Category: American aircraft
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Convair Atlas D – Part Two – Cement Day
This is no finger-tangler of a model. A day or two of cementing and sanding and the air compressor can be turned on. The assembly is no mean feat, however, as the tolerances with which this kit are moulded are anything but generous. Each of the location pins has had to be shaved to get…
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Convair Atlas D – Part One – Old Home To New Home
I used to live where these things were deployed. I now live where the scale model is made. This kit from Horizon Models was advertised for some time in the Australian scale model magazine – but I did not see it at the time. Then it got to Phil Flory and I sat up and…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Five – Yellow Widow
Well, I like it. It has flaws, but then so do most of the things I love. The prototype for this build was apparently bought by Ranchers, Inc. in Boise Idaho in 1963 and converted to a water bomber – or fire tanker in the North American parlance. It did not last long, stacking it…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Four – White Widow
Before you think this has gotten political or I’ve lost my mind, let me assure you that there is a very good reason for painting the P-61 Black Widow white. Before I go into that, notice how smooth the basic structure ( despite the rivets ) is. There was surprisingly little putty needed – or…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Three – Swings And Roundabouts
Every airplane design has compromises and so does every kit. Some are adequately addressed and some are not – what you gain on the swings, you lose on the roundabouts. In the case of the P-61, the twin tail booms made of two pieces each ( double the seams ) mean two chances to get…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Two – Hot Weather Modelling
I’ve grumbled before about the limitations of scale plastic modelling in very hot weather – and a fat lot of good it has done me. So, rather than sit and moan, I have decided to sit and cut plastic. Inside – in the A/C at my Saturday afternoon group. I can’t paint but I can…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part One – ‘Tis A Gift…
And ’tis the only thing gifted about me – the ability to attract free model aircraft. This one is from a lady in payment for some Christmas family pictures. Again, it is a case of telling the client the scale I model in and letting them go and pick out something they fancy. So far…
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North American Bronco – A Quick Build
This North American OV-10 model has a rather chequered history – it was sold twice and gifted three times before it was built. It is just this report on my column because it was a quick build. It started life in Korea as an Academy model, made its way to Japan into someone’s stash, and…
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Cessna Dragonfly – Part Three – ROKAF
The dragonfly is ready to go into the collection and I am delighted with the choice of ROKAF. I shall complete more for this division in the future. The scheme for this plane’s upper works is as much a nuisance as any other tri-colour pattern. Whether it is French, Soviet, or whatever, I always instinctively…
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Cessna Dragonfly – Part Two – Weighty Nose
You only have to forget once to weight the nose of a three-wheeled plane to impress it on your memory forever. And there is no effective way to excuse it when you are faced with the fact – other than accepting your fate, putting the wheels up, and the model on a flying stand. I…
The Little World 