Intermission – Going back in time

Day 246

Friday October 28, 2022

Time to reflect on several things on Day 246…

I must admit I wanted to stop writing this diary after having completed the PBY Catalina…

However I got curious on Day 245 and I found what I was looking for…

These are photos I took in December 2013 of my “stash” of unbuilt model kits. Well not all because I had kept two empty boxes…

When I took those photos I was trying to jump start my forgotten hobby. Since 2013 many model kits have been built but those were eventually replaced with dozens more in 2019 and 2020…

I was tempted to add Tamiya’s Brewster Buffalo to my collection when I got an email from Plaza Japan a few days ago. However shipping rates were too expensive. Japan Post doesn’t ship to Canada anymore since December 2020 because of the pandemic. I don’t understand why since they ship almost everywhere now.

Yesterday I have completed the PBY Catalina display by using Clear Gorilla Glue.

In the background you will notice the Christmas gift I bought for my son in 2020 from Wholesale Hobbies in Edmonton, Alberta. The P-38 is still in its box.

Long overdue? I even have one I bought for myself!

I will finish ICM’s Bf 109F-4 first and then try to finish my son’s P-38 before Christmas time.

Next time…

As always things didn’t go as I had expected.

Monogram PBY Catalina – The Saviour of Ceylon

Day 245

Thursday October 27, 2022

Monogram’s PBY Catalina is now finished after almost 25 years in a box.

This is what was left to be glued.

Nothing except the landing gear which won’t be needed in my display remembering the Saviour of Ceylon.

One thing left to be done on Day 246…

Clear Gorilla Glue

Monogram PBY Catalina – Final step…

Day 244

Wednesday October 26, 2022

It wasn’t that complicated…

Antennae and the depth charges have been glued.

Propellers were added as well as the pitot tube and the front turret.

This is what’s left for tomorrow.

Monogram PBY Catalina – Painting and glueing…

Day 243

Tuesday October 25, 2022

I am almost there.

Waiting at the last minute to glue fragile and easily breakable parts is what I have learned since December 2013. Working too fast is another thing I have learned the hard way.

Antennae have been detached very carefully from the sprues. Olive Drab was added to the depth charges.

A few hours later… The antennae were glued to their supports and are waiting to be finally attached.

To be continued…

Monogram PBY Catalina – Painting and raking leaves…

Day 242

Monday October 24, 2022

I only have 10% left in my 3 gigabytes upload limit. Eventually I will have to create another sequel.

Yesterday was mostly about cleaning the gutters.

I still have lots of leaves in my backyard, but I called it a day to get on with what I had planned…

A coat of Vallejo black primer was added in the afternoon using a paintbrush…

There was no need to set up the spray booth and my airbrush.

The ICM Bf 109F-4 got a few touch-ups as well as the Tempest.

Dark gray was added later to the HT masts and the wing antenna supports.

I should have doubled checked the instructions more carefully because I forgot to paint the antennae gull gray.

Monogram PBY Catalina – Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder…

Day 241

Sunday October 23, 2022

I finally had a comment Saturday. Mike likes to comment sometimes. Each time it helps me to forge ahead. I replied…

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder…

I couldn’t do much on Saturday since I was going to Montreal with my son and his young daughter to a football game. It was kind of special…

As part of the Canadian Armed Forces game, two CF-18 aircraft flew over Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.

The theme of this game was a nod to the history of the team who was named after the 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, the first French-Canadian Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force known for its tenacity and dedication. My son took a video and sent me these shots.

I also got a nod when someone from that Squadron noticed my cap.

I didn’t have time to tell him how much more history was under that cap.

Getting back to taking pictures of the instructions of what’s left to be done will guide me forging ahead tomorrow…

The Alouettes lost the game but doesn’t really matter?

It was my granddaughter’s first football game and her first visit to Montreal alone with her father and her grandfather.

Monogram PBY Catalina – What’s left…

Day 240

Saturday October 22, 2022

I had no comments yesterday, but I don’t feel my loyal followers have abandoned me…

I am now in the final stage and the end is on the horizon.

Taking pictures of the instructions shows what’s left to be done.

 I will never build another Monogram PBY Catalina so I have to take the time to enjoy every minute finishing it…

That image of the instructions was useful and I didn’t mess up glueing the front machine gun.

Then came the two fuel dumps which were tricky to install.

I glued the front and the back will be glued Sunday morning.

I will also be painting these parts below.

I have decided to add the radar and the depth charges on the PBY even if they were not carried on that faithful mission.

The parts had already been primed except for the depth charges which will have a coat of black primer.

Monogram PBY Catalina – Any comments?

Day 239

Friday October 21, 2022

Comments are always most welcomed on My Forgotten Hobby V. In fact they are always highly motivational.

Taking pictures is also a way to motivate myself.

Having a second workbench allows me to see what has to be done.

I still have a few parts to add, but they are quite fragile. Some touch-ups have to be done before as well as more weathering.

Deciding how to eventually display the PBY needs some planning ahead. I have to check if the plane had radar antennas on this mission although adding them anyway would spruce up the Catalina as well as adding the depth charges.

Doing so I will have to paint them accurately.

It’s not over till it’s over…

Monogram PBY Catalina – Adding the struts…

Day 238

Thursday October 20, 2022

Enough intermissions for now, except one more around noon today.

Finally getting back to the PBY Catalina yesterday, I glued the struts one at the time.

They fit perfectly.

What more can I ask for…?

Let the glue set for a few hours?

Intermission – Bf 109-F4: Sleeping on it…

Day 237

Wednesday October 19, 2022

Sleeping on it is sometimes the best thing to do, but I couldn’t wait.

I used a soft bristle paint brush with Vallejo Gray Primer to go over some areas.

Yellow identification markings had been added before to the Tempest using a Tamiya cotton swab and Vallejo yellow paint. I skipped airbrushing although I had masked the wings leading edges.

Not perfect but it will do.

It still needs a few touch-ups using Tamiya cotton swabs but this will have to wait.

I will now get back to the PBY Catalina and complete it. Displaying it will come later.

Which brings me to reflecting on what I have been saving all those years with all I have been building.

Why do I keep all this? Is all this useful!

I have thrown away most of my model kit boxes, but I keep saving the instructions sheets of model kits I have built. Some I still have but most I don’t have anymore like Monogram F-104.

Have you been saving this kind of stuff?