HubertB

So no reason to add the flaps option on the C-47/DC-3, then, eh Ernie ? Hubert

Now, I remember reading the comments of - sadly now defunct - Spitfire arch-specialist Edgar. In theory, you could leave the flaps down, in practice, the post-landing procedure drilled in the heads of the pilots, was to raise the flaps. Even before expecting to escape the wrath of the Royal Corgis, the point was to escape the more immediate wrath of the crew chief. Lowered flaps on the ground meant possible damage and FOD. Hubert

Edited a double posting. Sorry about that. Hubert

Well, I received the Canfora « Wingspan 4 », ans quickly scanned the contents. First, it’s an excellent book from first to last page. In today’s world where we are used to see kits’ build threads on the net, the book is a very worthwhile buy, with clear pics, detailed comments, and very high production values. In short, highly recommended, all the more so as all chosen subjects are 1/32. As for the C-47 build specifically, the author, whose name rings Czech, Slovak or Polish, is rather elogious of the kit and its design. He confirms the fit issues and the need to add a strip spacer on the underside fuselage, but HPH’ s choice of specific PE parts to cover the half-fuselage joints is vindicated here. In looking at the pics, the surface detail provided by HPH certainly is not lost during the construction, and seeing this is a great relief for me, and puts the kit higher on my - long-to-eternity - « next build » list. In short, not at all as bad as I had read elsewhere, but then again, even if they can be genuinely challenging, it seems a common fad on a lot of forums to bash HPH kits. The Wingspan 4 book is certainly worth buying and reading, given the choice of subjects covered. Hubert

To do it easily, apply some tape on each bulkhead, from the keel to the bulwark end. When laid flat on a piece of cutting mat, you will have the exact length, bulkhead by bulkhead to be covered by planks. Setting the tapes on you mat at the same interval as on the kit will give you the taper for each plank, from its maximum to its thinnest. HTH Hubert

The red color of theMerlin is specific to modern, rebuilt, Merlins for racing aircrafts. It wasn't used, AFAIK, on mar machines Hubert

+1 ! Hubert

Judging from the apparent corrosion of many engine parts, it looks like you regularly have snow covered roads, treated with salt, where you live … Hubert

Talk about silk purse and sow’s ear …. Hubert

Great start, with a suitably busy cockpit, Peter ! Hubert

Exactly what I do … Plus, besides the obvious health benefit, it keeps the house boss 👩‍🦰 happy. Hubert

All joking apart, I now have a paint booth with a pipe to the outside, but I did not know this existed a few years back, when I started using an airbrush . I guess that’s what you dub « youth innocence » … Hubert

There is no denying that the Germans haven’t lost their touch at designing formidable-looking tanks (and in-between new designs, the engineers must work at Mercedes or BMW designing their SUVs , to keep their «hand » ). The next question is, in the light of recent events, « how survivable is it against an agile infantry platoon armed with modern anti-tank missiles attacking from the top ? » Hubert

Wait, what is a spray booth ??? A thingie to draw in paint fumes ? And expel them outside ? OMG , that exists ?! Hubert 😂

Lucky you … Last time I filled the tank of the Cayman with Euro 98 gas, I paid 2.424 €/liter. Yes, that’s 3.274 CAD per liter 😭 Hubert PS: … or 11.506 USD per gallon, or looking at it in another way, I am burning 30 cents (CAD) for every kilometer on my way to the golf course. Even (a lot) more expensive than my lost golf balls budget on the 18 holes 😂

You know how the Navy guys of the time translated « SB2C » ? « Son of a B…h 2nd Class ». Looks appropriate in 1/32 as well Hubert

Unfortunately I have read more bad than good about that site Hubert

Exatamente ! (As they say here in Portugal ) Hubert

I think the tires are OK, but the tread (i.e. the spacing of the font wheels) is still too large. Which dtetracts from the look but not the quality of your build and the outstanding finish you achieved. As for the details of the Shelby collection car, they represent the car in its final version before it was retired, not necessarily as it was at one time of its career, like Le Mans 1966. If the wheels are glued, so be it. Only the PITA guys like me will comment on it anyway ... Otherwise, the way out is probably to thin the hub of the wheels outside of the disc to visually reduce the tread. Hubert

Well, the engine issue is not a big deal anymore for me (drops casually Mr Superboaster 😁 ). This is what stopped me dead in my tracks on the venerable Monogram Gruman Gulfhawk, especially when I found that the replacement Vector engine that I bought had an uneven distribution of the 9 cylinders around the crankcase, to leave room for the bottom oil sump 😡 ... Since then I got equipped with a 3D-printer and have designed 3 1/32 radial engines (a Wright J6-9 for the Mystery Ship, a R-985 for ... well whatever used this one, starting with the Gee Bee R-2 and Sikosrsky S-39, and a G&R Mistral 9 Kdrs when I thought it could have been installed on the PZL P11c 1932 prototype at the Paris airshow (so now I am left with designing a MS-225 to go around the engine). So another radial ... 😎 And, in fairness, since then, many AM manufacturers have released R-1820s, like Eduard, AIMS, and others I can't remember... Ditto for the cowlings, not that difficult to design and print. Tell me what HpH did for the supply of the civilian seats. Otherwise, I am sure we can find a way together. As for the fit, ofcourse I am sure it can be worked around. What bothers me more is not to loose the surface detail that HPH have included. Those rivets were a prominent feature of the DC-3, especially with the polished aluminium fuselage, and around the outer wings junctions. Take care, my friend. Hubert

You should rightly be proud of your GT 40, Peter. Here are pics of the real deal, the Ken Miles’ car from the Shelby collection. Hubert

Beautiful result with the GT 40, Peter. May I venture a small criticism, that jumped at me when looking at your pics ? The tread of the front wheels seems a bit wide compared to the body of the car. This is probably a kit design issue, but I could not help noticing it, and my hunch was vindicated by checking some pics of the real car, which was put up for sale not too long ago … Now, how about a Ken Miles figure to go with it ? Hubert PS edit : the pics I looked at are the ones of the replica built for the film …

Very nice result with the Heinkel 👍 ! Well done, Kevin ! Hubert

By the way, Mirek O’s build thread of the DC-3 on Martin’s link shows the difficulties to be expected with the kit, namely the seams of the wings leading edges, the underside of the fuselage, and the wings-to-fuselage fit and seams … Hubert

I was sure Martinn would far more efficient than me to find the threads on the Czech modelling forums Thank you my friend 👍 And I also found out that the HPH C-47 FINISHED build is featured in Canfora’s Wingspan #4, which I duly ordered (My wallet does not thank you, Ernie 😡 ) Hubert