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Rik Thistle

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  1. I've ordered the Comms truck ... U.S. Army K51 Radio Truck with K52 Trailer - https://www.scalemates.com/kits/miniart-35418-k51-radio-truck-with-k52-trailer--1459015 ...for indoors .... ...and will probably also order the PMR Shaper ...for the shed. I'd have liked to get the Stuart oil pump but it is over £500 ($636) so it just a bit too rich for me at the moment. Richard
  2. Will the pump be automated or static I do have a Stuart V10 steam engine that would be used to power it, even if only temporarily on the bench just to see it pumping. If I were to build a combined power source + pump scenario it would be quite a large size. Also, to be period correct, I believe the steam engine would be a horizontal one. Anyway, still thinking about the pump 😉 Yes, the Lynx is an interesting platform. It is used both by Armies and Navies.... Westland Lynx - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland_Lynx I'd go for the Naval variant with a full sensor suite, and maybe with the Sea Skua missile (which used the nose radar for target illumination). There are a few makers of Lynx kits eg Airfix (1:72 scale) .... but I haven't researched which is best. I'll have my thinking cap on over the weekend....it's a fun part of the hobby deciding what to do next. Richard Edit: This Lynx with the 360 deg radar and at 1:48 scale may be a better bet.... https://uk.airfix.com/products/westland-navy-lynx-mk88ahma8mk90b-a10107a? 2nd Edit: The latest version of the Lynx is the AW159 Wildcat.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW159_Wildcat It went in to service Aug 2014. It does look good. But there isn't yet a kit supplier for it - however there is a conversion kit available that upgrades earlier Lynx kits. If I did go for the Wildcat in the future I'd plan to do a scenario of it sitting on a flight deck. But all that is for sometime in the future, maybe 😉
  3. Egilman, Alan, OC, Thanks for the comments and kind words. fastest way to permanently learn not to stand behind the cow. Ah, right...THAT danger 😉 But it did quickly become just part of everyday life - even the smell 'disappeared'. the Archer blends into the scene That was my inattention....glad you like it. Like most things in life, nothing happens in isolation. This is a Great finish - really nice. As usual, when a build is finished the builder knows where all the skeletons are buried and what things should have been done differently. But it's a learning game 😉 I'm not sure what to do next.....scenarios do take up quite a bit of shelf space, and I need to get back to 'metalworking' in the shed....some random thoughts.... Oil Field pump (...I always found the American movies on the early oil business fascinating), Shaper (another one for the shed), Westland Lynx (been close to them a few times and worked on some of their contents), Comms truck (a vital part of the organisation). Maybe one for the shed (during the day), and one for the Study (in the evening). Thinking... Richard
  4. learned not to stand around the back end Yes, first rule of farm life... the cow/horse/donkey can't afford the time to decide if you are a human or a mountain lion....kick first, ask questions later. I read somewhere recently, if a mule kicks at you and misses it was because he intended to miss. We used to build forts in the hayloft from the bales Yup, we were spoiled 😉 Not sure Dad appreciated his bales going out of shape, but he gave us enough slack to keep us happy. Richard
  5. Andy, Egilman, Thanks for the feedback....much appreciated. A bigger shelf is a better idea I've got the type of adjustable shelving shown above...so there is still space for a couple of more shelves 😉 And Yes, the livestock frequently got in the way.... As kids on our farm we always found the cows as friendly, inquisitive animals. The Bull was a different story! Richard
  6. Thanks Ken. It's now happily sitting on the Study shelf next to the Churchill tank. But shelf space is disappearing quickly....I might need to scale down! Richard
  7. Hi all, This is my final update on the Archer scenario build. Firstly, another look at the Tamiya box art. For the scenario, I created a farm location somewhere in Normandy. A particular feature of that countryside is the thick hedges planted on raised banks, and ditches bordering most fields. The top right of the scenario was a bit bare so I made a concrete water trough for the cattle. Early prototype on the right, and a finished one on the left coated in slightly diluted AK Grey putty. A would later add some weathering to it. Below, the Archer crew painting details. I've just noticed that the box art shows black leather boots but the instructions call for Red Brown XF-64 paint.... ah well, too late now....the Commander has shiny red leather boots! Plenty (sieved and microwaved) garden dirt added to the rear (and front) of the Archer. Marguerite waits patiently for the 'tractor' to throw over some hay. Unfortunately for her, and some others about 1 mile away, it is not hay being delivered today! Cattle are generally curious animals and had a habit off staring at soldiers hiding in the hedgerows, and even wandering over to get a better look. The enemy found this a bit of a nuisance, to say the least. Below, the final overall scenario - the Archer has pulled in to the field to target the enemy, whilst not blocking the farm path. A passing infantry patrol has had a chat with the Canadians and are now departing. One infantryman wants to watch the first shell being delivered. This was an interesting build. Some of the Tamiya Archer parts were a bit more delicate than the Churchill tank parts, and it was a slightly more complex build. I think I prefer to see the 'machinery' in use in a typical setting - it gives context to purpose and effect on the local communities. I'm not sure what my next build will be...possibly back to the machine shop for another metal model as the warmer weather is showing signs of moving in 🙂 Finally, thank you all again for the Likes, Comments and perspectives (on what was a very difficult time for the world). I don't think a Build really works unless opinions and advice are shared. Take care, Richard
