pengbuzz

Thanks for the clarification and additional info; I knew there had to be more to it than just what I was thinking, otherwise they'd have done it already. So basically, what the companies were showing us with "self driving cars" is mostly just smoke and mirrors to impress the public into thinking they're more advanced then they are, right? I would also assume it's to garner more investors and money from the government for research and development, but you know more than I do since you work in the field.

Thanks Thom! Yeah, I'm trying to make it look like shadowing and not a fire sale! I've always had trouble with sludge washes (no wonder I like X-wing models; they're supposed to look beat up!). Going to do more white drybrushing and detail painting to correct it. This is what I'm going for: This is Astronaut Bruce McCandless II; on the NASA Shuttle Mission STS-41B ( OV-099 Challenge,r Feb 3-11, 1984), he made history as the first astronaut to pilot the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) on the first untethered spacewalk in the history of spaceflight. This photo always resonated with me since they first showed it, but I never knew who the man in the suit was until a few years ago. Let me introduce him: The first picture is of McCandless in the Apollo Program in the 60's, while the second is of him 20 years later for the Space Shuttle missions. In this picture, he was serving as Capsule Communicator ("CAPCOM", main voice communicating to the astronauts aboard the craft ) for the Apollo 11 mission: It took him 20 years, but he finally got to space in the 1980's. As a former Navy pilot, he served aboard USS Forrestal and USS Enterprise (on the latter during the Cuban Missile Crisis), and was an electrical engineer (graduating with a BA in electrical engineering from the Naval Academy, 2nd in his class in 1958. His classmates: NSA Advisor John Poindexter and Sen. John McCain!). There's a ton more info about him at his Wikipedia entry (otherwise I'd be three pages deep talking about him!): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_McCandless_II He was one of the designers of the MMU, and the first one to test it out in space! Sadly, by the time I discovered all of this, Mr. McCandless had passed away (December 21, 2017). I had wanted to meet him, but I missed him by 2 months. This is why it pays to examine the stories behind the things you find pics of or want to model; there are some truly incredible lives waiting to be discovered and read about if you're willing to look. And I want to do a diorama using the figure I modified that replicates the photo of him during his historic spacewalk.

Nice job! For the Strike Cannon, try here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/224701195212?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050

From my failed Shuttle model: originally, these two figures were the same pose and such. I cut apart one of them, repositioned the arms, legs and head, then built an MMU pack for it.

Could such a computer be land-based and have telemetry sent to it/ commands sent back via cell/ radio? I know the issues with that (loss of signal/ signal degradation, hacking vulnerability, data corruption, signal crossover, signal jamming. blocking, spots on your dishes in the dishwasher, etc.); I just thought that might be another approach...

Ah, I see. In that case: try rubbing the outside of the polycaps with #0000 grade steel wool. I used to have to do that for some of my Gundam models back in the day. That should dull them down and lighten them a little.

A friend of mine used Rit DyeMore dye for synthetics to dye his polycaps a darker color. Maybe that would work?

Loretta Swit, star of 'M*A*S*H,' dead at 87 From FoxNews: (more) https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/loretta-swit-star-mash-dead-87

I disagree:

Thanks Vic; while I have no pending orders with WiseGuys, a few other members here do. I was just relating similar issues, but I do try to give sellers the benefit of the doubt (running a business is not for the faint of heart!). Good to see that you folks are trying to make good on the issues pending.

Yesterday, after cleaning my PC (Dell Optiplex 3020 SFF), the thing wouldn't start up and had a flashing orange power light. Look it up and the manual said "mother board issue". Well, after making a mad dash to get a new MB AND PSU, I found out what the "issue" was: The CMOS battery died. Apparently, the CMOS dying (especially on DELL stuff) is enough to brick your PC. It was only after a gut feeling I decided to pull the old battery and the "dead" PSU and CPU fans turned on. Have a spare in there now, but need to buy a fresh one to be sure. Running diagnostics on the MB to ensure that wasn't just a symptom of a larger MB issue.

I'll join you on that one; we'll take the Pork Chop Express, and run into the mystic night...

Thanks; I appreciate it. The situation has improved, as we had to get legal help involved. I did manage to finally find the acrylic spheres I needed. Note to anyone building the 22 inch cutaway: 30mm will be a near precise fit for the nacelles; you just need to give a swipe or two around the inside of the opening on the front of the warp nacelles with an xacto knife. My big problem now is decals for this one; Round 2 is out, and I don't have the money for them anyways. I designed up a set in Photoshop to fit this model; I just need to ask a couple of folks here by PM if they could print it for me (11" x 8.5" ). If they can't, I'll have to check back in. Meantime, I tossed the trillions of pieces that remained of my shuttle. My heart just hurts right now....😭

Not enough parts left in any shape to do that, but I appreciate the thought. :)

UPDATE: Space shuttle model has failed. While doing some of the remaining details on it (finishing dull-cote, balcony window), I lost control of it and it fell... Two stories. Not fun picking up a bazillion pieces from the pavement. 😠 In any event, I am no longer doing any "thrift store rescues"; this one didn't just shatter the model, but my heart as well. (and no; under the circumstances, I will not be doing a "crash diorama". Not only are the pieces too small [more like shards], but Challenger and Columbia were two events that broke my heart.) Some days, I tell you.... PROJECT: DESTROYED.

At this point, it's The Karachety Kid.

Nice job on the SDF-1!! Really looks incredible! BTW: I've found on fogged flat coats, a second spray of it can often clear up the cloudiness (test a very small part of the clouded area first).

Star Trek 1/2500 (mostly) decal scans (courtesy of indianatheshepherd and other contributors at AllScaleTrek): TOS, Refit/ A and B: E-C: E-D: E-E: Various (including WoK E/Reliant set): And these are the decals from the TMP Surak set:

This is the TOS Enterprise. I no longer have the ability to mold new ones, as my heat gun died some time back and finances are so tight now (thanks to tariffs and such) that buying even model cement is impossible. No, I have no materials for that; all I have now is what is on hand. We're now in "survival mode". Once I run out of supplies, my modeling is over. We just got word today that we may not even have a place to live in the months to come. It's that bad. Anyways, this is going on indefinite hiatus, and possibly disposal, as we now need to make some hard choices. Sorry to bother everyone.

When I read that, I couldn't get this clip out of my head:

That would rock!!

Well, Shoji Kawamori is listed as one of the designers of the original G1 Convoy/ Optimus Prime 1984 toy.

Can we get them to:

They're almost literally based on G1 Convoy's (Optimus Prime's) hands from the 1984 toy- Arii model: G1 Convoy/ Optimus:

Thanks; those are my builds.