This is good news

The increasingly excellent kit producer Arma has announced a 72nd scale FM-2, promising to fill a much needed space in 72nd scale Wildcats.  Now if we can get them to do an F4F-3.

Thank you

One of the real needs in 72nd scale aircraft was for a new kit of the C-130 family.  Thanks to Zvezda, we are apparently going to get one in 2020.  Details are sketchy, but this is a hopeful development.

US Navy acquisitions

Looks like the USN is getting a new fleet of harbor and patrol craft.  Good news, I hope. (post for Jeff “Inch High” Groves who misses the smell of salt air)

Russian spy ship

A Russian intelligence gathering ship is off a US sub base off the coast of South Carolina.  This is just more of Putin trying to look like he is flexing muscles.  As I’ve repeatedly said Russians doing things like this is a sign of their weakness, not their strength.

China’s financial woes

China has some very dicey financial problems.  Story here.  Almost inevitably the Chinese economy will crash at some point. How that affects the rest of the world will depend on how entangled each country’s economy is with China.  As such, it is quite possible that the current administration’s move on Chinese trade may have an unintended beneficial effect.

Su-57 Crash

Looks like the Russians have one less Felon. Given the cost, the Russians can ill afford this type of loss.

I want this

Yes, I know I say this too much.  I want this.

Espionage

Story here.  We should be much more careful than we have been regarding foreign students in the US.  US Universities have a strong financial incentive to allow in as many students as possible.  However, a thorough vetting and monitoring program in necessary to protect US interests.

Clearprop Ki-51

I previously praised Clearprop kits.  Here Libor Jekl demonstrates what can be done with the Clearprop Ki-51.  Damn.

Clearprop La-5 early

Man, Clearprop is killing it.  They are just announcing kits that fill a lot of holes.