Back to balsa - starting a Stinson(ish)

Some scenarios need aircraft - for example, visits to the Antarctic...

So decided to have a go at something that looks a bit like a Stinson. First question - why 'looks like' rather than do a Stinson. I'll get that one out of the way first - not very good at carving or cutting so don't know what it will finish up like, plus having to add bits that may not really look like the 'original' bits should. After this I would like to have a go at a slightly bigger generic 2 engined plane.

The initial blank I did ages ago - but just got back to the project a few days ago. One impetus was the release of the Reviresco paper Stinson - ordering a download and using the wings/fins as a template makes life a lot easier!

The first two pictures demonstrate quite clearly that I can't cut a straight line.

Wings added. I originally cut out thinnish wings, decided they wouldn't survive, so redid them a lot thicker.

Basic plane done. The tail has a bit of a gap between it and the fuselage - filler should do the job here!

Still to do wing struts, undercarriage and engine/prop assembly - could take me a few more days yet. The wheels and prop have been sourced from a very cheap Chinese Spitfire type - the Stinson should have a 2 blade prop, this version will have a slightly too small 3 blade one!

They don't always work

Back in the mid 80s there was a board game called Escape from Atlantis. Had one, and in the way of things decided it was no longer wanted so the box, etc, went but I kept the models - never know when you'll find a use for things. Must admit, didn't think they would go up in value that much though!

Anyway, thought I'd get the pieces out. I downloaded pictures to put on the sails of the ships to give two fleets - pictures were a bit bit but didn't bother resizing, do as they stand - put them all out, waited for inspiration.

Nothing.

Usually, some ideas for a useable game come to mind but - nothing.

So just packed them back into their box. Always another day.

The dogs

As mentioned, I've painted a few dogs up for the Five Dogs post - actually painted eight and technically they're Garrison S&S Range wolves. They look close enough.

A hospital garden

Norman's Riding used to grow as much of it's own food as possible. When you consider other supplies were delivered by the Co-op on a horse and cart it's understandable. And yes, the horse and cart deliveries were delivered by horse and cart well into the 60s - if I hadn't caught the hospital van from school for some reason I did sometimes finish up getting a lift on the thing!

So one thing missing from St. Norman's was a garden for growing food. Happily, Blotz do a greenhouse so I ordered one.

It was easy to put together and came with staging. I'm also painting up a few dogs so I can add photos to the Five Hounds entry.

It fits in quite nicely at the bottom corner of the hospital - which is roughly the right place on the original.

Strangely, the frame is painted green, not grey - but then the green carpet tile base doesn't show as green either.

On this picture it's easy to see that it's a quick paint job - but on the table you can't see the unpainted inner edges of the frame. The staging has just been left as plain wood.

A sheet of A4 MDF fits quite nicely - I might get to work and complete it as an actual full size base complete with 'crops' - have to think about that but would add to the visual aspect.

The natives are a bit hostile.

So the Roman cavalry are just going ballistic and the infantry marching along quite happily thinking of burgers... meanwhile, I'm going through the rules and had forgotten or not realised something - all those Germanic (OK, Gauls pretending to be Germans) warbands.... are also on a -2 in the forest... so, instead of Romans down to 3, Warband on 3 with lots of overlaps... suddenly it's 3 v 1... And my recollection of pushbacks being fatal... not as much...

Perhaps not going to be such a foregone conclusion after all.

Well, yeah, OK, probably still foregone, just slower.

So here are the Roman cavalry being reckless.

Those cavalry on the Roman left were having a great time - took out a cavalry element, then a psiloi element, then a warband. Got swamped eventually though. Meanwhile on the other side of the action look at the cavalry hitting those 3 warbands head on...

They died. I took the element off and realised.... they were Gauls. It had been a couple of days since I put them there and I sort of forgot they weren't Romans and didn't notice it? Could have just ignored the result but - well, if they want charge their own people and die as a result - let them.

So eventually the infantry catch up to the action - cavalry all dead by then.

Lots of fighting, but slow to kill as the Romans had quite a good factor advantage.

Gradually whittled down though until finally...

The last lot went. And not a burger in sight.

I enjoyed that. Fun encounter, easily set up, helped me re familiarise myself with some parts of the rules I'd forgotten and lots of dead Romans. That's a one that goes back to my days wargaming in Bradford back in 72-73 - it was Pete's fault.

Anyone fancy a Teuter Burger?

I mean, we're in Germany and it makes a change from Pizza.

Supposed to a good place other side of these woods...

Think it's left... OK, off we go.

Hello, few of the locals...

On yer bike...

Oi! Leave some for us!

Don't worry, plenty to go round.



As an aside - this part written before my hospital visit, scenario built on previous because of the pulp scenario and still to do last part. So 'burger' just evolved as a natural theme. So, to hospital - the name of one of my 'afflictions' is IgA nephritis, otherwise known as Berger's Disease - that's close enough to Burger's Disease for me to say something...

Health update

Paid my first visit to Out Patients since my hospital stay. Basically, responding to meds, some have been reduced, well on the way to remission. Weight and blood pressure fine, Vitamin D and proteins nearly there. Blood sugars staying in check and no signs of getting diabetes.

So... two things wrong with me, I'm producing antibodies that are fighting with my immune system and there are some filtration issues with my kidneys. The situation is not curable and even with full remission can return.

