Novinky

Robert Podkoński
Looks fantastic!

Markus Antonius
A very good display-option to show the 104 in all its beauty!

Robert Podkoński
Indeed!

Christian Abraham
The model is looking nice. How is fit of it?

NantraKs Autor
there are a few simplifications but overall the model is really good

Alexander
Looks interesting, following.

Villiers de Vos
Booking my seat.

★ Starfish ★ Autor
Here are the real aircraft at the Airpower 2024 airshow in Austria: Youtube Video

Guy Rump
Looking forward to these! 👍

DerMattes
Watching 👍

Cristian A
Following with interest 🫡

Sergej I
Watching! 👍

Cristian A
The replacement part in picture 6 looks like a well though joke 😁

★ Starfish ★ Autor
@Cristian, can you imagine my face when I opened that box? I was looking forward to continue working on it, then this.... 😅

Cristian A
Yes, I can only imagine! I think a reaction video next time would be very funny 😁 try to film the moments receiving Revell spare parts, it didn't happen to me" yet" but I will do the same

Mark
👀

Robert Podkoński
Taking a seat.

Mark Sherwood
Me too.

gorby
Me three. 🙂

jan zumack Autor
Hi mates, hope you enjoy. 😄😄

Robert Podkoński
Interesting. Watching!

Vincent
I agree, this look interesting!

Zach Wilson
looks like a beast

René K Autor
Hey zach Wilson, oh yes you can say that. I'm curious how I'll deal with it 🙂

Zach Wilson
So am I🙂

Sy Bar
Wow

Christian Bruer
Nice to see another Belfast WIP. You made an excellent start on it 👍
I started mine in 2013 (not a joke) but had a lot of time in between not working on the model. I hope to finish her soon. Feel free to have a look to my WIP here on Scalemates:
HMS Belfast | Album by Christian Bruer (1:350)

I used the Flyhawk Set as well, but also the White Ensign Set and scratch building.

Looking forward to your progress and Happy Modelling 🙂

Christian

René K Autor
@Christian Bruer: lovely work, christian! I can then use your wonderful model as a reference if I don't know what to do 😛

Christian Bruer
Thx R K 🙂

You're welcome to use it as a references.

Erik Torp
Some top notch PE work there!

René K Autor
Thanks, Erik!

Pietro De Angelis
Impressive!

Treehugger
Q: How do you deal with any annealing issues? I thought that annealing metal small might melt off the smallest parts. Haven't tried annealing yet myself, except for a large PE piece on some project.

René K Autor
@Treehugger: I generally don't glow PE parts. I glue all PE parts with the MXBON superglue in viscous, liquid and very liquid. Due to the capillary effect, the adhesive quickly gets into the crack, so I can press the part with a pin, two seconds and the part is fixed. If small gaps remain, use a fine pin to put a very thin layer of superglue (it has to be very liquid!) into the gap and press it down again with the needle. So far it works very well for me.

Michael Kohl
Convincing beginning. Some decent PE work to be seen.

Rui S
What...👍

Villiers de Vos
Very nice progress. The PE work on the aeroplanes are very good.

Christian Bruer
R K check the hight of the boat deck house aft of the forward funnel. I extended the hight a few milimeter, otherwise the boats on the cradles below will not fit! Check image 112 - 118 in my WIP. Add the one or other milimeter more than I did because of some layers of paint on the deck, cradles boats etc.!

Nice progress by the way 👍

Happy Modelling, Christian

René K Autor
@christian Bruer Thank you for the hint! I had already seen that when looking through your pictures and in fact the height doesn't match.

René K Autor
Height correction made on the middle deck. Thanks to christian for the tip! 🙂

Christian Bruer
NP glad to help. Looks very good with the correction 👍

Villiers de Vos
Fantastic progress and my hat off to with your photoetch work.

Dave
Absolutely love the details.

Michael Kohl
Don't put it to water! It is gonna sink with all those metal! 😜

Kidding aside: anxious to folliw along the last meters.

Hans-Jürgen Haag
Absolut awsom detail work excelent 👍👍👍👍

René K Autor
guys, thank you!

David Taylor
Looks great.

James C
Looking fantastic 👍

René K Autor
The final steps to completion! Tomorrow the flags will come and then there will be the final photos when the sun is shining!

Jörg Schäfer
Sehr schönes Modell.

Naram
beautifull, congrat

Zach Wilson
excellent work Rene. What are you using to hold the smaller pieces in place as you glue them together? Looking at image 21 I am baffled by how precise and clean that work is.

James C
Stunning looking build Rene, congrats on an awesome finish👍

Michael Kohl
Just received a picture of the original in London. Now you complete yours. 🙂 Great job, top result

René K Autor
Thank you so much folks! @zach: With a magnifying glass, a calm pulse and good superglue ("VMS glue on power!"), I somehow managed to do it that way. I was amazed myself! 😉 @Michael: You were in London and saw her? I envy you!

Michael Kohl
Well unfortunately it wasn't me who was in London, but a friend of mine. He visited the Belfast.

Shaun Rosario
Wow this is just amazing work!!!! I can only strive to be this good of a modeler.

Neuling
Great work! Stunning detail work! 👍👍

Villiers de Vos
Very nice work.

Jonathan
Fabulous. I've just invested in AIP's re-boxed version of this kit and if I can get looking half as good as your's I'll be more than pleased!

David R.
Fantastic

gorby
WOW, stunning work!

Ben M
If you scanned them you should be able to make them yourself or get them made from stsdecals.com/ or similar.

Robert Podkoński
I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Guy Rump
Following with interest. 👍

Geoff Murphy
Excellent paint work! Hoping the rest of the decals are good.

Martin Weinpold
Im in!

Robert Podkoński
Fantastic job!

Thomas Bischoff
I'm in - great start, reminds me to do some pictures too

Gerald
👍

Nicolas
👀

Kenneth
Following…

Łukasz Gliński
Cool topic 👍

Clement
Nice start!
Beware of the cabin windows, they "sink" deeper than the fuselage skin which gives them and odd look.
If I were to do another C-47, I'd glue them before closing the fuselage in order to adjust them to the perfect depth.

Alex K
👀

Skyhiker
Yeah baby

Rui S Autor
I've some Miniart dios in stash, so I decided to do something diferent for me.

Villiers de Vos
I am booking my seat in the front row and will be following your progress.

René (Lord Bilbo) Bartholemy
Same here. Front seat.

Rui S Autor
Thank you for your vote of confidence and encouragement mates.
I Apreciate it and i hope I will not disappoint you.

Michael Osadciw
Me too. I have two of these MiniArt building kits in the stash for two different dios. I'm looking forward to your progress.

Mike Kryza
Hi Rui, I'm in!

Bruce Huxtable
Hi Rui, if you were to press this wall face down into something like Plasticine, and then pour the plaster onto the Plasticine, that might give you a crisper copy. Good luck with your experiments - I'm watching with interest (as these kits are not cheap....) 🙂

Rui S Autor
Thank you for your vote of confidence and encouragement. I'm very pleased to have you on board mates. Now I'm feeling the pressure growing 🙂
@ Bruce, Thank you for your tip. Yes, It seems quite easier to do it Plasticine. I don't have any at the moment but...🤔
I also decided to duplicate the plastic windows in wood. So I've always other alternate molds up to scale.
I will try to make some scaled bricks in modeling paste, and other stuff to improve the overall detail.
I'm hoping to enjoy the work on this little scene.
Let's see how it's going to workout 😎

René (Lord Bilbo) Bartholemy
Hi guys, pouring plaster in plasticine will soften the plasticine considerably (tried it), leaving you with a very difficult to clean plaster positive. I talked already of the Silicone & Cornstarch technique in another post. Here's a link to a YT clip: Youtube Video (as ever, the music sucks!) to show how easy this solution can be.
Hope to be of service... 😉

Rui S Autor
Thank you for your heads up and video, René.
It sure makes things easier to understand.

gorby
Interesting. No doubt this will be transformed into something special.

