Hoops

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That's the GPS Antenna, which is flat on the panel and larger. The Astrotracker was housed a prominent bulge with the smaller glass window that was exclusive to the FB-111A

I'm sure to be corrected, but I think only the FB-111A had the astrocompass. It was removed when they were converted to the G models. There were however some EF-111s, and I believe F-111Fs that incorporated GPS late in their career, utilizing a big antenna in front of the windscreen where the astrocompass was on he FBs.

Probably this one: http://posthobby.com/shop/atsugi/ The only Hobby Shop I know of in Atsugi, but then again I just moved to the area. Visited for the first time on Sunday, and they had stacks of F-14Ds for 6880¥. I'm pretty sure they don't do mail order, though. Hoops

Post Hobby in the Aeon Tower?

The hasegawa molds have beenused a lot and definitely show their age. I have not had those problems with rescribing any that Inhave though. Overall the Finemolds kit is superior to Hasegawa, the disadvantage being no option for dropped flaps. The only readily available Finemolds version right now is the A. Based on the sprue layout, the B is a logical next step but is not released yet. The D was was limited as part of the magazine release, I don't know if it will ever be released again otherwise. Hoops

You're welcome!

Came as extras in most Revell kits if somebody has spares. Failing that Quickboost has them in resin, 72196. Barring both of the above, cut off the aft portion and resand to profile. Cheers, Hoops

Maintrack models released a conversion in the early 90s, but it has been out of production for decades. Quality is so so, and represents the configuration as the masters were made. This means shorter cheeks (don't make it all the way to the crew access door) and different antennas than currently mounted. I can't claim to know all the details, but as I understand the different sensor configurations are referred to as "Baselines." I also have read that there has been an attempt to bring some commonality, so that even different aircraft (S/U/V/W) will all be able to e

Good find! Although I'm looking at the nose as a possible YMC-130H build, which didn't have the microwave band thimble radome underneath. Instead, it had a FLIR, which looks rather like an IRDS from what I can see. I honestly don't know what would be more difficult, the vac form nose and hacking it up to represent the differences, or sculpting it with Evergreen and Milliput? Cheers, Hoops

Thank you very much! There were two options in 1/72 out there are far as I can tell, DB Productions (closed shop in 1995) and the other being "In Country Hobbies" that also seems to have stopped sometime in the 90s. Apparently there was somebody in Japan doing a more extensive c Resin set in the early 2000s under the name Eggversion conversions, none of the above are currently available. Lucky for me I've got some scratch building skills and may be able to make a go of this. Cheers and thanks again! Hoops

Good looking progress! I'm considering doing a C-130 with the long Pinocchio nose in 1/72, but the resin conversions seem to be even harder to find than the Cutting Edge 1/48 release. Most seem to have ceased production in the 1990s. I've resolved myself to scratch building the nose. I've read that the Cutting edge nose is pretty good, would it be possible to get a good photo in side profile as well as top or bottom profile? That might help me out with the basic forms, I'll just have to do a lot sanding on the curves! Cheers and thanks, Hoops

Very nice build! Cheers and thanks for sharing, Hoops

While it is the same aircraft, it is a much less historically interesting option. The kill was eventually credited to a F-15 I believe, but for a while having an EF-111 with a kill marking, loads of mission markings and nose art is a pretty cool option. Hoops

Amazing progress, keep up the good work!

Thanks for the response, Ron. I'm aware of the basics involved in the conversion, but there are a lot of small details that would be necessary to model the aircraft accurately. I was hoping that there might be somebody out there that had taken detailed pictures of it while on display before being stripped apart the last few years. Cheers and happy modelling, Hoops

Because everybody is scooping up the processors to mine bitcoin...

Not yet.

The K is the export version for "Kommercial" or something along those lines. It will have downgraded avionics and systems, and so there will be minor differences like antennas, but the basic airframe will be the same. What they are specifically, though, I can't tell you off the top of my head. Hoops

I'll be in for a Hasegawa 1/72 F-14a in the famous blue splinter scheme. Hoops

They could always make him a reservist, that could explain the extraordinarily long career, CAPT rank and still flying fighters.

I didn't look at the names that closely, but I'd think you could be right. Mr. Koenig may be an Ensign, perhaps restricted line even (squadron Intel officer). I don't I see wings on his chest, but there is already a good amount of ribbons, more than somebody fresh out of flight school. Could also be an LDO ENS perhaps? Cheers, Hoops

If you look at the order of the names, it's alphabetical, then resets every so often. The first two are CDRs based on the scrambled eggs, then it goes back to "Bruntlett" for five names, who are all a bit saltier and older looking. I'd say those are all LCDRs. The next eight would be LTs, and then it resets again, and the last six are LTJGs. Hoops

Good afternoon, Does anybody by chance have a walkaround that they took of the rocket assisted C-130 that was in storage at Robins AFB? I would definitely be a challenge to model, but an interesting product. It sat out in the open for years, but seems to be in the process of disassembly currently and no longer accessible to the public. I'd mostly be interesting in references of the modifications vs a standard C-130. I appreciate any responses, cheers! Hoops

The "D" specific parts were in the first issue (which is sold out everywhere I've looked) even though issues 2 and 3 can still be found. What is YJA and where did you find the D parts? Thanks! Hoops