FineScale Modeler February 2021

has it really been 30 years?

In January 1991, I made a driving tour of Civil War battlefields that took me through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi (with an extended side trip at the end to visit the CAF museum which at that time was in Harlingen, Texas). On the evening of January 16, I found myself in a Jackson, Tennessee, mall shopping for music and killing time. If I know me, I probably hit the K-B Toys to look at models and die-cast metal airplanes. Thinking about finding some dinner, I became aware of hushed voices and a crowd gathered outside a store with TVs in front. News organizations were reporting the early moments of Desert Storm, mostly talking heads and spotty audio from CNN correspondents in Baghdad. I was back in my motel room when President…

scale talk

Amazing realism puts reader on deck As a retired 25-year U.S. Navy guy who has spent hundreds of hours on the flight deck and deployed on three aircraft carriers, I was amazed at the accuracy of Oliver Doering’s MH-60S diorama. He captured every nuance and detail to the degree that it took me back to the flight deck as soon as I saw the photos. Not only is everything accurately portrayed but the level of detail of every single thing is to a level I’ve never seen before. Mr. Doering’s diorama is much higher than “museum quality,” attaining the “artiste” range of modeling (if there is such a thing). Thank you for an article on what is possible in modeling. Although I’m sure I will never reach Mr. Doering’s level, his example…

new products

AIRCRAFT 1/32 SCALE 1/48 SCALE 1/72 SCALE ARMOR 1/35 SCALE 1/72 SCALE AAVP-7A1 with enhanced applique armor kit (Desert Yellow) No. 63019, $37.99; AAVP-7A1 with enhanced applique armor kit (camouflage) No. 63073, $37.99, both prefinished models from Dragon. FIGURES 1/35 SCALE U.S. Soldiers at Rest from MiniArt, No. 35318, $TBA MISCELLANEOUS 1/35 SCALE Wooden barrels from MiniArt, No. 35632, $TBA. B-type London Omnibus 1919 from MiniArt, No. 38031, $TBA. AIRCRAFT DECALS 1/144 SCALE North Central DC-9-51 Republic Scheme from Draw Decal, No. 44-DC9-58A, $12. Also available in 1/200 No. 20-DC9-58A, $8. Lao Airlines A320 from Draw Decal, No. 44-A3N-96, $12. Also available in 1/200 No. 20-A3N-96, $8 and 1/125 No. 25-A3N-96, $16. Delta Airlines DC-9-50 from Draw Decal, No. 44-DC9-60, $10. Also available in 1/200 No. 20-DC9-60, $8. Houstonian P-51C from Draw Decal, No. 44-P51-147, $5. Also available in 1/32 No. 32-P51-147, $14; 1/48 No. 48-P51-147, $10 and 1/72 No.…

desert storm at 30

Gulf War provides plenty of modeling choices In August 1990, Iraq stunned the world when it invaded and annexed neighboring Kuwait. After months of preparations, the world responded on Jan. 17, 1991, when aircraft gathered from numerous countries attacked military targets in Iraq and occupied Kuwait. At the end of February and following a series of feints and raids by the coalition, and an abortive incursion into Saudi Arabia by Iraqi forces, coalition ground troops entered Iraq and Kuwait. Within 100 hours, a ceasefire was declared, Kuwait was liberated, and coalition troops pursued Iraqi forces deep into Iraq. The multinational character of the coalition and the associated variety of equipment make rich fodder for modelers. Tomcats, Hornets, Intruders, and Corsair IIs crowded U.S. carrier decks. Airfields across the region played host to…

building spirit of syracuse

One of the units deployed to the Persian Gulf for Desert Storm was the 174th Tactical Fighter Wing based in Syracuse, N.Y., my childhood home. I had friends whose fathers went to war, and you could sense the worry, even as they tried to act as if it was no big deal. Thankfully, everyone made it back with no casualties. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Desert Storm, I built a Hasegawa 1/48 scale F-16A in the markings of the 174th commander’s fighter, Spirit of Syracuse, as it appeared during the war. While an older kit, the Hasegawa offering can make a beautiful replica. I did add a couple aftermarket items, but for the most part, what was in the box sufficed. The ordnance loadout was based on what the 174th carried…

through the storm

During Desert Storm, the American-led coalition began its ground campaign against Russian- and Chinese-made armored vehicles in Iraqi service. One such vehicle was the YW-531C, an export version of the Type 63 armored personnel carrier (APC). Entering service in the late 1960s and put to many purposes, from ambulances to troop carriers, this lightweight steel vehicle was no match for coalition ground and air power. I was inspired for this build by a YW-531C destroyed by air attack on Route 801 north of Kuwait City. The kit BRONCO FIRST INTRODUCED its 1/35 scale kit of the YW-531C (No. CB35082) in 2010, and it still stands as the only option in injection-molded plastic with a total of six variants. The kit contains beautifully detailed parts, many small and delicate, and extra care must…