Bruce Huxtable
Great tip, René. Looks easy so will give that a try myself too ?

Rui S Autor
@ gorbygould, Thank you Mate. Apreciated.
I'm Hopping to do something about it, but I don't know how special it wil be 😄 😄 😄

Kerry COX
The masters machinations. !
Make room for me on your brick fence there Rui. ! 🙂 👍

Rui S Autor
You know I'm always proud to get a master on board. So you know you are always most welcome, Kezza. The pressure is on, hehehe

Rui S Autor
Here is the reason why i will never be able to make a weekend model, at least with these old kits 😉

gorby
Good grief, that little bike model has more parts than some aircraft kits I've done.
It's looking good so far and I'm interested to see how this develops.

Bruce Huxtable
Watching and learning 🙂

Rui S Autor
Thank you for your kind words mates, apreciated.
@Gorby, this is an old kit and could be more detailed. I hope you will like what I'm planing 😉
@Bruce, you're welcome. I hope it can help in someway, because you have more experience than me in Miniart dio kits 😉

Bruce Huxtable
I have a few motorcycles and bicycles in my stash, that I have put off attempting, as they have PE and tiny parts. Your added extras are encouraging me to make a start (when I am next in UK, and can get near my stash!)

Rui S Autor
This one, unfortunatly dosen't have PE spokes on the weels 🙁
Looking forward to see your next builds.

Bruce Huxtable
Me too, Rui! I have been away for eight weeks, and don't yet know when I will be home again. I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms....

Rui S Autor
😄

Villiers de Vos
Rui, a beautiful build and impressive attention to detail.

Rui S Autor
Thank you for stoping by Villiers de Vos, I apreciate your comment 👍
I've finished the build and starting the paint work on the bike. More photos to follow 😉

Jean-Michel Tilquin
Nice work as ever so far Rui. Waiting for more!

Rui S Autor
Well come abord and thank you for your comment Jean-Michel Tilquin.
"Your order is my command" 😉 🤔 😄

Kerry COX
Simply outstanding Rui. 👍 👍 👍
I am wondering about the crease in the drivers and pillions saddles, if that was hollow or left as you have it there. ?

Rui S Autor
Hi, Kezza. Nice of you to stop by and leave your kind and wise words. Always very much apreciated.
If I get you right, you are speaking about the holes in the seats?
That completely scaped my attention. I have to study that issue... Thx again

Simon Nagorsnik
It will be getting a nice dio, i think!
Good detailed bike- good job on an old kit👍

Kerry COX
Rui. I just did a Google search for BMW seats for WWII army type M/Cycles. And it looks like you have it right. The seat has no slots or open cavities. 😉

Rui S Autor
@Simon, thx a lot for commenting with encouraging words. I appreciate it.
@ Kezza It looks YOU are right Mate. I've looked at my research material and it seems they are mostly flat. I've seen one or two that have a slight depression on the front seat, but nothing so deep like in the kit.
Now I will have to further detail the seats 😄

Rui S Autor
Kezza, I've Uploaded two photos 😎 second bike on the Left in the first photo.
In the second the front seat, apear to have 3 recess 😎

Kerry COX
Good spotting Rui. I wasn't being a smart ass. I genuinely wondered if they had the hole there for letting water drain away rather than pool, or cause a wet bum if you were not paying attention before you threw your leg over in a bit of a hurry to get away. (Just a thought mate. 😉)

Rui S Autor
Of course you weren't Mate, you never where a smart ass, I'm sure you don't intend to start now 😄 More so, because what you say makes total sense. We motorcyclistes know how bad it is when water arrives to your Balls 😄 but normaly this guys use rubber suites on the winter.
I thank your insight and headsup. I've decided to change only the back seat and i've done it already 😉

Kerry COX
LOL. 🙂 I was only trying to be logical Rui. 😉
I am really looking forward to the progress images, as the final result will look so real, it will have us all opening our doors to let the engine fumes out. !!!! 👍 hehehehehe

Rui S Autor
😄 Me too Mate 😄
Thanks for your encouraging words. I hope I don't disappoint your expectations.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice Rui, especially all the small details that you have added.

Rui S Autor
Thank you for your suporting words Villiers de Vos. Apreciated.
I didn't go the extra mile, but there is always space to further detailling 😉

Villiers de Vos
Rui, very nicely done.

Bruce Huxtable
Liking the realism all the extra wiring, etc brings 👍 Is that an ignition key too ?!!

Jim Bob McCabe
That motorbike combo looks great, Rui; i hope you don't mind but i am going to copy your ideas as i have one of those combos waiting to be built and detailed.

Rui S Autor
Thank you mates, for stopping by and comment this album. A good motivation.
@ Villiers, Glad you are following, and like it, so far 😉
@ Bruce, when you pick an old kit you know you will have extra work to do, but I'm not going the extra mile because this is tiny (for me ofcourse). That piece it is not the key. I think, it is for tighten / loosen / lock ? the steering shaft? 🤔
@ Jim, Welcome abord, Be my guest. I'm flatered, you are more than welcome 😄

James C
I'm not much of a fan of motorcycles in general, but your detailing and attention to detail with this build is fantastic 👍

Kerry COX
What ever the season you choose Rui. I am sure you will do it justice my friend. 👍 👍 👍 🙂

Simon Nagorsnik
a good job with the bike!
I also think that it still needs some dust and also on the floor of the sidecar

Teeage
Nice job, again, Rui 💪🏼

Olivier
The R75 was produced between 1941 and 1944.

Rui S Autor
Thank you for your comments mates.
@James, In the past I've done a Tamiya ketenkraft, 9 SS Panzerdivision | Album by mig (1:35)
and I always look at it and think, "why didn't you made the cables??? 🙁" So this time I was more comitted.
@ Kezza, well this time I'm going for a dry season 😉 apreciate your encourgement

Rui S Autor
@ Simon, thank you for stopping by and comment. I'm going to try a soft urban dust weathering
@ Tini, I'm really glad you also like this litle thing.thanks a lot
@Olivier, Thanks a lot for your headsup. Apreciated mate.
I was so engrossed in building the bike that I didn't even go to see its production story. I already had a Dio in mind and now I have to change all the plans. I saw so many images of motorcycles invading Poland in 1939, that I was going for that. As you can see, I'm already thinking about the alternative, same context, same unit, but later in the war, 21/11/1941 – 27/11/1941.

Olivier
Sounds good to me.

Rui S Autor
Thanks Olivier I'm glad you concor 😉.
I'm going to extend the time frame a little from 04/10/1941 – 27/11/1941, so there are no more inconsistencies 😄

Bobby Thumbs
The bike is awesome rui

Rui S Autor
Thank you very much Bobby, I realy like it very much too and I'm not trying to be cocky. What I mean, is that I'm very happy with the result so far 🙂

Kerry COX
When your work is constantly of such high quality Rui. You can afford to be cocky mate. 👍 👍 👍 😉

Rui S Autor
Hi Kezza, I know to well my limitations, so I prefer to be humble, (and believe me that's not false modesty) even more so, when I see the top modeling level here in scalemates. 🙂

Daniel Klink
Truly a fantastic result mate👏👏👏👏👍

Rui S Autor
Well Daniel, Thank you so much for your kind comment Mate. It means a lot to me, comming from a top modeler like you.

