Out of 2008

"Enzo Matrix" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

New abode, updating all my qualifications (having ceased being a full time carer) and various other life events got in the way - Mainly due to lack of somewhere to keep models safe - However friend's kid wanted some toy soldiers, so I did him some with some vehicles and scenery - The bug has definately bitten - He is now the proud owner of a *lot* of WW2 military stuff culled from my stash, all in correct formations but awaiting the Armourfast German half tracks to complete. Got totally absorbed in the scenery side, solved all the problems I had when I was his age, particularly fond of the bank-statement sand bags (should make life harder for identity thieves -

). Also rather pleased with the 'safety trees', got very carried away with that lot ( ), all he needs now is a

*really* big room to set them all up in. Not sure his Mum was too impressed but apparently his mates are all turning up to play with them! There is a plan to build a 'space base' (ripple lighting down the runway, revolving radars etc, fancied building one since I was a kid myself, those who grew up with Fireball XL5 and Space Patrol will understand), but I thnk I need another kiddie to give it to as it'll be about five feet by two feet six inches. Should make a good 'night light' though, especially if I can get some stories written to go with it (to reinforce the idea of someone being 'on watch' in the control tower). Converting some Airfix Orion Shuttles to air-breathing atmic powered transports (dorsal intake and fin is all that is required for that) but want to have removable undercarriage so they can also be suspended from the ceiling if required. Personally I have to make some ships to go on a model railway, have the materials, all I need now is some time, and the model railway. In the longer term I have to finish the project started in about 1976 to model representative forces of NATO and WP for Europe in the middle of the Cold War, still working on the military side (distinct shortage of suitable figures there) and when the shelving goes up I'll start on the air support side. For the moment it's all in A4 box files, about three or four cubic feet. Still think kits are both cheaper and more effective that anti-stress medication, have always believed that kits should be made available on the National Health (in the UK at least).

Best wishes for the new year

Mike

I usually am a fast builder, but slowed down in the past few months. New baby in the house... Without getting out my records, my December builds were a YP-37 (Beechnut fuselage, all the rest modified from an Academy P-40B), Matchbox JU-188, Entex XP-50 (pure junk), and a Frog Me262 done gear up.

Frog? I have a couple of Frog Gannets in the Deep Stash. Once day I'd like to do a triple build - Revell, Trumpeter and Frog - and make sure I get them all to the same standard. I think it's the sort of thing that Al Superczynski would have approved of.

I've done just that sort of thing with the 262s, as well as several other of my favorite planes. Great fun.

That's something I have done in the past. I have a small flock of Bf

110s of all manufacturers waiting for their canopies to be finished. Masking those has been a laborious process but I don't have the steady hands to freehand the frames anymore.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

A giant zilch. Too much of the year the workbench was out of service.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

anybody want the first 15 v model ar234's? actually, the dolly's were the hard part. i really should figure out where they are.

Well, all in 1/72nd...

3 E-2's, Fujimi (completed the day I heard about the Hasegawa offering) 4 F/A-18F, Hasegawa 1 P-3C, Hasegawa 2 F-15C, Hasegawa 2 F-15D, Hasegawa 3 A-4M, Fujimi 4 F-16AM, Revell Germany 2 F-16BM, Revell Germany 3 2 1/2 Ton Trucks, Tamyia 3 Dingo's, Revell Germany 1 F-16CJ, Revell USA

I've noticed that it takes me longer to finish kits than in the past. Interruptions have increased.

I also fired my agent, got a new one, and finished two novels and started a third. Took a big bite our of the modeling time!

Don H.

Funny...I can't recall buying a guitar this year...and I KNOW I didn't finish a model...

Not a huge amount completed but better than I'd expected.

1/48 Airfix Lightning F6 1/48 Airfix Jaguar 1/48 Dynavector TSR2 1/48 Hasegawa Sabre, Revell box and Eagle Strike RAF decals 1/48 Classic Airframes DH Hornet. What a horrible kit. 1/48 Dragon Fw190D9. Not a horrible kit and unfairly maligned. 1/48 Hasegawa F104G

Plus Airfix Buccaneer underway Airfix Nimrod that stalled waiting for the Model Alliance stencil data decals and failed to get restarted.

Not a lot of models but a fun time building them.

And that's what counts!

Don't be so hard on it; it's not a bad as a Starfix.... I built mine as an American Luft '46, with underwing rockets and accurized painting and markings; didn't look ~too~ bad although I admit I'd never enter it in a contest. I liked the national insignia on the box art too, too bad the builder put them on upside down.

I finished around 6 kits. That does not include painting, right? If so its a big zero. Glued my fingers together on New Year's Eve, does that count towards anything?

Craig

LOL