A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: BACK TO THE WORKBENCH…

So that’s it for today. It’s been good to be back on track and although sleep is still less than I would like, I’m starting to feel a little more like myself, which can only be a good thing if the mountain of kits in my studio are ever going to be finished!

3rd February 2026

After the rather enforced day off yesterday, normal service was restored this morning with a full day at the bench.

I began my Tuesday by taking my granddaughter to school. Always pleasure it’s good to catch up with her and though I rather let myself down as I dropped an F-bomb in front of her as a car pulled out in front of me, forcing me to slam on my brakes, it was an otherwise pleasant, chatty journey.

And so to work.

I decided today to box-off two important areas of the Meteor: the wings and engines. Combined, these areas feature a large number of parts many of those repetitively carried over the two engines that I had to build. Though only one would be on show I needed to deal with both, so it was simply a case of grabbing a coffee, building one and then repeating the process. As a time-saver, I spent less time on the first engine, only focussing on the second when it came to careful clean-up and assembly. Why work on something that will be all-but hidden?

By the end of the afternoon, everything was done, which will allow me to complete the remaining sub-assemblies in the morning ready for some much-needed painting after what has felt like a protracted period of construction.

I also managed to decide on a colour scheme, which has put some fire under this build. Having already built an F.8 in 1/48 I’d already decided on an FR.9 but wasn’t keen to build the kit option. Looking through the Wingleader book that I’m using as my primary reference source, I could see that I could build a 208 Squadron machine using the decals in the kit (give or take…) but replicate a different aircraft in the later camouflage with the PRU Blue up onto the fuselage sides. This will allow me to build a model not offered anywhere else, something that I’m always keen to do.

So that’s it for today. It’s been good to be back on track and although sleep is still less than I would like, I’m starting to feel a little more like myself, which can only be a good thing if the mountain of kits in my studio are ever going to be finished!

See you tomorrow.