General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon Walk Around Part IV

Photographs taken on 12JUL25 at the Fort Wayne Air Show, Hosted by the 122nd Fighter Wing “Blacksnakes” of the Indiana Air National Guard

Part I YF-16B here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2023/12/10/general-dynamics-xf-16-fighting-falcon-prototype-walk-around-part-i/

Women Warriors 355

Colombian Army First Lieutenant Katherine Romero, UH-1 Huey pilot

Capt Elizabeth Crosier sits in the cockpit of the CC-177 Globemaster III Canadian Forces

WAVES at NAS Jacksonville in a pressure chamber, WWII

USAF SSGT Erin McLoughlin C-130 Loadmaster

Rozalia Wróbel from Wołkowysk in Galicia, Polish Women’s Auxiliary Service (IWM)

Second Officer Helen Harrison, ATA, Nov. 1942. During the war in April 1942, at age 32 Helen was the only Canadian recruited by Jackie Cochran for the British Air Transport Auxiliary where she served until March 1944.

20141128ran8484535_042 — **Royal Australian Navy Boatswains Mate Stephanie Went, HMAS Toowoomba (FFH-156)**

ww417e_China — **Chinese soldier with Norinco QBZ-95**

**Royal Australian Navy pilot Natalie Davies**

ww419_USAF_pilot_Martha McSally — **USAF A-10 Warthog pilot Martha McSally**

ww420_NavyNurseJaneKendeighOkinawa — **US Navy Nurse Jane Kendeigh on Okinawa**, **February 1945**

ww217 — **Air National Guard Major Nicole Mitchell, her civilian job is a TV news meteorologist**

**USAF CAPT Jennie Swiechowicz, 393 BG B-2 Spirit Pilot**

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 Comparison Build in 1/72 Scale Part II

The Armory MiG-3 features detailed sidewalls. The cockpit builds up into a tub with the frame around it which is then fitted into the fuselage, fortunately everything fits. I did not add the majority of the minute PE parts, preferring to work with Evergreen stock as it adheres better. All told, the Armory kit calls for a total of 38 parts in the cockpit alone, more than the total parts counts of the other kits in totality.

Due to the way the Hobby Boss kits are molded there is no sidewall detail in the cockpit, nor anything where the instrument panel would be either for that matter. Here I have made some interior components from Evergreen to dress up the blank walls, this will hopefully enhance things enough for a closed-canopy build.

The RPM cockpit was dressed up with resin from the Goffy Models set. These are really nice components and feature fantastic detail. Fit of the resin parts to the RPM kit was good, I was a little concerned as the RPM fuselage is slightly wider in the center than the others.

I ground out the shallow wheel wells of the RPM kit with a Dremel so they could be deepened. The plastic card “roof” was inserted to hide the seams at the wing joint, you can see from the tracings where the gaps up into the fuselage would be visible. By contrast, the Hobby Boss wheel wells were good as molded, the Armory wells are built up using seven pieces per side.

The painted Armory cockpit before the fuselage is closed up. Strangely for a kit like this, the instrument panel is a single piece, no PE and nothing on the decal sheet. What you see here is drybrushing and a black wash.

A look into the Hobby Boss cockpit. I had extra PE instrument panels in the spares box from an earlier La-7 build, and the belts are from Metallic Details.

This is the Goffy resin cockpit in the RPM kit minus the seat.

Fit of the Armory kit is good but fiddly. The wing fillet is molded separately and is further divided into two sections, breaking components up into multiple pieces is a hallmark of this kit’s engineering.

The RPM kit is designed with the center of the cowling between the gun fairings molded as a separate piece. This was likely done to allow clearances to remove the plastic from the mold but the resulting seam would be extremely difficult to clean up. I removed the top section of the cowling and replaced it with the spare from the Armory kit, this fit well and was better detailed to boot!

Flipping the RPM kit over reveals the Evergreen wheel wells, as well as the gap at the boattail where the back of the wing piece meets the fuselage. I reinforced this butt joint with plastic tabs on the inside and filled the gap with superglue.

