Clunkmeister

Agreed there. The Atlantic was the area of the RN and RCN, and not many of these flew there

CMK and Special Hobby have a huge presence at all the US IPMS Nationals every year, as does Eduard. They are all good people to talk with and I believe in their product. The only CMK issue I’ve ever heard of is a fit issue on the photo recon nose for the 1/48 Tamiya P-38. Apparently one or two guys have been caught unawares and we’re forced to do some creative modifications to make stuff fit. The other big Czech Company is HPH, and they’re an odd bunch. HPH is an FAA Certified aircraft manufacturer for all types of Civilian and DOD aircraft, and they also produce their own line of high performance sailplanes. As in those slippery European fiberglass wonderplanes that seem to defy gravity. Their model kit side business is almost a hobby for them, as their big $$$ is made supplying components and sub assemblies to Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, and Lockheed-Martin, along with Bell and Sikorsky.

Starting to look the part, I think.

A great response so far! Y’all keep responding like this and we might make a habit of it 🤣

Hmmmmmmmmm,

Yes, that’s the scheme I actually prefer. I wonder if I should stop, reverse course, and do that instead.

Just got off a chat with them.

I think the 1/48 Monogram 101B is a gem of a kit and this is looking AMAZING!

I’m no fan of WW2 USN Pacific schemes. Booooring!

Me too. When you discount Wingnut Wings and ships, I have many more HPH and Fisher kits than others. I’m convinced that 95% of negative comments come from internet echo chambers. They have nothing at all to contribute except to echo what they hear elsewhere. If you are building, or have built a kit and wish to comment, hey, no problem, but to simply run one’s mouth in an unsolicited manner is nothing but damaging. Some unknown WAG started talking about how the Helldiver fuselage halves are different sizes. THEY’RE NOT! They fit perfectly! So do the wings. Rumors get started and never cease

Me too. I’ve been waiting for both of those kits, and I’ll definitely jump right into them!

I heard a rumor that they might not release them due to the negative reaction to the Helldiver and Vampire. Oh man I despise it when armchair “never built a thing in my life” modelers pile on to a company. Yes, their Helldiver is a quirky build, but dangit, it’s a sound basic kit. And a member on this Forum has almost completed his Vampire and loved it!

CMK is a Czech company. I BELIEVE it’s the parent company of Special Hobby and several other Czech model companies. CMK itself is their line of resin AM for theirs and most all other kits out there. They make EXTREMELY high quality resin. The resin you get in SH and I believe Fly kits is CMK. They are a competitor of Eduard.

Mike, just a perfect quirky couple of builds. VERY nice! His Majesty’s Ship Albatross looks, well, very British, and the Walrus? Well, there’s nothing to say other than it appears that nothing on the Walrus appears to be aligned with the actual direction of flight. I LOVE IT!

I dunno, I spent a couple hours fading some areas of the GSB, and it’s slowly getting away from the monotone look.

Just a couple more years and all the problems of the Cutlass were solved. As you know, there were a few pilots who absolutely loved the Cutlass. I’m sure Hubert is aware as well, but the Cutlass was the first aircraft to use the now standard 3000 psi hydraulic system. Previous systems were of much lower pressure, and low pressure fittings were used on the Cutlass as nothing else existed. Hoses and fittings continuously failed on the Cutlass, making the aircraft almost unflyable. All aircraft today use that system, but with since developed high pressure hardware.

The career of the Cutlass was mercifully measured in months, rather than years, but if there was ever a design that was let inability of it’s engines to reach they’re promised performance level, this was it. Also, it’s hydraulic systems were complicated and way ahead of it’s time. So far ahead that it exceeded industry’s ability to deliver. I remember reading one story of a guy who’s jet failed literally 5 seconds into his very first flight, causing him to eject. Upon being collected and brought to the hospital for a check up, he learned that all Cutlasses had been grounded and the program cancelled. As a result, this pilot had the dubious honor of having more flight time in the ejection seat than he did in the airplane itself. There is a Cutlass being restored to flight status in the US. Hydraulic system problems were solved due to better metallurgy, and internal upgrades due to the original engines will provide decent performance. The engines then were well below the power promised, and worse, responded poorly to throttle input. Get behind the power curve, and you’re dead. The election seat couldn’t save you then. Think F-100 Super Sabre but 20x worse. Here, a ramp strike, and yes, the LSO lived. Unscratched, actually

I expect the cowl color separations need to softened a bit, but other than that, we can start wrecking the paint and making it look trashed. There is NOTHING uglier that pristine glossy dark sea blue on an unbroken surface. Yuck!

Slowly getting there…

I completed,………………. None!

Clint Eastwood should do a movie with the B-52. Or even the B-36. They could call it “A Fistful of Throttles”. 😁

Oh man, HUBERT! After my own heart you are! I LOVE this kit! Back when they were cheap to buy, I bought three and they are sitting patiently in my stash. I’ll be following this, closely!

I’ll do the fixes and fills on the intermediate blue today. I’m getting OLD! I used to be able to freehand the soft color lines on various camo s, but now I’m shaking all over. Plus, my ancient VL finally crapped out on me, so out came the brand new Grex I bought two years ago and that I’m learning to like. Like I said, weathering is gonna be a bear, but I have plenty of grey and insignia white. 😂

A bit of “requisitioned” Champagne and Lobster to start the year off right…