P-38F Glacier Girl

Plastic Model Kit by Academy
During the summer of 1942, a flight of two B-17 Bombers and six P-38 Fighters were being flown to England from the United States in support of the war in Europe. The planes flew into a massive storm system near Iceland. In an attempt to avoid the storm the flight turned back for the safety of Greenland. But, again, they ran into storms. Their only chance for survival was to crash land on the glacial wastes of Greenland. Although the first P-38 plane to attempt landing flipped over, all remaining aircraft got down without significant injuries to any of the men. After eleven days the men were rescued by a team from a US Army weather station stationed at Angmagssalik, Greenland. The warplanes were abandoned on the glacier and after the first winter never to be seen again.

On August 1, 1992 at 2:32 p.m., after four months of laborious work, a seven-member team surfaced the first and only P-38 and christened her "Glacier Girl". Upon her return to the United States, she soon found her home in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Located at the Middlesoboro-Bell County Airport, she was restored to flyable condition by a team of restoration experts.

Scale: 1:48
Fuselage: 8-7/8"
Wingspan: 13"

ACY12208 - $27.00

DeHaviland Beaver with Skis or Wheels - Vietnam

Scale 1/48
Skill Level 3 Kit by Hobbycraft
FEATURES: Detailed 1/48 scale model for static display. Fuselage is clear, while the rest of the parts are molded in gray. Features recessed panel lines on wings and fuselage. Authentic cockpit area. Detailed landing gear with choice of wheels or skis. Viet Nam Beaver can be built in different versions - the U-6A and L-20A. Waterslide decals. Pictorial instructions.

HCCS1675 - $41.99

Vought F4U-1A Corsair

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
Built around the new Pratt & Whitney R-2800 2000hp engine, and turning the largest propeller ever attached to a fighter plane (4m dia.), this gull-winged wonder was destined to be a success. In June 1942, the F4U-1 production models made their maiden flight. However, due to their restricted forward field of view, and because of a propeller wash effect caused them to stall left wing first during low speed landings, they first were used as land based fighters. Succeeding the F4U-1 in the summer of 1943 was the F4U-1A, which was equipped with an extended rear wheel landing gear shaft, a slightly modified glazed canopy, and a small triangular strip of metal bolted to the right leading edge of the wing to equalize the stall and avoid the roll to the left at touch-down. Despite these improvements, the new F6F Hell Cat was adopted as the main carrier-borne aircraft, and the first combat Corsairs became relegated to land based US Marine squadrons in the South Pacific. Major Boyington and 2nd Lieutenant Hanson of the U.S. Marines, Lt. Kepford of the Navy and other ace-pilots, bravely flew the F4U-1A into fierce air-combats, overpowering the Japanese Zero fighters with tremendous top speed and six 12.7mm heavy machine guns.

TAM61070 - $29.00

Messerschmitt BF109E-4/7 Trop

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
During the first half of the Second World War, the Messerschmitt Bf109 E was the main fighter of the German Air force. The E-4 housed a 1,100 hp Daimler Benz DB 601Aa engine and was armed with two 7.9mm machine guns on the nose, as well as 20mm cannon on each wing. For some aircraft, bulletproof glass was used to reinforce the front of the canopy. Displaying superb acceleration and diving ability, the E-type planes overpowered RAF’s Hawk Hurricane and equaled the Spitfire fighters in the Battle of Britain. However, with a flight range of only 560km, the E-4 planes were limited to just fifteen minutes of combat over British skies. Thus, the bombers were not given sufficient support and sustained heavy damage.

TAM61063 - $29.00

Heinkel He219 Uhu

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
Potentially one of the most effective night-fighters for the Luftwaffe, the Heinkel He219 "Uhu' (eagle owl) was doomed by political misjudgments and maltreatment. Started as a private venture study of the firm, the He219 incorporated a number of advanced features such as pressurized crew compartment, cockpit positioned at the extreme nose for excellent visibility, land gear of tricycle configuration, etc. The He219 was also the world's first operational aircraft to be equipped with ejector seats.

TAM61057 - $54.00

Hyakushiki Shitei III Kai

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
Shortly before China-based B-29s initiated high-altitude daylight raids over Japan, it became obvious to the Japanese Army leaders that an urgent development of an interceptor fighter with good performances at high altitude was necessary. In June 1943, the Army Aeronautical Research Institute studied the possibility of adapting the Hyakushiki Shitei R, which was one of the few operational aircraft in the Japanese Army to have the required altitude performance, to this type of operation. To mount two 20mm machine guns on the nose, the forward fuselage fuel tank were replaced and nose canopy was modified to "stepped" nose housing. The aircraft with these modifications were called Hyakushiki Shitei III Kai Air Defence Fighter "Otsu" type. Although most of them were flown by reconnaissance aircraft pilots with little dog fighting experience, they made greater military gains against B29s proving the outstanding basic capability of the Hyakushiki Shitei.

TAM61056 - $39.00

Messerschmitt Bf109 E-3

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
Without a doubt, the Messerschmitt Bf109 can be claimed as the most famous and successful German aircraft from the WW2. It was the world's most advanced fighter at the time of its debut in 1936, and remained as the standard fighter for the Luftwaffe throughout the conflict. Created by the brilliant designer Willi Messerschmitt, it had the smallest possible airframe built around the most powerful engine available. It also boasted many of the then innovative features such as an all metal stressed skin construction, retractable main landing gear, automatic Handley-Page leading edge slats, etc. The E-3 version used an improved Daimler-Benz DB601Aa engine capable of 1,100 h.p. output. This engine had provision for mounting a 20mm MG FF cannon on the crankcase and firing through the propeller hub. The Messerschmitt Bf109E was one of the best fighters of the early WW2 period, on a par with the British Spitfire.

