Ace-Garageguy

He was the owner/publisher. The top guy. CEO. People under him doing the gruntwork. Kinda like Mary Barra's probably not capable of going into the engineering offices and designing parts, or run a production line (more's the pity). Gregg had a VERY able and competent ally named Harry Pristovnik who worked tirelessly as editor, copy-writer, art director and layout/graphic artist, and was simultaneously moderator of this site, largely responsible for keeping it running smoothly and keeping all the kiddies playing nice. Harry P. was also a world-class modeler, and contributed a large amount of high-quality material both here and to the mag. Harry died of cancer quite suddenly. The printer that had been doing the mag...including bagging and mailing...also pulled out of the deal. These back-to-back body blows, combined with Gregg's debilitating back problems, sent the enterprise reeling. Gregg's been trying to pull out ever since, but it's an uphill battle...and he's working largely alone now.

Wow. Thanks for sharing that. Who needs Facebook?

Beautiful clean build. Interesting to see kit-car elements added to a Ferrari. It's usually the other way around. I missed a real one back in the 1980s for $30K, and I've been kicking myself ever since.

with his mustache

A BB shot on the backside shouldn't do any permanent harm, and will probably have the desired effect. But try to aim accurately. I've taken more than one animal to the vet that's had an eye shot out by some fool with a pellet gun. Cats need both eyes to hunt, so killing the thing outright with a clean .22 head shot is a lot kinder than partially blinding it, to die a slow death from infection or starvation. Cats are smart and often very persistent. That can make them hard to keep away from a garden, etc. Here are some ideas. https://www.thespruce.com/cat-repellents-to-keep-cats-out-of-your-yard-2132573

beating his shoe

These shots were posted on another thread. Before I saw them there, I had no idea they existed. Many of the slot wheels apparently have some projections where there should be slots (the issue with mine) and there is speculation that AMT took a rather simple expedient and just milled the slots flush in the tool, rather than making the additional effort to correct the problem. This was possible because there are full-scale "wide-5" wheels with no slots as well. For more info, see page 2 of this thread:

Klaatu barada nikto

no intelligent life

I understand your frustration when predators are taking your livestock. Here, the feral cats I encourage control what is otherwise a nasty rodent problem. Most of the birds are too fast for 'em. Something's been getting the cats too though. I've seen coyotes around from time to time, and I think they're probably the culprits.

This site should remain. In fact, it could serve as a very effective draw or marketing tool to get people to "subscribe" or to just buy access to one issue at a time electronically, just as you now do at the hobby shop. A simple header called "This Month in E-MCM" or something similar would list the articles and other content ONLY available to those who pay for access. See something you're interested in? Pay for unlimited access to JUST ONE ISSUE. No problem. Hobby shop one-issue-at-a-time-buying with only the paper and ink missing. Potential advertisers would have a better time seeing what value THEY get for their money too, as actual visitor-count on E-things is easy...and even that could help to boost revenue. This isn't brain surgery. It's simply moving with the times, and trying to save what was once the best model car mag out there.

I would recommend the site stay EXACTLY as it is, and free, with the EXCEPTION of a "paid subscriber" section that publishes content NOT put out for free on the rest of the site. Nothing about the site everyone now knows needs to change. Only the subscription area would be inaccessible to anyone not willing to pay for "premium" content. Just exactly as it is now, but instead of going to the mailbox to get your mag, you click on "magazine subscriber content" or something similar, enter a subscriber password, and rock on.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TESTORS-MR-MULLIGAN-1-48-911/233097334025?hash=item3645af0d09:g:j24AAOSwvfpcK~CO:rk:2:pf:0 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermarine-S6B-Racer-Model-Parts/382635919603?hash=item5916e0c8f3:g:2uQAAOSwxZxb8ZzI:rk:3:pf:0 Lotsa Ryan ST trainers around too. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hawk-Ryan-ST-PT-20-Airplane-Model-Unstarted-in-Box/372314466644?hash=item56afabe954:g:mAwAAOSwJ7dbBq9z

