Cubs2jets

I just hate that you had so much trouble with the new Revell P-51D. I can understand your frustration with all the issues you had. Maybe if you were to try another you could do better next time! Maybe Skill Level 5 is just stretching things for you? Always reach for a higher level - it's what makes us grow! C2j

All this diorama needs is a helicopter! LOL !! C2j

Search e-bay for vendor 109ace .

A beautiful one off airplane...

Very nicely done conversion. As a Cub owner I can appreciate your efforts to capture an interesting real life aircraft. C2j

I don't know anything about applicability of specific parts, but Mike West at Lone Star Models bought out Chris' Cobra Company molds/masters and is working to get parts available. http://www.lonestarmodels.com/store/c77/lsmcc-35029-uh-60-barrier-filters C2j

I suspect a broken double edged razor blade. Widely available. C2j

Damn! Modeling skills required... C2j

I am NOT arguing. We are discussing and I am enjoying you guys knowledgeable input! AA Bell 204B with ARC-102 HF antenna on tailboom. Aft termination point is 1/2 to 2/3 out the tail skid. The Bell 205 photo in discussion from above. This is the first image that I have seen in which you can see the entire antenna run (above the dreaded red line). If the antenna was attached 1/2 to 2/3 out the tail skid, it should follow the yellow line. I see three possible issues with this a) it MIGHT put the antenna into the plane of the tailrotor disk (depending on how far out the forward mast moves the wire) b) if the forward mast is close to or in line with the widest point of the fuselage, the antenna MIGHT contact the tailboom before it gets to the attach point on the tail skid. and 3) I just dont see the antenna continuing or an attach point on the tail skid in the image (plus the fact that you can clearly see that the antenna does NOT follow the yellow line). If the antenna attaches to the (apparent) tab on the tip of the sync elevator, it follows the green line exactly (with a slight sag from slack). Chris M, to your point about movement of the sync elevator causing harm to the antenna wire (stretching), look at where on the sync elevator the tab is placed. It is at the main spar / center of rotation of the sync elevator. There would be little or no movement of the attach point with rotation of the sync elevator, do you agree? I really appreciate you guy input and participation in this discussion. I think we can agree this antenna is a head scratcher. I'm sure there are pictures and or information somewhere. With our apparent luck, it is in the archives at Langley! I do begin to believe that in many of the 204B pictures the antenna wire is removed, missing, NOT present.

Chris, I accepted your information, then I downloaded the picture of the two 205D's on the Bell ramp. For the first time, I think I can see the entire run of the HF antenna wire and it appears to attach to a tab in the tip of the port sync elevator. I'd appreciate your input on this. I'm still looking for information regarding the 204B and antenna. I think I'm seeing a similar tab on the 204B sync elevator, but the wire seems to be missing in most photos. C2j

Well, I should learn that if it involves the CIA, I should keep my mouth shut as I'll probably get it wrong (as proven at the beginning of this thread). This link https://www.utdallas.edu/library/specialcollections/hac/cataam/Leeker/aircraft/205.pdf has concise informathion on Air America usage of Bell 205 / UH-1D/H airframes and specific information on XW-PFH. If you come up with info on the HF antenna, please post. C2j

ChesshireCat, can you PM me your contact information? I've got some info for you. C2j

RGS, Not UH-1H's but Bell 205A's LOL! I have spent some time trying to find additional information on the HF antenna on the Bell 204B's with little success. The forward frame is clear enough, it's just where does the antenna wire go? If you look carefully at the picture above, you can see a line that I think is the antenna wire from the mast and just above the rotor of the Bell in the background. It continues to be visible about midway up the fin of the Bell in the background but disappears as you continue aft from there. I have about come to the conclusion that it attaches to the port outboard end of the sync elevator on both the 204B"s and 205A"s. I'm looking at a box on my bench that has parts from three kits in it to get the Monogram Huey Hog morphed into a 204B. Time will tell. C2j

As delivered, the front seat frame had an off-white, 2-piece canvas "sling" (for lack of a better word). The back part slipped over the frame and the bottom portion laced into place. Over these were two black leather cushions - the back slipped over the seatback and the bottom just sat on the sling. Seating in the front is cramped and uncomfortable (even for a 1940 size man) so often the both cushions were taken out to give "just a little more room" - especially if wearing a parachute. The rear seat consisted of a square black leather cushion on a full width plywood base for the bottom and a 6" wide strap for the backrest. If I remember correctly, this is completely wrongly represented in the kit. Hope this helps

Having owned 4 different Piper J3 Cubs and been neck deep in various Piper cub derivatives, I can tell you the cockpits were spartan, and mostly monochromatic. The Bronco kit represents the last versions - the L-4H or J. Once serial production started, Piper painted everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - the same olive drab exterior color. The interior framework, the instrument panel, the floorboards, the gas tank behind and below the instrument panel, the control sticks and the rudder pedals ALL were olive drab and most of this was a single coat after assembly of the cockpit area during production. The easiest way to replicate this is to totally assemble the cockpit / fuselage halves, then paint everything inside olive drab. The seat cushions were black leather, but many pictures I have show the front cushions missing and the pilot sitting on the canvas frame cover (this was now a dirty white color). Instruments were black faced with white markings EXCEPT for the and oil press / temp gauge (furthest right) which was cream faced. Be careful googling for references. There are MANY restored L4's that are NOT authentic. Period b&w pics are your best guide. Eisenhower did NOT have a personal L4, but he did ride in L4's on numerous occasions. There is one picture of him sitting in the rear seat of an L4. The customary 4 stars denoting his rank are displayed in the window. There is a large white A forward of the insignia (but you can't see the 2-digit number that would be behind the insignia). Starting in mid 1944, L4's came off the production line in overall silver. I hope this information is of some help. C2j