Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Battle of the Barristers

Take two lawyer-modeler-bloggers, take two Academy F-8 Crusaders, a fixed due date of the IPMS/USA 2009 Nationals, and lots of trash talk...and what do you get? Well, we will find out. Recently I noticed David Knights mention he was interested in building an Academy F-8 Crusader. I too had been eyeing my Crusader. Somehow a challenge was issued, and now we have a Battle of the Barristers. The goal is to have both FINISHED Crusaders at the Nationals in Columbus. Somehow a winner will be picked and a Barrister Cup will be awarded. (David thinks such cup will be a trophy equal to Lord Stanley's Cup. Ok David, if that is the case, I can't wait to see you skate around a hockey rink with the Barrister Cup raised over you head...well if you win...) I hear David is doing some Yankee "Mig Killer." But being an aeronautical purist, I'm going to build a F-8 with much more savoir faire and a little je ne sai quois.

I started the kit Saturday night at our DSS meeting in Cleveland. I didn't get much done, but some of the parts have been removed from the sprues. It sure looks like a nice kit. I have the Eduard Zoom set, but I'm feeling this one might be out of the box. David and I are going to try to do weekly updates on our blogs, so watch this space. I'm sure come August we will both be down to the wire to finish our F-8s...

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Buzz Beurling on CBC radio

I've always been a fan of George Beurling and his feats in the skies above Malta. A friend and I have been e-mail back and forth about Beurling and the new Osprey book on Malta Spitfire Aces. I'll put up a review of the Osprey book in the next few days, but until then here is an interview with Beurling from CBC radio. I assume it was taped in 1944, but it was not aired until May 21, 1948, a day after Beurling's death in a Norseman crash in Italy. There is also a nice pic of Buzz with his RCAF Spitfire IX MH883 VZ-B of 412 Squadron.

Friday, November 21, 2008

This Week in Canadian Aviation

It has been a good week for Canadian aviation fans. A few things of note:

1. The Canadian Forces got their leased Mi-8s to help transport supplies in Afghanistan. The lease will last a year until the CAF's new Chinooks are in service. I've always been a fan of Russian Cold War aircraft, so I'm glad to have a reason to add a Mi-8 to my Canadian collection. I hear the Hobby Boss Mi-8 is a really nice kit, so I look forward to building a replica of a Mi-8 leased by the CAF from Sky Link of Toronto. (Photo courtesy of the Canadian Department of National Defence.)

2. The first flight of the long awaited Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone took place last Saturday in Florida. The Cyclone will replace the CH-124 Sea King which has been in service with the Canadian military since 1963. Sadly, it is unlikely that the Cyclone will enter CAF service until at least 2010.

3. The Hawk One Sabre C-GSBR arrived at Cold Lake, Alberta, yesterday for its Golden Hawks paint job. It was met on-route by AETE's colourful CF-188 188907. (Photos courtesy of the Canadian Department of National Defence/AETE.)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Some News from Telford

Once again, I didn't make it to Telford for the IPMS/UK ScaleModelWorld, but some news from the show is floating back across the pond. The most exciting news for me is that in addition to the previously announced new tool 1/72 Spitfire IX, Airfix will also be doing a new tool 1/72 Spitfire XIX. Almost as exciting is that Airfix are doing a new tool Sea Harrier FRS.1 and...drum roll please...Sea Harrier F/A.2. I am really looking forward to these releases, along with the previously announced 1/72 Hawks and Canberras. Airfix are also planning a new tool MiG-15 in 1/72. Interesting choice, and one I would have been really excited about a year ago, but it will be interesting to see how it compares to the new, and very nice, Hobby Boss MiG-15s. It is nice to see Airfix back and issuing new kits in 1/72. (For full disclosure Airfix also have a new 1/72 -109G, and a 1/48 Sea Vixen on the boards for 2009.)

Hannants had announced just before the show that they would a "previously unannounced" Xtrakit available at the show. Turns out it is a Sea Harrier F/A.2. As is common for Xtrakit kit was tooled by MPM/Special Hobby, and technically isn't "previously unannounced," as Special Hobby as had a SHAR2 on their new release list for a year or so. I immediately put one on order as I am a huge Harrier fan and have long wanted a Sea Harrier F/A.2 for the collection. Sadly, after doing so, first reports are the kit isn't really up to the usual MPM standard, and it may be best to wait for the new Airfix kit... I'll report back when I get my copy.

P.S.: In other great Spitfire news, it appears that Sweet is doing a 1/144 Spitfire IX. Sweet!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Bolingbrokes and the Son of Lassie

Here we find a very interesting excerpt from the 1945 film "Son of Lassie." Forget the dog...though you see him running in one shot...and focus on all the RCAF heavy iron. Venturas and Kittyhawks in the background and Bolingbrokes front and center. Notice the Bolingbrokes have some interesting markings applied for the movie. These scenes were shot at Patricia Bay in British Columbia. One interesting tidbit is that the RCAF transferred the nose section of Bolingbroke RCAF # 710 to MGM for use in the movie.