DocRob

I'm very sorry to hear about your bad adventures with the paint and with removing it the hard way. Luckily on your picture the Spit looks ready to go again, fingers crossed for the windshield. My motto would have been final at this point. 'Skip it and don't strip it' Cheers Rob

After a felt eternity, I received a packet from Germany with a lot of goodies. It seems like there is the plague called holidays erupting in Spain. During three month of summer, Spain seems to reduce all around activities about 50 percent at least . First is this incarnation of the Lancia armored car, in Italian use, mostly, but there is also a scheme from the Spanish Civil War included, how can you stop me. The kit looks great in the box, with the typical CSM manual style, which I like even more than WNW manuals. In difference to other boxings, here are rubber tires included as well, with a great shape and NO middle seam. I couldn't resist the Heller Citroen HY, a car I drove with as a passenger, many moons ago. I love vintage Citroen cars and this quirky box is no exception. The kit looks good, with rubber wheels and different hoods for a '57 or '64 model. Interesting is, that many of the body parts are cast in clear plastic. You have only to mask the windows and spray the entire thing, not a bad idea. Decals for two cars look decent and include the dashboard. Packaging was terrible, only the clear parts are stored in a sealed bag and even so a large one came loose. The other sprues are unprotected loose in the box, no wonder, two small parts are broken. This is my first Heller kit since my late teens, where I ruined a Delhaye 153 with a rattle can, which melted the body . Last but not least, some more goodies, The lovely Diana the photographer from DEF Model in 1/16 for practice figure painting, a conical file from Tamiya, which will come handy for widen holes in wood, brass or plastic, some Ammo chrome tape to test and some needed colors, the yellow for my 1/12 Tamiya Renault RE-20 Cheers Rob

Yup Phil, I have the Sd.Kfz. 251/22 Ausf. D with the PAK 40 mounted, along with about two kilograms of PE . Cheers Rob

Absolutely Gary, I can't tell how I hate it, when due to poor casting a line on clothes just disappears on the back half of a figure. I have loads of figures of various scales in my stash, because like you, I will present my kits along with figures more often, but unlike you, I haven't done so lately . I have some training objects in mind. First might be this unfriendly character from Scale 75 Then I have these two gents, which will be quite a challenge to get them right in black and white. Both busts are 1/10 scale. Than it's Diana from DEF Model in 1/16 scale, still in the mail, but due to arrive in the next days. I will have to do an especially good job on her, because she resembles an ex girlfriend a lot, to who I still have friendly contact. Cheers Rob

Thank you Gary, but I feel, I don't improve my figure painting a lot. I should take your approach and train more constantly, as experience seems to be the only way to get better. I followed your honing of figure painting skills closely and try to find my own path. With my attempt, there is lots to improve, specially detail painting, eyes and foremost blending, which to me is the key to good figure painting results. The gentlemen are tiny, but well sculpted, so there should be more to get out of them. Chris Watton is developing a full gun crew and some cabins furniture in 64 scale, so for HMS Sphinx, there are some possibilities to add some life to her. Cheers Rob

I find it very interesting to see the motivations and backgrounds of fellow modelers, because this small corner of the world offer so many motives and stories, about why people build models, how they approach it and what drives them. I can understand your feelings to proper display the fine results of your work Peter, it's an important aspect to our hobby, but one that fails on me. I can admire a great display of a kit and the way it's presented in a beautiful display case, which sums up to something special. I only build for the build itself, I would never display a plane or a tank - god grieve - in my living area. I bought a display shelf for my cave two years ago, only to store the finished builds as space efficient as possible. Before they were in boxes, which took up more space than that. Some models I gave away after they were finished. I can't really explain why it is like this, maybe it's because I can't force myself to see modelling as an art, it's skillful craftmanship. Other projects, be it self made paintings, photographs or self fabricated design objects rate different with me, as I tend to display these, when finished halfway successful. The Duchess of Kingston will be displayed and the good news it's even accepted by my wife. As we life close to the ocean, maritime subjects fit perfectly and make for an exception . Cheers Rob

