(April 2021, originally in ANZAPA 320) For my sins – and they must have been serious infractions for me to be doing this – I’ve spent the past three or four weeks trawling the newszines that have been scanned and saved on the Fanac.org website. There are an awful lot of them. There … More Trawling old Newszines
(May 2021) Introduction The following was written just before the Covid 19 lock-down arrived in Victoria. Bruce Gillespie published it in an issue of SF Commentary but I have not placed it here yet because Bruce did not use the pictures that I wanted to use, and I wanted to make sure that Stephen was … More Stephen Campbell at the Warrnambool Art Gallery
(May 2021) Another French Beauty On the basis of a couple of rather unfortunate French bombers made during the interwar period all French aeroplanes made during that period have been dubbed ‘ugly’ by the great unwashed. What would then know? Not all French aeroplanes are Amiot 143s, Potez 540s or even Farman 220s. And … More Bernard 74 in 1/72 by Adrien Roy
The Airbus A320 production line continues and here is the latest model, the Zvezda 1/144 A.320 in the livery of Virgin Australia. It is the same airliner as the two A.320s I finished last month, registered VH-VNB and this time flown by Virgin Australia in 2019 after it took over ownership of TigerAir. Like most … More Models for May 2021
While rummaging around in the hidden recesses of my computer I came across this article that I put together in June 2001. It is about how the Australian civil aviation industry came to have what was called the ‘Two Airline Policy’ which controlled the development of Australian air transport for four decades from the beginning … More For Whom the Cash Register Rings – the origins of Australia’s ‘Two Airline Policy’
‘On The Bench’ is the oldest and most enjoyable – for me – scale modelling podcast. I like the chat between other podcasts out there but I identify with the way in which the three Australians banter seems to me to convey the Australian character in a relaxed and friendly way. But that’s not why … More In The Box
When you listen to or watch any of the modelling podcasts or live streams one of the questions that comes up fairly often is about tools. ‘What is your favourite tool’ or ‘what tools do you recommend for a starting modeller’, that sort of thing. I hadn’t really thought about it much. Over … More Top Ten Tools
The passion for US Navy aeroplanes in the Dark Sea Blue scheme continues. This time the old Airfix 1/72 McDonnell F2H-2 kit. I remember when this was a new kit back some time in the 1980s and I rushed out to buy it, not realizing that it would take 30 years for me to get … More Models for April 2021
(29 June 2021) I was asked to give an address as part of the ceremony to mark the centenary of government administration of civil aviation in Australia which took place on Sunday 28 March 2021. Other speakers at the ceremony were Jason Harfield, CEO of Airservices Australia, Greg Hood, Chief Commissioner of the ATSB, David … More Launching civil aviation in Australia
Modellers like to write about their successes and the great models they have made. But a modeller’s life is not always easy and fun. Here’s a tale of woe I wrote for my local model club to show the other side of model making. MASOCHIST CORNER October 2010 There’s something wrong with me, I’m … More Who Said Making Little Model Aeroplanes is Easy?
