Dave998
@dave998.bsky.social
Retired Naval Reserve officer and Social Studies teacher; skeptical curmudgeon, early Boomer. I luv art, astronomy, aviation history, birding, cats, justice for hardworking people, model-building, wildlife conservation, and my wife.
I recently prioritized finishing an old model over freaking out about the lunacy of President Trusk. It is the old and inaccurate Matchbox kit of HMS ARIADNE, an Abdiel-class fast minelayer. I painted mine as HMS APOLLO, in honor of my late building buddy cat Apollo. Not a good kit, but still fun!
March 12, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I recently prioritized finishing an old model over freaking out about the lunacy of President Trusk. It is the old and inaccurate Matchbox kit of HMS ARIADNE, an Abdiel-class fast minelayer. I painted mine as HMS APOLLO, in honor of my late building buddy cat Apollo. Not a good kit, but still fun!
Hello friends; I have been preoccupied of late with the unfolding disaster of American politics of hatred, revenge, chaos, and destruction. I need to take a break and clear my head! So, here is my recently finished MiniWings Beaver. It was CHALLENGING, but I really like it anyway!
February 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Hello friends; I have been preoccupied of late with the unfolding disaster of American politics of hatred, revenge, chaos, and destruction. I need to take a break and clear my head! So, here is my recently finished MiniWings Beaver. It was CHALLENGING, but I really like it anyway!
Happy New Year to all of the great people here at BlueSky! To celebrate the incoming year, I would like to share a picture of my last model completed in '24: a 3-D printed 1/144 scale Junkers D.I wearing an authentic (!) 1918 color scheme. It was an obscure but historically important design!
January 1, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Happy New Year to all of the great people here at BlueSky! To celebrate the incoming year, I would like to share a picture of my last model completed in '24: a 3-D printed 1/144 scale Junkers D.I wearing an authentic (!) 1918 color scheme. It was an obscure but historically important design!
Here is a recent photograph of an old pencil and ink drawing of the DH.2, that I drew back in 1997.
December 24, 2024 at 1:48 AM
Here is a recent photograph of an old pencil and ink drawing of the DH.2, that I drew back in 1997.
I like classic jets almost as much as I dig the Golden Age airplanes. Here is a favorite of mine: the Vought Crusader, a true masterpiece of the designer's art. Here is an early USN F-8C (Platz Models) and a much later Aeronavale F-8E(FN) gashapon kit.
December 23, 2024 at 3:23 PM
I like classic jets almost as much as I dig the Golden Age airplanes. Here is a favorite of mine: the Vought Crusader, a true masterpiece of the designer's art. Here is an early USN F-8C (Platz Models) and a much later Aeronavale F-8E(FN) gashapon kit.
It has been a busy week, and I am late at posting model pictures. Here is a project just finished on Saturday: "Five Famous Fillies," which includes those flown by Bud Anderson (Old Crow), Don Gentile (Shangri-la) and Eugenius Horbaczewski (RAF/315 Sqd), and a big friend. All 1/144 scale.
December 23, 2024 at 2:43 PM
It has been a busy week, and I am late at posting model pictures. Here is a project just finished on Saturday: "Five Famous Fillies," which includes those flown by Bud Anderson (Old Crow), Don Gentile (Shangri-la) and Eugenius Horbaczewski (RAF/315 Sqd), and a big friend. All 1/144 scale.
I enjoy BlueSky so much, I am happy to share my art here! I have a lifetime supply of prints of my work on archival paper. Feel free to DM me if you would like to know more about them. Here are four of them:
December 17, 2024 at 10:45 PM
I enjoy BlueSky so much, I am happy to share my art here! I have a lifetime supply of prints of my work on archival paper. Feel free to DM me if you would like to know more about them. Here are four of them:
My poor old Shapeways FE2b:
December 16, 2024 at 3:01 AM
My poor old Shapeways FE2b:
As a fine arts fan for 60+ years, I was thrilled this Saturday to meet Rafael Blanco, who for the last 10 years has been a muralist painter who creates beautiful public art. As an ambassador of the art world to the greater public, he is without peers. Please enjoy some of his murals.
December 10, 2024 at 12:22 AM
As a fine arts fan for 60+ years, I was thrilled this Saturday to meet Rafael Blanco, who for the last 10 years has been a muralist painter who creates beautiful public art. As an ambassador of the art world to the greater public, he is without peers. Please enjoy some of his murals.
Here is a pair of 1/600 scale cast pot-metal models of the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (AKA Merrimack) duking it out in Hampton Roads, 9 March 1862. I bought them at the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA. Cleaned up, painted , and mounted on a little wood palette. It's a cute jewel of a model.
