David this is a WINNER! I like what you have done with the rear compartment. It looks realistic and that is what it's all about, to convey the atmosphere of war and to get your model as close to the real thing and drag it out of the realm of a toy like plastic model. The awesome part is when you mate a realistically detailed model with a realistic paint job, then you know you have a winner! Well done!

Hi Morne. your encouragement is gratefully received. When it comes to scratchbuilding my new thought is "what would Morne do?" - as I've mentioned it's a thought that's really raising my game and a classic 'iModeler moment'. My hope is to get more precise as time goes on, be a little more careful, and learn some more patience; there's a gulf between what i see in my head and what I'm building.

I agree with the 'toylike' sentiment and also think the painting goes a long way to getting a kit away from that element. I like to think I can spot the 'usual suspects' work on iModeler by their artwork - it's like a signature and along with photography (something I make no bones about being rubbish at) it defines the 'author' of a project.

Thanks again, Morne.

David, as my Dunkirk reading goes on for the RAF100 GB, taking in incredible bravery through accounts of patrols and dogfighting, it seems that an irrational calmness in the face of death was maintained by many as a protection mechanism - a code actually. Until of course the moment came where only desperate panic, resignation or prayer could remain as options. The mental health implications and impact for the planet's population after those two world wars, are something I have never been 'brave' enough to look into, but think about fairly often. The Stigler story and interviews always seemed to talk to that tenacity to do right that lives in the human spirit, despite all else any given situation suggests. Stigler could easily have finished them off when the gunner took aim in desperation. I think that those who held onto that spirit or code must have been among the least 'damaged' in the end. I know there is a lot of 'chemistry' in anxiety, panic and depression - those men in that plane must have been overwhelmed.

The 'yellow 10' handle, is something of a joke with myself (it is indeed a solitary business sometimes this hobby). I see my 'modelling journey' as a very long lead in to a golden month or so, wherein I shut out all other influences in my life to peak with 'the perfect build' of yellow 10, and then head off into the sunset to take up macrame weaving or the like!

Thanks for sharing your deeper understanding and personal experience David, I knew you’d have some insight. And yes it is heavy indeed but hugely interesting. Tom C spoke about how he liked the seriousness of the modeller community here and in general. And although we float between humour, philosophy, technicality and debate it’s good to consider this tough stuff once in a while as we build plastic versions of these beautiful but trauma-inducing machines!

Thanks for the kind thoughts on the golden years by the way, I secretly hope to plateau at a respectable 7 out of 10 if possible and never to face that sunset. I’d miss the characters on here too much!

This is a very deep conversation... Just yesterday I was talking with my fellow tanker buddy Jeff about how I was trapped inside a burning tank once... but not for long. Somehow I managed to slide my way out going through an area that was next to impossible under normal circumstances. Years later I became a Fire Fighter, almost in a manner to deal with "conquering the beast".

I became so comfortable at it, that I actually fell asleep inside the burn building which was used for training purposes. It was a training exercise on how to conserve breathing air. They were teaching us different ways to relax yourself so as not to breathe as rapidly, thereby depleting your air bottle too quickly. I had been working a 48 hour shift and was exhausted, so nature took it's course. You can't see a darned thing in a fire anyway. It's pitch black not what you see on TV. So I closed my eyes, and promptly fell asleep... They woke me up about 20 minutes later and I still had air left in my tank when everyone else was empty...

Keeping a cool head and your thoughts straight while not panicking is the secret.

During this profession (and others) I have had numerous close calls, had a roof collapse on me while being inside a burning building, partially fell through a floor (also in a burning building), been shot at, I was involved in an nasty automobile accident, I've been sliced across my back with a razor ( and didn't get a scratch since my vest took the brunt of it) , and somehow through the grace of God I am still here... I can relate to these postings you guys mentioned above.

If we are counting cats, (since we all know they have 9 lives, 🙂 ), I would probably be on cat number 4 now.

The way I see it, I'm still here for a reason... Maybe the "Big Guy" upstairs wants me to get more of the stash built... or a new Airfix kit is coming out that he wants me to see first.

Luck has a good deal to do with it too. When your time is up, it's up. You can't stop it.
Just keep your faith and be ready when that time comes.

Louis, your 'life number 4' post reminded me of this...

You are one 'gato suerte' amigo.

Postman just brought me a present...

To the bench...