Kerry COX
Well said my friend. 👍 😉

Rui S Autor
Thx Mate. Glad you agree Kezza 👍

Artur Z.
Hi Rui, it's looks like next exellent work 🙂. I will wait for final result.

Rui S Autor
Thank you, for your vote of cofidence, Artur. Apreciated.
After aborting the 1939 Poland dio project, I've to redirect the all thing. But I've a plan B in mind.

Mathias Decommere
Nice motorcycle-paintjob!

Villiers de Vos
Rui, this is pure eye candy.

Rui S Autor
Thank you Mathias and Villiers de Vos, I'm very glad you like this one. A long way too go, but I'm very proud it took your attention.

Jac Fleming
I love the pose of the bike, I wouldn't change anything. The road and building are super objects by their simplicity

Rui S Autor
Thank you Jack. Nice of you to stop by and coment this one, Apreciated.
I see what you mean but I want to make an efort to do this dio more real, like I always try, and so y see that I still have lot's of work to do. 😉
P.S. Owh, and the Rommel unfinished figure, is just a touch for scale purpose.

Rui S Autor
Some update photos, of the third kit for the dio.
My first Alan/Dragon Kit (definitely not for beginners).
Scratch on Zis truck, started 🙂

gorby
That does look like a very challenging kit. Fortunately your skills can easily master it.

Rui S Autor
Thank you for your kind words Mate.
Well, the kit is bad enough yep, but I'm challenging my scratch build with it, so I'm hoping to make something interesting out of it with spares and trash that I've accumulated in the man cave 😉

Rui S Autor
This is the state that the transformation from Zis 5 (Zavod imeni Stalina 5) to PMZ-1 (Zis-11) special chassis developed for the fire departmant, is currently in.

It's a Autopump on a Amo-4 (Awtomobilnoje Moskowskoje Obschtschestvo-4) chassis, from Miusskaya fire engines plant almost in the center of Moscow.

PMZ-1 also (ПМЗ-1) or (ЗИС-11) is the first model of this plant, realeased in 1934. This fire truck had a engine power of 55kW, a load capacity of 3 tons, was designed for 12 people, equiped with a centrifugal pump that suplied 1340l/min, and a tank for 360 liters of water to extinguish fire.

Villiers de Vos
Simply, outstanding work Rui.

Rui S Autor
Thank you very much for stopping by and comment, Villiers de Vos. You are to kind Mate. But yeah, I'm enjoying it a lot.

miloss
Very nice and detailed build, thank you for very helpful photos and comments. Can you suggest me, please, some good source to learn how (from which point to where) to draw cables in German BMW and Zundapp bikes, please? Your pictures are detailed, but sometimes I´m not sure, which cable is it, in other picture.
Thank you very much.

Rui S Autor
Thank you miloss for your words.
Well, my album is certainly not the best place to understand how to put wires and cables in the BMW.
I did my wiring by looking at a lot of images of this motorcycle available on the internet and also some knowledge acquired since I was little because I have always ridden motorcycles.
I'm not an expert or rivet counter but I can say that there are always n cables, some electrical and others steel, that connect, for example, the levers to the brake hub on the front wheel and to the clutch. then there's the accelerator that goes to the carbs, there's also the speedometer cable that goes from the front wheel to the dial.
Then do we have electrical cables that go for example from the spark plugs on the pistons to the alternator? and all the lighting cables coming out of the battery, to the front and rear lights, etc.
So if you want to get it perfect what I can advise is a lot of research on the net maybee try to find the diagrams of the complex electric systems and also on YouTube, there are lots of this bikes with lot's of fan's still nowadays, so you will find What you're looking for. I hope this helps, a bit 😉

miloss
Hi Rui,
thank you very much for your answer. I´d like to accentuate, that your amount of pictures, done during building of models is not usual in positive meaning of words, and so I´m really grateful for it. My intention was not to diminish your effort, only to point to my lack of knowledge and ability to fully use them for my own education. And yes, my question is a part of my searching on internet for good source of information. Different of you , although I´m not a young boy already, I´ve never ridden a motorbike. Actually I started to like motorbikes (old veterans I mean) only since my , let´s say, upper age. 😮 🙂 So I have to learn a lot. I love books, but they can be expensive and to buy something and then realize it was not worth money is not optimal way of learning ... but it´s also learning, isn´t it? 🙂
Thank you very much, have a nice day!

Rui S Autor
Hi miloss,
Thx again. I didn't understand your comment as derogatory, quite the opposite.
I appreciate the same and apologize if my answer or English words chosen were or sound arrogant, as that was clearly not my intention so i'm hoping no harm done.
I understand What you mean and I'm sending you a private message so I can try to help a little more and talk about the matter at hand 😉

miloss
Hi Rui,
thank you very much! No harm was dome, don´t worry! I´m also not very clever speaker in English, it´s much better in Slovak, I think. 🙂 The way of thinking and speaking in my language is different comparing to English - there are some cultural differences, what´s OK, but can cause difference in what wanted to be told and what was told. 🙂Thatś why I´m not always sure, how my questions sounds to other people. And I don´t want to be rude (without reason). 🙂
Thakk you very much for your PM.
Keep well!
Miloš

Rui S Autor
Hi miloss,
Ok, nice, for me would be better in Portuguese 😄 otherwise misunderstanding can always happen, and hey, you're younger than me 😉
Cheers.

gorby
If the main language of Scalemates was Portuguese, Slovak etc. I wouldn't have a clue what was going on. Everyone on here who speaks English as a second language deserves respect from those of us who use it as our native tongue. In fact, it's often embarrassing when many of you write English far better than many of the English.
Rui: your scratch building on the truck is excellent. I love the way you made the back fenders/mudguards.

miloss
Hi guys,
yes,you are right. You know, I´m greenhorn.🙂🙂🙂
Cheers!

miloss
Hi gorby,
let me ask you, please:I see that you started Panzer Soldiers Set 1. Are you able to remove molding lines of miniatures and do not destroy all details around, please? Because I´m not. So I would really appreciate some advice, how to do it. I tried thin cement, to freeze it and use low temperature, to use acetone, and, of course, sand paper, scalpel and razor blade. Razor blade works, but it´s too big to use it in area around delicate details.
Thank you very much.
Cheers!

Rui S Autor
@ gorby, thank you for your words and understanding. One thing I'm sure, my English is rough and I wish I had your sense of humor, or at least be able to transmite mine in English as perfect as you do with your 's in all your álbums, like the introduction words of your panther 1/48 project.
Let me introduce you to my first and ONLY attempt to model a tank with a full interior. | Album by gorby (1:48)
Outstanding. I always laugh and enjoy reading your comments.
As to the fenders I think we both have that improvisation in common, right? So Thx again.

@ Miloss, I think you should ask gorby about his project's on his albums. Please don't get me wrong. I don't mind you doing it here, but I thing it's fare enough if you you do it in Gorby albums, they surely deserve it.
Btw I never was able to remove 1/72 figures seam lines
So thank you both.

gorby
Hi Miloss, the Panzer soldiers set is my first experience of Orion figures and I was quite impressed with them, they are the best 1/72 figures I've tried. Mine only had a faint seam line on most of them although there was a few which needed trimming. I found a sharp scalpel used with a sawing action worked well enough and then, if that left a rough patch I used Tamiya Extra Thin. Do you know that you should prime the figures before painting with diluted PVA glue? I used plastic primer on top of that as well. I hope that helps.
Thanks you for your kind words Rui. It's particularly pleasing as I had to re-learn to speak and write after a stroke 18 years ago.
Isn't Scalemates a lovely place? 🙂

miloss
Hi guis, thank you very much for your answers and sorry for my question placed on not correct place. I'm really not a fan of social medias and my knoleadge of the manners there are really poor. I felt the post similar to Room of discussing people and I wanted to use opportunity to ask someone who is present there.But you are right, no doubts, and I know how to do it correctly, next time. 😁🤔👍 Thanks.
Cheers!