December 6, 2024 at 11:38 PM
Here is a pair of 1/600 scale cast pot-metal models of the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (AKA Merrimack) duking it out in Hampton Roads, 9 March 1862. I bought them at the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA. Cleaned up, painted , and mounted on a little wood palette. It's a cute jewel of a model.
This 1/144 Ju-87B-1 Stuka is an older Bandai (IIRC) gashapon that I fixed up. The real a/c sported a very early WW II shark-mouth on its nose, the shape of which seemed purpose built for such a mouth! When the Luftwaffe held local air superiority, the Stuka was an extremely accurate dive bomber.
December 4, 2024 at 4:38 AM
This 1/144 Ju-87B-1 Stuka is an older Bandai (IIRC) gashapon that I fixed up. The real a/c sported a very early WW II shark-mouth on its nose, the shape of which seemed purpose built for such a mouth! When the Luftwaffe held local air superiority, the Stuka was an extremely accurate dive bomber.
Here is my 1/144 scale resin (by Anigrand) of the K-7. FWIW, I read that it crashed w/14 fatalities on test flight #11. Kalinin himself was purged (i.e. shot) a bit later in 1938. Its "face" looks like a grinning skull to me ..
December 2, 2024 at 3:17 PM
Here is my 1/144 scale resin (by Anigrand) of the K-7. FWIW, I read that it crashed w/14 fatalities on test flight #11. Kalinin himself was purged (i.e. shot) a bit later in 1938. Its "face" looks like a grinning skull to me ..
I have learned how to make a penny look like a dinner plate! Just photograph it next to a 1/144 scale gashapon Bf-109E. This is F-Toys model in Spanish Nationalist markings. I repainted it, added aftermarket decals and extra details in a few spots. Voilá, dinner plate penny!
December 1, 2024 at 12:43 AM
I have learned how to make a penny look like a dinner plate! Just photograph it next to a 1/144 scale gashapon Bf-109E. This is F-Toys model in Spanish Nationalist markings. I repainted it, added aftermarket decals and extra details in a few spots. Voilá, dinner plate penny!
All Gashapons; a Kawasaki family group from WW II. I did various upgrades to each model, flavoring to taste (mine at least). Ki 45 "Nick" heavy fighter; Ki 48 "Lily" light bomber; Ki 61 "Tony" interceptor fighters. I love this little set.
November 30, 2024 at 8:21 PM
All Gashapons; a Kawasaki family group from WW II. I did various upgrades to each model, flavoring to taste (mine at least). Ki 45 "Nick" heavy fighter; Ki 48 "Lily" light bomber; Ki 61 "Tony" interceptor fighters. I love this little set.
I enjoy drawing and painting as well as model-making. Here is a poor photograph of an old drawing of mine; my concept of the final fight of Capt. Lanoe Hawker, who was shot down in late November, 1916, by the "Red Baron," early in his career, flying the much superior Albatros D.II. Pencil & ink.
November 30, 2024 at 12:52 AM
I enjoy drawing and painting as well as model-making. Here is a poor photograph of an old drawing of mine; my concept of the final fight of Capt. Lanoe Hawker, who was shot down in late November, 1916, by the "Red Baron," early in his career, flying the much superior Albatros D.II. Pencil & ink.
The Black Widow is a bomber-sized night fighter. This gashapon was packaged as a P-61B, but is actually a 61A, and modified accordingly. She's heavily weathered from service in the Mariana Islands. Tropical sun, salt air and coral dust aged a/c quickly, as photos proved to me. One of my favorites.
November 28, 2024 at 5:14 PM
The Black Widow is a bomber-sized night fighter. This gashapon was packaged as a P-61B, but is actually a 61A, and modified accordingly. She's heavily weathered from service in the Mariana Islands. Tropical sun, salt air and coral dust aged a/c quickly, as photos proved to me. One of my favorites.
Let's take a look at some N. African players from the other team: good planes, bad logistics. The MC.200 "Saetta" is from Sweet, and I used the "smoke ring" camouflage decals with better success than I dared hope for. The MC.202 " Folgore" is from FToys, with some upgrades thrown in for fun.
November 28, 2024 at 4:46 AM
Let's take a look at some N. African players from the other team: good planes, bad logistics. The MC.200 "Saetta" is from Sweet, and I used the "smoke ring" camouflage decals with better success than I dared hope for. The MC.202 " Folgore" is from FToys, with some upgrades thrown in for fun.
Here is a 5 for 1, which I call a MiG Family portrait. Various kit manufacturers, various operating countries, decals mostly scrounged from the spares bin. I really like the variety of color schemes and the fun Airfix multiple stand which allows easy posing of the models.