The Halbkette looks fantastic Phil. I like the subtle shading, this will be a stunner. Cheers Rob

Thank you Peter, I repainted the eyes sometimes and let them at this vague state for the moment. Even with my smallest brush, I couldn't do better. Mind, these figures ar not even 3 cm high and half as big as the usual 32 or 35 scale figures, much closer to 72 scale. I definitely have to do better with figures and have to learn a lot. I will do some larger scale busts and figures soon for training purposes. Cheers Rob

I do a lot to distract myself from starting with rigging on the Duchess lately, but I'm not sure, if painting 64 scale figures is a good substitute. For now, I will leave the Gentleman Hornblower and Pellew (the names just in case, I rendered them unrecognizable) as they are and when I'm in the mood, I will do some more touchups and detailing. All blame on the figures are on me, Chris from Vanguard did a marvelous job, designing them. I used acrylic colors from the Fantasy range of Scale75, which are reasonably good to work with on a wet palette. When ready, I will cut away the standing plates and substitute them with clear acetate. My next 64 scale figure will be only if there is a decent rendition of the Duchess of Kingston herself. Cheers Rob

Thank you John, is that never including the future as well? With your skillful building, it might be a pleasant change from plastic to wood, you would be amazed, how much fun it could be. Cheers Rob

Thank you Peter, it really helps to chose a near perfect designed kit for the first build. DoK might not be ideal with three masts and a lot of rigging, but others have managed too and so far, I mastered all the obstacles of the build. It is challenging, but interesting, as there is no routine with this build, everything is new or near new for me. I got a very sound education in metal engineering when I was young, developing very complex constructions and later studying engineering at the university to back up theory. In the last years, I started with woodworking around the house, building furniture and many other things from wood in real scale. In general, I love working with different materials and as much as I like building plastic kits, it always feels a bit limited on that side to me. Of course, the limited world of plastic modelling is extremely detailed in itself and has it's challenges of it's own, as we all know. It's no surprise though, that to me the most interesting aspect in plastic modelling is replicating different materials, be it with painting techniques, decals or whatever it takes. I always would chose artistic license over rivet counting and normally when I start a build (actually mostly when buying a kit), I have something like a detailed final picture of the subject in my head and do everything to reach this point in the end. Some builds are even by products to having a plan realized. For example my PZL P.11 build of last year was made only to evaluate the possibilities and challenges of brush painting with oil colors on a plane model. Of course, I want to have a result, but when finished I loose interest into the subject. The DoK will be different, as it will be the first model to be displayed somewhere in our houses and not in the shelve of 'never seen again' . Cheers Rob

Thanks Kevin, this was last summers in between project, this year, it's a bit more serious with the wooden sailing ship on the bench. Cheers Rob

Actually I did Peter, as I prefer to be prepared. I know a bit about historic ships and read a lot and with the necessary skills, I hoped for the best, expanding my existent skills with patience, creativity and not the least, with you guys . Cheers Rob

Very nice Phil, will it be a Wildhalbkette or a Halbkettecat in the end. I love kit bashing . Fuselage looks great and like Gary, I really like to know, how it looks weathered. Cheers Rob

Thanks Gary, Polyurethane varnish is very hard to come by, where I live. Most vendors don't send their stuff here and what they have in the hardware stores is not suitable for modelling choices. A while ago, a found a Polish vendor on big A, who sent me a can of Minwax 40900 Wipe-On Poly Oil-Based Polyurethane Finish Clear Gloss. I would have liked matte better, but with only one coat, the finish is matt to satin and acceptable. If it's to shiny, I can buff it a little with very fine steel wool, but that was not necessary until now. If I wouldn't have got that can, I would have tried shellac, where I have a dose in my paint shelf. Cheers Rob

