dodgem37

Great idea. Sincerely, Mark

Others: http://www.seawings.co.uk/Catalina-RDAF%20...erior-WRgal.htm Restored interior. http://www.seawings.co.uk/Catalina%20-%20W...%20-%20SVSM.htm Restored exterior. http://www.seawings.co.uk/CatColPicWWIIgal.htm In action. http://www.seawings.co.uk/Catalina-FactoryConstgal.htm Under construction. http://www.seawings.co.uk/CatalinaArchiveMainPage.htm Where are they? http://www.seawings.co.uk/CatLIFEimageGal.htm In action. http://www.seawings.co.uk/CatSaudiWreckgal.htm Derelict. Sincerely, Mark

Everything you have done on this build is just the bomb! I'm knocked out by the oil staining. Very good show, Phil. Sincerely, Mark

Not a drawing, but may help: http://home.earthlink.net/~cutawaypby/ Distance shot. http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/e...refirn=16038691 Another distance shot. http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/e...refirn=16038691 Coming at you. http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/e...refirn=16038691 Below the tower, I think. http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/getdoc/...ay-Exhibit.aspx Close-upas and historical pix. http://www.pbyrescue.com/cutaway/cutawaythumbs.htm Multiple detail pix of 1 & 2 above. http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/other-mec...lina-23510.html See Posts 1, 8 & 9. http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Flugzeuge/Ga...f_Catalina.html 1/48 Monogram Model. You're going to love this one. I sure as hell do. HTH. Sincerely, Mark

Nice little project with great results. Sincerely, Mark

Is that nice? Or what? Just great, Graham. Good show. Sincerely, Mark

Vroom, vroom! Sincerely, Mark

I am humbled by your praise. Gentlemen, and all, thank you very much. Sincerely, Mark

Very nice stuff, Harv. Sincerely, Mark

Handsome. And a nice looking wheel well to boot. Sincerely, Mark

Even has the seam running down the pant leg. Good show, Jerry. Sincerely Mark

Thank you, Phil. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you, all. I appreciate your comments. Sincerely, Mark

Handsome work, Oliver. Sincerely, Mark

This was the first project I undertook where I started doing some detailing, scratchbuilding, and parts casting, around 1990, I guess. Everything I had done up to this point was an aircraft and strictly out of the box, and not always with satisfying results either, which I found frustrating. So I decided to take some time off from aircraft and spend my time teaching myself how to build using tanks. I figured I had to be better at tanks, I was so lousy at airplanes. It was also the first tank I had ever done. I found out I had a knack for tanks. Even I could cut a straight line. This build took over 2 years to complete. Much of the stuff is after market or taken from the parts bin. But there are a few items I tinkered with making or upgrading. I decided to focus my attention on one subject, the IDF, which I thought would help simplify my stash, which it did. But it has taken a lot of research and scratchbuilding to represent the IDF. The main reason why I don't have a large reference library on non-IDF subjects. But those WWII German airplanes, they have just snuck in there over the years. Front left. I used a dental tool to chisel away at the hull and turret to imply that they are cast items. Then I removed the burrs with steel wool. Emergency fire extinguisher handle was cast, as were all of the triangular tie down rings, and nuts and bolts. I started small with this build. The most difficult part of this build was making the .50cal mg mount. It had to be perfectly symmetrical. Rear Left. I lowered the suspension a couple of millimeter's. I cut grooves in the rubber track pads and dinged the rubber on the road wheels. Lead foil for the flag bolted to the rear deck. Rear. I wanted to protect my six, so I came up with this. Artistic license. Rear Right. Lots of work on the gun lock and zenon light. Front Right. Scratchbuilt the commanders mg scissor mount. I 'designed' the base so the main gun would, at its current elevation, be parallel to the ground. It made for a very dynamic look. Turret close-up. I located a mirror in the Urdan Cupola hatch to keep prying eyes from seeing into the empty turret. The knife is supposed to keep the folded map from flying away. The commanders mg ammo box must have fallen off. From the front. I threw some Graphic Design concepts into the build. One is direction. The turret and 3 guns go into the same direction. The commanders gun, hull, and zenon light go in an intersecting direction. The placement of stuff on the left fender reinforces the front to back direction and continues the movement forward with the in-line placement of additional track, while the circle on the right front fender terminates the movement by being a dissimilar object. The front hanging chain repeats the front hull curve. Stuff like that. From the Rear. Thinned the kit supplied bustle supports and made the bustle. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

PM Bound

I have my own Mouse House story as well. Sincerely, Mark

I feel warmer already. Nice work, Jerry. I like your painting style. Sincerely, Mark

Very nice work. Clean and crisp. Sincerely, Mark

My oh my. A sows ear into a silk purse. Very nice. Sincerely, Mark

These are the last three construction-wise, I think, for a spell. I'm painting the instrument panel now while the putty for the rudder sets. So I'll post the i.p. when I'm finished. Probably in a day or two after the paint has had a chance to dry and harden. I'm using Mr. Hobby putty for the rudder. It seems to be a polyester base. It's the first time I've used it, having run out of Tamiya putty. Each have their own properties. It's taking some time to work out the issues I'm having with the fill and fit. I'll post that when I'm finished also. Here is the antenna wire location. You can see how it strings out of the back. Completed rear deck. The 'D' shaped piece to the right the rod slips thru connects to the emergency canopy release handle by way of a wire, I think. The part should actually enter a rectangular hole in the deck where one connects to the other. I decided not to mess with making the hole. I swapped out the drilled rod I was going to use as a 'guidehorn' and made its replacement from thin aluminum. Two punched bolts 'secure' it. A little piece of drilled strip to attach the canopy retaining spring, or wire, is next to it. I mentioned in an earlier post that the opening for the front hinge was reworked with a less than perfect result. To wit: A small gap. The gap causes the canopy to lie past position. I'll have to fix that condition before I string the canopy up with the retaining wire and spring, otherwise the dimensions will be off. Thanks for stopping by. Sincerely, Mark

What an effort to build that aircraft carrier. I wonder what scale it is, if at all, and how many man-hours it took to build? Those initial aircraft that Ads posted look like fun. That aircraft carrier looks like work. That's a lot of paint. I wonder if it's glued together. I would think that even LEGO's can't support that much weight, or stress load. How was it lifted to be transported, as well as transported? Is that a tug at the bow? Whew! My brain hurts from all of that thinking. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you, Dave. Sincerely, Mark

Nice construction. I like those curves. Smooth intersection. Sincerely, Mark

Jerry, you are a funny guy! Thank you gentlemen. Barry: Mouse House Enterprises Deakin, A.C.T 2600 Australia Sincerely, Mark