The Armory kit ready for primer to check the seams. I have drilled out the gun ports and the holes for the gear down indicators on the wings. The canopy is masked with Tamiya Tape, I discarded the vinyl masks provided in the kit due to the curved surfaces of the clear parts.

Here is the Hobby Boss MiG, this will be a closed canopy build due to the basic cockpit detail. The landing light in the leading edge of the port wing was cut out and filled with a section of clear sprue, this was filed into shape and masked. I also added a small bit of stock to represent the first exhaust stub on each side which was missing.

The RPM kit was the oldest and received the most work, you can also see the fit left a little to be desired. This one needed some additional shrouds and scoops on the cowling as well as the other enhancements mentioned previously.

Part I here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2026/01/23/mikoyan-gurevich-mig-3-comparison-build-in-1-72-scale-part-i/

Picture of the Week 108

The term “Arsenal of Democracy” illustrated in a single photograph. Rows of U.S. Navy F6F Hellcats and F4U Corsairs awaiting shipment to the Pacific fill the blimp hanger at NAS Santa Anita, California in 1944.

French Loire 130 Flying Boat Part I

The Loire 130 flying boat entered French naval service as a ship-borne observation aircraft in 1937. It shared a broad design similarity with the contemporary Supermarine Walrus and Aichi E11A “Laura”, performance was also comparable with a top speed of 137 mph (220 km/hr).

A Loire 130 being hoisted by a crane with the crew members visible. The aircraft was armed with two single 7.5 mm Darne machine guns in open positions on the upper fuselage and could carry a 165-pound (75 kg) bomb on the struts under each wing as seen here.

An unusual overhead view showing the general layout to advantage. All the hatches are open but the defensive armament is not mounted.

A Loire resting on her beaching gear ashore while her crew poses for a photo. Normal crew compliment was three, but up to seven people could be carried in the transport or SAR role.

A frontal perspective of a Loire being hoisted by a crane shows the strut layout to advantage. In many of these photos the aircraft can be seen carrying a bomb load, such as it was.

An atmospheric photo of a Loire being launched from a shore-based catapult. Production totaled 124 aircraft, which was deemed sufficient to provide scouting assets for the French fleet.

A Loire in her intended role, running up her engine before launch from the Battleship Dunkerque. Note the badge under the cockpit, featuring a turret with four guns which was a feature of the Dunkerque class.

A fine study of a Loire ashore on her beaching gear. Modelers note the unusual design of the ladder.

A flight line of French floatplanes and seaplanes on the ramp. The presence of crewmembers visible in many of these aircraft implies an impending inspection.

A 130 moored to a buoy, a standard procedure when being supported by a seaplane tender. Note the defensive machine gun in the after fuselage position.

After the fall of France in 1940 the Loire 130 was evaluated by the Luftwaffe, who found the type to be obsolescent and did not impress it into general German service. Fuselage codes D1+XA have been applied by the Germans.

Another Loire in German markings, this time B1+XA. Modelers note the different style of beaching gear as well as the variation in the radiator inlet faring at the front of the engine nacelle.

IBG Models Autocannone 3Ro 90/53 in 1/72 Scale

The model represents an Autocannone 3Ro 90/53 in North Africa, 1942.

Construction here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/ibg-models-autocannone-3ro-90-53-build-in-1-72-scale/

Il-2 Shturmovik Book Review

Il-2 Shturmovik: Red Avenger

By Jason Nicholas Moore

Hardcover in dustjacket, 256 pages, bibliography, and index

Published by Fonthill Media

Language: English

ISBN: 978-1-62545-042-5

Dimensions: 7.0 x 10.0 x 1.0 inches

The Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik (also spelled Stormovic or Sturmovik) was the most numerous aircraft type operated by the Soviet Air Force (VVS) during the Great Patriotic War. It was produced in vast numbers, over 42,000 airframes if the Il-10 version is included, making it the second most produced aircraft type in history second only to the Cessna 172. The pilot, engine, and radiator were protected by an armored box which gave these vital components some degree of protection. Luftwaffe pilots nicknamed the Il-2 the “Zementbomber” (or concrete bomber) due to its ability to absorb punishment. In spite of this, Luftwaffe Experten and light flak units claimed thousands of Il-2s, only 1 in every 4 produced survived the War.

