After months of on again / off again work super-detailing an old Tamiya LVTP7A, including detailed driver compartment, all without aftermarket, it was finally nearing completion. Camo done, Dullcote sprayed…just waiting to start the weathering process.
It was to be my submission to my club’s comp this Saturday and yesterday I had left it on the Billard Table to keep it out of reach of Mr 3 yr old, intending to do some work on it later in the day (I’m off work at the moment).
Anyway, I’ve been doing a lot of work in my garden over the past weeks, and yesterday my wife came outside to me. Then she told me these dreaded words…
“Honey, I love you… but I had a little accident”
[banghead] You guessed it…the accident was the LVTP hitting the floor, knocked down when my wife caught it when she was folding the bed sheets, after washing and drying them.
I now have one of those new line of Tamiya products …the plastic Jigsaw puzzle. [tears] The big question is, How can a model possibly end up in more parts than the kit actually came with, even with the added parts excluded?
Ah well, I guess I’ll get over it. Just have to put it aside for a while and get on with the Acadamy Achilles that I have been doing as well.
Gonna buy a big wooden box with a big lock on it for future builds. (No not to put the wife in!)
I’m sorry to hear that Peter. That must have been quite painful. I’d say wifey owes you a new kit or two. Of course that doesn’t replace the hours you put into the LVTP7A. It will get better.
“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee
Sorry to hear about that Pete. But look at the bright side of it. I bet your wife will be extra nice to you for the rest of the year. (Just kidding…)
It seems to happen to all of us, when we least expect it. BTW, a wooden box would be good but to be extra sure, buy yourself one of those 1’x1’x1’ steel safe. It would probably cost around US100 Dollars but could save you a lot of tears.
Tigerman/Dwight, the wife bought me my new Aztek double action airbrush for Father’s day; a much, much more expensive present than we usually get each other for just Mother’s or Father’s Day…so I guess I shouldn’t expect more.
I bought the original kit about 12 years ago, just after GW1 (Gulf War 1). It is the old one with the .50 cal M85 mount and the price on box is AUD $12 (USD $8.50). To replace it I would have to spend AUD$60 (USD $42.50) at a local store on the one with UGWS turret, or look for an older kit on Evil bay. The kit is really basic and needs so much work that I couldn’t part with the money…there being so much more value in other kits that I would love to get. (I can get Tamiya’s Tiger 1 late production or Pershing here for the same price)
Captain…as they say “no truer words were ever spoken in jest” or some such.
Sorry to hear that Pete. Sounds about like a guy that had spent 10 years restoring a 32 Ford never driving it till he was done, a girl on a crotch rocket hit him head on 3 miles into his first drive.
WOW that is awful! I feel for your loss I feel sorry for your wife to…accidents happen! Geesh I think I would have cried to…and as far as the kit winding up in more pieces than came in the kit…I too have wondered this. Must be something along the lines of spontaneous particle seperation! Oh well what ever it is its above my understanding!
I do, truly believe, that there are modeling gremlins out there [alien] No matter what you do or how careful you are, they will always get you if it’s your time.
Well…I bet you won’t be leaving any models on or near that old billard table again…huh?
Lesson learned the hard way! We all have to work at keeping Mr. Murphy at bay!
Dreaded words indeed… Sorry to hear about your loss, Pete… I have to admit that since my wife and the kids have taken on the hobby, I see a difference in the way they care for models. A neat improvement. However, that still leaves the cat and real accidents like the one you are telling us about to worry about…
UUUPS…these things happen and elsewhere than my house…My P-38 is broken in booms and tail, landing legs surviived!!!what a consolation it is…not intending to make fun of your pain…
go and restore her …
It’s not the “I love you” that is dreded, it’s the “but…” that gets you!
Peter, I hurt for you. I can just imagine how you felt, and how your wife must have felt. Is there anyway all the little parts can become one big part again? I hope so.
Well the wife filled me in on a bit more of the story. After finding a dint in the Gyprock wall and a search under the bookcases that turned up a few missing parts including the gun barrel, I pieced together that the LVTP must have hit the wall first, then fallenl to the ground. My wife then added that hearing the ‘bang’ Mr 3 year old came running in the room to see what happened, and accidentally kicked the model into the bookcase.
With all that, all I can say is that this LVTP must have killed an Albatross in a past life[:p]
Anyway, I figure if I can scatch build so much detail, a few broken axles, drive sprockets, sprung seams and cracks through the hull, etc can be repaired. Lets face it, everyone needs a challenge and I really don’t want to walk away from all I’ve done so far.
One of the guys from my club emailed me. He is going to build the UGWS version and has ordered the replacement wheels and tracks for the newer pattern…so I get his old Idlers and Drive sprockets from him this weekend…woohoo. Not looking forward to drilling out the lightening holes on the drive sprockets again though.Well, with a bit of luck (good luck that is) the old beast may turn into a Phoenix after all.
If it ever gets done, I’ll post pics so you guys can see the result of your well wishes.