Video of comparsion builds of Tamiya, Zeveda and Eduard BF-109G

The video going into a complete build of all three model kits.  This should give you an idea  which you might want to buy.  As we know Tamiya Kit is not a cheap model.  Sot back grab a beer and popcorn.  Enjoy.

Michigan ANG F-100 tail number 440 last flight to the Smithsonian

Sad note:  Judge Miller pasted away on 18 Jan 2019.  Don was 80 yrs old.
Judge Don G. Miller Joins Other Retired F-100 Sabre Fighter Pilots at Smithsonian Event Celebrating Museum’s F-100 Exhibit   Left: Judge Don Miller in front of his F-100 (440) in 1978 before flying to Andrews Air Force Base.  Right: Judge Miller with 440 at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Harrison Township, mi – Today, U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10) issued the following statement after her husband, former F-100 fighter pilot Judge Don G. Miller, and other members of the Super Sabre Society celebrated the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s F-100 exhibit featuring the F-100 flown by Miller: Rep. Candice Miller: “Don is a proud member of the Super Sabre Society, an elite organization of retired F-100 fighter pilots that bravely protected our troops and this country during wartime. I join him in celebrating this exhibit of the F-100, and I support the Society’s efforts to preserve and tell the awesome history of the F-100.” At the Smithsonian event celebrating the F-100, Judge Don Miller read the following excerpt from his journal about his last flight on his F-100 (number 440) from Michigan to Andrews Air Force Base: In the morning of August 8, 1978, a beautiful late summer day, I walked out on the flight line and shook hands with Sgt. Bill Cousins, 440’s crew chief for the previous seven years.  I did the walk around, checked the 781, climbed up and strapped in (with Bill’s sad assistance) and prepared for start. Sadly, 440’s flying days are soon to end.  There will be no more of these heart-gripping combat take offs, climbing for altitude under the weight of wall-to-wall Mk. 82s, the pilot’s left hand gripping the throttle on the afterburner position, right hand holding a control stick with a firm and steady grip, ailerons centered to retain every ounce of precious lift while coaxing more airspeed, knot by knot, and more altitude, foot by foot. No more dashes at tree-top level, spreading a carpet of 20 millimeter cannon fire into the target; shuddering and bouncing as the snake eyes were released, followed by high-g wrenching, twisting and jinking to escape the shower of enemy fire. No more, for this was to be the final flight; now was the time for retirement. 440, if you could only talk, would you object, arguing that you still had plenty of fight left, that you could show those shiny F-15s with their computers and heads-up displays, a few tricks of the trade gathered through hundreds of hours of air battle?  Or would you sigh contentedly, quietly proud of a job well done and relieved of all the pain and weariness of combat? No more daydreaming it’s time to go. Bill takes his place awaiting my starting signal. The creaky old ARC-34 Radio slowly seeks the proper channel, finally clicks into Ground Control frequency, and I turn to Bill and signal for the start.  I press the ignition button and the big Pratt & Whitney J-57 engine lights up. As it reaches idling speed, all of the mechanical hearts inside 440 start pumping the red, amber, and brown life fluids through the stainless steel veins. The bird awakes now as the inboard landing gear doors thump close.  I advance the power slightly to bring the AC power on line, and without hesitation, the AC Power Fail light blinks off. No waiting! Somewhat amazing. I am now ready to taxi and Bill gives me the go-ahead wave.  I advance the throttle and 440 rolls slowly ahead. Turning quickly to avoid blasting people and equipment with jet exhaust, I taxi away, slowly as always, savoring the joy and satisfaction in the anticipation of what’s ahead. As I approach the runway, I inform Selfridge Tower that I am ready for take-off, and am answered with those words that make a fighter pilot grin with happiness: “Demon seven one, wind 330 at 12, change to departure, monitor guard, cleared for take-off.” I checked the gauges as I advance the throttle and release the brakes.  I tense up in anticipation as I snap the throttle outboard, promptly rewarded as the afterburner lights up, blasting 440 forward with over sixteen thousand pounds of thrust. 440 was accelerating rapidly now, pushed by the continued force of seven gallons of JP4 burning every second. As the airspeed indicator advances past 157 knots, I ease back on the stick, lifting the nosewheel off the runway.  Once again the invisible miracle occurs as the swept wings develop over 36,000 pounds of lift and 440 rises into the air. With the landing gear tucked inside, we soon attain 230 knots, enough to point the nose joyfully skyward and the ground falls away rapidly. I roll 440 into a bank and we turn east to our departure heading. Wait a second! East? Why are we heading east when Davis-Monthan AFB is southwestern? No, 440, you will not share a fate of dismemberment and scrap pile with your less fortunate comrades.  You are a special airplane. In less than an hour we will touch down at Andrews AFB, Maryland, and you will be handed over to the people of DC’s 113th Tactical Fighter Squadron, to begin the process of readying you for your new job on permanent display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. You are to be an honorable monument to Vietnam era warbirds, so that the old will remember and the young will realize the role played by the crews that maintained you and the pilots that flew you. Now it’s time to start down. Approach control clears us for our descent, and I somehow sense a need to accelerate out of cruise airspeed. The rapid acceleration required a high g roll to maintain control of the airspeed. I had to bellow a Ya Hoo – 440 did not go away without a final victory roll! I pull back the throttle, extend the speed brakes, and head for the pattern entry point. Cleared to land, I bend 440 around to final approach as precise as possible; I don’t want to mar her last flight with a bounce.  We cross the threshold at 172 knots; I ease the throttle back and the nose up as we round out for the touchdown. Now just a taste of additional back stick and 440 pauses momentarily, inches above the runway, then settles smoothly onto the concrete. I feel a grateful glow of satisfaction as I pull the T-handle deploying the drag chute; the chute bursts into an orange nylon blossom, and 440 slows to taxi speed. I jettison the chute and taxi into a parking space ringed by clicking cameras.  Upon signal of all of the ground crew, I tug the throttle into the off position and the fire in the mighty engine dies. 440, your new job starts almost as soon as the engine winds down! A group of admirers rings around you, and a couple of Air Force Colonels come forward to pat a drop tank, all smiles as they momentarily recall their happy F-100 flying days.  Those who could master you, loved you; those who couldn’t, hated and feared you.  There was no middle ground with an F-100! About Judge Don Miller: Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 17, 1938, Judge Miller developed an early fascination with airplanes and was flying a Piper J-3 Cub at age 16. He attended Michigan State University, enrolled in the Air Force ROTC, and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. After completing undergraduate pilot training at Craig Air Force Base, Alabama, he entered fighter interceptor school and then served five years flying the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger from various national and international locations, including assignment to the 509th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, where he flew combat missions from Da Nang and Tan Son Nhut Air Bases, Vietnam. After serving in active duty, Judge Miller served twenty years in the Michigan Air National Guard flying various fighter aircraft, including over 700 hours in the North American F-100 Super Sabre. On August 8, 1978, Judge Miller flew his F-100, number 440, on its final voyage to Andrews Air Force Base, where it was retired and is now on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. Upon retirement as a Colonel in the Air National Guard, Judge Miller was selected to perform duties as a Judge in the Macomb County Circuit Court. Judge Miller continues his love for aviation by flying his home-built, single-engine RV-8 airplane throughout the USA. ###

