DocRob

I really like your painting and weathering abilities, FA. I could never paint in sequences, like you do. Your problem solving is also great, like the paste jig for the slatted vents, which actually look so much better. Cheers Rob

I love it Hubert, as an ex engineer, I can only admire your capabilities with metals. Bummer, you need to paint it. Cheers Rob

Close to the finish line, Gus. What a rare beauty, well, beauty in a way , but I like these early jet designs and you seem to tackle her easily. Cheers Rob

I did shy away from these steps for a while Chris, but it has to be done. I hope my later to add 2 mm magnets will keep bonnet, rear hatch and doors in place, when finished. Don´t get me wrong about the quality of the kits, they are extremely well engineered, but so close to the real thing, that even Tamiya´s 1/12 kits seem like cheaters. Cheers Rob

Somehow even these delicate steps are rewarding, Mike. You need a different methodical approach with all the sub assemblies, but I can see the day, when I start to paint. Cheers Rob

I know Hubert, but want to do the preparations as good as possible. No way to tell, how everything will fit onto the chassis in the end. It´s definitely a phase in the build where I don´t want to rush anything. Cheers Rob

Happy New Year to everyone, may it be a good one. In my sparse hours of bench time, I continued with the body preparation of the Cobra Coupe. Dozens of holes got drilled, often not through the body, which is rather difficult. The dreaded hinges for doors and rear hatch were screwed into place. For the doors, I had to refill the holes with CA and re drill for better fit. There are only tiny 1,4 mm screws, holding in the resin body, how long, I don´t know. The doors and hatch need to be removed for painting and further assembly and I hob the threads hold up. There is a lot of sanding involved as well and every adjoined part needs to be checked and prepared. Mynext goal is to partly paint the interior and then add the body parts to the chassis, to finally check the fit. Cheers Rob

Very beautiful paintjob, the vivid colors are looking great on your Jug. Cheers Rob

I also hope you´ll make it Carl. The paintjob looks great and astonishingly vivid. Cheers Rob

Bummer with the finish, Hubert. I use X22 as a base layer for decaling my WW1 birds with huge Aviattic Lozenge and usually have a perfect glossy finish, when thinned with Mr. Leveling Thinner, no orange peel, no nada. When you add a clear cot on top, you have an even better look, somehow deeper. I love the guy with his aviators and flowery Hawaiian shirt, so cool. Cheers Rob

Great detail work on the engines, Mike. Like Hubert, I mostly drill tiny holes with a hand held pin vise, but when there is a lot of drilling to be done, like with MFH kits, I use my Proxxon micro drill on a stand and with a foot pedal, which works equally well, with both hands free to hold the parts. Until now, I never made larger tarpaulins, but liked the tin foil of wine bottle caps very much. The oil cart will be a very nice addition to the dio. Cheers Rob

Indeed, as well as sponges for cleaning pans. Coarse steel wool can be also used to spry through with the airbrush, to achieve unregular base layers. Cheers Rob

Thank you Carl, Chris and Mike. I can feel the discouragement Mike is experiencing and hope to avoid it. At this point of the build, all subassemblies going into the body has to be test fitted and approved. All clean up needs to be addressed, my head is whirling and I permanently find new parts or areas, which need to be put into consideration. This is why I shied away, buying the Alfa Tipo 33 Stradale with it´s huge bonnet and wing doors. My next MFH build will probably be a F1 racer, where it is easier to get the smaller body parts to fit. Cheers Rob

Only missing a wee dram as a digestive, Gus Cheers Rob

Thank you Gus, for being the embedded researcher for Scottish fishing vessel affairs . The layout of the hull is very much looking like mine, which is typical for these boats. I ´ve seen some pictures of other boats, which share the shape of the hull, but are different above the deck. I´m really astonished about the bulwark being so low with these tough weather proved boats. There is not a lot of protection from the sea on deck. Cheers Rob

This could be my next wooden ship build, before or after finishing rigging on my Duchess of Kingston. The scale, the subject and not a lot of rigging triggered me with the Fifie. Cheers Rob

I haven´t looked too closely, but haven´t you received two kits in the raffle, Hubert? . Cheers Rob

Another Christmas present arrived lately. Actually it was a great Black Friday deal of the Fifie fishing vessel, which I wanted to have in my net since a while. It is noticeable designed by Chris Watton for Amati, who now does his own business with highest quality approaches in form of Vanguard Models. Another real benefit of the kit is the 1/32 scale, large enough to detail and widespread enough to source some decent figures. I eventually plan to build the Fifie in a worn, used look, which would be completely new to me, considering wooden ships. Cheers Rob

The Cobra Coupe is not forgotten and got some love lately. There is not a lot to show, but a lot of work has been done in advance to painting the body. Numerous sub assemblies has to be finished and you have to browse through the entire manual, to see, what connects to what and with which diameter the what´s need to be drilled. Alignment of doors, bonnet and rear hatch has to be taken in consideration, as well as fitting everything to the chassis. I think, this is the most critical sequence in the build and I want to do it properly. I also think about adding some 2 mm magnets to hold the closed doors and hatches secure in place. Cheers Rob

Merry Christmas / Feliz navidad / Frohe Weihnachten to everyone. Cheers Rob

A bit cheaper: Buy AUTOMOTORE FS 206/207/208 SOGLIOLA RAIL SHUNTER 1/35 - TREN DE MANIOBRAS online for 35,95€ | AK-Interactive Buy BREUER IV RAIL SHUNTER 1/35 - TREN DE MANIOBRAS online for 35,95€ | AK-Interactive Cheers Rob

I tried Zero Paints lacquer clear with my just finished McLaren and liked it a lot. I ordered five more jars today, after my initially testing. No idea what the Ford guy did, bubbles , maybe he thinned with Champagne . Cheers Rob

Muchas gracias, Mike and Chris. I don´t feel very comfortable with dioramas, but when I start with them, I usually have some fun. I like telling a short story, like a snapshot would do and when I found the battle suit in my stash, I initially searched the net for some scale skulls and luckily found some. It was the same with the PE-bottles, but I never would have believed, that such a thing existed, squeezed plastic bottles and not in 1/35. It´s a strange hobby we have . Cheers Rob

Very nice, especially considering the scale. Paint decals and weathering blend beautifully. Cheers Rob

It´s a completely different experience, Kevin. I shy away often from making dios, but when I do, it´s a lot of fun. Cheers Rob