Nakajima Ki-43-II Oscar

Posted on July 25, 2024 by atcDave

The Japanese Army’s main fighter throughout World War II has become a well known type, but never as well known as the Navy’s Zero.

Let’s take a look at a late War example.

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Posted in Administrative | 2 Comments

Douglass P-70A Nighthawk

Posted on June 12, 2024 by atcDave

Definitely a lesser known type!

Although many observers might quickly, correctly identify this as a modification of the A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston family of light attack planes. Let’s take a quick look.

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Posted in Fighter - Night, USA | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

T-34-85

Posted on June 1, 2024 by atcDave

The main production version of the well known T-34 tank in the last two years of the War.

Let’s take a quick look at key medium tank.

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Posted in Armor, Soviet Union | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Masters of the Air

Posted on May 27, 2024 by atcDave

A Book and Video Review

I’m sure everyone reading this site is well aware of the Apple+ series that came available early this year. The book its based on is probably less well known, but truly is important in its own right. So I thought it seemed fitting to say a little about both of them. There will be some spoilers here…

The Book “Masters of the Air” by Donald Miller was published in 2006. No shock, but its sort of a different thing from the video series that shares its name. To be clear, I don’t intend this as a criticism. A 9 hour series for mass media consumption WILL be a different thing from a 500 page military history. The type of products have different strengths and attributes, its wrong to expect too much similarity. Except of course, in the end they’re both aiming at the same set of truth.

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Posted in Book Reviews, Miscellaneous | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Republic P-47N Thunderbolt

Posted on April 29, 2024 by atcDave

The P-47N is the final production version of the most produced piston engine fighter in US history.

Let’s take a look at a late War ‘Bolt.

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Posted in Fighter, USA | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Theme Build 6 – Complete

Posted on April 12, 2024 by atcDave

Trainers

No doubt that took a lot longer than I wanted! But at long last, my trainer theme build is complete.

We looked at several different types of trainers here, two were specifically trainer airframes, the other two were (full) conversions of fighters. I do like seeing the range of types tagged as trainers.

These also run from a pre-war types to those that were cutting edge at the end. A fun assortment.

Two singles, both “advanced” trainers, although the Zero might be more properly called a transition trainer. The last step before combat assignments.

North American AT-6A Texan

Mitsubishi A6M2-K Zero

Curtiss-Wright AT-9 Jeep

Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a

The two twins… and that be all they have in common!

For the next couple months I’ll be working on a couple of medium tanks, then I’ll return with a new theme build.
Coming soon… USS Enterprise

Posted in Theme Build | 4 Comments

Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a

Posted on April 11, 2024 by atcDave

Its pretty immediately obvious this is a two seat version of the well known Me 262 fighter.

Let’s take a quick look at how it came to be and how it was used.

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Posted in Germany, Trainer | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Mitsubishi Ki-51 Sonia

Posted on January 19, 2024 by atcDave

An unremarkable looking aircraft, with a mostly unremarkable legacy.

Yet the Sonia has some interesting quirks and did participate in major battles. Let’s look at one such example.

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Posted in Bomber - Tactical, Japan | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Macchi MC.200 Seatta

Posted on January 5, 2024 by atcDave

Just entering use from the start of the War, the MC.200 was Italy’s most modern fighter at the time.

Let’s take a look at another first generation monoplane.

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Posted in Fighter, Italy | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Curtiss-Wright AT-9 Jeep

Posted on December 4, 2023 by atcDave

No doubt a lesser known type.

Let’s look at a multi-engine advanced trainer.

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Posted in Trainer, USA | Tagged , , | 3 Comments