Small, sleek, nimble and for a while during the first half of the Pacific War the Zero was deadly. While the Japanese Army Air Force seemed to constantly be looking for new models for a variety of tasks, the Navy stuck to this airframe and squeezed every ounce of performance out of it. By the... Continue Reading →
Ask any armor modeler and they will tell you: Armor models look far better on a base. Any kind of base - from a simple piece of stained wood all the way to a fully scenic miniature field or forest. Take a tour of any contest and you will see the majority of armor models... Continue Reading →
No matter what your intentions are, no matter how much you promise you will never become one of "those guys"; At some point you end up with a shelf queen. For those who are lucky enough (or deluded enough) to not know what a shelf queen is, the term is a derivative of "Hangar Queen" in... Continue Reading →
Sure the big draw in our hobby would be the Pima Air and Space museum in Tucson - but if you are in the Valley of the Sun, you really should make your way over to the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum. It has a great collection stuffed into two hangars. And for those who like... Continue Reading →
Most of the modelers in my area, if they are interested in WW2 subjects, are focused on producing scores and scores of grey mottled aircraft. Others like RAF roundels on delicate and somewhat homely planes. Sure, as a kid, tried my hand at a Spitfire, a 109 and a 190. But there was no 'draw'... Continue Reading →
The Chance Vought F4U-1D Corsair is a fighter-bomber developed from the earlier F4U-1 Corsair. Some have said that the -1D was the high point of the Corsair's development as a true fighter bomber. It certainly perfected the Corsair design as it was used in World War 2. It enjoyed a storied career in the US... Continue Reading →
I am no different than most scale modelers. I got into models as a kid, put them away, and then sometime later (after school, work and wedding) I got the bug to build again. I got back into the hobby sometime in 2007 with a 1/48 Tamiya F4U-1A and my inspiration came from the internet... Continue Reading →
This kit was my first attempt at a 32nd scale kit and would ultimately be the first model I entered into a contest. This model was completed in September 2009 and it shows how I did things back then. This model is still proudly displayed in the model case even though I am sure I... Continue Reading →
IPMS Rochester hosted its annual show on September 23, 2018. It was held at the Webster Recreation Center in Webster NY (about a 10 minute drive East from Rochester). Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control (a freak TORNADO) my trip was delayed. That meant missing a visit to the local hobby shop in Webster. However I met... Continue Reading →
I picked this kit up at some 60% off at the LHS. It was my first trumpy kit and at less than half off, its an excellent deal and it is a great kit. To be honest - its not without its warts (far from a breezy Tamiya build). I think its MSRP is way... Continue Reading →
MODEL AIRPLANE MAKER 