Volume 17, Number 2 February 2014 Preflight Submitted by Bob Niemiec I'm running late on this newsletter. I had a major crash last weekend and had to re-install my programs. I was able to recover everything thanks to Carbonite but reloading will take some time. I re-installed what I needed to do the newsletter. This month's issue will have Interesting Links, On The Table and the Meeting Notes. Thanks to Al and his cell phone we have pictures which will be in the web newsletter and our Facebook page. I was disappointed I didn't make the NEAM display. I only had about 4 hours sleep and when I got up, it was snowing. I didn't really feel I was able to safely drive in those conditions. Better safe than sorry. I will be at this month's meeting, though. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, February 6, 2014 at the First Congregational Church in West Springfield, starting at 7 PM. Hope to see you there. Meeting Notes Submitted by Ed Potkai The weather finally relented and we held our twice-postponed January meeting on the 16th. Under the circumstances, turnout was excellent with eighteen members in attendance. Business discussion was light. Chuck Horner gave us the specifics for our display at the New England Air Museum the following Sunday. Al gave us a brief update of the progress for ValleyCon 24. While a few vendor tables are still available, we expect a sellout soon. Some raffle prizes have been purchased while Chuck has been authorized to buy more in March. An inventory of leftover medals will be taken and an order will be submitted where there are shortfalls. Flyers were distributed for transportation to local hobby shops. Head Judge Don Johnson will soon be asking for judges. Members are asked to begin to solidify which classes they will enter and, by default, which they will be available to judge. The drive for sponsorships has begun. Members are asked to confirm their renewals and consider any new sponsors that they might bring in. Further information can be obtained from Al or Ed On The Table Show-and-Tell from the Last Meeting Walt Damon: 90mm Boston Strong; oil paint. Pete Dawson: 1/30 scale King & Country, Britains and First Legion toy soldiers. Pat Deluhery: 150mm Le Consulat; test of grisaille painting style of Old Masters; work in progress. Chuck Horner: 1/48 scale Revell F-84E Thunderjet; out of box. Tony Kuralowicz: Revell/Germany 1/144 scale Aerospatiale- BAC Concorde; thinned out all gear doors; shortened nose gear; used needle for nose; Tamiya acrylics and Model Master metalizer paints; kit decals coated with Future; blue and red Air France tail colors masked and painted in lieu of decals. Al LaFleche: 70mm Toison Studio Winter Is Coming! ; Jon Snow and Ghost from A Game of Thrones ; John Jeffries base; snow attached with AK pigment fixer; out of box. Ed Potkai: 1/35 scale Tamiya M151A2 with M416 trailer; drilled wheel openings; scratchbuilt pedals; scratchbuilt inner canvas frame from solder; scratchbuilt spare tire reflector; made reflectors form Hasegawa foils; headlights are MV lenses; shovel straps from flat lead wire; lettering by Auto World transfers; replaced trailer tie downs with flat lead wire; scratchbuilt trailer electrical hookup. Bob Rys: 1/48 scale Academy F-4B Phantom II; True Details seats; Eagle Strike decals with some kit decals. Table of Contents Preflight...1 Meeting Notes...1 On The Table...1 Interesting Links...2 On The Table Pictures...3 Potkai. Wings & Wheels Modelers Page 1
100th F-35 Interesting Links Various contributors On Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, Lockheed Martin unveiled the 100th F-35, known as AF-41, at a ceremony for employees, elected officials and customers. AF-41 is a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, and it will be the first of 144 F-35s delivered to "Fighter Country" at Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in Glendale, Ariz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wggarazp_w8&feature=em-subs_digest Restored Lockheed Vega And a metal-fuselage one at that, a restoration of an original Detroit Aircraft Corp. built Vega DL. However, it has the smaller Pratt & Whitney R-986 Wasp Junior engine and matching cowl (probably from a Vultee BT-13), a Hamilton-Standard constant speed prop, and an oil cooler under the nose, none of which the original Vegas had. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwpprgxf17m Moving Milwaukee: From Shipyard to Launch Site https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gon49tzy-ho&feature=em-subs_digest GERMAN WONDERLAND AMAZING - High Tech Marvel There have been little clips about this place for the past few years, it is still not finished but is growing to that conclusion as they will soon run out of space. Stafford Connecticut train model http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvze9qtzyfe how it was done part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unkcfyoakua then link to part 2 A short review, it was started by two brothers as a place to show their hobby, it started growing by leaps & bounds. Soon they were joined by other 'Model Railroad Clubs' and other craftsmen. Some were electricians, model makers, Carpenters, computer programmers, their wives would stop by to see what they were doing and usually bring them a lunch. One thing led to another, 3 of the ladies had worked at bakery, several visitors would ask if they had a snack bar. The Idea was planted, some of the carpenters came and built a nice restaurant area for the bakery and a kitchen too. If the fresh Coffee smell didn't get you then the bakery definitely would. This was about 5 years ago. One of the Breweries came and furnished all of the tables and chairs, serving counter and, etc. Their latest finished area is the airport. Planes look like they are flying and landing. https://www.youtube.com/embed/ackmg3y64_s?rel=0 HOT NEW ON-BOARD CAMERA OF THE BLUE ANGELS... Did you know that the pilot on the right of the formation is always a Marine? This is one of the best Blue Angel videos you'll see!! Great perspective with much of it filmed from the cockpit. You see the formation then see it from the pilot or camera view. It is in HD; Hope your computer can handle it. This was recorded in FL. And El Centro, CA http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=w6tb8lf7you Page 2 (Continued on page 3) Wings & Wheels Modelers
(Continued from page 2) DC-3 Recovery This aircraft must have been worth a lot of money for them to go to this much trouble to salvage it. It must have been used for some sort of research or other scientific mission. There are 128 pictures by the count that appears in the upper right corner towards the end and although it is not shown flying out, one must assume that it did. This is the story of how the plane ended up there: On December 20, 2012 a Basler BT-67 Turbo 67 (DC-3T) named Lidia went down in Antarctica. Thankfully out of its 15 passengers there were no fatalities. Lidia was built back in the 1940 s, with its wings apparently put together by Rosie the Riveter herself in 1943. Its virgin flight was in 1944. Today, it is operated as a tour plane, and before the accident it was conducting a tour of the Holtanna Glacier in Antarctica. The plane sat in the snow for almost a year, before a team came back to repair it and bring it home. The expedition lasted two months, and they brought with them two new engines, a new cockpit, landing gear, and fuselage repair supplies. They ve shared an incredible slideshow of photos that are available on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/don.wray1/media_set? set=a.10202134138409929.1073741826.1082298415&type=1 http://exposurealaska.com/ice/lidia%20recovery,%20antarctica/index.html Air America Interceptor Good narration about a very little known air action over Laos during the Viet Nam Conflict. Doesn't take long to read, and it's a good one. http://www.vhpa.org/stories/airstory.pdf Forgotten History The first 44 photos in this collection are pretty amazing, Photo #45 is a real eye opener. I had heard that these guys existed but this is the first time I had ever seen a photo of them You probably never have, and most likely will never see these pixs again.. I don't know where they've been but some are brilliant. http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/world-war-ii-after-the-war/100180/ Wings & Wheels Modelers Page 3
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