ScotVA36

Those B/L's look great Joel the whole build is looking good. KUDOS my friend. Scott

It's more like a sandpaper consistency as opposed to rubber I have some photos somewhere I'll post some when I find them, all of them didn't necessarily have it done just another option. Scott

FYI, we would paint non-skid on the steps of the B/L usually it was black in color it would wear off pretty quick to, just some more tidbits of info for you. Again looking good:) Scott

Looking great Joel keep up the work my friend. Scott

Just to give you an idea the two tone gull grey and white went away in in mid 80,s except for the GAG bird which was alway "00" nutz and the KA-6D and the where retired in 93. Scott

It's kinda hard to determine the color there but I have seen it maybe a light black only thing is the photo depicts only the #3 turtle back panel coated those are the panels on the top of the fuselage count them out and you will see 3 panels starting from the canopy #2 and 3 where always coated unles at times it was a GAG Bird. Scott

The walkways where painted with a non-skid type paint it's is a dark ghost grey in color to begin with but some times it was painted over so it's not black unless your dealing with pre 80s then it was a black Scott

I've worked on A-4's, T-2's and FA-18C/D's but the A-6 is my true love ,as quarky as that sounds I love it when others model it as I've built probably built 20+ kits and still have 5 in the stash I have Trumps 1/32 A version but I'm really waiting for the E as that's the one I worked on plus the tankers anyway glad I can be of assistance, this is truely one of the most amazing aircraft the US ever had! Waiting for more progress it's looking good. Scott

Sure that's a doable load we flew many asymmetric loads as well our sucaps where loaded thusly Sta1 2 mk82 on a MER a low load bottom station on the forward and rear, sta2 empty, sta3 2000lb DT, sta4 GBU 12 and sta5 2 rockeye (mk20) on a MER low load. Very rarely did we fly GBU 8 those are heavy GBU 12 and 16's where mostly used. Situation would dictate load outs but almost never on center line especially aboard ship, I've seen some wacky loads though so most anything is possible on the intruder. The SWIP upgrade enhanced the weapon platform phenomenally, there just wasn't that many of them.TR

During the Gulf War,at the beginning we SUCAP "surface combat air patrol" with a load of 1 GBU-12, 2 rock eye, and 2 MK82's then we started putting 22 MK82's on all stations except sta3 centerline that had a DT. Scott

Looking good Joel ..keep on chooglin. Scott

Slats,stabs and verticle stab where the only places we applied it, it's was the corrosion control shops job to apply it and a lot of times it just wasn't done. Scott

It's a tape kind of a silicone sheet with a sticky backing it's called out in the IPB " Illistated Parts Breakdown" as " leading edge tape" sometime we would use epoxy to reinforce its adherence we also sometimes just panted over the tape. In modeling I just use Model Master 1709 radome tan it's close enough to color. Scott

After reading the squadron walkaround books I was disappointed anyway couple a years ago I was going to try and give a better understanding one day I may finish it ,if interested.. http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/general_discussion/f/9/t/145685.aspx Patiently waiting your progress :rolleyes:/>/>/> Scott

Gad you went that way she looks wonderful, The A-6 just looks powerful you either love it or ya don't , the A-6 was a bird I really hated to love, I ended up teaching FRAMP,and was in VA-34 and VA-36 plus worked on Intruders at Strike in Pax River till we flew 527 out to the bone yard then I went to Hornets hated them I really mss the A6. Yours is looking great! Scott

You correct it maybe a misnomer but in the a-6 communitie they are flaperons the maintainence manuals plus the NATOPS will list these as flaperons It's been that way for 50 years they do work with the flaps when they are both down

Well to leave those surfaces up while park first you would need a hyd jenny ans nc8 out on the flight then they could be duplicated. You could make a dio of it just touching down land base. Flaperons where a pian in the butt the are held on via a hingpin very long one and they neve wanted to come out, any my two cent I would cut them down to lay flat either way you gonna make it look sweet, Scott

You could raise the flaperon on the ground for deflection checks it required external power ie hyd and elec, then engage the cockpit switch and advance the throttles past half then the would raise. To answer your question as to why they are not deployed in that pic is because it's aboard ship thus the pilot would not have engaged " flaperon pop-up" it's not needed for an arrested landed on ship, plus that pic is showing the aircraft approaching the cats getting ready to launch.Sorry for all the confusion didn't mean to mess your wonderful build up. Scott

First I want to say what a beautiful build having worked on the intruder for 13 years as a structural mechanic the AC is special to me. I would like to add some info for you seeing as the A-6 had no ailerons the the flap like surfaces above the flaps are what where used to control the roll these are called "flaperons" raising one would kill lift on that wing thus causing roll to that side, they do however have a second function upon landing with gear down, weight on wheels and a switch engaged in the cockpit "flaperon pop-up" with all these function met and at a certain airspeed the flaperons

I was stationed at Strike (attack shop, A-6's) in the mid 90's and I went over to the aircraft displays once which was ok, just have to beware of the "Smibs and Smurfs" Pax was one of my better duty stations. Scott

I was attached to VFA-151 aboard the Connie 1997-2001 did two cruises on her, she is the second ship to be put to rest the first USS America during my 20 years, it's always sad to see ones home away from home go this route:( Scott

Well I managed to get a good copy from Sprue Brothers. Thanks again ESzczesniak. Scott

No worries it's like my 4th project thanks man

Awesome that would be great thank you

I recently picked this kit up looks great one problem it has the instruction sheet for the resin cockpit. I can probably manage without it does anyone have they can scan legibly as I can't seem to find one I can read . Thank folks Scott