Quixote74
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Posts posted by Quixote74
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11 minutes ago, MoFo said:
The Israeli F-4E is one of the first deliveries from the 1973 war. These were delivered without slats, so it should be the same as the previous F-4E kits, apart from the decals. (Boo! I want my slat wings, damnit!) One odd thing - my understanding was that this first batch was delivered still in SEA camo and with USAF tail codes (but Israeli roundels), but the box art depicts standard Israeli camo and squadron markings. Israel's F-4 were retrofitted with slatted wings pretty soon after the war, though I don't know exactly what the timing would be for hard wing/slat wing and SEA/desert camo. I'd probably check my references before following the kit markings, just to be sure.
Happy to be corrected/learn something new, but my understanding was that the original F-4E Kurnass deliveries to Israel were in their specific color scheme, only wearing temporary US markings during early stateside testing and on their delivery flights. The first 50 Kurnass airframes were delivered starting in 1969 so pre-dated the slat mod (in fact I have read that one Israeli airframe, which later wore the giant sharkmouth, was fitted with a fixed set of slats as part of McDD's aerodynamic tests before adopting the definitive slat configuration for production & refits).
The F-4Es used by Israel delivered in SEA camo and with US tailcodes were rushed transfers during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, known as Operation Nickel Grass. I recall reading that at least one may have been hurried into combat before its stars & bars were overpainted. Supposedly the green scheme gave rise to the nickname "toad" for the non-desert scheme airframes.
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Loading out a MiG-37? 🤔
About the only guided type I'm aware of that would fit those parameters is the KAB-250 series of LGB. This site has a pretty good rundown of the full variety of non-missile PGMs:
https://www.ausairpower.net/APA-Rus-GBU.html
The AS-7/Kh-66 is, as far as I know, the smallest ASM in the Soviet/Russian inventory at just over 11 feet long, so you're out of luck for missiles based on your bay size.
If this actually is for a WHIF/fictional type, you might take a cue from the GBU-27 and mix a guidance section from one type with a warhead and/or tail group from another to fit into your bay.
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11 hours ago, mig21gato said:
Hi Sarathy, try With Hasegawa weapons set VIII
https://www.amazon.com.mx/HASEGAWA-35113-Aircraft-Weapons-VIII/dp/B004KVZGUO
This include the “alíen pod” AKA “angry kitten “ used by agressors/adversary squads.
Cheers.
Sorry but the pod in Hasegawa's 1:72 Weapons Set VIII is the later ALQ-188 - superficially similar but significantly smaller and with different shapes/proportions than the ALQ-167 @Sarathi S. was looking for. The ALQ-167 is the "Angry Kitten" now being used on USAF aircraft and drones, but the ALQ-188 is, to the best of my knowledge, only used by aggressor/adversary aircraft for training.
Also worth noting, the ALQ-167 has been in service for 40 or more years so there have been detail changes and different sub-variants over that span of time (but it has always been noticeably different from the 188).
ALQ-167 (on a Learjet):
ALQ-188 (on an aggressor F-15):
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Somewhat ironically given how closely the ALQ-167 is associated with USN late-Cold War combat types, there are actually two different toolings of Learjet in 1:72 that include the only injection molded representations of this EW pod:
Learjet 35 from Sova-M:
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/sova-m-svm-72019-gates-learjet-35--1245901
Or the C-21/Learjet 35 from the (in)Famous Mach 2:
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mach-2-gp057-c-21-learjet--939741
In both cases these exist to allow building the various operators that use the pods on otherwise civilian jets as "threat simulators" for military clients. There may be some minor antennae differences but as far as I've seen the basic pod construction is same as the classic USN "Bullwinkle" pods.
I don't have either of the Learjet kits but can guarantee that Sova's rendition is superior, however note that for the Sova kits the pod is only in certain boxings. Mach 2's sprue setup means that you get a pair of the pods no matter which release you choose (including several marking options, e.g. NASA, for which the pods are entirely superfluous).
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Fortunately footge of the last flight of "Glamorous Glennis" in 1950 was used in the 1957 John Wayne film "Jet Pilot" - in glorious technicolor 🙂
Screenshots on the Internet Movie Plane Database HERE show Eduard's instructions match the colors as flown. Presumably the orange horizontal tail and the nose art were added when being restored for display at the Smithsonian (I don't have access to my library to confirm, but I believe it would have been restored to the all-orange scheme correct for Yeager's October 1947 flight when moved to the Milestones In Flight gallery of the then-new NASM building when it opened in 1976).
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Great addition to a very nice build! Now you just need to set up a diorama with this bird parked next to a maintenance crew servicing an "invisible" squadron mate 😄
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Very nice! Was the radiation hazard "trefoil" on the nose something you had already, or is it made from shapes/scraps?
