Leith James's Curbside Porsche 962

Here is a 1/24 scale curbside Porsche 962 from Hasegawa. It was built by Regina modeler Leith James. Leith finished the wheels in Alclad chrome and black enamels.

Romulan D7 Battlecruiser.

Here are some images of Polar Light's 1/1000 scale Romulan D7 Battlecruiser.
From Wikipedia"
In the original series, at least three starships of the Klingon D-7 class were used by the Romulans. (This came to pass when a fire at NBC's studio warehouse destroyed the only existing Romulan ship model (the 2260s Bird of Prey), necessitating re-use of the surviving Klingon props.) Novels (as well as fans) have speculated that these vessels were given to the Romulans during a brief alliance with the Klingon Empire against the Federation (in exchange for which, the Romulans provided the Klingons with cloaking technology), though this is non-canon and has never been confirmed onscreen. The Romulans refitted the D-7s in their service with cloaking devices and the Federation occasionally referred to Romulan controlled vessels of this class as "battlecruisers."

Soviet NKL-16 Aerosan

Here are some images of Trumpeter's 1/35 scale Soviet NKL-16 Aerosan in Finland markings.

From Wikipedia"


An aerosani (Russian: aэросани, aerosani, literally 'aerosled') is a type of propeller-driven snowmobile, running on skis, used for communications, mail deliveries, medical aid, emergency recovery and border patrolling in northern Russia, as well as for recreation. Aerosanis were used by the Soviet Red Army during the Winter War and World War II.
The first aerosanis may have been built in 1903-05 by Sergei Nezhdanovsky. In 1909–10 young Igor Sikorsky tested self designed aerosani, before he built multi-engine airplanes and helicopters. They were very light plywood vehicles on skis, propelled by old airplane engines and propellers.

Military use of the aerosani goes back to at least the 1910s. During WWI, aerosanis were found to be useful for reconnaissance, communicating and light raiding in northern areas. During the 1939–40 Winter War against Finland, some were equipped with a machine-gun ring mount on the roof. They could carry four to five men, and tow four more on skis. The aerosanis were initially used for transport, liaison, and medical evacuation in deep snow, and mostly used in open country and on frozen lakes and rivers because of their poor hill-climbing ability and limited maneuverability on winding forest roads.
During WWII, aerosanis were found to be useful for reconnaissance and light raiding in northern areas, thanks to their high mobility in deep snow (25–35 km/h, where many vehicles couldn't move at all). Responsibility for aerosanis was transferred to the Soviet Armoured Forces (GABTU) and orders were submitted for design and fabrication of lightly armoured versions, protected by ten millimetres of steel plate on front. They were organized into transport or combat battalions of 45 vehicles, in three companies, often employed in co-operation with ski infantry. Troops were usually carried or towed by transport aerosanis, while fire support was provided by the heavier machine gun-armed, armoured models. Aerosanis were not used for direct assault because of their vulnerability to explosives such as mortar rounds.
The ANT-I through ANT-V were a successful series of aerosanis of the 1920s and ’30s, designed by aircraft engineer Andrei Tupolev. However, there is reason to believe that in 1924 the Soviets obtained plans and specifications for 'air sleighs' from Chester B. Wing, an aviator, automobile dealer and former mayor of St. Ignace, Michigan, U.S.A. He had built practical aerosleds to aid transportation across the ice between St. Ignace and Mackinac Island, and for use by fishermen. The Spring 1943 issue of the magazine Science and Mechanics states that "from his aerosleds the Russians developed their present battle sled." The claim though has to be viewed in the context of a picture of an Igor Sikorsky machine in Kiev pre-WWI.
The first military aerosanis used in Finland, the KM-5 and OSGA-6 (later called NKL-6), were initially built at the Narkomles Factory in Moscow. During WWII, improved NKL-16/41 and NKL-16/42 models were built, and production started at the ZiS and GAZ car factories, and at smaller industries such as the Stalingrad Bekietovskiy Wood Works. In 1941 the armoured NKL-26, designed by M. Andreyev, started production at Narkomles. The following year, Gorki Narkorechflota developed the smaller, unarmoured GAZ-98, or RF-8, powered by a GAZ-M1 truck engine and durable metal propeller. There was also an ASD-400 heavy assault sled used in WWII.

Dave Porter's B-47

Built this B-47 not too long ago. It’s a 1/144 kit from Hobbycraft. It was very nice indeed. Good fit, nice decals, and decent detail made it a fun build. I finished it in Alclad lacquers and Tamiya acrylics.

