The raid was an air attack by the United States on the Japanese capital. It served as retaliation for the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. The raid was planned, led and named after Lt. Col. James Doolittle, who earned the Medal of Honor for his role and later got promoted to lieutenant general.
Sixteen B-25B bombers took off from the USS Hornet in the Pacific Ocean to carry out the raid. It was the first air operation to strike the Japanese mainland and provided an important boost to American morale in the war.
Frank recreated the same model of the USS Hornet, complete with each of the 16 B-25s that deployed from the ship in 1942. The project took over four months to complete.
In total, Frank has built over 1,000 models in his lifetime, each one presenting a greater and larger challenge than the last. Last year, he put together a replica of the USS Yorktown to recognize the anniversary of its sinking during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. The 1/200-scale ship also took a little over four months to complete.
“Building these models is something I have a great passion for,” Frank said. “It’s just a hobby I enjoy, and it keeps me in touch with our military history. In some strange way, I think it honors those who served before us.”
Frank grew up in the local area. His father would bring him to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force several times a year.
“I think that is where I developed my love for aircraft and building models, also the reason I joined the Air Force after high school,” he said.
He has been at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base since 2002 and slowly built up his collection over the past 20 years. He also has over 160 models in his office, with 135 of them being aircraft.
Frank says he will continue to build more models as long as bigger and better kits are being produced.
“My only concern is maybe running out of room,” he added. “I’m estimating to be able to fit another 100 in the office, but time will tell.”
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