Homepage Text - January 2011

Monday,    Jan 31  2011
This weeks Twobobs Newsletter is up and I'm darn excited to see the release of the 2 F-16 Egg Plane sheets including an Eggressor sheet and another F-16 Egg Plane sheet....plus the 1/48 and 1/72 and 1/32 F-16ADF L'Ultima Diana sheets with their sexy tailart.  

Ian Scoley is here today with a very cool looking 1/48 Revell Eurofighter Typhoon.  Ian went with an in-flight display with the landing gear semi-retracted.  The paint scheme uses different shades for different panels which looks excellent.  I really like the look of this typhoon. 

Carmel J. Attard has done a flawless job on his colourful little 1/72 Eduard Nieuport 17.  This was a very famous fighter from WW1 and Carmel tells the whole history as well as the build process for this little gem.  The wooden propeller looks like real wood....beautiful job Carmel. 


Soccer Wu has been busy getting all the details looking perfect on his 1/48 Revell F-15K Slam Eagle Fighter.  This is the Korean version of the F-15 and it is complete with a full weapons load and a great looking paint job....check out the exhausts....they looks fantastic in their shaded bare metal finish. 

Dave Johnson is here with a product article for the 1/48 TIE Fighter model kit from Fine Molds and available from Hobby Link Japan.


Here is a product article for the new 1/72 F-117A Nighthawk  V-Tail from QuickBoost.


Here is a product article for the new 1/48 TSR.2 Landing Gear from Scale Aircraft Conversions. Scale Aircraft Conversions.


Sunday,  Jan 30  2011

  Liberation of Camp Pangatian, Philippines 


Friday,   Jan 28  2011 

  Space Shuttle Challenger Accident 1986  

The Small Shop has teamed up with Hawkeyes Hobbies , Xuron Corp, Albion Alloys and SAM Publications to sponsor another contest.  Additional information is available at Hawkeyes Squawkbox.  Contest entries must be received by the entry deadline-Midnight (CST) May 8th, 2011.  Other sponsors wishing to support this event please contact Gerald Voigt at Hawkeyes Hobbies

Jack Alexander has been busy building the 1/144 Anigrand Craftswork C-5B Galaxy.  This is a resin kit and Jack had some of the classic problems during the building process, but in the end he ended up with an excellent looking example of this massive cargo plane.  I do like the way the weathering turned out. 

Jerry Reyes has done an impressive creating his 1/32 Trumpeter XP-38.  Jerry started with the 1/32 Trumpeter Lockheed P-38 J/L and backdated to an XP-38 prototype using scratchbulding in the critical areas.  The baremetal model of this prototype ended up looking excellent.

Serge Dompierre joins us today with his cool looking 1/48 Trumpeter MIG-19PM Farmer E.  Serge used a new technique for the bare metal finish and then used German Democratic Republic markings to complete his sharp looking MiG-19.

Here's a product article for the 1/48 F-16C Arctic Bandits decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics. Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This sheet has enough markings for three complete jets from the 18th Aggressor Squadron from Eielson AFB.  Wing Commander, Squadron Commander and two line jets.  

I have a preview for the new 1/32 MiG-23 Splitter Plates from Zactomodels.  This amazing set is designed for the 1/32 Trumpeter MiG-23.


I have a product article for the new 1/32 MiG-29A Fulcrum Air Intake Covers Type C from QuickBoost.


Here's a product article for the new 1/72 de Haviland Sea Vampire model kit from Czech Master Resin - CMR ModelsThese 2 new kits are the de Havilland Sea Vampire Prototype and the de Havilland Sea Vampire F.20.



Thursday,   Jan 27  2011

 Russia - End of Leningrad blockade  (1944) 

Tom Berres has done a lovely job building and finishing his 1/72 Airfix Nimrod MR2P.  Tom built his Nimrod out of the box, but you've got to have a  close look at the gently shaded paint job......simply perfect looking.  Tom also points out a few tricks to building this model to avoid inaccuracies and problems.  This one is a beauty.

David Rapasi is here with another eye catching model.  This is his 1/48 Accurate Miniatures SBD-3 Dauntless wearing the markings for a Dauntless with VS-5 aboard the USS Yorktown during the Battle of Midway.  And yup....it's got one of those awe inspiring weathering jobs Dave is famous for.  WOW!!!


André Pacheco de Moraes has done a fabulous job finishing and weathering his 1/72 Revell Mirage IIIE.  André  used a combination of aftermarket and custom made decals to finish his special Mirage in Brazilian Air Force markings.  I love the way it looks.

Here's a product article for the 1/48 A-10A Barksdale's Dogpatchers decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics. Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This sheet features2 different  F-16C Wolfpack Bandits with 8th Fighter Wing based at Kunsan AB in Korea in October 2007.  

John Vojtech is here with a product article for three different 3D PUNCH & DIE SETS from UMM-USA Unique Master Models.  These are amazing sets and well worth taking a closer look at.

I have a product article for the new 1/48 SB2C-1C Helldiver wheel bay set from AiresOh Wow....I love the details on these wheel bays.