P S.: I tried Extra Thin glue and scalpel, but with poor success. But I didn't know anything about diluted PVA. Thanks!

Rui S Autor
@Gorby, I'm sorry to know about your misfortune but very Glad that you recover very well from that stroke Mate.
I'm 100% with you, scalemates it's a lovely place 👍
So Keep safe.
@Miloss, I'm sure, no harm done. 🙂
Cheers

Neil Patrick
Great craftsmanship Rui. Two major projects in one build! The Zundapp looks wonderful and I am sure the ZIS will too very soon. Looking forward to seeing the next steps.

Rui S Autor
@Neil thank you very much for your kind words and for stopping by and comment. Yah I'm back from holidays and I've to restart working on this project. It will be a long one as all my other work but hopefully I will manage to do something that will make me proud.
P.s. it's a BMW 😉

Thank you Tom Harris (MHBeergeek) for the 53 like. Much Apreciated

Neil Patrick
You're welcome Rui. Duh, How did I make that mistake? I think I was probably just too distracted by the fine detailing! 🙂

Rui S Autor
Thank you very much Neil.
No harm done 😄 on the contrary.

Thank you tom svk-atfor the 54 like. Much Apreciated

Rui S Autor
Thank you Jac Fleming for another 54 like on this album. And Hang Li fot the 55...or should I say the 56 🤔
Much Apreciated

Simon Nagorsnik
Fantastic scratch build elements!
Really like them, they´re looking great 👍
I'm already curious how it will look finished.

Pietro De Angelis
Remarkable work,
congratulations for the detail work on the vehicles.

John
Is that a water pump in the back of the ZiS? Amazing level of detail and scratchbuilding Rui!

Villiers de Vos
Over the top scratch building skills.

James C
Coming along nicely Rui 👍

Kerry COX
Will this give us frost bite Rui. ? 😉
I can imagine all kinds of scenarios and blood in the snow is one of them, if a field ambulance is required. 👍
What are you using for the bolts that will be holding all your timber add on's. ?
Brass pin nails like the naval modellers use for their planking are good. :-/
Love your work mate. 'No covid blues here' obviously. 🙂 👍
Cheerz .😉

Rui S Autor
@Simon, thank you for your comment and vote of confidence. I'm also very curious how it will end 😉
@Pietro, thank you for stopping by and your kind words. Appreciated.
@John, thank you very much, I can say that you nailed it.
@Villiers, you are to kind Mate. Thank you.
@James thx Mate .I'm really glad you like it.
@Kezza, my friend, thank you for stopping by and comment. I'm really glad to hear from you Mate. Hope everything is good now.
Well, I'm trying to keep some secret about this one, but I can say that, yes it will have blood (but not on the snow), and that John as raised the tip of the veil 😉 😄
You know I'm not a rivet counter, so I think this will not need any visible bolts.

I also would like to thank all the 60 mates that pressed the like in this one and also on my other albums. Appreciated

Kerry COX
Sweet as mate. !! 🙂 (y_

Rui S Autor
Start working again on this project, and the mojo comeback 🙂
Also thanks for the new likes. (thx to all 63 mates).

Villiers de Vos
Rui, it simply stated work of the highest standard. I am glad you have your mojo back.
What is the kind of tape that you used to make the hoses please?

Rui S Autor
Hi Villiers, thank you for your kind words Mate. I've used it before in my project
Outono / Autumn 1944 | Album by mig (1:35)
To simulate zimmerit.
It is used by wall painters when they have to mask out circled areas. it allows you to extend (straighten) one side while keeping the other side short and rough.
And yes, I'm such a slow modeler that I also really enjoy when I'm motivated.

@ ribellinu, Thank you for the 64 like. Appreciated

Villiers de Vos
Thanks Rui. I agree with your feelings.

Rui S Autor
Starting the bodywork, paintjob. Complitely noob on shiny paint work... The only gloss kit I have is a 1/72 Kubelwagen from centurys ago when I only had some clossy paints and brushes.
Some dry fiting test also.
Getting ready for the marriage.
@ Villiers de Vos 👍
@ DaveTheGun, Thank you for the 65 like. Appreciated

Kyle DeHart
Very cool!

Rui S Autor
Thank you Kyle, I'm glad you like it and comment. Apreciated
Also, thank you and to David (DaveTheGun), and Robert Hessler (RobCol)
for the 3 new likes, 68.

Kyle DeHart
I do like it. Most impressive!!

Mathias Decommere
Your building proces is really mind blowing... Perfection in the smallest detail.

Villiers de Vos
Phenomenal.

Rui S Autor
@ Kyle thx again, you are to kind.
@ Mathias, thank you very much for your kind comment. Don't we all seek that impossible aim 😄. ? Much appreciated comment.
@ Villiers de Vos, thx for your support & motivating comments Mate, you are so kind.

And thank, Viacheslav (touristTula) & Dmitry Melnikov (Ditrich) for the 2 new likes, 70.

Riho Sakrits
Will be watching that project!
Boa Sorte!

James C
Looks to be progressing nicely Rui 👍

Rui S Autor
@ Riho, Thank you for your interest and comment. I hope you will find this interesting till the end. Obrigado 😄
@ James, Thank you for your comment. Apreciated. My redemption from ZIS - 11 or PMZ - 1, is nearing completion.
And thank you Dmitry Melnikov (Ditrich); Raditz; Neil (djferrisbueller) and Mark K (Ladislas) for the new Likes. (74).
I've uploaded some more scratch detail work on the kit. I Hope you find it interesting, I sure enjoyed doing it a lot.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice work so far. It is a joy studying the small details in each photograph.

Kerry COX
As always. It's a trip back in time and a great rendition of that moment in time. Then, there is the detail. Thanks for the pleasure you give us all when admiring your skills.
None better. 👍 🙂

Rui S Autor
@ Villiers de Vos, thank you for your kind comment and continuous suport, very apreciated. I'm really glad you like the detailing.

@ Kezza, thank you my friend. you are without a doubt one of my main mentors here. It was with you and through your albums that I learned a lot, and I even tried to use your sharing methods in my Albums. It is fair and deserves my respect and public recognition for what I am saying. I am far from reaching your heels but your support from the beginning was one of the reasons that led me to try to do more and better. so thanks for your support. for me it means a lot and I am always proud of your comments. Thank you for your unconditional friendship, without it I would not be what I am in scalemates.
P.S. if I'm something at all. One thing I'm sure, I'm for ever grateful to you.

Rui S Autor
Now lifting one more edge of the veil, reveling a little more about this project, I leave you with Sturmbannführer Kurt Meyer (nicknamed "Steel Fist") , commander of the motorized reconnaissance battalion "SS Leibstandarte" memories, about that noon on Wednesday, October 8, 1941:

(...)- My armored car drove into a round city square. Trams were moving in our direction, and trucks, horse-drawn carts and hundreds of people were spinning around. My armored car almost ran into a fire truck, the driver of which stopped in confusion. The second armored vehicle, which was following mine, suddenly opened up with a whole hail of fragmentation shells, and the fire truck, frozen in front of me, was literally torn in half!
Next, the machine guns of our motorcyclists rumbled, echoing with an eerie echo somewhere in the courtyards of the houses surrounding us. (...)

Robert Podkoński
Your skills and perseverance are simply impressive, Rui. Keep it up!

