Citroens on the streets of Oslo

Lots of pictures of old Citroens roaming around Norway.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

posted by Ian at 9:28 AM
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Baikonur and St. Petersburg

English Russia keeps delivering the goods with cool photo collections. The Baikonur space launch facilities in Kazakhstan, as photographed by a visitor and the darker side of St. Petersburg.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: inspiration, photo, pictures, reference, Russia

posted by Ian at 11:02 AM
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Russian Aviation Museum

A few pictures of Soviet aircraft parked up in a Kiev aircraft museum.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: reference, Russia

posted by Ian at 10:50 AM
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Model maths and scale jumping

Available from The Modeler's Weapons Shop as a download for $3.99 is the Guide to Model Math and Scale Jumping.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: reference, scale

posted by Ian at 10:04 AM
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Soyuz on the train

io9 has pictures of a Soyuz rocket being hauled across the desert to its launch site by a diesel train. It might be hard to scale match a model of the rocket (or even find one, I couldn't get a match for "Soyuz" at Hannants) and a Russian train, but think of the diorama possibilities.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: diorama, inspiration, pictures, reference, rocket, Russia, Space

posted by Ian at 8:40 AM
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Rebuilding a Sherman tank

Jalopnik has pictures of one man's project to rebuild a Sherman tank

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: inspiration, pictures, reference, Tank, World War 2

posted by Ian at 10:29 AM
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Russian WW2 memories

A collection of personal photographs from a Russian soldier's collection.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: pictures, reference, Russia, World War 2

posted by Ian at 4:56 PM
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Russian soldiers in Chechnya

This photoset from English Russia shows Russian troops in less hectic moments during the Chechen conflict.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: inspiration, pictures, reference, Russia

posted by Ian at 11:08 AM
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St. Petersburg reconstruction

The anniversary of the siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg) was recently celebrated with a huge reconstruction of the battle featuring authentic uniforms and tanks.

Wikipedia history of St. Petersburg/Leningrad

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: inspiration, reference, Russia, World War 2

posted by Ian at 10:44 AM
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Anglia Obsolete

A website dedicated to the old Ford Anglia/Pop.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: model car, reference

posted by Ian at 10:36 AM
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Library of Congress photo collection on Flickr

If you're interested in modelling any American subjects then you might want to check out the Library of Congress feed on Flickr, which is filling up with documentary images, mostly from the start of the twentieth century.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: inspiration, pictures, reference

posted by Ian at 3:11 PM
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American weapons in the Soviet army

English Russia has a gallery of American weaponry sent to the USSR during World War 2.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: inspiration, reference, Russia, World War 2

posted by Ian at 2:43 PM
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Model figure manufacturers

This site has a list of companies that manufacture model figures. However, a lot of the links go to dead sites, so I thought I'd work my way through and produce a more up to date collection. I have merely weeded out the dead links, and occasionally chased down new addresses. I've also added a couple of manufacturers I've found in my surfing. I cannot vouch for any of these companies except for Historex-Agents, who I have successfully ordered stuff from.

Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Space Figures

Alienage Models and Videos - USA Fantasy and Horror figures and Busts

Alternative Images - USA Film and fantasy resin kit figures.

Andrea Miniatures - One of the world's premier figure manufacturers

Armorcast - USA Fantasy and Wargame figures

A Boyd - USA Fantasy and Film figures and kits

Bronze Age Miniatures. 28mm and 54mm figures, mostly for gaming.

Darkness Studios - USA Fantasy World Miniatures, model-kits.

Diceman Creations

Disturbed Earth Productions - USA Fantasy and Horror figures and Busts

Dragon Models - USA Home page of Dragon Models.

Dream Master Creations - USA Erotic resin figures

Dutkins' Collectables - Among the many products sold by this company are figure models.

Dynasty Scale Models - Military figures and busts

Firing Line Miniatures - USA+UK Napoleonic and Civil War figures.

Fontegris Miniatures. Spanish resin and white metal figure manufacturers.

Frontier Models - UK Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Model Specialists

Gremlins in the Garage! - USA Welcome to Gremlins in the Garage the first webzine dedicated to figure kit modeling

Ground Zero Games. Gaming miniatures and fantasy figures.

Wayne "The Dane" Hansen - Figure Kits and Sculpting Supplies

Hassle Free miniatures Gaming figures and accessories.

