Bluemonkey presents....

Fiddly and burny fingers to solder all up together. Forming the etched wraps was fun using a bench vice guides as the curved formers, who needs those expensive rolling bars 😁 Next to prime it up to see what I have missed, burnt fingers crossed nothing is up.

Hi Rich, I'm goinging to give it a go but the picture I have is of an extended roof to the crane sides with extra sides on the front bit of the roof as supports.

Unfortunately I am knees deep already and only just realised about the pending release.

With Chuffet's Aero wagons finished and waiting on news of the transfers to complete. Attentions have turned to completing a little more of the engineering side of things. A D&S Cowans 15T crane. What a flipping head scratching nightmare fir a guy with zero trains or engineering knowledge. It has taken quite a while to translate the instructions to ludite and seems the original instructions is missing a section unless there had been a linear counting failure between 4 and 6 as 5 is missing. 5 may be alive but missing in action.

Excellent modelling. Looks just the part and ready to be felled to produce the wooden deck of your Aeros. Great job Rob.

I believe these were for the transportation of Lancaster Bomber propellers primarily but ti's the war and needs must.......right 😉

Thanks couldn't have done them without you.

Or naked!!!! If you prefer. Available via the Warren Branch Thread by @chuffinghell

I have tried to get a decent picture of the near completed rake and some individuals but just do not seem to do them justice, sorry @chuffinghell. But I am sure you get the idea, some old, some new. Personally speaking these certainly out strip anything produced by commercial outfits new or old. Just hoping Uncle Steve @railtec-models is hopefully be able to produce to the finishing touches to add to each wagon. I am sure there are plenty of others out there that have these from a variety of sources that are hoping the same. Now, over to you @MrWolf 😉. Hurry up with those twiggy things are crack on with the chocolate wagons!

Now the crates have had a base coat and a dark coat/shade, time to lighten the mood. Took these pics but the differences are a little too subtle for the camera and the lighting. From case colours and shades to adding a little more shade and dirt. From these 'darker' tones to dry brushing some new wood colour to all the crates to bring out highlights and lighten the wood, especially the newer ones. First up the crates after receiving final dark tones, left is the old crate and right while be the newer crate. Quite a difference for the dark crates once the highlight and lighter tones are add. Left is before and right is after. Almost a match for the first dirty pair. The newer wood crates, this time left is highlighted and right is base darker shades and tones. Now to go back and pick all the metal work out again, not so itchy as the first time around though.

Sorted! Rake of Aeros complete just need a touch of weathering and a few prop crates. Livery is rather striking.

Thank you for sharing Mikkel. Some very useful hints and tips and I also rather like your 'paint and pigment' method. Many things and techniques to learn before rushing into Bath Stone region. I continue to watch and be inspired Sir.

It is well and truly a table top production line again. After another long fight with two airbrushes.

Thank you kind Sir. I have to put it down to the clever paint manufacturers though, I just waft it around.

Very nice Mr Wolf, certainly a rabbit hole I'm stay well clear of! 🏃‍♂️🏃🏃‍♀️ Applied a wash of Agrax Earthshade last night to allow a decent drying period and to see effect on 'new wood' colour. Nice contrast between the new and old wood colours. Seems OK and certainly something that can be worked with. Probably only needs a little dry brushing of the new wood colour to finish. Don't want to 9ver do the newer wood. As for the older ones they have a Nuln Oil wash coming this morning.

It like that mountain climb. A real test on process but awesome at the top. Cheers Chris these are truly awesome. Really hope we can embark on some more/new projects together. Rocket launchers, moon mission (successful one) etc

Been slowed down a bit with the thought of all the metal work to paint. Today just got on with it. Just a stiff neck now but a few ciders will loosen that up 👆 Now for the washes. Not exactly sure how I'm going to attack the newer wood yet 🫣🤔🫣

Oops now my memory is slipping as well 🫣

Thank you for you lind comments. Look forward to seeing what you do with the Hydra and also your thoughts about the model itself. Got a feeling Chris did one as well a while ago.

You are too kind, my friend, after all you are the God father of modelling inspiration. Not to mention your own exquisite modelling.

The new decks are finished and the pictures are really not offering a very good visual. I used a mobile phone rather than my normal digital camera thing. I will try and repost the end product to give, hopefully a better representation. I am heading headlong into airbrush gate and itchy, fiddley metal detailing so having to build the correct head space to take these elements on (even though the wagons are little crackers!!!). The news that both Hatton's and The Warley Show are to cease has also knocked a little stuffing out of me and many others. I had purchased a number of decent models from Hatton's and am very sad to see a leading trader stop trading. I had always wanted to visit the Warley show but never really had enough funds to do so (probably the same for many), it was one of those 'bucket list' things I guess, bit like jumping out of a plane with a handkerchief on your back, zipping through Wales countryside on a wire, taking pictures of the artic night sky to see something later on 'film' better than reality or taking that hugely expensive trans-continent train journey 😉. We will see what the weekend brings my friends but a little nervous about 2024 and our hobby greats.

Reworked, firstly better coverage of dry brushed Faded Sinai Grey, then a good wash of Nuln Oil, followed with a good wash of Agrax Earthshade. Better and certainly darker than the camera suggests but not a match for the original. Just underlines if you require the same effect do them together as matching, even using the same process, is very tricky.

I know I said I wouldn't post about this anymore but I have discovered my error. It was simply that I had not applied enough Faded Sinai Grey when dry brushing. Discovered this when quickly catching the comparison deck up to the other three. Worth just laying around withe the technique. There are many ways to paint wood and weathering will add further, this process works for me and how my eye sees it.

It's subtle but there is a difference, honest. There is still something missing compared to the built Aero so I will add some Nuln Oil to see if that's it. I won't keep boring you with each stage as we are not at the part where it is up to the individual's requirement and 'eye' anyway. With the superb detail definition from Chuffinghell's print work and the use of layers of shades it is possible to have a goon many attempts to get the look you are after.

It can be a little tricky dry brushing with airbrush ready paint so a very light touch is required. The difference is subtle but with the Agrax should have more depth. Far right decks have been dry brushed.