Rui S Autor
Thank you very much for your comment and encouragement Robert, much appreciated.
The clean and shiny version (Diecast type with a little accident) of the fire truck is almost finished.
I just need to take more photos.

Rui S Autor
Now I can start to concentrate on the dio and figures.

Kerry COX
As always. Your skills and attention to the details have shon through mate. Well planned and executed. 👍 👍 🙂
What will next year bring I wonder. ? hehehe
More surprises no doubt. 😉
Happy New Years too mate.

Rui S Autor
Hi Kezza, thanks for your nice comment. Apreciated.
You Know mate, I realy fell proud doing this original, never saw one built, so... 😉
Anyway, at the start of the new year I want to finish this dio, so let's see how long it will take 😄
Best wishes to you and a Great and Healthy New Year 👍

Villiers de Vos
Rui, outstanding and inspiring. Best wishes for 2023.

Kyle DeHart
Really great Rui!

gorby
WOW! The fire truck is fantastic Rui! Up there with the best modelling I've seen on Scalemates.

Mathias Decommere
Just... Superb!

Rui S Autor
@ Villiers, thank you very much for your comment and kind support. Happy 2023, Mate.
@ Kyle, thank you for your comment, glad you like it.
@Gorby, thx a lot for stoping by and comment. You are to kind mate. I know very well your scratch skills and originals, and I also know I'm still some miles away from the best modelling here, but always learning on each project and so, improving.
@ Mathias, thank you very much for your kind comment. Apreciated, and it means a lot.

Thank you also for the new likes and to all, Happy 2023.

Rui S Autor
Frankenstein at work. This was easy the poor guy was already dead. Last figure worked out.

John
Nice work Dr. Frankenstein! Very realistic pose of an unfortunate participant.

Rui S Autor
Thx a lot John. Apreciated.
Yap, obviously some work still to be done, but I'm also quite happy with the pose.

Rui S Autor
Started the new challenge. Making a good interesting scratched base.
For those interested in this historic events or If someone wants to know more about this episode, you can translate from this interesting UKRAINE site:

dniprovsky-project.b..om/2021/07/1941.html

It also has a video, but unfortunately without subtitle's.

Villiers de Vos
I am still nailed to my chair. Following each development, big and small with great interest.

Rui S Autor
Thank you very much Villiers de Vos, I realy apreciate your resiliance 😄 and the endeless suport. Thx a lot.
I've finished the scratched Tram Pole, it's ready for painting 😉
Another small detail but one less to do in all the scratch work I've been doing in this project.
They sure take double time, old fashion work, from finding the right pieces and work them to a viable result, at least for my hapiness.

Rui S Autor
Start the work on the dio base.
I also want to thank all the new likes on this album. Apreciated.

Alec K
Amazing build 👍

James C
That cobble stone road looks fantastic! The manhole cover and tram lines are a nice touch as well 👍

Robert Podkoński
Soo realistic... You're a wizard, Rui!

gorby
The base is stunning! Remarkable.

John
Incredible base Rui! 👍

Mathias Decommere
Just perfect!

Rui S Autor
Well mates, I love this hobby yes, but with the kind words of support from such talented friends, I enjoy it even more.
Thank you all, I really fell great with such comments, they help me endure any hardship I encouter. Let's see if I can keep up with the standards.
Thank you also for the new likes.

Pietro De Angelis
Besutiful base!

Kerry COX
Rui. I do hope that all those cobble stones came in a packet mate. But knowing how enthusiastic and fussy you are about your work. I wouldn't be at all surprised if you hand picked them from some construction site. 🙂 🙂 But as always. Your the best. 👍 👍 😉

Neil Patrick
Just catching up with your amazing project Rui. Quite apart from the fantastic modelling, it was great to see the photos from this event all in one place. I think most of us have seen some of them before, but the books I have seen them in do not give much context or info about the actual events they depict.. Your extra research makes the whole project historically fascinating too. Great work!

Tierra del Fuego Alejandro
1. in my little opinion, as a rule, there is always a puddle from the inner thread of the rail of the tramway, or it dries up or has just formed 2. too clean street too clean path. although I myself love cleanliness, it's hard to achieve cleanliness on the street for a number of reasons independent of each other

Rui S Autor
Some progress done, I've start painting figures and weathering the tram pole, truck, and a bit more on the bike.
@ Pietro, Thank you, glad you like the base. Still work to be done but I'm happy the way its going,
@Kezza, Thx Mate. The cobble stones had already appeared in this album (photo 18). They came from a beach in Algarve.
@Neil, Thx mate. Yap this events are very well documented, as i discovered with the progress in my research.
I also would like to thank Austin Steenkamp; Lothar29 and all the new mates that pressed the like botton. Apreciated.
Still a lot of work to finish the dio, but I've now a glyinps of the final result.

Pepe
😲😍

Mathias Decommere
It sure will be a beauty!

Robert Podkoński
Faces are just perfect, Rui (as everything else 😉 )

Guy Rump
Looking better and better. 👍

Shar Dipree
Great work and a phantastic overall impression. 👍 👍 👍

Villiers de Vos
The motorbike and crew is a beautiful little gem. The wear and tear on the backrest of the sidecar is a nice touch.

Olivier
I fully agree with Villiers. Your motorcycle crew look almost real.

Pietro De Angelis
Amazing crew and motorbike Rui!
I'm so sorry, from the bottom of my miserable modeling and cultural historical skills I would never allow myself to give advice but if the scene is set in Mariupol during the Battle of the Sea of ​​Azov in 1941 the BMW R75 if I'm not mistaken was not yet available for the German Army, the model available at the time was the R12.
Anyway great work, congrats!

James C
Those figures look fantastic. Awesome job on the paintwork! 👍

Rui S Autor
@Pepe, thx
@Mathias, thank you for your support, I hope you are right.
@Robert, thanks for your kind comment. I was nicely surprised on how fast they got into this result. I think they are well sculpt and has they say, when you have that one's "they paint themselves easily"?
@Guy, I'm glad you think so. Thank you for that
@Shar, welcome and thank you for your comment and like. I'm also hoping in the end, to have that nice overall impression to be satisfied with all the effort applied on it.
@Villiers de Vos, what to say to your always motivating comments, thx a lot? I'm glad you noticed that soft weathering too. Apreciated
@Pietro, thank you. I'm pleased you like the R75 and crew. Has to the historical accuracy I will respond next.
@James, your comment is always very apreciated. I know and recognize the high quality of your work, so it's most rewarding to see you stopping by. Thx

Rui S Autor
Now Pietro, you probably right, that it should be a R12, but has you can see the matter was already discussed up in this album with Oliver early in 23 November 2021.
When I started the BMW I only had the idea of making something different from what I had been doing, than I thought about Poland invasion but that was a blunder has Oliver pointed out. So I changed plans and look for a date when the BMW was already running. And 1941 was the beginning of that.
In BMW Group Archive, I found that:

In 1941 the production of civilian motorcycles was stopped. Germany was at war and production was adjusted to the needs of the Wehrmacht. BMW motorcycles have always been popular with authorities - and thus also with the military. Single-cylinder models were used as light courier and training machines, and the R 12 was delivered to the Wehrmacht as a side car.
However, the war policy of the Germans required a motorcycle Side car that could be safely mastered on any surface - mud, ice, gravel, desert sand - and that required only little maintenance even at extreme temperatures and heavy loads. In addition, the motorcycle should also be able to cope with longer distances at low marching speeds without any problems.
No German motorcycle manufacturer had such a machine in their range, which is why a special development order was placed with BMW and Zündapp. In the winter of 1938, BMW began work on this project based on the R 71 engine. The beams of the bolted tubular frame were divided. This enabled the engine to be installed and removed quickly, as the lower frame part could simply be folded away. A rear wheel suspension was omitted for better stability. But while the frame proved itself during the test drives, there were thermal problems with the side-controlled motor in off-road use and on longer trips at walking speed. So BMW developed a new engine.
The result was a 750 cc unit with an output of 26 hp at 4000 rpm. The engine developed an enormous torque and, since it had a very low compression ratio of 5.8:1, it could also easily tolerate poor-quality or synthetically produced fuel. In contrast to the R 71 engine, no heat problems occurred during testing, so that the R 75 could go into series production in 1941.

