Early days on this as yet. Swooping organic curves are always something of a chore to work out…
Nov 032017
Oct 132017
I’m looking to take quality screenshots, and I think the online versions of the episodes would make for better image quality than screenshots from the DVD burner I use to record episodes. Fox has the episodes available online shortly after they air, but I can’t figure out how to download them to view them on something better than my dinky netbook.
Last nights episode, for example:
https://www.fox.com/watch/68822e236dc85f8578b4354894a471bd/
Sep 162017
A rather different set of stuff than the recent sales of books, but I’m doing these the same way. I’d prefer to sell these as a single lot, so as always I’m doing a discount. The prices are based on what they seem to be going for on eBay. If you want the lot, let me know via email or comment. Individually these total up to $204; as a lot, I’ll go with $175 plus postage (calculated after I know where they’re going).
Galoob Micro Machines Die Cast Y-Wing, still in package: $6
Galoob Micro Machines Die Cast X-Wing, still in package: $6
Galoob Micro Machines Die Cast Star Destroyer, still in package: $7
Galoob Micro Machines Die Cast Trade Federation Battleship, still in package: $8
Johnny Lightning “Legends of Star Trek Klingon D7 Battlecruiser,” still in package: $20
Johnny Lightning “Legends of Star Trek USS Enterprise Refit,” still in package: $20
Johnny Lightning “Legends of Star Trek USS Enterprise w/battle damage,” still in package: $20
Galoob Micro Machines “Titanium Series Die Cast” Battlestar Galactica “Battlestar Pegasus,” still in package: $35
Galoob Micro Machines “Titanium Series Die Cast” Battlestar Galactica “Raptor,” still in package:$30
Galoob Micro Machines “Titanium Series Die Cast” Battlestar Galactica “Colonial viper Mk VII,” still in package:2 at $25 each
Sep 162017
Currently on eBay is a nice wind tunnel model set of parts for the Douglas D852. The design is not immediately known to me, but I suspect it’s an early 60’s concept, perhaps a very early TFX (eventually the F-111) or some other variable-sweep fighter. Anyone know?
Douglas Aircraft Co. D852 Model Assembly Jet Airplane No. 5818084 US Military
Sep 142017
While looking at something else on eBay, a listing for something rather more interesting came up:
item 3 – Minuteman Solid Resin Nuclear warhead MIRV Reentry Vehicle Factory Desk Model
$99.000 bids9d 21h 27m
Now, hmmm, I sez. That’s clearly a maneuverable warhead, designed to muck up the enemies defenses by scooting around them. So I decide to click on the link and see more about it and get hit with:
My paranoid lil’ mind starts to wonder… did someone have something for sale they shouldn’t have had?
As models go it looks pretty uninspiring… low detail, blocky, simple, at thos low image resolution it seems kinda amateurish. As maneuverable MIRV designs it’s not spectacular… sort of a mutant Delta Clipper (which was derived from maneuverable MIRV design work). Still, that’s pretty much exactly the sort of the the DoD gets a little twitchy about from time to time.
If anyone knows anything about it, or sees it pop up again, let me know…
UPDATE:
OK, this is strange. I still get the same “listing removed” message when I click on the link with my computer… but it pulls right up (high rez photos and all) when I view it on my *phone.* This would be a first.
So… who can see it? Who can’t?
Sep 102017
An item currently on eBay:
Guided Missile Cut Away Model Prototype General Dynamics ISAS Diehl Airplane 158
A display model of…something. A seeker head for some sort of missile, seemingly. Missile defense, perhaps? Or perhaps it’s part of a payload to be fixed to an aircraft, some sort of sensor?
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Sep 032017
Aug 152017
The Blade Runner “Blaster” water pistol I mentioned back in April is now available. When originally announced, it was supposed to cost about $12… and if you’re in Japan, that’s about right. But in the US, it costs about five times as much, at least so far. Numerous copies on eBay, one on Amazon.
Looks reasonably accurate. Not sure about the charging handle on the right side, but I suspect it would only require minimal effort to paint and otherwise dress up this piece into a pretty good replica.
Aug 142017
The GBU-43A/B “Massive Ordnance Air Blast (aka Mother Of All Bombs)” is dropped from a C-130. It sits on an aluminum cradle and rolls out the back of the plane, pulled out by a parachute. The question is: how does that chute work? If you watch the video below, you can see the parachute pack “drop” from the upper part of the doorway. This looks like either the pack was attached to the ceiling of the cargo bay (or the inner portion of the aft door that hinges upwards) and simply dropped, or perhaps it’s hurled out by a catapult of some type. Does anyone know? I’ve looked but so far I’ve failed to find any photos, diagrams or videos depicting the setup prior to deployment.
Aug 122017
The H-33 orbiter was designed in early 1971 to be launched atop a reusable manned flyback booster, a truly giant supersonic vehicle. The orbiter itself was similar in configuration to the Shuttle Orbiter as actually built, but it differed in that it had internal liquid oxygen tanks and expendable external hydrogen tanks, rather than a single large ET. The NASM has some good photos of a display model of the full system.
The H-33 was a popular design, at least at Grumman. A number of display models were made of it, including this detailed “cutaway” model made – seemingly – of plexiglas.
I have uploaded the full-rez images to the 2017-08 APR Extras Dropbox folder, available to all $4 and up APR Patrons. If interested, wander on by the APR Patreon and sign up. Lots of aerospace goodies available.