lmagna

Looks like the patient is down for major surgery Craig! For once I am appreciating the monotone OD scheme of the Vietnam era Huey. I would be lost if I was trying to duplicate what you are doing.

Thank you Mark. Believe me it was all my pleasure. You and the others here have given more than you received as far as I'm concerned. Having companions in a journey such as this means a lot. Some of my road still lies ahead but being able to share a little of it along the way has been priceless.

True In all truth, the dolls have been part of our house from the beginning of time and both our kids and the grand kids that we are raising presently think a couple of them are haunted.

That was true at the Reno Air Races years ago as well. Each year the Confederate Air force, (Now I understand it is called the Commemorative Air Force) or CAF flew a number of their restored aircraft. One part of their show was a "Pearl Harbor" attack where they flew their converted AT-6/Jap Zeros and P-40 in a simulated attack. At one point they flew their B-17 in on three engines and made it look like it crashed. Then a few minutes later it flew low level in the opposite direction on all fours and at the end of the runway would nose up and pull away to the right at the same time evading the "Zeros." One year it pulled up so hard that from the bleachers on the ground you could see the entire upper surface of the aircraft as it climbed away! It was a show stopper seeing a plane that large climb out like a fighter. I think it was about a year or two later when I got to ask the pilots about that year and how impressive it had been and why they didn't do it that way all of the time. They told me that on that occasion they may have over done the pullout just a little and the news people they had on board almost messed their pants!

That was what it is all about and sometimes has nothing to do with the aftermarket stuff or suggested color chart. Like I said at the beginning, this is the building of a memory as much as a model.

Very nice build Alan I also like the video presentation build. It not only shows what you did, but how you did it. Very impressive.

Although I am jealous of the idea that you were able to get so much more done on your build than I have on mine, I am glad you got it done Mark. It turned out pretty nice. I didn't see a water buffalo painted under the right window though!

Obviously you have not been following my attempt at building a Huey Jack. Every time I pull out the airbrush I am presented with what seems to be a new set of issues in trying to make it look right! So much for "easily mastered" Unless you are talking about the airbrush being MY master. LOVE your A-10 Jack. It deserves a little TLC now that you have brought it out into the light of day. I would enjoy seeing it all cleaned up. A number of years ago I had some business to conduct over at the the Naval Air Station locally and while I was there right at the mid runway area two A-10s took off and did a few circuits of the field at deck top level. I swear they made square turns at the end of the runway on each run! Ever since that day I have loved the aircraft. One of the few modern aircraft I hold a fondness for. I asked the naval pilot I was with about Air Force planes using a Navy field and he said that it was OK "So long as they didn't poop on the runway." He said it with a straight face as well.

Don't count on it Mike. They may someday leave your residence but never your responsibility. This year will make 51 years of residence kids for me. The youngest turns 13 next month and I figure I will probably die before he gets out of the house! I agree with the others though. I think you are well overdue for an inventory check and insurance photos, (In case of loss you know) then you will need to post the pictures so that there is proof of their existence. I promise I will not tell your wife......... Unless you have something I really want!😈

Don't even get me started on cars! My 1/24th collection/stash got totally out of hand years ago!

That would look a little out of place on a Mosquito Carl as they were mostly canvas covered plywood with a little aluminum thrown in here and there.

My heart goes out to you Mike. I doubt I would even attempt working in 1/700 anymore, let alone with PE! I think the developers of PE do not care about the practicality of applying their product. At least with the Eduard stuff I am currently using. As an example they make the seat belts into a dozen parts for each belt! even the buckles have four or five parts to make up the complete buckle! And that is just one side! With a microscope and a pair of micro manipulators I could probably make working buckles from the parts supplied. In fact I know I could. I have 1/350 PE for my USS Houston and was shocked when I saw the size of the barrels for the 1.1" AA guns! Ants have bigger legs than these barrels! The same holds for the PE for my Titanic build for my wife! I found a pair of +4 reading glasses and bought them. They came yesterday so now I will possibly be able to see if I can do better when I can actually see what the stuff looks like. Thanks for the support. My personal thought is that compared to several others here on this forum My build is average at best. but it still sounds nice to hear.

