Sometimes life throws you curveballs. At other times it's a bowl of cherries. This week has definitely had more cherries in it than usual.
It started with me doing the company a "favour" 4 weeks ago. I volunteered to go on a "Continuous Improvement Workshop". I'd flatly refused previously as, although I have a foundation degree in business design, I was unimpressed with the consultancy firm running it. This one was the first one run exclusively by B.A. and they were desperate for some credibility so I agreed to help out.
In actual fact, I really wanted to work days, rather than my normal shift, for that particular 2 weeks so that I could be home in the evenings for my Open University group work, and this would give me the opportunity. Even better, it transpired that, after the final day, I would get 5 days off straight. This allowed me to complete the big post-group assignment and catch up with all the course work. Now I'm a week ahead
.
If that wasn't good enough, it also transpired, after I enquired, that I was now entitled to some further time off. My shift manager, wonderful guy, had made a bit of a faux pas with this and there was something of a kerfuffle about it. So he asked me, as a favour, to have this weekend off and to keep quiet about things. My work chum, who also attended the workshop, also got this favour because I made the enquiry. I could have insisted on picking my own dates but I thought "why rock the boat" (topical, eh
). So, I have an unexpected couple of days off, the company love me (they put my picture on a poster
), my manager is chuffed and owes me a favour and my mate thinks I'm great because I got him the bank holiday weekend off work.
And I only did it in the first place to suit myself.
So, what does one do with a couple of unexpected free days?
One models, naturally.
So, after running a couple of not onerous errands this morning that involved visiting the heritage railway to renew my membership and catch up with some old friends followed by taking my son around a couple of motorcycle shops to help find him his first steed (he passed his CBT yesterday
) and catch up with some friends in said shops, it was time for the bench.
Actually, I started late last night, at the dot of midnight, by getting the initial hull assembly done.
Not too much of a trying exercise. The hull goes together fairly easily front and back and there are a pair of lugs underneath to attach the hull bottom. As these are split they provided good anchor points for clamps. The bottom is a bit tricky to align so some plasticard strips helped reinforce things, Zap-a-Gap cyano glue sped things along nicely. Some cleaning up was needed, but this is a classic kit after all so nothing unexpected
.
With the hull fully set, I returned to the bench at lunchtime. First thing I did was to check the fit of the flight deck to the hull and, I have to say, I was very impressed. The deck pops down very positively and sits perfectly flush with the hull. It was so good that I've decided to build the hull and flight deck separately and to join them together quite late in the build. This should make painting and detailing easier.....I hope.
With this in mind, assembly continued. Sub-assemblies for the sponsons and island were next.
These were assembled with Liquid Poly and clamped up. They'll be left overnight. I also did the turrets and the crane in readiness. I decided to treat the crane as an extra turret although, looking at it, I think there's quite a bit of scope for some extra detail on the crane. Back to the Internet, I think.
There's not much to do to the flight deck initially.
Just a couple of panels representing structure to add on.
The hull had some more additions too.
The hangar openings were attached and the big support sponsons to support the port flight deck overhang and the control island. These posed the worst fit issues so far, needing Zap-a-gap and filler. They're just not the same profile as the sides of the hull. More sanding and blending will be required.
Finally, I began cutting away moulded in detail (already
) in readiness for some etched brass.
This is the stern deck (possibly a poop deck?) with the really thick moulded handrail detail.
A quick squirt with the old razor saw and some wet and dry paper had this removed and the edge restored. This had the added advantage of taking out a couple of ejector pin marks too
.
There's more bits like this....
These particular parts will be a bit awkward but nothing I can't overcome. I will, however, have to box the back in. Don't want people thinking the US Navy used to operate hollow aircraft carriers just to fool the USSR
.
All in all, I'm quite satisfied with today
