Resources
Reference Resources
The Scale Model Podcast is your source for scale modeling news in Canada. They also make great companions for your build sessions. Podcast are available from their website as well as number of audio streaming services.
CASPIR - The Canadian Aircraft Serial and Personnel Information Resource is operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and extends on the incredible database originally created by RWR Walker. The database has listing of aircraft serial numbers and registrations used by the Canadian Armed Forces from WWI forward as well as links to information about the crews that flew them.
SilverHawkAuthor - Harold Skaarup is a former Army Intelligence Officer and his website and books are an essential read for anyone interested in historical and contemporary Canadian Military Equipment. His webpage has a number of articles with many photos, as well as links to purchase his books.
Kestrel Publications - Terry Leversedge is a former RCAF AERE officer. He has an extensive collection of reference and profile guides for many subjects of canadian military aviation including some of the more obscure subjects that are not well covered in other sources.
Roger Litwiller - is a canadian naval historian and has written several books and magazine articles. His website and facebook page, and blog are a great source of written and photographic material for a variety of RCN subjects.
Canadian Scale Model Producers
Honestly if someone else already has what I am looking for I will buy from them before re-inventing the wheel. This community is too small to have "competition" -- I'd rather have friends with similar interests.
CanMilAir - This website and business would not have been possible without our partnership with William "Bill" Burns. We are proud to host and continue to produce his extensive line of scale model decals. His book "Canadian Cold Warriors" is a comprehensive guide to squadron level markings for the Avro CF-100 Canuck. He is still producing larger scale decals and customized tail art markings. His store is also a source of many great publications with regards to Canadian Military Aviation History.
V1 Decals - If its civilian airliner decals you are looking for, this is your source. They have an extensive library of decals for operators around the world in many scales. I have (and continue to) used their products, and Ben was a great help in getting us on our feet.
JBot Decals - From 2000 to 2018 Jim Botaitis was the one of the first sources of digitally printed custom decals in Canada. His work covered a wide variety of different subjects from civilian, police and militaries from around the world, as well as sci-fi and movie props. He also designed artwork Flying Colors, as well as decal sheets used by Unicraft and Fantastic Plastic Models, among others. We are happy to host a selection of his designs in our collection.
Belcher Bits - Produces high quality resin conversion parts and screen printed decals, as well a few complete resin models for a variety of Canadian military aviation subjects. His sets are essential accessories for getting it right when building certain Canadian aircraft.
Kit Masx is another BC Based small business that provides quality adhesive maskings for those of us that hate to mask off canopies and much more.
TrackJam Models - The undisputed specialist and source for Canadian Armor models and accessories. They also stock the armor reference guides by Anthony Sewards which are essential viewing for 'getting it right'.
Leading Edge Models - Produces very high-quality screen printed decal sets for many of the speciality markings we do not (or cannot) cover. They also occasionally have aftermarket resin conversion parts accompanying their decal sets. If they have what you are looking for snag them up immediately! Their sets are 'relatively' short run and highly sought after.
Precision Design Co. - Produces custom decals for the model railroad community with a strong focus on Canadian subjects.