1/144 HMCS Bonaventure Started 1 April 2008

[lastvautour]

Thank you Cliff and have a happy Canada Day also.
!

[Oceaneer99]

Lou,

Your aircraft assembly line is amazing.

Happy Canada Day!  They were playing Quebecois music on our local station here this morning.  We're very close to BC, but Quebec seems a long way away.  When I drove to Seattle years ago across Canada, a young boy in Saskatchewan or so said to me, "Oh, Seattle, that's in BC next to Vancouver, eh?"  In general, the Canadian children we saw along the way knew the locations of Virginia (from) and Seattle (to) better than those from the States.

Garet

[lastvautour]

The assembly line is in full swing but will have to shut down for Canada Day fireworks this evening.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1523
The Tracker line has also started with photos to follow later this week.

[lastvautour]

Pieces for the four Trackers and the basic island decks are just placed for a photo op. The island will have thin layers of flooring added between the four decks to support catwalks and window protrusions

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1549
The Tracker pieces have all been cut out and require major shaping and sanding.

The main mast has been started and will comprise of no less than 120 pieces to complete. # down 117 to go +-

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1548

[lastvautour]

Eight Banshees. Fuselage have been carved and await the fitment of wings and tail feathers

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1547
Guns will traverse left / right and up / down

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1546


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1545 Production model will substitue fine wire for the thread used to simulate the gun coils

[lastvautour]

The basic mast structure is up. Now all that remains is attaching another 100 or so bits and pieces.

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1554
The 3 inch guns are ready for installation to the gun station once I build them. They form part of  deck 2 which will be started ?

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1555

[Oceaneer99]

Wonderful job, Lou!  I'm always amazed how you can turn out several copies of such a detailed part.

Garet

[lastvautour]

I use basic building blocks. There are 21 pieces to each, but each is a simple piece glued to other simple pieces. The barrel is bamboo stock inserted into a toothpick, inserted into a wooden block. The coil section(toothpick) has thread wrapped around to simulate the recoil spring. Two of these sub assembly fit into a yoke which fits into two supports which are glued to the rotating base which is made up of two pieces for perception of dept. Etc etc etc.  If any one is interested I will draw up the pieces to demonstrate.

[lastvautour]

The Banshee Squadron has been assembled and glued. There remains the attachment of engines, some sanding, paint and decals. I anticipate 90 minutes each spread over a few weeks. I have ordered the prototype's decals but await delivery of the single set before ordering the remainder. This will be an expensive project.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1562

[Oceaneer99]

Lou, the Banshees are coming along nicely.  I have the strange sensation that your hangar has been shrinking over the last few weeks, though :-)

Garet

[lastvautour]

The hangar has been used for photo ops on my plastic collection. It seemed like a good place to shoot the squadron's progress.

[Oceaneer99]

It makes a fine backdrop!

[lastvautour]

I still need to add electrical hook ups, hydraulic carts and tool box etc to make it look homey.

[lastvautour]

Trackers are coming along. I sat the Banshee aside for a while and started the trackers. Unfortunately the Tracker prototype had to be sacrificed during initial testing to see how to go about making these small gems. However, I learn something new nearly everyday.

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1574
P.S. The Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System is in the shop and should be ready for viewing within the week.

[lastvautour]

The Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System are ready for installation. They vary quite a bit from the original and should more accurately represent what was being used on the Bonnie.

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1578

Check out the first photo in this post for comparison.

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/normal_DSCF9800.JPG

Production models on the left/prototypes on the right


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1577