popeye the sailor

that's right Lou.........there are "the time that tries men's souls" we try to get as close to the real McCoy as we can........some are much better at it. I've just had one of those moments {I should save it for the log, but it seems fitting here}. I want to put the walkway marking on the Wulfe Hound wings......I have the decals for them. well....to sum it up.......I botched them I was going to mask and spray some on, but they need to be so thin, that doing it seems like a fool's errand. but.......as a true basher, I've assembled enough courage to do a half hearted attempt.........wish me luck never give up Lou! ,,,,,or you either Mark! cheering for you BOTH!

sorry to hear about it Lou..........I hope you can repair it

more was done on the Wulfe Hound's wings.......I started with the underside first. I've been dying to get the decals on, so I went there first. the tires are on as well. I will need to check......don't believe I saw it, but I was unsure about the hub color. the backside I left flat black, but the front usually is painted the color of the plane....the color of the underbelly, or some sort of decoration. I have decals for the decoration aspect, but I simply left them the same color as the plane. the turbos will be painted later.....for more decal fun, the wings were flipped over. I noticed there the fuel covers are not detailed on the wings. I will refer to the Memphis Bell wings for this detail, because I have decals for them. I have some repair work to do first though.......those touch ups I made when I did the deicing panels. first was to lessen the color difference of my black touch ups. I also think I did the touch up too soon and the flat black mixed into the drab, causing it.......but I still believe I used the wrong color green. that's what happens when too many of these colors are on the table it still makes me feel like an idiot for not thinking of the white ensign and Humbrol colors. masking up the deicing panel, I was able to dab some of the bomber tan over the offending blotches. in retrospect, I could have left them, as an addition to the color hue and fading. but I needed to fade the nacelles too, so I did it it looks better........I was thinking of doing it.........now I need to do the rest of the plane! with the insignia decals.........it looks even cooler!

eeeeyouza! quite a jumble of wires you got there looks very good Michael! are you going to cover the back frame to hide them? splendid model!

that's the same place where a large chunk of the outer plywood layer came off. luckily the piece was still intact and I was able to put it back in place. but then again, I ended up not using the keel part anyway, so what did it matter?!?!? I did a little faring to the frame.....but it made me thing that the stern isn't framed and will need to be done later. so, I'm assembling the stern, giving part #10 a bit of a slant.....not as much as the stern stem, but enough to notice. there is a cover part that will be cemented over it......thinking it should be done after the hull is planked. but I'll do something differently just to add flavor to the stew

real life, it's not. but we're talking about a movie......the idea of amphibious people is like too far fetched........ but if you listen to the right folks, they'll tell you about an underground reptilian race that is trying to take over the world

so basically, your adding rabbits to the frame, that will act as a termination stop for the planking. good idea they can be done externally, as you've done, or they can be done internally so the planking will have something to rest on. I see you removed that #13 part........it doesn't look anything like what the diagram shows. did your bow stem break off or something? your doing an awesome job!

looks like a horn to me..........nice work

if I have enough......your more than welcome to some

hello shotlocker, I read an old thread made back in 2013.......may have pertained to this very model. I'm sure there were other kits...likely these two were the most popular. thanks for showing us the plans that's true J......although I think when planked, there may not be a need for a keel board....in fact, if there is too much showing, extra material may need to be removed. a stern post might not be a bad idea though...it would be a good termination stop for the planking as for belaying pins......I may have more than enough....may even have a windlass handy. I will check on the belaying pin situation. hello Richard......welcome to the asylum....... be sure to follow J's as well for more entertainment than you can stand just got back from Barnes & Nobel.......I have the magazine!