7TP Siedmiotonowy Polski

Here are some images of ? 1/35 scale 7-TP Light Tank. From Wikipedia "The 7TP (siedmiotonowy polski - 7-ton Polish) was the Polish light tank of the second world war. A development of the British Vickers 6 ton, it was significantly better armed than its most common opponents, the German Panzer one and two A standard tank of the Polish Army during the Polish defensive war of 1939, its production never exceeded 140 vehicles. Its chassis was used as the base for C7Partillery tractor".  

I got this kit in amongst a bunch of other kits I purchased a while back and I had no idea as to what type of tank it was. It took me two days of research on the internet to find out what it was. My first thought was well it looks pre war and it was a light tank so I started there and wouldn't you know it it seems all pre war tanks kind of look alike so I had to slog through several photographs until I found the right one. As for the kit manufacturer I couldn't tell you (if anyone knows I'd like to hear it) as there was no box and instructions so I had to basically wing it when building it.

Dave Porter's F-20

Here is a Hasegawa F-20 in 1/72^nd scale. I always thought it was a cool looking aircraft that was significant step up from our CF-5s. I completed this kit as a “what if” using a variety of low vis markings and acrylic paint.

Dave Porter's BRE Datsun 510 And 2000 Renard

Here is an image of Dave Porter's BRE Datsun 510 and 2000 Renard and here are his descriptions.

    Here is the BRE Datsun 510 that won the 1972  SCCA 2.5 litre Sedan Trans Am Championship. The car was driven by John Morton. This kit is a vintage repop from Revell in 1/25 scale. I painted it with Tamiya Lacquers and acrylics and I did some extra details in the interior.

 Here is Paul Tracy’s 2000 Renard in 1/25 scale. The kit is by Monogram and the Kool decals are aftermarket.

1968 McLaren M8A

Here are some better images of Tamiya's 1/18 scale McLaren M8A 1968.


From the instructions"
1966 saw the inauguration of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (CAN-AM), which raced two seater open top machines with unlimited engine displacements. Although held domestically, this unique series saw many F1drivers in attendance and quickly gained popularity due to the dynamic performances of the high powered machines. It became one of the most exciting race categories after F1 GP and the World Sports Car Chamionship. Founded by F1 driver Bruce McLaren in 1963 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing raced CAN AM and F1 GP from 1966. The 1966 CAN-AM season saw Bruce McLaren drive the McLaren M1B to the third place overall ranking. The following year he drove the M6A and won the championship, which led to the teams succesful period.
In 1968, the team entered the M8A which was lighter, had enhanced aerodynamics, and adapted the same monocoque structure of other F1 machines with the engine firmly connected to the rear bulkhead. The wedge-shaped body producd the increased downforce effect and featured air intakes with NASA ducts.
It was powered by a 620 hp Chevrolet V8 7-liter engine with eight 40cm long air funnels. In this six race series Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren drove the M8A and took 3 and 1 wins respectively to dominate the season. Not resting on their laurels, the M8A continually evolved with the M8B, M8D, and M8F respectively. Despite the tragic test drive accident that involved Bruce McLaren in 1970, the team swept the CAN-AM, taking 5 consecutive championships from 1967 to 1971.

1934 Bugatti Type 59

Here are some images of Bburago's 1/18 scale Bugatti Type 59.
This kit within itself is a very simple kit to assemble. However I decided to punch it up a few notches with a new paint job done with a used patina look. I also scratched out a hood belt (built earlier) and a bug screen. I also decided to paint the front number and not use a decal. This enabled me to hold a screen look on the number which with a decal is difficult to obtain.
Here is how it appeared before

From Wikipedia"
 The final Bugatti race car of the 1930s was the Type 59 of 1934. It used an enlarged 3.3 L (3257 cc/198 in³) version of the straight-8 Type 57's engine sitting in a modified Type 54 chassis. The engine was lowered for a better center of gravity, and the frame was lightened with a number of holes drilled in the chassis. The signature piano wire wheels used splines between the brake drum and rim, and relied on the radial spokes to handle cornering loads. 250 hp (186 kW) was on tap, and 8 were made.

New Bedford Whaleboat 1860

Here are some images of Amati's 1/16 scale New Bedford Whaleboat 1860.

From Wikipedia"
A whaleboat is a type of open boat that is relatively narrow and pointed at both ends, enabling it to move either forwards or backwards equally well. It was originally developed for whaling, and later became popular for work along beaches, since it does not need to be turned around for beaching or refloating. The term "whaleboat" may be used informally of larger whalers, or of a boat used for whale watching.

