Thanksgiving History

Have you ever wondered about the history of Thanksgiving? Here at Squadron, we’re all about history – as shown by model airplanes, military vehicles and ships with accurate details from World War II and other major historical periods. If you’re interested in the history of Thanksgiving, here’s some background on how Turkey day came to be:

Thanksgiving is primarily holiday that is celebrated in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks and blessings of the harvest and of the upcoming year. Thanksgiving is traditionally rooted in the English culture which dates back to the Protestant Reformation. The English tradition was important during the English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII as special thanksgiving religious service in response to an increased number of religious Catholic holidays. In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday is roughly traced back to document dated in 1621 outlining a feast and celebration of a good harvest celebration at Plymouth (modern-day Massachusetts).

As Pilgrims and Puritans began moving from England to the United States in the 1620’s and 1630’s, so too did the tradition of the English Thanksgiving. Upon leaving Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower Compact was signed by Pilgrims as a way to introduce self-government.  Pilgrims then left Plymouth, England in 1620 sailing to a new world with promises of civil and religious freedom. They sailed on the Mayflower ship (which, we should mention, we have awesome model ship kits featuring the Mayflower and other sailboats from the 1600s).

When they landed in America, starvation and sickness quickly struck them and almost half of the population died. With the help of Native Americans, the Pilgrims were able to reap a rich harvest of corn and barley the following summer and thus the tradition of the English Harvest, Thanksgiving, was soon celebrated.

In the beginning, several days of Thanksgiving were held in early New England and identified as the “First Thanksgiving”. In later years, civil leaders such as Governor Bradford declared Thanksgiving religious services and fast in 1623. Much as in Canada, Thanksgiving has been celebrated on various dates throughout history and has differed among each state. Like it began by King Henry VIII to serve a greater purpose, Lincoln proclaimed the date to be the final Thursday in November in order to foster a sense of American unity between Northern and Southern states. 

In the modern day, we not only celebrate Thanksgiving for a good harvest, rather Americans give thanks for time spent with their family, good health, wealth and happiness. Traditional foods are still prepared such as turkey, corn, mash potatoes, and dessert. More recently, there have been vegetarian options such as tofu turkey and various spice cakes added to the feast. And since 1966, the Dallas Cowboys have played on Thanksgiving day, making football as big a part of Thanksgiving as stuffing and gravy.

From everyone here at Squadron, we’d like to wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving. What are your plans for Turkey Day?

Essential Modeling Tools

When creating anything, the right tools are necessary to do the job right. From building a car to building a home, having the right selection of tools allows you to build your project to its exact specifications and with the highest levels of quality so that your work stands up to the test of time. When building model airplanes, cars or military vehicles, it’s no different – the right tools are critical to building accurate models.

There’s a wide range of model tools available, from basic tools to creating models to advanced tools used by professional modelers and the most dedicated enthusiasts. Choosing the right tools for your modeling project depends entirely on the type of model being built, the materials of the model, and the level of detail that you’re looking to accomplish.

Much like how the toolbox you use for your car or home starts off with the basics, so should your modeling tools. Shown here is Squadron’s Essential Tool Kit, containing cutters, pliers, tweezers, and sanding sticks. This basic set of tools helps to accomplish a variety of common modeling tasks – trimming parts, sanding rough edges, and molding parts. Like a set of screwdrivers and a hammer, these basics are some of the most often used tools by modelers at every skill level. Other basic tools include paintbrushes, and glue applicators specifically designed for working on small scale models.

But of course – not everything can be accomplished with basic tools. For adding layers of color to military dioramas or model planes; an airbrush allows the modeler to apply color precisely. Airbrushes can be used with a variety of paints, allowing for infinite color variation. Airbrush tools can also be customized with different components to provide different paint effects. Other popular tools for advanced modeling include suction tools for placing parts in precise locations.

At Squadron, we carry a full line of tools and diorama supplies, as well as high quality, accurate models of airplanes, tanks, ships and more. No matter what you can dream up – we have the tools and supplies to help you build it! 

Ideal Stocking Stuffers – Models of Favorite Cars, Planes and more!

Are you looking for a fun stocking stuffer that’s also educational? Maybe something for the person on your list who loves to tinker and build? From kids, to kids at heart, models make the perfect stocking stuffer – allowing those who love to build and create to put together a replica of their favorite plane, car, ship or spacecraft!

One of the most popular models that people love to build are model car kits, and Squadron offers something for everyone – no matter what cars they love, we carry an automobile model that will suit
them perfectly! For the youngest automotive enthusiasts, our Disney Cars models of Lightning McQueen, Mater, Doc Hudson and others make for the perfect introduction to building and modeling for the smallest builders, allowing them to create their favorite characters without messy glue. For those who are passionate about their favorite muscle cars from eras long gone by or for those who adore modern racing machines, a full line of model cars featuring legends like the ’67 Corvette or the 2013 Camaro are available, allowing them to have their own favorite car right on their desk, built exactly to their specifications.

