Jim Gausman DGA 1/48 U.S. Army 54th UAC U-1A Otter

[YankeeBoy]

What a pleasant surprise! Another of Don's annual installments of his Otter build. I don't see any rustiness in evidence - if anything, your skills seem to have improved with the waiting, like a fine wine. I look forward to the next installment.

[scyeige]

Hi Don,

Great to see you back at the build! Your work is most impressive!!
The way you burnish the joins is unbelievable... the result is so smooth!!!!

[ashevilleangler]

Slow and steady Don! Keep going cause you're doing a great job on this one. And cause it makes me feel better about models I have not yet completed, like the F9F Panther for John Bowden. I only hope that my efforts turn out half as nice as yours.

Curt

[Leif Ohlsson]

Very fine close-ups of paper-modeling techniques. True action photos, hands & fingers in the photos make for easy size comparison. - L.

[gomidefilho]

Amazing work Don...

[KCStephens]

Don ,
It's good to see you have some free time to get back to the modeling bench. Your Otter is shaping up nicely. Keep pluggen away

[Don Boose]

Many thanks for stopping by and making these kind comments, friends.
YB: I will try to make these reports at least semi-annually.
scyeige: I hope all is well in Singapore.
Curt: You must get that F9F completed!
Leif: It is always a great pleasure to have you stop by. I mentioned in your sailplane thread that one of my dearest friends is a retired colonel of the Hallands Regiment with whom I served in Korea 1984-87. The first image below shows a 1929-pattern Swedish Army entrenching tool that hangs on the wall of my basement. The other images tell the story of how I acquired this souvenir 20 years ago.
Péricles: I blush at hearing your praise, considering the skill with which you build your small models. I find it challenging even to work in 1/48 scale!
Kevin: My poor effort pales in comparison with your and Mike’s version of Jim’s Otter. I use my photographs of your builds to inspire me.

Having said all that, I have little progress to report, having spent most of the past couple of days working on writing projects. Otter images 1 and 2 below show the little cardboard tabs I glued to the back of the engine to facilitate its emplacement in the cowling. Unfortunately, the engine doesn’t look right once emplaced (among other things, the crankcase cover is too big). So I will be fabricating a new engine. Meanwhile, I have completed the exhaust stacks and cowlings and the under-cowl air scoop, and I have attached the ventral strakes.

I’m off to attend a ceremony at the Marine Barracks in DC, but will be back to work in a few days.

Don

[Jim Nunn]

Don,

I was hopping that you would be able to finish the model. I am impressed with your fine seam work and the squared away work area. The work area is so neat that I would expect to see small white painted pebbles around the perimeter.

Jim

[Leif Ohlsson]

Thanks for the period photos from Halmstad, Don! Entrenching tools, indeed - I remember those. Whatever happened to calling a spade a spade...? The shield could well be the one on the Fi-1 fin. Have to take that under careful consideration. - L.

[Leif Ohlsson]

Did just take it under careful consideration. See this. - L.