What's New?
(Archives)
October 9th, - Well here's something you don't see every day, at least on this website: a helicopter! Yep, one of only two on here in fact. Italeri's RCN HO4S-3 is today's treat. Wee haa...
September 7th, - I've been experimenting with that fancy image swapping thingy that seems to be all the rage on modelling websites these days. Never let it be said I'm behind the times.... Actually there is something to be said for it as it saves space and helps alleviate endless scrolling through long pages of full size pictures. With that in mind then, I've got a two part walkaround on the Hawker Seafury today.
If I decide I like it I will use image swapping on all new articles and may even convert the old ones someday. Don't hold your breath....
You may also notice some slight changes to the layout of the site. The content area has been increased in width and the text is heavier which, hopefully, will make it a bit easier to read.
August 29th, - I can't believe it's been more than two years since my last rant. Time flies when you're a grumpy old man. Needless to say, I'm long overdue for one, so to rectify this lengthy absence I present for you a rather long rant on a very controversial subject: A Cancer on Society? This one won't go down at all well I'm sure...
August 25th, - Well now, this is more like it. After saving all manner of creatures from certain doom I've gone back to what I do best: modelling weapons of mass destruction. Don't ya love irony?? Today's killing machine is brought to you by the fine folks at Revell; the Black Bunny F-14 in 1/144th scale to be precise.
August 16th, - It would seem I'm turning into one of those tree hugging, animal loving flaky types I've always despised. Well, maybe not a tree hugger as I have little desire to save the planet for anyone's children.... Nonetheless, I was recently made aware of the thriving bear bile business in certain Asian countries for dubious "medicinal" purposes, thus the appearance of the China Bear Rescue banner on the home page. These bears are kept in appalling conditions that beggar belief. And this is the country that's hosting the Olympic Games this year?? They shouldn't even have been considered. Please go to the Animal Asia site and have a look - if you have a strong stomach that is....
Back to our regularly scheduled program soon.
May 24th, - Well, it's been a while but I do have a few things to report. First off, I passed my skills test and finally got my private pilot's license on April 15th 2008 which, somewhat fittingly, would have been my dad's 80th birthday. If he was still shuffling about this mortal coil that is.
Secondly, in one of my more intelligent moments, I decided to make a couple of minor changes to the contact page. It now doesn't work at all and I can't figure out why, so if you've sent me a message in the past couple of months I'm afraid I didn't get it. Usually I answer people straight away if they take the time and trouble to say hello so apologies for not responding. Hopefully I'll manage to get it working again shortly.
Thirdly, you may have noticed a fancy new banner on the home page for the Cats Protection League. My other half volunteers for this UK charity and as I'm rather fond of the furry critters myself I thought it would help them out a bit to put a banner on my site, so I did. Surprisingly, they didn't have such a facility as many charities do (something I hope they'll rectify soon) so I created my own banner with their permission.
And finally, here's something we haven't had in a long time; an update in the science fiction section. In fact, technically there has never been an update in that section since the only two sci-fi models I'd built previously have been on the site since the very beginning, way back in the old www.andybann.com days. So here ya go, it's FineMolds' X-Wing Fighter to the rescue.
I'm off to Malta in a couple of days for a much needed holiday....
Jan. 20th, - Two updates in just over two weeks?! Preposterous says I... Arrr, 'tis true though. I suppose this would have been more appropriate around Halloween had I finished it then but I didn't, so you're getting it now instead. AMT's Creepy T is today's treat my little guys & ghouls. Oooooooh, scary....
Jan. 4th, 2008 - Hmmm.... it's been a while, hasn't it? What can I say? I've been busy. In an attempt to make up for my long absence I have not one but two new models today. In the tiny targets section we have the Dragon Sherman Firefly and in the shiny motorcar division there's an MPC '67 Vette for your viewing pleasure. Happy New Year.
Sept. 3rd, - Right, that's it then...! These knobheads obviously lack the intelligence to realise they're wasting their time - and mine - by continuing to advertise their crap here and frankly I grow weary of continually having to delete their rubbish so the guestbook is gone until further notice. As usual, a small minority of inferior humans have to pee in the genepool and ruin it for the rest of us....
Sept. 1st, - Despite my nasty message in the guestbook it would seem some people insist on using this site to try and advertise their lame little porno sites. Therefore I have removed the ability to add a website link in there in a further attempt to deter them. Only spam bastards use the weblink feature anyway so I'm sure it won't be missed. Look assholes, I don't try to plug Warped Plastic on your website; why do you insist on advertising your site here?? Give it a rest....
Real model-type updates coming soon to a website near you. This one, in other words...
June 24th, - A bit of an update to tell you there is no update.... sorry. My webhost apparently had a server meltdown which caused this site (amongst many others I'm guessing) to be off the air for the past 10 days. Ultimately the problem could not be rectified so I had to reload the entire site to a new server.
New updates will be coming in the not-too-distant future but my time is extremely limited at the moment so I don't have a lot of opportunities for modelling or writing.
