“We have just won a war with a lot of heroes flying around in planes. The next war may be fought by airplanes with no men in them at all… It will be different from anything the world has ever seen.”-General Henry H. ‘Hap’ Arnold, U.S. Army Air Force, 1945
The first Predator flew a recon mission over Albania in July 1995, then it was known as RQ-1. Despite many official denials, back then, several RQ-1s were lost to ‘global warming climate change’ (bad weather) or shot down.
It was the Airmen who maintained the General Atomics RQ-1 who adapted helicopter weapon pylons to the giant remote control aircraft, as well as adding a turbocharger to the piston engine, finally proving its combat capability in October 2001. In 2002, the RQ-1 became MQ-1 (M for multi-role). In March 2018, the USAF officially retired the MQ-1.
On 03MAR2020, the Iowa Air National Guard got a massive model kit of the MQ-1 Predator. It’s actually a retired MQ-1 that will end up on static display at the Air National Guard Bureau in Washington DC. The Iowa Air Guard has the honor of assembling and painting it.
Unboxing the monster kit.
Who wouldn’t be happy about a kit this big?
You’ll need some jacks and jigs.
A bunch of people about to get bombed at the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing HQ at Creech Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada, 06JUN2019.
On 03MAR2018, the MQ-1 took its official last flight in Nevada, being replaced by the MQ-9 Reaper.
Creech AFB MQ-1 retirement video report:
30NOV2017, removing the ‘brains’, the Primary Control Module, Creech AFB.
Removing the antenna. This was done prior to the MQ-1 being sent to United Kingdom to become a ‘gate guard’.
Final combat mission (undisclosed location) of 361st Expeditionary Attack Squadron’s MQ-1B, 01JUL2017.
MQ-1B Predator remote piloted aircraft with the 147th Air Reconnaissance Wing, Texas Air National Guard, on display at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Expedition, Malaysia, 21MAR2017.
Video report, being a Predator Pilot:
MQ-1 final flight at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, 27FEB2017.
Video report, Holloman AFB MQ-1 retirement, 2017:
Video, repairing and prepping the wing of a MQ-1 slated for gate guard duty at Holloman AFB, 2016:
Video, engine maintenance, Holloman AFB, June 2015:
Kit shopping list:
HOW TO BUILD A 1:1 SCALE U.S. ARMY ‘FAKE NEWS’ BMP-2
EC-135E FIRE-BIRD, 10329 COMES BACK TO LIFE, AGAIN! OR, WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR EXTRA KC-135 KIT.
They’re not really on ice, but ice is on them.
Rotor-wash.
1:48 scale, first issued 1961.
First issued 2006, also boxed by Revell-Germany.
Black Dog issues resin detail parts, including skis for snow.
22FEB2020, Laem Chabang Port, Thailand, Cobra Gold 2020.
Countermeasure Washdown System
New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing’s LC-130, McMurdo Station, Antarctica 15JAN2019.
New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing LC-130 (upgraded with evil British empire Rolls-Royce T56 series 3.5/NP2000 props), McMurdo Station, Antarctica, 17DEC2018.
Grass field take-off? No, it’s the camera angle. NY National Guard’s LC-130 takes off for Antarctica, 06SEP2018.
LC-130(F-H?) in Antarctica, 23JUL2017.
The Common Science Support Pod, or IcePod, houses a variety of instruments to meausure changes in the Antarctic ice sheet.
Some ‘scientist’ from Colombia University explaining how the IcePod works. To find out more go here: 
Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, 27JUN2016.
January 2014, Pegasus Field, Antarctica, problems with landing gear being rectified.
Leaving Antarctica, 02FEB2011.
McMurdo Station, Antarctica, 2007.
Rocket assisted take-off from Greenland, 2003. For some reason it’s officially called Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO) even though it’s actually rockets. With the new Rolls-Royce T56 series 3.5 turbine/NP2000 props JATO is no longer needed.
CVN-71 on its way to Guam, 25JAN2020.
Leaving San Diego, 17JAN2020.
Scrubbing the deck in 2013.
Leaving Newport News Shipyard in 2013, after four years of overhaul.
2009, when CVN-71 began its overhaul.