Muchas gracias Peter, I learn a bit about nautical terms every day with the DoK build and it's like a language of it's own. In the moment I read Patrick O'Brian's 'Master and Commander', which is the first of many books from him about the fictional British navy officer Jack Aubry. The tenth book of the serial was loosely used for the movie 'Master and Commander'. In the first book, maybe as an introduction to nautical terms an old midshipman explains the whole ship with it's parts and functions to a land based side character in a very lengthy way, my head was swirling, first because it's English and second because of the teminology. Cheers Rob

Thank you Hans, it was an enjoyable in between project. Cheers Rob

38 degrees Celsius and the world is turning very sloooowwwww , but anyway, I glued on the lower mast platforms and varnished the whole mast parts with Wipe on Poly. Then I masked the mast platform areas and airbrushed them with Tamiya's lacquer paint flat black. Then I started with the wooldings, I guess, they are for the enforcement of the lower mast parts. Luckily the plans showed a way, how to tie them correctly. I used masking tape as an indicator for the right positions and made six turns for each, which I secured then with water thinned PVA and cut off the ends. Cheers Rob

What a nightmare Peter, I hate, when fails like that happen to me. I never liked redoing, at least not when it comes to repaint an entire plane. I try to prepare myself as best, as I can, but yes, there are always the tiny trapdoors on the way. I hope with the new colors, you will achieve a satisfying result, as the fine detail painting indicates. I have AK paints from the real color range and from their acrylic range for RAF future builds along some Tamiya colors. I will test cautiously before applying. As for AK and Ammo of Mig, Mig Jiminez found these comapanies, first Mig, then AK, which was run by Vallejo and last Ammo of Mig. If I remember right, MIG Jiminez parted with AK in controversy and AK was on it's own since then. Cheers Rob

...and there seems to be a civilian version planned. Cheers Rob

Thank you Gary, building the masts was fun, but more time consuming than thought, it's only some rods, ... . With the figures, I be interested too . Cheers Rob

Thank you Peter, and you are absolutely right about these additional projects around the house. We had a master plan, last year, it was a remade of the roofs, preparing and repainting of the outer walls of the houses and now it was interior painting and doors and windows. The next projects will be smaller, at least time wise, some carpenter work outside to substitute some rotten beams and a photovoltaic system with batteries onto the roof and the batteries will heat my cave in wintertime and even mor important, dry the air a bit. The Duchess will develop slow, I guess, I prepare myself well for the following steps, taking my time. Rigging is completely new to me and I will do it right, at least right enough. Summer on the other hand has a lot of distractions, so bench time is shrinking, but I'm willing to pull through with the DoK. If doing otherwise, the officers will let me keelhaul soon. Cheers Rob

Finally some progress, with the renovation of the hose and different other activities in the books. First a vanity shot with all the mast parts in place. These are not glued yet, as I plan to only add the lower segments first for easier rigging. But the next step will be painting the mast platforms and their surroundings black and to add the wooldings (ropes slung around the masts at different height levels). But the picture is not only for vanity reasons, it's meant to be self motivational as of now, my work on DoK is supervised. The Gentlemen Pellew and Hornblower have arrived my dock. They are made from Vanguard Models and are already primed. Their first job will be to fell victim to my desolate figure painting skills. I'm not decided, if I use oil- or acrylic colors or a mix of both. This will be challenging as the gents are in 64 scale, not exactly my go to scale for figure painting. As a reward, they brought a set of pear blocks for my HMS Sphinx kit with them. Cheers Rob

The ME-BF109 G14 seems to hit the shelves soon. I've seen the kit as preorder item on some shop pages Luckily not my cup of tea, geez, 105€ for the kit and there is no resin or PE included. Cheers Rob

Hi Peter, this should be right down your alley. CMK makes some detailed resin wheels for the mentioned plane. With that hub, I think you can't resist. Cheers Rob