Today whaleboats are used as safety vessels aboard marine vessels. The United States Coast Guard has been using them since 1791. Their simple open structure allows for easy access and personnel loading in the event of an emergency. These whaleboats are now considered very important, and highly regimented safety vessels. Boats must include a hatchet, lifeboat compass, lifeboat sea anchor, emergency signal mirror, emergency drinking water, lifeboat first aid kit, jack knife with can opener, lifeboat bilge pump,and emergency provisions. On modern warships, a relatively light and seaworthy boat for transport of ship's crew may be referred to as a whaleboat or whaler. It may also refer to a type of vessel designed as a lifeboat or "monomoy" used for recreational and competitive rowing in the San Francisco Bay Area and coastal Massachusetts.

Whaleboats were also extensively used in warfare. Colonel Benjamin Church is credited with first pioneering their use for amphibious combat operations against Abenaki and Mi'kmaq tribes in what is today Maine and Acadia . His troops, New England colonial forces and Native allies from southern New England, used them as early as 1696 (during King William's War). Others in the Northeastern borderlands followed suit and they were utilized throughout the imperial conflicts of the early 18th century, and extensively used by both British and colonial troops during the French and Indian war. Units that made extensive use of whaleboats were the 7th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment at the siege of Louisburg in 1745, often referred to as "the whaleboat regiment," and Gorham's Rangers, formed in 1744, initially a company of Indians mainly from Cape Cod, many of whom were employed as whalers, and which later evolved into a British Army ranger company in the 1750s and 1760s. John Bradstreet's Bateaux and Transport service, a corps of armed boatmen tasked with moving supplies on inland waterways during the French and Indian War also used whaleboats extensively. In 1772, American colonials used whaleboats to attack and destroy HMS Gaspée in Narragansett Bay. During the American Revolutionary War, there were many whaleboat raids, including one with 230 men led by Return J. Meigs, Sr. to sack Sag Harbor on Long Island in 1777. On December 7, 1782, two fleets of whaleboats fought a bloody battle on Long Island Sound known as the Boats Fight. During the desperate hand-to-hand conflict, every man involved was either killed or injured.

The whaleboat's design takes after those the Vikings used during the 11th century, around the time Beowulf was written and Leif Erickson came to America briefly, before the Vikings really made their mark on English culture. As a whaling vessel, it fulfilled its purposes for what it went through and its “superior handling characteristics soon made it a popular general-purpose ship’s boat”^. The whaleboat generally is outfitted with a dismountable sail post for sailing across seas, but in close proximity, they can use oars for rapid rowing to nearby areas with a large rowing crew. The basics of the whaleboat consists of a rudder, main sail, and occasionally a jib. Without the rudder, the boat would have no steering capabilities, and without the sails, the vessel would have no propulsion, assuming there were no oars or a sizable rowing crew to compensate for the lack of propulsion. After 1850 most were fitted with a centreboard that would keep the boat from swaying too far to one side or another, located in the center of the boat. The main sail would catch the wind, which would in turn push the sail, pushing the boat in the process, and the rudder, depending on the direction the person manning it pointed it at, would push the stern of the boat in a certain direction, steering the whaleboat essentially. The rudder consists of basically two parts: the part that sticks in the water in order to give thrust, and the part the coxswain, or the person steering, holds onto in order to push or pull the first part. The jib sail is a significantly smaller sail that serves to help steer and propel the boat forward as well. By catching the wind at a specific angle, the sail can either double as a second main sail catching the wind, or help by adding “better close-hauled sailing and of setting extra sail with comparatively little labor demand”

Whaleboats became prevalent in ancient Inuit and Yupik culture when trade and other forms of nutrition were sparse. Whaleboats gave them a means of travelling to distant places in order to obtain resources. Natives had to gather sustenance, generally large game such as whales, when at all possible, from the sea. Whaleboats were not always taken out to sea to hunt whales, but they could also be used to transport dead whales that they had scavenged from the shallow waters. Whaleboats used in whaling had a stout post mounted on the aft deck, around which the steersman would cinch the rope once the whale had been harpooned, and by which the whale would drag the boat until it was killed. Large baleen and bow heads whales became their main export to Europe and the Americas, which in turn would help in revitalizing the trade in their region, an area that ranged from the Bering-Chukchi Sea to eastern Arctic.
Norwegians began to dominate whaling when they turned it into a full-blown industry in 1904. They were more skilled and had better techniques than other civilizations around this same time period. The Norwegians had very efficient gunners, men who fired the weapons, the technology of the Sven Foyn gun and the grenade harpoon, and they utilized the powered whale catcher. Although all these factors were effective and sped trade, the demand of oil was its own issue. Whales were mainly used for their fat that was melted to oil. The Norwegians had a system in place and partnered with the British to profit. The simple whale boat received a number of modifications throughout this period. What was once a simple single hull, open boat became a body of new technologies to make whaling more efficient. Changes included the use of radar and radio instead of a lookout and new handling tools.(Tonneson and Johnson, 798)