And

Series production of the R 75 begins
date from07.1941.
Description
In July 1941, the first R 75 sidecars rolled off the assembly line in Munich. However, after production was relocated from Munich to Eisenach in June/July 1942, the majority of the R 75 was manufactured in Thuringia. The R 75, with seven forward and two reverse gears and a powered sidecar, was specially developed and produced for the German Wehrmacht.

Rui S Autor
So my conscience his ok with using this kit has eventually a single replacement new side car in October, for the first SS division formed based on the Hitler personal bodyguard regiment ( probably with a great influence) in theory it could be possible?. Has said already above in this album I'm not a rivet counter (I can't read the licence plate in one of the reference photos, the one that looks like a Zundapp?...just joking 😉) and my dioramas don't intend to be historically correct they simply aim to be ideas historically based, with lots of the so called "artistic" liberty.
Anyways Thx again for your comments. I apreciate them all.

Pietro De Angelis
👍

Alec K
Awesome progress Rui, I love the expressions on those motorcyclists' faces 👍

Gary Curling
Motorbkes and bikes are fiddly models to do,so well done on this one

Kerry COX
Hi Rui. 🙂 🙂 🙂 I have just finished browsing through you work using the mosaic view and pulling up the ones I saw that showed the detail you included.
It took a LONG time to do as every image had something of interest and wonderment included.
No need to say your attention to detail is superb, as I have said it every time I see your work, especially with the images of the original scenes in black and white you have used to help you define that moment in time.
It takes a while before the smile on my face goes after seeing what you have accomplished.
It really is hard to separate the final results from the images you used as reference material.
That is some skill you have my friend and there is not one build I have seen of yours that one can find any sub standard workmanship.
Your skills and abilities are truly something special mate.
Thank you for all the years of enjoyment and inspiration. 👍
Cheers good buddy. 🙂 👍

Rui S Autor
@Alec k, thank you, glad you think so and like them and yes this figures are well sculpted.
@Gary, thank you for stopping by and comment. Apreciated. Not the best motorcycle kit in the market I think but it was a nice kit to build and improve. Thank you for your like too.
@Kezza, my friend, your words put a big smile on my face. Thx a lot Mate, coming from a Master makes me feel very proud. Also Knowing that my work was interesting enough for you to have all that work and time spent looking at it ... Yap makes me feel Great and motivated for doing better every time.
I know I should be more selective in chosing the lot of photos I upload but as I've a lot of work in improving the old models I find difficult not to share that in here, so I end up uploading more than I should, but hey, that's just one of my disabilities.
I really enjoyed reading your comment. Thx again good Yoda 😉

Kerry COX
Hi Rui. 👍 I am pleased to know you 'rescue' some of your builds. 🙂 I have from time to time pulled a few off death row and repatriated them to their former glory. Just as much fun as unpacking them for the first time. 🙂 Right now, I am eying off the Erickson Sky Crane from ICM in 1/35 scale. But I want to do it as the 'Elvis' fire fighter. Bright orange with a huge tank slung under the rotor and engine assy. Almost $300.00 AU. But with the war in Ukraine, it's understandable. Also. I am eagerly awaiting the 1/35 Mi-28 'Havoc' Russian attack helicopter from Meng. The 1/72 scale was a shit model. Happy Easter my friend. BTW. I meant every word about your skills and abilities. You have given me so many ideas and tips without saying a word. 😉

FTilhonLinden
Excellent work! My deepest respect!

Rui S Autor
Hi Kezza, I think I didn't express my self correctly as sometimes occour. I meant old kits and not, my old models. That ones I never go back and touch them, not because i don't fell that urge, it's more because they tell the story of my skills at the moment I built them and so I like to see what progress I'm geting from newer experiences. So I let them stay like they where when I finish them. Also, I've so many kits in stash that I prefer to start a new project from scratch. If not I always consider that a model his never completelly finished, so it would be a never ending process arround the same subject, plus you know I'm a very slow modeler. I always have to enjoy one less on the stash.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to see you Back in Action Mate, I missed that for a long time now, so I'm eager to study your new albums. Please, go for it, you know my scale is 1/35; 1/32 right👍
Happy Easter to you too, my friend and thx again for your kind words, they are always most welcome. I'm really happy to know that my work still has some tips for the interested mates, that makes me try harder to work better, (and ofcourse some abuse in uploading it) 😄.
@ FTilhonLinden, Thank you very much for your kind comment. Much apreciated and I'm really glad you like my work here.

Kerry COX
I did misunderstand, but 'no foul' as they say. hehehehe I am looking around for a display case that will take all my 1/32 scale birds and choppers, those being the 'Super Stallion, the Apache, and four Ju-87's and Skyraider, but with the two future additions, I will be pushing for space to put the case too. :-/ Not long now before I have the confidence to tackle an other big project. It's been a while. 😉

Mark Sherwood
That is a very nice BMW Combination, kudos on your figure painting. The dio' looks pretty nifty too.

Mr James
I know its been mentioned by others, but your attention to detail and the documentation of your process, is very impressive Rui. It inspires me to build the R12 in my stash to your standard. I will be referencing your work when the time comes and for that I thank you. I was really impressed by the painting of the bike riders. They wonderfully painted and the expression on their faces you brought out, is superb. The scratch building of the fire truck is a stand out and the cobbled street is beautifully painted. Bloody good work Rui 🙂

Villiers de Vos
As always, phenomenal detail. Master class.

Neuling
Mr James says it all. - To me picture 313 seems to show the completed diorama. More photos would be more than welcome!

Kerry COX
Rui. Your simply, the best. ! Salute. 😉

Kyle DeHart
This has been great following along with. A really stunning result. The attention to detail has been next level across the board.

Jean-Michel Tilquin
It's all been said above... Superbly detailed and the figures are really realistic.
Like Neuling, suggested, more photos with a cleaner background would make your dio more justice! Congrats, Rui!

Lawrence Landis
Your work is phenomenal. Very enlightening.

Kyrylo
This is a very titanic work ... I am delighted with the realization of this idea! You are an incredible cool modelist because this work is truly difficult. I am pleased that you have chosen the subject of Mariupol because it is the city of my student years. Thank you for it! I will look forward to new works!

Walton
Hi guy !! I'm very impressed by your face painting.. It looks sooo human !!!!! 👍👍👍

Villiers de Vos
All the elements are starting to come together. Fantastic.

Mike Kryza
I like the result! Well done!