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All of your basic information seems correct, the only thing I might question is the era of your photo but it depends which operator is depicted (slatted F-4E/F is apparent from the image).
Blue is the standard NATO color to denote training missiles, but you must understand there are different varieties of that training - some only for loading/unloading (but not cleared for flight), others for "captive carry" only, with or without the targeting devices of a live missile.
What your photo depicts is what is known as an "acquisition round," which cannot be fired because it has no rocket motor or aft fins (note all-blue body and cropped tail). This allows the carrying aircraft to practice locking on to a target as they would with a live missile, but with no danger of accidentally shooting (as has happened accidentally on a few occasions).
Based on the forward fin shape, the Sidewinder variant in this case is either an AIM-9J, AIM-9N, or AIM-9P, which are virtually identical for modeling purposes. The J and N were used by the USAF starting from the early 1970s, while the P was a further improved model introduced in the mid-70s. More on the history and variety of Sidewinder variants can be read HERE
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52 minutes ago, Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy said:
Brilliant! Yes, I recognized the very last one, but hadn't considered that the others wouldn't even have existed during the time of the pod's use.
So, if the other two are after-add-ons, then probably all three.
So now my last puzzlement is whether to add the ACC badge at the front....
I do recall reading that a nuclear badge had been used, presumably the yellow and orange disc?
Just to clarify my note above, the command badge would be TAC (if present) - I think A-7s were even gone from the ANG by time of the ACC changeover. My bet would be no badges were on the original.
The wikipedia article on the 4450th in its section on Team Spirit 84 specifically refers to pods for each aircraft that deployed, and further states they featured a "radiation warning tag over an ominous-looking slot on which was printed: 'Reactor Cooling Fill Port.'" Unfortunately the source referenced (a 69 page unit history) doesn't seem to actually include such details, much less any photos or other references.
Personally I'd stick with the red/black diamond for radiation warnings, but absent anything definitive you could make a case for that or the classic "trefoil" hazard symbol as being recognizsble.
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21 hours ago, Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy said:
Any thoughts on whether or not they would've actually had the 4 different badges on it when they actually flew it?
Or is it more likely they were only added for display purposes?
All but one of the badges on the museum display pod post-date the A-7D's retirement by the 4450th so I would be surprised if any were worn originally.
The nose section has an ACC badge, which would have still been TAC during the 4450th's operations.
The three badges at the rear are, left to right:
49th TFW - anachronistic on two levels, as the F-117s last official operating unit was the 49th FW (no "Tactical") and the 49th never flew A-7Ds at all.
37th TFW - the operating wing for the F-117, 1989-1992 - also never flew A-7Ds, since those were replaced by AT-38Bs in early 1989 after the F-117 was declassified.
4450th TFG - the only badge that is correct for the pod's era, the 4450th flying A-7s and F-117s at Groom Lake and Tonopah from 1981 to their redesignation as the 37th TFW in 1989.
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Would love to see some WHIF options for the RS-70 (aka "SR-70") recon/strike variant with some bare titanium and "ironball" black in place of the usual white.
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1 hour ago, Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy said:
Only other thing I'm wondering is that I remember reading somewhere that they slapped nuclear stickers on it; I'm thinking either it was on some and not others, or on all of them and the markings seen in the photos here are not what they actually flew with but are for display purposes only. Maybe?
"Nuclear" may be a reference to the "REACTOR COOLING FILL PORT" stencil and/or the red/black diamond which is, IIRC, a warning label for high-energy RF output (i.e. radiation) as most frequently seen on jamming pods like the ALQ series.
I wonder if this was flown in "full public view" prior to at least the initial F-117 acknowledgement, as it seems like an obvious joke - along the same lines as the staged "invisible plane" photos and gags. Outside their normal operating areas the pod(s) would draw some degree of attention to a top secret program you would think they preferred to avoid. I recall reading that standard procedure on non-secure bases when the A-7s deployed was to have armed guards on the flight line and force all the locals to look the other way. But there are also some precedents of "hiding in plain sight" even when programs are officially "black" (thinking of the F-117 'zap' on the RAF Tornado as just one example).
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32 minutes ago, Illu said:
Why would a baggage pod have antennas on it? It’s for carrying golf clubs.
This was a gag worked up by the 4450th TFG when they were flying A-7s in public and F-117s in secret (before the stealth fighter was publicly acknowledged). Note the red text: "Klingon Cloaking Device"
Top secret gear to hide your nuclear wessels and other sensitive subjects 👽🚀
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Looks great so far - probably too much to hope someone near Hill could get a photo or two of what's hidden by the cradle, but I expect the bottom is most likely spot for more antennae of any description.
Thanks to @habu2's info I found a slightly higher resolution copy of the Hill AFB Museum IG image (linked). There's another partly legible warning stencil below the squadron badges, and some smaller text and rivets (as for another possible antenna?) just visible below the red/black RF warning sticker.