thanks J and John.......happy to see the assembly so far look'in alright. I'm still thinking that the platform is too far back........the tiller hole is not in line with the stern stem. I will need to drill another hole, or do something in an attempt to fake it. the bow gives me the creeps too............I still think it's too far back. the diagram shows a bow stem that protrudes the hull, but planked I think it will reveal gaps on both sides. I'll just have to do it and see for myself. I've got an idea about those two extra slots........I could simply plank over them and be done with it, but I'm thinking the counter will need some help with support. the stern is still in the thought mode.....the deck platform has a curved transom, but the transom piece is flat.........could also use some bulwark posts to cap it off........thinking out loud after our hair appointments, we stopped at grocery store we used to frequent when we lived in the area. they didn't have the National Geographic either. we're having lunch........after which, we're going to go to the local Barnes & Nobel to see if they might have it. got some more cutting to do when I get back

always a pleasure to see an update on your fine ship........amazing to see what you've accomplished. she's a fine lady!

is it morning...........I feel like I got run over by a truck ....really gotta change jobs one of these days. I always feel sort of laggy after a work week........but that didn't stop me last night though after a bout of falling asleep at the computer, like I always seem to do, I got productive. ....it actually felt good to be at the table after the last bulkhead was put in place, I shut off the light and called it a day. even with how I felt this morning, I took a look at the frame. everything looks fine. for chucks and grins, I dry fitted the deck platform........it went on unbelievably well, only needing a few adjustments of the bulwark posts. the deck isn't pushed down all the way. I did a few trims here and there and fitted it again.......a lot better this time so at this point, I threw caution to the wind and cemented the deck down. gotta go for a haircut........I'll see later when it has dried. I still haven't found the magazine.....I hope I see it at the barbers

that would be capstan Ziggy........windlass's are usually located at the bow, and sometimes under the fore castle deck if the ship has one

looks really neat I'd test it out first though....you never know, it might be fine.

glad to see you were able to make the repairs and finished. the diorama looks super

your really moving on your project now! really nice job! how much does this weigh now? did you leave this as a sectional?

the train medium was the last group to embrace the model kit.......they have always scratch built their layouts and pieces when I got into wooden ship.....it was so easy to develop scratch building as a method to obtain the parts I wanted. plastic was no different really........I recall many getting cut by chopping plastic if a car fell out of favor with the way it looked, it turned into a race car that's always been the problem with planes....once closed up, all the hard work is gone. that's why I love the larger scale kits......you get to see more

those guns look good Mark......hopefully they come with ammo belts. if not, I'd incorporate the ones from the other gun set {I like the way they look in the first picture}.

looks so nice turn it so the light can get rid of the shadow

on larger war ships, the bow spirit goes through the spar deck, and even the fore castle deck {if there is one} and is anchored on the gun deck. not being too familiar with types of sailing ships {I just like to build 'em}, I had to look back at the box...a Galleon I have a Half Moon I still need to mast....Billings. I like the construction of this one

after seeing what J went through to assemble his frame, I might change it up a little. I still want to give the deck a little camber fore and aft....I think that's typical, especially with these ships. taking a straight 1/16 X 1/16 length of strip stock, I laid it bow to stern, pressing it against the tops. #9 and #8 were cemented in place....some shimming was need to bring them up to the line blocks were added to give them more bonding area this went on all the way til I got to #4, making sure that the wood strip was pressed against the stem tops. I saw that #6 was still a bit low........instead of ripping it out and doing it again, I just added a shim across the deck area. others are shimmed to bring them up to the line. all of the bulkheads, except #10 are in place now. at this time, I loosened the strip to reveal how much camber I gave it note at the bow stem...the tip of the bow is higher. pressed down in the center {around #5} it can be seen that the bow and stern are higher than the center of the deck. it's not much camber, but it's enough. #6 and #7 got the most shimming. as well as #2 looking down the barrel of the frame, I notices #3 was a bit off. that one I did remove and reposition....no way to shim my way out of that one judging what J said about the deck platform, I wonder if the supplied platform is even salvageable?! some how, it doesn't seem correct that there should be so much stern overhang, or that the deck so far back at the bow. I'll do a bit more to strengthen the frame, and then we'll check out the platform. it sounds like it will be instrumental in adding the transom.

gonna have to cover where the deck faults......I'm sure it's in the plans.

awesome looking kit......nothing looks flimsy deck planking looks nice too.......gonna look even sweeter with sealer on it.

awesome progress.......nice touch with the autographs