I finally completed the cake decorations for my dad's 90th birthday party. My sister thought lots of folks wouldn't show up on Dec. 22, but it looks like about 180 or so will make it. The cake decorations are 1:100 scale profile models of his main airplanes, warbirds P-39, P-40, P-47, and P-51, and cropdusters Piper Supercub (really) and Grumman Ag-Cat. I didn't do an F-84, but he stayed stateside during Korea.
The cake will be 4.5' long with 45 candles (runway lights) either side. I think Sis is going to give Dad a hair dryer to blow them out. The center will be a 6" wide runway, which is why I didn't want to use
1:72 models. Also, Ag-Cats aren't readily available. If I had time, I think we'd be better served by some grain of rice bulbs and wiring buried in the frosting. Less chance of a major airplane conflagration in the middle of the cake.I'll post pictures of the cake, pre-ignition at least.
Also, tonight I go pick up my youngest at the Austin airport. He finally found something interesting to do in the Marines (MOS 1345), since they won't let him go to the sandbox. He started taking their martial arts courses. Friday he graduated at the top of his class in the Marine Martial Arts Instructors course. That's as far as he can go as a corporal. Yeah, he's shooting expert now, too.
For Christmas, we got him a Ruger semi-auto 22-45, the 3rd model .22 with a 1911 like grip and a bull barrel. It'll go nicely with the Kimber .45 he bought this summer. I think he's bringing his toys, including the Rock River Arms M-4, so there'll be range days over his leave. His brother gets a Single Six. Should be fun.
Damn, I'm glad to be done with the decorations. I also arranged for some large fighter posters, many thanks to the photographers contacted via the internet, who mostly granted permission free of charge.
Pete