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My Pilots and their Airplanes


Cobrahistorian
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Cobrahistorian

Thanks guys,

 

Here she is. Custom decals on the Hasegawa kit with some scratchbuilt details and True Details seatbelts.

 

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I decided that for now I'm going to keep Wolfe's uniform to display with this model and his documentation. I'm pretty pleased with the way it came out!

 

Jon

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Cobrahistorian

Thanks guys! I just finished another one, but I'm not going to post the pics here until I get word that the article I wrote has been accepted for publication. I've now completed four models to go with my collection; two P-47s, a P-51 and a P-40.

 

Jon

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Thanks guys! I just finished another one, but I'm not going to post the pics here until I get word that the article I wrote has been accepted for publication. I've now completed four models to go with my collection; two P-47s, a P-51 and a P-40.

 

Jon

 

 

Can't wait Jon, GREAT work!!

 

Scott

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  • 2 weeks later...
Cobrahistorian

Ok, photos and article have been submitted. I'm not using this one, so I figured I'd post it here. This is 1Lt. Henry Pax's uniform and his P-47D-16-RE, 42-76295.

 

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awesome work, Jon. Again :thumbsup:

How do you display all the models and uniforms? Are they all in one room? That would be quite an impressive lineup!

Thanks for sharing your collection.

Terry

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Cobrahistorian

Terry,

 

Right now the models are displayed separately from the uniforms, although I'd like to rectify that fairly soon. I've only got a few torso mannequins, but the plan is to have all 14 uniforms up on the ledge in my basement (museum room) with their airplanes in display cases in front of them. In the meantime, the models are all in my big display case.

 

It's a work in progress, but the room is coming along!

 

Jon

 

awesome work, Jon. Again :thumbsup:

How do you display all the models and uniforms? Are they all in one room? That would be quite an impressive lineup!

Thanks for sharing your collection.

Terry

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Jon, I don't often make general comments on threads I "like" or enjoy, but cannot resist doing so this time. Your work is beautiful on those models...

 

The very first model airplane I built all the way through painting was of the Bell X-1, 55 years ago. That started a hobby which saw me through many a year thereafter including versions of most WWII and Korea-era bombers and fighters in the teen age years. I tried a couple of Navy vessels, but...

 

I never got as good as you are at it, but surely did learn a lot. This photo is not of my own model, but shows what it looked like.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Cobrahistorian

Thanks very much guys!

 

I will take pics of everything together at some point. Right now I've got 4 finished and skads more building. I dont think I'm happy unless I have 6-10 models in some stage of completion. I'm taking a bit of a break building uniform-related airplanes and I'm doing one for the Mustang Group Build over on the Aircraft Resource Center forum.

 

This was supposed to be an out of the box build, maybe with some metal gun barrels. Well, it's turned into considerably more. Here are several shots of the rebuilt radiator intake and the metal gun barrels. I'm building this one as an F-6A from the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. In addition to the scratchbuilt intake scoop, I've also drilled out the gun camera port, scribed the access door for it, filled the wing IFF lights and drilled new ones under the radiator intake, I'll also be adding a resin seat and wheels to this one.

 

Jon

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Great work on the detail. Have you considered making model aircraft for your state aviation hall of fame? Most states have one and a model aircraft likeness for the inductee would be a challenge for you and a great enhancement to the story about that person.

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Cobrahistorian

Thanks for the kind words! I'm in the museum field and have a few models at a number of locations around the nation, although none in Maryland. I believe the state Hall of Fame is at the Martin Museum, so maybe I'll check that out.

 

In the meantime, I've uncovered a bunch more on Harold Wolfe in the past few weeks and will be building both his P-47D (1 Me109) and his P-51B to go along with his uniform, his P-51D "The Lone Wolfe" (shown earlier in this thread), his Silver Star and DFC citations and the photo of him being pinned with the DFC by General Twining. I'm in the process of confirming one of his three probables, which would grant him Ace status.

 

 

Jon

 

Great work on the detail. Have you considered making model aircraft for your state aviation hall of fame? Most states have one and a model aircraft likeness for the inductee would be a challenge for you and a great enhancement to the story about that person.
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  • 2 months later...
Cobrahistorian

Hey all!

 

Ok, here's one of my long-term uniform builds that I finally finished. Along with this one, Gfeller's Spitfire Mk. V, P-51B and one of his two P-51Ds will be displayed with his uniforms. The markings on this are somewhat speculative, but I am fairly certain that before he became Squadron CO, he flew with the code letter G on his airplane, as many of the pilots in the Squadron used the first letter of their last name on their assigned machines. I do have a photo of P-51B MX*G and with a really high res scan, I've been able to make out what I think is the name J.C. Gfeller.

 

Anyhow, this is the ICM Spitfire IX kit, pretty much out of the box. The ICM kit is the most accurate Mk. IX out there, but its downfall is poor fit, especially around the cowling and wingtips. Those issues aren't insurmountable though, and for the price, you really can't beat the kit.

 

The model represents Gfeller's Spitfire on 19 March 1944, the day after he shot down an Fw190. He only had one confirmed kill, but had two probables and a damaged (all 109s) as well. His final P-51D, as a result, flew with 4 kill markings on it.

 

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Cobrahistorian
Superb treatment of a beautiful plane Jon! :thumbsup:

 

Thanks Ian! I've got 2 more Spitfires in the pipeline, both Mk Vs. I'll be doing a Mk. Vb that Gfeller flew and then August Goldenberg's Mk.Vc that he was shot down in on 11 June 1943. I'll be using the Tamiya Vb kit for Gfeller's airplane and the Classic Airframes kit (with True Details cockpit and wheels and Master Models brass cannons) for Goldenberg's.

 

In the meantime, I've taken a break from my uniform builds to work on a Revell A-26B. Although I don't have an A-26 pilot's uniform in the collection (yet!), I've always loved the airplane.

 

Jon

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  • 2 months later...
Cobrahistorian

Well, I'm packing up for the great move westward, so I figured I'd take some shots of my completed uniform builds before they get packed carefully and ride to Oklahoma.

 

They are, from left to right:

 

1Lt. Henry A. Pax, 406th FS

Maj. John C. Gfeller, 307th FS

2Lt. George W. Kelly, 377th FS

Capt. Eugene Santala, 523rd FBS

Capt. Harold C. Wolfe, 317th FS

Ens. Sutton L. Jaynes, VF-74 (Night Detachment)

 

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