Hal Marshman Sr is here with his book review for the Lone Survivor book from Little Brown.  This book tells the story of the Lone Survivor of a Navy Seal team in Afghanistan and it sounds like one heck of a book.



Wednesday,   Jan 26  2011

  Australia Day 

  India Republic Day 

Michael Johnson is here to mark Australia Day with his 1/76 Airfix Matilda "Hedgehog".  Mike gave his Matilda "Hedgehog" some light weathering and set it up on an attractive diorama base.  A great looking piece of Aussie armour Mike. 

Rafi Ben-Shahar is here with not one but 3 of his 1/48 Focke wulf Fw-190A Graf.  Rafi is here with a Dragon, Hasegawa and Eduard and all in the markings for Major Hermann Graf.  Rafi is a very talented modeler and I know you're going to enjoy seeing all of these Fw-190's.

Andy Davies really has done a stellar job on his 1/48 Bronco Jian J-10S Vigorous Dragon.  This is the 2 seat version of the J-10 and is loaded with details, but it was Andy's skill that pulled this beautiful project together.  Andy has high regards for this Bronco kit.

Shawn "phantom" Weiler is here today with his 1/48 Hasegawa F-4B, Phantom #134.  Yup....Phantom #134....WOW!!!  Shawn built his Phantom for the ARC USN Centennial Group build and used Two Mikes resin intake covers and a very nice Eduard photo etch sheet for added details.  Nicely done Shawn.....I love your choice of markings.

Here's a product article for the 1/48 A-10A Barksdale's Dogpatchers decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics. Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This sheet features the option to build 2 of 10 different A-10A Warthogs from the 47th FS from Barksdale AFB. LA.  There is two complete set of markings and nose art adorns every single one of these jets. 

Nick Moore is here with a product article for the Gloster Gladiator Vol. I: Development & Operational History book from Mushroom Model Publications. 

Here is a product article for the new 1/48 Tornado Undercarriage Covers from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.

Here is a product article for the new 1/72 Browning M2 aircraft .50 caliber barrels from Master. Master.


Tuesday,    Jan 25  2011 

Hot Babe of the Week!  this week  from Twobobs  is courtesy of Robin Polderman. I'll admit, I can't remember if I put these up before as a weekly Hot Babe; if so, my apologies. Some Jump Jet love for you guys.    Bob


Brent Leidig has taken on a camo scheme few of us would dare to try.  This is his 1/72 Hasegawa F/A-18F Super Hornet with the new digital camo scheme.  This gem must have taken a while to mask, I do like the look of it. 

Lou Anatrella has done a wonderful job on his 1/72 Italeri VNAF UH-34G.  Lou added an astounding amount of scratchbuilt details to all the critical areas on his UH-34G interior and exterior and then finished it with his homemade Vietnamese decals.  Cool looking chopper.

Silvio Pietropaolo joins us with his big beautiful 1/72 North American XB 70 A Valkirye.  Silvio  added extra scratchbuilt details to dress up a couple of critical areas on his XB 70 before finishing it in a perfect white paint job.  He has provided plenty of pics showing the whole build process.

Hal Marshman Sr is here with a product article for the Lake Michigan's Aircraft Carriers book.  This book deals with the 2 converted steamers that were converted to aircraft carriers and used in lake Michigan to train carrier pilots during WW2.  Hal's article about this book is a very interesting read.  It sounds like quite the interesting book.

I have a product article for the new 1/48 F-100D Super Sabre cockpit set from Aires. Aires.

I have a product article for the new 1/32 CAF T-33 Semi Gloss Grey Scheme decal sheet from Leading Edge Models.  This new decal sheet is a new version of this decal sheet includes markings for 5 T-33 Silver Star jets from 4 squadrons including the 50 Years T-Bird special anniversary jet.



Monday,    Jan 24  2011
This weeks Twobobs Newsletter is up.  The F-16 Egg Plane sheets and the Diana sheets will be released later this week.  I can't wait to see both of those.  Bob also has some artwork for the upcoming F-18C Snakes and Dragon sheet which features some dynamite artwork.  Cool stuff indeed!!!

Mike Glinski has a challenging time building his sharp looking 1/72 Special Hobby Me 264 "Amerika Bomber".  Mike did some modifications to this model for improved accuracy and turned out quite the fine looking long range bomber. 


Brad Guy is here with a model that was missed during Silly Week.  This is Brad's 1/48 Monogram F4-J Phantom with all the extras, but I'll let Brad tell about it in his article.  Sorry for the delay Brad, I missed this in my inbox..

Lorenzo Cassinadri has done a marvelous job detailing and finishing his 1/48 Tamiya Fieseler Fi156 Storch.  Lorenzo added extra detailing to his engine and cockpit before giving it a flawless desert camo and creating a diorama base with figures to display this beauty.  Lorenzo  has an interesting technique for marking out the camo pattern.

I have a product article for the new Scale individual instruments for WW2 Luftwaffe Aircraft from airscale. airscale.


I have a product article for the new 1/48 P-51B Mustang Exhausts from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.