The House of Anime - USA Anime figures and dolls

Image Anime - USA General Anime kits and figures

Jimmy Flintstone/ Dr Flintbone Primarily manufacturers of hot rod and custom car bodies in resin, Jimmy Flintstone also produce figures to complement the vehicles. Dr. Flintbone is the more adult arm.

J.J. Models - Resin models (Garage Kits) and Gadgets of most famous characters from Manga and Italian Comics. Coloured pins to collect in Limited edition and more.

Kaiyodo - Japan Star wars, Godzilla (original) and Anime figures.

K'resin kits - France Anime, Comics and Movies resin and vynl kits : Alien, Batman, City hunter, Cobra, Crow, Die hard,Frankenstein, etc

Legends - We carry products (kits, accessories, reference materials, Japanese si-fi & anime) from all over the world.

Link and Pin Hobbies - Dinosaur models, Sci Fi models and model trains

MBM Models - Holland Military, Sci-Fi and Fantasy fig specialists

Menagerie Productions - USA Fantasy and 'Paleo' kits and figures

Moebius Models. Licenced re-releases of old Aurora kits.

Monsters In Motion: A Sci-Fi Gallery - Welcome to Monsters In Motion, the world's greatest gallery of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Famous Movie Personalities as finished statues and model kits for the hobbyist and collector.

New World Miniatures 1:35th and 1:16th scale military miniatures.

Peloquin's Model Page - I have several Model kits for sale. I have mostly figures from the Horror, Sci-fi, Adult catagories.

Phebus Creations. French company producing sci-fi, fantasy, war and civilian figures in 1:43rd, 1:35th, 1:24th and larger.

Reaper Minis.

Resin D'Etre - My name is Nicolas Tanguma, the big doofus in the picture above, and I am the owner of a model kit producing company called Resin D'Etre.

Rising Sun Creations - USA Anime collectable superstore

Sassy's Satellite - Some excellent garage figure

Solid Image Arts - Dynamic Toy and Model Design: action figures, figure model kits, collectibles, commercial

Sideshow Inc - USA Site specializing in liscensed figurative vinyl/resin model kits and collectibles based on some of todays leading artists, including: Clive Barker, Bernie Wrightson, Tim Bradstreet, Frank Kelly Freas, Brom, and Bill Stout.

Solarwind Productions - Welcome to the fantasy figure world of Solarwind Productions.We design, develop and manufacture high quality, limited edition resin kits.

Spectral Motion Inc - This company sells some amazing horror figures!!

Styrene Studio - Excellent resin figures

Swede Creations - Manufacturer of Collectible Fantasy, Horror and Related Resin Sculptures.

Watson Sculptures and Models - Dinosaur, Ancient reptile and Prehistoric figures and models

Zotz - Mexico Glamour and Erotic figure specialists

Military Figures

Border Miniatures - UK High quality historical figures for collectors

W Britains - Military figure manufacturer

Le Cimier - France Military Figures, tools and reference books

Diecast Direct - UK Suppliers of Elite Command Diecast American Civil War, WWII, Napoleonic and Roman figures

Miniaturas by F. M. Beneito - Spain Historical Miniatures specialist

Elisena - Metal figures - Italy An Italian manufacturer with a lot of interesting products (figures, flats, bases etc.).

El Viejo Dragón Miniaturas - Spain Historical Figure specialists

Frontline Figures - Beautiful 54mm award winning collectible figures!!

Gene Gill Miniatures - Historical landmark miniatures are amazingly petite, with an average height of 3" to 5". Each replica is strictly one-of-a kind and the artist will not duplicate a piece nor will he mass-produce one.

HaT Industrie - HäT Industrie produces 1/72 and 1/32 scale soft plastic military miniatures or toy soldiers. Our goal is to produce a line of figures not produced by any of the past or present manufacturers.

Historex Agents - UK Historex Agents represents over 70 different companies, specialising in connoisseur model soldier kits and AFV conversion sets

Historical Miniatures - USA Custom made military figures for the collector

Imperial Gallery Military Model Figurines - UK Military figures through the ages

William King Military Miniatures - UK Wonderfully detailed Military figures

Kings X Toy Soldiers - Models from various toy soldier manufacturers, plus an exclusive range of Alamo figures

The Last Square - Historical Miniatures;| Military History Books; Limited Edition Art Prints; Painting Service

Metal Modeles - France Collectable model figurines

Miniature Alliance - USA Recreations of conflicts in miniature

Minutemen Toy Soldiers - USA Military figure kits and gaming specialists

Pegaso Models - Italy Manufacturers of 54mm, 75mm, and 90mm figures.