'Shorter' term I'm on 'light duties' and will continue to have memory/confusion/lethargy problems until I'm effectively off meds - it's the meds that are causing most of the physical/mental effects, lots of steroids and water retention tablets. I asked about 'fit for work' as a definition/health target and should be to that level by about September assuming no relapse. It will still need monitoring for quite a long time though.

There is obviously a long way to go but, hopefully, signs of the worst case scenarios haven't appeared yet and meds are working so hopefully won't. (Worst case 1, 30/40% chance possibly fatal return in 6-14 years, worst case 2, 25% chance of kidney failure at some stage.)

Night encounters.

It started getting dark. That's when the screeching started outside. Some creature in pain and letting the world know it.

The outside lamp went out...

Crash.

Sounded like something heavy landing on the roof. More crashing as the something stomping around...

Hatfield put on his hat and jacket, picked up his gun, loading it and went outside to have a look...

There was something on the roof. Something man-sized with wings. It dropped to the ground between Hatfield and the cabin door. Hatfield fired as the creature rushed him. A searing pain as it retreated slightly. He had to get away... Stuart! - he backed away, heading towards the light of Stuart's cabin.

It was hard to see the creature in the dark. Swish of wings as it swooped, snap shot and it was gone... quiet for a while as he staggered towards the cabin. Then the light went out..

The creature was back... more shots and screeches... but he had reached Stuart's cabin... and as the door of the cabin started to open the creature was gone...

Stuart wasn't convinced about Hatfield's story but the wounds were real. What was it? A demon? Some leftover from a bygone age? It was still out there. The noises kept up all night, only dying down as daylight approached...

Used HoTT combat rules with modifications to stretch combats out a bit. So Hatfield was a shooter (+3), the creature a Flyer (+2). Hatfield wins, creature hurt and either backs off or leaves. Creature wins Hatfield hurt to a degree determined by how badly he loses - very, as it happened, on the first combat, so I considered him bowled over with bad claw marks. Next round Hatfield won - so I had the creature fly off and take out the light at Stuart's cabin before coming back.

I had considered taking this one further but really it doesn't warrant it - it was a short episode that helps sorting out how to usefully modify HoTT for this kind of action - worked well as did (I think) using black and white to illustrate night.I'll mark it a success.

A cabin in the woods

Always felt that the Cabin in the Woods was one of the main horror classic settings. Being, at the moment, in a state that can only be described as ennui due to my current infirmity I'm not really doing a lot... so decided that one thing I perhaps could do is to start basing a load of trees. As they started piling up (bit of an overstatement - perhaps a dozen individual new trees and an A4 wood) I just spread them around the table, added a few others and a couple of buildings... hunters v Wengigo perhaps? - except, don't have a Wendigo, have got a few other monsters though... use HoTT combat factors initially plus saving throws?

Seemed like a plan so I set it up...

I thought 2 cabins at the end of a hike but a couple of street lights - pure fantasy setup, don't think any hunting lodges in the UK would be set up like this!

The more I look at it, his figure reminds me of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stuart from Dr Who. So think I'll call him Colonel Stuart. Naturally, I've given him the biggest lodge.

Bit blurry this picture...
The one with the more 'American' look - well, Joe McCoy was the gardener at Norman's so a switch to Bill Hatfield seems like a good name.

So, to start the story, out they were shooting at game and  things in the woods behind the cabin. Dusk was falling so they saw movement - bang, very loud screech... Nothing, no dead animal, no trace of what they hit. So back to their own cabins for the night.

 Or, at least, for part of the night...

Newhaven has... gone... a strange eons event...

Things do seem to happen around that place.

Used to be somewhere called Newhaven around here...

Looks like it's moved...

Think the lease on this hospital has just about run out so...

Might as well move along the table a bit.

Still playing around so not exactly the same as before.

This means, of course, I've got my 'normal' table back!

Meanwhile, bit of trivia, the hospital bus that brings the visitors in (ignore 'school bus' - it moonlights) is a Crosville. Those who have an interest in buses will know that Crosville is not from Co Durham - it's a Warrington bus service (if it still exists). Well, my wife Sandra comes from Warrington so...

Out of darkness...

Sometimes, nothing is happening. Like, right now. I'm in a period of enforced idleness/rest so should be setting up a few things at least.

But nothing.

I mean, even the natives are getting a bit restless. Set up a system of monitoring St Norman's - happily the area is well lit.

Something coming out of the darkness.

Check out the morgue. Must be a Ghoul's night out. Place is empty - that's not on!

Quick look around to see if anything's moving. Did I mention it's a mobile light system?

Alright, nothing doing tonight. Back to the darkness, can always try again next week.

County Durham ambulances

Transport for this one has proved easy - thanks Lledo. Managed to pick up two Lledo ambulances circa 1950 - should fit right in.

No idea when all UK fully integrated with standard white ambulances but the blue is certainly the right colour for the hospital vans used in the 60s.

 

Always worth going back to my original Newhaven brief - set in a place which doesn't exist, mix of US and UK, in a time period that could cover anything from late Victorian to 1950s - mostly been looking at 20s/30s in the past but nominally moving up to 50s/60s is fine.

Might even be silly and see about getting a model Morris Minor or Austin Cambridge - the Morris Minor was our first car, I can even remember the registration number (JNL121).