No surprises as I dived into this kit immediately after I went for an early short walk, did some shopping and made a cooked breakfast with an attentive feline audience in the kitchen watching my every move! They do so love bacon rind...

 Quick and easy progress made on the assembly so far and then disaster...a couple of parts missing from the sprues including a very important piece which is hard to make from scratch and if wrong, is easily noticeable. The two missing parts are arrowed but it is the missing part C5 for the barrel is the very noticeable part. I have added a piece of soft plastic but it is too big and will not tolerate any cutting / sanding to the correct size. I have ordered a metal gun barrel for the build but I will still look for an appropriate part.

The hull and turret are dry fitted for now and I do like this kit and this tank which beggars the question why I have never modelled a Sherman tank before now. I will be doing some of the figures but I haven't yet considered what sort of diorama for this build as the two previous tanks still need to have their dioramas completed. Space is an issue and I plan to clear out the spare bedroom and install some shelving for the displays.

For now, I will continue the build minus the gun and prime and paint the tank whilst I await delivery of the new gun from Poland.  The attentive feline audience also tried to muscle in to comfy positions on the table but decided the cold but sunny garden was more attractive.

As for the news, I am occasionally dipping in and out via social media but otherwise keeping myself occupied with other things as what 'news' to believe? Opinions, lies, vested interests and nonsense on mainstream media and even more on social media. Everyone is suddenly a general and / or a politician and I have absolutely no idea what is happening other than the Russians have invaded Ukraine and there is a war going on. The EU or rather, Ireland, the Baltic countries and Poland have waived visas and invited Ukrainians to seek refuge with them. The UK...stopped any entry except for those Ukrainians who have relatives here!! We allow a variety of male migrants entering illegally on dinghies from the 'war zone' that is France and Germany but refuse to allow people from an actual hot war to seek refuge here. Shameful. As for what happens next, I have absolutely no idea but it is frightening and very worrying.

TTFN.

I forgot to post pictures of the completed Caproni Ca 311. Completed apart from an aerial which I shall add later this week.