'Skeleton' edition built as a cutaway - appeared in Finescale Modeler Cover Jan 2010

Located just outside of Washington DC, It is Smithsonian Institute's Air & Space Museum annex, its a huge place and a must see. There are some very rare aircrafts being displayed here - from the only remaining Horten 229 glider prototype to a Space Shuttle.  It's also free - parking extra though.

http://www.nasm.si.edu/UdvarHazy>

The Nakajima Ki-27, code named "Nate" by the US entered service in the mid 1930's and saw extensive action in China. They were the primary fighter opposition to the famed AVG "Flying Tigers" before the US entry into WWII. Previous to that, it first saw action against Russian built I-16's and I-15's in the Chinese air force and was superior in all respects to its contemporaries in Asia.

Odd Man Out: Truman, Stalin, Mao, and the Origins of the Korean War.  The book presents a list of arguments to turn the conventional wisdom regarding the role of USSR, China, and United States in the Korean War.

Convetional wisdom: US was totally surprised by the invasion, the war was started by Kim despite the misgivings of both USSR and China. Thorton thinks otherwise.

This is the Amtech P-40E, "Tex" Hill special Limited Edition.

This is Sheperd Paine's revised classic on building dioramas. Through the free 'how-to' pamphlets that was included in many Monogram kits in the 1980's, Mr Paine influenced a whole generation of modelers. Showing us what we all aspire to as modelers. There are detailed instructions on diorama design, painting figures, groundwork, and shadow boxes. We have to note that even though revised edition is more than a decade old now, and many of the newer techniques and tools are not covered here. However, as inspiration and as instruction on the composition and laying out of an diorama, it remains unsurpassed. So don't for a second think that this books is outdated, his shadow boxes are still a marvel to behold.

This F18 Hornet kit is unique in that its a metal kit, only the armaments and wheels are plastic. While not as detailed and authentic compare to styrene model, it makes into a sturdy office display. The scheme of this particular aircraft is the CAC's bird "Chipp Ho" based on USS Independence.

This is Norman Schwarzkopf's story. If you didn't know, Schwarzkopf spent 30+ years in the US military, eventually finding himself in command of Half a million troops during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in early 1990's.