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Nice work, Al. Gil is right. It does look "Shep-Paine-ish"! Keep up the good work, Mark

Excellent!!!!!! Mark

Nice work, Dick! Keep 'em flying, Mark

Hey guys, if there is a way you can see "24 Hour Alert" (Warner Bros. -1955 starring Jack Webb- 30 minutes) do so on You Tube or Net Flix etc. There are some EXCELLENT F-86D scenes in there. Mike, nice going on your F-86D! I'm working on a Sabre myself. Best, Mark

It's too bad that John Alcorn can't give us his thoughts on this subject. He's really good on World War I hardware. Mark

Looks great! Mark

Very funny Dick! Best, Mark

Thanks guys! Bill: I used Testors Red paint (in the tiny bottle) to spray the Red sash line you see on the fuselage and stripe on the wing. Testors Model Master Olive Drab was used first on the fuselage, then carefully masked off to allow the Red sash you see, ditto although Yellow base for the wings. The rigging was done with .020" plastic line from Contrails, hung on the fuselage and wings, and blown with a match to tighten them after attached with super glue. I got lost in the 1930's on that one. Now, I'm lost in the '50s with my latest project: reworking an old Monogram F-86F Sabre and giving it the late Les Sundt's natural metal scheme, althought this time I plan to use Alclad II instead of the Carver Tripp Clear Varnish and SNJ power as he did. Best, Mark

Tony: Theoretically, a lot us (and some who don't) airbrush the panels with your primary color first, then paint the switches and control knobs next. Brush size can depend on your scale, but with 1/48" and above, I use a 3/0, 4/0, or 5/0 Floquil brush to do my controls. (With the newer, photo-etched brass cockpit details from Eduard and other vendors in vogue, it makes one want to use them instead). In fact, I've just used it this week in painting the controls and instruments in the cockpit of the old Monogram F-86F Sabre. I'm having a little fun with some of the old kits that I had around for more than 30 years, so I'll give this one a go. I hope the previous information helps. Happy Modeling and Happy New Year, Mark

My wife treated me to a 30 minute ride in one of those two years ago for my birthday. Oh, what a feeling! I'll bet the kit is great! Mark

I flew in a fixed gear version of one of those a long time ago. Nice work Duke! Mark

I didn't know that I was promoted to the rank of "Plastic Habit" Thanks guys! What an honor! Ha! Thanks, Mark

Way to go, Duke! Great work! Happy New Year to you, Mark

Looks great! Well done! Mark

Junque has such an elegant ring to it. I like that one Dick. Mark

I was once known as"Der Bare Metal Meister" By my former membership at IPMS North Central Texas because of my propensity to finish a lot of World War II American fighters and a few bombers in Natural Metal. I used the old SNJ, Floquil Old Silver, Platinum Mist, and Liqua-Plate metalizers many years ago, and the name stuck for a short time. I have been long surpassed by many others including the late Les Sundt who simplified the process in an article he published in Fine Scale Modeler back in 1996. I'm lost in the past a lot more these days, so I'll consider myself obsolete. Ha! Mark

Welcome aboard! Mark

Nice work, Pete! Mark

Ditto for all of us here in Texas! Burrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!! Mark

Nice build Gil! I saw plenty of those at Love Field in Dallas back in the late '60s through the early '70s. Best, Mark

Thanks Gil! Our IPMS Journal editor, Chris Bucholtz, has another book, published by Osprey on the Fourth Fighter Group, called "4th Fighter Group, Debden Eagles". It is a very concise and handy reference too. Best, Mark

Nice going, Duke! Over 600 vehicles is quite a variety! Keep up the good work, Mark

Hello Duke: Thank you for your reply. Ralph "Kid" Hofer was born in Salem, Missouri in 1921, nicknamed "Kid" by his 334th Squadron mates. He often broke formation during a "show" (mission) to go off on his own and seek individual targets of opportunity. Hofer also had 15 Victories in the air. Strafing seemed to be an addiction. He was tied for ground strafing credits with James Goodson of the 336th Squadron at 15 each, and Hofer couldn't pass up an opportunity to do so after General James Doolittle gave the order to seek out enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground starting with operation "Big Week" in February, 1944. Hofer wore Football Jerseys as his formal attire, in addition to the usual flight gear, and before the war was a Golden Gloves boxer who did fairly well with very few losses. Strafing seemed to be his undoing, however, and on July 2nd, 1944 lost his life on strafing an airfield in Yugoslavia when an anti-aircraft gun, 4. Battery Flak, Regiment 9 "Legion Condor" ( Credit on that information must be given to our Editor, Chris Bucholtz) hit Hofer flying another P-51B. ( It was believed that Erich Hartmann, Luftwaffe's greatest ace brought him down, but that report has been proven false.) (Col. Don Blakeslee, CO of the 4th Fighter Group, often called Hofer on the carpet for breaking formation and going off on his own "rat hunts". No wonder!) Best, Mark