Post by general on Sept 4, 2010 21:06:29 GMT 12
Hi to all. Found the forum on a semi-related search, and what a blessing.
I shall be reading in over the next few weeks to catch up on you all.
Ross McArthur (hence the handle). I'm in Turangi (Taupo area, central N.I. in case any off-coom'd-uns were wondering).
Been in and around the Plateau most of my life, with a stint in the Hawkes Bay while growing up. ATC two yrs there, 13 Sqn.
46 yrs old this year.
RNZAF through the 80s and out in '94. My eyes weren't good enough for Knuckdom so I thought I might as well fix 'planes if I couldn't fly. Originally trained a/c fitter then re-mustered Catering. (But still miss the hairyplanes.)
While in the service I started training for PPL. Again, eyes played the trump card and I couldn't progress past solo.
Aviation and its history has been a strong motivating force since Dad bought my first model - Phantom - when I was 7. And I've been building, on and off, all this time. Vicariously I became an avid aviation historian, particularly pre-war and WW-eleven.
My main focus are the yrs 1936-1972, with strong bias (of course) towards RNZAF equipment.
The main deviation from my props fixation . . . the Tomcat. (Two Revell 32nd birds wait patiently til I come to my senses.)
Travelled a bit in the '90s. Second stint was Canada and Ireland, both connected by an Irish girl, whom I married once back in EnZed. For two yrs.
Past ten yrs were listless until I returned from 3 yrs in Oz late '09 and picked up a 2D CAD program. At first I only wanted to design and produce a set or two for some larger Mossie and SBD models on the shelf. Thru exposure to the modelling crowd the demand's there for a production run. Now I design decals in several scales for the model aftermarket industry.
Also studying a 3D CAD course. This will allow me to start on projects for vac-form accessories.
I've been a regular on model forums for 6 yrs.
Member on the PpRuNe aviation forums, Tomcat Sunset, P-51SIG and dabble occasionally in other a/c news/commentary sites. Too many to mention.
Thru a fellow course member I've been re-introduced to the warbird community. Dave is an avid fan of the Oxford, having acquired the makings for a restoration project. On top of that he also has the complete engineering drawings to reproduce on CAD.
I shall be helping him a bit it seems.
While I've been part of a small e-mail-only modelling group this year I picked up some commission builds from a fellow modeller's pal up the road from me. His pal's HOD Trades in a polytech, an engineer and past warbird community regular also. I've been tasked with three builds - SBD, P-40K and Avenger.
But the fun doesn't stop there. Thru' his contacts I have the chance to start a collection of specimens of original paint chips.
The great thing about CAD work is I don't need to travel if at all. Living in this wee burg is a Godsend after places like the Gold Coast. The peace and weather - my first real Winter in four yrs and I'm happy as a pig on Happy Int'l Pig Day - affords me few interruptions to the creative process.
Thoroughly enjoyed my Airy Farce yrs. Trained in Woodbourne and Wigram. First TOD to Auckland was for a an airshow, as junior chef in the VVIP tent. Met Mr Lange briefly.
I was carving beef at lunch and he stopped by for a quick word, then quietly held out his hand and asked, "Ya wouldn't mind dropping a few slices in there for me?"
So much for my ideas on pollies. He was simply your basic Joe Blow behind the scenes. And a very smart fella.
Bunch of us, during 4TTS, would hire a Club Cherokee, out of Omaka, and visit his folks in Ashburton. The family (some of you'd probably know or know of them) have a J.5 Auster. Part of the fun visiting was taking it up.
When I upgraded to a printer/scanner this year I took up the challenge to transfer most of my photo collection to digital.
Should anybody be interested (yes? Did I see a hand go up at the back there? ) I'll be happy to post the Flikr link. Once I figure out the appropriate forum.
I also post WIPs on builds.
A chap in Blenheim designed and produced a resin Auster in 1/72nd. I'm currently doing a review build. Which is really, really small and all the moreso, since I'm adding scratch-built fuselage details.
I'm bound to have missed out a bunch so I'll update later, once I've posted.
Oh, yeah, I was lucky to sail as galley on the Spirit of Adventure and SoNZ. Funnily, they were asking for Defence Force chefs, though I heard directly from an ex-Adventure crew who's a dear friend.
Also got on board a sloop as delivery crew, back in '93, from Picton to Westhaven, AKL. First 24 hrs of wretched illness reaching 35kts in squalls, then 2 1/2 days in the clear.
Dabbled in social sailing a bit, based in Woodbourne.
It'll be great to catch up with others on the boards here and I recognise a few names already, from 20 mins or so reading in!
