SPA Modeler

Gary Brantley wrote: ↑Thu Jul 24, 2025 7:59 am A good tool will last a long time.

Truer words were never spoken, Lyle!

Yes indeed! A lifetime or longer if properly cared for

Except for knees, hips and backs. They don't last.

LyleW wrote: ↑Fri Jul 25, 2025 6:36 am

Stikpusher wrote: ↑Thu Jul 24, 2025 8:09 am

Yes indeed! A lifetime or longer if properly cared for

Except for knees, hips and backs. They don't last.

TRUTH !!

Oh I'm very familiar with knees & back issues. Just found out today at work my job as BOCES courier has ended and now find me more useful doing projects in house where Im better suited. I guess I've been getting results during the summer.
One reason is save my knees and back from getting sore on a daily basis - I deliver 50 lb paper boxes to schools from print shop. Plus other stress will be eased off.

I am disappointed because I do enjoy being on the road. I know my wife will be happy because I can be miserable with injuries at work. I am told I will be available as a sub driver when needed.

I guess it is a good idea for my own sake with having bad knees and back.

Try parachuting out of “high performance aircraft” with 1/3 to 1/2 of additional body weight strapped onto you… your spine is compressed as your parachute opens going from approx 160mph to 0 in under 4 seconds… then 20-40 seconds later you hit the ground, anything from hard packed sand to concrete runway… depending upon winds you can have a drift, forward or rearwards airspeed of up to 15mph when gravity says welcome home

Stikpusher wrote: ↑Fri Jul 25, 2025 7:27 pm Try parachuting out of “high performance aircraft” with 1/3 to 1/2 of additional body weight strapped onto you… your spine is compressed as your parachute opens going from approx 160mph to 0 in under 4 seconds… then 20-40 seconds later you hit the ground, anything from hard packed sand to concrete runway… depending upon winds you can have a drift, forward or rearwards airspeed of up to 15mph when gravity says welcome home

A fellow signed up for a skydiving class. The instructor went through all the steps, telling the students how long to count after jumping before pulling the ripcord and then he explained that they had a main parachute and an emergency chute. A student asked what happens if the main chute fails and was told to use his second chute. But not to worry, as that hardly ever happened. It all seemed quite clear to our student.

On jump day, this fellow got out of the airplane with no trouble. He began his count and when ready, pulled the main chute release. Nothing happened. He waited and counted again, then pulled the emergency chute release. Nothing, again. He's now thinking that this can't be good.

Looking down at the rapidly approaching ground, he noticed something small moving up quickly towards him. As it got closer, he could see it was a man, shooting skyward. As they neared each other, our skydiver yelled down, "Say, do you happen to know anything about parachutes?" The rising man yelled back, "No! Do you know anything about Coleman stoves?"

bada bing!

ROFLMAO! Good one.

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 26, 2025 8:06 am ROFLMAO! Good one.

Ha - good one.
Pawel over on FSM had a similar joke but the guy going up was an EOD guy

Lots of progress on this during the week in bits,

took the basic upper hull


removed the bits needed for this build such as the fenders, original headlight mounting points, etc...


then added the extra glacis armor, basic fittings, bow .30 cal. mg, and other upper hull parts


I also started building the upper and lower runs of the tracks, and finished base colors on the lower hull


then during today's AMPS Zoom meeting I finished up the upper hull and built the turret with add on armor




and a test fit of the upper hull to lower, along with the turret...


Next up I need to install the tracks, then I can get the upper and lower hull joined, final fittings added, and get on to painting, markings and weathering...