The flying lessons have been going ahead all along and I'm actually not too far off my license now (I hope!) but, alas, despite my good intentions the ol' Captain's Blog fell so far behind it just won't be able to catch up now and I will probably drop it. Shame, because it may have made for some amusing reading, especially to anyone who's already got their pilot's license. Perhaps I'll go through my log book and notes at some point and try and write it all up later. Maybe.
March 24th, - I think we're long overdue for an Allied aircraft in the WW1 section, don't you? And who better to hold off the hun hordes than Canada's top RFC ace William Avery Bishop in his Eduard Nieuport 17? Well, okay.... he didn't actually fly an Eduard Nieuport 17 because it would have been far too small and injection moulded airplane kits didn't exist in 1917 anyway, but you know what I mean.
January 21st, 2007, - Ahhh... the first model of the new year and would you believe it, it's another one of those pesky car thingies. In fact it's AMT's '40 Ford, and you know how painful that can be. I'm trying something new with this one. Due to the increasingly lengthy articles I've decided to split them into 2 parts in an attempt avoid excessive amounts of scrolling which, according to the fellow who taught my web development class, is a bad thing. One page will be general views accompanied by my usual general drivel, the second page will have construction pictures accompanied by even more drivel. Twice the drivel for your money in other words.
December 2nd, - Armour updates are, it seems, like buses. You wait forever for them and then two in a row turn up. Today, my fans of small scale targets, I have Trumpeter's Type 61 Japanese tank for your entertainment.
August 19th, - Golly, it's been a mighty long time since we've had a new AFV up, hasn't it? Well, never one to disappoint, here's Italeri's Sd.kfz 232 6 rad for your amusement and/or amazement. Yes, it is amazing that I've actually finished something.
July 9th, - Just in case you were thinking I'm starting to mellow in my old age, I have a particularly scathing new rant for you. What a Waste of Time & Money, you may think and you'd be right - except that it didn't cost me anything.
July 2nd, - Okay, I've been pretty lax at updating the ol' Captain's Blog, in spite of my best intentions to write up each lesson as soon as I'm back on the ground. What can I say? I'm a lazy bastard. Never mind, Flight 5 is up now and I'll try and get the next 4 up as soon as I can.
April 23rd, - It's another addition to the WWI era kids. Eduard's Albatros D.Va to be precise.
April 17th, - It's about time I got off my butt and did something with this chronic aviation fascination I've had all my life. So, believe it or not, I've started flying training and I've decided to keep an online log of my progress. Like this entire site, it's mainly for my own amusement but if anyone else would like to read of my trials and tribulations in my attempts to become a pilot you can follow along here, at the Captain's Blog. The first four lessons are up now and I will be updating regularly after each flight. Oh, and I've taken my CV off because it's very much out of date and who really cares about that anyway? I sure as hell don't need to be reminded of all the shit jobs I've had....
March 18th, - It's a new rant kids, and you know how painful that can be. Inspired by discussions on the WW1 Modelling List, today I give you Politically Correct Panel Lines. Don't worry, medical science is hard at work on a cure.
January 14th, (still) - Well there you have it, the guestbook has been restored to better than its former glory. I would say it's new & improved but as we all know (all of us except marketing/advertising types that is) you can only be new or improved, not both. Ketut Aryadana wrote & supplied the free php guestbook script (suitably modified by yours truly in order to fit into the dazzling Warped Plastic theme) which is available here and I am eternally grateful to Ketut and people like him for putting a lot of time and effort into such things and not asking for anything in return.
January 14th, 2006 - Gosh, it's only taken me 3 1/2 months but I finally have a spiffy new guestbook. And by golly the damn thing even works. I'm slowly in the process of reloading all the old messages (not like there were masses of them) so if you don't see your message up there fear not; all in good time. Oh and happy new year and all that, yah-dee, yah-dee, yah-dee.... blah, blah, blah.... etc., etc.
September 24th - For some inexplicable reason my webhost (does that make me a webparasite??) needed to move the site to a new server. Now apart from being a royal pain in the ass as it means I've had to re-load the entire site, it also means that the guestbook is now in a completely different configuration and the old one won't work - thus the ever popular "Internal Server Error" message you get when you click on the guestbook link. Rest assured I am doing my best to figure the new configuration out and I have saved all the old entries so this will all be back to its warm fuzzy state as soon as possible. I did get a spiffy new counter out of the deal anyway. Whoopee!!
August 15th - Okay, I'm a day late but here's my latest creation as promised. It's been far too long since the WW1 section has had an addition so Revell's Fokker Dr. 1 is here to rectify that. And you know how painful that can be.
August 13th - A rather large update this weekend. There's a review of the new Roden Sopwith 2F.1 Camel and many excellent models from Mark Davies in the Viewer Gallery. Plus I actually finished a model! But I haven't got around to photographing it yet so you'll have to wait until tomorrow. Sorry, I know you're disappointed....
