WhiteBoySamurai

Starting work on the Crotale. The launcher texture is borrowed from my Lafayette and is just temporary. The copy is identical to the original (at least externally), using the same Hotchkiss 4-wheel truck. I'll include a separate version for France and international users in the pack. Finished the Type 89 multiple rocket launcher. I hate to admit it, but this is kind of a neat vehicle. 40 rounds + 40 more in an on-board reload system. They can really mess up an airbase.

whiteknight, for this pack I'm doing a few mobile SAMs: The slightly older HQ-61, Crotale copy HQ-7, and modern gun/missile combo Type 95. The missiles are already done for the first two. I would like to build an HQ-9 launcher, since I'll need that same missile for certain PLAN ships soon, but I can't find any good reference material for the radar systems they use.

While in Hiroshima this year, I visited the Kure Maritime Museum (呉市海事歴史科学館), also known as the "Yamato Museum." Kure was (and is) a major shipbuilding city, and the museum there is a treasure trove of history. Here are a few photos I took there. That's the decommissioned submarine Akishio across the street, attached to the JMSDF Kure Museum (which I also went to). The traffic barriers are armor piercing shells. The pier just outside the museum is a 1:1 mockup of the Yamato's deck. I took this from the forward anchor position, facing where the #1 turret would be. Only a small fraction of the ship is represented, but it's still huge. This is a 41cm (16") gun salvaged from the battleship Mutsu. One of the first things you see when entering the museum is the famous 1:10 scale model of the Yamato. She is glorious. The museum has a lot of static displays as well. Type 2 torpedo. Kaiten suicide torpedo. Kairyu midget submarine. Zero Model 62 fighter-bomber. Type 91 AP and Type 3 AAA-incendiary shells for the Yamato's 46cm main guns. Two more shots of the Yamato. There were many other exhibits, including the history of the city of Kure, naval battles of the IJN, the evolution of shipbuilding, and a multitude of smaller-scale model ships. If you happen to visit Japan and have any interest in warships or military history, I highly recommend this museum.

A couple more vehicles nearing completion:

This May I took a trip to southern Japan. Marine Air Corps Station Iwakuni was hosting its 40th annual Friendship Day, a huge airshow to display solidarity between the US and Japan. Thanks to my friend Nengajyou Aki, I had the best seats in the house. Here are some of the photos I took.

Sorry I've been away for a while. Travelling, working, new SO, etc. I completely rebuilt the 600gal wing tank I had been working on for the F-2. The dimensions are as accurate as I can get them based on photos and diagrams. I re-purposed a skin by ace888, since it fit so well. I'm currently building some modern PLA vehicles. These will get a lot of use in the Taiwan and South China Sea terrains. I started these a while ago, but was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of variants and sub-types of these designs. So I'm sticking to the most common/interesting ones. When I'm finished with this ground vehicle pack, I'll get back to working on ships.

I was hoping to get through the week without any more awful news, but I came home today and saw this-- Two police officials were stabbed to death in their home near Paris. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36524094 They were not only partners, but a couple. RIP. Their son survived, fortunately. Like the perpetrator in Florida, this psychopath also declared allegiance to ISIS, and had connections to jihadist groups.

I'm guessing Heck is referring to the huge domestic terror attack that just happened. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/florida-nightclub-massacre-deadliest-mass-shooting-u-s-history-n590476 http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/terror-hate-what-motivated-orlando-nightclub-shooter-n590496 At least 50 innocent Americans were murdered by this piece of trash. May they rest in peace.