Cockpits

This winter, it has certainly proven difficult to recharge the mojo. Besides the ongoing issues with long-term unemployment (and a particularly heartbreaking near-miss in December), we’ve had extensive tree damage on our property from an ice storm and now a scary medical episode. I had a piece of my left ear removed for biopsy. It was determined to be a pre-cancerous external caratosis, but given that the cancer that killed my father began as a skin lesion, it’s one of those things I have to pay close attention to. Some more skin will be removed in a couple of weeks. I’m just trying to keep from looking like Mick Foley!

The kits I pulled out to try and engineer a mojo resurgence with have changed a bit since the last few postings. The two P-47s are still there, as is the Spitfire PR19, but the F-15 dropped back in to the stash in favor of an F-18. The TwoBobs Katrina sheet made that choice easy. I had practically decided to replace the A-3 (it turns out the two aftermarket decal sheets I have are for the EKA-3 model, which is not the boxing I have) with a Hasegawa TBF Avenger. But after an hour of searching my garage I could not find the kit in the stash. I know I have (or at least had) the kit, but damned if I can find it. So I’m still musing on that one. The requirements for a mojo-restoring project is that the kits be well engineered, so it is likely that it will still come from the Hasegawa/Tamiya/Revell/Airfix end of the hobby pool.

Below is a shot of the work currently awaiting paint attention. Lots of cockpits here; P-47, Spit, F-18, Harrier GR9. Plus the Dark Green upper surface coat for a DeHav Vampire.

I’m also in the process of repairing and repainting some damage to the surface of a Hasegawa B-47.