Back From the Nats 2015

I'm back a few days now from Columbus, OH and the IPMS/USA Nationals 2015. It was a very nice time with terrific seminars, 2K+ models and it was a chance to meet up with old friends.  I'm a member of the Real Space Modelers Yahoo group. We use the Nats as a groups get together with either a lunch ordinance and a seminar. During the seminar a member or two of the group usually presents in what he has been working on. This year there was a short history of Vanguard from a member that scratch built a terrific Vanguard rocket. Another member also gave a double talk in the New Horizons he built as well as a new GK venture he's started.  His first kit will be a 1:24 scale Huygens probe to Titan.  He had a trial cast with him and it looks really great.  I can't wait for production to start. 

All the models were top notch. I really didn't envy the judge's job.  

Another feature for the Nats was a tour to Wright Patterson Air Force Museum.  This included the R&D and Presidential plane Hangars. It was amazing to see so much history in one room.  After we went to the Museum proper where they had 4 hangars with planes chronologically from the Wright flyer thru a mock middle silo and the aircraft after the Cold War. An amazing place. If you're anywhere near Columbus, OH, you have to stop by for at least a visit.  Oh yeah- get there early- there's a lot to see. 

Muroc AD-1

After finishing the New Horizons model, I was looking for something that I could get through quickly. 
Looking through my pile, I came across Muroc's AD-1 model. Muroc was a garage kit Co. that was based out of the gift shop of Edwards Air Force Base. They put out a number of kits before going into hiatus a year or so ago.
The AD-1 is a resin kit of an experimental variable wing aircraft . There were 79 flights between 1979 and 1982  which evaluated the basic pivot-wing concept and gathered information on handling qualities and aerodynamics at various speeds and degrees of pivot.

New Horizons in 1:5th scale

Been busy for a while. I was commissioned by a NJ Science Center to build a New Horizons (NH) probe. The only instructions I had was to make it as close to 24" as possible. Naturally I jumped at the project. 
The first thing I had to do was to get large sized plans of NH. I took the .pdf blue prints from the New Horizons site, printed them out and took them to my local Staples. what I got back fit the bill perfectly --

NH blueprint with an 18" ruler for scale.

New Horizons

The spacecraft is almost at Pluto. Exciting!

Another New Model

As part of my series to my recent purchases, this time I added to my 1/144 launch vehicle collection. This time it's the Brengun Hermes R1.  I picked up this on eBay after going to Hannants and finding out they have a minimum money amount for international sales. I wasn't about to buy something I don't need just t get this model.
I knew the early rockets were pretty much all modeled after the captured V2 rockets, and were small. This model is tiny. But the kit is well thought out and even comes with decals and a piece of PE. I look fwd. to getting  to this model. 

Thanks for looking. 

Adam Savage Builds The Maze

The Shining Maze to be exact. I loved The Shining movie, even when I read the book and discovered that the two had really nothing in common but the names of the characters.
I just found these articles and videos from Tested.com and how Adam Savage build a model of the Maze.

Some New Aquisitions

Been away for a while but I'm back and with me a few new kits.
First one is a Vincent Price kit in chariacture form. Looks pretty good, sorta felt like a hollow casting.