SPA Modeler

Welcome! and great work. It is always refreshing and fun to get new and different persectives. Glad you are with us.

Thanks, Lyle, it's good to be here.

Well, it’s been a couple days since any work was done on the Willie Hot Dog, but I did manage to get some done on the after mack yesterday. “Mack” is the term used for the combination of mast and stack.

There’s still more to be done and even here the top platform is just spinning on the mast because it’s time to get into the PE parts before that can be secured.


Before I can get to that, though, things are on hold due to a technical issue. The switch on my magnifying lamp crapped out on me, making tiny things, such as PE, a bit difficult to see.


Been using the lights in my hat brim to do what I’ve done so far, but they don’t shed enough light to be very effective, especially with the little things. You should have seen me trying to file out the hole in that lower platform to fit it over the mack.


I’ve got a new lamp coming in a few days by way of Amazon and until it gets here my building is on hiatus. It’s just too dark in here without a good source of light, especially with my old eyes. However, as soon as it arrives, I’ll be back in business.

Yeah, lighting and vision are critical for our work. Especially on such a small scale project.

Just curious, how did the shops formal name translate into that nickname???

Stikpusher wrote:Just curious, how did the shops formal name translate into that nickname???

Don't know for sure, she had it when I got aboard, but it comes from the first name and middle initial; "William H.". Now, how they became "Willy Hotdog" I don't think anybody remembers. I know I've never heard an explanation for it.

I figured as much for the first part... the Hotdog part is what really has me curious. Most name changes/nicknames I heard like that in the Army were pretty obvious- Ft Huachuca became Fort Hoochie Koochie, the the CH-47 Chinook became the $h!thook... etc... but us grunts can be quite simple souls at times.

Just checked up CG-32 on Google and saw images of her. She looked beautiful with straight and clean lines

Hi Carlos,
Yeah, the military does have a thing for names, and abbreviations. The Howard W. Gilmore was nicknamed the "Happy Howie" and at one time I was stationed with the Fleet Aviation Specialized Operations Training Group Atlantic Fleet. It was officially known as FASOTRAGRULANT, or FASO for short.

Monty, she was a beauty, no doubt about that, as were the Virginia and Briscoe, but I always preferred the Standley. She was a true lady.

On a different subject, it looks like it will be a while before I do anymore work on her. I've got some issues with my foot and leg that requires me to keep it elevated more than not, so I'm spending most of my time laid back in my recliner. I do get online for an hour or so every day to take care of e-mails and other things, but as far as sitting here doing any model work, that's out for now. I've got to go back to the VA hospital on Tuesday to see what I can find out, so maybe things will improve, or they'll want to stick me in there for a while, I'm not sure. I'll let y'all know how it goes Tuesday evening, hopefully.

Hope you are doing better soon! All the best!

Thomas_M wrote:Hope you are doing better soon! All the best!

Let us know how you are doing. Even if it is not strictly a build update, feel free to post if you feel the itch. What you are building is incredibly important, but it is you yourself that takes center stage. And I send you my best wishes for return to good health!

Rich take care of yourself. I'll be praying for a swift and full recovery. I want to see this and everything else finished my friend.