Uncle Pete

I don't think this movie was trying to be anywhere close to accurate. It delivers the same thing we got from Biggles and Battler Britton when we were kids... Heroes in heroic situations. It had all the stock characters, the boss (Cuba Gooding), the quiet, disciplined major who understands his guys, the overstressed flight leader who drinks on the quiet, the hot dogging young star pilot who breaks the rules and gets away with it (echoes of Tom Cruise in Top Gun), the imposing John Wayne-ish colonel (Cuba's boss) with the attitude of "I'll whup any of my guys that cross me but I'll protect them like a tigress protects her cubs against oustsiders", the grumpy mechanic always complaining about the mess the pilots were making of "his" planes Basically, good clean escapist fun. The flying scenes in general were a bit far fetched. What struck me more about the landing I think you're talking about was the separation (or the lack thereof) between the planes. Struck me as a bit unsafe to be landing line astern only a few yards apart... That stuff is more for display pilots at air shows than working pilots in a war. (And I did my share of grumbling in the background, too, by the way!) I might go for one of those too... Always liked the shape of the 39, very elegant, almost feminine. Had an almost-scale Cox .049 C/L P39 as a kid. Most yanks of that period are a bit more on the blunt, "flannel shirt and Doc Martens" workmanlike side. Even the 51, pretty as it is, is a bit chubby round the midriff. Couldn't agree more. You could say the same for just about any flyboy movie, though.

My wife is gonna just hate you!

I saw that one too... Can't remember much about it, though. "Red Tails" is actually a bit corny and "John Wayney". Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it but it struck me as very old school and a bit on the contrived side. (Lots of lines like "Take that, Jerry"... That sort of thing). The aircraft were photographed very well and the air battle sequences were all CGI but very exciting although a little more crowded than one would expect in reality. In general I give it a solid thumbs up, definitely worth the price of admission.

That was my second choice... I'd sooner get it all in one box if I can. I figured if it came with the kit I'd be sure of getting the right 'Stang. I watched the movie "Red Tails" last night and thought the scheme would brighten up the shelf a bit among all the olive and brown.

Does anybody have any recommendations for a P51 that comes with Red Tails markings in 1:72?

That's a cracker. I got back in last year and I'm currently on something like number 18 and still struggling. You've done a great job on accuracy as far as I can see. On my own models I settle for "near enough for jazz". Hats off to you for diving in with the bigger scale... The extra detail in 48 compared to 72 is a bit too daunting for me.

Nice job! And Hot Shots was the BEST! WAR MOVIE! EVER!!!

You've done it again! Somehow, however small your models are you manage to make them look big.

Very nice. For what it's worth, I like 'em clean (and not just because I'm afraid to try weathering!)

Looks like the Japanese didn't have much in the way of a maintenance budget. A lick of paint on Lt. Fuchida's plane might have brightened it up a bit! Cracking job.

That's your first since returning to plastic as an adult? I'm on number 17 (or thereabouts) and still trying to get them looking more-or-less like some sort of flying machine never mind actual accuracy. Preshading? I haven't even dared! Great work... I hate you!

Little help, please... I'm in the process of seeing if Italeri's 1:72 F 104G can take a joke and wondering about the "sit". There doesn't seem to be anything in the plans calling for nose ballast and it certainly looks like it won't need any but before I close up the fuze, can anybody tell me if a typical 104 is likely to sit back on its bum? I'd hate to get it all done and dusted only to find it pointing somewhat skyward instead of nicely on all three feet but I'd rather not put the weight in if it's not necessary. Thanks in advance.

I think we may have found the title of your autobiography...

Beauty! Scratching is not for the faint-hearted but scratching in 144 of such a small plane is sheer madness! Hopefully, when they carry you away to the asylum they'll let you take your tools so you can show us some more.

Is it worth the effort? Better question, is it worth the effort to you, the builder and to hell with everybody else. As the eternal newbie I'm happy to get a Spit looking roughly like a Spit (even if it's not actually a Spit but a Seafire) and leave the wing bulges, wheel choices and moving bits and pieces 1mm here and there to you pros. Both of them are the goods, though, as far as I can see and I wouldn't know which was the modification. Smashing jobs. Much as I'm a fan of the traditional RAF war paint, I must say the silver one is rather yummy.