Concurrent to his work at Ford, McKinley developed vehicles for military application as a hobby in the 1960s. Thompson developed an entire series of models which he called "Support at Center of Gravity" or "SCOG". These vehicles were based on the fact that the concentration of the main load was positioned over a center of gravity. These cross-country transports were developed with several novel features. One vehicle supported a bulldozer to clear obstacles out of its way. It was also equipped with a crane that lifted cargo up into a cargo bay. It also had a helicopter-pad for landing a helicopter to maintain mobility and communication. McKinley even proposed these concepts for lunar applications. These examples show McKinley's craft and skill at model building and his vision as a futuristic thinker.