LemonJello

Cheating? It's a hobby, and unless I just never recieved my copy of the "International Rules for Enjoying Scale Models" I don't see how using something, anything out there from scratch building to the 'top-of-the-line' resin and PE to get your desired end result could be considered cheating. I just used one on the cockpit of my CH-46E, even though you'll never see much of it, I wanted to try one and see if it's worth doing again. Honestly, I think I'll save my money and just paint the kit part next time.

I didn't use all of mine, but the cockpit and fuselage went together pretty well, I think I have the engines, landing gear and wings in the parts box.

Crazy what muscle memory can do, isn't it? Luckily I was headed into a mall parking lot when I realized the stripe was on the wrong side of the road. How's the jet lag treating you? Oh, you want to be put in a check fire, mister? One more crack like that and you can come down center line and sign my logbook as a safety violator. Now, start policing up all this brass!

Wow, this is getting a little teeny bit tense, so... "STAND BY...." "CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE. UNLOAD. SHOW CLEAR. IS THE FIRING LINE CLEAR? SHOOTERS, INSURING YOU HAVE A CONDITION FOUR WEAPON, STAND AND MOVE OFF THE FIRING LINE." Okay, now, can we get back to talking models? Congrats, SSgt D! Too bad about having to sell off any part of your stash, but you gotta do what you gotta do...Enjoy your time with your family, and try not to drive on the wrong side of the road (I'm speaking from experience on this matter).

To my untrained eye, that looks like a well trained group. They went about doing a dangerous job smartly and with purpose. Got it done pretty darn quick, too. The flight crew has some skills, too, keeping that beast steady like that.

I may just have to pick up my first 1/72 kit with this one. Unless they're going to crank out one in 1/48? Oh, and while I'm dreaming, can someone make a good injection plastic B-2 in 1/48?

SSgtD, Dragon, huh? You sure it's not kanji for "frog"? Not that too many Okinawans really like having ANY helos around the island...That is some nice artwork on the armor plate. Thanks for sharing the photos. Been to Ghengis Khan's for mongolian BBQ? Or the Sunday Brunch down at the Surfside on Kinser?

Well, it's not nearly in the same class as some of the places shown here, but its where I try to build once in a while. The bench: The stash:

Another 1/48 V-22 (this one is a build for someone, I guess you could call it my first commission build) and the 1/48 Hobby Boss FJ-4 Fury.

Not to take this thread off track, but it's the towed 155mm howitzer that is being phased out of the inventory by the M777. Trump has announced a kit of it coming later this year. I've wanted one for a long, long time. To get back on topic, I'll have to get a Prowler at some point since I want to model as many USMC platforms as possible.

I'd like to get one of these eventually, but right now, I really can't justify adding it to the stash. Plus I have to save up for the upcoming 1/35 M198!

I just ordered a Hobby Boss FJ-4 and its on the way. I will definitely keep this cockpit set in mind when I get around to building my Fury. RIght now, though, I've got a CH-46E on the table with a request to build a V-22 for someone that will be taking up most of my building time.

But really, aren't ALL beans Magic Beans?

That's a sharp looking beast you've got there. How much display room do you have? That Buff and the tanker would have me sleeping in the garage, they'd take up so much space!

That's what I thought would be the explanation after reading your previous post, Joe, but I do appreciate the amplification, it makes me feel like I actually have some idea of how the darn things work. Truth be told, I like to build the -22 because so many people rail and gnash their teeth over it, plus I think it's just a cool idea in many ways. Well, it looks to be beer-thirty on the wall clock, so I'm headed out!

Makes sense to me.

Do I need to get my tinfoil hat out? I was just nosing around sites the other night looking for a Prowler to add to the stash, not really sure why, just had a "hankerin" for an EA-6B... I'll have to see if I have any allowance left to pre-order one of these soon.

I'm no expert, and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but all the ones I've seen at New River sitting on the flightline and the few here at Quantico the flaps are up on them. Maybe I've just never seen them when they've had a chance to bleed off and droop? Is there some way to lock them in place, so the nacelles/wing can fold up for storage aboard ship? They couldn't be allowed to drop in the stowed position, could they?

Most of them were designed more with starting fires in mind...but in a pinch, I'm sure they're appreciated. Didn't anyone think to work the comms bugs out beforehand? Some of those red-patches that work LZs could have come in handy in that situation, I would think. I'm not talking about crypto and just handing over radios to anyone, but embedding a radio operator with the right gear with the smoke jumpers and firefighters just makes sense (to me at least).

If I remember correctly, the A-4 only took a couple of weeks from start to finish. I had a string of free evenings and it went together nice and easy. It sat without any weapons for a while, until I had the A-6 done. That one is an older kit, and needed some extra effort to build. The Intruder probably took closer to two or three months, but I didn't have as much free time to devote to it. I had thought about trying some different wash methods on these, but in the end, I like them just as they are.

I've had these two done and in the display cabinet for a while, and I've been meaning to get some photos taken and posted, so here they are: Both in 1/48, the A-4 is a Hasegawa product and the A-6 is I believe a Revell kit, but I found mine on Okinawa with both Revell and Hasegawa logos on the box. Weapons are mostly from the Hasegawa weapons sets. I used the kit decals for both of them.

That's one good way to show a Phrog at work. Nicely done.

That is one awesome BUFF! (I was originally going to say it was beautiful, but that sounds rather odd.) Really, just an outstanding build. What kind of mileage do you get going to work in that monster?

Well, that's just plain mean, then. Good thing I try to pick up all my 1/48 V-22s at Hobby Lobby when they have the big discounts... True, I should shake my internet fist at GINge (and credit where it's due) for that yellow SAR scheme. The more I look at it, the more I think I have to make one for the collection. It does look good in the brighter schemes, doesn't it?

I always seem to join in a GB, then never actually get anything built...but, here we go again! I'm in with the Academy CH-46E, I've got the Eduard PE for the exterior and cockpit, just going to go with the stock decals, not sure which squadron's markings I'll use at this point.