DocRob

Most of the segmented tracks do look good and there is no need for torturing yourself with unnecessary single track link builds, where there is no need for, but if it has to be single track links, there is no way around, rubber bands are not the way to go, for different reasons. Cheers Rob

There are lots of kits out there with segmented length and link tracks. Don't build tanks, when you are not willing to put decent tracks together, not these rubber bands . I didn't mean you by that Gaz, just a general rant into the direction of these comic social media nuts. Cheers Rob

Not so much, when I saw it right. Too expensive to my liking on first sight. Cheers Rob

Looks like a display made by Vlad the Impaler , but great progress on the other hand. Faces are looking good, I definitely have to try some myself. Are you planning to matte coat the cloth? Cheers Rob

Very nice, I like the unusual paintjob, makes the Salamander look completely different. Cheers Rob

Working on the core muscles is essential for a pain free durable back, but don't forget to train the stomach muscles too, as they have to be in a kind of balance. It's way easier to train the back muscles with fun sports after the initial dedicated workouts, but it needs more discipline to train the stomach properly, as there are not many sports using this part of the body extensive. Cheers Rob

I wish you all the best with your back. I had painful lower back problems for years, when living in Berlin. Now I'm ok, with lots of training. Swimming and surfing also helped a lot. Eager to see, how the Liberator develops, so watch your back Carl . Cheers Rob

My year end shopping spree ended (hopefully) with some nice kits and bits, which arrived today. The Gaspatch 1/48 Henschel teased me since a long time, but seeing some builds being started here recently, I could not wait any longer. I added the Kabuki pre war splinter masks and a Yahu IP. I also could not resist the fantastic looking Minerva armored car along a driver and some equipment bits. I fought between the Minerva and the even stranger looking Romfell car, but this might be done later in a fitting steam punk conversion. Last but not least, there was a big sale of Corsar Rex figures, which are made from very well casted resin. All are Russian, but will be used in four different settings, one of them in 48 scale with the upper right sets. These all were so cheap, I couldn't pass. Cheers Rob

Thank you for giving me access to your pics Carl. I did a fast scan and found some interesting elements. I thought the same as you did, beginning to apply the underside of the canopy first, with it's installations and then move to the upper part. Where I thought of progressing differently, is the placing of the IP, which I took from my sources as suited a bit higher in the upper canopy part, but will recheck. To do it your way is a bit simpler and may I change my mind. I have to consider the antennas with their struts of course, which doesn't make the whole assembly any easier. The placement of the struts inside the cockpit is a bit vague to say the least. I decided to take the typical 'poco a poco' approach for this delicate section, taking my time and working step by step. Cheers Rob

Very nice work, everything is so well blended in. Cheers Rob

That looks like a lot of work Mark, but well spent, as it looks really cool. Cheers Rob

Interesting way of cost saving Gaz, but taken into account, that a good set of metal tracks is not much cheaper, than the kit, it's made for. On the other hand it sounds like binning the wearer, when the shoe is not right . Shame on Dragon for using this chemically unreliable stuff . Cheers Rob

Exactly my thought Phil, but the other tracks are still flexible and two of those where in their unopened clear plastic sleeve. These didn't look like vacuum wrapped, though. Cheers Rob

It's a shame, that Dragon uses such an useless material for the tracks and plane parts. Thanks for the generous offer with the tracks Carl, but my four DS equipped kits are covered by three Friul sets and for the last, I have some Magic Tracks as a substitute. I normally try to buy all needed AM, when buying a kit. It happens often, that later some goods are out of production. Oh no, there is a DS made tanker jacket in my 251 kit . Cheers Rob

There are lots of pics and live feeds in the internet, John. I would prefer to be a little further away, than I am . Cheers Rob

Lets hope so, I spent some hours to find the best way, to mask the glasshouse and try to figure the best way to add the IP, antennas and other bits to it. Cheers Rob

The Marder is coming together nicely Gaz. I'd say, that adding a darker dust color in places might be a good idea. Cheers Rob