Prince August Factory Shop - Ireland Military figures for the collector, together with moulds and Chess sets

Quarter Kit - France White metal and diecast military miniatures

Saratoga Soldier Shop - USA Pewter Civil War and American revolution figures

Stockade Miniatures, Inc - USA "Soldiers of the World" figures, plus metal and plastic figures from a variety of manufacturers

S & S Models - UK 1:76 scale model figures, games and accessories

Tedtoy Miniatures Online - USA Civil War Military figure specialists

The Toy Soldier Company - The Toy Soldier Company featuring the sales of toy soldier figures, sets, books and accessories

Toy Soldiers of San Diego - USA We offer a wide variety of plastic figures from many periods to include Napoleonic, American Civil War, Alamo and World War II from a variety of manufacturers.

Collectable Figures

Dimensional Designs - USA Dimensional Designs is a company that specializes in Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy related collectibles. We are currently manufacturers of our own model figure kits.

DragonNet - UK This page is a showcase of Dragons and other Legendary creatures. All the figures are either white metal, pewter or resin and are mounted on rock or semi- precious stone.

Hard Hero Enterprises - USA Hard Hero Enterprises offers fine limited edition sculptures in bronze, porcelain, or resin.

King & Country - Design and manufacture the most amazing (and affordable) range of toy soldiers, miniature figures,military vehicles, model aircraft and buildings in the world today! All our products are hand-made and hand-painted to the highest professional standards.

Mithril Figures - Ireland Mithril was founded in 1987 and has been dedicated since then to the creation of miniature figures, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth as portrayed in his famous works "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".

Valiant Enterprises. Figures and wargaming miniatures.

Ron Wall Miniatures - USA Ron Wall Miniatures are the very finest in collectible toy soldiers. Currently featured are the American Civil War, Custer (Custer's Last Stand at Little Big Horn), Sioux Indian War, The Gambler and The Wild West Series. Each 54 mm, pewter figure is hand painted and made in America.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: figures, List, reference

posted by Ian at 11:45 PM
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Steam buses and trucks

A selection of photos of steam powered buses, trucks and showman's engines.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: photo, reference, steam

posted by Ian at 4:04 PM
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Down on the Street

Jalopnik has a regular feature called Down On The Street, where old cars on the streets of Alameda, an island in San Francisco bay, are photographed. It just reached its 150th vehicle. Each of these little photo essays has loads of reference, whether for particular vehicles or just weathering and realistic damage.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: inspiration, model car, reference

posted by Ian at 7:08 PM
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Mk 1 Zephyr Zodiac reference pictures

I've got a 1:76th Ford Zephyr Zodiac Mk 1 model from Classix that may become another Small Scale Custom project. So I'm looking for reference pictures.

Zephyr Zodiac and Consul Convention 1999.

Image from the Cotswold Classic Car Club

A V8 Mk1

No Zephyrs here, but some quite mad Capris and Cortinas.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: Ford, inspiration, reference

posted by Ian at 10:00 AM
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Coop goes to the So-Cal Speed Shop

Coop has a gallery up on Flickr from a visit to one of the most famous customising companies in the world- So-Cal Speed Shop L.A. Open House, 11/3/07

Technorati tag: Hot Rod

Labels: Hot Rod, inspiration, pictures, reference

posted by Ian at 9:29 AM
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The Vulcan flies again

After a 14 year campaign and rebuild, there is once again a flying Vulcan bomber.

There are more pictures on this forum thread.

via Alan Bell

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Avro Vulcan

Labels: aircraft, photo, reference, Vulcan

posted by Ian at 1:34 PM
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Lowrider magazine

Whilst I was in the states I picked up the latest edition of Lowrider magazine. As luck would have it, blogger Iowahawk dug out a copy of the first issue from 1977 and scanned it in for all to see.

via BoingBoing

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: Lowrider, reference

posted by Ian at 12:57 PM
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Russian tank museum

English Russia has photos from a tank museum near Moscow. Started in 1931, the collection now numbers near 300 vehicles.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Russia

Labels: Military, reference, Russia

posted by Ian at 11:03 AM
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Volksrods

