Chapter 1, Take Off

         NICKEL & DIME PRODUCTION'S 
                         proudly present's 
  CONNEMARA FEENEY & TAYLOR DAVIES 
                                     in
          THE HEART STONE OF AFRICA
There's a prelude if you want to read it first. http://ifitwasntforone.blogspot.ie/2017/03/connemara-feeney-taylor-davies-prelude.html

Pretoria Airport, Connemara Feeney & Taylor Davies accompanied by Naville Edwards arrive at the terminal, check in & head out towards the plane.

As they left Edwards behind & walked out with the rest of the passengers to where the plane waited.
Connie: " Well that could have gone a lot better sir"
Taylor: " How many times do I have to tell you Connie please call me Taylor & yes your right it could indeed have gone a lot better"

Taylor: " The only saving grace is that colonial buffoon's like Edwards days are coming to an end, on the plus side I've a feeling that the new administrator's in Northern Rhodesia will have a more modern way of thinking.

Connie: "Sir I mean Taylor how stable do you think Northern Rhodesia will be going forward ? I mean we seen it many a time in countries when they again independence, the following years can be quite unpredictable.

Taylor: "Tell me about it, but for the time been we'd just have to try to negotiate the best deal possible & then if thing's break down over time, well we'll just cut your losses & run as that's normally the cheapest way of doing things in the end, come on lets get on-board.

2 hour 27 minutes into the flight.
Copilot: " Excuse me Ladies & Gentlemen, I regret to have to inform you that we are experiencing trouble with the starboard engine & we're going to have to land the plane"

Taylor: " Were flying over heavily wooded & hilly terrain putting this bird on the ground might not be to easy, is there anyway we can carry on ? as from my knowledge  of the land another half hour's flying time would bring us over the grasslands"

Copilot:" I'm afraid not sir as their is a small mountainous range that we'd have fly over first that is well know for it's turbulent air flows we'd never make it on one engine, luckily enough we noticed a small clearing after we crossed the river that we believe will be large enough to land the plane safely on, now if you excuse me, I must get back to the cockpit to help the captain.

Pilot:" We'll take it just over the top of that big tree Jim as we're going to need every inch we can get for this landing.

Copilot:" Rodger that Jean/Paul"

Looking out the window Taylor knew they where coming in at a sharper angle then was normal but kept this thought to himself, seconds later there was a hard thump  as the wheel's hit the ground.
In the cockpit Jean/Paul Dufour was using all of his expertise as a pilot to get them all on the ground in one piece.

As soon as the wheels touched down, Dufour:" Brake now Jim & cut the trust on the engines.
Putting all their weight down on the brake pedals the two pilot's watched knowing there was no more they could do as the plane ate up the ground in front of them, heading rapidly for the tree's,

Just as it seemed they won't make it.
Dufour:" Now Jim hard to starboard" The Copilot didn't have time to reply as they both  pulled hard to get the plane turned, slowly at first but as the speed dropped the plane started turning quicker, coming around about 90* before coming to a stop just as the tip of the port wing clipped the nearest tree.

Cut.
Well that's it for this post, as always my thanks for dropping in & if you'd care to be a movie critic your comment would be welcomed. Look out for next episode end of May

Prop's, The devil is in the detail.

I've been over the last while been trying to get more detail on to my table top as the little thing's can help bring a scene to life just as much as the bigger thing's.

Once upon a time to create a village it probably wouldn't have been much more the the few buildings.

But over time I've started adding things like the back drop & while thing like that help it's

really the as my mate Darra put it the lived in things that bring it to life.

It's market day or so I'd like to have you believe & for sale are your everyday things

& people are about either buying or selling.

Were lucky in these days that there are lots of places doing detailed stuff like those in the picture's above & these are from here http://www.frontlinewargaming.co.uk/ not to be miked up with the 40k frontline.

Before I finish up I just want to show you these pamtree's I got, you seen the one on the clear base above in a picture & it's what I'm calling the finished pamtree.

The picture's aren't really shown up what I wanted you to see, but they are the same models only the one on the clear base has had a yellow wash over the trunk & a black wash over the pam's, the wash's really help to do away with the plastic look imo giving the tree a more natural look about it.

That's a rap for this post, the next one will be chapter 1 of the long awaited (well for me at least) Heart stone of Africa, as always my thanks for dropping in & if you'd care to leave comment it would be welcomed.

Props,The animal's went in 2X2

It beginning to feel like Noah's ark in the studio's & as for the smell we won't even go there lol.

I've picked up some animal's over the last while & have finally gotten around to them.

Their from 3 different place's, Foundry, Northstar & Black Tree but don't ask which is from where.

Painting this lot up is certainly going to be different as a part from the couple of horse's, a dog & a rat or two I've never painted any animal's before.

The Hippo's are what is called waterline, as in you only see the part above the water, yes I know their on grass but some day.

What the make up department will make of this lot I've no idea, they'll probably tell me to buzz off.

Or to stop monkeing round.

Maybe they'll just think I'm an ass

Right that's enough with the corny stuff Frank.

I feel the animal's should help add detail & help give a certain feel to things

The back lion in posed leapping but untill he's based up he won't stand.

Brave girl Connie brave girl, the picture above give you their size againts a 28mm model, I think they got the scale spot on tbh.

That's a rap for this post as always my thanks for dropping in & if you'd care to leave a comment it would be welcomed.

Herr Cullen declares war on the Jones's

My good mate Darra was home from Germany for the Easter hols & unlike the last couple of time this time we where able to meet up to see who would be king.

Yep we were playing Osprey Men who would be Kings, with me trying to look after the Jones's who as is their way where out digging in the middle of nowhere.

The game mechanic's are easy enough with the game very good at having you feeling I want to do that but I really need to do this with your units.

The plan was fro me to place 6 marker's under some building & then when the shit hit the fan go & get the Jones & co while hopefully Darra went for the wrong one's giving me time to get them off the table.

With the makers placed Darra set about giving me a run down of the rules, simple ya so what could possible go wrong ?

How about me forgetting which where the important makers where placed lol so now Darra had every bit as much of a chance of finding the Jones & co as I did, way to go Frank I hear you laugh.

Meeting up with old friends is more important then winning a game right ? of coarse it is, so a fun couple of hours & a good chat with an old mate meant it really was a Good Friday.

As for the Jones's ? well the last I seen og them they were been dragged away by men on horse back.
I guess I won't be King anytime soon.

That's a rap, My thanks to Darra it was great to catch up mate & the model's & terrain look great & as always my thanks to you for dropping in & if you'd care to leave a comment it would be welcomed.

Behind the scene's, on the inside plane

It's all well & fine having a plane but what goes on when people are on board ?

I decided it would be handy to have a little mock up of the inside of a plane when I built the model  one a while back,

 so known that you wouldn't see the seats in the model I keep them.

I find this stuff great it's plastic & & about 5mm thick.

Made these to give me the shape of the inside.

Add what would be a sub-floor

Outer skin, this is only I think .5mm plastic card

Next a floor, a dividing wall with a door

 The inner wall with the window's cut out.

The inner wall with the struts added in place & the floor covering which is the stuff you get at the bottom of some shopping bags.

I also done a little cockpit,

A bit rough & ready but it does the job.


That's a rap, as always my thanks for dropping in & if you'd care to leave a comment it would be welcomed.