Doogs’ Models Fall Giveaway Kits, Part 5
On November 1st, Doogs' Models kicks off its first ever kit giveaway. Two lucky winners will receive two fantastic kits, voted on by you, the readers! In the lead up to…
Aftermarket – Grey Matter 1/32 P-51D Tires
As I've written before, Tamiya's 1/32 P-51D Mustang is an astonishing kit on most every level. But no kit is perfect, and the big Tamiyastang's biggest flaw is easily its…
Future Build Preview: PBJ-1J Mitchell
In the early days of World War II, the U.S. Navy realized that it had need of a land-based bomber force to support its operations, particularly in the roles of anti-shipping and anti-submarine warfare. Of course, the USAAF wanted its bombers all to itself – most famously Hap Arnold’s hoarding of B-17s to support the 8th Air Force’s daylight bombing campaign.
Eventually, a deal was struck. The Navy would give up its new Boeing PBB-1 Sea Ranger seaplane, leaving the Consolidated PBY Catalina to soldier on and freeing up Boeing to develop the B-29 Superfortress. In return, the Navy would receive a number of Consolidated B-24 Liberators, Lockheed B-34 Venturas, and North American B-25 Mitchells. These were redesignated according to the Navy’s logical but annoying naming scheme, where an aircraft was labelled by mission type, model number, and a manufacturer identifier. The B-24 became the PB4Y-1 – marking it as the fourth Patrol Bomber contracted from Consolidated.
By the time the first Mitchells (PBJ-1s in Navy parlance) became available in 1943, the Navy was already happy with its PB4Ys, so the Marine Corps happily took on the smaller Mitchells as its own. (more…)
The Invasion of Japan
I'm always confused by people who take the position that we should not have dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. I don't think it's something…
Doogs’ Models Fall Giveaway Kits, Part 4
On November 1st, Doogs' Models kicks off its first ever kit giveaway. Two lucky winners will receive two fantastic kits, voted on by you, the readers! In the lead up to…
Future Build Preview – F4U-1 Corsair – “Tojo Eats Shit”
There are exactly three aircraft for which I am determined to build an example of every major variant. The first is the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The second, the North American…
Down the eBay Rabbit Hole
eBay is a great way to score kits on the cheap, if you’re patient and if you can restrain that “I’ve been outbid…this means war!” impulse.
But I try to avoid it because the site’s a damn rabbit hole.
Allow me to present Exhibit A. (more…)
Doogs’ Models Fall Giveaway Kits, Part 3
On November 1st, Doogs' Models kicks off its first ever kit giveaway. Two lucky winners will receive two fantastic kits, voted on by you, the readers! In the lead up to…
From Build Reports to Build Logs
When I asked for feedback about ways to make the blog better, one of the items that jumped out at me was combining build reports into a single post, so the entire build could be perused from first steps to final details.
This is a test of that concept, using Build Report posts from the Spitfire VIII. Let me know what you think! If this works out, I may be transitioning all future builds to this format, with breakout posts for special modifications and whatnot.
And yes…I realize some of the formatting is a bit weird. Sorry about that, but this is just a test, so who cares, right?
The Spitfire Mk.VIII was a victim of timing.
In September 1941, the Luftwaffe’s new fighter, the Fw 190, made its operational debut, and quickly outclassed the RAF’s Spitfire Mk.V. That same month, a potential answer, the upgraded Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 engine, made its first flight. The engine was a stunner, and work began at once redesigning the airframe to accomodate the larger, heavier 61. (more…)