Peterpools

Harv Got ya and I'll be the old geezer in the center of the front row for the entire journey.

Harv He sure is amazing and a wonderful heart. Are you planning on building the B-17 this year?

mark She sure is going to be big when done and I'm thinking of having a small display case made for it. See how it goes as I'm a long way away.

Tom Awesome build, beautifully done.

Kriss Bravo - to my eyes, absolutely brilliant work and love the cammo. Might be a bit oversized but for us who see an exquisite build and finish, it's perfect.

The Lancaster has been here for a while, carefully resting on a table in the house. I'm still overwhelmed by Ernie's generosity and good heart. I've opened the box, checked the glass and all is well. I do plan on building the Lancaster this year and it is going to be a mammoth but enjoyable long term project. I've never built a model this size nor one this expensive - so the pressure is on from the start. I'm still doing research, bought Richard Alexander's book; The Avro Lancaster MkI/III, researching and will be purchasing selective AM - not much as the kit is as detailed as you can get. The AM list: the Quinta Cockpit set (soon to be released), the ASK Glass Mask set and 1ManArmy Stencil Data Masks and I think that will be it. Paints will be by the gallon and most likely MRP. Logistic wise, I need to hook up my Artograph 1530 paint booth as my current setup is totally inadequate. I'm still working out how to display the Lancaster when done. Thanks again Ernie, so very much appreciated and still can't believe it.

Rob I enjoy your model photography - sharp, clear and so very well done. It's easy to see and appreciate your photographic technique and I always knew you were there. Yup, it's in your DNA. You might have lost a small bit of the edge but not much and your model photography is exceptional. As you, I've had a passion for photography since my early teens and have never stopped and love the X's and O's as much as the creative side. I went digital as it took hold and do love it as it allows a different approach and the post work is awesome - no darkroom and mess. I've always been a Nikon shooter but the past few years have also rediscovered film and shoot nearly as much film as I do digitally. My film camera of choice these days is a wonderful medium format Bronica ERTsi with three lens and assorted accessories. Heavy and getting heavier every year as I get older. Just so rewarding shooting film and doing everything manually and the old way. I do shoot manually with the Nikon as well, as I'm old school. I know I go way overboard in how I do things and almost all my images I post on the forum are focused stacked from at least four, five or six files and stitched together in Photoshop - ridiculous I know but I do find it a lot of fun and no DOF issues. I don't spend much time on them, just wanting them to be sharp and clean. Peter

Bill Awesome technique - thanks for the pics and 'how to'.

Just love those Quinta sets and nice choice for the tow tug.

Dave Nice start on the interior- the subtle weathering looks perfect.

BIll Nice haul for 2022. I spied in your acquisitions a Minicraft 1/72 F9F-8 Cougar. I just love Grumman Cats as a Long Island Boy. Either last year or the year before I found on line a 1/72 Grumman F11F Tiger - one on my favorite aircraft of all time and nothing short of gorgeous. The only thing that keeps me from building it, is the old decal sheet that came with the kit and I can't find any newer and safe ones; maybe someday. I do have a long range plan to build my favorite aircraft of the 1950's and 60's in 1/72, as in flight for the display case - just never seem to get around to it.

Bill Absolutely a technique I can't wait to try out. Please post as many how to photographs as you can.

Rob I see your point and completely agree. Too many modelers use a wide-angle lens on their camera or phone when photographing their work, which terribly distorts the subject as the area closest to the cameras is much larger (wider) then the rear. Focal lengths between 50-105 are perfect for model photography, as there is almost no distortion nor compression. I normally shoot at 70 mm so I have a little more working distance and when needed, I use a Nikon 105 Macro. I also do as you, use my photographs to check my work and see what needs to be corrected or I'm able to move on. I apologize for using the wrong terminology as there is a difference between close up and macro, I prefer close up for modeling, just a personal choice and works better for me. I tend to get carried away when it comes to photography, as I spend many more hours with my cameras in the field, in post and printing then at the bench. I shouldn't let one passion become entwined with the other.