I have a product article for the new 1/32 P-40 Landing Gear from Scale Aircraft Conversions. Scale Aircraft Conversions.



Friday,   Jan 21  2011 

John Smalbrugge has been busy building this excellent looking 1/48 Czech Model Grumman JRF Goose for a friend of his.  John went with an in-flight display and I'm certain his friend was quite pleased when he received the finished model.  


Mark L. Rossmann has done a wonderful job building and finishing his  1/48 Hasegawa Sabre F-86 E(M).  For markings Mark chose the to finish his as a Hellenic Air Force Sabre with a flawless bare metal finish.  Nice one Mark.


Jerry Reyes joins us today with his first model.   Jerry never built kits when he was a kid and he is here with his 1/32 Revell Corsair XF4U-1.  Jerry did some major modifications to his Corsair and achieved some pretty darn good results.  I look forward to seeing more of his models on ARC in the future.


Here's a product article for the 1/48 F/A-18A/B VFC-12 Shades of Gray Omars decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This sheet features markings for two complete aircraft from the Fighting Omars of VFC-12.  Both an A and B are represented on this sheet with enough stencils, etc.. for both.

I have a product article for the new 1/72 P-47D Thunderbolt Oil Cooler from QuickBoost.


I have a product article for the new 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.IXE/XVIE model kit from Czech Master Resin - CMR Models.



Thursday,   Jan 20  2011 

Dragan Cvetic starts today with another of his cold War Era birds.  This one is the 1/72 Heller Mirage V BA finished in the attractive camo of a Belgian Mirage.  Dragan added a resin seat and scratchbuilt the cockpit and added other details to improve his Mirage.  Very nice indeed.


Phillip Steele dropped by today with his sharp looking is here with his 1/72 Revell FW 189 A-1.  Phillip found this kit to be poor fitting and quite the pain to build, but that didn't stop him from turning out a great looking model of this twin boom aircraft. 


Carmel J Attard joins us today with another of his vac-u-formed beauties.  This is his very colourful 1/72 Rareplanes FJ-4B Fury in all its glory.  Carmel details the full build on this vac-u-formed model in a very helpful way.  He has also included photos of another FJ-4B Fury in an equally colourful scheme.


Brian Duddy's Dad was a crew chief in the midst of WW2 and Brian has taken an old B&W photos from that time period and made a 1/48 Hasegawa P-40E, “Dad’s P-40” diorama of the scene.  Brian dressed up his P-40 with some aftermarket goodies and has even included those WW2 photos in his article, so you can see the photos that inspired that diorama. 


Here's a product article for the 1/48 F-16A/B NSAWC Vipers #2 decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This sheet features markings for four complete aircraft from NSAWC at Fallon NAS, NV.  Two splinted B models and two gray A models (Ex-Pakistani Block 15 jets) are represented on this sheet. 

I have a product article for the new 1/32 APU-60-1 Launch Rails from Zactomodels.    Visit the  New Zactomodels Forum here on ARC

I have a product article for the new 1/48 F-5E Tiger II speed brakes from Aires. Aires.


I have a product article for the new 1/72 Me 109 Part 2 decal sheet from Lifelike Decals.


I have a product article for the new 1/72 P-51B/C Mustang Exhaust from QuickBoost.



Wednesday,   Jan 19  2011 

Jean-Charles GODDET is here with his striking looking 1/72 Hasegawa F-15C Aggressor.  Jean-Charles used resin goodies from Paragon designs and aftermarket decals to finish his F-15C Aggressor.  Jean-Charles then created a diorama for his F-15 complete with added details including a helmet with a red star.


Phil Marchese has been very busy getting everything perfect on his 1/72 Execuform PB2Y-5H.  Phil converted his PB2Y into a PB2Y-5H ambulance which includes a combination of 3 and 4 blade props....among other details.  Pretty neat looking PB2Y Phil.


David Rapasi is wiht another model for you to enjoy.  This is his 1/48 Tamiya DeHavilland Mosquito MkVI in full D-Day stripes and aftermarket decals and one of Dave's well known weathering jobs. 


Here's a product article for the 1/48 AV-8B Super Harrier II Jammin' Jump Jets decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This sheet features markings for three complete jets from VMA-311, VMA-513 and VMA-211.  You get very colorful markings for a Harrier and the VMA-211 jet represents the very first Harrier to drop a JDAM in combat. 

I have a product article for the new 1/48 B-57 Canberra in Vietnam decal sheet from Zotz DecalsThis decal sheet includes 10 different aircraft and some with noseart.

I have a product article for the new 1/48 Bf-109 G-14 cockpit set from AiresThis set includes resin and photo etch parts.


I have a product article for the new 1/72 CAF T-33 Semi Gloss Grey Scheme Decal sheet from Leading Edge Models. Leading Edge Models.  This new decal sheet includes markings for 5 T-33 Silver Star jets from 4 squadrons including the 50 Years T-Bird special anniversary jet.



