I received this article from The National Museum of WWII Aviation located down in Colorado Springs. They are slated to open their new museum in a few months. But interestingly enough, Jozef Szydlowski, a large scale modeler from the UK donated a wonderful model of the USS Arizona to the museum. One of the few remaining survivors, Don Stratton of Colorado Springs, was in attendance for the donation ceremony. Thanks to Jozef Szydlowski for building an amazing model and for the museum to share this with us.  I'm looking forward to going down to the museum this summer!

Don Stratton with his son Randy.

03/02/2019

Thanks to everyone who came out today!

The meeting started off with an update on my never ending container ship project.  The project was saved thanks to Jerry loaning me his vertical mill.  Jerry challenged me to make a video to share with the group.  Without further ado...

Only a few hundred more containers to mill out!  Save me!!  Seriously, I'm really enjoying this process!

What's been amazing about using this tool is that after all these cuts the tool has been rock solid the entire time.  I've gone through it several times to make sure everything was tight.  Nothing loose or moved.  Not even a fraction of a thousandth of an inch.  Nice tool!

If you're wondering how much these little guys cost, to buy what I was using today would cost about $1300 new.  I searched for used machines on eBay and couldn't find a single one of this design, and this design has been around for over 30 years.  Shown below is the Sherline 5500.  

There are alternatives.  For example Proxxon makes a similar mill but it's more expensive starting at $1400 without accessories.  They have a lower priced version that sells for about $400.  Not sure how the later would perform.  Shown here is the Proxxon 37110 with is the lower priced version they sell.

Most of these small milling machines can be set up for CNC (Computer Numerical Control) which is great for recreating complex cuts.  It also adds a ton of money to the cost!

For me, I was grateful to be able to borrow one!

Next I shared a new USN deck winch set from Infini Models.  Each one of these winches is a model onto itself.  They should make for a great focus point to some of my projects.  These are 1/350 scale and are already out of stock at Free Time Hobbies where I got them.  They sell for $21.00.

Next John shared with us some big 1/700 battleship kits that he acquired.  Both of these are becoming rare kits.  

First up was the HMS Colossus from Combrig models.  These are WWI era battleships.  This is a resin kit.  These were available from Free Time Hobbies at $75 but are currently sold out.

Next up is the HMS Neptune.  Also a WWI era battleship and resin kit.  Also at the same price of $75 but currently out of stock from Free Time Hobbies.  

Next John shared with us the Fujimi 1/3000 1945 REMNANT WARSHIP SET (UNRYU-CLASS/RYUHO-CLASS/HIYO-CLASS/AOBA).  Careful when you look at these because Fujimi uses the same box art on several different kits.  

John then shared with us his own harbor creation in 1/700 scale.  

Here are a couple of photographs that John shared with us.  When I asked him where they lived he explained that currently they are living on the dining room table.  

Finally John Trueblood paid a visit and shared with us a pair of float planes.  Very nice work on both kits.

The first is the 1/48 Tamiya kit of the IJN M6A1 Seiran.  This is the float plane that was carried on IJN submarines I-400, I-401, and I-402.  Each sub carried three of these aircraft.  The fuselage and wings were stored in a water tight compartment and the floats were stored under the deck.

Next was the Modelcraft UC-64A Noorduyn Norseman.  This aircraft can be configured for either land or water operations by exchanging the floats for wheels.  I found one of these rare birds on eBay in original factory sealed for $52.50.

Thanks everyone!  We'll see you next time.

Dave