SkyKing

Excellent build of a legendary old kit. The markings are not what you usually see on a DC-3/C-47. Santa Fe Skyway (a short-lived effort by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway to create an airline) also had a couple of DC-4s.

I think the real reasons are that RPM/Rustoleum/Testors is (1) facing increased competition from and losing market share to manufacturers of both enamels and "acrylics" offering paint of better quality, and (2) is not making enough money off sales to satisfy some arbitrary profit target based on some arcane computation. The first is part of the competitive nature of free-market capitalism; the second is an abstract concept taught in modern "business" schools. Satisfying the customer with a quality product at a reasonable price apparently doesn't matter much any more.

You've seen them all right; they include the colors listed in this section of the Testors web site: http://www.testors.com/product-catalog/testors-brands/model-master/international-military-and-figure Figure Enamels US Military Enamels WW II US & UK Enamels WW II German Luftwaffe & Panzer Enamels WW II Italian/Japanese/Russian Enamels Modern Armor NATO/Gulf War/Russia Naval Enamels Stain Enamels 9580D is the catalog number for the merchandising rack for these paints, which also include all of the US FS 595 colors. Some of these were previously discontinued or are now available only in rattle cans.

Wikipedia has a good article on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_direction_finder#Automatic_direction_finder_.28ADF.29 But to answer your question, yes, it could be manually rotated so as to take bearings on more than one station. Where these lines of bearing intersected on your chart shows your position. Known in aviation circles as ADF (automatic direction finding), which can use AM radio stations to take bearings from as well as dedicated NDBs (non-directional beacons).

According to a spokesman for Rustoleum, Testors' parent company, "The 9580D International Military & Figure Enamel was recently discontinued due to the lack of support for it in the marketplace."

And there was one on Long Island that I visited back in the '70s. And also one in San Francisco, I think.

You're welcome, and yes, Carrollton is where Squadron was and still is, less than a mile from my apartment. I was Editor for Squadron/Signal publications from 2005 to 2007, until the business was sold and new owner hired a know-nothing "Senior Editor" who fired me after I trained him. I no longer support Squadron in any manner whatsoever.

I think only the moderators can delete posts. But you can add another post to the thread saying "Disregard" or something to that effct.

See Rule 2: 1. Computing scale Scale of model or drawing = prototype dimension ÷ model or drawing dimension Example: A prototype has a wingspan of 40 feet, or 480 inches. A model of the prototype has a wingspan of 10 inches. What is the scale of the model? Dividing 480 by 10 we get 48. The scale of the model is 1/48. 2. Converting from one scale to another Percentage of reduction or enlargement = denominator of scale you have ÷ denominator of scale you want (Interesting Fact: a scale is a fraction. The bottom number is the denominator). Example 1: You have a 1/72 scale drawing but want to convert it to 1/48. How much should you enlarge or reduce it? Dividing 72 by 48 we get 1.5. We must enlarge our 1/72 drawing 1.5 times, or 150%. Example 2: You have a 1/32 drawing but want to convert it to 1/48. Dividing 32 by 48 we get 0.66666… . We must reduce our drawing to 0.6666… (2/3) of its original size, or 66.67% Save the above, print it, post it on your workbench. Learn it. Pretty soon you will be able to do this basic math in your head.

"Airfradt"??? Is this related to "covfefe"? :D All kidding aside, that site is a great source of reference.

It has been suggested (on another forum) that clear polyurethane varnish might be a better adhesive for this technique than CA glue.

It's in your signature! Welcome back to the fold. I lived in Middletown, CT, for 6 years and worked in Hartford for the North Central CT E.M.S. Council.

A great tip from Paul Dunham on the Barracuda Studios Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/848474938507986/permalink/1530849163603890/

If you like to build "planes on sticks," this could come in handy: For more, see here: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10339614

Commencing with the December 1952 issue, Popular Mechanics magazine published a 5-part series of articles detailing the building of a 36-in model (1/330 scale) of this great ship, complete with half-scale plans and cross-sections. The articles comprise one 7.5 MB PDF and the plans/templates comprise a 632 KB file. If you are interested in copies of these, send me a private message or email me at: mcmurtreyjames(at)twc(dot)com

