PaulBradley

That was 42 years ago - long memories...... 😉

Goodness, that's a busy bench, Mark!! I remember seeing the real Southern Cross on display at the Brisbane Airport back in 1985. And a flying replica in '88. Very cool aircraft! Must dig out the photos....

Agree that a West Coast convention would be good. Perhaps the PHX guys could be persuaded.....😎

Yes, they are throwback 19th Century industrialists who care for nothing but lining their own pockets, and 'little guys' be damned. Very unsavory characters. I use torn-up old t-shirts, pillowcases and sheets.

Cheers, John! I just realised I got the manufacturer wrong - it's Skunk Models..... https://spruebrothers.com/skm48017-1-48-skunk-models-royal-navy-tow-tractors-with-crews/

First completion of the year - the Kinetic 1/48 RN Tow Tractor. These come two to a box, and I completed one in the pre-1980's yellow and the other will be in post-80s dark green. Fit and detail are OK, nothing to write home about. The box also comes with a variety of nice figures, including a driver; I've left him removeable. The back of the box has a diorama base of an Invincible Class carrier deck. All I need now is a variety of 1/48 Sea Harriers to tow around! It's a generic tractor from either Hermes or Invincible, June 1982, hence the beat-up appearance.

Cheers, guys!

Thanks, Kevin!

I'll dig it out - yours for the cost of postage.

Nice collection, Mar! That Condor is a MONSTER! Is it an A-Model kit?

Thanks, Mark! I can recommend the USAAF Bomber Support set for this, though it's unfortunate that the bomb carrier truck was a specific chassis that was only used for the bomb carrier truck and is therefore in a sense wasted. I don't build USAAF stuff so I have no use for it! The decals for the Shell tanker are by Arctic Decals - https://www.arcticdecals.com/products.html?id=33921/444734 They also do a colourful Shell version in yellow and red which is very tempting, and an all-green BP one. The Cushman is in generic markings based on similar vehicles at London Airport in the late 1940's. I made the assumption (using my fully paid-up Artistic License) that London Airport acquired some surplus ones at some point.

Nice work there, Bill!

Nice work!

Well, one does one's best to balance the preponderance of nefarious foreign subjects with a soupçon of culture, what? Thank you all for the kind words. 😎

Cheers, Mark! I've posted a summary of my 2021 builds in a separate thread for your delight and delectation.

LOL! You know me too well, wee Davey. At the 'advice' of an IPMS/USA member, I "went back to where I came from" and I joined IPMS/UK. 😆 I'm hoping to make it to Omaha - I've made a hotel reservation, but flights are hideously expensive and inconvenient. We'll see how things pan out.

11 completions this past year, about average for me. I'll run them in chronological order. Fuel tanker and Cushman trike from the Airfix 1/72 USAAF Bomber Support Set, done as post-war civvie vehicles: Airfix 1/48 Gloster Meteor F.8: Classic Airframes 1/48 Grumman Widgeon: Airfix 1/48 Spitfire XVIII (converted from the XIV kit): Airfix 1/48 Spitfire Vb: Airfix 1/72 MBB Bo105: Airfix 1/72 Lynx HAS.2: Airfix 1/72 Lynx AH.1: Revell 1/72 F-4EJ, the very basic 1965 kit! SBS Resin 1/72 Farman F.190: Tamiya 1/48 Mosquito NF.XIX, converted from the NF.XIII kit: A pleasing year, I was pretty happy with most of these completions. We'll see what 2022 brings, but I have a number of interesting builds planned. Let's see what transpires!

Cheers, Gil! I'll post a summary of my past year's output shortly.

There have been many, many well documented issues with SAMi this past year, including the mass resignation of the whole editorial and design staff because of alleged mistreatment by the owners and non-payment of wages; contributors have also gone without payment for some time. As a former contributor, I could tell stories. I personally would never spend money with that company again and, if asked, my advise to anyone would be the same.

Morning all. Returning member, and no longer a nefarious foreign national - but then that only mattered/matters to some, eh? 😏

That's sad news. We owe him a huge debt of thanks for starting IPMS/USA; for all it's faults, it's the glue that's held US modeling together for many years.

"Finally finished..." - it only took you three weeks!!!!! :o I'm lucky if I can finish one in three months at the moment.... Nice job and I like that colour scheme. :)

Google is your friend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Type_161 Also found a couple of reviews of the kit you bought. :) BTW, 37mm gun........!

Zoom, zoom! Lovely car, lovely model!

Interesting points, James. One company that is producing more new kits is Airfix, who seem to have taken the road less travelled and are making new moulds with good outlines and sparse detail for less money - just the sort of kit favoured by the budget-challenged Type I modeller you mention. Even the new 1/24 Mosquito is quite reasonably priced for what you get; I could see it easily topping $300 if it came from the Far East.