Clunkmeister

I’ve always thought 6 months, simply because that’s how most other sites do it and it seemed to be an effective compromise. The key to me is regimented. A complaint I received upon starting the Ukraine GB was that previous LSM Group Builds had no real timeline and were ongoing forever. I’ve attempted to change that. I closed out old GBs and gave this one a set time, with the possibility of an extension depending on participation. I extended Ukraine till Sept 30th to allow those stragglers to finish up. There are a couple pieces of armor that are done except for slapping on the mud and grime, so I’ll just let it go to month end then close it out. If y’all want longer or shorter down the road, let me know. One reason I have only done one GB is, simply put, the lack of staff. We all work. We’re busy, and sometimes it’s hard to run our businesses and the site, all while maintaining a happy wife and family. We’ve added a couple Mods to help with the day to day monitoring, so hopefully we’ll be Golden. Take a DEEP breath, Ernie! 🤣 The “Wet Works” theme sounds mighty interesting to me. So does the “First 20 years of jets” and “The first to accomplish” theme…. I remember the Japanese GB on LSP. That was a very successful GB, as was their Vietnam War GB. With HPH-Infinity due to release their Val and Kate kits very soon, a Japanese theme might be interesting as well. Just remember, we’re here to make this entire site better for YOU, so if you think of something, stayeth thou not mute.

THIS is a GREAT idea. Because it opens up the entire LSM realm to possibilities. Yes, we’re mostly aircraft modelers, but some guys build armor, others build ships, or an Apollo capsule splashing down, or what have you. I LIKE IT!

Dennis, I’ve built a couple of those as well. I specifically mentioned the ragging version because of the techniques needed to preserve the wing root detail…. I think this kit is easier in many ways: no, none of the main cockpit bulkheads fit, but all the main airframe components fit flawlessly.

Absolutely awesome! I’ve always loved the big, hulking Stirling, and I’ll be following this one very closely! If I ever decide to build a large vac kit, the Stirling will be the one I build.

This is EXACTLY why, unless it’s an aircraft I know well, I hate being the first guy to build one. 🤣. I tend to do what Peter did. But nice save, Peter, and flawless recovery!

It’ll be great to see you work your magic again, Gazz. Having built a couple Hasegawa 109s, I’m amazed at how ZM has managed to put 400 pieces into what must be one of the most basic high performance airplanes ever to fly. A 109 just ain’t that complicated. Pulling up a chair….

RIP Your Majesty! A true example of selfless Service, Grace, and Love of Country. You are the only Monarch I knew and Served under, may you Rest In Peace!

Welcome, Scott! Good to have you here. The Wildcat/Martlet series is always a winner in any scale or version, a d I’m thinking yours will be true to form. AMS, eh? Stage lV? Is that it? Man, you gotta get more anal! Break out the razor saws and Dremel, how about pin vices, RB Riveters, and all the other RB tools, and lastly, let’s see some RTV and casting resin! Trust me, you’re in good company around this place. 🤣 We ALL get a bit carried away every now and then…

Flawless work so far, Harald. I haven’t really looked at my kit yet, having already built the HK Lancaster which is amazing in its own right, but maybe sometime this winter?

I think putting the bars on the standard NZ roundels was a smart move. You don’t know how many red-blue colorblind gunners there were out there…. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

Peter, in their defense, they took a kit designed from the outset as a resin model, and backed it out to IM construction. The reversed engineered the resin kit, so yeah, some stuff is a bit vague. I don’t mind, because I like to “work for it” a bit. Others, maybe not so much, but HPH kits have always been for more experienced modelers. If you can build a PCM Fw 190C, or rag wing Hurricane, you can build this

I’ve heard all kinds of horror stories about the wing to fuselage joint. First, the top half is a total butt joint. No tabs, nothing. The bottom half slots in.. but the airfoil on the wing won’t quite be perfect to the fuselage so you’ll need to fill it, so instead, install the top half first, starting at the front, and use Ca. 1/4” at a time, with Zip Kicker, and make tour way along the wing, forcing it to conform. Once it’s in place and you’re happy with the fit, install strips of styrene on the inside of the joint to strengthen it, and Ca the crap out the support spar. After that, the bottom literally drops on and it will have NO gap at the wing root between the halves. The perfect fit is there, you just gotta work for it.

