GusMac

That really does look stunning under the natural light Rob. I know it maybe didn't go quite how you'd hoped but I'd still be extremely proud of how it finished up.

Looking forward to seeing a WIP of the Lightning Carl. Having conquered my 'fear' of resin kits thanks to Ernie, a vac would be the next step but watching Tom's builds of things like his Stirling and Sunderland I'm not convinced my scratch building skills are there yet.

Rust effects look really cool Martin.

Life has been a little 'interesting' for the last week or so, so bench time has been minimal. However, got half an hour or so tonight to make a tentative start on this. Got the micro chisels and a sanding stick out to remove the raised detail from the instrument panel ready for the photoetch which is in the detail set. Ernie very kindly included the full detail set with the kit prize so there's also the resin engine, bombs and the wing fold set. Plan is to use all of them. I'm hoping life is settling down again and I can get properly into this.

Enjoy it Carl, it's the closest to building Lego you'll find in a kit. Everything just fits perfectly.

Definitely worth the grief Rob. You couldn't get that realism with anything other than actual metal. Does look horrifically fiddly though!

I thought you'd disappeared fully down the motor vehicle rabbit hole, Rob. 😁

Okay, I'm calling this one done. I'll hopefully get some better pictures outside at the weekend. It's a nice straightforward build and I can see why people are so keen for Eduard to scale this up as they get back into 1/32. Not sure if the Milka airframe ever carried a loadout like this but it looked a bit bare otherwise, so artistic licence and all that....

Can't beat a bit of Billy G and the boys. So many great records.

Sorry to hear about your dog. It really is the hardest thing to do as they get under your skin and almost become a part of you. As Kevin said I've never cried at a relative's funeral but I blubbed like a baby when we had to put the first of ours down.

That Maserati looks amazing, not surprised it took 20 years to do! The RNLI lifeboat also looks cool. Think it's an Aran class but not sure.

Looks like you had a great time Carl. The Stratos is a cool raffle prize and very generous of your son to gift it to his pal.

With the Mig-21 coming close to the end I was pondering what to do next and thought I'd go for the Infinity Val with all the add-ons which I got from Ernie as the prize for the GB last year. I didn't fancy any of the kit schemes, so the plan is to go for the bottom one here which is an aircraft from the Akagi at Midway. Although the packaging says 1/48 I've measured the meatballs and they definitely are 1/32. Didn't actually notice until I took the photo and there was a sharp intake of breath when I thought I'd ordered the wrong thing or Hannants had screwed up the order but thankfully all is well.

The code letters were often RAF Sky from memory

Just saw this and it's a real shock. As others have said, never met Harv but you did feel you knew him, His input was always so upbeat and encouraging and he made this a great place to be.

Rob, I've used the Bob Smith 5-minute epoxy on the Viggen and Attacker as it works great with resin and I've had no problem with the 'strings' although it might depend on the applicator used. It also dries like an absolute rock. However, you're right in that it is difficult to mix small quantities with any consistency and I did tend to CA for small parts.

Got the panel line wash on and then flat coated it and added a bit more weathering with oils. I'm pretty happy with where the airframe is at now, so it's on with the landing gear, pylons, etc.

Looking good.

I think it's only the Eduard decals from mid-2020 onward which have the removeable film. Yours are from 2015 aren't they Chris, so definitely the conventional style.

Thanks Kevin. With a bit of experimentation I've found that the best 'tool' for removing the film from these is my thumbnail! Lift a corner with the scalpel and then use the nail to lift the rest off. Works especially well for the smaller decals and stencils. The film is big enough to catch with tweezers on the insignia, etc.

Shiny! Looks great Rob

Tried after 24 hours and the carrier film came off okay thankfully. Used the mineral spirit tip I'd seen first but it did nothing. Best option was just to pick up a corner with a new scalpel blade and peel from there.

Anyone used the 'new' Eduard decals and have any hints as to how to remove the carrier film? Specifically, how long did you leave them before trying it? I've seen various answers from a couple of hours to a couple of days on the web and I'd rather not screw it up at this stage.

Looks great.

What are your thoughts on the Gauzy Carl? I've never seen anyone using it before but the canopy on the Infinity Val look like they might benefit from something like this.