11-11-11

Armistice Day. Veterans Day. Remembrance Day. It has many names, but one meaning. Never forget.

Somehow, my collection of WWI minis, now growing a bit long in the tooth, I suppose, has escaped recent photography. I haven't played a game with them in years, and there are no immediate prospects. I've considered picking up Death of Glory and Test of Battle, but haven't been able to justify it with no opponent ready to go. Yet as one of my very first forays into wargaming, I can't bring myself to get rid of the armies, either. And so, they rest.

In the meantime, here is a period appropriate subject. Eddie Rickenbacker's SPAD XIII.  A beautiful aircraft, and I have always been fascinated by the stories of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Hat in the Ring squadron. I do have his autobiography, and really should sit down to read it someday.

It should be noted this subject also has a connection with my theme of Fast Fridays. Before the war, Rickenbacker was a race car driver, participating in the Indy 500 four times before the race was suspended for the war in 1917 and 1918, when the backstretch was used as an airstrip. Later, in 1927, he would become owner of the Speedway. The Speedway closed its gates again from 1942-1945, when Rickenbacker sold it to Anton Hulman. The rest, as they say, is history.

Model notes: 1/72 scale, built from the old Revell kit. Most likely used Testors enamels, though in this case I seem to recall possibly Humbrol. As for rigging, I hit on this idea years ago and to my knowledge only my roommate at the time seems to have picked up on it and uses it regularly - I use paint brush bristles. That's right, just get any old paint brush, cut the bristles to length, put a dab of superglue on the end of each one and drop into place. No drilling, no tieing, no trying to heat things up to make taut. A lot of times the simplest solutions are best.