  8. Kev, That is a very informative video - thanks. There were so many different systems onboard that all needed to work together perfectly for those ships to operate the way intended. Quite an achievement. Richard
  9. I use a mixture of A3 and A4 matts fitted around my L-shaped desk.... something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001IOZUHK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 ...but with a 3mm thickness. They last for years, although solvents and scraping can remove some of the 1cm guidlines over time. So I just rotate the matt by 180 deg to get a fresh working area. I don't recall ever cutting through one, but may have managed (when not concentrating) to drill some small holes through them. Richard
  10. top of the bales into the loose straw. Yes. And that was one of the safer activities 🙂 When I think about all the open machinery in those days (belts, gears), riding on the back of trailers, climbing farm buildings/trees etc.... I'm surprised we are are still here. But it did build up a strong 'risk assessment' instinct. The childhood was maybe not that different from being brought up in a town...it was just more easily accessible? Richard
  11. Alan, Yes, run-ins with nettles was part of growing up ... Docken Leaves helped reduce the sting a bit. And barbed wire was just one of the many challenges we learned to navigate ...wish I could turn the clock back 😉 Just Googled it, and it seems you have nettles in Florida...I guess they grow just about everywhere. Richard
  12. Thanks Alan, I was brought up on a farm - dairy, beef and crops....therefore have climbed over many gates and wiggled through many fences as a child. So have some vague recollection of how they looked. But most recent info has come from the web. As with many things, close examination soon reveals the flaws but from a distance it looks OK...and Marguerite and her herd seem to cope with it. But once the shells start going off, I hope she scarpers away from the fence rather than through it! Richard
  13. Hi all, Thank you all for the Likes and advice. Now, an update on my 'fencing' construction etc. Below, fence posts, hinge/latch posts and the field gate. Above - I bought some matchstick blanks to use as fence posts, and gave them a grey undercoat. During the WWII era I suspect many fence posts were made using tree branches, but I think some probably used sawn timber. On the left are wooden strips wood-glued together to form the end supports for the gate. And finally the gate, based on images from the period. Below - Fixing the fencing wire to the posts caused a bit of head scratching....normally staples would be used but at 1/32" (0.75mm) across I couldn't see how I could make them that small yet strong enough to press in to the wood. So 0.35 mm wire (...same as the fencing wire) was used to form a 'hook' that had the long leg glued in to a drilled hole in the post. That worked as well as I could hoped. Laying out the posts on the raised banks to check I had the right number to look right. I also added braces to the two support posts. The posts were slightly tapered to give the impression of being made from actual tree trunks or large branches. The semi-circular groove on the right is caused by the sweep of the gate dragging on the ground. I also added some farm tractor tyre ruts. Finally I added two shades of AK grass. I don't have a Static Grass Applicator, but grass in farm fields, that hold livestock, tends to be flattened and bumpy anyway. Trying to catch a 'staple' in focus....the paint bottle was positioned to assist the camera find focus. Gate mounted in position. I suppose I could have made miniature metal hinges for the gate, but made do with tiny blocks of wood to simulate the hinges. Another view of the gate. And finally, Marguerite still patiently waits for the hay to be thrown over. Next is probably painting the Archer crew, finding the makings of a suitable tree for the left side of the scenario, and adding the hedge rows, There's also dirt to be added on the road, small rocks in the ditches and more weathering of the vehicle and landscape. That's it for this week, all the best, Richard
  14. Thanks Andy. I am assuming that on the way to Verrieres (before the fighting started) the Archer did pass some farms. The 17Lb gun may have been accurate up to about 1 mile range (?), so perhaps was used to slow down German tanks headed towards reinforcing the ridge? The Verrieres Ridge itself does, as you note, look out over some open countryside, from what I see on that video. I can find Operation Spring maps on the web eg .... https://valourcanada.ca/military-history-library/operation-spring-1944/ If I need more I'll drop you a PM. Thanks again, Richard
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