A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: ANSON PROGRESS, ELECTRONIC MUSIC AND SOME HEARTFELT THANKS…

Since setting up my daily diary, I’ve been stunned by the positivity that you have all shown towards it and your willingness to read my updates and then offer comments as each is published. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to see this unfold and the page develop. 

3rd February 2025

Monday. A new week. The start of a run of five days of unbroken work that I hope will bear fruit and allow me to break the back of not only the models that I’m building at the moment, but perhaps my new book. Well, that’s the plan and if experience has taught me anything over the years, the best-laid plans are…well, you fill in the blanks!

Actually, today has been pretty much run on rails, with plenty of progress. I now have two almost complete airframes, the most pressing of which is the Anson that I’m doing for Brett. Having finished the cockpit over the weekend, I was keen today to enclose it within the fuselage halves and then fix the wings and tailplanes in place, all of which I did. Along the way I dealt with some slight fit issues, stumbling blocks that as mentioned I hoped would not involve me damaging the interior, that I had had so lovingly assembled and painted…

The fit of the Anson is in the main, tight and accurate with little need for too much in the way of adjustment. That’s not to say it’s perfect, no sirree. There are a few areas around the wing roots and the underside of the fuselage (betwixt fabric structures and metal wing parts) that need some less than subtle coercion, if the resulting lines are to be prototypically smooth. This involved a degree of filthy language, plenty of Mr. Cement S and a pair of rather dilapidated Berna Clamps, all of which joined forces to bring the intransigent parts to heal. Hardly arduous, it nevertheless slowed progress a little as the larger airframes parts were brought together.

You can see in the pictures how the model looks at the moment, all trussed-up like Christmas Turkey. Tomorrow morning will see if my work has been successful and just how much filling and sanding will be needed. Given that I’ve chosen the painted silver and natural metal finish there will be little chance to hide scruffy assembly, so I’m already prepared for some remedial work, my go-to mixture of VMS Black superglue and talc no doubt coming into play. And before anyone suggests that I would be less conscientious had I chosen the camouflaged option, no, I just know that overall silver finishes are just a lot less forgiving. Oh for goodness sake, why am I explaining this: you know the score!

Before signing off today, I want to make a couple of comments on this page and your reaction to it over the last few weeks.

Since setting up my daily diary, I’ve been stunned by the positivity that you have all shown towards it and your willingness to read my updates and then offer comments as each is published. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to see this unfold and the page develop. 

When it comes to the comments, though I don’t have time to answer many of them, I can assure you that I read every single one, my phone providing updates as each is written by you. Many times I have found the comments to be really emotional to read, knowing that modellers from around the world are now anticipating my updates and that they are providing something to look forward to each day. That means a lot. In a world that seems upside down, I hope that I can provide you with something that raises a smile and becomes part of your hobby, every bit as much as building the kits that you buy.

The second point I want to make regards social media and using that as a portal to link to this page. I use my various pages to bring modellers here, but that is and will only ever be, a limited method that I can use. Often the algorithms simply don’t show my followers much more than a tiny percentage of my updates, so the only way to really see my diary, is to follow this page and if you can, subscribe to it. All you have to do is leave your email address and you will be notified each day when a new post goes live. Many of you have already done that and again, I thank you for your support! This will become more important as the year passes by, because I am planning to develop this page with additional areas that you will be able to access, but that, like my new book, will have to wait for another day.

Thank you all for being there and I will see you tomorrow.

AY’S MUSIC CHOICES

Today had been a day of mostly electronic music, something that I continue to love as much in my 50, as I did as a much younger man. The highlight has ti be Everything But The Girls’ Temperamental which is truly superb! Here’s today’s list…

Everything But The Girl: Temperamental

Tracy Thorn: Record

Nadine Shah: Fast Food

Ghost Poet: Shedding Skin

• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: AIRBRUSHED PAINTWORK AND IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: TOMCAT ASSEMBLY…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: STILL UNWELL…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: LURGY, LEGO AND A TAMIYA TOMCAT…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: UNWELL…

1. 

   I’ve just completely revamped mine, and I’m still refining it, and making a few 3D prints that will fill some…

2. 

   My sympathies- I’m on day 6, and feeling just a bit better. Good luck!

3. 

   Hope you get over the flu but soon Spencer. Without sounding a bit, how can I put it, full.of doom.…

4. 

   That’s a great kit, enjoy.

5. 

   Hope you feel better soon!