Hi All,
I've been lurking on this site for a while & throwing my tuppence into a few forums, etc. I decided I needed to tell you some of my particulars.
I currently live in central New Jersey. No exit jokes, please!
I spent 10.5 years in the active Air Force, phlying Phantoms in Florida, South East Asia, Europe (Bitburger Pils, Bitte, ein Bit) and back to Florida. I transfered into the Air national Guard in 81 & stayed on Phantoms until my unit turned them in for Stratotankers (KC-135Es) in 1991. I currently work in State government.
I'm mostly a model railroader, but I build 1/48 propeller fighters (USAAF,USN, Luftwaffe). I do build the occasional McDonnell product if it has afterburners. I also love the Spitfire, the most graceful aircraft I have ever seen. Finally saw one live & in person at the Battle of Britain Airshow at RAF Leuchars in 1996. My crew had to pry me away, 'cause I was this close to slobbering on the A/C.
As you may surmise, I'm an airplane nut; but, I do read stuff on Model Shipwrights. I'm a fan of Soviet surface combatants,too. guess all those years studying the "Janes" and other books took root.
Enough babbling. I await the next installments on the F-4 forums, so I can "throw my nickel on the grass" and add something to all our knowledge & enjoyment.

Gday Obes
Welcome into the fold
I think we are polar opposites as to where we lurk, but our paths may cross at some stage in the future...
Sounds like an interesting career you have had!
I also saw a restored spitfire fly here in Oz, and yep, that RR merlin was something else during a low pass
Cheers
Brad

Welcome Aboard.
No Exit Jokes......... :-) :-)
I'm a little north of you, (Morris County) and no where near the TP.

Gday Ken

A very warm welcome to Armorama from New Zealand.

Hope to see you around modelshipwrights its a great place to hang out IMHO.

So pull up a keyboard and spend sometime enjoying this site and its fellowship as a member.

Regards

Sean

Howdy Obiwan3 {Ken},

First, allow me to share a hearty "Welcome!!" with you. You will find naught but modeling compadre's around these parts as I'm quite sure you've already found out by lurking about.

And, an ol' Phantom driver huh? I'm familiar with that particular twin-whistle. I pulled drawers on them many moons ago in the 'Corp.

Anyway, you and I are most definitely on the same page as far as the Spitfire goes......I remember going to the Smithsonian back in the early 70's and jumping the velvet ropes for a picture of me in the cockpit of one for crikkey sakes.........just try that nowadays!.....you'd be carted away and locked up for some terrorist act!.....sheeeesh

Parting words, have fun, and see ya on the Forum's!

regards,

Tread.

Welcome to the site from an old and decrepit DAT.

Like you, I think the Spitfire is a thing of beauty, definitely my favorite WW2 non-US aircraft with the later Mk XIV being my favorite.

Being an old Phantom pilot, what's your take on the History Channel's new Dogfight series? I'd like to see some dogfight episodes on the Battle of Britian with Spits against Me 109s.

Thank you, gents.
My take on "Dogfights", huh? I survived the USAF Fighter Weapons School; 2months of nothing but Air Combat, followed by 2 more months of Surface Attack. Fifty two traing sorties, every one of which was like taking an annual flying evaluation. Also graduated from Air War Collge, an academic seminar. Just giving you my credentials, for what that's worth.
I think the flying portions are well done, because you're seeing what us aircrew were seeing looking out the canopy. Need that for Situational Awareness. Whos where & what's going on. You can't do that by filming from another airplane. I guess the costs for making those sequences must really run up; that's why you see so much repetition.

I liked the one with Gen "Boots" Blesse., F-86s in Korea. He wrote the air combat book for us AF types. Unfortunately we forgot most of it by the 60s for a good portion of Viet Nam. At least the Navy got Top Gun going. See what "Duke" Cunningham did as Call Sign "Showtime" over Haiphong. Too bad he became a politician. To make those WWII dogfights, they need more good information on the RAF or Luftwaffe's engagements. Is there information available to these show producers to give them that kind of detail. They better interview Johnny Johnson, Stanford-Tuck, Townsend, Galland and folks like them, if they're still alive. I devoured all their books before I went into the Air Force.
Biggest gripe; I wish they's stick to the air to air dogfights. The Taffy 3 ordeal was not a dogfight; however that sea battle had some gallant destroyermen who put their fannies between the IJN fleet and a bunch of baby flattops. The aircraft were only a portion of that battle. Same for the Bismarck show.
Whew! Over and out.