Volksrods are VWs customised in ways more often associated with hot rods and rat rods. They look like the creations of some sick but brilliant minds and are just begging to be modelled.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Volkswagen

Labels: Hot Rod, inspiration, reference

posted by Ian at 10:41 AM
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Reader's Rides

Pictures of hot rods belonging to readers of Hot Rod Gazette. As a number of these are very English it may be hard to get models of them in larger scales. But I have a liking of small scale customs, so I may take inspiration.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Hot Rod

Labels: Hot Rod, inspiration, pictures, reference

posted by Ian at 8:39 PM
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MAKS 2007 International Air Show

More airshow pictures from English Russia.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Russia

Labels: pictures, reference, Russia

posted by Ian at 1:54 PM
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Russian photo reference

English Russia remains a great source of photographs for reference and inspiration.

World War 2 Photos by Dmitri Bal'termants

Military Aircraft Show in Monino. Moscow

Abandoned Trains of the Soviet Era

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Russia

Labels: inspiration, reference, Russia

posted by Ian at 10:09 AM
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British car tax discs

A brief history of the tax disc, on a site that sells replicas.

Reproduction vintage number plates.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Car Tax

Labels: model car, reference

posted by Ian at 10:05 AM
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A tank from a lake

Tanks from the Second World War are still being pulled out of the lakes around St. Petersburg. If I remember my history correctly, the city was resupplied across the frozen lakes during the winter phases of the siege and at times the ice broke. The site refers to it as a "BT" tank. You can get BT5 or BT7 tanks in 1:35th scale from Zvezda, or BT5, BT7 or BT2 from Unimodel in 1:72nd. A salvage operation like this would make for an interesting diorama.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Russia, Reference

Labels: diorama, inspiration, Military, pictures, reference, Russia, World War 2

posted by Ian at 11:01 AM
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Scale reference

I keep getting mixed up over scales and gauges and figure scales. So here's a list compiled from sources around the internet to refer back to.

1:285 6mm
1:220 8mm Z
1:180 10mm
1:160 11mm N
1:120 15mm TT
1:87 20mm HO
1:76 24mm OO
1:72 25mm
1:64 28mm S
1:60 30mm
1:48 37.5mm O
1:45 40mm
1:35 51.4mm
1:32 54mm I
1:30 60mm
1:25 72mm
1:24 75mm
1:22 80mm G
1:20 90mm F
1:18 100mm
1:15 120mm

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Labels: reference, scale

posted by Ian at 3:58 PM
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Japanese Kei cars

Kei cars are a class designed to get around Japanese tax and insurance legislation. They're tiny, the light weight making them nippy around town despite their one or two cylinder engines.

Jalopnik drove a trio of kei cars belonging to an American fan, then took anexample of Mazda's first ever four wheeled vehicle to a dealer so they could compare it to the manufacturer's current models.

If you want to model these cute little things, then Arii's Owner's Club range has a number of them, and the three wheeled delivery trucks and other classic Japanese vehicles of the 60s and 70s that you keep seeing in Kung Fu movies.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Model Car, Japan

Labels: inspiration, Japan, model car, reference

posted by Ian at 12:14 AM
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Billetproof

The Billetproof rod show concentrates on less "polished" hot rods, rat rods and the like. Jalopnik has some pictures- El Camino, Party Wagon, Billetproof.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Hot Rod

Labels: Hot Rod, model car, pictures, reference

posted by Ian at 5:23 PM
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Ekranoplan

Jalopnik has video of Ekranoplans, Soviet era transport planes that used the Wing-In-Ground effect to skim mere feet above the waves.

Revell released a model of the A90 ekranoplan.

Remote control WIG effect models.

Alternate history ekranoplan.

An ekranoplan blog.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Ekranoplan

Labels: inspiration, reference, Russia

posted by Ian at 10:32 AM
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Gluesniffers Anonymous

Coop's uploading dozens of photos a day. They're all interesting and loads of them are relevant as photo reference (some of them include naked ladies, which is cool too). Subscribe to his feed if you're interested in hot rods.

A set that I think went up today is of, as he puts it "Some bad photos of vintage model kits I have assembled in a sloppy fashion."

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Hot Rod

Labels: Hot Rod, reference

posted by Ian at 6:07 PM
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A bundle of reference links

Whilst going through the archives of Spinneyhead, I've found a few posts and links that might be of interest to modellers-

Fetch!
The Russian dog anti tank mine.

