Thumbs Up to Hawkeye's Hobbies

Earlier in the year I purchased some SNJ natural metal paints from Hawkeye's Hobbies and set them aside for later use. (Yea there is a surprise...see how much modeling I've written about recently...) About a month or so ago I dug them out to use on a 1/144 Trumpeter Sabre and I was disappointed to find the unopened paint had solidified into a rubbery mess. Last week I contacted Hawkeye's Hobbies about the issue and owner Gerald Voigt promised to send out replacement paints. The replacements arrived yesterday and are in much better shape. I hope to try them out on the Hobby Boss Sabre this weekend.

So thumbs up to Gerald Voigt and Hawkeye's Hobbies for excellent customer service. You don't see good service today as much as you should and I feel that I should highlight Gerald and Hawkeye's for being one hobby vendor who still provides great service.

P.S.: Hawkeye's has a very nice website with lots of tips and nicely made models. They also have one of the few modeling blogs I've run across. Both are worth a look.

Tri-State Warbird Museum FG-1D Corsair Restoration

One of the most interesting displays at the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the Corsair restoration project based upon Goodyear built FG-1D BuNo. 92132. Now registered N3466G this Corsair, which was built in Akron, Ohio, has spent most of its life in storage. The FG did not see combat and was retained in the U.S. Post-war it was on display with the Air Museum at various California locations. In the 1970s it was sold to David Tallichet and became a television star. After being brought back to airworthy shape, it was flown for the TV show "Baa Baa Black Sheep." Once filming wrapped up, the Corsair was placed in storage first in California, and then in Illinois. A few years ago the project was placed on the market and the aircraft was purchased by the Tri-State Warbird Museum. Since that time the airplane has been under a slow but methodical restoration back to airworthy condition. As this Corsair has not been previously restored in civilian life, and as it is a complete aircraft and not a wreak, it is a unique time capsule and will one day look stunning when it takes to the air.

Restoration has focused on the wings and the tail section. The center section is on display in the Museum in its unrestored state.

Azur 1/72 Fleet Finch

Because of work commitments we had to cancel our trip to Virginia Beach for the IPMS/USA National Convention earlier in the month. I did however follow the posts, discussions, and photos online as most modelers do. Little of the new stuff announced or available at the show really excited me. However, last week I got a newsletter from Greatmodels and they mention Azur is doing a Fleet Finch in 1/72. Cool!

Fleet Finch box art

I can't wait to get my hands on a couple of these. I know Planet did a resin Fleet Finch a few years ago, and I do have one in the collection, but I would rather work in plastic then resin.

Tri-State Warbird Museum - The Flyers

Back in October while attending the Cincinnati Scale Modelers' Contest and Swap Meet, Matt and I took a side trip to the Clermont County Airport to visit the Tri-State Warbird Museum. It was a little hangar of some nicely restored airplanes, though it wasn't much of a Museum. Here are a few of the flying aircraft on display. (And yes I realize it is August and I took this pics in October...I'm a little slow...)

Ex-Royal Canadian Navy TBM-3E BuNo. 53420/N420GP was forlornly stuck in the corner.
TB-25N s/n 45-8898/N898BW "Axis Nightmare."

Every Museum needs a PT-17 Stearman. This is N224DF.
The Museum flagship is P-51D N83KD "Cincinnatti Miss" with the assumed identity of s/n 44-84410.

AT-6 s/n 42-84779/N7RK masquerading as "Tweety" the SNJ-5.

Later in the week I'll post some photos of the Corsair restoration project.

Since our visit the Museum has added a Strikemaster, FW-190 recreation, and a P-40 project to the collection. I'm not sure how they fit all the new additions in the hangar.