50 articles · 3K karma · 11 friends · active 4 hours, 37 minutes ago
I’ve been building models since 2021. I'm currently interested in military aircraft, space, ships and missiles.
When I’m not at the bench, I’m jogging, reading, doing science, or hanging with my family.
My iModeler posts can be found, usually with a bit more detail, at my blog.
Sometimes all it takes is a little international incident to remind you of what’s in your stash. On March 14, 2023, two Russian SU-27 aircraft intercepted a USAF MQ-9 patrolling in international airspace; they dumped fuel on it and [...]
The Kamov Ka-50 “Black Shark”, better known in the West by its NATO reporting name “Hokum”, is a Russian attack helicopter distinguished by its coaxial dual rotors. Compared to single rotor designs, the Hokum exhibits improved [...]
The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka was a human-guided bomb used by Japan in the latter days of WWII. Translating to “cherry blossom”, its official name of “Navy Suicide Attacker” hardly evokes thoughts of delicate pink petals lazily drifting [...]
In 1939, the US Army issued Proposal R-40C seeking unconventional aircraft designs that would achieve superior performance, armament, and pilot visibility over existing models. Specifically, the aircraft would need to operate from a [...]
The Douglas X-3 Stiletto has the perhaps singular distinction among airplanes as not being nearly as cool as it looks. I mean, it screams FAST. Instead, it was stubbornly subsonic and exhibited potentially catastrophic roll [...]
I know, it's hard to get too excited about a teen series. And yet, it must be done: what respectable modeler worth his Tamiya tape doesn’t have at least a couple teen series models collecting dust on a shelf?
I don’t recall why I [...]
NASA’s Pioneer 10 was the first space probe to study the outer planets. Launched in 1972, it traversed the asteroid belt and made its closest approach to Jupiter nearly two years later, at a distance of 82K miles. It beamed back this [...]
A lifting body is a craft whose body, rather than its wings, generates lift. NASA and the US Air Force researched lifting bodies in the 1960s and 1970s as potential spacecraft designs that could glide to a landing after leaving orbit. A [...]
The OH-58 Kiowa is a single-engine, four-blade helicopter designed for the US Army primarily as a scout aircraft. In addition to its observation role, the OH-58D is capable of carrying munitions on two hard-points and performing direct [...]
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine utility helicopter originally developed for the US Army in the mid-70’s. It serves primarily as a troop carrier (fitting 11 combat-ready soldiers) and logistic support aircraft. [...]
