Recent content by Ole Bill

Belly shape of the Vultee Vengeance, The Definitive Answer. For years now, I’ve noticed a modeling ‘error’ which appears to have a life of it’s own, being perpetuated in both aircraft drawings and model designs. And this blub has not escape the best respected hands of guru’s in both ink and...

Sorry for the poor quality photo. It's a copy of a 35mm slide. I built the 1/72nd (Revell I think) kit 40 or 50 years ago. The scene depicts bore-sighting the guns. The crewmen are Airfix, some cut apart and repositioned. The bore-sighting equipment was scratch built, as was the 'in the...

Personally, I use metric when 'scaling up' drawings when scratch-building balsa flying scale models. It's so MUCH easier doing 'metric math' – than fooling with dividing 1/32 inches Into 1/64 inch measurements. Lazy? No., smart!

Somewhere, in my very, very, VERY packed storage room, I have an old, old, OLD Airfix kit which you mentioned. It was purchased from a now long defunct 'toy store' that was going out of business. I paid $9 for it! It is one of my many 'one of these days' projects!

My (deceased) X-father-in-law was crew chief on P-47s. He said the 'plumbing' was a nightmare to work on, referring to the engine "system." And this was an aircraft used extensively for low level strafing! I wish now I'd spent more time getting more details from him, other than all the HORSE...

I've always heard that the 'B-24' operated by the 'Confederate AF'... "Diamond Lil" is actually a C-87

There is a story about a 3-view drawing of the U-2 published in a Model Airplane Magazine during the 1950s, when supposedly even congress didn't know of it's existence. I actually saw a copy of this magazine on the mag rack at our local pharmacy. Almost immediately, the Feds got wind of this...

The more OVERHEAD Life photo of the disassembled F4U shows a good view of the tiny, triangular wedge anti-torque devise welded onto the leading edge of right wing. Very few kits include this tiny detail.

I'm interested in locating a decent set of drawings of the B-17D, with the intention of building an electric R/C balsa version in 1/2" scale. I have a very old 3rd or 4th generation warpaint set, but that's the best I can find. Let us know if you happen upon anything you can share. Ole Bill

This is true. But as a child during the war (born in 41) most toy FIGHTER aircraft we had were P-40s (of course) and BOMBERS were A-20s. This simple fact of war history lead me many years into a long time friendship with and old A-20 Crew Chief!

I don't have a manual, sorry, but I just couldn't help but reply to this post. I was in the MS ANG for 11 years, an airlift unit. I was in the base civil engineers... but I did have the opportunity to make several trips in the plane... one as far as MS to Nevada. The rear cargo bay was like...

I'd like to ditto that on all the great HELP/INFO this site offers! As an older (retired) modeler, I often find myself asking questions that years ago I'd simply ignore. But then, the main source of aircraft info was from the PUBLIC LIBRARY! My hats off to all who supply ANSWERS on this site!

Not that it matters now, but on my first trip to Boston eons ago, the wife and I stayed at the Parker House downtown, and there was a great little hobby shop within walking distance. What I miss most as an "older modeler" is the mom-and pop hobby ships… where service was supreme!