Focusing on Scale Models

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am starting to focus more on scale model building. This was the original goal of So Many Aircraft anyway. To that end, I will start blogging about ongoing model projects, of which I have many (my so-called “shelf of doom” is full of projects many of which are close to being finished). Some of the ongoing ones, very close to completion, are:

• Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 (“Q9+AB”, W.Nr. 931666) – Hasegawa 1/72nd scale kit with a new (earlier style) canopy from Squadron, decals from Authentic Decals. The particular aircraft served with I/SG 5 and was seen at Utti in Finland in August 1944.
• Göppingen Gö 9 (“D-EBYW”) – AML 1/72nd scale kit. This was a testbed for trying out new aerodynamics for the Dornier Do 335 -fighter.

Finnish Air Force Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2, Fine Molds’ 1/72nd scale kit

You will start seeing more blog posts about my ongoing projects.

2020 in retrospect, and current plans

Callsign “PACK91” departs KMHT on 2020-09-17: Boeing KC-46A (17-46034, c/n 34114) of 157th Air Refueling Wing, NH ANG, temporarily stationed in Manchester

Last year ended up being very slow as far as aviation photography goes. I took practically no photographs (approx. 1,500 compared to about 10,000 on a “normal” year). The highlights ended up being the re-opening of the Aviation Museum of NH (with a fly-by and visit of a DC-3) and the runway work at Pease (which forced the KC-46s to be parked at KMHT for a while). I also managed to work on a book about Dauphin helicopters, that should be read soon (I hope). But, unlike four years ago, I did not catch all that many aircraft carrying presidential candidates.

Dauphin book nearing completion

For quite some time I have been working on a book on the AS.365 Dauphin II helicopters. The goal is to produce a book that can serve as a visual reference to folks building scale models. I also hope other helicopter enthusiasts will find the book attractive.

I am now nearing the completion of the book. The photograph selection is done; the book will have both overview photos as well as detail pictures. In addition, the book will have 1/72nd scale plans as well as color profiles, and I am (more or less) done with those as well. The only thing still missing is the completion of my own scale model project, as the book will have a chapter discussing modeling aspects of the Dauphin.

The form factor of the book will be the same as our first book (available on Amazon).

Draft cover of the book

Scale Model Research: AS365 Dauphin

For some time now I have been planning to build a scale model of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopter, in 1/72nd scale (since all my models are in that scale). Given that I regularly spend time in Central Pennsylvania, I thought perhaps I could make the model to represent one of the Dauphins operated by the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, specifically their Life Lion Critical Care Transport unit. They operate three Dauphins.

Dauphin ready for another mission