Ageing Hips

While tarting up the batch of helicopters I got to thinking about the history of some of the toys. This Mi-8 ‘Hip’ (one of a trio) is a genuine Cold War veteran - bought ‘pre-loved’ in 1984, it has seen plenty of action. In games set everywhere from Norway to Lebanon, played in Dundee, Sheffield, Cambridge and Northamptonshire.

As PHW commented, “We are lucky we have these friends who have been with us in so many of our incarnations.”  Wise words indeed. 

Flight stands

Sorting out the recent batch of Cold War aircraft revealed something of a shortage of stands.  I set to work to make more, using two layers of mdf, drilled to accommodate a piece of steel rod.  The mdf was then dressed up with paint and flock.

 

Not Quite Lego. ‘Cobi’ German field kitchen

I’ve seen a few of these and similar construction sets in recent years but they held no appeal, being odd scales and expensive.  Also, as a man of a certain age I view any construction brick sets except 1970s Lego with disdain!

Fast forward to last October and in a shop in Bastogne I was browsing a display of such sets, marvelling at how accurate some of them looked. I was intrigued to find scales on the boxes, especially as some were 1/35.  Eventually I decided to speculate €14 on this as a classy souvenir of my trip - and because as we all know, horse drawn field kitchens are for winners!

The completed model. Despairing 54mm German officer present for scale and to add tone.

The set includes what looks like an enormous croissant. The cook looks pretty dodgy though!  

Cold War aircraft refurbishing - part 3

Newly tooled up with decals, I managed to get more aircraft finished.  Aside from some repair work the painting isn't mine - I added decals and varnish.  Here the Warsaw Pact is represented by a Czecho Mig-29....
 

...MiG-21 and Su-25.

Further north, the DDR is defended by this MiG-17.....

...and a pair of MiG-23.