December 7, 1941
I’ll assume we all know that date! Despite all the should’ves and could’ves, the Japanese achieved complete surprise against the US Navy base at Pearl Harbor and the surrounding military installations on Oahu, Hawaii.
Most American air power, 188 aircraft across all service branches, was destroyed on the ground. Another 159 planes were damaged. Continue reading
I had a few minutes, so I thought I’d make a couple of quick comments that likely interest no one…
I have been working fast, and I hope this will continue for quite some time. Since I retired I have treated building models and managing this site as sort of “my job”. I try to make 2-4 hours a day for modeling, often less on days that I post.
I have been known to burn out on occasion, and take months or even years where I do much less work, but for now I don’t foresee that happening anytime soon.
My unbuilt inventory of kits is embarrassingly huge! Close to four digits. At my current speed I’m finishing about a kit a week, so at that pace I have a 20 year supply of subject matter. It may be a race to the finish line! I’m a little arthritic, but so far nothing I can’t work around.
My stash is mostly aircraft. The three “On My Workbench” subjects have been a simple aircraft (mostly single engine fighters), a complex aircraft, and a “miscellaneous” (mostly from my vehicle stash). But my vehicle stash is much smaller, at my current rate I would exhaust it in 2-3 years. I’ve got 6 more AFVs I want to get to soon, but expect after that I may start throwing in more odd sorts of aircraft… or Mustangs (I seriously have a lot of Mustangs!)
And I have a couple of theme builds in mind (often based on themed boxings), at least one diorama…. So at some point the “On My Workbench” may look very unusual. But probably not anytime too soon.
I had hoped to have more other types of posts this year, stuff on air shows, museums, reenactments… but you all can guess what happened to those plans. Thunder Over Michigan was officially canceled three days ago. But you know, that leaves more time for building….
Northrop’s big Black Widow was the largest allied fighter of World War II.
Let’s look at the nocturnal air war and a weapon design for that purpose. Continue reading
At this site we’ve mostly looked at weapons and weapon systems of the Second World War. But every now and then its fun to look at the more mundane, yet essential machines every military had in substantial numbers.
So let’s take a look at a less glamorous Wehrmacht truck. Continue reading
Messerschmitt’s Bf 109 was one of a handful of types that was in service from the first day of World War II to VE Day.
No doubt it developed a great deal over that period. Let’s take a look at the final variant to enter service. Continue reading
Continuing the theme of ludicrous looking AFVs, the Soviet KV-2 was an early War monster.
Let’s take a look at another tank who’s design aesthetic was inspired by Warner Brothers. Continue reading
475 mph. That is highest maximum level speed recorded by any American combat aircraft in World War II.
Obviously a Mustang, right? Or maybe a Bearcat if we stretch the definition of World War II combat types? Continue reading
Some AFVs look like something right out of Looney Toons, perhaps none more so than the German Sturmtiger.
Let’s take a look at an armored monster. Continue reading
Perhaps the best known Japanese bomber of World War II, the Betty was a modern and dangerous weapon in use from the very start of the Pacific War.
Let’s take a look at an early Betty, from a very famous mission. Continue reading
The biggest and most capable American tank of World War II was almost too late for action.
Let’s look at one that did see use at the tail end of things. Continue reading
 | Aviationtrails on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
 | atcDave on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| Aviationtrails on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| atcDave on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
 | Ernie Davis on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| atcDave on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
 | Stuart Templeton on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
 | coolrich59 on Status Update |
| atcDave on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| atcDave on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| atcDave on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| atcDave on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| Curtiss P-40B Warhaw… on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk | |
 | Pierre Lagacé on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
| Pierre Lagacé on Curtiss P-40B Warhawk |
