bug splattered way! Bring it! And for anyone who’s ever tried to pass a Freightliner hauling a couple or three of those shorty wiggle wagons on the interstate in a good crosswind, you know the feeling of “butt clenching fear”. For your next build, you gotta bring us one of those ubiquitous Canadian and Michigan 379s hauling a pair of Super-B wheat wagons. Those are as close to classic north country if there ever was one..

The A-7 is also very special around my area as well, as you can imagine. North Texas had a lot to do with the A-7 and F-8 of course. Honestly, I wouldn’t be too concerned about the decals, as even the prototypes had slivering, edges peeling, and bubbles, as seen in multiple close up pictures of flightline aircraft. I think it looks amazing, my friend. Just totally amazing. A real bomb truck ready to go to war.

Carl, one of the things I admire about you is your willingness to go far and deep in subject material. Monsters, sci-fi, armor, etc. I feel like an amateur in comparison, man. I wreck armor, can’t do cars, my sci-fi attempts look like kids toys, and I terminate the Terminator straight to the bin. Awesome, awesome haul, man, and that Sheridan is beyond righteous

Masterful job there, Sir! Oh, and I had better see you in Vegas next year! Otherwise I will stamp my feet and act all put out!

Hey folks, This might seem a bit off the wall here, but I’ve actually never built a D.Vll. I have a bunch in the stash, but generally I’ve tended towards the big twin engine jobs and two seaters. The aftermarket support for enhancements for this kit is pretty astronomical, so it’s popularity speaks for itself: it quickly sold out the initial three releases, followed ever quicker by the fourth release, and the fifth release was well on its way to extinction when the Company went bust. I’ve heard stories about the cowl being fiddly, and the typical ultra precise fit of parts meaning a small layer of paint can throw it all off, but I’d love to hear it from the horses mouths, so to speak. I’d love to do one, I know it won’t give me any issues, but hearing other’s experiences with the thing will be interesting. Let’s talk about it, y’all.