king derelict

A bit of backward progress first. The camera has a great knack of pointing out defects. After looking at the photos I wasn't happy with the walls to the left of the gate. I hadn't set a block down carefully enough and it had caused the tiers of the wall to sag down in the middle and the wall on the far left had a block on the bottom row that I hadn't smoothed enough and that was affecting the subsequent layers. So it has all been torn down and rebuilt and I think looks better. The glue holds well but does allow painless disassembly; just need to remove the glue residue. After sorting all that out work progressed pretty well. I have started building up the last tower above the template that indicates the level the landscape will come up to. There are a few more sessions needed but the end feels like its in sight and enthusiasm is still high. I'm starting to think that I will take a break once the outer walls are complete. Maybe work on a couple of small 1/72 aircraft as a change in pace and then come back to the towers and landscape. That feels like a natural breakpoint and a chance to clean toe garage work bench up from all the dust that's been made so far Thanks for all the support and likes. Hopefully some steady progress this week. Alan

Thank you Craig. Its good to be back. It sounds like I have two / three months of leisure before the engine comes back to Florida. Time to get a few things built hopefully. The pile of new kits is gaining on me. Alan

Still adding blocks but nothing exciting to picture so here are a couple of RIAT photos from the company website Two generations of STOVL This would make an interesting subject for a Typhoon model Alan

Thanks OC. I'm hoping to spend a bit more time with this now. Only two more of those dreadful towers to deal with. Alan

She looks beautiful. A fast looking aircraft and a fast build too. Congratulations Alan

Yesterday P+W authorised pulling the engine for a couple of months maintenance so apart from a few hours here and there tying up loose ends I'm resigning from the real world for a while. Today felt like that first day of the long summer school holiday. Scrub the shower? Weed the garden? Wash the car? No, I decided that it was time to spend a while with Castillo Loarre. I managed to lay don a decent number of blocks and the towers are slowly filling up. I've found its actually quicker to file the blocks for the round sections by hand instead of using the angled piece of the shooting board. There's quite a bit of sanding and tidying up ahead and the pictures look a bit ugly because I've painted on a mortar mix from the sanding dust in some places A little thinking ahead would have been helpful. I should have photocopied the printed formers for the section of the walls that will be disappearing into the landscape and used it as a guide on the inside of the wall. Instead I used the outside wall as a guide and created a set of patterns They don't really need to be exact because the landscape will cover the first row of blocks. I made the patterns out of thin card and I hope the edge will help locate the first rows of blocks in place somewhat positively. The patterns were glued in place and it is a bit of a morale boost to realise that only about half the last wall need to be covered. Shame that last tower is so high Thanks for looking in and all the support. Some fun stuff around the corner. Lighting the main tower should be interesting. I have never done anything like that and will be looking for tips. I plan to use yellow flickering leds but have to work out how to mount them and route the wiring off the model. I hope everyone has a great weekend Alan

Wow. I'm definitely looking forward to this build. It's going to be spectacular

Thank you OC and Jav. Time to go shopping. I just started Dan's log. So many great builds to catch up on Alan

I'm still playing catch up on my reading here. This excellent Craig. The engine is especially beautiful Congratulations Alan

Lovely painting and weathering. I may try your in-flight display. It would maximise shelf space which is becoming an issue for me Alan

Thats looking very nice Jav. I need to try an Eduard kit Alan

Thank you Mike I'm hoping the towers will use much less blocks. The curtain walls really soaked them up but the walls are quite a big area and have to be built up on both sides. Everything else will be a single outer layer. I'm enjoying the castle build but really look forward to getting back into the variety and detail of a plastic kit. The problem will be choice! Alan

I am very late catching up with this one but it was well worth reading the thread. A beautiful model of a favourite aircraft. The weathering is perfect. Excellent work I came across this article in a recent newsletter. Typhoon reborn (aerosociety.com) Aan

Beautiful weathering Alan

I agree with you and the 3D resin parts are so much nicer than the flat PE ones especially in 1/700 secondary weapons. Girders, catapults and cranes all look nice in PE but gun barrels less so Alan

The resin printed parts are really nice; especially the single Bofors. I see this being a major change to the hobby providing limitless upgrades Alan

Thank you Grant. The bag of blocks has diminished significantly; in fact I am wondering if I am going to have enough to finish the model Alan

Beautiful model Craig. Excellent work Alan

Late to teh party I'm afraid but Congratulations. The crew ladders and covers are a really nice touch. A beautiful model Alan

Thank you OC. There is a lot of grinding and sanding ahead but its still enjoyable although I am fretting to get started on the lighting and painting figures etc. Alan

Thank you EG I have a lot of enjoyable reading on here to catch up with and I hope I will be able to move along with the castle too. Completing that last tower will be a major milestone. Alan

Breathtaking. The details are beautiful. There are just so many elements to marvel over. The water looks very realistic. Congratulations on a spectacular model Alan

Beautiful models and seascape. Very dynamic Alan

Thank you Craig. I'm doing well; just not getting enough time at the workbench. It would be nice if someone could turn the heat down a bit but from what I read there are areas much worse off. Just hoping this isn't the prelude to a nasty hurricane season. I'm enjoying this build a lot. The Black Shadow was a dream when i was at university. Never got beyond an AJS and a BSA Alan

Thanks for the information Mike The Niko kits have some really interesting subjects. I will have to spend some of my recent earnings on a couple to try. I'm missing 1/700 world Alan