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Very interesting story Iain. The Lanc art is a copy of a Vargas centrefold pinup featured in 'Esquire' magazine; itself inspired by the popular 1942 song and 1943 movie of the same name. You are correct, it was both a popular image and name for various different Allied aircraft. Interesting to see this image used with other nicknames, and different illustrations with the PPM name. I suppose that it points to the availability of the magazine for direct reference; or perhaps artwork applied at forward bases where only the song might have been played or the movie been seen once in a tent at the Front... Yet still enough to impart a lasting impression. Link to other aircraft so named... (Warning: some images NSFW) http://www.usaaf-noseart.co.uk/theme.php?theme=11#.X2aEULd_Vkz S

I'm afraid of needles. Do you think I could get them to stir it into my Tea instead? S

As all Women are prone to do sometimes, my Wife changed her mind... And bought a new black Reef Tank instead. We would normally be on holiday this week, on an either Lady Elliott or Lady Musgrave Islands off the Queensland coast; but the money we had put aside for that trip has gone to this project now as we were both forced to use up our holidays through being furloughed earlier this year. The new tank is still being 'cycled'; getting the ammonia, nitrite and calcium levels stable to accept the marine life. Meanwhile, I came home Friday night to find that here's a smaller tank been put beside it ready to transition the soft Corals that have come out of the old tank. So yes... There are now 3 separate Fish tanks containing over a thousand litres of salt water sitting in my living room. Everything at Home now is done by pale blue light, to the trickle of a thousand babbling Brooks. Luckily, this helps to inspire patience and tranquility... #happywifehappylife

Goes to Cali to see Family... Gets encouraged to mis-spend his Vay-cay in dingey dens full of dusty diversions... I ask you... What kind of friends are we ? S

Unfortunately, the prevailing attitude for many people these days...

Hmmm... Talking like Yoda you are!

And therein lies the rub... Drastic measures to save the NHS appear to have worked. However, I think that many fail to appreciate that you cannot finesse your approach to this Virus. As Victoria has shown, once the Virus gets out into the community, it takes months to regain any semblance of control. Using low death numbers to call for relaxation of restrictions is disingenuous at best, and downright irresponsible at it's worst. Cases are beginning to rise again in Blighty... And Winter is coming. The Queensland Government continues to adhere to strict border controls despite mounting pressure from the mainstream Media; and gatherings have been limited to 10 in a household, as there have been a few isolated cases out here in the Western Suburbs of Brisbane. Total Covid tests passed the one million mark during the week; for a total of 1,145 confirmed Covid cases, and 6 deaths. S

It's a horrible feeling isn't it Phil... My Wife's employer laid off their Casuals earlier in the year, went to half staff for 2 months with those not working on enforced furlough, and then announced in June that there would be more redundancies. That date came and passed in late July, but the notice still sits on the door of our 'fridge as a constant reminder. The 'tap on the shoulder' can still come at any time... An A4 substitute for the Sword of Damacles. Meanwhile, a 46 year-old man was killed by a Shark while surfing on the Gold Coast on Tuesday. Gold Coast beaches were closed Wednesday as they searched for the culprit, however hundreds of desperates still went out on their boards yesterday... No-one was arrested. Three Shark attack deaths in Queensland so far this year, compared to six from Covid 19. If you're under 50 here, you are more likely to be eaten by a sea creature than to die from complications of Corona Virus. Just for comparison. S

No... They also harass elderly Ladies sitting quietly on park benches minding their own business. https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/man-tells-why-he-filmed-cops-around-elderly-women-in-melbourne/news-story/beba9be1a0d86f2e66b99667e5a97704 The pregnant Woman was from a regional City under stage 3 lock-down (Melbourne is currently in stage 4). The Powers-that-be allowed thousands to march in BLM protests under the same stage 3 restrictions earlier in the year. People see events like this allowed to proceed and become emboldened, especially as there are no current Covid cases in her City. The response was a little draconian for my liking... S

That went well, didn't it? Things are beginning to get a little ridiculous down here. A Brisbane man attempted to make the two hour trip into New South Wales on Sunday with a fake return pass, and got caught out. The rules dictate that if you don't have a valid pass, you can only fly back into Queensland and not drive in. So now he must leave his car in NSW at an Airport somewhere, fly back to Brisbane, and pay for his own accommodation in quarantine for two weeks. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-07/fishing-rod-trip-costs-man-6800-dollars-in-border-crackdown/12635836 This would all have been avoided if there were reciprocal arrangements for travellers trying to leave the State, rather than only attempting to enter. But that would make too much sense. S

Yes, that's what I was thinking too... https://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/umbrella-reflector-black-and-silver-110-cm S

Or 'caught in slips' and 'I bowled a Maiden over'. Box also required for Silly Mid Off of course (and mouthguard). I used to field @ Silly Mid On, you couldn't pay me to stand on the Off side though. The 'box' kind of explained here... S

For the benefit of our American or Continental European friends; who may now have the mental picture of Brad sitting on the couch dressed as Batman, naked from the waist down and holding an empty lotion bottle... Unless your Cricket Bat has a polycoated face, you must rub it down regularly with linseed oil to keep the moisture in the wood. Cheap balls can often split the Willow. I'll get my coat... S

Carl... You are my 'Hiro' S

I see what you did there S

Sounds like some very tight tolerances at play there. I presume they are workable?

I can't think of anything else except the poor guy who had to put sunscreen on those hard-working girls. Hope they were girls... S

I don't suppose it was Steel Side bottom was it? https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/api/v1/article/amp/afl/he-doesnt-normally-drink-mcguire-details-how-pie-walked-out-the-wrong-door-halfnaked/news-story/7a697633f6555d55255d5138b818d10c On a related note; how nice it was to see the AFL Commisioner with his whole Family in tow, along with other Football Notables all given clearance to enter Queensland tonight; when urgent medical cases from an hour south of the border are still being denied access to the State. It must be good to have friends in high places. S

Will you Nutcases quit it with the Tiny House thing already? This is all I'm getting on my eBay and Google feeds lately...

That's great news John!

It sounds logical, but always find the smallest box necessary to fit your shipment in. Large boxes are usually in turn packed with other large boxes; which usually means heavy weights for the items being sent with your parcel. This can be the death knell for fragile items like we tend to send. Smaller boxes will be slotted in Tetris-style to fill gaps, which keeps the faces perpendicular and avoids crushing. I always try to bolster the corners with angles for support. This helps to keep the boxes' integrity, especially if you keep the filler between the kit and the outer box to a minimum. This is of course completely academic if your supplier doesn't give two hoots about the condition of your purchase once it leaves their warehouse! S

I can't tell if you're being facetious... S

The Swedish experiment is not entirely based on pushing through and carrying on regardless. My Wife works for a Swedish company; Australia was the only factory in the World in the Group that didn't shut down, and the only parts they've received from Sweden so far this year were sent pre-Covid. I agree with the sentiment of protecting the vulnerable. My Uncle is 85 and in a Nursing Home in regional Queensland; from the outset of Covid 19, he has been limited to only one visit per day from a maximum of two people who must wear masks when doing so. The State Government here is of the same political persuasion as that of Victoria; so this isn't about the politics of those running the show, but more about the specific management practices undertaken. There has been only one case attributed to Covid 19 in Queensland Aged Care facilities, and 1650 in Victoria; so it's completely possible to isolate the vulnerable properly.

Me too... I missed adding a part on the 20mm gun carriage, it wasn't shown in the instructions but the part is there and it can't be otherwise included. So I need to cannibalise a complete new assembly from another kit, and the project got shelved. S