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With the discrepancies between the verbal descriptions and the photo (which is obviously a "museum" piece), there are a few possibilities. The pod in the photo could've had some elements deleted - e.g. antenna or applied intake parts removed - or just on the other side not visible in the photo. Or it's also possible that more than one travel pod got this treatment with custom differences between them.
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Assuming you mean the side of the circled area (what looks like a circular fill port is on the top), I'd bet on this just being a reflection of lights at the ceiling. Other than the bright wedge shape there doesn't seem to be any change in color/reflection on that section that would be there if there was any physical change in the shape - even dialing up the exposure and contrast to "enhance" anything that might have been there.
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Can it be done with the actual airframe? Yes:
But it's rare, because the CG limits are touchy even with the wings swept full-forward:
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Certainly from an earlier timeframe but this photo shows the other side of 56-0735 in QF configuration, with the dayglo still fresh. The same site has a section on other QF-104As that may also be helpful for confirming general markings and timeframes. Unfortunately I don't see any with the tail/tank trim colors to confirm.
A caption in a 1974 issue of Replica In Scale, found online from a source I can't link here, indicates the tail band as red/white/blue and tank tips as red/black. Is it possible the tail mark is a "command stripe" used somewhat haphazardly on some USAF types in this era?
The partial airframe history here indicates 735 was destroyed in 1965, if that helps narrow your search some.
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I can't speak for how well they match the FS 595 colors, but if you're OK with spray cans and want to avoid mixing, Tamiya's AS series includes AS-13 meant to match 34079 dark green and AS-14 meant to match 34102 medium green.
There seems to be some difference of opinion about whether AS-16 is a match for 36622 (the correct underside color for the standard SEA camouflage scheme) vs. 36440 light gull gray. Likewise AS-20, although labeled as "Insignia White," is actually a very light gray (far too dark/gray to match 37875, too light for a match to 36622 unless you're accounting for heavy fading/scale effect).
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Great to see this coming before the icecaps finish melting 😉
Will this correspond with the previously announced 1:48 set, or a standalone for Sword's new 1:72 release?
Any decisions yet on subjects?
(Sharing previous discussion links to save others some searching)
http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/333530-sword-rf-8-crusaders/
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@Dutch and @Paul Boyer, apparently your collective efforts at kitbashing and conversions have satisfied the modeler's corollary of Murphy's Law: Mach 2 (I know, I know...) has announced a series of injection molded 1:72 DC-9-30 releases.
@KursadA no idea if this would make a 1:72 release viable, but between the Atlantis/Aurora reissue and the fact aftermarket decals are a prerequisite for any Mach 2 build, I hope you'll consider it.
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I don't believe these were the same (or even installed) for all variants so it may help if you can be more specific on your subject.
LSP has a sampling that shows the windscreen pitots on a couple of variants:
https://www.largescaleplanes.com/walkaround/wk.php?wid=53
Primeportal has some Mirage IIIS shots that also show the pitots but not all that clearly (IIIC and IIIB walkarounds don't have the pitots at this location):
http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/gunther_neumahr/mirage_iii_s/
This site has some better shots, also a IIIS.
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Looks like you have your request settled, but FYI to anyone else looking:
KMC did a set of 1:72 "finless" nape canisters in resin, labeled as BLU-10 & BLU-32:
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/kmc-72-7017-blu-10-and-blu-32-napalm-canisters-vietnam--148282
Kora does a similar set, though of lesser quality but still available, labeled as BLU-27s:
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/kora-models-dsm72027-blu-27-napalm-bombs--1242766
In addition to the A-10, Hasegawa also included similar parts (for either napalm or baggage pods) in their 'old tool' F-4E/EJ/F kits that are still in production and widely available for much less than the new tool kits (tanks are on sprue B, with the starboard fuselage half).
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"Decent" is in the eye of the beholder, but some quick Google-fu turns up some options:
http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/waEF111A.html
https://www.daytonipms.org/ef-111-sparkvark
Note:
A) Most of these show preserved example(s) so as always there may be some variation with aircraft when in-service
B) The EF-111As were all conversions of A-models so if there are specific details you can't find for the Spark Vark, try looking for the equivalent details on an A (in general if it wasn't part of the conversion it would have stayed the same)
Finally; a new 1/72 Phantom
in Jet Modeling
Posted
Using the Revell F-4F as a slat wing conversion donor (outer wings and slat actuators) wouldn't actually have to be that wasteful - since the F tooling was based on the earlier RF-4E, the redundant 'hard wing' outboard parts are still on the sprues for the F. Meaning after you robbed the aforementioned slat wing parts, you still have a complete hard wing kit - just need to source slotted stabilators to do an accurate EJ/early E (and who among us 1:72 builders doesn't have a stockpile of spare stabs?)