Build Your Own F-16 Flight Simulator

Here at KTF we're all about finding hobbies and projects that inspire the hearts of men to come alive. If you still remember all the details about the first time you watched Top Gun this is probably right up your alley. Join us as we take a look at what it takes to build a flight simulator on par with what the pro's use.

.223 to .22 Ballistic Conversion

Chalk this up to my professional life spilling over into my hobbies. I've seen conversion kits that turn an AR-15 into a rifle that fires a .22 round and after trying it out I'm convinced that it's a great training aid. The only problem is the ballistic properties of the .22 are no where near the same as they are on a .223 or 5.56 round. Another common problem I seem to run into is not having a long enough range to practice on. With a little bit of inspiration, I think I solved both problems with one tool.

Not Another Veteran Holiday

Our founding fathers committed treason. By signing the Declaration they knew that if we couldn't back up our words they would find themselves sentenced to death. They believed in a land that was not just subtly different than England, but that we needed to start over and do this alone.

Compensating for Drift

Combat Weather Airmen practice land nav

This month I hit the land nav course as part of my training to be an Army officer. Somewhere along the way my battle buddy and I got pretty disoriented. [Enter 2nd Lieutenant joke here]. Okay, it happened a few times. In this article I'll share some practical knowledge about what I learned on how not to get lost and the correlations it made me think of in our own lives.

Movie Review: The Avengers

I've never read a comic book and I didn't see all of the prequels. Truth be told, I'm getting a little tired of the super hero themed movies so my expectations for this one weren't too high. With all that in mind, I didn't figure I'd be writing a review on this one so my journalism cap wasn't on. By the time I realized how awesome this movie was going to be, it was too late for objectivity. Consider this more of a: "Things Tim Thought Were Cool" vs. an actual review.

Book Review: The Warrior Ethos

The tenets of honor and valor have been around the battlefield for thousands of years. Author Steven Pressfield, a former Marine and author of Gates of Fire*, takes a look at the similarities and common threads of warriors that transcend time.

Operation: Blue Wolf- The Review

I'm all for making plans and making them happen. Thanks to a church leadership that sees the value in guys spending time together, and a few key individuals that helped me plan and execute the mission I'd say Operation: Blue Wolf was a huge success. In the outline, I promised I'd give more details on how it went down, so before I forget everything, here's the practical side of how to pull of one of the coolest man-trips I've been a part of.

How to Paint MultiCam/OCP Camo

OEF Camouflage Pattern or OCP is one of the one of the best camouflage patterns in use today. It is currently fielded by the US Army, USAF, and US, UK, and Australian special operations forces in Afghanistan. (It was also worn during Act of Valor by the Navy SEALs). On fabric, the pattern is digitally printed, making complex patterns possible- and reproducing the pattern on your other pieces of kit quite challenging. Whether you're a grunt or hunter, I'll show you how to spray paint this unique pattern on your gear.

The ABC's for Special Forces, Fighter Pilots & Manly Men

At one point or another in your week you'll have to spell something- it may be to the hostess taking your name at the restaurant or to the student loan representative on the phone in India. Most attempts sound something like this, "B- as in boy, A- as in apple, and D- as in dog." The solution to your nursery school spelling technique is a system heavily utilized by both the military and aviation communities around the world: the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

Movie Review: Act of Valor

Let's get one thing straight before we get anywhere on this review: I'm a different breed than most. Every last drop of my blood is red, white, and blue. I'm proud to put on the uniform I wear that stands ready to protect my great nation. That being said, I lost all objectivity for reviewing this movie before the previews even started. Act of Valor was one of the most impactful movies I have seen in years. I left the theater with a weight on my chest and my head spinning with a slew of emotion and I'll recommend that any man should go see it.

Operation: Blue Wolf

It's that time of the year when we start looking out the windows waiting for spring to get here. Well quit sitting around and start plotting. I've got an idea that you and your buddies will be talking about for years to come, and if you start planning now you'll have enough time to pull it off this spring or summer. I'm talking about an extreme game of capture the flag that will be the gold standard by which all your subsequent guy outings will compare to.

How to Shoot Like GI Joe

When it comes to pulling the trigger, no doubt the US armed forces are some of the best shooters in the world. Here's a look at how to shoot like a bona-fide GI Joe- not the Channing Tatum knock off. The principles of marksmanship are the same for shooting a Boy Scout .22 all the way through the Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle. It takes repetition and patience, but shooting a gun is a skill anyone can learn. Seriously: anyone.