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I think we all might prefer the "main"? Soviet fighters and light bombers as opposed to this Iconic aircraft. http://variety.com/2013/film/news/remember-the-titans-world-war-ii-1200795005/ We have waited years for Soviet aircraft in 1/32 scale and so far the only injection molded kits have been the Mig3 and Sturmovik & I16. Soviet Markings for typical lend lease aircraft P39, P40, B25 etc. A more financially viable option would be the missing La5, Yak, Pe2 although you may have some crossover from WNW builders for a biplane. I know I limit (try to) my modeling to 1939-1945 fighters and bombers so technically this fits into that period AND is an historically significant although not well known outside the Soviet Bloc. It seems to be more in line with the Fairey flycatcher which I have been succesfully able to resist. So....although an interesting story just not a sleek fighter or bomber in fact it is just the opposite. Jon

Kev, Maybe if you would have mentioned that this is the Russian biplane that the "Night Witches" used to attack German troops in night glide bombing harassment attacks it would show how significant this aircraft was as well as possibly being the most produced 40,000 biplane ever made remaining in production untill 1978!!! Surely all will remember hearing about the all female night attack squadron called the Night Witches? "Night Witches" is the English translation of Nachthexen, a World War II German nickname, for the female military aviators of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, known later as the 46th "Taman" Guards ... Wikipedia Jon

Now you will have to do a 5,000th F6F-5 Gruman Hellcat markings!!! Jon

Found this..... Forums.12oclockhigh.net Jan Gazda 28th August 2009, 10:56 There is a photo of Feld´s Spitfire Mk Vb, WD-D, ES276, in the history of 52.FG by Ivie and Ludwig together with a colour profile of the aircraft. Photo of Haskins is also there.. Jan http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/b/52/3/1 http://raf-112-squadron.org/52ndfghonor_roll42_43.html http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire/MkVc-Trop-USAAF-52FG4FS-WD/images/IL2-KF-MkVc-USAAF-52FG4FS-WD-D-Sylvan-Feld-Tunesia-1943.bmp

Nige, Cool pic 1969! I got to go to Lockheed in Marietta when I was in college C141s and C5s all lined up and I got to climb to the flight deck and sit in the left seat. They told us not to touch anything but it was summer and quite hot in the cockpit so I looked and saw the crank for the pilot window and cranked it open! You could kill yourself by falling fro the fight deck to the cargo floor! Some friends ended up doing tech illustrations for Lockheed and I ended up doing Tech Illustrations for GE Aircraft Engines. Lawman thanks for your service during the Gulf War.

Chuck says Merry Christmas http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T-D1KVIuvjA Jon Merry Christmas!

Some nice Russian ace p39 profiles and photos in the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces book. Quite a few Russian schemes. Jon

Great conversion on your Saber. I like your Japanese Saber as well. Nothing like getting the childhood treasures lost to time back. Jon

Great review Dave. I too would like to see detail photos. Thanks for taking the effort to write this up. Jon

I would love to see inertia starter trucks as the Japanese tended to use. Some airfield equipment fuel trucks, dozers, Steam rollers tow tugs etc mostly WW2.

Great to see Russian markings on the main user of P39s. Perfect Bell interior green and fine cockpit detail. Very appropriate weathering and great decal choice. Jon

CMK makes resin detail sets. Exhaust, cockpit, etc Since it is so hard to find Moskit A6M5 metal exhaust for it. I got mine for $32 an ebay buy. Super kit.

I was wondering about 1/32 "mono chrome" model company. Looks like the trumpeter RN biplane stringbag kit. Anyone know about this brand? Jon

Hope all is well Harvey. Nice work on the homemade prop jig. I always have found that getting focused on building or creating pushes back the other thoughts that can cause stress and worry. As much thinking about solving the task at hand (like a model) is worth it at the end of the project, when you can sit back and take in at your leisure what you have accomplished. Unlike a painting a model is 3D, and viewing it at many different angles just is so satisfying. Life gets in the way a lot lately for me as well Harv. Just keep on trucking dude. You and yours are in our prayers Harvey, Jon

Rich, I picked up some clear casting at my local hobby lobby to use as a diorama base for either my crashed SBD or to display my Rufe not on a beaching dolly and was going to put colored dye in it so not worried about clarity.