Hi Ernie You're so right as I'm pretty sure the number of Skyhawks that have rolled off the Wichita assembly line has passed 43,000. I've always loved flying 172's, sweet and easy and no bad habits. As a renter back in those days, every time you climbed into the lefthand seat, you needed to familiarize yourself where Cessna moved things as they did change from model year to model year and that did include changes to the interior upholstery. Back then, the material of choice was 'pleather' or a fabric, as the 172 I flew hadn't made it to the ranks of leather yet - that was the realm of Beechcraft. 😉

I vote for the hour roundtrip and you'll have it ASAP. Any thoughts on wiw you are going to run the wires up to the flying sub?

Rob Got ya and completely agree; as a learning tool to fine tune your work, nothing better. I do take a lot of macro shots and only use it as a way of critiquing my own work and seeing what I need to redo or fix.

Hubert You just never know. Going to be using Mr Color FS13538, as per the instructions call out by FS number only. I don't think Mr Color was invented yet ⚗️

Nice work on the front office and exhaust. Surely stating to look the part.

Thanks John Been working on the outrigger floats and maybe tomorrow I'll start shooting the yellow wings. 🤞

Rob The details and PE look amazing - delicate work for a steady hand. I normally reframe from shooting closeups with a macro lens as the images show details beyond what we can see normally. I try to depict in my photographs what a viewer would see is viewing the model in the flesh.

Thanks Mike, much appreciated. Just never thought a simple assembly as the floats would dictate buying a second kit - thank goodness the kit was very inexpensive this time.

PRIMING – FINALLY OMG, the prep work of sanding, clean up and masking is done. Masking for a kit this size, an abundance of Tamiya tape was needed and hopefully the masking will be OK. With the engine worked into place and needing to be masked, I finally used my DSPIAE circle cutter. Took a few minutes to assemble and cutting the mask was a snap. I have to keep reminding myself I’m not building an old kit from 1997 but a 55 year old kit, whose molds date back to 1967. Back then it was state of the art but today, it’s handful. The outrigger floats were a mess: bad injection pin marks on the struts, the struts were twisted and bent, the worst being the male pins on the inside angle struts were parallel with the strut and should have been molded at an angle – no way would they fit into the locating holes as is. I needed to redrill the wing locating holes on an angle to accept the locating pin. Of course, when assembling the floats, I glued the inner brace in place, firmly on the locating pegs and let dry, I created a disaster; now the strut was nearly vertical and shouldn’t be. I’m assuming the technology of the day, just didn’t allow for the faces of the locating tabs to be at an angle and a problem I just didn’t foresee. Trying to straighten out the struts, I snapped three of four off! Nothing much to do and I needed to purchase a second kit on eBay for parts and new outrigger float assemblies. Knowing the pitfalls, I fussed for a good day, cleaning up the second set of floats, filling and removing the injection pin marks and figuring out a way to glue the inner struts on at the right angle. I used the second kit's lower wing as a gig and I still need to tinker a bit more. The PE bracing wires for the main float will be added after painting, as it’s hard enough to air brush in the center area between the float and the lower fuselage, as the bracing wires will be another obstacle to shoot around. Not overly happy with the fit of the glass but considering the Kingfisher’s age, it’s not that bad. My go to primer: MRP Light Gray Primer and now checking for any areas that need some additional attention. Finally in Primer From the second kit: The replacement floats being test fitted and using the new lower wing as a gig. The offenders - Hunted Down by NCIS

Bill Way to go and besides Mt Color Self leveling thinner as my go to thinner, it's my #1 paint remover as well.

Bill Nice progress and I'm with Ernie, every time down the road when you look at the Kingfisher, the tail stripes are going to annoy the dickens out of you. I'm forever backtracking and fixing things and sometimes it feels as if I built the model twice.

Nice progress Kev .. looking mighty good.