Category: design
-
Fairey Swordfish Mk I – Part Three – They’re All CAD’s These Days

That’s when they are not being narcissists – the new buzz word that you use to complain about your ex on Facebook. It suggests that the guilty party only looks at themselves. In reality, the fact that they are now your ex, lady, suggests that they took a long, hard, look at you… But I…
-
Fairey Swordfish Mk I – Part Two – Quo Vadis?

Redirect your mind from the old religious movie – this is serious. What version of this plane do I make? There are always a number of questions about any new build. What are my criteria for choosing a kit and then choosing a scheme? a. It is a kit. I have enough money to buy…
-
Fairey Swordfish Mk I – Part One – Tradesies

I know the most interesting people. A friend contacted me on Facebook and asked where she could get a 1:12 scale lamp post. It so happened that I had a new one – long spare from an old project that had passed by. She offered to trade for it and I named a 1:72 model…
-
Ilyushin IL-2 – Part Three – The Fit Bit

The Sturmovik is cementing together nicely. You’ll see the gap patch in the front before trimming, but note the wing and tail seams. This is the sort of fit I wish ALL Czech and other eastern European makers could achieve. There will be the tiniest slip of superglue on the port wing at the leading…
-
Ilyushin IL-2 – Part Two – Czeching Out The Fit

Part-fit stage is looking good. The cockpit has proved wonderful – in Czech terms that means it has a ledge to sit in and fits onto the lendge without hack-sawing anything. The fuselage closes…almost…The wings are in register and they have decided shapes to fit onto the fuselage. And the tail surfaces are such a…
-
Imagination Is The New Word For Lying To Yourself

If you’re a fan of Facebook or any other general social media site you’ll have seen the memes that encourage you to imagine things. Many of them will have mountain scenes or unicorns and rainbows. I came from Alberta and used to live in the Crows Nest Pass, so I can testify to the accuracy…
-
F-15 Eagle – Part Two – Flaps, Gaps, And Traps

I used to think traps were for the unwary. Then I found myself carefully sticking my fingers in to get the cheese and reaping a snappy reward. There are also traps in the Academy F-15 kit – mainly slight sinks in the intakes and screeching big troubles between the top and bottom halves of the…
-
Yak 3 – Part Four _ Speed Is As Speed Does

When you are not bending up connecting rods from brass PE sheets for a 1/72 kit, it seems to go a lot faster in the construction. Not as liable to win Best-of-Show at the Anorak Expo, but you have to be realistic. And Hobby Boss are the most realistic moulders I know. The Yak 3…
-
North American Yale – Part Three – Canadian Peculiarities

It’s a nation that pours tree sap on its food. That eats strawberry jam pies. That considers chips in gravy and cheese to be healthy. Peculiarity is in the air. This also extended to the products of Canadian Car Foundry and the training airfields. Hence the odd hole in the side of the engine cover…

