Author Archives: atcDave

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.

They Shall Not Grow Old

Posted on December 18, 2018

This new movie from Peter Jackson is truly unique and special.  It is to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and is told entirely through period images with veterans’ voices providing narration. Join me for … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Willys MB Jeep

Posted on December 12, 2018

Few vehicles are more synonymous with a national war effort than the American Jeep. Join me for a brief look at an iconic light vehicle.

Posted in USA, Vehicle | Tagged , | 20 Comments

The Battle of Midway by Craig L Symonds

Posted on September 21, 2018

Do we really need another history of this well documented battle?  Well maybe not need, but this book proved to be a much appreciated addition to the what’s out there. This book is purely a narrative history; that is it … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , | 31 Comments

Engineers of Victory by Paul Kennedy

Posted on September 7, 2018

This book was certainly an interesting surprise.  I was expecting something more specific about equipment and weapons development during the Second World War.  The subtitle is about “Problem Solvers”.  It might have been better called something like “How Things got … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , | 28 Comments

Yet Another (!) Day at the Museum of the United States Air Force

Posted on September 1, 2018

No doubt this is one of my favorite places on Earth!  So when the newly restored Memphis Belle was rolled out for display I made another journey to Dayton. I don’t know all the behind scenes politicking, but apparently when the City … Continue reading →

Posted in Museums | Tagged | 7 Comments

Display Area

Posted on July 27, 2018

I’ve mentioned my model shop being down for a basement remodel, well I thought I’d share a look what’s been done with the main part of the space.   The major part of the newly finished space is a home … Continue reading →

Posted in Administrative | 11 Comments

A Dawn Like Thunder By Robert J. Mrazek

Posted on May 25, 2018

The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight This is an excellent look at a pivotal period from an unusual perspective. I’ve read several unit histories. Often they are a bit dull, except presumably to those with a close connection to … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 12 Comments