Egilman

Thank you brothers, it's been a while since I have posted on this, still not stable enough to do any real work but I'm hanging in... Got my final deliveries today.... (just a hint of where I'm going with this) On the left I think I've acquired the last two Squadron True Details '50's GPU's available on the net... These were the GPU's given to the forward bases where the F-80's F-84's and F-86's flew, have to have one sitting next to her... Bottom Center is the ubiquitous Clarktor Tractor If you were on a USAF airbase anywhere in the world from '43 to '81 you will recognize this... It has towed everything in the Airforce Inventory from F-80's to fully loaded B-50's Top center is a combined package a set of post Korean war GPU & Air Start Cart You boys from Vietnam should be familiar with those particular items.... And on the right is the venerable MD-1 Towbar capable of latching on and towing any USAF aircraft... This is the early version that was hand cranked, the later version had electric motors for it's moveable parts... I've also located several 3D files for Marsden Matting... The pressed steel plating used to build runways with since before the start of WWII.. None of them are very accurate but I've also located sufficient source documents to design up my own.... I think she would look nice on a proper period flight line.... Getting ready for the final push my friends.... Thanks for following and all the likes and well wishes... It's greatly appreciated... EG

Craig, Alan, it's good to hear from you both that your ok with no major issues, thank you lord... Now praying for those not so fortunate......

And in wet rainy weather a lot of slurpy mud... That looks the part.... Very Very well done Alan, Excellent weathering...

I know it not possible right now due to the weather conditions, but when you get a chance get a shot in real sunlight for the best comparison... In my opinion cell phones accentuate contrast too much.... to me they all look a bit overexposed...

Same for you brother, will be mentioning you and alan to the man in charge, I know he will be lookin out...

They always do, stay safe my friend...

Very well done my friend, especially in that small scale... A vey nice addition to the armory....

Keep your head down brother hurrycanes are nothing to mess with... And thanks for another chapter in the "Honey I shrunk it" book... Beautiful job, looks real....

You nailed it brother! That is not an easy scheme to replicate weathered like that.... Extremely impressive build....

Outside of Australia can take up to two months to reach the US, they are a very reliable company....

There was a report I read a few years ago about these vehicles.... One was part of a patrol somewhere in Afghanistan, and hit an IED, a LARGE IED... It was blown into the air, flipped several times, and landed in the crater the explosion caused.. In the process it lost it's front suspension and the engine, essentially it was a pile of scrap iron sitting in a hole... The five man crew survived (all alive with serious injuries but not life threatening) and was sitting inside it in the hole inside.... The enemy drove off the rest of the patrol and for 13 hours put fire on the destroyed MRAP trying to kill the crew... The fire included at least three hits with RPG's.... None of them penetrated the MRAP... Eventually the battalion responded, counter attacked and relived the position, all the crew survived, when the attack ended as the relief force moved in the enemy was clear of the area, there were over 200 dead enemy surrounding the MRAP's position... The enemy ran out of ammunition (and troops) trying to kill the crew... This is one tough TOUGH vehicle... One of the most effective patrol vehicles ever designed... (that's why they were distributed to police forces nationwide when we pulled out of Afghanistan)

Racing car models as well, tiedowns for truck trailers, that's where I learned it from... They've been doing this for decades, long before there were AM companies and PE parts.... the only thing PE brings to the table is decently scaled latches, clasps & buckles but those could be done with fine wire and look just as good.... Excellent idea much easier in the budget as well....

Good choice, I use Acrobat for OCR, a bit of a learning curve but also works very well....

We're good brother... it just might be me getting my nose too close the the klej

Chris, that has those individual stubs doesn't it? lots of repetitive fuuuunnn.... (but I have faith) that was something I couldn't master, repetitive rolling of tubes in the same size.... and I could never find a way to pattern the process...

I did, it is also where a dapping set comes in handy when you need to pre-form a multi curved part....

In my experience reading and talking with some of the builders on some of the european card modeling fora, the general consensus is like we are, build the best model you can, primarily in paper products, but there are those that if the parts are not all paper, or technically, cellulose based, then it isn't truly a card model.... Like all hobbies, they do have their absolutists....

I know this Mark, what I would do is scan the instruction pages into the computer, OCR them, and then translate the whole thing... Was just trying to make a joke... (sorry it didn't come across)

And for those of us that don't own a cellphone? {chuckle}

In US Navy practice, Flag/Signal Halyards were natural jute or hemp, tan/brownish in color... Guy lines/stays would be steel cable painted dark grey or black.... Radio aerials would be bare metal, either steel (blackish) or aluminum (greyish) wire .... Same as British naval practice, which is where the first major capital ships of the IJN came from.... And which would be copied by them when they started building their own..... Signal halyards were running lines thru a sheave and always paid off taut when not in use, when in use, they had a bit of slack left in them to allow the flag to extend in the breeze and be readable.... Stays are always taut... (as time wore on they would be adjusted with turnbuckles as they slackened with age) Radio Aerials would have some slack to them to allow for expansion/contraction, since they were so thin too taut would cause them to break.... (on a model they would appear taut) But then this was US Navy practice, I find it hard to believe that it would be any different in the other navies using the same/similar equipment and materials...

Not going anywhere brother.... And neither are you... Whatever is going on my friend, RL comes first, I will be keeping you in my thoughts in the meantime... And thank you....

Yves, I actually have several friends on another fora that use a Cri-Cut to make flat styrene panels like this... Those automatic paper cutters seem to work well with 5, 10 and 15 thousandths sheet.... Was thinking of when I get rich and famous of converting some of my paper model collection to digital files and building them in styrene.... There are many ways to do this work, Michaels way is more efficient and easier than just a straight edge and files, but like everything else technology marches on.... The modeling skills on display here still astound me...

I'm down brother, pullin' up the easy chair as we speak...

Yeah, they are making it very hard for me to resist as well....

Nice pair of planes Craig, I'm still admiring the perfect white paint job.... (which is a lot more difficult than you made it appear) Very nice...