Michael Smith
@mcsmith.bsky.social
Lawyer dad in Marshall, Texas, mostly federal courts & patent litigation. Interested in WW II, scale modeling, history, books, & learning. Scale fundamentalist - only 1/700, 1/200 & 1/72. Extremely fond of the rule of law and almost as fond of Canadians.
Well, you don’t get to see the view of the White House courts from this side very often. Includes the west side retaining wall as cut back to accommodate a triangular edition to the West Wing in connection with either FDR’s swimming pool in 1933, or the West Wing expansion of 1934. #histscalemodels
Ossoff is definitely not listening to Yglesias/Klein/PodSave reactionary centrist crowd, he does not think his marginal voter is a white-supremacist, and that is what makes him such an attractive candidate to the vast majority of US who are not white-supremacists.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last wk.Ossoff says that Mike Collins has "hired half the Third Reich to staff your congressional office"
Next project - an accurized build of the 1954 Marx Toys White House. First up today was the front portico base. This area changed in 1952, so I had to go back to this 1913 photo to get the correct appearance for 1948, which is the time period I’ve chosen. #HistScaleModels
Finally finished the post on my latest Essex-class build. - this time a more or less straight out of the box build other than decals. Okay, and radar jamming equipment. And accurized Skyraiders. But that's it. putteringinthestudy.com/2026/10/03/u... #HistScaleModels
Finished the UH-2Bs and kit Skyraiders converted to EA-1Fs. CVS-11 is d9ne. Post this weekend. #HistScalemodels
It turns out the decals in the Trumpeter kit are from various cruises, not just 1968. I finished them as A-4C from VA-36, F-8C from VF-111 and E-1B from VAW-121. Having to modify the provided Skyraiders into EA-1Fs - extended cockpit - and still have the UH-2A/B helos from HC-2. #HistScaleModels
Spending the night in a hotel but brought along supplies to decal some 1/700 aircraft. There’s also a 1/72 tank kit in there if I feel like assembling something. This is my rig for ETM build days. #histscalemodels
The planes aren’t that bad, actually. I got the Crusaders and Skyhawks assembled and the Crusaders detail painted and gloss coated - ready for decals. #HistScaleModels
My 1/700 USS Intrepid (CVS-11) on her third Vietnam tour in 1968 is done. Won’t do a photo shoot till the aircraft are in place, and that’s likely another three weeks, but I am happy to have it on the shelf with my other nine Essexes. #histscalemodels
Intrepid is done except antenna, final weathering and air group. Starfighter decals have been crucial - kit is missing island markings and none of the hull numbers are shadowed. #histscalemodels
Got a little sidetracked on research trails, but day 4 on the Intrepid has gone fairly well. Used Starfighter decals for flight deck # (the kit ones are not shadowed), generic white striping and a few more of the kit decals. And the jamming equipment box is in place on the island. #HistScaleModels
The sound you hear is me screaming as I fall down yet another rabbit hole - this time why I'm going to so much work to make a tiny plastic box for the side of my 1/700 Intrepid's island that the kit was missing. It turns out there's a story. putteringinthestudy.com/2026/08/30/t... #HistScaleModels
A good day 3 on Intrepid. Running into inaccurate decal issues, but nothing the more accurate Starfighter set won’t fix. Found a missing radar jamming equipment room & structure outboard of the island, but I’ve built that before on CVA-31 so I’ll scratch that up tomorrow. #Histscalemodels
Finally finished post on my 1952 Korean war era USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31). putteringinthestudy.com/2026/08/29/u...
I hate, hate, hate this flight deck color/panel configuration, but given that it’s engraved into the kit’s flight deck I am locked in to a late 1968 CVS-11 configuration. Will probably reduce the contrast through weathering, but it is accurate for the specific period. #HistScaleModels
I cannot say what a pleasure it is to assemble an angled-deck Essex from a kit. No research, measuring, and cutting pieces. Just snip, sand and glue. In two nights I have what takes me weeks, if not months from scratch, as the last three photos show for CVA-31/CVS-12. #HistScaleModels
Forgot to mention one thing about my 1/700 CV last night. I wanted a way to “temporarily” secure the aircraft to the deck. AI suggested acrylic gloss medium. It worked out pretty well - even eventually held up tricycle gear jet fighters. Is a bit “gloppy” but OK for me. #HistScaleModels
Post is still a couple of days away, but the air group is done and the 1952 USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) is done and on the shelf. #HistScaleModels
Do not normalize children dying from measles. Measles was previously eliminated in the US, thanks to vaccines. When children die from measles, it means that adults have catastrophically failed to protect them because they have rejected basic science.
And the third BHR is done. I now have the Bon Homme Richard off Japan in 1945, off Vietnam in 1968, and now off Korea in 1952. It was the only U.S. carrier to serve in attack role in WW II, Korea and Vietnam. Still needs its air group finished before display. #HistScaleModels
Spent the afternoon finishing the island of the 1952 Bon Homme Richard, mostly by adding masts and radars. Once the glue is dry will finish painting, add the US flag and this ship is done! (Except for the air group). #histscalemodels
Back at work on my Korean War Bon Homme Richard. Consulting the 1952 cruise book and online references to figure out the radar rig and which parts from the stash I can use to replicate it. #histscalemodels
Finished my fourth 1/72 Avenger - a replacement for the VT-84 model I built January of last year. The new HobbyBoss is a very good model except for fit of clear parts. Also, decals are high quality & low accuracy. putteringinthestudy.com/2026/08/22/t...
I promise I’m not building the whole air group! But Operation JAMBOREE Bunker Hill aircraft are good subjects with that yellow cowling. Have already replaced one F4U with a newer one, and now the ‘25 HobbyBoss TBM-3 replaces the ‘95 Hasegawa kit. Which I have other plans for … #HistScaleModels
I think I may be done for the day. The kit decals are … pretty bad, and I need a drink before I make the decision whether to ditch the numerous tiny stenciling ones. But got a “lot” done. (Kit behind is the one it’s replacing - I have another job for it). #HistScaleModels
