Work on what would become the F-117 commenced in the 1970s as a means of countering increasingly sophisticated Soviet surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). During 1976, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued Lockheed with a [...]
Just a few days before he underwent major heart surgery my father in law told me about his military service. During that time he was trained to drive an “AMX-tank”, but this being more than 50 years ago, unfortunately he didn’t [...]
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One of this year's highlights was dedicating a significant portion of my work to WWII Japanese bombers and fighters—subjects I had previously avoided. However, I was captivated by their fuselage's weathered exteriors and textured [...]
This is the recent Airfix kit built with Barracuda 3D printed landing gear. It’s an amazing addition to an already solid kit. I also used Kits World seatbelts and Eduard masks for the glass. Precut masks are a lifesaver on 1/72 kits [...]
Winter camouflage patterns that appeared in the Eastern Front were factory or field applied. Naturally, factory applied white was more durable than the field applied scheme. Yet, factory applied white was also stained by exhaust residues [...]
Well what can I say? Hands down the best 1/32 scale kit I have ever had the pleasure to build. FINALLY a kit with absolutely zero flaws! Yes they are expensive kits (around 150.00 -200.00) but they should be twice that cost. The [...]
I completed 18 builds in 2024. They consisted of ten aircraft, two tanks, two ships, one boat, one truck, one missile, and one car.
The year started with a lot of aircraft - two SBD Dauntlesses, four TBD Devastators, three IJN aircraft, [...]
I finally got the last of my three 1941 IJN aircraft across the finish line today. I built a 1989 boxing of Hasegawa's Kate as Cdr Fuchida's aircraft at Pearl Harbor, AI-301, piloted by Lt. Mitsuo Matsuzaki. Fuchida led Akagi's high [...]
This is a famous plane that probably needs no introduction. Petie 2nd flown by Lt. Col. John C. Meyer as CO of 478th FS of 352nd FG. Meyer scored 24 aerial victories and destroyed 13 planes on the ground. After the war he rose to the [...]