Matilda II Tamiya 1/35 - Ring in the Bling! ... 3-19-16

[afvfan]

Appreciate the comment Phil. British armor not being my normal forte, this was a good learning experience that I'd like to attempt again sometime in the future.

[adt70hk]

Bob

Loving the finish and detailing you've added!!  For some odd reason I've always had a soft spot for Matilda's..

Very well done!!

Andrew

[afvfan]

Thanks Andrew. It was almost a fight getting this one up to speed. It had to be one of the most problematic Tamiya kits I've ever tackled.

[wbill76]

Detail work upped the standard on this one nicely Bob! Can't argue with that rock wall scheme finish either as an eye-catcher. Glad to see you got it done in time!

[afvfan]

Mar 18, 2016 13:32:58 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

Glad to see you got it done in time!

That's funny! I actually just got up from the workbench replacing 2 of those headlight guards that I managed to break off packing it for the show.

[afvfan]

Got back from the show a little while ago. Here's a picture of the results of the day:



Before everyone gets all excited, I will add a disclaimer. This turned out to be a pretty slim show, entry wise. Seems they were butting heads with a major, well drawing show in Atlanta, that in all probability took half the entrants that normally would have been there. Oh well, at least it looks good on paper. We'll see how they do at the AMPS Nationals in a couple weeks - unfortunately due to contest rules the Matilda and Char B will be going up against one another. Both are in the same category, but only one can win a medal.

[wbill76]

As long as there were more than 3 entries on the table, you've got reason to be happy Bob! Having the Char and Matilda go head to head will be interesting to see how they do under the AMPS scoring, they should do just fine though!

[Leon]

Congrats on the awards Bob! Well deserved.

[afvfan]

Mar 19, 2016 20:21:03 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

As long as there were more than 3 entries on the table, you've got reason to be happy Bob!

That, there was, so I feel justified in the wins, especially the Best Armor since that took in a larger field of competitors.

Thanks Leon.

[deafpanzer]

Congrats! Few or many I knew this is going to bring home some gongs. Wish I can go to AMPS Nats this year... Damn it! If it wasn't for the Europe trip I would have gone in a heartbeat. Maybe next year in Danbury?

[afvfan]

Mar 20, 2016 14:26:49 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Congrats! Few or many I knew this is going to bring home some gongs. Wish I can go to AMPS Nats this year... Damn it! If it wasn't for the Europe trip I would have gone in a heartbeat. Maybe next year in Danbury?

Thanks Andy. Choice between the AMPS Nat'ls and a trip to Europe? There's no contest as far as I can see, even if the Nat'ls were in my back yard.

I'll probably pass on next year's show. Unless my financial situation changes, I don't see it in the cards.... but like German armor, never say never.

[Deleted]

Look at you!!! Congrats and well deserved!

[afvfan]

Thanks Bruce. I think I'm finally starting to get a handle on this. You don't need to be good, you just got to hit the shows that no one else does.

[adt70hk]

Bob

Congratulations on your results, very well deserved.  

I have one other question for you if you don't mind, as it's been bothering me for a while.....

...given that you're a US resident, just how do you know about that frog clock you're so fond of???  Unless of course you've had the pleasure of seeing it in person???

Andrew

[jsteinman]

[afvfan]

Mar 21, 2016 8:07:09 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Bob
Congratulations on your results, very well deserved.  
I have one other question for you if you don't mind, as it's been bothering me for a while...given that you're a US resident, just how do you know about that frog clock you're so fond of???  Unless of course you've had the pleasure of seeing it in person???
Andrew

Thanks Andrew. No, sadly, I've not seen the clock personally, though I'd love to do so. If I ever win the big lottery I've got a European excursion at the head of the "things to do" list. Visiting MK's near the top of the list when I hit England.

I first found out about the clock about a decade ago during one of my internet searches for neat frog and lizard pictures. I had virtually forgotten about it, until you mentioned you lived in MK. The name rang a bell, and I had to look it up to see why, which was when I "rediscovered" the clock... and the cows (those I remember reading about some time in the past in one of my modern art books).

========================

Thanks for the "thumbs up", John.

[wbill76]

Mar 21, 2016 14:31:41 GMT -5 afvfan said:

Mar 21, 2016 8:07:09 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Bob
Congratulations on your results, very well deserved.  
I have one other question for you if you don't mind, as it's been bothering me for a while...given that you're a US resident, just how do you know about that frog clock you're so fond of???  Unless of course you've had the pleasure of seeing it in person???
Andrew

Thanks Andrew. No, sadly, I've not seen the clock personally, though I'd love to do so. If I ever win the big lottery I've got a European excursion at the head of the "things to do" list. Visiting MK's near the top of the list when I hit England.

I first found out about the clock about a decade ago during one of my internet searches for neat frog and lizard pictures. I had virtually forgotten about it, until you mentioned you lived in MK. The name rang a bell, and I had to look it up to see why, which was when I "rediscovered" the clock... and the cows (those I remember reading about some time in the past in one of my modern art books).

========================

Thanks for the "thumbs up", John.

Here's the clock for the curious!

[Leon]

That is to cool Bill! Thanks for sharing the video!
That satisfied my curiosity!

[afvfan]

Thanks for posting that vid, Bill. Never get tired of watching that thing in action. If I had the money, I'd have one set up in my back yard.