Tuesday,    Jan 18  2011 

Hot Babe of the Week!  this week  from Twobobs  is courtesy of Larry Parker. Larry is the person responsible for the design of the VFA-86 CAG jet and has graciously supplied us here at Twobobs with reference photos and artwork images for the creation of the decal product that is now at the printers. Right click, enjoy!    Bob


Yoav Efrati starts today's update with some photos he took of some of the impressive models on display at the recent IPMS Israel December 2011 convention.  This convention took place during the massive forest fires in Israel and Yoav has also included quite a few photos of the fire fighting aircraft that were involved in that operation.

Pedro Pablo Santos Aladro joins us from Spain with his beautifully weathered 1/72 Airfix Spitfire PR XIX.  Pedro built this one out of the box, but it is the finish and weathering that really makes this model look fantastic.  Thankfully Pedro has explained his techniques in his article. 


Sertac Bayar is here with his stunning 1/32 Hasegawa F-86F-40 Sabre.  This model was partially built when Sertac got it and he carefully disassembled it and then built and finished it adding extra details along the way.  You've got to have a close look at the cockpit.....it's definitely loaded with detail in there.


Eric Hargett is here with his P-43.  This sharp looming model is built from the 1/48 Classic Airframes P-43A Lancer kit with some very subtle shading and weathering to get the perfect looking for this aircraft.  Eric tells the history of this aircraft which is the earlier design in the evolution of the P-47.   Very cool to see this one Eric.


Zotz Decals has a new Figure kit.  This sexy 1/6 figure is called You-Teaser.  This is a kit and comes unpainted and unassembled.  

Check it out......I know you'll enjoy the photos.


Here is a product article for the new 1/48 B-13L Soviet Rocket launchers from Aires.

Here is a product article for the new 1/48 British Mk 2 Browning .303 caliber (7,7mm) with flash suppressor from Master.



Monday,    Jan 17  2011
This weeks Twobobs Newsletter is up.  Big news this week.............the Egg Plane sheets and F-16 Diana sheets are almost ready to go on sale.  Plus bob has previews of the  USN 100th Anniversary sheets as well as the F/A-18C Snakes and Dragons sheet.  There's plenty of good stuff on the way!!!

Mark O. Williams starts this special Desert Storm 20th Anniversary update with his Desert Storm Memories.  It really is hard to believe it has been 20 years, I still remember where I was the minute the air operations had begun.


Ken Middleton has built a sharp looking 1/48 Academy F-15C Eagle for the pilot of this F-15 during Desert Storm.  This particular F-15 scored a MiG kill during Desert Storm and Ken has a photo of himself and the pilot in his article.  Sweet looking F-15 Ken. 


Benner is here with his first article for this special updates.  This is Benner's 1/48 Academy F-111E Aardvark which has be modified with a number of aftermarket sets and plenty of work on Benner's part to pull this impressive project together. 


Austin Kennedy is here with his first article for this special Desert Storm update.  This is Austin's 1/72 Hasegawa AH-1F in desert camo and with some added enhancements including decals from Werner Wings for the Cobra "Wild Thing".  This is one sharp looking Cobra. 


Mark Barnes joins with his beautifully weathered Desert Storm 1/48 Hasegawa F/A-18A.  Mark chose the markings for a Hornet with "Warlords" of VMFA-451, but wow....you're got to see the weathering on this one.....it's beautifully done


Austin Kennedy is here with his second model for this Operation Desert Storm update.  This is his 1/72 Revell HH-3E in the attractive desert camo it wore during Desert Storm.  Looking Good Austin. 


Pjotr van der Ploeg has done a fabulous job finishing and weathering his 1/72 Hasegawa EF-111A Raven.  This is a rare F-111 and carried no weapons.  Pjotr has done a beautiful job on the camo scheme complete with some panels being in slightly different shades of paint.  Having the flying surfaces in the dropped position certainly adds a lovely level of detail.


Benner finishes off this update with his sharp looking and rather unique 1/48 AFV F-5E.  Benner chose the markings for a Bahraini Amiri Air Force F-5E with a flawless finish and full weapons load.  His article includes a fascinating story about the beginnings of this tiny air force shortly before Iraq invaded Kuwait.


Here is a product article for the new 1/48 Bf-110C/D Radio Equipment from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.


Here is a product article for the new 1/32 F-8 Crusader Landing Gear from Scale Aircraft Conversions.



Friday,   Jan 14  2011 

Ido Barnea has done a wonderful job finishing and detailing the 1/48 Kinetic F-16I Sufa.  This was quite the project for Ido and included various items from Isracast as well as items from the Skunk Models IDF weapon set # 1.  This was a well thought out Sufa project and is an excellent resource if you're planning on building one of these yourself. 


Manuel Soriano joins us today with his exceptionally nice 1/48 Focke Wulf fw190 A-8.  This 190 model is loaded with detail including engine detail and has a fantastic weathered finish. 


Carmel J Attard dropped by the ARC Corporate offices in Malta with his very colourful 1/48 Academy Sea Knight CH/HH-46D.  Carmel captured the look inside and out of the Sea Knight perfectly with his model and he details the complete build process in a very helpful way  in his article.  I love the bright colours on this chopper.


