Hello, folks!
After a long absence, I've finally carved out enough time to update the place. Why the absence? Well, the last trip to Dallas put a kink in a lot of things, and it was really more drama that I'd like to remember. I'm also doing my best to try and fight off the creeping crud that seems to circulate around the hangar at this time of year–I've been moderately successful so far, but I fell like I may have caught some of the fringe. Then, well, I got into a funk–a pretty deep funk, too. I'm still in a mild funk, but I think I've found a few things to keep me occupied , and that might just pull me back into the world.
First, a catch-up is in order. The Rolex 24 at Daytona came and went this year, and like most years, we worked on models. My wife built a Fujimi Mazda RX-8 kit during the race, and I think it came out very nicely. I, on the other hand, didn't really feel like doing anything. About an hour into the race, I decided that the 1995 Monte Carlo that has been featured here before was about three hours from being done, so I pulled it out of the queue on the bench and brought it downstairs. It took a little longer that I first estimated, but I did get it all finished–or as finished as it is likely to be. I haven't taken any photos yet, but once I do they'll get posted here. Oh, and congratulations go out to Mike Shank Racing for taking the top step this year–a hard-fought win, one that is well-deserved. Magnus Racing took the GT honors…
We also helped out at December's South Carolina Historic Aviation Foundation's celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the opening of Columbia Army Air Field. Three of the local modeling clubs put on a display of aircraft, ship, and armor models depicting World War Two subjects. The event was well-attended, and the Foundation was pleased to see as many models as they did–we filled 10-12 tables with models.
I've also taken out an old build for a rehab. The model in question is Dragon Models original (1mid-1990's-vintage) Israeli M50 Super Sherman. If you've ever seen and/or built one, you know that the kits takes some work, and that the tracks are perhaps the worst rendition of the HVSS T-80 tracks ever produced. They're also a link-to-link track, with not a lot to keep them together. Well, when I moved from Florida, they exploded like popcorn. Some links were lost and gone forever, while the rest was a hot mess. Well, the other week at the hobby shop, I spied not only Tamiya's new 1/35 scale M51 ISherman, but two sets of AFV Club's replacement track. "What the hell", I thought, "Tamiya's vinyl tracks are good but not great, and I always have the M50 that need replacement track. How hard could this be?" I think you have pretty much deduced the answer. The tracks look great, and they go together moderately easy–until you get to the part where you install the end connectors. Even that isn't the worst part–the end connectors won't stay put without glue, which makes wrapping the track around the running gear a real adventure. And I must have forgotten that the M50 was based on the longer-hulled M4A4–I counted out 79 links (and added a few for insurance), since that's supposedly how many a standard-hulled, HVSS equipped Sherman is supposed to have. Well, this one will take more along the lines of 85 or 86 per side. Now, I'm pretty sure the pitch was the same 16" as the VVSS Shermans, so the only explanation I can think of is that the kit is based on the longer M4A4, or Dragon really screwed up. No matter, there are enough parts in the box to get the job done. There are some loose parts to reattach, and some touch up needed, but once I get these &*%)(*^) tracks to behave, I can paint and weather them, and reassemble the beast.
I've still got the other projects on the burner, too. They'll get some love shortly.
And, lastly, we have a model show coming up in late April–the IPMS/USA Region 12 Regional Show, to be exact. I've already sponsored a trophy (Best Ship) and may do more. I also reserved two vendor tables, too, to get rid of some of the SIDNA that's accumulated upstairs. It will be nice to move some of the kits that I know I'll never build.
Work is a bit on the slow side right now–which is fine by me. We have two of our technicians out of town for the next week or two, working in our Grand Junction shop. We're waiting for a few people to finalize their quotes and bring their airplanes in, too. We're also looking for a larger (better) place to set up the shop.
The last, and most exciting (for me, anyway) think to arise over the past two months is another research project. Out Learjet Program Manager's father flew B-24's out of Italy during WWII. His dad's health is an up/down deal–one day it is up, the next it is down–and he's reached the point where he can't live without constant supervision. While they try to find him a nursing home, they've been gathering his stuff in order to vacate the assisted living facility where he had been living, and they're finding all sorts of his wartime memorabilia. Scott wants a model of a B-24 flown by his dad, so that's what I'm working on. So far, I've hit some dead ends, roadblocks, and faint leads. The more I dig, the more I find–and I keep telling Scott to find his dad's photo albums and logbooks. I'm having fun with this, so far…
Here's hoping I get the funk out and get the funk going…
I hope to see you at the Region 12 Regional Show if you're in the neighborhood.
Thanks for reading–and sticking around. Be good to one another, and I bid you Peace.