The Balrog

Sometime in my youth, when my three other brothers and I still fought wars over our beds with miniature armies, we all feared who would come out with the most modern battle tank that would rule over all the plastic armies of the bedsheets. Of course I had a massive 1/72 air force that can't be beat. It was only after we outgrew compiling all possible models into legions (and squadrons) that we started building models to see who could do the best - paint jobs, weathering and all.

But when we grew up, we all feared an imaginary tank one brother, Inigo, laid claim on. The British Challenger MBT. It was more fearsome than an M1 Abrams (I don't know why), and it was certainly impressive. One day I vowed to build a beast.

Cut to 20 years later, and the Challenger II was released by Trumpeter, in a version that invaded Iraq in 2003. And thus we see Bea's Balrog built.

But may I ask my brother, what happened to Bea?

The Jug

In 1944, along with the rest of the Allied forces landing back into the Philippines, the first Mexican Armed Forces unit ever to serve outside of Mexico since the 1800s landed. 201st Squadron of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force, or Escuadron Aereo de Pelea 201 de la Fuerza Aerea Expedicionaria Mexicana flew P-47D Thunderbolts. These massive aircraft, the biggest single engined single-seat fighter used by any air force in WW2 were aptly nicknamed Juggernauts. And the Mexicans knew how to fly them.

Its an interesting story for me, a Filipino. The Mexicans, like the Filipinos, were under Spanish rule for as long as 350 years. Both countries shares such similar histories. And with the Japanese taking over the Philippines in 1941, it seemed right that the Mexicans were assigned to the US 5th Air Force to help retake the archipelago. Its like long lost brothers coming to the rescue.

The fact wasn't lost to me when I picked up Revell's massive 1/32 P-47D kit. It was the biggest thing on my shelf until the 1/32 Corsair and the 1/32 P-38 Lightning came along (but that's another story). But it was an impressive beast to build, and I could hear Pancho and Ricardo whistle a long whistle staring up at the monster. The British commented upon seeing the Jugs that the best way to avoid German fighters while flying a P-47 was to duck down and run around inside. And more than a few of the USA's Jugs came home with just bits left for a tail, but still landing in one piece.

So here's a tribute to the monster P-47. And to the amigos from Mexico who helped the allied cause in the Philippines. It felt like a homecoming for a lot of the pilots, they say, when the 201st landed in Luzon. I bet it really was.

Being Pinoy

One of my earliest modelling memories was going to Greenhills and visiting the Greenhills Arcade. It was around 1978. For all you young ones out there, its the mall in Greenhills which used to house Mom and Pop green grocers, Krizareth the old comic place, and the mysterious, unnamed model shop. I never found out the name of the shop, only that it was run by a few young guys, not unlike my Uncle Rommel, in their 20s.

It was right next to the novelty magic shop where they sold rubber chickens, plastic poo and frankenstien masks. I remember the smell of the plastic and rubber; it smelt... freshly imported? Anyways, the great thing about the greenhills model shop was it had a glass display case wherein there were built kits on display on red felt paper circles. And they were awesome. I saw my first built M3 Stuart there in 1/72 scale I think. There was a whole slew of 1/72 armour.

And then there was the aircraft. The biggest was the 1/32 Phil Air Force F-86A. It even had a stepladder and some doors open. And then there was the P-26 in Philippine army air corps markings.

I never forgot that P-26. It was an ugly, squat thing. But it shot down a Zero. Even I knew that then, in my youth. Jesus Villamor was a big hero to me because of all the history readings and stories my grandfathers (both of them) used to tell me. And I told myself I will build one of those one day.

Flash forward to 2002. Just recently having joined IPMS Australia, I wanted to do something to show off to the club that would be sore of a defining moment; something everyone would remember about me for a long time. One time I was browsing through VHC and I saw a second-hand Hasegawa P-26. Opening the box, it still had the colour chart with the brown and sand PAAC blue diamonds. A quick purchase later, and a Squadron mini source book later still, and there we have it. Villamor's P-26, his amazing flying machine.

But it will also be a tribute to those young men and their amazing red felt paper circles.