Matthias Becker has done an outstanding job detailing and finishing his 1/48 Twobobs T-2E Buckeye.  Twobobs T-2E Buckeye.  Matthias added some Eduard photo etch to further detail the well detailed resin cockpit and then finished this beauty in Helenic Air Force markings with a bit of weathering to dirty it up to make it look more like an operational jet.  This is a great looking model.


Here's a product article for the 1/48 F-22A Roll The Dice Raptors decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics. Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This sheet includes markings for 3 jets from the 90th FS of Elmendorf AFB.

I have a product article for the new 1/72 Su-27 Ejection Seat with Safety Belts from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.

I have a product article for the new 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXE/XVIE "RCAF" model kit from Czech Master Resin - CMR Models.  



Thursday,   Jan 13  2011 
I'm pleased to announce the recent unveiling of the New Zactomodels Forum here on ARC New Zactomodels Forum here on ARCChris over at Zactomodels is a long time and much respected member here on ARC and now you have a forum to see all the latest news about his ever growing top quality product line of resin accessories and prints.

Steve Ringlein starts today with his 1/32 Trumpeter AV-8B Harrier.  Steve has done a wonderful job detailing and finishing his USMC Harrier including giving it a weapons load..  You're going to enjoy seeing this one.


Marlon Guevara has been busy getting things looking very nice on his 1/48 Revell Mi-25.  Marlon chose to finish his Mi-25 in the colours of a Peruvian Air Force chopper that was lost in conflict in 1995.  He rescribed the panel lines to improve the look of his Mi-25. 


Carlo Luigi Tamiazzo did a beautiful job building and finishing his 1/48 Frems Aermacchi MB-339A.  Carlo finished his MB-339 in Frecce Tricolori (Tricolor Arrows) markings and armed is as it would appear for winter training and built a runway base to display it on.  Very nice indeed.


Brian Pruitt has been busy modifying the C-130E/H Hercules into a 1/72 Italeri HC-130E.  Brian used decals from Wolfpack decals for a  HC-130E of the California ANG with the Fulton Recovery System.  The Fulton Recovery system used used to extract personnel 


Here's a product article for the 1/48 F/A-18C VFA-192 Golden Dragons decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics This sheet features markings for two complete aircraft from the Golden Dragons with the US Navy.  This is their current CAG scheme as well as a deployment scheme from one of their line jets (circa 2003).

Zotz Decals has a new Figure kit.  This is their 1/2 scale Vlad-Bust figure.  This is a kit and comes unpainted and unassembled.  

Check it out......this is one scary looking dude.


I have a product article for the new 1/32 Spitfire Mk. IX wheels & paint masks from Aires.


I have a product article for the new 1/48 Me 109 Part 7 decal sheet from Lifelike Decals. Lifelike Decals.  This decal sheet features four different Me 109's flown by Luftwaffe Ace Marseille in desert camo schemes and his own Kubelwagen. 


Wednesday,   Jan 12  2011 

Henrique Vidal Malzone dropped by the ARC Corporate offices in Brazil with his 1/32 Revell DH–82 A/C Tigermoth.  Henrique added extra scratchbuilt detailing to improve upon the kit details and then created a diorama scheme to display his Tigermoth and then gifted it to a friend.. 


Tom Berres has done an impressive amount of detailing on his 1/72 RVHP Be-12 'Mail'.  Tom scratchbuilt details and borrowed parts from other kits for his Be-12 and then gave it an outstanding paint and weathering job.  A beautifully done model of this very cool aircraft.


Shawn "phantom" Weiler is here with his most recent 1/48 Hasegawa CF-18 using markings for one of the recent colour bird CF-18's from Leading Edge Models.  This particularly attractive looking jet is in special markings for the 100th Anniversary of Flight in Canada.  


Dragan Cvetic has been busy on his 1/72 Zvezda MiG-23 MLD.  Dragan scratchbuuilt the cockpit and rescribed the panel lines before giving his MiG-23 a great looking camo scheme and Bulgarian markings. 


I have a product article for the new 1/48 E-2C Hawkeye  Propellers W/Tool from QuickBoost.


I have a product article for the new 1/32 German MG 15 machine guns with etched sights from Master.


I have a product article for the new 1/48 FAB-250 TS Soviet Bombs from Aero Bonus.


Tuesday,    Jan 11  2011 
In case you missed it, there was a pile of very funny Silly Week models on ARC this past weekend.......if you missed them, then you might want to check them out. 

Hot Babe of the Week!  this week  from Twobobs is courtesy of yours truly and the super folks at Lemoore NAS, namely VFA-122. Spent the day out there this last Friday to get some pics and get a first peek at some of the new schemes they have coming out in 2011. Cool stuff!    Bob

Luiz Delazari is here with photos from the 9th IPMS Curitiba Contest.  As you will see in the photos, there is some very talented modellers that attended this show in Brazil.


Warren Osborne dropped by today with his sharp looking 1/72 Airfix Pucara.  Warren's Pucara is wearing the markings of a jet that was captured during the Falklands War and it is wearing a camo scheme that Warren airbrushed beautifully.  


