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The Phoenix raises again! For the step-by-step building post you may go to: To avoid any confusion, let's start by saying that the plane in the movie was...several planes. As you know, the Fairchild Packet is the plane that crashes. Then a (not actually flying) plane is "made from it" that is used in the film scenes as a static prop. At the same time, a flying plane was designed by Otto Timm and built by Talmantz Aviation for the filming of the flying scenes. After the crash that took the life of Paul Mantz, another plane was converted to have a vague resemblance to the general lines of the Phoenix, a North American O-47. The model I am presenting here is that of the Timm-Tallmantz Phoenix P-1, the plane flown by Paul Mantz to film the flying sequences, and not the non-flying prop used for many other scenes on the ground. All those planes differed noticeably from each other. Knowing that a AT-6 Texan nose, engine, propeller, cockpit and wheels were used, plus the wings from C-45 Expeditor, I used those -combined with the measures of the actual plane- to draw a set of sketches as a guide for the construction of the model. This plane never took off or landed on the desert (real or film location), but operated from a local airfield. It had silhouettes to represent the "passengers" in order not to have drag and weight added. The only windshield was that of the pilot, the ones for the passengers were just frames. Yet once again I take pleasure in transforming bellicose machines into higher-purposed birds. The construction of the model employed known techniques and utilized a few already-made kit parts cited above. Some long hours were spent needless to say checking photographs (there are much less images available than one would have thought) in order to adjust and re-adjust the home-made construction sketches. I usually don't weather models, but the plane was stained to show signs of (in the movie) its "problematic origins". The only decal was -as usual- commissioned from and provided by Arctic Decals from Finland, the country as you all know where all the planes' fins are made. Mantz obituary in the New York Times (at the Cloverfield.org page: https://cloverfield.org/people/mantz_pa/index.php goes as far as stating that the movie was based on actual events, mentioning that during WW2 a mechanic refashioned a twin-engine plane into a single-engine one and took six men strapped to the wing to as nearby base, which is absolutely bogus, as far as I can tell, and no records whatsoever exist of that. I think the Times was the victim of an ethically-questionable movie studios ploy to sell more. Ethics were as scarce then as they are today in much more important places, if you get my meaning. Finally, as those who are familiar with the movie know, the Phoenix, born from the ashes, returned to the ashes after its crash, only to be re-born again an again in our models to illustrate one of the most beautiful metaphors about life.

Scale resin has just released a 1/72nd Slingsby T.53 Phoenix glider resin kit - ref.7201. Source: http://www.cmrmodels.eu/slingsby-t53-phoenix V.P.

AIM54C Phoenix Missiles Brassin 1:48 The AIM-54 Phoenix is a radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on F-14 Tomcats, its only launch platform. The Phoenix was the United States' only long-range air-to-air missile. The weapons system based on Phoenix was the world's first to allow simultaneous guidance of missiles against multiple targets. Both the missile and the aircraft were used by the United States Navy and are now retired, the AIM-54 Phoenix in 2004 and the F-14 in 2006. The AIM-54C was the lone improved model that was ever produced. It used digital electronics in the place of the analogue electronics of the AIM-54A. This model had better abilities to shoot down low and high-altitude anti-ship missiles. This model took over from the AIM-54A beginning in 1986. As with Brassins’ AIM-54A set reviewed HERE These missile come in a sturdy cardboard box and protected inside by several foam pads. Externally the mouldings look very similar, with only the four bulges around the body just below the nosecone missing. The mouldings are beautifully done with just the casting blocks and a small blob of resin on the tips if the nosecones to be removed. The separate tails, as with the previous set will require careful removal and cleaning up of both the missiles and tails to prevent an odd shaped missile being produced. The decal sheet is nicely printed, in good register and opacity. It provides the many stencils and the warning bands for each missile. Check your research to decide whether you need the live and practice weapons fitted. Unlike the AIM-45A set these missiles seemed to have had bands further up the body allowing a single large decal to fit, but also have several bands in short lengths to fit between the fins. Conclusion These are some of the nicest Phoenix missiles I’ve come across. The moulding is very nicely done and the level of detail is superb. You may have to look very closely to see some of it, but it’s there. They are a perfect accompaniment for your F-14 models. Highly Recommended Review sample courtesy of

Hello dear friends. New items from Northstarmodels/ NS48040 - French antiship missile Exocet AM-39 (1 pc. in a set, decal) NS48041 - US air-to-air missiles AIM-54 Phoenix (2 pcs in a set, decal)