Blessings and regards all
Ross
I shall be reading in over the next few weeks to catch up on you all.
Ross McArthur (hence the handle). I'm in Turangi (Taupo area, central N.I. in case any off-coom'd-uns were wondering).
Been in and around the Plateau most of my life, with a stint in the Hawkes Bay while growing up. ATC two yrs there, 13 Sqn.
46 yrs old this year.
RNZAF through the 80s and out in '94. My eyes weren't good enough for Knuckdom so I thought I might as well fix 'planes if I couldn't fly. Originally trained a/c fitter then re-mustered Catering. (But still miss the hairyplanes.)
While in the service I started training for PPL. Again, eyes played the trump card and I couldn't progress past solo.
Aviation and its history has been a strong motivating force since Dad bought my first model - Phantom - when I was 7. And I've been building, on and off, all this time. Vicariously I became an avid aviation historian, particularly pre-war and WW-eleven.
My main focus are the yrs 1936-1972, with strong bias (of course) towards RNZAF equipment.
The main deviation from my props fixation . . . the Tomcat. (Two Revell 32nd birds wait patiently til I come to my senses.)
Travelled a bit in the '90s. Second stint was Canada and Ireland, both connected by an Irish girl, whom I married once back in EnZed. For two yrs.
Past ten yrs were listless until I returned from 3 yrs in Oz late '09 and picked up a 2D CAD program. At first I only wanted to design and produce a set or two for some larger Mossie and SBD models on the shelf. Thru exposure to the modelling crowd the demand's there for a production run. Now I design decals in several scales for the model aftermarket industry.
Also studying a 3D CAD course. This will allow me to start on projects for vac-form accessories.
I've been a regular on model forums for 6 yrs.
Member on the PpRuNe aviation forums, Tomcat Sunset, P-51SIG and dabble occasionally in other a/c news/commentary sites. Too many to mention.
Thru a fellow course member I've been re-introduced to the warbird community. Dave is an avid fan of the Oxford, having acquired the makings for a restoration project. On top of that he also has the complete engineering drawings to reproduce on CAD.
I shall be helping him a bit it seems.
While I've been part of a small e-mail-only modelling group this year I picked up some commission builds from a fellow modeller's pal up the road from me. His pal's HOD Trades in a polytech, an engineer and past warbird community regular also. I've been tasked with three builds - SBD, P-40K and Avenger.
But the fun doesn't stop there. Thru' his contacts I have the chance to start a collection of specimens of original paint chips.
The great thing about CAD work is I don't need to travel if at all. Living in this wee burg is a Godsend after places like the Gold Coast. The peace and weather - my first real Winter in four yrs and I'm happy as a pig on Happy Int'l Pig Day - affords me few interruptions to the creative process.
Thoroughly enjoyed my Airy Farce yrs. Trained in Woodbourne and Wigram. First TOD to Auckland was for a an airshow, as junior chef in the VVIP tent. Met Mr Lange briefly.
I was carving beef at lunch and he stopped by for a quick word, then quietly held out his hand and asked, "Ya wouldn't mind dropping a few slices in there for me?"
So much for my ideas on pollies. He was simply your basic Joe Blow behind the scenes. And a very smart fella.
Bunch of us, during 4TTS, would hire a Club Cherokee, out of Omaka, and visit his folks in Ashburton. The family (some of you'd probably know or know of them) have a J.5 Auster. Part of the fun visiting was taking it up.
When I upgraded to a printer/scanner this year I took up the challenge to transfer most of my photo collection to digital.
Should anybody be interested (yes? Did I see a hand go up at the back there? ) I'll be happy to post the Flikr link. Once I figure out the appropriate forum.
I also post WIPs on builds.
A chap in Blenheim designed and produced a resin Auster in 1/72nd. I'm currently doing a review build. Which is really, really small and all the moreso, since I'm adding scratch-built fuselage details.
I'm bound to have missed out a bunch so I'll update later, once I've posted.
Oh, yeah, I was lucky to sail as galley on the Spirit of Adventure and SoNZ. Funnily, they were asking for Defence Force chefs, though I heard directly from an ex-Adventure crew who's a dear friend.
Also got on board a sloop as delivery crew, back in '93, from Picton to Westhaven, AKL. First 24 hrs of wretched illness reaching 35kts in squalls, then 2 1/2 days in the clear.
Dabbled in social sailing a bit, based in Woodbourne.
It'll be great to catch up with others on the boards here and I recognise a few names already, from 20 mins or so reading in!
Blessings and regards all
Ross