1/72 T-34B

From 2000, this represented my first foray AWAY from what "the box" said to do. As packaged from Hasegawa, the modeler can build a USAF or Japanese T-34B. I didn't want to do an Air Force or Japanese T-34... I flew for the Navy, and I wanted a Navy T-34. The minor catch: I flew T-34C's in flight school, this was a T-34B. The difference is up front - the C model has a turboprop engine, the B model is reciprocating. This means a vastly different front end. I wasn't up to the task of rebuilding the entire front end, so clearly I would be doing a T-34B. Fortunately, there's a restored one at the Museum of Naval Aviation. Acquiring pictures from the internet was my first foray into researching a model, and I got the "navy" markings, numbers, etc from decal sheets I ordered from Squadron.com. The "boomerang" antenna behind the canopy was the first thing I scratchbuilt. Finally, this was my first effort at salvaging a damaged canopy.

The "tarmac" is sheet styrene cut to shape, spray painted gray with some light, random darker gray, and expansion joints drawn with a roller-ball pen and straight-edge. As built, the model was tail heavy, so I needed something to cement the wheels to in order to keep it sitting right.

Kit: Hasegawa
Scale: 1/72
Markings: US Navy, NAS Sauffley Field
Date: Summer 2000
Aftermarket: Markings from multiple sources, scratchbuilt antenna