The Winona Skeleton Tank - Minnesota’s Forgotten WWI Armor Experiment

This model represents the Winona “Skeleton Tank,” an unusual American tank prototype developed in 1918 near the end of World War I. Designed and built by the Pioneer Tractor Company of Winona, Minnesota, the Skeleton Tank reflected the experimental nature of early armored warfare, when engineers were still trying to determine what a tank should be.

Unlike the fully enclosed British and French tanks already fighting in Europe, the Skeleton Tank used a radical open-frame design. Its creators believed that a lightweight steel truss structure would reduce weight while still allowing the vehicle to cross trenches and rough ground. The crew compartment and engine were concentrated in a small armored box suspended within the frame, while the tracks ran around the perimeter. The design also emphasized ease of transport, as the vehicle could be partially disassembled for rail shipment.

Despite its ingenuity, the Skeleton Tank arrived too late to influence the war. By the time it was tested, the U.S. Army had already standardized on foreign designs and was focused on proven solutions rather than experimental concepts. The Skeleton Tank never entered production, and only one example was ever completed.

That sole surviving vehicle still exists today, making this tank a rare and fascinating artifact of early American armored development—and a unique piece of Minnesota industrial history. It stands as a reminder that innovation often involves bold ideas that may not succeed, yet still push technology forward.

This is a 1/35 scale resin model, faithfully reproducing the exposed framework, riveted construction, and unconventional layout of the original prototype. The open structure highlights why the vehicle earned its nickname and underscores how radically different early tank concepts could be before doctrine and battlefield experience shaped their evolution.

Ford’s First Step Toward Armor - The 1917 Tracked Model T

This model represents a 1917 Ford Model T–based tracked prototype evaluated by the U.S. Army during World War I. As America prepared to enter the war, the Army explored a wide range of experimental vehicles in an effort to understand armored warfare, an entirely new concept shaped largely by British and French experience on the Western Front.

Henry Ford’s Model T, already proven as a rugged and reliable automobile, became a natural test platform. Engineers adapted the basic chassis by fitting tracked running gear in place of conventional wheels, hoping to create a lightweight, mechanically simple vehicle capable of traversing mud, shell craters, and broken terrain. These early experiments were not true tanks in the modern sense, lacking armor and armament, but they represented an important stepping stone toward mechanized warfare.

In U.S. Army field trials, the tracked Model T demonstrated both promise and limitations. While its simplicity and ease of manufacture aligned with Ford’s industrial philosophy, the vehicle struggled with durability, traction under load, and overall military practicality. Ultimately, the Army determined that purpose-built armored vehicles were required, and attention shifted toward designs influenced by European tanks.

Although the tracked Model T never entered service, it played a role in shaping American thinking about mobility, mass production, and military vehicle design. These experiments helped lay the groundwork for later U.S. armored development in the interwar period.

This is a 1/35 scale Vargas resin model, depicting the experimental tracked configuration tested by the U.S. Army in 1917. The model captures a brief but fascinating moment when America’s most famous automobile was pressed into service at the dawn of armored warfare.

Junkers Ju 87 Stuka - Icon of Early WWII Air Power

The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka was one of the most recognizable aircraft of World War II and became a symbol of Germany’s early-war Blitzkrieg tactics. Designed as a dedicated dive bomber, the Stuka was intended to deliver highly accurate bombing attacks against battlefield targets such as bridges, artillery positions, troop concentrations, and armored vehicles.

During the opening campaigns of the war—Poland in 1939 and France in 1940—the Stuka proved devastatingly effective. Operating with air superiority, Ju 87 units could strike with precision unmatched by level bombers of the time. The aircraft’s steep dive angle, automatic dive recovery system, and distinctive fixed landing gear gave it excellent bombing accuracy but limited speed and maneuverability.

Perhaps most infamous were the “Jericho Trumpets,” sirens mounted on the landing gear that produced a screaming sound during dives. While militarily unnecessary, the sirens were intended to terrorize troops on the ground and amplify the psychological impact of an attack. For many Allied soldiers and civilians early in the war, the sound of a diving Stuka became synonymous with sudden destruction.

