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Bravo, Andrew!

BTW, if anyone is still thinking about trying a card model, this estate sale over at Paper Modelers still has a lot of models left to choose from. Personally, I'm trying very hard not to make a third purchase from this sale, because I already have enough kits to last me a lifetime. 😬

I'm not clear on what you are asking for. Did you order the laser-cut detail set but not the actual kit itself? Because the instructions come with the kit.

Wow! That finish looks fantastic!

Very striking! I enjoyed the sequence of photos showing the yard being hoisted. Cheers!

Super job, Glen!

Sub-structure for horizontal stabilizers finished and skins cut out. I won't glue these together until I have the fuselage finished and can then better judge the spatial relationship between frames & skin. And first fuselage skin attached. Fit looks good so far. Dion, I'll have to look into your suggestion.

The most likely reasons are no one has asked for one (or at least very few people have asked), and it would probably entail a not insignificant amount of work for an MSW staff member. On top of those two reasons, sharing photos gleaned from the internet often constitutes some form of IP infringement.

Handsomely done, ECK!

Finished the sub-structure for the empennage. There was quite a bit of confusion with this bit, because first of all I don't read Polish, which meant it took me awhile to catch on to there being different laser-cut parts for the options described back in post #28. I ended up using the wrong main profile former, which subsequently required some minor fixes. Also, the parts numbering system is unlike anything I've seen in any other publisher's kits, which again is very confusing for non-Polish speakers. But who doesn't like a challenge, right? 🙄😆 There's an inner skin that wraps around the tail wheel well, which I have added but didn't get a picture of -- cuz it's not all that interesting. Cheers!

Welcome! Great intro!

Dude -- we have an entire continent's worth of indigenous workboat types that Chris hasn't touched yet, should he ever get the urge to try something different.

Break out the bronze.

I realized while working on the sub-structure for the empennage that the kit provides alternative internal parts for making separate control surfaces, so I need to make the decision about those real soon. I'm leaning away from the separate parts at the moment, since this is a presentation model, and separate control surface, despite their 'cool' factor, come at the cost of increased complexity and a greater potential for boogering things. Clean looks are more important on this model than extra detail.

Cockpit is done now. First we have the port-side wall, which I'm fairly certain is way over-simplified, since it has only a single quadrant. Then the reflector sight. Laser-cut parts were provided for this, but -- believe it or not -- they were just too delicate. The sight was easier to make with the original card parts. And finally we have the port wall attached to the fuselage. As is usual with airplane models, much of the hard work done on the cockpit will subsequently evade much notice. Cheers!

Totally depends on if you can live with yourself afterwards

Welcome aboard, Jim!

BTW #1: I noticed last night that I inadvertently glued the quadrant lever on upside down, but it was past bedtime, so I'll have to fix that tonight. BTW #2: I found out yesterday that the upcoming Card Army #3 kit will not be a Hellcat but rather a P-40. The F6F-5 will be Card Army #4.

Keep at it, Andrew! This is more than acceptable work as a first effort. My first card models don't even exist anymore. 😬

Starboard cockpit wall completed.

So, is this a different kit than the 1/72 scale gunboat that was in development back in 2020? I'm just trying to figure out where this kit is in relationship to the other kits in the development pipeline. Would also really like to see some progress reports on those other kits! (hint hint)

Beautiful job -- congratulations! The case looks great, too. Cheers!

Excellent kit choices -- I think you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of those two kits.

A few recommendations: I don't know much about the Albatros kit in particular, but it is a Mantua product, and they aren't one of the first names to come up in discussions about contenders in the "Best Kit Instructions" category. Starter tool combos have both their benefits and drawbacks. If you have zero tools to start with, then they're of course better than nothing. OTOH, many modelers, myself included, have quickly discovered after purchasing such tool sets that some tools get used a lot while others are rarely used, if ever. For that reason, some will argue in favor of a "go slow and buy only what you need" approach. Starter tool combos typically don't include tools that modelers often find indispensable once they really get into the hobby, such as rigging tools, plank bending irons, planking clamps, rotary tools, proportional dividers, etc. etc. Since you will be packing stuff into a relatively remote location and are taking on a project that may take you months to complete, you might want to think about how portable your project will be. A fully rigged ship model, even if still incomplete, is a bit fragile and thus a pain to move. For your situation, i.e. a new modeler with no experience and working remotely, I would think seriously about a less demanding project that is better suited for beginning modelers. The new Shipwright Series from Model Shipways fits this description, as do the older kits from Midwest Products that are currently out of production but still available on eBay. BlueJacket Shipcrafters also has a line of beginner kits. These kits typically spell out exactly what tools are needed to finish the kit, which eliminates guess work. Grab a kit well in advance of your planned departure date, study the plans and instructions, and get your tools and materials together before you go -- you don't want to be sitting in the middle of nowhere when you realize that you forget to pack some essential tool or bottle of glue. Be sure to start a build log once you get your project started and include some pics of the view from your tower! Cheers!

Indeed. Many of these classic workboats or their descendants are still active as pleasure craft, which means they can be updated or personalized in just about any fashion. I plan to modernize the heck out of my Tancook whaler, if I ever get around to it.