Author Archives: atcDave

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About atcDave

I'm 5o-something years old and live in Ypsilanti, Michigan. I'm happily married to Jodie. I was an air traffic controller for 33 years and recently retired; grew up in the Chicago area, and am still a fanatic for pizza and the Chicago Bears. My main interest is military history, and my related hobbies include scale model building and strategy games.

Junkers Ju 87G-2

By the end of the line, Germany’s infamous “Stuka” was no longer a dive bomber. Let’s take a look at close support, 1944.

Posted in Anti-Tank, Germany | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Mitsubishi A5M4 Claude

The immediate predecessor of Japan’s most famous wartime product, the A5M continued to serve in a secondary capacity all through the War years. Let’s take a look at one that was involved in the massive Midway operation.

Posted in Fighter, Japan | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Messerschmitt Me 509

Although the Me 509 is often included on a list with “Luftwaffe ’46” subjects, that is truly inappropriate. Its more of a “Alt Luft ’43” subject. As World War II was getting started, Willy Messerschmitt recognized his Bf 109 as … Continue reading

Posted in Fighter, Germany | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Curtiss P-40E Warhawk

We’ve looked at the story of how the Japanese exploded across the Pacific at the start of the Pacific War a few times. Now let’s take a look at where the line finally held, and one of the most successful … Continue reading

Posted in Fighter, USA | Tagged , , | 24 Comments

Douglass TBD-1 Devastator

John C Waldron The Devastator is best known for the sacrifice of it’s crews at the Battle of Midway. In particular, Torpedo 8 which lost all of their aircraft and most of their personnel in one attack. Let’s look at … Continue reading

Posted in Bomber - Naval, USA | 18 Comments

Grumman F5F-1 Skyrocket

Grumman’s entry into the “heavy fighter” sweepstakes was destined to never advance beyond the prototype stage. But its not an easy thing to dismiss it as a failed design. Let’s take a look at an interesting design; in particular WHY … Continue reading

Posted in Fighter, Hypothetical, USA | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Fiat CR.42 Falco

The main Italian fighter in service at the start of World War II was definitely more the ultimate expression of a past era than anything modern. Let’s take a look.

Posted in Fighter, Italy | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe

The float version of the Zero was perhaps the most successful floatplane fighter ever built. This will also be the mildest sort of “hypothetical” build I can even imagine. The aircraft is real, its service by unit and location are … Continue reading

Posted in Fighter, Hypothetical, Japan | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I

An example of a less than fully successful concept, the Defiant was one of the first generation of fighters that Great Britain had on entering World War II. Let’s look an interesting idea that never fulfilled its promise.

Posted in Britain, Fighter | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Theme Build 2

Hypothetical I would guess the idea of “Hypothetical” builds immediately conjures thoughts of “Luftwaffe ’46” subjects for most of us. Back in the ’90s I think there were whole TV series built on this idea! Although such subjects do have … Continue reading

Posted in Theme Build | 2 Comments