[wbill76]

Mar 22, 2016 1:09:32 GMT -5 afvfan said:

Thanks for posting that vid, Bill. Never get tired of watching that thing in action. If I had the money, I'd have one set up in my back yard.

It's a cool 'perpetual motion' type of thing, I've always had a fascination with those types of machines...kind of like a living MC Escher drawing. I could see you being very popular with your neighbors Bob!

[afvfan]

Mar 22, 2016 13:21:58 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

I could see you being very popular with your neighbors Bob!

Especially after the custom sound system was added to "ribbet" the hours.

[adt70hk]

Mar 22, 2016 14:36:37 GMT -5 afvfan said:

Mar 22, 2016 13:21:58 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

I could see you being very popular with your neighbors Bob!

Especially after the custom sound system was added to "ribbet" the hours.

Bill

Thanks for sharing that!!

To be honest though I wouldn't have thought it was the sort of thing someone would have shared on YouTube - but I was clearly wrong!!  It's actually something of an attraction for shoppers and you'll often see dozens of young children underneath trying to catch the bubbles as they float down!!  Fortunately mine have outgrown it!


Bob

I assume that any prospective visit to my neck of the woods would be to visit Bletchley Park, rather than the frog - unless of course you have an interest in concrete cows or roundabouts!!!  

If you do ever make it my way then let me know and I'll give you a guided tour of the area!!  We have a lot more to offer that people never hear about!!   

Andrew

[afvfan]

Mar 23, 2016 8:20:33 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

I assume that any prospective visit to my neck of the woods would be to visit Bletchley Park, rather than the frog - unless of course you have an interest in concrete cows or roundabouts!!!  

If you do ever make it my way then let me know and I'll give you a guided tour of the area!!  We have a lot more to offer that people never hear about!!   

Andrew

I'll be sure to do that, Andrew. Sorry, but the frog trumps the Code Museum (though that would be a nice secondary attraction).

As for the other two mentioned items, we just had a through road in the neighborhood widened. When they did it, they added 3 roundabouts, so I've more than enough of them now. The cows don't hold much interest, either. They're too easy to rope, and too heavy to tip.

[adt70hk]

Mar 23, 2016 9:53:05 GMT -5 afvfan said:

Mar 23, 2016 8:20:33 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

I assume that any prospective visit to my neck of the woods would be to visit Bletchley Park, rather than the frog - unless of course you have an interest in concrete cows or roundabouts!!!  

If you do ever make it my way then let me know and I'll give you a guided tour of the area!!  We have a lot more to offer that people never hear about!!   

Andrew

I'll be sure to do that, Andrew. Sorry, but the frog trumps the Code Museum (though that would be a nice secondary attraction).

As for the other two mentioned items, we just had a through road in the neighborhood widened. When they did it, they added 3 roundabouts, so I've more than enough of them now. The cows don't hold much interest, either. They're too easy to rope, and too heavy to tip.

Three roundabouts is enough for you!!    

If you do ever make it our way I'm not you'd cope - we have well over 100 and that's just the proper ones!!!  There are apparently several hundred ones that are painted onto the road surface where it's too narrow to build a proper one!!

[afvfan]

Mar 23, 2016 10:44:10 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Three roundabouts is enough for you!!    

If you do ever make it our way I'm not you'd cope - we have well over 100 and that's just the proper ones!!!  There are apparently several hundred ones that are painted onto the road surface where it's too narrow to build a proper one!!

Depends on the traffic and what I'm driving. My 20 year old, full size pick-up truck doesn't like them in any kind of traffic. On the other hand, my MINI sure does, especially in light traffic where it can play.

I wouldn't want to see the kind of havoc that would occur here if they tried the painted on ones. There are way too many dysfunctional people behind the wheel in this country.

[adt70hk]

But is it a proper mini or one of those modern german imposters?

As for bad drivers, you're hardly alone on your side of the pond!

[afvfan]

Mar 23, 2016 14:34:30 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

But is it a proper mini or one of those modern german imposters?

The electrical system has never given me any problems in 13 years of ownership, so it must be one of the new ones.

Remember that lottery I mentioned earlier? I'd have to win a second one to be able to afford to keep a proper mini on the road. I know, because I went through a period of severe mental illness in the early to mid '70's where I owned a variety of Triumphs, MGs, and Austin Healys.

[adt70hk]

Mar 23, 2016 17:42:39 GMT -5 afvfan said:

Mar 23, 2016 14:34:30 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

But is it a proper mini or one of those modern german imposters?

The electrical system has never given me any problems in 13 years of ownership, so it must be one of the new ones.

Remember that lottery I mentioned earlier? I'd have to win a second one to be able to afford to keep a proper mini on the road. I know, because I went through a period of severe mental illness in the early to mid '70's where I owned a variety of Triumphs, MGs, and Austin Healys.

So I take you're still in regular therapy then!    And I look forward to seeing you in this side of the 'pond' should that lottery win ever come in!

Andrew

[afvfan]

Mar 24, 2016 8:35:21 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

So I take you're still in regular therapy then!    And I look forward to seeing you in this side of the 'pond' should that lottery win ever come in!

Andrew

Not at the moment, though since getting back into modeling I'm thinking I may have to start back.

I'll be more than a little happy if I ever get to make that trip.