Okay, that's me in the naughty corner for not leaving my info cards behind!! Must try harder next time...
Seriously, it was nice to see everyone again after an enforced 3-month absence.
Jon

Apologies for skiving off yet again, chaps - in a flight sim in Norway this time!
Jon

Great models, chaps: well done Steve! Apologies for absence yet again; my lousy excuse this time is that I was in Spain, so you were spared the 'excitement' of yet another esoteric biplane that nobody has heard of.
Jon

Nice models, guys. Apologies for absence again: that's shift work for you!
Jon

Wow! Fantastic models, Dave. Very impressive.
Jon

Likewise - all work and no play(day) etc!
Jon

Some nice models there, chaps (zombie sharks???!). Apologies for absence - work again.
Jon

Very nice!

Nice one, guys; apologies for being unable to be there - though it looks like there was scarcely enough space for those who did attend. Well done for the competition results!
Jon

Fantastic! I particularly like the seaplane tender.

Nice to see you all again, chaps, and apologies for disrupting proceedings - twice! Probably the least productive modelling session I've ever had! 🙄

"Is it a total South African design or based on ?"

Indigenous South African design using the power plant and drivetrain from the Oryx, which is itself an indigenous development of the 'classic' Puma and is broadly similar to the Super Puma. As a result it's quite large for an attack helicopter.

'Rooivalk' is the Afrikaans word for kestrel, although it literally translates as 'red falcon'.

Nice kit of an unusual subject, Chris!

Merry Christmas all! I was at work until lunchtime today and I'll be back there again at lunchtime tomorrow - I'll be thinking of you!

No1 son gave me a model kit for Christmas; I suppose there was a certain inevitability about the subject! Still, I have a few direct references for XZ596...

Cheers Martin, much appreciated, even the captions! I'm now slowly recovering from Contrail Scapa-induced PTSD - Plastic Traumatic Stress Disorder...
Jon

I've just caught up with this, Kevin, and it is looking really good. I've gone the opposite way with my Airfix Puma and decided to build it more-or-less OOB as an antidote to fighting an utterly rubbish vacform kit, plus the aftermarket resin SAAF sandfilter which would be quite nice if it actually fitted. I've used the kit side doors but tweaked them and replaced the rails, although yours looks far nicer than mine. It's currently sulking in the desk drawer until I pluck up enough enthusiasm to fettle that sand filter!
Jon