What would YOU choose?

[43rdRecceReg]

I forgot to mention that there's a hulk of the Tortoise on the Otterburn Firing Range up in Northumberland. Alongside it's battered remains are those of the Comet, Cromwell, Sherman, Centurion, and many more.
It's worth a visit for snapping build details.
Do check this link out!
http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/15176-otterburn-range-wrecks/
Here's a wrecked Churchill at Otterburn

The firing range is now part of the Northumberland National Park. If you go there, do check the firing times Otherwise, you might regret not having taken the 'battle bowler' along.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ring-times

[43rdRecceReg]

Surely, Shirley, No its definitely surely I cannot be the only person on this Forum who cannot stand either the Mk 1 or Mk 2 Matilda but I digress
My Short list of things to waste money on would be in no particular order, 6 Fender Stratocaster Black Tuning Machines, a 1/16 RC Vickers Comet, A 1/8 RC Avro Lancaster, and a Honda CB1000R with a new set of leathers.
My dream took a bit of a kicking when I discovered some Basta*d in Ireland won £156million on the Euromillions lottery last night.

I liked 'Airplane' as well, Shaun. Do digress...'but don't call me Shirley!' ( Leslie Nielsen line?)

I didn't know you liked the Strat, Shaun. I have a black one from Fender, Mexico; but there's scarcely a detail difference from those made across the border, in the US. Perhaps better machine heads on yank-made versions. Maybe even black ones...
I also have a nice Epiphone Les Paul standard (sunburst), Fender and Hofner basses; Takamine electro-acoustic; Ovation 12-string etc...and more. Now you can see why tanks, and music-making bits, are encroaching on all spare space in the house. ...
A 1/8 Lanc would almost have enough lift (given the right motors and controls) to take your good self skyward, no? But I'd love a 1/8 Spitfire Mk V. The IX was probably the prettiest, though.
Grid-wise, I always fancied a Ducati. I had a Police R80RT once, and would have really liked to own a Norton Interpol 2. That was a real looker, and could have made a great tourer
Once rode the plodding Army BSA Bomba at RAF Wroughton. Now, that was slow, but lots of fun

[jarndice]

2 US left handed Blackies which my Uncle got as part of a trade deal taster and a National that I really cannot get on with, I bought it because I was going through a Dire Straights period,
I always thought the Hofner was grossly under rated the trouble was when electric guitars were really in the ascendant German Musical instruments were very expensive in comparison with a Japanese Fender copy.
I always liked the RAF Photo-Reconnaissance aircraft especially the P R V11 NOT the Later pressure cabined V11 which was a totally different aircraft,
No weapons yet flying over some of the most sensitive targets in the war.
Almost invisible in its pale blue finish at altitude and it needed to be.
My first motorcycle was actually the tax payers it was a BSA M20 Dispatch bike in a very tasteful green. It used to remind me of how comfortable walking was every time I got off the thing,
it still got me hooked on Motorcycles upto and including today.

[43rdRecceReg]

Just noticed that the sneaky auto-correct feature converted 'rode' as in the BSA Bomba, to 'road'. Which, of course, makes no sense. I must edit that.
Ah, so you're a leftie then (in guitar terms)? That would make guitar acquisition all the more expensive, but looks cool with the Hofner violin bass! ( I wonder why? ) I have the right-handed Hofner Violin bass.
As for Dire Straits, I think that 'Brothers in Arms' is one of the best albums of the eighties. I love Knopfler's evocative plectrum-free electric style, and have made a point of learning all the licks in 'Brothers in Arms' itself. There's a big Celtic influence in his playing, and of course, he was born in Glasgow.
Like Mark, I started out playing folk-blues (Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Davy Graham et al.,), but modelled ( or tried to model)my electric playing on three of the most melodic, and lyrical of guitarists (IMHO) ; Carlos Santana, Mark Knopfler, and Richard Thompson (love his stuff on Fairport Convention's 'Liege and Lief'). In fact, I've gone back to folk-blues lately. as it never seems dated to me.

If I were to compile a wish list- post-Comet project, it would be for an Armortek, a Rickenbacker electric 12-String (a la George Harrison/ Byrds), and a Rickenbacker bass (4003). All these things, however, are well outside anything I could afford. But they're not outside pipe-dreams.

[General Jumbo01]

How about a classic 2nd hand pin ball.machine? It would look great in the living room?

I'm still.not helping, am l?

[43rdRecceReg]

How about a classic 2nd hand pin ball.machine? It would look great in the living room?