Of course, many of our customers prefer flying machines to those on the ground, and our expansive selection of airplane models makes giving the present of a favorite aircraft possible! Our selection ranges from authentic replicas of World War II era warplanes, to modern jetliners, all with intricate detailing. And for those willing to dream beyond the sky, our new collection of Sci Fi and Space models includes Star Wars model kits of Tie Fighters, Star Destroyers and more! From Battlestar Galatica to Sputnik, you’ll find something prefer for everyone who’s imagination leads them to the stars.

No matter who’s on your list and what machines they admire – muscle cars, space fighters or commercial jets – you’ll find the perfect stocking stuffer for them at Squadron! We would love to hear what other types of stocking stuffers you plan to “stock up” on this year, let us know by leaving a comment below.

Diorama Basics - Creating a Diorama to Bring Your Models to Life!

Nothing feels better than creating something with your own two hands – be it a picket fence, rebuilding a car engine, knitting a sweater, or creating a model airplane. But we know that the true enthusiasts are never happy with keeping things simple. Gearheads are always looking for ways to improve their cars and further increase performance, handymen and women are always looking for a new DIY project to improve their homes, and those passionate about modeling are looking for ways to make their experience more exciting by creating more complex models. If you’re looking for a new challenge that results in a beautiful finished project, military dioramas and other diorama sets might be just what you’re looking for.

A diorama is, essentially, creating a scene, and can be done with anything from model cars to plastic dinosaurs. Each diorama begins with a base or frame – the background or landscape. You can either build this yourself out of materials like papier-mâché and paint; or purchase a pre-painted diorama and customize it to your delight.



Once you have the landscaping set to your desires, you bring the scene alive with plastic airplane models, tank models, human and animal figurines – anything that you would like to include in your
own personalized scene. Glue is used to hold each figure to the diorama’s base. Once the final scene is set, you can either encase your diorama or leave it open, but be sure to be careful as models can be fragile.


With hundreds of combinations of landscapes, figurines and models; military modeling can be taken to new levels with diorama building. You can easily show off the glory of your favorite airship in a historic setting, or re-create some of history’s most epic battles with authentic replica planes and scenery constructions. Your imagination is the limit when it comes to making a diorama!

Whatever scene you can dream up, Squadron can help you get started. We offer a full selection of model planes, model tanks, pre-fabbed dioramas, and accessories like paint and glue; so that you can make it a reality. Start building something awesome today!

Disney Planes Models – The Perfect Kids’ Gift

Disney’s “Planes” brings the excitement of flight to the big screen in a fast-paced animated adventure – and now, you’re able to bring the excitement of Planes home with 1:100 model planes of Dusty Crophopper, Skipper Riley, Ripslinger, and more from Zvezda!

Each model comes in a snap-fit assembly kit, with no-glue required to put together these colorful action heroes and villains.

The lack of glue makes it a perfect gift for the youngest fans of airplane models, allowing them to begin building their first models without messy glue. With these colorful models, you can relive Dusty’s epic adventure to New York, the Pacific theater, and beyond!  Once assembled, they make the perfect bookshelf or nightstand accent. It’s a great way to begin learning how to assemble model planes and pass a love for modeling down to the next generation.

Squadron is proud to offer these colorful models by Zvezda including the beautiful Rochelle prop plane, tough Skipper Riley, evil Ripslinger, crazy El Chupacabra, royal Bravo fighter jet, and the hero of it all, Dusty Crophopper. Browse our new models below to find your new favorite model today!

• Dusty Crophopper – Cropduster
• Skipper Riley – Vintage Navy Warplane
• Ripslinger – Carbon Fiber
• El Chupacabra – Mexican Racing Plane
• Bravo - Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet
• Rochelle – Canadian Racing Plane

Squadron at the CAF AirPower Expo in McKinney

Here at Squadron, we could not be prouder, or more excited, about taking part in the Commemorative Air Force AirPower Expo earlier in McKinney, October 3 -5, in McKinney, Texas, a short drive from Dallas.

The Commemorative Air Force took over the Collin County Regional Airport for four days of exciting flying action, aircraft history, and a host of other fun events. The AirPower Expo featured some of the most majestic flying machines from World War II including the B-17 Flying Fortress, one of the most famous bombers of World War II. The best part? Visitors took to the skies themselves with airplane rides in the B-17 Flying Fortress, as well as the B-24 Liberator “Diamond Lil”, D-25 Mitchell “Devil Dog”, and more – giving them a truly authentic, thrilling historical experience of riding in the same planes used in combat.

While airplane rides might be the most exciting part of the airshow, that was only the beginning of the fun. On the ground, cockpit tours of historical aircraft, classic cars, food trucks, educational programs, and a big band concert rounded out this weekend of fun!

Squadron has helped sponsor this event, and was on site with our own model airplane kits of majestic World War II aircraft. We had the chance to meet with our fellow aircraft enthusiasts and offer them the highest detailed airplane models, as well as introducing those who are interested in aircraft to the hobby of modeling – giving them a chance to recreate their favorite aircraft at home, to their own details and specifications! Over the course of the weekend we introduced dozens of people to the hobby of airplane modeling, and offered exclusive models to veteran enthusiasts - it truly was a blast!

Of course, we didn't spend ALL our time introducing people to airplane models – we got the chance to watch real planes action as they dazzled in the sky above, as well as enjoying the concert and delicious food! We're excited to do it all again next year - stay tuned to our blog to see where we'll be next!