Shalom Hen is here from Israel with a very unique Israeli bird.  This is his 1/48 Heller Mirage CIII - The "Black Mirage" with an aftermarket resin seat as the canopy is in the open position.  The focus of this model is the beautifully done and very unique black paint scheme.  There is a link in the article that explains the history of this jet. 


David Rapasi is here with one of the most well known P-38's.  This is his 1/48 Hasegawa P 38-J Lightning which David chose to build as it might appear in a museum, so this is a very clean highly polished model.  This is an exceptional looking P-38. 


Zotz Decals has a new Figure kit.  This sexy 1/6 figure is called The-Right-Scale.  This is a kit and comes unpainted and unassembled.  

Check it out......I know you'll enjoy the photos.


I have a product article for the new 1/24 Messerschmitt Bf 109E instrument panel from airscale.


I have a product article for the new 1/72 P-40 wheels & paint mask from Aires. Aires.


Monday  Jan 10  2011

 Russia - Soviet counteroffensive under Stalingrad. The beginning of the end (1943) 

This weeks Twobobs Newsletter is up.  This week Bob has some big news......he is pondering doing digital camo scheme decals.  Also Bob has images of an upcoming release of the 1/48 F/A-18C Snakles and Dragon sheet plus the 1/48 F/A-18C/E Centennial of Naval Aviation sheet for VFA-106 jets.

Tony Feredo joins us from the warm Philippines with his flawless looking 1/48 Hasegawa Ki-44 Shoki (Tojo).  This particular Ki-44 has a connection to the Philippines which Tony explains in his articles.  Tony's high skill with his airbrush is obvious when you see the flawless camo scheme on his Ki-44.


David “drhornii” Horn has done a masterful job super detailing his 1/48 AMT S-3B Viking.  In his article David tells the story of this particular Viking the fatal accident it was involved in on November 8th, 1998 on the flight deck of the USS Enterprise.  David then explains this very detailed build which also includes a very realistic flight deck diorama base complete with the  VS-22 squadron logo.   


Phil Marchese is here with a very rare model.  This is Phil's beautifully modified 1/72 Execuform PBM-3S.  Phil put plenty of time into this model to complete the modifications to get it to match a particular aircraft.  It's an impressive model. 


Jean-Charles GODDET is here with a fantastic looking Tiger Meet jet.  This is his great looking 1/72 Hobbyboss Dassault Rafale B as it appeared in 2008.  Jean-Charles opened the canopy to show off the cockpit, but it is the Tiger Scheme that makes this a memorable model.  Jean-Charles tells the whole story of the build in his article.    


I have a product article for the new 1/48 G8N1 Renzan Exhaust from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.

I have a product article for the new 1/48 AV-8B, GR Mk.7 Harrier Landing Gear from Scale Aircraft Conversions. Scale Aircraft Conversions.



Sunday,    Jan 9   2011 

Carl Gootzen is here with the first outhouse we've ever seen on ARC.  This is his WC de Quai 1/87, which is an HO scale train building.....so we're talking real small.  The detail and weathering is quite impressive.  Every year Carl has a model for Silly Week that is something I would have never guessed.....and this year he has surprised me again.  


Konley Kelley joins us today with his Red Baron 3D Model Kit.  Konley is well known on ARC for his digital artwork that includes his latest model into a digitally created historical scene.


Alvis 3.1 is here with his 1/48 Lockheed A-38C Turbo Lightning that is finished in the markings for  a A-38C based out of Da Nang in 1970, piloted by Captain Bob Sanchez, and carrying the nose art of "Speedy Gonzales".  This aircraft is a re-engined P-38 with tip tanks and a massive weapons load under the wings and was quite well known in Vietnam.


Kees Kuyper joins us from the Netherlands with 2 of the most Colourful Vipers I have ever seen.  Now if we could only convince an Air Force to use these schemes for an air show bird.


Presto is here with his what-if 1/72 Supermarine Crossfire MkI.  This is a Spitfire with 2 German jet engines and wings from a  third aircraft.  The funny thing is.....this looks like an aircraft the British would have designed shortly after WW2.  Presto built this model about 20 years ago and it's good to see it on ARC.


Konley Kelley is here with an invitation for you to visit his Whitney Field - 3D Virtual Airfield and Flight Museum.  


Alvis 3.1 will have the final article in this year's silly Week.  This is his  HO Scale "Conjunction Junction" diorama.  I had long forgotten about "Conjunction Junction"......what is "Conjunction Junction"?......you really need to read his article.....you won't be disappointed.



Saturday,   Jan 8  2011 
Silly week will continue on Saturday and Sunday.

Hal Elsberry is here is true Silly Week Style with his Hodad figure.  Hal used quite a few modeling techniques to complete his surfer dude figure and I got quite the chuckle when I look at the photos. 


Mark Lougheed is here with his first article on ARC and I must say Mark is getting off to an excellent start.  This is his 1/48 DeHavilland Canada CA-123B Attack Otter loaded with weapons including door miniguns to fight bad guys.  You're going to enjoy reading the history on this aircraft. 


