Chris Smith
Reviews By Author
|
Bleriot Monoplane 1910Published:
BackgroundOn July 25, 1909 Louis Bleriot assembled a tiny monoplane of his own design on a farm in Les Baraques, France. Weighing in at 500 lbs. and powered by a 25 HP Anzani three cylinder motorcycle engine, the airplane was the picture of utility. Still limping from a recent crash (one of many Bleriot had) he climbed into the monoplane after a short warm up flight and set out across the English Channel. 37 ½ minutes later flying at speeds up to 42 mph per hour at an altitude of 260 feet, Bleriot spotted the white cliffs of Dover and threaded his way through a gap in them to crash land on English soil. His goal in accomplishing this feat was not the prize money that totaled 20,000 dollars, but Bleriot wanted to sell airplanes and did he ever. As a result of the fame gained… more |
|
Mirage III BE/BD/DS/D2Z Kit and Detail Set for IIIS/RS/DS VersionsPublished:
IntroductionThe Mirage III’s history has been well covered in numerous other places, so I won’t dwell on it. Suffice it to say, it was introduced into service in 1961 and proved its worth in the hands of the Israeli Air Force in the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kipper War. It’s been used by 20 of the world’s air forces, and it is, quite frankly, one of the most elegant fighters ever designed. The KitPJ Productions’ two-seat Mirage kit can be built in one of four versions. I also had the opportunity to update this kit with a conversion set from PJ that builds a better Mirage IIIDS or two other Swiss variants. The base kit is very nice. You get the standard sprues in grey plastic and some resin replacement parts, which include all the cockpit details (… more |
|
Lockheed A-12Published:
The story of the Lockheed A-12 began with a bright orange fireball 70,000 feet over Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union. This explosion, 1500 miles deep into Russian territory, would start a diplomatic crisis with repercussions that directly impacted the A-12 and SR-71 operations for the rest of their service lives. That explosion severed the tail from a Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft and sent the pilot, Francis Gary Powers, plummeting into the hands of the Soviet authorities. After the U.S. broadcasted a cover story assuming Powers had died, the Soviets revealed they had parts of the plane and Powers in their custody. This caused then U.S. President Eisenhower to do two things, stop all over flights and find a way to make the U-2 invisible to radar. While some efforts where made to… more |
|
Transparent Bull FrogPublished:
IntroductionThe American Bullfrog (Lithobates Castbeianus} are the largest frogs found in North America. The bullfrogs title is derived from the low frequency mating call of the males. These frogs can weight as much as a pound and a half and measure up to eight inches long! They are found just about anywhere in the U.S. although they are latecomers to the western U.S. having been exported there in the early 1900s. They are nocturnal hunters who can eat just about anything that fits in their mouths. The females are actually slightly larger then the males. Anyone who’s been on a camping trip by a lake or stream knows the racket these things can make! The KitYou really get a lot of frog for the money. The kit includes the organs molded in a flesh colored… more |
|
Tommy Grove Mustang Funny CarPublished:
IntroductionTommy Grove drove this 1969 Mustang based funny car through two seasons. The car depicted in this kit was one of the first funny cars to break the 200mph barrier. Running a 1500hp blown 427ci single overhead cam (SOHC) Ford, this car was hard to beat in its time. The KitHarkening back to the days when artwork sold models, this box is graced with a cool burnout photo. Inside you get about 80 parts in white, chrome and clear plastic. The tires are rubber, with the rear tires done with backside inserts and preprinted “Racemaster” lettering. A single sheet of instructions and a nice decal sheet complete the package. There are extra parts that allow you to choose the style of wheels (front and rear), front end and the type of engine intake you want… more |
|
Bigfoot 4x4x4 Ford F-150Published:
HistoryFirst introduced in 1979, “Bigfoot” started the monster truck craze that is still going strong today. Created and owned by Bob Chandler as a promotional billboard for his 4X4 truck accessory business, Bigfoot #1 was based on a Ford F-250 4X4. The real innovation came when Chandler built the first 4X4X4, which is a four wheel vehicle with four-wheel-drive and four-wheel-steering. Bigfoot pioneered the art of car crushing, now a common part of any monster truck event. While fans might take pride in the particular brand of their favorite monster truck, the only thing these trucks have in common with the brands they represent are the body shells cast to look like a Ford, Chevy or Dodge/Ram. These are in fact specially designed and built race trucks. Think funny car (a… more |
|
Hot Rod Ford Mustang Funny CarPublished:
IntroductionRound 2 continues to re-release some of those oldies some of us loved way back when. For builders like me this truly is a second chance. I was not a car builder when these kits were initially released. This time we get a release with a twist. A Hot Rod Magazine inspired, Hemi powered 1972 Mustang. The twist is a coupon good for a year of Hot Rod Magazine when sent it in with a purchase receipt for the model. As for the model, you get about 60 parts molded in white, black, clear and chrome. There are two deployed drag chutes you can wire to the back of the car. I don’t see how that works since there is no driver included in the kit. The rear slicks are pre printer with a Goodyear logo. The instructions do not include any color callouts but the box top photos show… more |
|
Fokker E.IVPublished:
Built on the principle of more is better, the Fokker E. IV was an attempt to improve on the legendary aircraft responsible for the “Fokker scourge” of 1915. First was the addition of a twin row 14 cylinder Oberursel engine which developed 160 hp. Then, at least in the prototype, three IMG machine guns were installed on the upper cowl firing through the propeller arc via an interrupter gear (which didn’t always work). These improvements seemed better in theory but combat revealed some shortcomings. The guns were reduced to two Spandaus since three machine guns which were prone to failures overloaded pilots. In addition, the weight of guns/ammo combined with a spinning mass of engine up front proved a handful. The allies by this time were producing very maneuverable aircraft that a wing… more |
|
Cessna 150Published:
HistoryFor those of us who've learned to fly, there's nothing like the first time you line up with the runway and apply full take off power. You race down the runway till you feel the wing start to do its magic. With a slight backward pull of the wheel, your flying! Likewise, the aircraft you learn to fly in stays with you the rest of your life. The Cessna 150 has filled that place for thousands of fledgling pilots since its introduction in 1959. When production ended in 1985, 23,948 Cessna 150s had been built. A simple two place design that includes a small back seat (for very small children) the 150 can haul a useful load of 500 pounds at 108 Kts with the Continental O-200s, 100 HP pulling it along. Design changes over the years included a redesigned rear fuselage… more |
|
SH-3D Sea KingPublished:
IntroductionThe Sikorsky Sea King first flew in 1959 and entered service in 1961. It served in many roles, including SAR, troop transport, and perhaps most memorably as the helos that recovered the Apollo missions after splashdown. These were not the missions the S-61 (company designation) was originally designed for. As the cold war developed after WWII, the US Navy was concerned about the expansion of the Soviet submarine fleet. They needed helicopters capable of pinpointing subs with a mobile sonar unit. This kit represents that version of this highly useful aircraft. Twin turbine engines gave the Sea King the ability to carry impressive payloads (including a sonar unit) over practical distances. Cyber-Hobby has graced us with no less than four versions of this great… more |