Category: American aircraft
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Matchbox Helldiver – Part Three – The Hubley Kit
If you are from North America you’ll recognise the name Hubley. They were a die-cast toy maker of the 40’s and 50’s who made larger size offerings. I owned a Hubley Bell telephone truck with working winch and pole trailer – surely an odd choice of prototype even for the times. I observed other kids…
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Matchbox Helldiver – Part Two – Wing It Or Sling It?
Here’s a dilemma. I’ve pictures of the prototype SB2C with folded wings. And the Matchbox kit has folding wings. But they are folded on the toy principle and look bloody awful. I have low standards but every now and then something shows up that undercuts them. I have built folded wings on an Airfix Devastator…
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Matchbox Helldiver – Part One – Progressing Backwards
I already own two Curtiss SB2C models – one a US Navy version and one a USAAF A25 Shrike. They were respectively a Sword and a Dragon kit. Both characteristic of their countries of origin – the Czech one a challenge of approximation and the Hong Kong one a masterpiece of precision. But two were…
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Cougar F9F-8P – Part Three – Despite Sword
I’m being mean. Really this has been a very good kit to build. Minimal trimming, minimal filling. Fit everywhere. Just the minefield of the instruction sheets. It is a warning for the future, however, not to build anything straight out of the box and straight off the instructions. Get a third-party reference and keep it…
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Cougar F9F-8P – Part Two – Bass Ackward
I am not a naturally suspicious man. I allow people to control my computer frequently and am always sending out my credit card details. I’ve invested frequently in Nigerian investments. But I now look upon any Czech model aircraft instruction sheets with the same trust that I would give a 500Kg German bomb that was…
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Cougar F9F-8P – Part One – Sword Again
I seem to have hit upon a theme recently – the photo-reconnaissance aircraft as moulded by the Czech firm of Sword Models. An RT-33, a Thunderflash, and now a Grumman Cougar F9F-8P. The RT 33 was diverted to a Canadian hack aircraft, but the two others are up there taking pictures. The box yielded several…
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Curtiss Shrike – Part Five – Bombs Away
And to think I was considering chopping the tail off this plane and making it into a silver prototype. I’m so glad I’m lazy. The Dragon model of the Shrike A25-A has come out very well, despite the funny landing gear doors. The interior is detailed enough that if I had wished, the glasswork could…
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Curtiss Shrike – Part Four – Dragon Boo Boo
I generally have complete faith in things I read. This has served me well with all the elections I’ve ever voted in – I follow the instructions on the how-to-vote card and so far all my candidates have been elected. I also follow the printed instructions on the back of the Betty Sydney cake packets…
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Curtiss Shrike – Part Three – Army Green
” Is That Olive Drab? “ Yes it is. ” Is that the correct shade of Olive Drab? “ No, it isn’t. There is no correct shade of olive drab – it is a fluid, melding hue that goes from light pink to deep violet depending upon the phase of the moon. It was a…
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Curtiss Shrike – Part Two – Folding Wing Or Not?
Not. The USAAF was not concerned about squashing a dive bomber onto a deck-edge lift to strike it down to a hangar deck. They could specify a fixed wing and get a stronger one that would hold more bombs. The Dragon model company makes this kit serve several purposes – US Navy SB2C as well…
The Little World 