Albert Moore is here with another of his car models.  Alby went for something different in this build and chose a European car.  This is his beautifully finished 1/24 Revell 2008 Audi R8.  Alby explains the tricks he used to get his Audi looking so perfect.

Alvis 3.1 is definitely thinking outside the box with his HO Scale Nuclear Train.  This is actually a nuclear powered monorail locomotive.....Alvis 3.1 has the entire amusing story in his article.

Bill Eggleton is certainly making the Sci-fi fans like myself happy this week.  This is his beautifully finished 1/650 Klingon Bird of Prey complete with a display stand.  Bill has much talent with weathering and finishing and he shares some of his techniques in his article. 

Kees Kuyper joins us with his VTOL F-16.  I love seeing this one......very creative Kees.


Friday,   Jan 7  2011 

Phil Peterson is here with something that will make you grin. This is 1/24ish Polar Lights Jetsons Space Car with some well thought out extra painting.  I loved seeing this one....it brought back so many memories.


Alvis 3.1 is here with a little known part of Canadian history.  This is his 1/48 Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Naval Air Service Sculpin F.1 which was used against foreign fishing boats.  Alvis 3.1 includes the full history in his amusing article. 

Andrew Williams is here with another first for ARC.  This is Andrew's 1/1 Build-A-Bear Teddy bear in full camo and ready for battle.  I've got to show my daughter this article when she comes home from school.

Alvis 3.1 is here with a famous Australian aircraft.  This is his 1/48 RAAF Jabiru, which is an Australian aircraft design that combines a P-40 with a Wildcat.  Now this is creative aircraft designing. 

I have a product article for the new 1/48 MC.200 Saetta Gun Barrels from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.


I have a product article for the new 1/72 Boeing Model 40B-4 model kit from Czech Master Resin - CMR Models.



Thursday,   Jan 6  2011 

Bill Eggleton got all the details and weathering looking perfect on his 1/72 Fine Molds Janga Fett’s Slave 1.  Star Wars fans will recognize and enjoy seeing this one.  Beautiful job Bill.


Gonzalo Adrian Zauzich is here with his first article on ARC as well as the first Gundam model of 2011 on ARC.  This is Gonzalo's 1/100 Bandai RX-79 (g) Gundam EZ8 (MG) with a full weathering job and battle damage, which is always a part of the process for the serious Gundam modeller.  Great looking Gundam Gonzalo, I enjoyed seeing it and welcome to ARC!!!   


Borg R3-MC0 joins us today with his What-if 1/72 Heinkel He-162W.  This was a special water borne aircraft that was developed after the defeat of England in WW2 and before the invasion of the USA.  Borg R3-MC0 has the whole story and more info on his water based  Heinkel He-162W.


Here's a product article for the 1/48 F/A-18E VFA-31 Rockin' Rhinos #7 decal sheet from Two Bobs Aviation Graphics.  This decal sheet features markings for two complete aircraft from the VFA-31 Tomcatters.  

Zotz Decals has a new Figure kit.  This sexy warrior 1/5 figure is called Shikra.  This is a kit and comes unpainted and unassembled.  

Check it out......I know you'll enjoy the photos.


I have a product article for the new 1/48 EA-6B Prowler cockpit set from Aires AiresThis latest release features a complete resin and photo etch cockpit for the EA-6B Prowler from Kinetic.

I have a product article for the new 1/72 Spitfire Mk.XVIe Part 2 decal sheet from Lifelike Decals Lifelike Decals This is Part 2 of  a series dealing with the Spitfire and the aircraft on this sheet are late war and post war Spitfires from  the RAF Polish Squadron, RAF New Zealand Squadron and the Central Gunnery School plus an air race Spitfire. 


Wednesday,   Jan 5  2011 
Albert Moore gets things started today with his 1/25 Revell Mustang "Bullitt".  This is a retro version of the original Mustang used in the movie Bullitt starring Steve McQueen.  Ably modified his Mustang  with low profile tires, C-pillar window louvers and some additional detailing in the interior as well as a custom made license plate.  Beautiful job Alby.

Hal Elsberry got me laughing with his Furball diorama.  This one is priceless and I tip my hat to Hal for making me laugh......very creative diorama Hal.


Terry Davis is here with a diorama that I can honestly say is unique and quite funny.  This is his Frank E. Stein diorama and I gotta admit I think I saw this guy at a contest once.  Thanks for the chuckle Terry. 

I have a product article for the new 1/48 MC.200 Saetta Pitot Tubes & Antenna from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.


I have a product article for the new 1/32 Mk 2 Browning .303 caliber without booster and flash suppressor from Master. Master.

I have a product article for the new 1/48 SPPU-22 Soviet Gun Pods from Aero Bonus Aero Bonus This gun pod was used by the Su-17/22, Su-25 and the Mig-27.  


