Category: American aircraft
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Matchbox Helldiver – Part Four – The Curtiss Lollypop
Having mastered the Mr. Color range of metallizer paints I do not cringe in fear from natural metal finishes. Indeed I welcome them where appropriate. Thus my delight in the pictures of the prototype Curtiss SB2C rolling out of the factory in the early 40’s. Still early enough to have the pre-war yellow wing. A…
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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…
The Little World 