Latest Acquisitions (2019)

[Gern]

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago I was looking for a decent wooden model ship. Well it arrived Saturday am.



Apart from one major problem I'm well pleased. Nicely made pre-cut parts, including all the hull planking, in a variety of different woods, a couple of PE frets, brass wire, some detailed metal parts, five different thicknesses of thread for the rigging, nylon flags and cotton sails, (they're ready-made which I ordered as extras. I'm too old to be learning how to use a sewing machine. My sister did offer to help, but she also offered to fit new pockets in my old leather jacket - that was at least 15 (fifteen) years ago and I'm still waiting). There's a booklet giving a selection of good colour photos of the model as it is built, two detailed full-scale plans of the ship, the rigging and the sails, a four-page parts list and a thirteen page instruction manual.

As you can see from the box, this is a Russian kit, but they do supply an English version of both the parts list and instruction manual. There's no English version of the scale plans so while I can understand the numbers, I have no idea what the text is about so that could be tricky. But here's my biggest problem. This is the second sentence from the instruction manual:

"Side of the part, to which fell down laser beam at the time cutting, will be called the party of the cut. When cutting parts, engraving is applied only by the party of the cut. This term will be used regularly in the instruction further."

I got it! I understand what this means - I think. But the whole book is like that and there are elements of the construction which I'm totally unfamiliar with so translation is going to be a real PITA!

Now OK. The translator's English is a thousand times better than my Russian, but he was presumably paid to do it. Most jobs I know, and certainly all of the jobs I have been paid to do, the employer expects better than this.

Don't get looking for this anytime soon folks. I'm already up to my eyeballs with stuff I really should finish, but I want to have a go at this more than I do with most of my stash so it's near the top of my 'to do' list.

[Guest]

There's no English version of the scale plans so while I can understand the numbers, I have no idea what the text is about so that could be tricky.

Do you have a smartphone or tablet? If so, install the Google Translate app on it: you can have that take a picture using the phone’s camera, after which it can translate the text it finds in the picture. You may need to do it in stages or give it several tries before you’re able to make sense of some texts, though.

Alternatively, go to https://translate.google.com, set the language on the left to Russian, and type the text you don’t understand using the on-screen keyboard (open it with the little keyboard icon below the text box, if it doesn’t automatically). All you need to do is compare the letters and find the right one; the main ones to be aware of are ш and щ (because they’re very similar) as well as ъ, ь and ы (that last one is one character, not two).

"Side of the part, to which fell down laser beam at the time cutting, will be called the party of the cut. When cutting parts, engraving is applied only by the party of the cut. This term will be used regularly in the instruction further.”

That reads a lot like the manufacturers also know of Google Translate

[Gern]

Thanks Jakko. No smartphone or tablet (unless you mean the one I used with my chalk until a couple of years ago) but I've tried that Google site and it seems to work. It's slow, but I don't think I'll need to do every single word and whatever I do manage to get will be useful. I might even put together a list of the common words on the instructions as a sort of mini dictionary.

[Gern]

Thanks Jakko. No smartphone or tablet (unless you mean the one I used with my chalk until a couple of years ago) but I've tried that Google site and it seems to work. It's slow, but I don't think I'll need to do every single word and whatever I do manage to get will be useful. I might even put together a list of the common words on the instructions as a sort of mini dictionary.

Ooops! Not quite as easy as I thought. The third word Google translated from the plans came out as 'headache'! Too right!

[JR]

yes I know another Stug book

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and

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It rather like books on Kursk and Stalingrad Bob you can never have too many, may be a hidden gem inside .

[Guest]

I've tried that Google site and it seems to work.

It works quite well for single words or short phrases. Give it longer texts, or ones full of jargon, and it will sometimes produce near-nonsense, but if it does, break up the text into shorter bits and try those separately.

It's slow, but I don't think I'll need to do every single word and whatever I do manage to get will be useful.

It gets faster when you get more practice: you’ll get used to where the letters are on the keyboard, and begin to recognise words or parts of words you’ve seen before.

I might even put together a list of the common words on the instructions as a sort of mini dictionary.

You could write the translation next to the original text.

[JR]

The other option is to marry a Russian .

Taxi

[JR]

Just arrived.


Let the drilling begin.
John

[Dave Ward]

Hermes delivery of an ebay auction win

Decal sheet by Cartograf..............
Dave

[SimonT]

Got this bargain set of brand new Tankograd photo books from Paul Meekins tent at the Yorkshire Wartime Experience on Sunday
Hard backed and each with 450-500 pictures at a great discount - couldn't resist

[john i am]

I've enjoyed adding the photo etch on my latest group build I decided to grab some more eduard kits from my lms. Walked out with these this afternoon.

[Guest]

Another delivery from SMS today. I've finally got myself a tank!

I've never been a fan of the traditional tank shape (the kind you'd get if you asked a kid to draw one) but do like early or quirky stuff. I've been looking at getting a Whippet to dip my toe into the tank pool, but this popped up and really took my fancy.

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Also treated myself to some decent sprue cutters, along with a few other bits & bobs. With 454 little parts to deal with I didn't want to be butchering them with my cheap pair.

[Dave Ward]

Andy,
I made it's larger brother, the Zvezda T-35 last year if the T28 follows it's style, then you will end up with a beauty!
The aerial is in one piece, and needs careful handling! These later Zvezda models go together really well - the only thing missing is PE for grilles!
Dave

[Guest]

Ooh nice. I did look at the T35 as well, and if my T28 turns out anywhere near as nice as yours I'll be a happy bunny.

First thing I checked was whether the aerial had survived Royal Fail, and thankfully it had. There is a small piece of plastic mesh in the box which I believe is to tart up the grilles.

[Allen Dewire]

Come on Scratchy,

We know that you won't butcher anything, especially with the new nippers...I think you are going to have a blast with this one and you can even dirty it up to cover any oopsies that might come along. I'm in for the ride Andy!!!

Prost
Allen