Luft46's Blog

The Fw Ta 183 is almost ready to have the main body joined up. I’m still having issues with gaps at the internal bulkheads for the cockpit and u/c bays but they’re close enough that a little plastic filler should solve the problem.

I also purchased some Abteilung 502 pigments and some of their neutral grey oil paint that I want to try out on a German mini sub. These were from my local hobby store which is more like Warhammer in its style but in a warehouse so more space. Given its 5 minutes walk away this is very tempting.

Next week is busy with personal stuff but the weekend is free at least so I hope to get this joined up.

I got back on Wednesday night but didn’t really do any modelling this week.

Mostly unpacking, putting things up and settling in again.

I did get some quick photos of all my booty and the new decorations but apart from putting the Fw Ta 283 box on the bench and starting to sort through the photos from OS nothing else was done.

If you are an arachnophobe do not scroll any further.

……

……

……

You were warned ! She is I think related to the St Andrews Cross spider but bigger with more muted markings. They seem to be an occasional visitor when the conditions are right.

So no real modelling done of course or anything modelling related after Telford but I bought some more related books.

Most of these aren’t that thick except the Monte Cassino book which is quite thick and heavy and at 50GBP or around $98 Aud. This is one from the THEN and NOW series and one I’ve wanted for a while.

And a book I might read sometime from Penguin.

Cosford is the Air Force Museum location about ten minutes by train and 15 minutes walk from Telford the site of the UK IPMS’s yearly model show.

This was my third visit with lots of Luft46 rockets etc and strangely enough I received email notice from Airfix as I had just finished photographing the full scale Me 410 that they would be doing a 1.72 kit that would be available at the show.

This was rather weird.

Saturday was a full day from 9 to 6 spent at the show and a half day on the Sunday.

Lots of people with far better cameras and abilities have posted photos and videos so I’ve only attached a few of my favourites that I took.

This was my third and probably last Telford but I walked away very satisfied that I had the fullest possible experience including the social experience.

I must also say that the head judge was a master of diplomacy and was clear in that what was being judged was art and hence would always be subjective. I also liked his statement that some people would be over invested in their model winning.

I can only agree as I don’t always agree with the judging decisions but mostly I feel the judges do get it right and in some cases some people will never be happy unless they win.

Next week will be the last holiday post but it will likely be low in modelling content and lastly some books etc. I bought.

Ok we ran into issues with the UK trains and were due to be in York tonight but given how many trains were cancelled London is tonight’s stop. Next Sunday of course is Telford with Cosford on the Friday so there will be a bit of content then.

The only vaguely modelling related activity was visiting the TinTin museum yesterday. There was a book on avions in TinTin but as my French is average I know that’s aircraft but would struggle with the rest.

Of course most people would recognise the Mosquito and Ar 196 in a couple of stories plus many others. There is even a made up civil jet aircraft.

I indulged myself and got the Moon rocket.

In the last week I have been to Peenemunde, a very decrepit Russian missile launching sub, a naff Polish fort which had some guns you could play with, Hangar 10 aircraft museum and today the Munster tank Museum.

Below are a few photos in relative order. If I included even 5% of the photos I have taken this blog would never get uploaded.

In the last week I have been to Peenemunde, a very decrepit Russian missile launching sub, a naff Polish fort which had some guns you could play with, Hangar 10 aircraft museum and today the Munster tank Museum.

Below are a few photos in relative order. If I included even 5% of the photos I have taken this blog would never get uploaded.

So it’s still Sunday afternoon in Berlin but has just ticked over in Monday in Australia, technically late but not from my viewpoint.

Like many big cities Berlin has a lot of museums. In a week there is no chance of visiting them all.

I’ve been fortunate to squeeze in the Technology Museum and it was well worth the visit particularly up in one corner as this was more Luft46 in style with many of the usual suspects.

I’m only going to put a few photos up and you can play guess the object at home.

And lastly I was at a flea market and picked up a railway sign to go with my others.

Thursday I ventured out in the cold damp day to see the Flaktower. This was the one in the French sector that was mostly blown up leaving about a quarter of it now accessible. After blowing it up it was covered in a mountain of rubble that was not disturbed until 2004 when some curious explorers went in with the aid of an excavator. They’ve been working on expanding access ever since.

You go in at the first level down from the roof and proceed downwards.

Access is tricky with you being required in the first section of steps to stay 3 metres apart so there was no snowball effect if someone slipped. You then had a short section where you had to duck a little to get across to the next section. Hard hats were mandatory and some sections featured quite a view down which I only took partly advantage of.

Most of the photos are from the tour company as except for outside photos no photography was allowed.

View over Berlin.

Today went to the Espionage museum that cover from the distant past through to today.

Yes this is a bit unscheduled but as I am now in Berlin on holidays this seemed a suitable time to do an update.

I was last in Berlin in 1994 so much has changed. The cleared area where the wall was is mostly filled now. The Pergamon Museum is much the same internally but the external area is much changed as they have added an extra area at what was the side.

A nearby building that had bullet marks from WW2 was unchanged.

Bullet holes from 1945