Despite the Shturmovik’s importance, English language books on the type are comparatively rare. Author Jason Moore is an Il-2 enthusiast and his book goes a long way to address this shortfall. Red Avenger examines the evolution of the Shturmovik design and the production differences between the three factories producing the Il-2 during the War. The various armament changes and sub-types are also described. The book is well-illustrated with black & white photographs and maps throughout. There is also a generous color section featuring walk-around photographs of surviving examples along with 41 pages of color profiles by artist Massimo Tessitori which expertly explain the evolution of camouflage schemes worn by the Shtumovik. There is a short modelers’ section which explains the pros and cons of several kits in the three major modeling scales, a nice bonus!

This book helps clear up the confusion surrounding the Il-2, not an insignificant task considering Soviet records persistently refer to almost all versions and variations simply as “Il-2” regardless of armament, wing type, number of crew members, or construction materials. The text is detailed and informative, and there is ample content which is usually reserved for a dedicated modeling reference. There is room to produce a revised version of this book aimed directly at modelers, with a larger format to better display the photographs and a series of line drawings to show the evolution of the design graphically. Until such a volume hits the shelves, this book will likely be the best overall reference on the Shturmovik available. Recommended!

General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon Walk Around Part III

Photographs taken on 12JUL25 at the Fort Wayne Air Show, Hosted by the 122nd Fighter Wing “Blacksnakes” of the Indiana Air National Guard. Commanding Officer’s aircraft.

Commanding Officer’s aircraft repainted in markings commemorating IU Football’s National Championship game, January 2026. (122FS photo)

Part IV here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2026/02/01/general-dynamics-f-16c-fighting-falcon-walk-around-part-iv/

Women Warriors 354

Electronics Technician (Navigation) 2nd Class Olivia Otto, assigned to the Blue Crew aboard the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726)

Women’s Royal Naval Service pilots, WWII

US Army pilot Paige Ziegler with CH-47 Chinook

Detroit National League for Womens’ Service WWI

Resistance Fighter, Hungarian Uprising 1956 with PPsH

Seen here - Air Trooper (A Tpr) Lauren Morgan — **British Air Trooper Lauren Morgan with AH-64 Apache Longbow**

ww415_U.S. Army Captain Elizabeth McNamara_Iraq2011 — **U.S. Army Captain Elizabeth McNamara with AH-64 Apache, Iraq 2011**

ww416_First Aid Nursing Yeomanry — **First Aid Nursing Yeomanry dispatch riders**

ww216MaureenDunlopBarracuda — **ATA Pilot Maureen Dunlop with Royal Navy Fairey Barracuda**

Landscap — **Nancy Harkness Love in the cockpit in 1928, she would lead the WASPs in WWII**

To see more Women Warriors, click on the tags below:

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 Comparison Build in 1/72 Scale Part I

I like doing comparisons of different kits not only to determine the pros and cons but to see the differing engineering decisions. It is also a great way to see how the hobby has progressed over the years. The MiG-3 is a popular subject with Eastern manufactures, but less so in Japan and the West. Several kits and many re-boxings have hit the market over the years, here I will take a look at four of these.

The oldest of these turned out to be the old 1978 Cap Croix du Sud kit hiding in a Zvezda box. This kit has also been released by Italeri, Encore, and Revell over the years with all the same plastic inside. Similarly, the RPM box contains sprues tooled by Alfa in 1992, these have also been boxed by Abrico and Marquette. Hobby Boss issued their easy assembly kit around 2006 or so. Armory from Ukraine released a brand-new tool in 2024, the most recent of the bunch.