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 →
The 2023 Dream Kit List!
After I stifle that last turkey burp and toss that 'ol tree out on the snowbank, my thoughts usually turn to figuring out which day of the week it is. But soon after that, I start to ponder what kits I'd like to see in the future. Now, I know that the rumor mill has... Continue Reading →
Jet Cockpits using paint only
In this platinum age of model kits, we have a lot of options when it comes to finishing kit cockpits. There is old-school scratch building, photoetch, resin sets, and those amazing 3d cockpit decal sets. Or you can just use what came in the box! And these days, more and more kits have excellent cockpits... 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 →
So, you want to paint it black…
The big Revell Blackbird is done and I have some things to say about the build in a future blog post. But for now, I thought I'd share how I painted the beast. This is not the first time I have painted a Blackbird. The first time was in a much smaller scale and I... Continue Reading →
An Amazing Museum Railroad and My Model Railway Beginnings
For the last few years, I have been spending my summer holidays in a small town along Lake Huron. My family and I love the beach, the town, and pretty much everything else. It has always been this way for me ever since my parents brought me to this town each summer when I was... Continue Reading →
The 2022 Ottawa Scale Auto Contest
The last time we got one of these local shows was in the fall of 2019. That was a great show and, due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, it was the last local show we had until this past Sunday. This show and contest is brought to us by the local scale auto club and... Continue Reading →
PUTTY! Huh, Yeah! What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing! Well, at least when it comes to dealing with massive gaps. There was a time when I would gather my allowance and bottle return money and bike on down to the hobby store. Back then I didn't care too much about what model I was going to get. Oh sure I longed for... Continue Reading →
The Swap Meet: Lost Love, Cheap Kits and the circle of life
Last weekend the Hobby Centre hosted its second 'Hobby Flea Market' or, as I like to call it: the Spring Swap Meet. The second time around was much the same as the first. Maybe there was a bit more kit diversity this time and certainly warmer weather. Observations? I have a few. If what is... 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 →