By the time the USN and the Marines sailed up to and flew over Okinawa, they had pretty much solved everything there was to be solved in terms of aviation in the Second World War. The Marianas, the Philippines... all that was behind them. By this point in the war, carriers carried fewer Dauntlesses and... Continue Reading →
Jet Engine Kit Giveaway!
A few months ago, Stirlingkit gave me this 1/20 scale working jet engine and I had a blast building it. And the best part? It actually worked when I flipped the switch! Well now Stirlingkit has returned and we are partnering to give away one free kit of this working engine. The contest runs between... Continue Reading →
A visit to HeritageCon 2024
This was my third straight year since the show resumed in 2022. And I tell you, it just seems to get bigger and bigger. More vendors, more models, more space... All good things. It is also the first model show on the calendar and, well, maybe its me but I think the sun and warmer... Continue Reading →
A good time On The Bench
The original scale modeling podcast, On the Bench or OTB, still creates excellent content with its classic lineup. I started listening to these guys on the first leg of an 11-hour drive to a scale model show in Dayton Ohio. Wow, that was some 6 years ago.... It almost seems like a different world and... Continue Reading →
Rewarding Results or Efforts?
Some time ago I wrote a bit about why we have contests at model shows. It was a self-reflective piece as well as a commentary on current events. I'll admit: I was probably a little too honest. And given some of the reactions it got on the socials, my theory as to why people participate in model... Continue Reading →
Damn the Results; Enjoy the Hobby!
http://dbscalemodelstudio.blog/2024/02/21/failure David over at DB Scale Model Studio wrote up a nice piece that nicely sums up an issue that has plagued some modelers at one point or another: the fear of failure. David goes on to describe a series of partially completed kits and the reasons why the builds stalled (spoiler alert: a fear... Continue Reading →
The Base Completes the Look
I always figured the base was just a means to highlight the model. I never paid much attention to them. However, I've had a moment of clarity. You see, I've come to realize that, much like an oversized belt buckle on dark blue jeans, a pinky ring with a pinstriped suit, or a fist-sized medallion dangling within an... Continue Reading →
The 2024 Wish List
The holidays have been somewhat low-key this year. Just the way I like them. Oh sure, I like a big turkey dinner as much as the next guy. But I really enjoy life on the slow-speed setting for a few days. Of course, this gives me time to think. And this time of year I... Continue Reading →
The base is where it’s at
I've written about model bases a few times. In an early post, I discussed the various kinds of bases to place under airplane models. Later on, I had a thing for round bases and shared an experiment with a simple scenic base on a dollar store clock. I've been to many model shows and contests. I've seen many... Continue Reading →
2023: Well, I Had Big Plans…
At the beginning of 2023 I had a pretty clear idea of how the year was going to go. I had my resolutions. I had my spring and summer plans. I had by paddle plans and I had my hobby plans. Yup - plans plans plans. I was going to build at least 200 models,... Continue Reading →