-
No Security Is No Security

Put another way: do not display anything to the public you cannot afford to have broken or stolen. Also do not expect care and worship of your art, craft, object, or performance. You may hope for it but don’t hype yourself up to demand it. You have very little legal redress for criminal damage and…
-
If You Cannot Raise the Standard Of Your Skills

At least lower the level of your expectations. The hobby, after all, is meant to give you pleasure. If all you do is whinge about the efforts of others and wince at the sight of yours…well, is it time to seek your joy elsewhere? I have gone up and down in my own estimation a…
-
When You Have Done All You Can

Stop doing. The number of times a good model has been converted to a flawed embarrassment by that ” one more little touch “…The extra coat of varnish. The touch up paint. The superglued aftermarket part. You know you flubbed it instantly – yet the moment before you could not see to quit. Self-realisation at…
-
Fairey Firefly Mk V – Part Four – Preserved Fly

According to Skaarup, these Firefly aircraft flew with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1946 to 1952 – roughly about the same time they served with the Royal Australian Navy. The carriers they flew from were Royal Navy donations to the Commonwealth countries – the MAJESTIC, BONAVENTURE, SYDNEY, AND MELBOURNE. The decks were perfectly suited to…
-
Fairey Firefly Mk V – Part Three – 60’s Airfix

But not the Bad sixties. This kit fit pretty well – if you remembered to trim round the fuselage locating pins and square off the wing attachments. Only two small sink marks and the centre seam almost good. Not a major filling exercise. The exhaust stacks are glorious but need to be put in before…
-
Fairey Firefly Mk V – Part Two – Stub Wings

The first day of work on a new kit can be either basic cockpit or even more basic part sanding. Imagine my surprise when I got through a club meeting with the stub wings joined to the fuselage.The Airfix engineering has large mating surfaces for the wing roots onto the fuselage so you can proceed…
-
Fairey Firefly MkV – Part One – Double Sealed

When I bought this Airfix kit at the swap meet it was tightly sealed in a factory plastic wrap. Once inside I found it was sealed again with side-stickers. No-one who had not purchased this plane was going to get in there! The plastic bag that held the parts was open, but nothing escaped. The…
-
Play Nice

Which is not the sort of thing you hear at many modelling contests. Wherever there is a judge, there will be a judgement. I suspect that in some cases the modeller is also treated like a suspect, and eventually there will be a sentencing. Watch me in the future and see if they make me…
-
The Half-Built Bargain

However you acquire a half-built – stash sale, donation, or legacy – you buy more than a box. You buy a dilemma. A fresh kit, with a sealed box or bagged sprue trees, is a clean field to play on. It may be old, with tatty decals and useless instructions, but at least when you…
-
The Courage To Play

Do you remember playing? If you can recall your childhood and still picture the games and toys that amused you…you are a very lucky person. Even if they were modest things, they helped you to understand the world and prepare to be an active part of it. You grew older – hopefully wiser. You l…
