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admiralcag

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Posts posted by admiralcag

  1. Good Morning, all

     

    I have started a Monogram F-4C kit and noticed there are reversed breech caps on both sides of the fuel tank pylons. I would like to know if this is correct. I have done some image searches on Google but haven't found a definitive answer.

     

    Thanks in advance,

     

    Vern

  2. On 8/25/2023 at 5:08 AM, lebowski said:

    Be prepared to wait a bit for the past to come but overall very good experience with replacement parts. They sent me the entire sprue tree my missing part was on. Cheers. 

     

    That was my experience as well.

     

    Vern

  3. I got a Tamiya F-35 for my birthday. While reviewing the instructions, I noticed that flat white was called for on the landing gear & weapons bays and for the intake trunks. Aren't these normally gloss white? Since I have never seen an F-35 up close, I thought I'd reach out to the hive mind and see what you all think.

     

    Thanks!

     

    Vern

  4. On 6/5/2023 at 8:44 AM, Thadeus said:

    There were also some tests of bomb pylons for stations 2 and 8.

    Correct. When I started as a technician with the COANG, we were flying wing weapons pylons with TERs on 2, 3, 7, and 8. 4 jets x 12 BDU-33's x 3 sorties per day with one load crew will wear you out. One of my crew dogs said it reminded of loading B-52s at Utapao...

     

    Vern

  5. On 2/8/2023 at 8:19 PM, kernsc said:

    Anyone know how big of a job it is for the maintenance (or armament?) crews to swap out a wingtip rail?  I imagine it's pretty routine for the pylon mounted rails, but suspect the wingtip mounts are a bit more involved and therefore probably don't change very often?

    Actually the wingtips were easier. Three bolts and one connector. The hardest part was holding the rail up while the connector was attached. I'm tall enough, so I used my head 😆

     

    The underwing adapters were trickier in that the connector attached under the flap seal at a really ugly angle. This was the only cannon plug we were allowed to use a screwdriver on to tighten or loosen. We typically mounted the rail to the adapter before mounting them to the jet.

     

    Vern

  6. On 1/31/2023 at 7:13 PM, kernsc said:

    Hope you don't mind if I pile on to the rail discussion.

     

    I'm building the Hasegawa 1/48 F-16C Block 30 but want to update to an ANG aircraft operating during OIF, so I need the LAU-129 rails.  It looks like the best option is the Hasegawa Weapons Set E, but those aren't readily available in the US right now (same with Kopecky) so I'm leaning towards either the Eduard IRIS-T missile set, which includes a pair of LAU-129 rails, or, per above, the Flying Leathernecks LAU-127E/A as a "good enough" option.  I'm tempted to rob my Tamiya CJ kit, but the build I have in mind for that kit will use all four LAU-129s.  Any other options I should consider or general advice on offer?

     

    Make sure you check you references. The unit I was in, which rainbowed Colorado and Alabama jets, used LAU-129s on the wing tips and AIM-9 rails on underwing adapters.

     

    Vern

  7. On 1/21/2023 at 7:59 AM, Steve N said:

    I lived in the Denver/Boulder area back in the early 80s.  I recall tons of great hobby shops..Colpar being the Gold Standard.  We visited the area on vacation in 2017, my first return in over 30 years.  I was shocked to discover the first hobby shop I had visited when I lived there was still a going concern: Thompson's Hobbies in Lakewood.  I have no idea if it's still open or not.  Their bread and butter seemed to be primarily craft stuff, so hopefully they're still afloat.  I made it a point to buy a couple things when we were there, just for old time's sake.

     

    SN

     

    Sadly, they went out of business a few months ago. If I had looked everywhere for something without luck, Thompson's would have it. I also liked saying hi to their cat when I visited.

     

    Vern

  8. I took too much time off from this build to finish other projects. I am back at it.

     

    I did a stupid thing a while back and decided to cut off the exhaust fairing from the top and bottom halves of the fuselage and use the one piece fairing. Well, the XL has a different contour than the A. So, I have been fixing that mistake. I started by filling the gap with 0.010" strip.

     

    52462603022_5fa3cef7d7_b.jpg

     

    52463568675_a76154a665_b.jpg

     

    Next, I laminated the fairing to the correct diameter.

     

    52463650983_ce83285887_b.jpg

     

    You can see where I goofed and cut on the wrong side of my scribing tape. Next, sand, sand, sand...

     

    52463386229_9c70bc72bc_b.jpg

     

    The gaps required extra filling and I fixed my oops. The bottom contour wasn't quite right, either.

     

    52463386079_5342a4bf16_b.jpg

     

    52463569290_2dfd100e7d_b.jpg

     

    I'm also working on the canopy so I can close up the cockpit and prime. I had to remove a nasty seam line. Future and Brasso to the rescue!

     

    52478516566_7b8075728f_b.jpg

     

    I was hoping to have it done for High Plains Con 31, which is today, but life got in the way.

     

    Vern

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