Finally got some work to show on this one. I had done some cockpit work before I started cancer treatment in March, and had gotten up to needing to add seat belts. I had to be away from home during much of the treatments, and then the side effects and need for caution about infections due to my immune system being compromised (the treatment is a form of transplant) made it so no modeling was possible. I still have to be careful but I am cleared back to the bench now. Unfortunately one of the side effects is that the tremor I have always had was made much worse. Putting together the HGW seatbelts was a 5 or 6 hour challenge but last week I got them done and installed. The interior parts are together and closed up in the fuselage. Don’t know why but there are areas where I just couldn’t get things to fall in to place without some gaps, but nothing too bad. Still, disappointing, and I don’t thing it is all my errors. The way the exhausts and shrouds are engineered causes some complications as they have to be installed from the inside. I painted and assembled the exhaust parts, and painted the fuselage area around the exhausts the British Dark Green that the topsides are in for the scheme I am doing. Then I installed the exhausts from the inside. I will mask that area off before doing the rest of the topside painting.
Great to see you back at the bench John. I don’t have tremors and I can’t manage those tiny PE seatbelt parts so you’ve got me beat! Pit looks great.
Yeah, John, good that you’re back at the bench. The HGW belts look good. They’re fabric, aren’t they? I have this kit in the stash. I haven’t figured what to do with it yet, so I’ll be watching your progress here.
Thanks, everyone. At this point I am done with treatments unless there is a re-occurence. Working on recovering from the treatment’s effects now. I was very fortunate get into the clinical trial, one of only of twenty subjects. Much better than any chemotherapy in terms of effectiveness and side effects.
Steven, I don’t think I would use them for anything smaller than 1/32. PE is good enough for me in 1/48 and for 1/72 I use painted masking tape.
Yes, they are some kind of fabric, there is a paper backing you remove before threading them into the PE parts. I put the PE fret in a holding clamp and thread the belts through the PE before removing it from the fret.
Here’s hoping you’re clean from here on, John!
I remember I had some trouble with fit too on the P-51D-15 on the cockpit and the wings. Couldn’t get them to seat right. Hope your canopies are all good! As for seatbelts… forget about it!
I do have tremers. * deal with them by having two blocks of wood on my bench, one 3" high, one about 5" high. Parts jigs and stuff on top block, Base of thumbs on smaller blocks. Definitely helps.
First and foremost, glad to see you back at the bench!
My dad had a bout with stomach cancer about 10yrs ago which resulted in 2/3rds of his stomach being removed.
The complications, setbacks really stunk and to be honest, not sure what was worse, the cancer itself or the meds.. Ugh
Stay strong and keep on building… Building helped my dad out a lot!
Now back to your build… Maybe i missed it but have you decided on the markings yet?
Love the cockpit!
Happy Modeling,
Mike
Happy to see you back at the bench John. I pray that your treatments for the cancer were/are successful. Sorry your going through that. The cockpit looks great.
Thoughts and prayers go out to you while you’re going through your treatments. Your cockpit work looks fantastic! I’ve discovered the many benefits that scale modeling provides while one goes through a “health” crisis. Good Luck!