Up until a few years ago, Raytheon made available large-scale engineering drawings of Beechcraft aircraft for model builders. Current owners/management of the company claim no knowledge of them. Here is a list of those available as of August 1996. I have the drawing for the Model 35 Bonanza, but if you have any of the others, I'd very much like to obtain a copy. Aircraft / Model Drawing Number Travel Air 2000 / 441211 Travel Air 6000 / 340928 Model 17 Staggerwing / 340744 Model T-34A Mentor / 113603 Model T-34B / 540834 Model T-34C / 541005 Musketeer Series: Sierra / 540079, Sundowner / 540673, Sport / 540672 Model 33 Bonanza / 33-001014 Model 35 Bonanza / 35-001014 Model V35A Bonanza / 35-001124 Model A36 Bonanza / 541028 Model 76 Duchess / 541019 Model Travel Air (short rear window) / 95-001012 Model D95A Travel Air / 540080 Model A55 Baron / 540076 Model B55 Baron / 540140 Model D55 Baron / 540389 Model 58 Baron / 540865 Model 58P Baron / 540908 Model 58TC Baron / 541022 Model 60 Duke / 540500 Model 65-80 Queen Air / 540078 Model Super 18 (conventional gear) / 540085 Model Super H18 (tricycle gear) / 540110 Model A90 King Air / 540336 Model B90 King Air / 540357 Model F90 King Air / 541121 Model 99 Airliner / 540594 Model A100 King Air / 540833 Model B100 King Air/ 540123 Model 200 King Air: 1/20 scale / 540770, 1/30 scale / 540794, 1/40 scale / 540850 Model 77 Skipper / 541115 Model 300 King Air / 541274 Model 1900 Airliner / 541219 Model 200 Starship: 1/32 scale / 122-000010, 1/64 scale / 122-000011 Note the absence of the Twin Bonanza. I'm looking for the Beech model drawing of that aircraft as well, and I believe there was one. Thanks in advance.

Ray, this is a good tip except you can't find Future floor wax anymore as such. It is now Pledge floor wax with Future shine. Most grocery stores don't carry it any more either so Home Depot is you best shot at finding it. It's not "Pledge with Future Shine" any longer, either. As of 15 March 2017, it's now "Pledge Floor Care Multi-Surface Finish" (until they change the name again).

In his review, Pablo Bauleo stated, "They are an enamel-based wash, so it is smelly and it could attack bare plastic, so test it on a scrap piece (a runner or extra part) first." I've been building models for approximately 60 of my 70 years on this planet, and while I cannot attest to the smell of this product as I have not tried it, I've NEVER known an enamel that would "attack bare plastic."

Nick is correct. Sky's original airplane was a Cessna T-50 Bobcat (ex-USAAF UC-78, N67832), followed by Cessna 310B N5348A. I'm 70 and watched the TV show religiously on Saturday mornings. I took "SkyKing" as my forum ID from my interest in the show and the aircraft used. I'm currently working on a book about the T-50. There were some single-engined aircraft featured in the TV show. Sky's nephew Clipper flew a Cessna 140, and in one episode a Beech Bonanza appears with the "Flying Crown" logo of Sky's ranch painted on the side. "Fire up the Songbird, Penny." (Penny was Sky's niece, played by the extremely cute Gloria Winters.)

You can make your own clear flat by adding Tamiya's Flat Base to Future/Pledge with Future Shine (or whatever they're calling it this week). 1 part flat base to 3 parts Future = very flat 1 part flat base to 10 parts Future = flat 1 part flat base to 15 parts Future = satin See here for more: http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

If the primer has a rough sandpaper-like finish, then yes, you should sand it. I'd start with 400 grit and gradually work your way up (600-grit, 800-grit, etc.) until the surface is completely smooth, then finish off with a rubdown with a micro cloth. For best results, when you change grits, sand at right angles to the previous effort.

Normally you can put an enamel on top of another enamel, assuming the same type of enamel is used for both coats. Tamiya's 'acrylics' are technically enamels, but are alcohol based, so if Tamiya's enamels and enamel thinner use a different solvent, it's possible they might damage a coat of Tamiya 'acrylic.' The only way is know is to try it on an old model. Spray a coat of 'acrylic' and allow it to fully dry/cure, then try the enamel stain on top of it.

(Click on thumbnail for a larger image.) I accidentally stumbled upon this in my search for a Monogram kit and thought I'd pass it on. This is not Lone Star Models of Texas that many of us are familiar with, but the Japanese 'cottage industry' of one Yukio Kanezawa. That notwithstanding, it's one of the best examples of resin casting I've seen, without flaws and with panel lines so subtle as to be almost invisible. Although labeled a 'conversion,' it's an almost complete airframe, needing some parts (mainly landing gear, canopy, and cockpit details) from a Hasegawa F-16C or F-16CJ. The intake and landing gear are in the correct position, the rear fuselage has the correct upward tilt, and the wing has the correct camber and twist, so all the problems of accurizing the Monogram F-16XL are eliminated. It's available with either of two sets of decals, one for the USAF and the other for NASA, or a combo containing two kits plus decals for both versions. A kit of F-16XL #2 (the two-seater) was available but is currently sold out. For photos, see here: http://lonestars.web.fc2.com/SALE06.htm If you need a 1/72 F-16XL for your collection, this is the one to have. My kits arrived well-packed and undamaged, via Japan Post registered mail. Mr. Kanezawa accepts PayPal. If you are interested, I'd suggest contacting him via email for an exact quote. He has other 1/72 items as well, and they can be seen here: http://lonestars.web.fc2.com/SALES.htm I have no connection to this vendor other than as a very satisfied customer.

I wanted to attend, but the venue's move across town to the west side of San Antonio means it's now a 5-hour drive from north Dallas County, too far for me to go down and back in one day at my advanced age :D, and a bit expensive if I go the day before and stay in a hotel the night before. Glad it was a success, however.

See here: http://www.ascalecanadian.com/2015/09/maroon-19-and-usaac-and-usaaf.html ('19' is a typo in the original. The link works.)