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_publishing I do. Several, actually. Technical and engineering publications I USED to get in paper format, that would sit on my desk for months at a time. I felt bad about throwing them out unread, but irrationally resisted getting the digital equivalents instead. I LIKE reading a hard copy of something, holding it in my hands, turning the pages, etc. So I resisted. But after a while, it seemed it made a lot more sense to go digital for some things. And now, I can just check in to the sites whenever I have a free moment, catch up on what I have a particular interest in, ignore the rest, and be back at it. Kinda like coming here. It simply costs less, significantly less, to bring an E-publication to "press". No paper. No printing, no ink, no plates (or whatever they use to print today). No packaging. No postage, or getting lost or damaged in the mail. And no irritatingly endless waiting for the next issue. The problem at MCM, as I see it currently, is Gregg's continuing debilitating physical issues preventing him from going through the physical motions of making all of that happen, and a lack of sufficient capital to pay for all of it in the face of shrinking revenues. Add to that the financial obligation to provide paid-up-subscribers with SOMETHING for their money, and you have an untenable situation. There are people on this site who ALREADY provide professional-level copy and photos FOR FREE. Some are folks who USED to be frequent contributors to the print mag. And there are IT people here who could surely help Gregg transition to a walled-off segment of THIS site that's ONLY available to paid subscribers, with "premium" content, if they'd step up to help...just a little. Would such a strategy save and revitalize MCM? Who knows? But doing nothing and expecting a miracle certainly will not.

Yeah, a cheap flat white you can just roll on, and roll on another coat when it starts getting dingy, is ideal. That is, after all, what most REAL spray booths (well, not the high-dollar pre-built ones) are finished with. Remember the KISS principle.

He does, definitely. So do I. And the Bugatti.

You're correct. The main reason I like the big Lindberg kit is because it looks cool with 1/25 scale car models, and is almost right to pose with my 1/24 scale warbirds and helos too. The large scale also lends itself to super detailing, which of course can also be done in 1/32 and 1/48. It is a very simple kit, but looks great assembled, with .010 steel for flying wires (instead of the recommended monofilament) etc. The Lindberg kit DOES have raised engraved separation lines for the red scallops, which makes masking considerably easier. The only other GeeBee models I have, or are familiar with, are the two in 1/32 scale from Williams Bros. They're much more detailed than the Lindberg / Pyro kit, and of course, look right with my 1/32 warbirds. AND...IIRC...the white one comes with BOTH cowls and decals to do either the #7 or #11 airplane. Click the link to take you to a buildup of the GeeBee Z from Williams. http://www.barneysairforce.com/Models/Civilian Aircraft/Gee Bee Z/Gee Bee Z.htm THESE ARE NOT MY MODELS

to your mittens

That's really an important airplane for anyone who's an early racing enthusiast . I keep almost getting one. Just wish it had been done in 1/25 or so, like the Lindberg Gee Bee.

The Lindberg /Pyro Gee Bee is actually about 1/26 scale, NOT the 1/32 scale as stated on the box. Measuring the wingspan of the kit confirms this. The early version has heavily-ribbed wings, NOT correct for this aircraft. Later ones have smooth wings that accurately represent the plywood skinned real ones. Here's a shot of ribbed-wing one in the background. If you WANT 1/32 scale, look to the two Williams versions. They're nice kits.

I know exactly what you're thinking...

^^^ That compares very favorably in many areas with the 1:1 shot just above. And we usually have at least one 1:1 in one of the shops I work. Your stance looks pretty much dead-on to me, for the way most of them are set up now, anyway.

Well stated. In ANY business venture, ESPECIALLY one that is in difficulty, timely and accurate communication is absolutely "job one".

I have one more virgin on the way, considerably more expensive, but complete. If it doesn't have at least one perfect wheel, I'll go to plan B. Nice score on the Maverick. I've always wanted one, never got around to hunting one down though.