Before we get rolling on these blogs, let me save you some time.
If you like talking and reading about NavAir subjects, and the other Phantom variants (of any service that used them), and agree that the Lt Gull Gray over White aircraft era was visually interesting with the most varied aircraft types in service of any of the NavAir eras, you'll have fun here.
The aim at the Hangar Deck has always been to build and display that most varied era and to provide information to anyone wanting to build an accurate model of an aircraft of that era. Another related aim of these blogs is to "put down on paper" my own planned build list so that I stop "improving" it and have a public goal to work towards. I am a recovering AMSer that came up with this build plan to stay focused on what a modeler should do,,,,,,,,,build and show off finished models. Granted, along the way, there will be plenty of nit picky details to discuss, but it seems to me that we should be gluing, filling and sanding, as we read and take a minute out to type, not just typing away instead of the assembly process.
When I came up with my build plan, it cut my unbuilt model collection (the "stash") down to about half, and at the same time, it drastically cut down my shopping list. My philosophy of building has changed to buying the right kit for the job, and not buying the "wrong" kits for my needs. This may not be for everyone, but I was on a path that led to me buying just about any kit I saw with Stars and Bars on it,,,,,,and that had to stop, lol.
Here's what you will find on these pages in the coming weeks. You will find my build list with explanations as to why I chose the aircraft listed to represent the Wing, Carrier, or Squadron. I will show which models or conversion sets will be needed to duplicate any given aircraft, always in 1/72 scale. I will show you just where some of the parts you might want for your own models may be hiding, sometimes the most useful parts are in the strangest places, and sometimes they are right in front of your nose, and gasp!, sometimes they are right in the boxes they should be in.
My "theme" is the varied aircraft, the varied markings, and the varied weapons loadouts that 'could' be carried, and the various ground equipment associated with aircraft service,,,so, even though I build to a specific photo for the markings, the weapons may come from a list of possibilities on a Technical Order, instead of a photo.
So as not to plagiarize anyone's work, I will link to their page, and tell you what info comes from there, when that is needed to explain some detail or choice. I will not copy and paste, and hope that no one else does that in responses. Short snippets are probably okay for discussion purposes, but not whole pages, etc.
On the other hand,
If you are a person that doesn't want or need to know who deployed where, or what aircraft they had and what those aircraft looked like,,,,,,,you won't enjoy these blogs all that much
If you are one of the "modelers" that spend all their time reading, looking at pics, and picking apart someone else's models,,,,,,you might get many hours of enjoyment out of looking at mine, lol,,,,,,,but, you needn't bother to respond with comments explaining my mistakes,,,,,I probably knew of them as soon as I either opened the box, or right after I added the clear coats, making it very difficult to fix my error.
If you think anyone that strives for accuracy, detail and variety has AMS,,,,,you won't like it here,,,,,and please, go right ahead and email me with your comments,,,,,,,I'll then add your name to the hundreds of name calling "modelers" I have run into over the last 45 years of modeling that have snide comments to make about models but have somehow avoided being called names by never showing a built model to anyone.
Having said all of that, if you have any constructive criticism, please do post your comments, I will either correct my mistakes, or explain why things were done or said the way I did.
So, go and build, enjoy, and read and type to each other, no matter what your subject is, or which kit(s) you choose to use.
Happy Holidays to you all
