Howdy!
It seems that once again I got real busy with "other stuff". In no particular order:
We're packed to the rafters (so it seems) at the regular job–two in work with one on a fast simmer, waiting for work to continue on it. We actually started the one simmering away before the other two, but the other two were booked well in advance, so they took center stage. If the third arrival goes well (we're evaluating it for a possible purchaser), then the Fun-O-Meter will bend the needle around the peg at the high end, since it goes from a fairly non-invasive inspection to something similar to what we did with the Learjet we inspected last year. This one's a Hawker 800, and we may wind up doing the major structural inspections on it. We have a Learjet in for inspections and work that should be leaving on Thursday. The one we started on and set aside is a Cessna Citation VII, which has a lot to be done to it, too. So, my days are pretty full.
On the "away from work" side of things, the local IPMS Chapter is hosting our IPMS Region 12 Regional show in a few weeks, so preparations for it are going on every spare weekend we can find. A few weeks ago, we assembled the award plaques, we've had numerous judging meetings, and we're in the process of doing the table cards. In addition to that, the local AMPS Chapter is co-hosting our Second Annual show in July–as soon as the dust clears from the IPMS Regional, we go into full APMS prep mode. Fortunately, we have table cards and the like already done–and we designed both the AMPS and IPMS cards to be reusable–and we know the facility, so set up will be fairly easy on that one. But there are always those little things that, if forgotten or poorly planned can take a huge bite out of one's ass. So, we meet to discuss. And discuss some more. The better we plan now, the better the show will be for all involved.
And, finally, I plan on having a few vendor tables at the IPMS show. I've still not totally completed my kit inventory, but I do need to thin the stash, which means it is time for a SIDNA sale (In case you forgot, SIDNA=Shit I Don't Need Anymore). And, since the wife has some SIDNA of her own, we're going to try and sell it to someone who will need it more than we do. I think it has been at least 7 years since I sold off SIDNA, and the last time I did a real good house cleaning was at least 12 years ago, at one of the (in)famous IPMS/Flight 19 Holiday Party/Kit Auction meetings.
Add to that the fact that the company I work for is really pushing their wellness program (which takes up some time at the computer as well as the exercise bike and walking), and my "free" minutes aren't many. Regardless, I have started to make more progress on the Dragon 1/35 scale StuG. IV–I've been adding some of the smaller bits to the main sub assemblies, and one of these days I'll tackle the link-to-link track.
Speaking of which, I did tell you about my Dragon 1/35 scale M50 Super Sherman, no? I had built the kit back in the late 1990's when it was first issued. Now, it isn't a bad kit–typical of Dragon at the time, it used a multi-purpose lower hull (which meant you had to measure to locate the suspension parts), it had the typical "if the real thing had 3 parts, we'll break it down into 12", and it was based on the M4A4 with the extended hull. Even so, it makes a nice model with a little work. The worst aspect of the kit are the horrid rendition (in link-to-link, no less) of the T80 tracks. I built mine out of the box, racks included. Somewhere in the interceding 14 years or so, the tracks exploded like popcorn, so I started looking for new tracks–and found them, from AFV Club. They tout these as "workable", which they are, but since the wheels get glued in place, why? Anyway, each link consists of the track pad, the guide horn, and two ityy-bitty end connectors. AFV Club would have you belaieve everyhting stays to gether by a friction fit. Yeah, that didn't work out so well. Add to that the fact that the sprockets were, by necessity, epoxied onto a dowel to get them spaced properly away from the hull, which means no easy adjustments. I have most of one side done. I'm resting my eyes in order that I might regain enough sight to finish that side and do the other…
Thanks for reading. Be good to one another, and I bid you Peace.