As the war progressed, the Stuka’s weaknesses became increasingly apparent. Slow speed and poor defensive armament made it highly vulnerable to modern fighters once the Luftwaffe lost air superiority, most notably during the Battle of Britain. Although it continued to serve in specialized roles—particularly on the Eastern Front as a tank hunter armed with 37mm cannons—the Ju 87 was largely obsolete by the mid-war period.

Despite its limitations, the Stuka remains one of the most historically significant aircraft of the conflict. It represents an era when air power, ground forces, and rapid maneuver warfare were tightly integrated, and when precision dive bombing briefly reshaped battlefield tactics.

This model is a 1/48 scale Revell Ju 87 Stuka, based on an older tooling dating back to 1968. Built as a testbed for learning new techniques, it reflects both the enduring availability of classic kits and the challenges of working with older mold technology. The project also served as an early experiment in weathering methods, including salt chipping on the propeller, making it a fitting subject for revisiting both modeling history and aviation history at the same time.

The British Whippet - Speed Enters the Battlefield

The British Medium Mark A “Whippet” tank was developed late in World War I as a response to the limitations of the early heavy tanks. While earlier British tanks such as the Mark IV were designed to crawl forward, crush wire, and cross trenches, they were slow, mechanically fragile, and poorly suited to exploiting a breakthrough once one had been achieved.

The Whippet was conceived as a faster, more mobile tank intended to operate beyond the initial breach in enemy lines. With a top speed of roughly 8 mph—fast by WWI standards—it was designed to overrun artillery positions, disrupt supply lines, and attack infantry in the rear areas, roles that foreshadowed later armored warfare concepts.

Unlike the rhomboid heavy tanks, the Whippet had a more compact hull and was armed solely with machine guns, typically four Hotchkiss guns mounted in a small armored cab. Its twin-engine layout gave it better speed but also made it mechanically complex and difficult to drive. Crews endured extreme heat, noise, and fumes, yet compared to earlier tanks, the Whippet was considered a significant improvement in mobility.

The Whippet saw its most notable service during the Allied offensives of 1918. In several actions, Whippets penetrated deep into German positions, sometimes operating independently for hours. One famous example involved the Whippet “Musical Box,” which reportedly overran enemy positions and caused significant disruption before being disabled.

Although produced in limited numbers and arriving too late to decisively influence the war’s outcome, the Whippet represented a critical step forward in armored warfare. It demonstrated that speed and maneuver were as important as armor and firepower, influencing interwar tank development and the eventual emergence of true medium tanks.

This 1/35 scale British Whippet model captures that transitional moment in tank history—bridging the gap between slow trench-crossing machines and the faster, more flexible armored vehicles that would dominate later conflicts. It stands as a reminder that even in the final year of World War I, the foundations of modern armored doctrine were already taking shape.

Brabham F1 - When Innovation Beat the Giants

These 1/12 scale Formula One kits by Tamiya represent cars from Brabam Racing Organzation, one of the most innovative and influential teams in Formula One history.

Founded by Jack Brabham, Brabham remains unique in F1 history as the only team where a driver won the World Championship in a car bearing his own name. Despite operating with comparatively modest resources, Brabham consistently punched above its weight through clever engineering, disciplined design, and a willingness to challenge convention.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, Brabham cars were known for their clean packaging, mechanical efficiency, and bold technical thinking. Under designer Gordon Murray, the team produced some of the most influential concepts in the sport, including extreme weight reduction, advanced aerodynamics, and unconventional solutions that often forced rule changes. Brabham’s success demonstrated that intelligence and innovation could rival—and sometimes defeat—far better funded teams.

Tamiya’s 1/12 scale Brabham kits are widely regarded as benchmarks in large-scale automotive modeling. They feature full engine detail, accurate suspension geometry, realistic cockpit assemblies, and exceptional parts fit. At this scale, the cars become mechanical displays rather than simple models, allowing the viewer to appreciate the elegance of Formula One engineering from an era when drivers were exposed, cars were raw, and innovation was constant.

Together, these models capture not just famous race cars, but a mindset—one where ingenuity, simplicity, and engineering courage defined success at the highest level of motorsport.