I’m originally from Texas. After high school, I enlisted in the Air Force as an Aircraft Avionics Guidance and Control Specialist. After basic training, I reported to Keesler AFB, Mississippi to learn my job. After eight months of tech school, I reported to my first assignment at Dyess AFB, Texas working on C-130H aircraft in the 463d TAW, 773 ALS. Later the 463d was inactiviate and the 7 Wing and the 40th Airlift Squadron stood up. While at Dyess, I participated in OPERATION DESERT STORM, SOUTHERN WATCH and FLOWING PEN.
In 1996, I was reassigned to Robins AFB, Georgia to stand up the new 93rd ACW and the E-8C JSTARS. While at Robins, I deployed to support the first use of JSTARS in a Red Flag exercise and OPERATION DESERT FOCUS.
I left the Air Force in 1999 and returned to Texas to work at Bell Helicopter’s Military Aircraft Assembly Center as a Flightline Electrician on the MV-22B Osprey. During my time as a flight electrician, I delivered nine Low Rate Initial Production, two Engineering Manufacturing and Design-Return to Flight prototypes, 12 Block A MV-22 and the only Additional Test Asset (ATA) CV-22B to the Air Force. During my last four years at Bell, I was a Senior Reliability Engineer on the H-1 Upgrades Program (UH-1Y/AH-1Z). After almost 12 years at Bell Helicopter. I briefly went into flight simulation as a reliability engineer at FlightSafety International. I returned to Bell Helicopter and the H-1 Upgrades Program. I returned to reliability engineering, but an opportunity presented itself in H-1 Upgrades Military Training. Given my unique experience with flight simulators and the aircraft, I was a perfect fit for this position. As military programs go, sometimes they aren’t renewed. I left Bell and jumped to Lockheed-Martin. I’m back to reliability engineering supporting the warfighter.
I am married to a great woman who understands my passion for this hobby. I have a bachelors degree in business management with a minor in aerospace control systems and a masters degree in computer information systems.
A while back I posted an in-progress of the Revell 1/29th scale X-Wing Fighter. You can see the original article here:
Overall it’s not a bad kit, but it’s not that great either. It needs some help to be a respectable representation of an ILM [...]
The Revell kit is listed as a Skill Level 2 with an overall length of 12-3/4", a wingspan: 10-5/8", with a total of 50 parts. The kit is molded in light gray, a big improvement over the original orange mold from years past. The kit features fin[...]
This model is not mine. I acquired this model after my good friend, Darrell Cochran, passed away suddenly in 2010. After his passing, his wife asked those of us in the model club if we would assist her in inventorying Darrell's collection. It w[...]
History
The XF-88 was designed to fill a USAF requirement for a "Penetration Fighter", a new class of aircraft for long-range escort of USAF bombers. Two XF-88s were ordered (S/N 46-525, 526) in 1946 and the first flight was on 29 October 1948. [...]
I thought you'd like to see some shots of my current project. Revell's X-Wing fighter kit is the largest injection molded iteration of George Lucas' iconic spaceship. While big is cool, the kit leaves a lot to be desired.
1. It's a snap-tite k[...]
The first aircraft to change the geometry of the wing in flight. This design was taken from the Messerschmidt P.1101 aircraft.
The Revell kit goes back to the 1950s. This kit follows the norm of the time period, like moving wings and control su[...]
Like Monogram, Revell responded to the breakthrough success of Testors' F-19 Stealth Fighter with a "Could Be..." Stealth model of its own. Only in this case, the plane was the long-rumored B-2 Stealth Bomber.
Working from known flying wing [...]
This kit was given to me about 10 years ago from a former club member. I started on it then and it eventually got shelved and shoved back in to the box. Recently, I decided to start building some of my Star Wars kits and this one need to be comp[...]
Last Christmas I received both the X-Wing and the First Order Tie Fighter kits. I'm kind of on a Star Wars building kick at the moment and decided to pull this one out of the stash and get started on it. It is Interesting to note that while this[...]
My son's 7th birthday was recently and he got a Hobby Lobby gift card. When we went to pick something out, he wanted the Revell Snap Tite Max The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon. Overall, it doesn't seem to be too bad of a kit. It looks like the[...]