Dave Porter's MiG 21

This is a Minicraft MiG 21 in 1/48 scale. The aircraft represented served late in the Vietnam war. The kit is pretty much SOB. The paints are Tamiya acrylics.

Dave

1913 Mercer Raceabout Type 35R

Here are some images of Bandai's 1/16 scale 1913 Mercer Raceabout Type 35R.

From Wikipedia"
Mercer was an American automobile manufacturer from 1909 until 1925. It was notable for its high-performance cars, especially the Type 35 Raceabout.

There was considerable talent and backing for the Mercer Automobile Company; Ferdinand Roebling, son of John A. Roebling, was the president, and his nephew Washington A. Roebling II was the general manager. The Roeblings had extensive success with wire rope manufacturing and suspension bridge design; engineering was not a recent concept for them. The secretary-treasurer was John L. Kuser, who, with his brothers Frederick and Anthony, had amassed a fortune from banking, bottling and brewing.
Washington A. Roebling II was friends with William Walter, who had been making a small number of high-quality automobiles in New York City. The Kusers owned a vacant brewery in Hamilton, New Jersey, and brought Walter and his car factory there in 1906. However, Walter found himself deeply in debt by 1909, so the Roeblings and Kusers bought him out in a foreclosure sale. They changed the company name to Mercer, named after Mercer County, New Jersey. Talented designers and race drivers contributed to the new effort, and the focus became proving their product in competition.

 The result was one of the most admired sports cars of the decade; the 1910 Type-35R Raceabout, a stripped-down, two-seat speedster, designed to be "safely and consistently" driven at over 70 mph (110 km/h). It was capable of over 90 mph (140 km/h). The Raceabout's inline 4-cylinder T-head engine displaced 293 cubic inches (4,800 cc) and developed 55 horsepower (41 kW) at 1,650 revolutions per minute. It won five of the six 1911 races it was entered in, losing only the first Indianapolis 500. Hundreds of racing victories followed. The Raceabout became one of the premier racing thoroughbreds of the era- highly coveted for its quality construction and exceptional handling.
 In the 1914 road races in Elgin, Illinois, two Raceabouts collided and wrecked. Spencer Wishart, a champion racer who always wore shirt and tie under his overalls, was killed along with the car's mechanic, John Jenter. This prompted the company to cancel its racing program. The Raceabout's designer left the company that year, and subsequent designs did not live up to the glory and appeal the Type-35R had earned.
 Earlier in February 1914, Eddie Pullen, who worked at the factory from 1910, won the American Grand Prize held at Santa Monica, California, by racing for 403 mi (649 km) in a Raceabout. Later that same year, Eddie also won The Corona Road Race held in Corona, California, on November 26. For winning the 300-mile (480 km) big car event, Pullen won $4,000 and an additional $2,000 for setting a new world road race record. His average speed of 86.5 mph (139.21 km/h) broke the record of 78.72 mph (126.69 km/h) set by Teddy Tetzlaff at Santa Monica in 1912.
 n October, 1919, after the last involved Roebling brother died (Washington A. Roebling II perished in the 1912 Titanic disaster), the company was obtained by a Wall Street firm that placed ex-Packard vice-president Emlem Hare in charge, organizing Mercer under the Hare's Motors corporate banner. Hare looked to expand, increasing Mercer's models and production, and also purchasing the Locomobile & Crane-Simplex marques. Within a few years, the cost of these acquisitions and the economic recession took a financial toll on Hare's Motors. Locomobile was liquidated and purchased by Durant Motors in 1922, and Mercer produced its last vehicles in 1925, after some 5,000 had been built.
 An independent effort to revive the marque in 1931 resulted in only 3 vehicles being constructed and displayed.
The company is currently owned by Fred Hoch of Schaeffer & Long.