I'm still.not helping, am l?

every little bit helps
I'm no Pinball Wizard, though. Given the rate at which space is shrinking in my house, anyway, I've barely room even for a 1/35 scale pinball machine.
Hmm.,I could put a conservatory on the front of the house, to house the latest acquisitions; but that would take all the money needed for the self-indulgent spending sprees. Those, that just happen to fuel the space problem in the first place. Hmm Catch-22.

Edit: as an afterthought, having seen some of the warehouse-sized collections of tanks/trucks etc., that fellow members have amassed, I guess I'm not alone in needing more space.. ..

[43rdRecceReg]

Heading back to to the theme of wish list items, and choices (often overseen by the 'other half') Ultimately, I think I simply have to have that Comet. I'm already compiling a list of parts I'll need, to get me started.
I'd better get the order in soon, as Brexit might add extra charges and customs hassle to the undertaking. For fans of PS4, I've just ordered Battlefield 1 on optical media. It will serve as a post-it reminder note to self to get
the PS4 pro unit to play it on...in the not too distant future . Back to Shaun's Fender machine head desideratum, a look here might get the desired units.
https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/machine-heads/
It's also worth noting, that collecting (and playing) guitars, is every bit as addictive as collecting tanks. Joe Bonamassa is rumoured to own a 1,000 guitars Hmm, you'd need a house the size of the Albert Hall to store that lot I don't know if Joe has any RC tanks, but I know that Neil Young and Rod Stewart have, or had, fantastic train sets.
Both hobbies drain money like a Vampire drains one's neck. But, it took me well over twenty-five years to get my guitar collection together; and took barely no holidays at all, in order to fund them.
Ditto with tanks, except I get to go to my son's place in Zürich every year, for a break: but it's not a holiday, as such. Hobbies certainly demand sacrifices
Ultimately, the pinnacle of the hobby would be (and no additional tanks to follow...honest..this would be the last ):

An Armotek Pz IV (tableau by Peter Shaw...)
or this 1:6 beaut, also from Britain, but built in California, I think:

[43rdRecceReg]

It wasn't a foregone conclusion, but I've just ordered the Comet kit from Christian.
As pleasant as a nicely presented, and quality built RTR IS-2 would undoubtedly be, the challenge of the Comet build is where I'll likely get
the greatest satisfaction. ..or frustration. The kit won't land on my doorstep for a few weeks yet, but when it arrives it will make an appearance in its very own thread..
Some newer members may be unaware of Christian's British armour scratch-build kits, and so here's a link to the model I've just ordered.
http://www.ludwigs-hobby-seite.de/Comet.html

[essexbill]

I have seen and heard the JS2 , its a great Tank for the money plus fantastic value.
If i went for the Comet it would end up as just another project waiting.
As for the Play Station wouldn't use one if you gave it to me, not into gaming.

[43rdRecceReg]

I have seen and heard the JS2 , its a great Tank for the money plus fantastic value.
If i went for the Comet it would end up as just another project waiting.
As for the Play Station wouldn't use one if you gave it to me, not into gaming.

Thanks for your input, Bill
Clearly, from what members have written here, the JS-2 is a real winner, and ticks almost all positive boxes. Thing is, though, some members probably enjoy the construction and decking out phases, much more than field trials; and RTR tanks don't offer this challenge. I know I fall into that category. Oddly enough, there's almost an anti-climax (for me anyway) when everything is finished and shown to be working. At the same time, like quite a few others, I don't have access to clubs for shoot-out, and performance evaluation sessions. For this reason, tanks with IR and Tamiya compatible battle systems, no matter how sophisticated and well set up they may be, are effectively useless: although they do produce a nice flash.
BB models can at least offer a wee bit of target practice, and I would go for the BB version of the JS-2 if I wanted an RTR tank that could turn heads, as well as turrets.
The Comet, however, will offer weeks of hair-pulling irritation, mixed with moments of joy, rage (or relief ), culminating -hopefully- in a great result (or a visit to the local Intensive Care Unit _.)
As for gaming, well, I've never been into it; so I thought I'd give it a try for once,.. as the graphics are utterly eye-popping now, especially on 4K TVs. For that reason alone, I'm prepared to be dazzled
My kids had all that annoying mind-numbing, noisy, Super Mario type stuff years ago, and that put me right off. (And blood pressure right up ) But now that it's possible to drive WW1 tanks in stunning- looking settings, I'll give it a go. More than that, it's not essential to battle online, and so my only performance critics will be the dogs..
For now, though, the Comet has won for me.