Welcome to our fifth 

month of Lockdown.  

August 2020  

The Earley Risers have kept busy.

Here's what everyone's been up to,
in roughly the order the responses arrived...

... Thank you Phil, George, Martin, Roger, Les B, Big Mick, Jeff, Hugh, Andrew, Sean and Tim.

Click on the images to see most of them larger!

Phil

"This session I have been continuing to work on the items I’d planned for our SMW display, in the hope that it might yet get the go-ahead. The ICM T-34 is well on its way, just needing its tracks, crew and hatches. I have a set of AFV Club tracks for it but anyone who knows them will know they are going to be a long slog to get completed. "

"Finally I found a Warhammer 40k figure which I remember the lads in my local Games Workshop gave me (probably to get me out the door!). It took all of two hours and it was fun. I love their stuff.

Next month we’ll be talking Frogfeet!  I blame Mark……"

George

Just about finished the cockpit of his large scale Lancaster. He's now waiting for the motors to arrive from Belgium. (I hope he's going to isolate them for 14 days!)

Roger

"Have decided to put a new floor into my office/work area so have done very little on the modelling side. My back is playing up so this may take some time to complete. 

Everything moved to the spare bedroom and the work on the current Eindecker is now on hold, as can be seen by my photo. 

Managed to stick the photo etch which was not easy. Have now had some advice from Steve and Hugh on different ways to to handle photo etch in the future - Thanks guys."

"I've been fiddling with Revell's 1/72 Halifax with a view to seeing how my bigger 1/48 scale version from FM is supposed to go together!"

Big Mick

.
"So where to begin... Primer on the T-90, 

 ...Meng Merkava to primer stage,

 ...and got the Famo out to have a look. It will have the Eduard and Voyager etch sets plus Fruil tracks.

Starting the Shilka tonight

...My prize from Bugle Call trimmed, ready for primer,

Jeff

“I’m still working on all of the items mentioned previously in the last few months and have also acquired a few more bits to add to the pile. I’m trying to complete a Tamiya original issue Panzer 2 which I purchased some time ago as a part started kit from somewhere and also a Tamiya Panzer 2 C, which was bought at a bargain price of £5.00, at a sale of kits from someone who had donated them to the tank museum a couple of years ago. This has Master Club tracks to go on the model and a set of resin stowage as well. Hopefully finishing both of them soon.

I have just got a new publication on modelling Israeli armour. It looks very good with Shermans, M48, m60 and M113 variants, plus Centurions and Merkava models featured.

I’ve recently bought a Zvezda 1/48 scale Mil Hind, which looks really good, plenty of panels to open and the engines to detail as well. Then there is the Zvezda new issue 1/35 M4a2 Sherman kit, all new tooling with length and link tracks, plus the welded spoked wheels and several smooth concave filled road wheels to add something to the mix. The rest of the tooling looks very good and very buildable. I’m looking forward to doing this one as I have several choices of Polish vehicle decals in hand.

I’ve discovered that you need to modify the Tamiya model quite a bit to make it into a British Sherman I. I have the Accurate Armour update set in the box, but also need to change the wheels and tracks. Oh well, it’ll just take a bit longer to complete!

Well, I think that’s about all for this month - hope everyone is staying well.”

Hugh

“Slow but steady progress on the Sonofabitch. Very much two steps forward, three back at times. Currently building centre section & engine mount; all scratch built.

I’m sure there are easier models available but l just can’t find them.”

Andrew

Detailing a 1/72 Tamiya Zero
at the moment

Sean

No photos this mouth as this week I’m in Wales hiding from huge thunderstorms as you swelter in the sun.

Not too much progress. I’ve almost finished building the church ruin for the M4 dio and am playing with layout ideas and crew positions. The Meng M4 is a beauty with only minor detail added, improving the cast texture and adding storage.

I want to get better at figure painting so have been building some old plastic ones to practice on.

The other main model is a Marder II that was being built for the Nationals stand (here’s one I built earlier) been adding details and wiring to the radio set.

Mark

I have little report except I have been solely working on the F105G. I am not sure what is taking most paint and effort, the kit or my house wall (I painted it last week so no model making till yesterday!).

I think the F105 will take most of the coming month as well. (Sigh)

Tim

Progress remains glacial but the 
Tamiya CCKW353 is at least looking 
like a truck now - just decals, weathering,
a paper tilt and detailing to go....