I have problems choosing. I'm a nightmare in restaurants. I look at the menu and I simply *cannot* make a decision. The lamb looks good... oh, but so does the fish. Wait a minute! Those ribs look excellent! Oh, no... they've got lasagne... It has got so bad that She Who Must Be Obeyed decides beforehand what I'm going to have, because I simply *cannot* choose!
I'm finding I have the same problem with choosing my next project. I recently finished a 1/48 Eduard F6F Hellcat. I've spent the past week or so putting the absolute finishing touches to about half a dozen models - I tend to not attach the canopies unless I really have to...
So, now I'm looking for a new project and I need to reduce my options. The first step is to build from the stash - kit *and* decals. The second step is to give myself a restricted choice. Having thoroughly enjoyed the F6F build, I decided I would build another naval aircraft. The third step is to reduce the choice still further. Easy... it will be a Fleet Air Arm aircraft.
I *still* cannot choose. Looking at my stash, I have the following possibilities: Phantom, Sea Vixen, Hunter, Gannet, Seafire, Hellcat, Corsair, Wildcat. How do I choose one from eight? And even if I do, how do I chose which particular aircraft to build? For Seafires I can build six different marks, with a total of about twenty different schemes. I could choose between nine different Hellcats, five Corsairs, sixteen Gannets, pretty much every Sea Vixen ever built...
Well, there was only one variant of the Phantom used by the FAA - the FG.1 (F-4K). The problem arises with the choice of markings. There were three FAA units whch operated the Phantom - 700P NAS, 767 NAS and 892 NAS. I already have a 767 NAS aircraft in my collection, so that should make the choice easier... one would think. But no... there are two distinct markings variants for 700P NAS and at least seven variants for 892 NAS...
I know your problem, I have it too. All those lovely models, no time, how to choose? I solved it though and I'll tell you how I did it.
My stash (then) was 250 kits. I gave my wife a rose (yes, that's the bribe there), a thick permanent marker, and locked her in the room by herself with instructions to number all of "her husbands little boxes" from 1 to 250 and put them back int he cupboard in reverse order (so that number 1 was on top and 250 right at the back). When she emerged an hour or so later I had my build list made up and no more "what the heck's next" issues. I simply build them in number order and, as I buy more, I give them the next number on the list (now around 300). Without me being involved in the numbering there have been some kits I would not have thought of touching, and as she staked the kits back and I haven't done any digging, it's like Christmas finding out what the next build is.
With 2k kits in the garage awaiting attic insulation, ventilation, floor and shelves and thirty in the "started" stack I find it easy to figure out what to work on next. Of course it's usually the client's order that gets first place, but not always.The problem that I have is that every time I buy or get in trade new kits they look so damned good they get into the "started" stack. That's what happened when I decided to research round wing aircraft for a collection entry next year. The little Suchanov Diskoplan looked so simple and I found several photos. Of course the photos turned out to be the Mk.2 and the Mando Models kit is the Mk.1 and the kit is a bit of a bitch, but it's getting done. As soon as I get a couple of instruments built the cockpit will be ready. Mask it off along with the area of the underside of the wing that attaches to the fuselage pod and prime it. The wing was such a project that I know there will be dings to fix, as will the pod for the same reason. Of course I may get a little frustrated. In that case I put it aside and work on one of the client's vignettes, the repair job for the Airfix Austrian Beaver, the almost completed Ames AD-1, the long-promissed pair of Yak-11s or the almost finished Payen Pa.22.However you work it out, good luck.TomOn Aug 14, 8:33=A0am, snipped-for-privacy@some.domain wrote:> In article , Rufus wrote:>
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next pr=3D> >>> oje=3D3D> >>>>> ct. I> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> recently finished a
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new project and I need to reduce m=3D> >>> y> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> options. The first step is to build from the stash - kit *an=3D> >>> d*>
choic=3D> >>> e.> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Having thoroughly enjoyed the F6F build, I decided I would b=3D> >>> uil=3D3D> >>>>> d> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
another naval aircraft. The third step is to reduce the choi=3D> >>> ce =3D3D> >>>>> still> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> further. =3D3DA0Easy... it will be a Fleet Air Arm aircraft.> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I *still* cannot choose. =3D3DA0Looking at my stash, I have th=3D> >>> e fol=3D3D> >>>>> lowing>
Gannet, Seaf=3D> >>> ire, =3D3D> >>>>> Hellcat,> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Corsair, Wildcat. =3D3DA0How do I choose one from eight? =3D3DA0=3D> >>> And eve=3D3= D>
aircraft to build? For S=3D> >>> eaf=3D3D> >>>>> ires> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I can build six different marks, with a total of about twent=3D> >>> y>
differen=3D> >>> t Hel=3D3D> >>>>> lcats,> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> five Corsairs, sixteen Gannets, pretty much every Sea Vixen =3D> >>> eve=3D3D> >>>>> r>
Well... I took all the suggestions earlier in this thread on board and eventually settled on building a Fujimi Phantom FG1. It is XT859, 725/VL of
700P NAS based at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton. The aircraft has no squadron markings and is very plain. It was the third production aircraft and I have depicted it shortly after its delivery. That means that I had to build it without any weathering and with a gloss finish, which was a bit of a challenge. I rarely build anything with a gloss finish. However I didn't want a high gloss finish and so I've had to matt the thing down and then apply very thin mist coats of Xtracrylix satin varnish until I got the effect I wanted.
The model is now complete. That's complete in six days!!!! That's unheard of for me! :-D
So I was back to square one having to decide what to build next. I did a similar thing to what Andrew suggested. I've assigned a unique ID number to every kit in my stash and also a unique ID number to every decal scheme that interests me. I put them all into an Access database and knocked up a query which uses a random number generator to select a subject and scheme for me.
So... my next project is an F-100D of the 48TFW based at RAF Lakenheath in
1970. I'm rather excited about it... it's great fun when you have no control over what you build next! :-D
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