November 27, 2024 at 6:21 PM
Here is a 5 for 1, which I call a MiG Family portrait. Various kit manufacturers, various operating countries, decals mostly scrounged from the spares bin. I really like the variety of color schemes and the fun Airfix multiple stand which allows easy posing of the models.
The P-40's iconic shark-mouth nose art did NOT originate with the AVG's "Flying Tigers!" RAF 112 Sqdrn did it first with their Tomahawks in North Africa,so I upgraded an old, not-so-good Bandai gashapon wearing an imaginary (AKA wrong) paint scheme to 112 SQ colors; it came out satisfactorily, IMHO.
November 26, 2024 at 5:38 AM
The P-40's iconic shark-mouth nose art did NOT originate with the AVG's "Flying Tigers!" RAF 112 Sqdrn did it first with their Tomahawks in North Africa,so I upgraded an old, not-so-good Bandai gashapon wearing an imaginary (AKA wrong) paint scheme to 112 SQ colors; it came out satisfactorily, IMHO.
The Martin "Maryland" was a fine light bomber/recon design which has faded into obscurity, sadly. I rebuilt a 1/144 metal diecast that started out as a French Aeronavale a/c. It now wears the camouflage, markings, and wear & tear of hard SAAF service in the N. African desert.
November 25, 2024 at 8:36 PM
The Martin "Maryland" was a fine light bomber/recon design which has faded into obscurity, sadly. I rebuilt a 1/144 metal diecast that started out as a French Aeronavale a/c. It now wears the camouflage, markings, and wear & tear of hard SAAF service in the N. African desert.
Time for an old model to get a little love. It is the old Airfix 1/144 scale Caravelle III. "La Belle Caravelle" was one of the prettiest airliners ever built. For my build I used aluminum foil for the bare metal areas, and scratchbuilt more delicate (but still inaccurate) jet pipes. She's pretty!
November 25, 2024 at 5:40 AM
Time for an old model to get a little love. It is the old Airfix 1/144 scale Caravelle III. "La Belle Caravelle" was one of the prettiest airliners ever built. For my build I used aluminum foil for the bare metal areas, and scratchbuilt more delicate (but still inaccurate) jet pipes. She's pretty!
Just for fun, let's take a look at my 1/700 S-Models Imperial Chinese Navy ironclad Ting Yuan (or Dingyuen) built in Germany in the early 1880's for China. She was quite advanced for her time, but a very obscure subject now. Her weaponry included 2 steam powered torpedo boats (!) carried aft. Cool!
November 23, 2024 at 5:37 PM
Just for fun, let's take a look at my 1/700 S-Models Imperial Chinese Navy ironclad Ting Yuan (or Dingyuen) built in Germany in the early 1880's for China. She was quite advanced for her time, but a very obscure subject now. Her weaponry included 2 steam powered torpedo boats (!) carried aft. Cool!
Time for a break from the tRump disaster: I'd like to share another of my model interests. 1/1250 model ships are extremely popular in Europe. Most are diecast metal, like my USS Olympia. I got mine used, in poor shape. I repaired, detailed, and painted it. I like the finished tiny model very much.
November 23, 2024 at 5:05 PM
Time for a break from the tRump disaster: I'd like to share another of my model interests. 1/1250 model ships are extremely popular in Europe. Most are diecast metal, like my USS Olympia. I got mine used, in poor shape. I repaired, detailed, and painted it. I like the finished tiny model very much.
I don't always build mechanical thingies; who doesn't love dragons? This model started out as an inexpensive Chinese cream-colored resin casting at the Field Museum after the Terra Cotta Army display. It has all traditional Chinese components. I just cleaned up the casting and painted! Voilá, enjoy!
November 20, 2024 at 10:36 PM
I don't always build mechanical thingies; who doesn't love dragons? This model started out as an inexpensive Chinese cream-colored resin casting at the Field Museum after the Terra Cotta Army display. It has all traditional Chinese components. I just cleaned up the casting and painted! Voilá, enjoy!
Time for another 1/144 airliner. This is the Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander, which entered service in 1970. The subject of this resin model flew with Aurigny Air (based on the Isle of Guernsey) for 46 YEARS!! I saw the original at Duxford soon after its retirement, and had to build it.
November 19, 2024 at 5:51 PM
Time for another 1/144 airliner. This is the Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander, which entered service in 1970. The subject of this resin model flew with Aurigny Air (based on the Isle of Guernsey) for 46 YEARS!! I saw the original at Duxford soon after its retirement, and had to build it.