I’ve added the finished photos, and a few from the build, of my USS Keokuk.  A 1/200 scale resin kit, it depicts the Union ironclad as she appeared during her short career in 1863.

This was a simple, yet fun kit. It’s a shame that Verlinden isn’t around anymore, especially since these 1/200 scale American Civil War kits were quite nice for what they are.

Added to the Model Making page, and can be accessed directly HERE.

Vicksburg: Grant’s Campaign That Broke the Confederacy by Donald L. Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Donald L. Miller’s book is a mid-level look at the events from Grants first arrival at Cairo, Illinois, in 1861, up through the capture of Vicksburg in 1863. Miller covers the planning and thought behind the push to recapture the entire Mississippi river valley, focusing more on plans, logistics, and political intent than on the soldier’s eye view of the conflict; there’s still some of this, but those looking for pages of “a day in the life” of the soldiers on the line, they need to look elsewhere.

Two aspects of Miller’s work are a refreshing change. Continue Reading »

The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West by David McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

McCullough covers a little known window of American history with THE PIONEERS. Set in the Northwest Territory, the area that would one day make up the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the book tells of the ordinance formed to allow settling in the lands ceded by the British at the end of the Revolution, and how it grew over the following decades.

With the ordnance ratified by the architects of the Constitution and the very country, we then are shown the difficulties of even reaching the site of the first settlement, Marietta, in Continue Reading »

The Last Cruise of a German Raider: The Destruction of SMS Emden by Wes Olson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wes Olson’s book, THE LAST CRUISE of a GERMAN RAIDER: THE DESTRUCTION of SMS EMDEN, is a fascinating read, not only about the career of Emden, but it also provides a window into the warfare of the early 20th century. Also, I do love a good solid book, and this is one is very well-made, with thick paper, and solidly constructed, so much so that it really jumped out at me how well made the physical book is. Besides that, the book covers everything from ship design, operational logistics, area of operation, operational requirements, and the final battle between Emden and Sydney, making this an informative and satisfying read.

There is a more in-depth version of this review over at Modelwarships.com.

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I completed this one late last year. A fun build of a decent kit. More on the USS Sentinel page.

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Last weekend I attended the annual WonderFest sci-fi model show, in Louisville, KY. For those that have attended JerseyFest here during the fall, this is a somewhat similar show, yet much larger, and the break-down between ships/hardware and figures is about an even split (whereas the JerseyFest show is predominately figures). WonderFest set a record this year, it’s 30^th, with over 800 models entered in the contest. The quality of work is amazing, and I was quite stunned to take away a bronze award for my USS Sentinel kit build. This year I also took part in a group build display, with the theme of Star Wars Concept Models. Each of us picked a Joe Johnston concept drawing and built a model based on it. My B-Wing wasn’t finished, but that didn’t stop me from taking it to the show as an in-progress.

The show’s dealer’s room is quite impressive as well, with at least 125 individual dealers, according to the show’s flyers, as well as personalities taking photos and signing autographs. The two conference rooms taken up by the dealers is easily 1.5 or 2 times the size of our usual MosquitoCon.

If anyone’s looking for an excuse to visit Louisville the weekend after Memorial Day, I highly recommend WonderFest. They have the date set for May 30-31^st, 2020, with more information on their website: https://wonderfest.com/

I took photos, per my usual of not trying to get everything, just the stuff that really catches my eye, all of which have been posted HERE.

This one has been done and photographed for some time. As usual, it took me a while to get around to editing said photos and doing the write-up. Tamiya 1/48th scale kit, in the markings of Scott McCuskey’s (no, not McCluskey) mount onboard USS Yorktown (CV-5) at Midway. Yes, I do have a bit of a Yorktown obsession.

Photos and words HERE.

This is one of those builds that went rather quickly, in two parts. I did almost all of the initial construction several years ago, then chucked it in a box on a shelf. After using a lot of Draw Decals’ amazing markings for the airliners at Gulliver’s Gate, I was inspired to order their decal set for this airplane. While the model itself ins’t a show-stopper, the decals are great, resulting in something that looks good sitting in the display cabinet. It’s nice to have a splash of color every now and then.

Added to the model gallery HERE.

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The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 by David McCullough
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great read from David McCullough. This one is a little denser than the other recent titles I’ve finished by him – The Johnstown Flood and The Great Bridge – but that doesn’t detract from the book. Indeed, the scope of the work requires the density. McCullough covers not only the American involvement in the canal, but the initial surveys and the aborted French project, and all of the associated drama. He recounts the engineering and medical advancements brought about by the project, as well as the darker side of the racism prevalent in the lives of the workers, and the dubious circumstances of Panamanian independence at the insistence of the United States.

My only quibble is that I’d like to have an addendum that covers the canal as it is today, after the ceding of ownership back to Panama, and with the new locks and other improvements recently added. Others can cover that, though, as McCullough’s book stands fine on its own as a thorough and compelling chronicle of an astounding project. Highly recommended.

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