Rich, My Uncle was navigator bombadier on Korean War Night Invaders Convoy busting at night through valleys strung with steel cables. They used infra-red night vision to stop the convoys. I'm certainly looking forward to your Viet Nam COIN build though. Im sure you will do it justice. Jon

Rich, Well deserved award on all your very hard work on the B17 and the rest of the diorama. Stupendous effort that is appreciated by those who know what it took to realize your concept. Im sure it attracted much attention. Jon

Yes just saw some on Ebay the seller is in Alabama. Jon

Sounds as if a great time was had by all!!! I really have wanted to go to Merry Olde England for quite a while. Made it to and competed in one IPMS show in Dayton ,Ohio many years ago. I have seen the most of the prime aviation Museums here in the States USAFM in Daton, Naval Aiviation Museum in Pesacola, Air and Space Museum in DC, Pima Air Museum in Tucson as well as the boneyard New England Air Museum in Connecticut but have ALWAYS ALWAYS wanted to visit the IWM in Duxford. I likes (liked) the beer Ice cold though!!! Sooooo D-day theme next year if I start on a vac B26 Marauder NOW. Glad you all had a grand time sorry I was not there totally jealous. Yes picts please. Jon

Bogies = unidentified aircraft possibly enemy Bandits = enemy aircraft identified As in "Bandits - 12 O'clock high!"

Has to be one of my all time favorite navy jets! Always wondered what it would be like sitting right out front in a rocket fighter had to be great view. Nice job and a great friend you have. Jon

Hang in there Frank!!! Just made me cringe a bunch about the metasrsus. Stay off it and get some oob build time in. Owch! Jon

Well Frank, It seems I escaped by the skin of my teeth. I rode to work the other day on my YZF R1 As I was getting onto the on ramp to the expressway Shifted gears and started to wind it up to merge with 80mph cars and tractor trailers When the RPMs suddenly went waaaay up but no power Went to the wheels. I thought the clutch had let go luckily i was at the entrance to the on ramp. So i thought maybe i had just lost a gear also so i tested the shifter It clicked through all gears and the neutral light came on Right where it should. So I pushed the bike 1/2 mile back to closest gas station call on my cell No service cell tower down that day borrowed cell called the wife to let her know Id be late Finally got tow truck got home 3 hours later Wife was frantic. No she did not listen to the message I sent from The borrowed cell (a nice couple from Indiana who used Verizon and not ATT) she dint recognize the number. Well after getting the bike home i started poking around and disassembled the shifting linkage from the rearsets and took The front cover off the countershaft sprocket. Well there sat the nut that is supposed to hold the front sprocket on in the bottom of the cover letting the front sprocket slide off the splines. Who knows when the nut came off but the chain was still on the sprocket. If that happened at highway speed it could have been very ugly. I have new steel front and rear sprockets comming as well as a new chain 530 and new countershaft nut and missing lock washer. Oh snd have to buy new chain riveter just dont trust clip connectors. When the chain went off it chewed up the aluminum rear sprocket. Im leaving the front sprocket cover off for good so I can keep an eye On it and keep it cleaner. You would have to really try and get a finger caught in there. All GP bikes run without front sprocket covers or chain guards. Whew just costing money and not my life. That Yamaha R1 almost got me. Glad you are on the mend. Jon

T38 Talon sorely missed for such a long time and a great looking jet with super visual appeal. As for large scale bombers a Short Sterling would be most impressive! It is almost exactly the sam wingspan as the Lancaster just a tad longer fuselage. The SAAB jets are iconic and very radical for the time they were designed. I see quite a bit of overlap in requests. Yes we have been asking and yes some companies are really stepping up And delivering. It is up to us to support them to keep this flow moving. Look what happened to 1/48 scale over the years some very diverse subjects almost to the point of running out of subjects. Maybe we can get that to happen with at least some iconic and historicsly significant versions Of 1/32 props and jets. I think it will be up to us to demand them. The younger generation really could care less about pride of building a kit of these subjects. I am a big fan of instant gratification

Jack, I also want a Marauder in our scale. As has been said before as soon as you finish your vac B26 they will release an injection moulded kit. This happened to me on a vac P39 Combat models but i made into a P400 ...and a scratch Shinden J7W1. I have tons of refs for the 26 so i have no excuse not to start one myself. Jon