They will turn a cold shoulder every time he even gets close! I know because I did pretty much the same thing years ago with a real decoy. Mine was not as slick as this one but they still wouldn't let him get close. But then it may have been my technique. I was never all that successful with women. Maybe your wife will have better insight Art. I then started on an alligator but never got him finished. He would have probably been more my speed.

Today is "Go out and buy her expensive jewelry day". Otherwise known as her birthday. Within a few hours of my writing this I will be a thousand dollars poorer and immune for a couple of days from your petty efforts of blackmail John. In fact I should be good until Mother's Day, or is Anniversary next? Better get that straightened out or this build will never get done and you can forward my mail to the camping trailer in the back yard that we bought last year before I broke my ankle. As for display room in this house? The dolls themselves would probably rise up in the night if there was even a rumor that they were getting displaced by mere models! The only one that would stand a chance is the Titanic! In fact she asked about that build just yesterday.

Looks like a build log to me.

Missing side window? Just enter it in the log book as on order. That places the aircraft as serviceable. Could you get/make a wax stick like you suggested to me and place the window back in through the open ramp area. Looking good Mark. It looks a little more complete with the landing gear sponsons on.

So what would be a better kit OC? Seems like the only difference between today and yesterday when you were building the most accurate kit available, is that you are going through the three steps back stage of the build. I have had to do that so many times in the short time I have been doing my Huey that sometimes I think I am building the darn thing backwards. Sometimes I even think I would do better if I was building two models, one to learn how to do it using the three steps back for every step forward, and the other to do it right! Keep plugging at it and I am almost certain you will be comfortable with the results eventually, even if you are not happy with how you got there.

Well I must admit I doubt I could handle a steady diet of them, with the possible exception of good New England clam chowder, but they have the advantage that they do not run fast and as they are a herd animal, are relatively easy to catch. By the way, my wife agrees with you that they should not be in the food chain.

THAT WOULD BE FUNNY!!!!!! Well at least once.

Shame on you Jack All those clams gave their all and you would not even honor them with taking a bite!

You have already modeled two B-17s, one with gear down and both with closed bomb bay. Not only would hanging from the shelf above save space and allow all three to be shown together it would allow you to have the bomb bay open. Possibly even with bombs falling out! Here is the real thing: You are right though, it is a masterful restoration.

They are considered a delicacy in some places Denis.

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone. I think now that you bring it up, that I remember the discussion about using a bib attached to the table to catch small parts Denis. Not sure it would be all that easy with my antique wooden dining table but I suppose I could try something like a table cloth that hangs all of the way to the floor and gather it up as a bib when I need it. I was thinking of getting a sacrificial tablecloth anyway. Right now I am using a giant sheet of white cardboard that I have had laying around for years. (A Pack Rat never throws anything away! I think I am getting slightly............ and I mean slightly, better at getting the PE to the required spot #1 and then #2, getting it attached in some way or another. No one tool seems to be the final answer. I have three types of tweezers, two curved needle point, and one straight with a very tiny set of baby teeth at the very tip that interlock but are almost too small to see. I read about the method Mark talked about, wax on a stick and was going to try that when I realized that my wife had something that might be even better. So one night after she went to bed I snuck into her stuff and stole one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Rhinestones-Picker-Pencil-Pickup-Crystal/dp/B074FW6C33/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=10+pcs+Wax+Rhinestone+Picker+Pencil&qid=1582951000&s=arts-crafts&sr=1-5 Or if you like to spend more money: https://www.ebay.com/itm/RB-Productions-Photo-Etch-Pick-Up-Pencil-RB-PP/192294233093?hash=item2cc5a12405:g:NR8AAOSw6GJaKuJC We bought them a while ago for one of her projects and ten of them are more than she, or I will ever use. They have gone up, (What hasn't) a little but still are pretty affordable. They are in many cases much safer to use than tweezers for the teleportation issue but like all tools are not a cure all. A while back when I inquired from another forum member, he recommended these as his go-to tweezers, but at this point I have not bought a set. That may be changing. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/ustar-ua-90190-ultra-precision-etching-pliers-tweezers--1087931 As a side note. While doing some painting I was clearing a little used portion of my work area I found the very first piece of photo etch I lost. I have it safely contained in a screw top bottle for now and possibly I will get time tomorrow to modify it to fit easier and glue it and it's companion piece into place.

Either way I will be watching. Painting figures is another area of plastic model painting I have never done!