Tuesday,    Jan 4  2011

  Union of Myanmar Independence Day 

ARC and the scale modeling hobby lost one of our very best yesterday.....at the very young age of 45, Matt Roberts passed away. He was a son, husband, Dad and friend that will be dearly missed. He was one of those special people online that built models very well, did his darnest to bring peace to heated debates and if you read his posts, you always came away feeling just a bit better from doing so. Matt was an avid scale modeller that built a variety of topics....but more importantly....he was a really nice guy. We are all gutted by the news of his sudden passing and our hearts and prayers go out to his family. He will be dearly missed by us all......I know this news has hit me pretty hard as I am sure it has many of you.


Hot Babe of the Week!  this week  from Twobobs is courtesy of yours truly. I took these just the other day while we were in Washington DC visiting family for the holidays. These are UH-1N's from the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Andrews AFB.     Bob


KH Lee is here with something I've never seen before.  This is his KBTS-1 Bi-Venger which is Master Buttowski’s dare-devil aerobatic plane.  Now have a close look at this Bi-plane and understand that is made from the 1/72 Academy TBF1 Avenger.  WOW!!!


Bill Eggleton joins us with one of the coolest egg plane kits I've ever seen.  This is the Starship Modeler Kit Factory Egg Star.  Neat little kit and a cool looking model.


Borg R3-MC0 has been very creative in designing his 1/72 Boeing P-26R.  This is a special air racer version of the P-26.  I love the final look of this one and the story and model are quite creative. 

Zotz Decals has a new Figure kit.  This sexy Japanese warrior 1/4 figure is called Nina.  This is a kit and comes unpainted and unassembled.  

Check it out......I know you'll enjoy the photos.


Here is a product article for the new 1/32 MiG-23 Flogger wheel bays from Aires.


Monday,    Jan 3  2011
This weeks Twobobs Newsletter is up.  This is Bob's first newsletter of the new year and it looks like there are some big plans coming from Twobobs for 2011.  I'm particularly excited by what I read.  Bob has also the first images for the new 1/48 F/A-18C Snakes and Dragons decal sheet....check out the artwork on this one!!!

Steve Nelson has pulled out all the stops when he designed his Yokosuka Type 12 Special Attack Scooter.  This special little scooter was one of the final weapons for use of the Japanese home islands......thankfully they were never used as they could have turned the tide of WW2.


Garry Hill has done extensive work to get all the details correct on his Klingon Bird of Prey, Cloaked.  Without a doubt the most difficult part was designing a working miniature cloaking device.....but Gary pulled it off as you can see.....his Bird of Prey is invisible.


Hal Elsberry was been thinking outside the box when he designed his 1/48 Steampunk SU-37.  Hal was inspired by the movie 20,000 Leagues under the Sea and this is his aircraft based of the designs used in that movie.  I must admit Hal captured the design and the look perfectly.  Steam powered jets....gotta love that.


I have a product article for the new 1/48 Fairchild Au-23A Exhaust from QuickBoost. QuickBoost.


I have a product article for the new 1/32 Panavia Tornado Landing Gear from Scale Aircraft Conversions. Scale Aircraft Conversions.



Sunday,    Jan 2   2011 

Kelly Johnson (Jones) joins us with the first Spider on ARC.  This is Kelly's vignette entitled "There You Are!".  Kelly's Mom and Dad are both well known members here on ARC and Kelly's Mom is an accomplished figure modeller, which explains why Kelly won an award with this vignette.  And of course it comes with a  story.  Beautifully done Kelly...welcome to ARC!!!


Probuilder has put some very good What If engineering into this UAV STALKER Drone.  It has 3 engines and is a VTOL....doesn't get much cooler than that.  Read his article and check out the photos for all the design enhancements. 


Bill Eggleton has done a topnotch job on his 1/32 Moebius Colonial Viper Mk II.  Bill captured the look of the MK II Viper perfectly with his skillful application of weathering and detailing.  I'm quite impressed with Bill Viper and  I've got to pick up one of these Vipers for myself.



Saturday,   Jan 1  2011

  Cuba  -  Anniversary of the Revolution 

  Haiti Independence Day 

  Sudan  Independence Day 

Happy New Year everyone.  I hope you all have a very happy and successful 2011.  We rang in the New Year at home with our kids and a non-alcoholic toast at midnight as we watched the fireworks on the Seattle Space Needle on TV.  I've included a photo of the Space Needle with fireworks on the TPC page.

Shawn "phantom" Weiler gets Silly Week 2011 of to a grand start with his Top Secret 1/48 Hasegawa/ Hobbycraft CF-104N Sea/Star Fighter.  Shawn tells the full story about these Float Version CF-104 as well as some of the Time Traveling Canadian Aircraft Carrier Battle groups.  No doubt about it...Shawn is revealing quite a few National Secrets today.


Hal Elsberry joins us with his 1/32 Alpha Centauri UFO all decked out in racing decals and in the process of being serviced by the pit crew that kept this saucer flying for the Saucer Air races.  Hal has the full story in his articles....which also includes little Green Men.

Orlando Sucre Rosales joins us from warm Caracas, Venezuela with something you don't see very often....if ever.  This is his 1/72 Airfix Angel Interceptor that was a jet used in the British  TV series called Captain Scarlet.  Orlando gives some great insight into building this beauty in his article.