TAM61050 - $29.00

F-51D Mustang Korean War

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
When the Korean conflict broke out, hundreds of F (for fighter) 51's were in Japan awaiting scraping. Because they possessed the slow speed maneuverability that was absent in the new jets then entering service, the F-51 was ideal to work with Forward Air Controllers (FAC's) on the ground in Korea. The major drawback to this was the F-51's liquid cooled engine susceptibility to anti-aircraft and small arms fire when attacking ground targets. This cause the Mustang to have the highest loss ratio of any aircraft in Korea. A total of 194 were lost in three years, with only 10 being downed in combat with other aircraft.

TAM61044 - $30.00

Focke-Wulf Fw190 D-9

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
Following the successful entry of the Focke-Wulf Fw190A series of fighter aircraft over the English channel during the autumn of 1941, the German RLM requested high altitude version to complement the fighter fleet. The Fw 190D-9 began production in June 1944, with early versions having the flat topped canopy, and from W. Nr. 210002 onwards having the Galland hood (blown canopy). It went into combat with the III/JG 54 "Grunherz" (Green Hearts) in September 1944, at Achmer, Germany, as top cover for the new Messerschmitt Me262 Jet fighters then entering service.

TAM61041 - $29.00

North American P-51D Mustang 8th AF

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya

Of the several variations of this famous fighter, the P-51D is generally accepted as the definitive Mustang and was the first production version with the "Bubble" canopy. More "D" model Mustangs were built than all other Mustang variants combined, with a total of 9,603 coming off production lines. 45 squadrons of the famed U.S. 8th Airforce, stationed in England were equipped with the P-51D, which could now escort and protect the heavy bombers all the way to and from targets on the European continent. P-51D Mustangs went to fight in the later Korean conflict and it last flew combat in 1956 in the deserts to the Middle East, when Israel used Spitfires, Messerschimitts and Mustangs together in the Mid East conflict.

TAM61040 - $30.00

Focke-Wulf Fw190 F-8

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya

German successes during the beginning of World War 2 were brought about by "Blitzkriegs" and showed the effectiveness of combined ground and air-to-ground support tactics. The Ju87 Stuka dive bomber was active and successful during this period; however, by 1942 it was obsolete and unsuitable, especially in speed and maneuverability.A replacement for the Ju87 was required, and the Focke-Wulf Fw190, which established itself as a mainstay fighter for the Luftwaffe, was found to be adaptable to this role due to its robust construction and versatility. The F-8 appeared in April 1944 and was the most widely produced Fw190 of the "F" series. European air superiority was already held by the allies, and the Fw190 F-8 was in action during this final stage of the conflict.

TAM61039 - $29.00

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop.

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
The Supermarine Spitfire is regarded by many as the most beautifully designed single seat fighter to appear during WWII. The Spitfire went through numerous major and minor changes throughout its long production life. The Spitfire that demonstrated such superb performance over its homeland, was also urgently required for operations overseas. One of the better known versions was the North African prepared Spitfire designated "TROP", for Tropical. The biggest problem in desert operations was the intake of abrasive sands into the engine, which quickly wore out moving parts. To overcome this difficulty a Vokes air filter was affixed over the carburetor intake.

TAM61035 - $29.00

Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat

Scale 1/48 Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
At the onset of the Pacific War in December 1941, the Japanese Navy A6M Zero fighter was the dominant aircraft successful against the allied air forces. The Zero's attempt at total superiority was thwarted by numerous F4F Wildcat fighters flown from U.S. aircraft carriers. It had folding wings, and three 12.7mm machine guns in each wing, plus the more powerful 1,200 P & W R-1830-86 Twin Wasp engine, giving it a speed of 512km/h. Grumman became known as the "Ironworks" due to its strongly designed aircraft, which could absorb enormous punishment and still fly home.

TAM61034 - $29.00

A6M5c Type 52 Zero Fighter

Scale 1/48
Skill Level 3 Plastic Model Kit by Tamiya
Code named "Zeke" by the Allies, the Type 52c was powered by a 14 cylinder twin row NK1F Sakae 21 engine of 1,130hp, of which later versions were alcohol injected. In addition to the machine guns and cannons, the 52c could also carry four air to air rockets or four 30kg air to air bombs or two 60kg air to ground conventional bombs. The air to air systems were initiated in an attempt to disrupt B-29 operations by firing the rockets or dropping the small bombs on the formations. The bombs were timed to air-burst a certain number of seconds after release from the fighters.

TAM61027 - $16.00

SNJ Texan

Scale 1/72
Skill Level 2 kit by Testors
The SNJ was the US Navy version of the Air Force T-6 Texan. The genealogy of the T-6/SNJ can be traced back to the North American NA-16 which first flew in 1934. Later models of the T-6/SNJ series featured retracting landing gear, an all metal fuselage, reshaped wing tips and with the SNJ-3 a reshaped rudder which finally gave the Texan its familiar outline. The SNJ was primarily used as a trainer in WWII, however it did operate in more aggressive roles during its career. Plastic unassembled model with gluing and painting required. Intermediate to advanced skill level.

TES663 - $8.50