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…)
Future Build Preview: Showboat!
When I walked the contest tables at the Austin SMS show in late September, I was shocked to find the “Warships Greater than 1/500” completely vacant. There were a handful of smaller 1/700 scale ships on hand, and one massive fishing boat, but not a one 1/350 scale warship in sight.
That’s when the idea started to form. I think by the drive home, I’d determined that I was going to build a ship.
I started searching and zeroed in pretty early on Dragon’s USS Laffey kit. This scrappy little destroyer served off Guadalcanal in 1942, where it got itself into a point-blank shooting match with a Japanese battleship. Despite a gallant fight, it got its ass kicked, and hard.
Before I could order the Laffey, though, Great Models went and had themselves a big sale on Trumpeter kits.
And Trumpeter happens to make a 1/350 USS North Carolina.
(more…)
The Wall. I Have Hit It.
I thought it was a great plan. While the bench is packed away for the move, I'll build tanks. I can do that with minimal supplies. Just build a ton…
Doogs’ Models Fall Giveaway Kits, Part 2
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…