Captured
In the dynamic flow of a battlefield equipment can get lost or captured. A quick trip through captured and repurposed weaponry-
The world of captured planes
Captured Planes
Captured Allied planes (Warning- cheesey beyond belief music, which is a shame because there are some very useful images here.)
A collection of pieces about captured B-17s
Fleet Air Arm planes captured by the Axis
A gallery of tanks captured by the Germans
Modelling a captured Russian KV-2
Israel made good use of captured T54s and T55s and various other vehicles.
Russian tank museum, including many captured tanks.
Captured First World War tanks.
Ships captured by the German Navy.

Test Beds
I've just been to the Museum of Science and Industry and checked out the aviation hall. Interesting stuff-
Avro Lancasters were used as flying test beds for jet engines. Video of the tests is online here.
The Avro 707 isn't quite a flying wing, but I have a soft spot for the delta wing planes such as this and the Vulcan.
A picture of the Hafner Rotachute (more) hiding away in the corner of a painting has given me ideas for another novel way to land assault troops. The Germans used similar devices for spotting from U-Boats.
But the most affecting plane in the whole display is still the tiny Yokosuka OHKA, a suicide jet that was pretty much a desperate last gasp from the Japanese.

Wing and a Prayer
The Me-163 'Komet' was quite an astounding beast. I alluded to a similar plane when the Wasp squadron visited Dreamland (Chapter Three, blink and you miss it). Flight Journal has a long interview with one of the Komet's chief test pilots.
It also has to be remembered that the Germans weren't the only ones experimenting with new and unusual aeroplane designs. The Allies' first jet plane was the Gloster Whittle, a pre-cursor to the Meteor and test bed for jet engines.
The 'Hiller-copter' and Landgraf H-2 were early twin bladed helicopter designs.
America experimented with flying wings in designs such as the XP-56 and XB-35, which I've mentioned many times before, but there were also experiments with gliders along the same lines.
The Brits also experimented with flying wings, as well as canard and tandem wing designs.
Even the Swedes got in on the act with the Saab 21A.

And also- Engines of the Red Army

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Reference

Labels: inspiration, Military, pictures, reference, Russia, World War 2

posted by Ian at 12:45 PM
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Russian reference picture

From English Russia-

Russian snipers of World War 2. Modelling link- 1:35th scale WW2 Soviet snipers by Zvezda.

The aircraft carrier Riga/Varyag. Varyag on Wikipedia. I can't find any Varyag models yet.

Moscow 1967.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Russia

Labels: reference, Russia, ship, sniper

posted by Ian at 6:32 PM
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Jalopnik at SEMA

Car blog Jalopnik is at the SEMA motor show in Las Vegas at the moment, providing us with galleries of interesting reference material.

Honda's many custom cars on display. Bizarre and overblown examples of the tuner car phenomenon.

Matte is the new black. High end customisers display their take on the rat-rod primer look.

Technorati tag: Scale Models, Custom Car, Photo Reference

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Friday, May 09, 2008

Citroens on the streets of Oslo

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Baikonur and St. Petersburg

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Russian Aviation Museum

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Model maths and scale jumping

Friday, April 11, 2008

Soyuz on the train

Monday, April 07, 2008

Rebuilding a Sherman tank

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Russian WW2 memories

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Russian soldiers in Chechnya

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

St. Petersburg reconstruction

Friday, January 25, 2008

Anglia Obsolete

Friday, January 18, 2008

Library of Congress photo collection on Flickr

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

American weapons in the Soviet army

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Model figure manufacturers

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Steam buses and trucks

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Down on the Street

Monday, November 05, 2007

Mk 1 Zephyr Zodiac reference pictures

Coop goes to the So-Cal Speed Shop

Sunday, October 21, 2007

The Vulcan flies again

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Lowrider magazine

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Russian tank museum

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Volksrods

Monday, September 03, 2007

Reader's Rides

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

MAKS 2007 International Air Show

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Russian photo reference

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

British car tax discs

Friday, June 22, 2007

A tank from a lake

Monday, June 18, 2007

Scale reference

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Japanese Kei cars

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Billetproof

Friday, May 25, 2007

Ekranoplan

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Gluesniffers Anonymous

Sunday, May 20, 2007

A bundle of reference links

Friday, May 18, 2007

Russian reference picture