Yeah I know, the typical 'DS-tracks 'like 'em or not' thread, but no, this is about ageing or reacting of the material they are made of and/or they are packed in. I have four sets of DS-tracks, which luckily in all but one case will be substituted. For some reason, I opened my Jagdpanther G2 box, #6609, and found the still sealed DS-tracks in a state, shown on the pic. Where they were bent in the box, they already were broken and the third crack appeared, while taking them from the box. The tracks are absolutely brittle and the plastic wrap seems to have shrunken on them. I checked the other boxes, a Patton, where I opened the sealing of the DS-tracks and they are still flexible and unharmed. On a Panther G, they were flexible, but due to packing, they had bended guide horns, which I doubt, will be usable and on an early Tiger, I found the same. The kits are all four to seven years old, when I bought them new and the worst, the Jagdpanther is not the oldest one. Do you have similar effects with DS-tracks, and how do they held up under aggressive painting and weathering? Cheers Rob

Hi Harv and Martin, as strange as it sounds, it's usual business with the volcano, bad as it is. It crept into the daily routine and some scientists claim that there is a slight reduction in activity over the last days. As there are no new lave streams, there is not so much new destruction of houses and farms. So far there are no casualties. The problems are the amount of ash, which in some places of La Palma is a some meters thick layer, covering everything and the toxic gases from the volcano. On my island we notice lots of tiny earthquakes, barely noticeable, but they are there and sometimes there is some distant rumble from the eruption. When the wind hits us bad, we have a lot of black ash in the air and I have an acrid taste in my mouth since the volcano erupted first. Of course, these effects are much stronger on La Palma itself and I feel sorry for the inhabitants there. I read, that the use of anti depresiva and sleeping pills has multiplied on La Palma, which I take as an indicator for the state of mind over there, it rattles the nerves even here, where everything is on normal go. Cheers Rob

Gracias hombres, the kit's front and back office are an invitation, to do something good with it. Now the real fun begins with the IP in the glasshouse, which will be challenging, along with an error I made in the beginning of the build. Fingers crossed for that critical section. Cheers Rob

Give the show a miss or just the spending, Phil? I've never been to a modelling show, but really would like to visit one or more, even without my wallet. Sad to hear, that you're affected in such a bad way by the whole C-mess, job related or other. Cheers Rob

I had a shopping spree lately and the last order was the fastest to reach, no wonder as it was from Spain. Lots of RC colors for some projects, like the Kai Phantom, the Do-17 in Africa livery, pre war splinter for a Gaspatch Henschel and some 4BO for my AT-ST aaannnndddd a nice set of Kolinsky brushes. These are not the very best ones, but they are really good. I tested three different for some time and they are far ahead of the typical synthetic hair brushes, so a clear recommendation. The flat brushes are for spreading oil colors and weathering and last but not least, I'm pretty happy, the Xtreme cleaner has safely reached my island. It's my favorite airbrush cleaner by far. It's aggressive, but since I use it, I normally half my cleaner amount per cleaning. On top of that, I bought a plaster cast Diorama base for a T-34 menacing through my old hometown of Berlin, like it happened in the last days of WWII in front of the house of my family. There are the base and the facades included, along laser cut wooden door and windows and some signs and advertising. My plaster parts were partly broken, but this will be no prob to fix with some white glue. RT supplies the exact same casts made with another more robust ceramic for a higher price, but I wanted to try the reasonable priced plaster version first, so I knew about the risk. The cast itself is highly detailed. Cheers Rob

Today, I glued the lower non clear section of the canopy to the fuselage, which needed some fixation, before the glue settled, because the used plastic is way thinner, than that of the fuselage. I then added first the side consoles, then the left and right wall section and then the devices onto them. with that order, I ensued, that everything fits well into the tub. I did some more detail painting and highlighting and then glued the PE front in place. On the pictures, the pit looks dusty and I don't know why, because there is no visible dust there, but there are still some areas for touch ups, after all has cured. Cheers Rob

Thank you fellas, the resin parts for the cockpit and operator area are among the best, I've ever seen. Sharp detail and perfect fit. Opposite to the plastic they are absolutely flawless and to me that's what always motivates me while working on the shortcomings of the kit. Is there another kit out there with that kind of glass house, where you wouldn't buy some extras for detailing. OK, I did with the Yahu instruments and the HGW belts, but with the supplied PE belts and decals for the instruments, you can build that area easily oob. Cheers Rob

Ouch, these Fly kits, they throw some italeriesque fittings at you, but soften the impact with their sweet resin. Cheers Rob