North American F-100D Super Sabre

A19781577000

First flown in 1953, the F-100 Super Sabre was developed from the F-86, and was the world’s first fighter capable of supersonic speed in level flight.

Used widely during the Vietnam War, the North American F-100D was the fighter-bomber version of the F-100 interceptor and first entered service in 1956. 

The F-100D was equipped with supersonic autopilot, enlarged fin and rudder, inboard landing flaps and underwing pylons that could carry up to 3,200 kg (7,040 lb) of ordnance.

The Museum’s F-100D-86 s/n 56-3440 entered service on December 19, 1957 and flew 6,159 hours over its 21 year career. The aircraft flew during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, was stationed in Japan, and in 1965, moved to Bien Hoa Air Base in South Vietnam. The Museum’s F-100D fought for several years, sustaining damage from ground fire on several occasions. The aircraft is displayed as it appeared during the heaviest fighting during the Tet Offensive of 1968, when it flew for the 531st TFS of the 3rd TFW. In 1970 #440 returned to the U.S. and flew in active duty until transferred to the Michigan Air Guard in 1972. On August 8, 1978, the aircraft was retired and transferred to the National Air and Space Museum.

F-100's drone and MIANG

Updated with some MI Huns 1/19/2019

added 01/19/2019

FH2 Banshee 1/48 decals

If you have make the corrections to the Kitty Hawk Banshee why do get some great decals.  Furball has created a very colorful set of decals...   This decal set can be purchased here: FH2 Banshee decal by furball decals

Can wait until someone builds a Banshee with the correction set and any of the aircraft below. 

Kittyhawk F2H Banshee.

Everyone has been waiting for a correctly model 1/48 Banshee.  The aircraft is one that modelers want.   Along comes Kitty hawk with a promise to make the perfect Banshee.  Sadly we got a pregnant guppy.  The wings at where the engine are located...  Well that area is a mess. 

Picture from Cyber Models

Cory in Colorado had a fix to this problem.  More of the story here.Cory's Fix

Next Guy to come along with really fix. But it will cost $45 plus.   But is a great fix.

Mr Reith excellent product can be found here.  FH2 creation set.

Well there you go folks.  You build a excellent FH2 for a total of  $100.  I will pass unless I get a heck of a deal on Kitty Hawk FH-2 Banshee.

Hellcat assembly line

The are great photos of the Hellcat assembly  line.

Condors History

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 C-1 Tranøyfjorden, Dyrøy Troms

1./I./KG 40 WNr.?? F8+BH* 29.05 1940

Took off from Aalborg West in Denmark. On their return leg, after a bombing raid on the power plants at Simavik and Skarsfjord when they were attacked by Hurricanes of 46th. Sqdn.(P/O Neville Banks) based at Bardufoss. The aircraft crashed into the fjord and sank. Two of the six man crew were soon after found dead in the sea. 1.Pilot Lt.Otto Freytag. Oblt. Günther Thiel. Ofw. Heinrich Ruthmann. Ofw. Willi Rieker. Uffz. Franz Seelbach. Gefr. Manfred Stephani. They are all, except from Gfr.Stephani, buried at Narvik Cemetery. source: Knut Larsson.

Fw 200C-3/U4 Condor Hommelvik, Sør-Trøndelag

7.staffel III gruppe KG 40 F8+BR WNr.0063 22.02 1942

Took off from Vaernes airfield at 08:09. Their target were ships on the east coast of Iceland. Nine hours and 44 minutes later, they ditched into Stjørdalsfjord due to a malfunctioning of the flaps when approaching Vaernes. Crew survived. Pilot Oblt. Werner Thieme. 
2nd pilot Wolfgang Tonn. Ofw.Leo Ludorf (mechanic). Karl Kiessling (1st radio operator). Ogefr. Klaus Kappes (2nd radio operator).
Gefr. August Kaufmann (air gunner).