Rui S Autor
As mentioned some time ago, I would like to respond and thank all the last comments that have been posted here, now that I've resumed this project and hadding it to completion.
I intend to emphasize the great appreciation I have for all of them and so, responding to everyone:

@Kerry COX, Kezza my friend, I hope you are well. Thank you very much for your unconditional support, which was one of the reasons why I always continued to work and present my dios here and always try to do my best to reach your level. I look forward to seeing a new project of yours;
@Mark Sherwood, Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I'm so glad you like this dio. The BMW is a really nice kit, although the Italeri always needs some work, but it's worth it IMHO;
@ Mr. James, Thank you very much for your kind and encouraging comment. Appreciated. The details make the difference as they say, so it makes sense to spend time executing them. I highly recommend making a sidecar, as mentioned above, it is a small piece, but in itself it is worth many larger ones. As for the figures, they almost painted themselves, the molds were so good. I'm glad you liked my scratch work too. As for the street, the stones came from a beach in Algarve;
@Villiers de Vos, Thx a lot for your nice comment. Always appreciated;
@Neuling, Thanks for commenting on this work of mine. Photo 313 is just another one of the work in progress. As I love sharing all my work and details here, you already know that my albums have a lot of photos. But yes, I can say that I will be happy to continue presenting more, until the final result, which by the way, is almost arriving;
@Kyle DeHart, Thanks so much for stopping by. I appreciate that you enjoyed the development of this dio. The final result is to be shared soon. I hope you will like it;
@Jean-Michel Tilquin, Thank you, it is a pleasure to read your words here, as I know the quality of your Dios. The photos still represent WIP, but as mentioned above, this work is in its final stages. Stay tuned;
@Lawrence Landis, I'm really glad you like my work so much. Thank you very much for your comment;
@Kyrylo, Thank you. It was really a leap in the dark for me. I always wanted to make a sidecar with every possible detail and the fire truck came along the way and it was really captivating.
Your words are really kind as they reflect all the effort I put into this work. The fact that you are directly involved with this city makes me even happier, as I intend to make this work a tribute, to all the martyrs of the invasions it suffered.
@Walton, Thx for stoping by and comment. Appreciated
@Villiers de Vos, thank you. Yes, as mentioned above this work is in the final stages. New photos are added:

-New fire truck details and weathering, (including battle damage and the flat tire), as well as street weathering.
- Missing the finalization of the figures and the base corner, and the final weathering on the sidecar.

P.S. Hi Mika, I apreciate your comment. Glad you like it. The final result is shortly in sight 😉

Villiers de Vos
Welcome back at your worktable.

Rui S Autor
Thank you Villiers de Vos, but I've been at my wortable finishing two "shelf queens" :
- Outono / Autumn 1944_Jagdpanzer Tiger (P) Elefant;
- Esci sdkfz 10/4.
But yes, now finishing this one and thinking wich one I'm going to pick froms stahsh next 🤔

I´ve finished the base corner.

gorby
The base is looking remarkable! 😮

CaptGPF
A little late to the party, but following! That motorbike looks fantastic!

Rui S Autor
@ Gorby, Thanks a lot. I'm so glad you think so, it envolved a lot of commitment 😉
@ CaptGPF, Thank you very much for your comment. As we say "better late than ever" 😄 and always apreciated.

The motorbike and figures are now finished and in place. One big step closer to the finish line.

Lebloge
I'm taking the train on the way,😬 how could I have missed this incredible work...😶‍🌫️ I have no words for it...🤔 except waaaw 🤩🤩

Villiers de Vos
The motorbike and figures came out super.

Rui S Autor
@ Lebloge, Welcomw abord, we are reaching the end station 😄 Thx a lot for your comment. Apreciated;
@ Villiers de Vos, I want to express my depest apreciation for all your suport on this project. It was very important and motivating for me, so Thank you very much for all your kind comments.

Now, finishing the weathering and last details on the fire engine.

Pietro De Angelis
What a dio show Rui is coming out with,
the bike and the bikers are really fascinating!
I have them in my stash too,
when one day I get around to making them I hope they look at least a little like yours!

Alec K
It's great to see this awesome project inching toward the finish line Rui. It's gonna be epic 👍

Rui S Autor
@ Pietro De Angelis, wow, such words and praise fill me with joy and pride. Thank you so much for your comment. I'm sure your work on the subject will be great;
@ Alec K, Thank you so much for your kind comment. I don't know about the epic thing but I'm just hopping I will not let you down.

Add some detail photos of the finishing work on the fire engine, that I'm happy to say, it's now finished.

Mathias Decommere
Fantastic progress Rui, keep up the good work!

gorby
Fantastic work Rui, I'm pleased you've completed it.
Some photos of the entire diorama would be good. 👍

gorby
I have no idea why it won't work for you, I've just tried it and it worked fine. Were you able to rotate any of the photos?

Bozo
Hello
what paints you used
Good looking so far

Greg Baker Autor
This should be an adventure... I'm entering a 120 step program... 🙂

Greg Baker Autor
Ok... so a bit of an explanation seems in order for this project. As most of you know, I have a large and ever growing Tintin project - trains, planes, automobiles, boats... and ships... that were featured in the various Tintin albums. Amongst the long list there are the "Big Three" - The Lunar Rocket, Marlinspike Hall/Chateau Moulinsart, and the Unicorn. For the first two, I've been doing some preparation work to be able to tackle them with 3D model building and printing. But the Unicorn... well, that's a different beast altogether. A sailing ship as complex as the Unicorn is not something easily 3D printed. That's were this set comes in. In 2011-2012 Hachette released a Unicorn "kit" - basically on a "one part per week" schedule. You buy the booklet and the part... and little by little the Unicorn comes to life. I've known about this set for a while, but didn't really have a hope of ever getting my hands on it. I missed the weekly release, which, while still expensive (about $10 a shot... for a 120 shots...) would have maybe been manageable over the long haul. However, trying to get your hands on all the parts at this point is not easy... and generally costs a mint. So, I'd more or less resigned myself to not getting this.

Greg Baker Autor
However, as luck would have it, I seem to be getting a bit of a reputation as a builder of Tintin models on a few spots on the internet and after making a few connections ran across a guy who HAD gone to the book store 120 times... and then got in over his head. So for over 10 years this partially started project has sat in his basement... until this past week. There was a bit of negotiation, but the price was quite reasonable (all things considered) and, after finding a few unloved boxes of comic books and sports cards in MY basement, I was able to a 3-way trade and close the deal. 😄

Greg Baker Autor
Yesterday the box showed up on my front doorstep... in less than stellar condition. I'm really glad this box was only being shipped across the country and not overseas, because I'm sure I would lost half the parts somewhere over the Atlantic. 🙂 I get the impression that the seller doesn't do a lot of online sales... because he basically threw whatever was on the table in his basement into a flimsy box, threw a scrap of bubble wrap on top and put a piece of tape over the top. However, after a close inspection I was very glad to find that everything arrived more or less intact. I thought I was going to have to craft a few bits to replace the broken off tips on a few of the pieces, but luckily I actually found them on my front step this afternoon. Anyway, it's been cleaned up, all the bags have been inventoried, the broken bits glued back on... and it's ready to go. The first 9 steps have been completed so I'm starting from step 10... only 110 more to go! Stay tuned! This one's going to take a while...

Cuajete
Interesting story. Glad you were able to get it, Greg 👍
110 updates ahead seem to promise hours of fun and days of watching it here 🙂
I can't miss this!

Greg Baker Autor
Thanks Cuajete. One of the problems with inheriting a partially started model like this is that sometimes you need to undo someone else's mistakes. This is a rather precise "kit" and I've already had to partially disassemble it to a) clear out a glob of wood glue that was pushing up one of the ribs and would make the deck warp, and b) sand down the cut edges so that the little burs don't keep the parts from sitting flush. Luckily the previous owner didn't do such a great job to glue the pieces in place, so it's coming apart relatively easily. Maybe I should tear the whole thing down and start over…

LucLuke B
Count me in.
Yes, maybe a good idea to go back to step one.

Alec K
Taking a seat. What a journey so far!

