I have stated a few times that it was this Okinawa-based Corsair that started the whole fascination with the type. But, I have never attempted to build Bob Klingman's Corsair. Why is that? Oh, reasons I'm sure. That and wanting to avoid checkerboard decals on the cowl. But before the build, let's explain a few... Continue Reading →
1/72 AMP X-20: No, it’s a “Dyna-Soar”
Remember that time when money wasn't tight, man-made wonders were constantly being built and funding for every conceivable aerospace program was announced weekly? Yeah, me neither. But I imagine it was like that when the X-20 was conceived and plotted out. The equivalent of five and a half billion of today's dollars was spent to... Continue Reading →
1/48 Revell SR-71 Blackbird: America’s Middle Finger
As a child of the cold war, I kinda, sorta feel a little sorry for the young 'uns today. You see, back then the color grey didn't exist. Terms like 'nuance' and 'root causes' wouldn't appear until the 2000s. It was all very simple because everything was black or white. Back then, when some country... Continue Reading →
Jet Engines Aren’t Silver
Far from it. Actually, after studying these excellent pictures sent to me by my new friend Steve Baker, I am beginning to think jet engines are almost every colour EXCEPT silver! This is the Pratt & Whitney J58 and these engines are found on the SR-71 Blackbird. I am currently building Revell's obscenely large 1/48... Continue Reading →
1/48 Tamiya F-14A Tomcat: A Cultural Phenomenon
If you asked me in my pre-teen years, I am pretty sure I would have said the F-14 was the coolest of them all. Sure, maybe the F-15 was the king of the skies and maybe the F-16 was the nimble one that could fly circles around everything. And the F-18? Well, I guess some... Continue Reading →
History & A Build: The Battle Off Samar and the 1/72 Arma Hobby FM-2 Wildcat
After all these years, I am still fascinated by World War 2. One of the reasons is because this conflict is simply chock full of stories of extreme bravery. Whether you are into reading about armor, airplanes, navy or marine units, there are endless tales of sacrifice, bravery and guts. Sometimes bordering on the insane.... Continue Reading →
The Tomcat Build Continues with tips for painting wheels
I have just finished the third build video for the 1/48 Tamiya Tomcat. This one was about finishing all of the subassemblies ahead of painting the big turkey. As I have mentioned previously, there are few build challenges with this kit so this video shows one strategy for quickly painting the tires on the landing... Continue Reading →
The Tomcat Build Continues with a new video
I have just finished the second build video for the 1/48 Tamiya Tomcat. This one was about finishing the build of the fuselage and painting the engine exhausts. Generally speaking, these are not the most exciting aspects of a model build, except when it comes to sealing up the fuselage. Most of us have developed... Continue Reading →
Tips and Tricks for Jet Cockpits
I am more of a Second World War prop airplane builder but I sometimes dabble where I am not supposed to. I have recently started a build of the lauded 1/48 Tamiya Tomcat. Unfortunately, most of my Cockpit Finishing Techniques had to be thrown out of the window. That is not necessarily a bad thing... Continue Reading →
Academy’s Battle of the Planets Phoenix
There are a lot of reasons why we build models. For some it is an interest in a subject like airplanes, tanks or ships. For others, it is an interest in history and how these vehicles were used. But sometimes we are just looking to go back to a happy place and enjoy a trip... Continue Reading →