Hey all you rotor heads out there, do you remember the Revell 1/48 H-19 Rescue Helicopter or maybe the Revell 1/48 S-55 Whirlwind? Bet you have at least one in your stash! Have you ever wished there was some help for that horribly inaccurate interior or something you could do for those thick, Coke bottle glass clear parts? I started to play with one of those kits and had these same thoughts so I did something about it. Follow this link to see my limited run replacement complete clear parts set and interior for the 1/48 H-19/S-55 Detail Sets. 8/18/2011

Swanny’s Models is at it again with another addition to the Advanced Modeling Skills series of DVDs. In volume 4 “Salt Chipping & Water Dioramas”. Watch as Swanny shows every intimate detail of using conventional table salt to create realistic chipping of painted surfaces plus you no longer need to worry about modeling water or creating extreme wear effects on your model, Swanny reveals all right here for your benefit. Advanced Modeling Skills; Salt Chipping & Water Dioramas. 10/30/2010

Did you miss out on the first issue of Swanny's Models Instructional Videos and are trying to catch-up? Here is your chance to pick up both DVDs and save a few bucks. This link will take you to the package deal location where you can get both Volume #1 "Basic Model Building Skills" and volume #2 "Advanced Modeling Skills"Two Volume Set.
8/27/07

Who am I:

       I am 50+-year-old Industrial Engineer/Manager responsible for the development and implementation of chemical coating-removal systems aimed primarily at the automotive, medical and military industries. I am married with three children, two cats and live in Sandusky Ohio, the Roller Coaster Capitol of the World.

What this site is about:

       I remember the first model that I built. My father gave me a Revell submarine kit for my birthday in 1969. I clearly recall the two of us sitting at the dining room table with one of those orange tubes of Testors cement putting that thing together. It was an excellent bathtub toy for many years. Prior to that my older brother had entertained my sister and myself with aerial operas involving a 1/48 scale Monogram SBD Dauntless and a Monogram Corsair - I still have those two planes, dusty and worn but laden with memories that can never be replaced.
       Many times while shopping e-bay I've wondered what a particular kit consisted of or how good the detail of casting was or even if a particular kit had raised or recessed panel lines but could not answer these questions until I actually opened the box. While surfing various forums I would see common questions asked many times by modelers just beginning the polystyrene adventure, looking for clues to decaling, weathering and detailing. This site is dedicated to answering some of those questions. While I do not consider myself to be an exceptionally skilled modeler, I have picked up a few tricks over the last thirty years of modeling and will share them with you. Included here are full build reviews, in box kit reviews, construction tips and gallery photos of kits I have built. Most of these are 1/48th scale World War 2 aircraft. Also included here are a variety of links to on-line modeling forums, review sites, internet hobby shops, aviation art sites and real aircraft reference sites.

       This site is a work in progress. I hope that you find it as enjoyable as I have.

       Last updated 5/13/2013.

Contact Information:
Questions or comments about this page and the material covered here can be sent to Webmaster@SwannysModels.com

And now, for the good stuff,

The DC-3 set a new standard for air travel and made it possible for airlines to make a profit in passenger service without government subsidies. Once the military got their hands on it, it became the C-47, which handled troops and equipment throughout the war. It continued in service right into the 21st century in both civilian and military arenas. For your consideration, this is the Monogram 1/48 scale Douglas C-47 Skytrain. 11/12/04 Construction update 5/13/2013

In 1947 Vickers-Armstrong submitted a proposal for the Valiant heavy bomber which was to become one of and the first of the Cold War V Bombers. While not as advanced in design as the A.V. Roe and Handley-Page proposals the Valiant was able to enter service by 1955 and this was what won it the primary contract. A poor choice of Aluminum type used in the main wing spar couplings resulted in it also being the first withdrawn from service. Here from Airfix is the first of the V Bombers, the 1/72 Vickers-Armstrong 'Valiant'. 10/3/12

This Sikorsky heavy lifting helicopter holds a couple of specific landmark items for rotary aircraft; number one is that is the last heavy lifter built using piston engines and was, at the time of its service use, the largest heavy lifting helicopter in existence. From Special Hobby here is the 1/72 scale CH-37B "Mojave".
9/10/12

During the final days of World War 2 the helicopter was just beginning to see some service with the military. By 1949 the US Air Force had began to truly accept the helicopter and was looking to improve the load capacity. Igor Sikorsky made a tremendous leap forward in design with his response in the S-55 “Chickasaw”. This type has only been modeled twice in 1/48 plastic, both of which are very hard kits to find these days. Let’s take a look at the better of the two, the 1955 mold from Revell of the Sikorsky S-55/H-19 “Chickasaw”. 9/7/07 Construction completed 9/24/2012

The Romulan High Command commissioned the development of a small yet powerful raider type of spacecraft centered around two impressive technologies; an effective cloaking device and a nearly irresistible plasma cannon and was designated “Bird of Prey”. In the early 1970s AMT began to market Star Trek plastic model kits and issued a single production run of the Romulan BoP in the early 1970's which is now highly collectible, hard to find, seriously over priced and fairly inaccurate. AW Studios now has made available a large, accurate vacuform kit which I take a look at here, the 1/350 Romulan Bird of Prey. 9/13/09 Construction update 11/27/09