1:48 Battle of Britain Diorama

[Wizzel]

I like the way he calls it "a bit more progress..." like a million sandbags were knocked up in the blink of an eye (which they were by my standards).

[zak]

Hi Zak,
Absolutely mind-bogglingly fascinating how you manage to create things out of cardboard, tape, bits of plastic and brown paper...
You are a true modeller in the proper sense of the word...
... and your speed on construction. Amazing.
I think I may take up stamp collecting, I am way out of my league amongst you lot!

Awestruck Biggles

Its never mind the quality feel the width though!

[Bigkev]

Hi Zak,
Absolutely mind-bogglingly fascinating how you manage to create things out of cardboard, tape, bits of plastic and brown paper...
You are a true modeller in the proper sense of the word...
... and your speed on construction. Amazing.
I think I may take up stamp collecting, I am way out of my league amongst you lot!

Awestruck Biggles

Its never mind the quality feel the width though!

Hi Zak,
At this point, can I ask are you bragging or complaining?
No matter which it is, it all looks good to me.
Cheers,
Bigkev

[zak]

I was meaning that they lack quality, but there is a lot, never a perfectionist, jack of all master of none.
Do you get the drift?
I am a little too impatient to produce a superb model.
Anyway back to modelling.
Earth colour added, it was some terrain cover from Vallejo that I had left from a previous project.

[chriswil42]

Looking really great Dave. I can't believe how quickly you put this together. So while everyone else are doing the aircraft you are single handedly doing the airfield. Magic?
Chris

[MSea]

By the time he has finished Chris there will be no room for any aircraft - hohoho

[zak]

By the time he has finished Chris there will be no room for any aircraft - hohoho

Very true, but do I care?
Not really, it is entertaining me and keeping me relatively sane.( I know I am giving Martin ammunition to say something really complementary.)

Well, while the scenery is drying I have been giving thought to the searchlight and generator problem.

I have a poor plan of the searchlight in 1:76 from the Airfix book, " Modelling RAF vehicles" By Gerald Scarborough, and quite a few photos on line, so I shall resize the plan and take it from there.
I am intending this to be a 90cm searchlight (light projector), like the one in the photo(see earlier).

The generator will be another problem, no plan, some photos and videos on line that are quite helpful, but they come in various shapes and sizes.
I think I will opt for the Lister JP4 type and see how it goes, it will be mounted on a two wheeled trailer.
So after spending three hours down the allotment, I may attempt something this pm, again it will be plastic card and commercial (resin) wheels.
I have found a website that list all the Lister engines and gives some critical dimensions, I will be able to use this to guesstimate sizes from side views.

I do not know if all searchlights had generators or if some operated from base supplies? Anyone know?

[MSea]

Would I DARE say anything - hohoho

[zak]

Well, I have made a start on the generator, there is a good video of one in operation on U tube.
Here are my techniques for forming circles in plastic card.
The first is a fairly new acquisition, it is the big brother to the punch used to make discs.
The second is the more usual, smaller punch set, I also have a rivet former bought 6 or so years ago at Telford, I actually have two of these, they did not work as well as they should and so the Hungarian company sent me a replacement, I used it to put rivets on WW1 tanks.
Lastly the trusty compass cutter, I have two of these.
I don't have the fancy one like Bill, so all my circles have a small hole in the centre.
There will be a few circles to cut.

[Bigkev]

Hi Zak,
Don't get too dizzy with all those circles.
If it was Msea, then dizzy might be a normal condition.
No doubt, I will be on the hit list from Msea, once the club meetings resume.
Something to look forward too.....
Cheers,
Bigkev

[zak]

Todays effort at scratch building the generator.

[Bigkev]

Wow Zak,
Speed modelling in evidence.
Bigkev

[MSea]

Very impressive Zak - and quick.
I see from Kevin's comment about me that he is looking to get a more horrible model made of him, than the one I have done. Will have to go back onto Mighty Lancer web site to find one if that is possible - hohohoho

[zak]

The grass has grown overnight!

[Bigkev]

Supposed you used miracle grow?
Bigkev