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Thanks for the info Hubert. I haven't tried cutting any thick styrene yet which is why I haven't experienced the deflection you mentioned. I'll have to keep that in mind and maybe down the road upgrade to the RP Toolz one. Carl

Looking forward to see what you pull off with this kit. I've got a pair on the go and it's been fun so far. Carl

Yup, she's a big 'un. And nicely done too. Carl

Next up was the Nose LG. I found another broken bit for one of them so I made a replacement. With the legs done, I started installing them.

"Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father. Prepare to die!" Whoops! Sorry about that. Thought we were quoting movies. My name is Carl and I am all over the map. I have kits I started in a previous century that still need to be finished and i have kits that get done slower than JohnB but faster than molasses flows downhill. Ernie, don't forget you build some crazy complicated biplane things with all that silly string/cobweb stuff stuck between them. I get crosseyed just looking at it all. Carl

Hubert, Karim, I wonder if you have a different Chopper to the one I recently bought. I see several similarities between mine and the RP Toolz version. I certainly like the mitre function a bit more on the RP Toolz one. Carl

So I started to do some more work on the MLG. There's a couple of lines to add to each leg. HK moulds them thin enough that you need to take care getting them off the sprue and cleaned up. After doing that successfully, I still snapped them in half. So I decided to try making replacement ones from wire and strip styrene. The finished lines: I used some soft wire at the ends to replicate the flexible rubber sections. They'll be painted black later on. Carl

Thanks Maxim! Nice to see you here.

That looks great. Thanks for sharing James! Carl

Does the Mig-31 Firefox count? After all, they had to get Clint Eastwood to steal it. Carl

I tried to build one. But it was the Trumpeter 1/32 Mig-15. Maybe when the newness wears off the Mig-29UB I'll try again. Carl

Very nice Scammell Dave. How do you find the kit? I've got their Scammell with the trailer in the stash so it would be great to hear of any issues you may have encountered. Carl

Thanks for the info Rob. I'll look into burnishing fluid at my local home improvement store. Carl

Thanks! Thanks Rob. It's too bad the British tax agency ruined the fun for them. Thanks Jeff. These are my go-to build for when I want something stress free and straightforward.

This one's for Martin! This is my current Tamiya Spitfire build. The plan is to do it as JE-J jr with her infamous ModXXX beer barrels. Profimideller make a conversion set for this but they make you assemble the barrels from individual staves. Not being a cooper, i couldn't make that work for me so I found some wood barrels in a suitable size: Much easier. JE-J Jr is a IXe so I had to modify the wing armament to match. AML make a suitable conversion set so I used that. Cannon barrels are from Master. The engine all assembled and ready for her cradle. Now to start on the cockpit. Carl

I'm not sure yet. I'll look into those but may just give them a quick coat of paint.

Me too, after two weeks in Scotland.

Nice cockpit there John. As always, the paint is neat and tidy. Carl

Damn, all I've got is a pair of the 1/72 Bandai PG ones and the Fine Molds one to go with them. But I do have a 1/24 Viper MkII from BSG. Does that count? Carl

Thanks for the offer Martin but I've already got them. I glued them on and then realized I didn't need them was the problem. Which just means I'll have to build another one in the future. Carl

Not really sure why, honestly. I think it's because I mounted the outer wing gun bulges and then realized that the one I wanted to build didn't have them. I only recently picked the scheme I posted above.

Ok, the stickers are on. Now to continue adding the smaller details and then a light weathering. Carl

Thanks Harv as always! Thanks! I'm trying more and more scratch building. It's kinda fun. Thanks Martin and I agree. Nothing like a huge gun on a Sherman.

A tiny bit more progress. I installed the starboard waist gun and ammo belt on French Kiss along with the tail gunner's station. That side is almost complete now and then I can start on the port side. Carl

Thanks Martin! Those are some great photos. Looks like the Profimideller instructions have what I need. Carl