I knew that I would have to do some work today to try and catch up, so decided to bite the bullet and complete some of the fiddly masking that typifies the F-35’s paintwork.
12th July 202
After three days of decorating, I was finally able to get back to the studio today and my build of the Tamiya F-35C.
Truth be told, though hard work (whenever I decorate I appreciate how tough it must be to do it for a living) I rather enjoy the process and certainly enjoy how the house looks with another area renovated. The hall that I worked on this week is another part of the rebuild of our bungalow that began in April of last year. Having seen the completed hall this afternoon, Liz mentioned that it felt as though the house looked more “grown up” after all the work, as if the house had grown with us, as the years have passed by. I like that. We all change as we grow older, so the idea of the house doing the same and reflecting us as a couple, makes me happy.
I knew that I would have to do some work today to try and catch up, so decided to bite the bullet and complete some of the fiddly masking that typifies the F-35’s paintwork. Though ostensibly an overall dark grey finish, there are dozens of panels that are painted in a lighter shade of grey that reflect a different material used around the nose, wing leading edges and various panels around the airframe. Though these are mostly supplied on the decal sheet, plenty aren’t, so I decided I would paint all of these little areas of trim and not use the decals unless I had to.
Masking these panels is fiddly, tedious and in the 30˚ temperatures we are experiencing at the moment, not the most fun I’ve had recently. It is worth it though. Some of the leading edges are painted and then others offered in decal, so painting everything offers a better level of consistency. This afternoon – before it became too hot to work – I completed around 75% of the work, with only some smaller details left to pick out. Painting was completed with Tamiya’s new greys, LP-84 and -85 (both of which worked really well once thinned with Tamiya Lacquer Thinner ‘Retarder Type’) the two colours working nicely together with just the right level of contrast.
With the afternoon now drawing to a close I’m writing this whilst enjoying a glass of wine, having once again had to do another BP check. I mentioned this a few months again and how my rather intransigent blood Pressure is being monitored so that changes can be made. Two days ago I had to start a week of readings, all of which seem well of course to being okay. As usual though, they spike slightly during the day and then later into the evening, are actually bang-on where they need to be. Much like everything to do with me, my BP readings are somewhat contrary!
So that’s it for today. Liz has just announced that she fancies watching a few more episodes of Ted Lasso, so that’s my evening planned out. Food, TV and a beer should be the perfect end to what has been a very pleasant day. I hope yours has been every bit as enjoyable and you too have a wonderful rest of your day.
See you tomorrow.
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After a very busy year, I’m finally on leave for Christmas.
SPENCER POLLARD'S KIT BOX 
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