Another thing that would be well served with an AM piece: wheel wells. The kit construction is tedious, and every single piece must be modified to fit.

No kidding. If there ever was a group of kits where the Chinese manufacturer snatched away and tossed away the the greatness built in by the designers and researchers, it is Kitty Hawk. Their closest to perfection in the props was the T-6 and T-28, but they still got shoved down by the Chinese. Even Floyd Werner and his team of researchers could only do so much for Kitty Hawk. Their Sikorsky S-60 series and Little Birds are absolutely the best helicopter kits ever produced by anyone, anywhere, but the overseas production idiots still screwed the instructions and decals. Those Helicopters, Floyd Werner, and Glen Coleman should have secured the future of that company. But instead they just prolonged the inevitable. I mean, a 1/48 UH-1D? Really? Sigh….. Now, ICM is gonna take the spot that should have been Kitty Hawks.

And then there is the Harvard series built at Noorduyn and then CCF. The late Harvard lVs in particular, are an almost new design in many ways. P-51 tailwheel, completely modernized interiors, cockpit heating, etc, etc,etc

Hey Scott, this is looking GREAT! I’ve built numerous KH kits, including a couple T-6s as well, and the biggest thing to watch is part numbering. Often times the left and right sides will be reversed. Certainly not unique to KH (Dragon Bf-110?), but just pay attention. The locator pins on KH are ALWAYS suspect, so unless you know 100% for sure, Ignore them. I found it was easiest to assemble the cockpit framing before painting, but you nailed it! Cowls on these can be a mumbler’s delight. 🤯😬🤬. Go slow. There is ALOT of questionable engineering around their radial engine mounts and the cowls. As far as the T-6 itself goes, they’re like early Mustangs and 57 Chevys: they’re so popular and there are so many out there, and many more being rebuilt almost daily from literal piles of junkyard scrap on the shop floor, that finding an actual correct original is almost impossible, and it pretty much takes a pedigree to prove it’s original. I’d say 90% of flying T-6s out there have been rebuilt at least once in their lives, so pretty much anything goes on these. References are your friend if you are looking for authenticity to a specific prototype.

Wanton destruction of Government property anyone? But it could be the joke’s be on you, because right underbeath the roll cage lives a nice, big, LEAKY fuel tank.

The bulkhead behind the seat is actually a riveted open frame with a triangular rollover cage attached right behind it between the seats. The open frame is covered by a windscreen on heavy canvas to prevent the area between the seats from becoming a wind tunnel. So I looked for a suitable weathered green canvas color and tried this. I think it looks good, and after suitable shading, should look the part, different from the aircraft framing. The little lip poking out up top is actually the forward top shoe of the rollover cage. It needs to be interior bronze green.

The detail added by the bomb bay kit is certainly worth the expense. It’ll be visible through the gear wells Nicely done, HPH!

“The A-Team” had a per show ammo budget larger than the Canadian Army’s annual ammo budget, and despite continuous FA fire for half the show, still only puffed up dirt around people’s feet and holed bumpers. I’d feel pretty safe with George Peppard or Mr. T shooting at me.

Chris, that looks great! I see the yellow and prop as being improbably clean, that’s it. The rest looks great. Everytime I try 1/72, I make a mess of it, my eyes just ain’t there anymore. Stunning build!

Spent some time on it today. Working on the landing gear bays part of me feels like we’re over the hump, but we still have the cowl and glass to do yet. I left the rudder alone, but will split the elevators to post them drooped. The rudder is almost never seen deflected, but the elevators? Hey, they droop, much like I do these days

Peter, I remember you building that kit and combating a few pinholes. It was a stellar build of an RCN classic, and got me pining for a 1/32 late Banshee in RCN clolors to complement the Sea Fury. And a Firefly, and an RCN conversion for the Trumpeter Avenger….

The more you look at that B-24, the worse it gets, but Brian said exactly the same thing about the A-26, and he’s seriously stepped up for that one. I’m doing a standard A-26, plus my Grail A-26K once the stuff comes out for it. The A-26K is one of those I’ve waited for for years.