June 26th - I've been somewhat remiss lately when it comes to updating the Viewer Gallery. Okay, that's a gross understatement. I've been absolutely rubbish at keeping the Viewer Gallery updated for a good long time now. Better? So my apologies to those that have sent me pics and never saw hide nor hair of them on this site. In an attempt to make up for my laziness mein Oompa Loompas, today I have several excellent models from the likes of Bill Arnold, Todd Moore and Peter Vanderschaaf. Many thanks guys! Thanks also to the New Zealand contingent for the feedback and for signing the guestbook. I'd better get on those RNZAF A-4K and MB 339 kits I've been meaning to build....
June 4th - Finally over the jetlag after returning from my long overdue trip to Vancouver last weekend. Great to see old friends again and sorry I ran out of time to visit with some of you. Next time for sure. The trip gave me an idea for a spiffy new rant which I hope to get up soon. In the meantime you'll have to make do with yet another danged infernal car model. Yep, it's the Revell Orange Crate to amaze, amuse and just downright confound you. And that, my fiends, is why they pays me the big money.
March 13th - Finally got off my butt and got the rest of the Aircraft Walkarounds back up. Because the Stearman Walkaround has so many images I split it into smaller sections rather than having one big page of thumbnail links to pop-up pics, which I'm trying to avoid as I find them very annoying.
February 26th - The envelope please. And the winner of the all orange newcomer category is..... Toko's RP-63G Pinball. All the glitz of the Academy Awards and you don't even have to make a twat of yourself during the acceptance speech. What more could you ask for?
February 11th - Ho hum. If it's Friday this must be Revell's 1/144th X-35B JSF. Or something like that.
January 9th, 2005 - Welcome to the first update of 2005 and sorry for my extended absence. No excuse other than extreme laziness. To make up for it I have not one but two, yep two new rants! A happy little missive titled I'm Mad as Hell... and an equally cheery essay called Why I Hate the BBC. On that note, I hope you all had an enjoyable festive season and a jolly new year. More stuff coming soon, honest.
September 25th - Figured the 1/144th scale aircraft section was long overdue for an addition so I finished Revell's MiG 1.44. Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water....
August 17th - Hold on to yer viddles - thar's another model done! Cripes, it's 4 am. That explains my transformation into Jed Clampett. Anyway, High Planes Bearcat Racer is up for your viewing pleasure. Easy on that 'shine, Jethro.
August 8th - A trio of new links in the miscellaneous models section.
August 7th - An incredibly long and rambling article entitled Mid-Life Modelling Crisis? is today's addition. Methinks I need to get out more....
August 1st - Like Bob Dylan when he first picked up an electric guitar, I know I risk a severe frowning upon with today's addition. Why? Because it's not my usual fare. Not a plane, not a tank, it's a.... car. AMT's '67 Camaro Z28 to be precise. Be gentle with me; I promise it's not a trend, just an occasional diversion. Regular service will be resumed shortly.
July 20th - 3 new entries in the viewer gallery today mein kampers, including my old bass player J*'s first ever model - and a biplane to boot! I'm impressed. I'm also a little worried that I corrupted the poor boy with my errant plastic ways. Thanks J and Simon and Bill as well for their continued support and contributions.
July 11th - By golly I finished a model!! Revell's Challenger 1 MBT is today's new kid on the block.
June 24th - A new addition to the viewer gallery today kiddies. Check out Seb's excellent diorama "Fin de mois difficile".
June 14th - Viewer Gallery is back up and running although it will take some time to get all the pics back up. Patience my underlings!
June 10th - A rather protracted delay in updates due to my moving house. I hates moving....
All the 72nd aircraft pages are now up and running and I finally fixed the problem with the mysterious disappearing top frame. But wait, that's not all!! Order now and you also get "Everything you wanted to know About Moi but were afraid to ask".
May 11th - Got all the Rants back up as well as the 72nd aircraft pages up to the Hasegawa Ohka.
May 4th - Bit of a marathon session today kids. Being my one day off (yes, the company I work for is soooo magnanimous they even give me a day off!) I managed to get all the armour model & WWI aircraft articles up. Oh, and Homer too.
May 3rd - Moving right along...
Finished putting the aircraft articles & reviews up and all the 1/144th aircraft pages are loaded.
May 1st - Fer cryin' out loud. WP has been live just over one week now and already some twats are sending me viruses. Come on!! Sorry, but as usual your pathetic attempts to infect my computer have failed miserably. I have changed both the email address and the function of the contact button in a vain attempt to keep these morons out of my inbox. I can see it's time to restore the rants page....
April 29th - Squirrelling away here with what's turning out to be a fairly involved but nonetheless enjoyable process. Got quite a few of the aircraft reviews/articles back up and I hope to have the rest up tonight after work. Then it's on to the modelling pages.
April 25th - Got the counter & guestbook back up and running and tweaked a few things here and there so now comes the fun job of transferring all the old articles from Carnivorous Plastic. That should keep me off the streets at night for a while.
April 22nd, 2004 - Well, better late than never,eh? Warped Plastic is on the air at last. Obviously there's a long way to go before all the articles are restored to their former glory and I'm having difficulty getting the counter & guestbook to function but never mind, these things will come. I hope....
Any comments and/or constructive criticisms are welcomed.