Category: Model Airplane
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Douglas Skyraider – Part Two – The Five-Point Shot

Photographic shot, that is. The acquisition of a new Fujifilm camera with a touch screen has led to adoption of a new procedure for scale model photography. I can now doe focus-stacked images much more easily. It’s not my invention – it’s been going on for ages -but now it is very simple for tabletop…
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Douglas Skyraider – Part One – Abandoned On The Shelf

Started, but incomplete. Very low price – my kind of kit. And a definite prototype in mind for the finished build. The previous owner had cemented the wing and fuselage halves together and done a pretty careful and precise job of it. The kit is designed so that the cockpit tub slips inside before the…
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Have I Got The Latest, Latest Kit?

With the photo-etch and the resin and the masks and the pots of paint and the signed copy of the designer’s baby photo? Gee, I hope not; I don’t think I could stand the pressure to perform. The 14th coat of weathering oil/lacquer/authenticity magic would reduce me to tears. I could not win a court…
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Pitts S2A – Part Two – Canadian Reds

I wonder if someone will pick up on this one at the next WASMex show. Will I get talked to by the committee? Well, we shall see. If they press me I will say that the sponsors are a fine Canadian company that sponsored a team for air racing and never sells dangerous products. Not…
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Pitts S2A – Part One – Leonardo’s

My daughter visited Japan some 5 years ago – pre Covid. I tasked her with bringing me back something that wasn’t available in our local shops. Fortunately she wandered into one of the Leonardo’s shops in Akihabara and was able to talk to the sales staff. She selected 4 models that were old, odd, and…
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Dewoitine D.500 – Part Two – Aeronavale

It is a pity that the development of the French Navy’s air arm was cut short by being the country being defeated on the land. It would have been interesting to see them engaged with the Italian Navy in the Mediterranean. As it was, the two sides might have been evenly matched. This version of…
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Dewoitine D.500 – Part One – Escapee

In this case, this kit has done a runner from the hobby shop’s stand at the WASMex show. When it was on the stand – and neglected by the crowd – it was priced down from $ 35 to $ 15. To be honest, I missed it as well, so it is just dumb luck…
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RWD 5bis – Part Three – Bon Dia

Or Dzień Dobry, if you are just starting out. Because this little 450Kg light plane flew from Warsaw to Brazil. Not in one leap, nor in one day, but it started and finished a winner. For a long time the lightest aircraft to cross the Atlantic. The model is also a winner, and will take…
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RWD 5bis – Part Two – The Solo Monoplane

Whenever you see the word ” monoplane ” you know you are looking at a period design. Because there were other choices – biplanes, triplanes, sesquiplanes, etc. These still exist today, but only in oddity or X-plane form. The big feature of this little airplane is the fuel tank – sandwiched into the tiny interior…
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Vickers Viscount – Part Four – Smooth Success

My internet enquiries have failed to turn up a list of names given to the Vickers Viscount aircraft flown by Trans Canada Airlines and then by Air Canada – just a corporate change. However they were titled, they seem to have been quite a success on the Northern American routes – passengers noting the smooth…
