USMCVet

Hi Oliver - No, definitely not glued yet! Darn thing is a delicate as a potato chip... The tail rotor, the main rotor and the antennas will be added last - and I will be installing aluminum tubes for both shafts to permit easy movement and removal of both rotors for transport. I have learned, thanks to many damaged models going to shows in the past. My paint was restored by vigorous stirring - so everything is still the same "lot" as before - now I stir it every day, just to make sure that it'll be ready when I'm ready.

I am slowly continuing: I did build an accurate indexing mod to guide the two halves together so that when I'm ready to close it up, it will line up well. I have been working on the tail - and reshaping my nose some more, so I can get that as good as I can get before installing all those mesh bits and the exhausts. I wish I could get some of those Adriatic Exhausts but they don't list them o their site and they don't answer e-mails. Gotta craft my own (sigh). Here are a couple of pictures of my tail as it is now and that cussedly complex tail rotor: note the jig/stand I built to h

Got it buddy - I do have many ounces of my MCG mix left but the alternative to pre-painting now was to have no way to reach the interior for re-painting after the halves were closed. Still have a lot more painting to do! And lots of bits to attach to the outside as I get closer to being finished. Did not paint the nose yet because I have to fit those damn screens next. Much, much more to do!

I am sure that all of you are growing cobwebs on your keyboard from my serious lack of progress on this model, but be assured that despite medical craziness, kids entering adult life at a frightening pace, and endless household issues (air conditioning went out, repairs, etc.), I continue. I realized that as my interior work is getting closer to completion, the issue of the exterior painting and its extensive masking issues would have to be approached. I finished the machine gun mounts and the gunners and Crew Chief's seats and it is apparent that they would be in the way if I inst

For those who are watching my medical progress (as well as my model's) I was examined by my surgeon today and the implants are well located and the healing is good/no infections. Now I will wait and see how effective this ends up being: it is meant to reduce the pain in my lower extremities thanks to a risky younger life (Vietnam, motorcycles, running, and continual falling off things - like down my basement stairs last week). The system they put in is designed to block things so I can resume normal physical activities (biking, for instance) - but I have to adjust the current for this thing if

Hi Oliver - How did you get that nice streaking effect?

Surgery went well and I’ll find out tomorrow if it was successful.. I have been working on the ‘34 some more - this is one tough kit! Nothing fits - I have spent most of today trying to get the cabin ceiling/transmission floor to line up and the rear bulkhead to fit the cabin walls, etc. etc. I guess that progress is still progress, however slow.

Thanks buddy - surgery today. Getting old is not fun!

Miserably slowly: the combination of having the kids home for summer and the frequent tests/doctor's visits make concentrating on the build difficult. The photo is part of what I have been trying: I am likely to back off on the heavy weathering in the interior and I have some cleaning up to do with the wiring and the seats. As I mentioned before, I am going for folded seats, except for the seats for the Crew Chief and the portside gunner. I finished fitting the cockpit floor to its proper position in the nose and I have fabricated some of the tubes and boxes visible through the nose mesh.

Thanks HeavyArty! I am just about to work forward to the cockpit section, so this advice is perfect. I will be folding all of my seats against the cabin wall except for the Crew Chief and the port gunner's seats. I am configuring mine to be a medevac bird, so they'd need the space for the casualties.

Thanks HeavyArty! Better now than later... I'll follow your lead.

The floors were always worn and dirty. Do you see the metal showing in the worn areas? Seats coming next!

Hi Everyone - It probably seems as though I have quit - but have had some impediments in the way of medical fun and games and big events with the kids (my daughter graduated from high school last week) distracting me. But, I am still at it! This photo is of the Starboard side wiring bundle and my first pass at shading the stringers/longerons. Portside is underway and I should have that finished today. I have been slowly and methodically tackling the various engineering challenges (landing gear in the "landed and on the ground" set, building my exhausts to place in the nose, the seat

Sure shows the precision you use in your building - and your ability to visualize. I notice the grillwork you put in that vent too. Not and inconsiderable task and very few modelers could pull it off. You are an artist!