Greg Baker Autor
Thanks guys. LucLuke - I've inspected the rest of the pieces closely and there are 3 that I think were originally mis-aligned. So, I think after a bit or regluing I should be good going forward now. I'm a little warry of the MDF wood - it's a lot less forgiving than plastic. I don't want to break and of the pieces by trying to take them apart because they're unlikely to simply break cleanly like polystyrene. The MDF will tear and become full of fibre. That will make it almost impossible to get it back in position.

Cuajete
I agree with you, Greg. The cure could be worse than the disease 👍

Spanjaard
this will cer6be an epic project, not to be missed 🙂

Greg Baker Autor
It'll be an epic... one way or the other. 😉

I just hope Lode doesn't show up until it actually looks like a ship... and not just leftovers from a home building project. 🙂

CaptGPF
Taking a seat - this is definitely going to be insteresting!

Matti Thomaes
Permission to come on board, Sir? very interrested in this one.

Ben M
🏴‍☠️

Greg Baker Autor
Thanks guys. This one promises to be a long and plodding project. It'll be a new experience for me though, that's for sure.

bughunter
Great story and nice that you don't have to wait another week or more to get next set parts 👍 The rather large gunship looks really small compared to this new ship.
Watching no matter how long it takes!

Greg Baker Autor
Thanks Frank. The pirate ship does look small, but I'm happy to note that I think I got the scaling bang on. My original thought for this project was the Heller 1/100 Soleil Royal (with heavy modifications) and the pirate ship is a 1/110 scale Bounty. Both of which were (at least to my eyeballs) pretty close to perfect for the scale given that this one is "scientifically calculated" to be 1/72 scale.

Anyway, I'm still in the re-do mode. I can tell that the previous owner was a bit less than careful in putting some of the pieces together. I've had to break down a few more parts, do a bit of sanding and then re-glueing them back in the proper place. The trim along the hull for the canons was particularly sloppy and I think that would have caused me a lot of grief once I try to get the hull put together because they would've caused gaps in the planking.

LucLuke B
What's worse is that you've got to build three.

Greg Baker Autor
Hahaha! I wouldn't survive. 🙂

Anyway, my last bit of re-do work, re-aligning the gun ports, is now done. I've now opened my first bag of parts (10) and have officially started moving forward rather than backward. I've glued one row of planks on the deck. 🙂

Greg Baker Autor
After days of cutting the staves into 45mm strips, sanding and glueing them in place, I now have the first deck completed. It still needs to be sanded and varnished, but I'm more or less happy with it. I did deviate from the instructions a bit though. Instead of two mirrored sides, I tried to plank it as one piece and try to avoid the seam. It didn't quite work as well as I hoped, as I can still see a bit of a seam, but I think it's better… right?

Chris Greathouse
Cool! Following!

Nathan Dempsey
Interesting kit for sure. I'll follow along.

Michael Prator Autor
Its been a fun kit because the MMU was so horribly plain and lacking in detail that I was forced to do research and was able to add a lot of accurate details easily.

Nathan Dempsey
I noticed you had added many details. I saw one of these at a show and it appeared that they gave you the basic shapes as a starting point...

Michael Prator Autor
Nathan ... the 'out of box' MMU is very basic and uses black circle decals to imply the 24 control thruster jet locations. I pulled up pictures of the MMU at the Smithsonian and found that just using a couple of micro drill bits you can add a lot of details for all of the panel screw locations and I also used a Tamiya plastic scriber I could etch where the panel edges were. There is still a lot of fine detail I *might* add (control switches, brace points, etc) ... but I also may call it "good enough" and move onto the growing pile of kits in my stash.

Torsten
Well done, like it 😎

Liane Lonesome
I know this kit so good. I was building it when I was 10 years old. 1988. I bought it with so much proud for around 55 quid and I was sooo curious to build and to paint it.
Good Job!
Well done!
(I'm curious how expensive this kit today is, coz I guess it's not sold anymore, innit?)

Eddie Mann
It was "made by" W&T.

scalemates
Steam & Truck would be the brand as it is the product they sell to the market.

Decals from Brand X printed by Cartograph are also added to the database as "X"

Leif Hellström Autor
OK, I will move them.
Done.

Ben M
The rumor I have heard is the owner has health problems and periodically disappears due to that. I remember not hearing back from him for a long period of time and then he reappeared. I am not on FB so I can't comment as to what's up. But I do not think when he falls silent it is due to him being shady, I think he will eventually get back to you, but who knows how long it might take.

Nick Thompson Autor
Thanks for the response Ben. I've been waiting 4 months before responding in the hope that you were right.
However, it's now been close to a year and I am still sitting here with an expensive lump of useless resin and a new stack of unanswered emails sent to Luis since then. All I can say is, health issues or not, this is no way to run a business or treat customers. There are ways to ensure a customer is communicated with in this length of time no matter what else is going on. But to promise a replacement, twice, and then not honour that puts this company and its owner in the dishonest con-artist category for me. I have no expectation of ever having this resolved which is an incredible disappointment as it did look like a great kit.

Marcin Dudek
Impressive build 👍

Robert Podkoński
Pefect!

Олег О
Wow effect. Great job!

Robert Podkoński
Great presentation!

Bozo
Brilliant
Beautiful and very inspired stagging

Spanjaard
amazing job once more Neuling

Gary Curling
A great diorama

Mark Sherwood
Like it, a lot. 👍🥸👍

gorby
WOW! I'm amazed at how you make the scene so realistic. Your attention to detail is remarkable.

Paul Eden
This diorama is mind blowing. Literally thought it was a photo of a real scene at first. Thanks for shar8ng, fabulous example of model making art.

Zbynek Honzik
Beautifully done diorama and very nice photos. Wonderful! Just the way Neuling does it so well! 👏👏👏

Rui S
Great Dio, again. Great weathering too 👍

Cliff Kidd
Stunning work!

Thomas Haberl - (TH SCALE MODELS)
Very nicely done and I love the outdoor shots ☺

Michael Kohl
Another dio with all the qualities we came to cherish from you. Again a treat.

Marc .
Great diorama! I really like the storyteling.

CaptGPF
I just don't know how you do it - building such perfect pieces, laying them out on a beautifully haunting setting and arranging everything to tell a story is simply astounding! ❤️❤️❤️

Panzerwomble
Very sweet!

Mid Franconian
A masterpiece as usual!!

Guy Rump
Excellent dio and modelling. 👍

Air no
J'ai beaucoup de leçon à recevoir sur la peinture des personnages. Bravo !!

Lebloge
Splendid work… as usual ! 🤩🫡

Neuling Autor
Thanks a lot for the comments and likes! Really much appreciated!

Shane Hodgetts
Fabulous stuff…well done ..😉👍

Neuling Autor
Tank you, mate! Much appreciated!

Djordje Nikolic
Awesome diorama and great setting. With thr background it adds a certain level of realism!

Sy Bar
It's all been said before but great storytelling diorama and the builds are excellent 👍

MS K
The film camera effect makes it look like a war correspondent's photo. Nice work!

Arnold Mertens
excellent story telling and detailed debris!! Beautiful work

Neuling Autor
I´m glad you like my stuff, mates! Thank you so much!

Olivier
A very lively scene. Another piece of your art...

Robert Podkoński
Awesome - that's the right word 😉

Neuling Autor
Thanks a lot, Olivier and Robert! Much appreciated!

Desert Marlin
Just saw this one! Excellent job!

Neuling Autor
Thank you, Desert Marlin! Much appreciated!

Ed Froix
Superb! very realistic

Neuling Autor
Thank you, Ed Froix! Much appreciated!

Randy Kriegel
Excellent build 👍

Acki
So good! Amazing job. Thanks for sharing. 👍🏻