BillS
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Posts posted by BillS
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http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-short-tragic-operation-of-f-4.html
Tommy Thomasons piece on BA losses. This explains a/c variations as the teams “scrounged” replacements.
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The Texas Guard jet also does the Blk 30. (Could be wrong) any of the kinetic gold c kits can build any usaf block. All the bits are there. What’s missing are the back bone reinforcements present in various forms except blk 50. You can buy these from Flying Leatherneck. They’re inexpensive and easy to apply. My only beef with Kinetic is that the pylon holes are molded open. If you want to leave the stubbies or 370s off, you’ll have to plug them.
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The two teams transitioned to the F4 about the same time. The original jets came off the line configured. Actually, the mods were pretty extensive and included a gaseous oxygen system vs. LOX because of availability at civilian airports plus the various flight control, smoke etc. Most will recognize the MacD T-bird paint scheme had rather short nose scallops, absence of wing tip stripes and different style tail numbers which were quickly rectified. The Blue’s original jets were almost all written off within a year or so. This corresponds with various scheme modifications in following show seasons. I’m sure Blue’s fans have already watched “Threshold” on Youtube. It’s chockablock full of detail and I think captures the team as it was then. There is also a series ( the name of which I forget) that interviews pilots from both teams. Contrasting those guys to today’s teams is interesting. There is nothing that compares to the ADS F-4s. It was a brute and took LOTS of effort to fly and maintain but man-oh-man, it was exciting to witness.
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Ben, so glad to see this topic get attention. My problem is the raft of stuff I have to that may or may not be useful depending on how much one wishes to get in to the “weeds” as it were. Over my years in the AF, I had the occasion to work with the T-Birds and was recommended to join as the maintenance officer. I worked directly for Bob Haney (F-100, F-4 transition) and Tim Roels (71-73 slot). Both are now deceased. Mike Jacobsen, Tom Swalm’s crew chief was/is the Thunderbird Historical Society contact and I’m sure I can track him down. He and I spent hours talking about the F-4 days. After Maj Gen Swalm retired, he was a consultant to GD. One day he strolled in to visit Tim Roels who at the time was the Director of F-16 Product Support at GD. Hecwas unapproachable as a general but as a civilian he brightened up when I brought up the Thunderbirds. He passed away here in the Dallas area several years ago. My father, a mechanical engineer at NAA , Los Angeles was Special Projects Supervisor and led the modifications on the F-100D when it was decided to go back to the Hun. I won’ mention my Blue Angel connection here. That’s a whole story itself!
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I think the easiest route is to just use some thin clear acetate and make your own. There are plenty of images out there. You will have to fashion a little projector optic on top of the glare shield but again, easy to fashion from scrap. The F-4B should be particularly easy. Best!
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You're on the home stretch!
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Very nice jet there. I concur with Rich. Refer to photos from that era. I’m a USAF’r and can attest to the fact that as time wore on, stenciling became minimalist. I saw plenty of USN/USMC F -4s in the late 70s and early 80s. You’d be super safe with servicing markings (O2, hyd. Etc) and safety warning markings. My opinion is the honeycomb markings remained on both USAF and USN til the end. Best wishes on finishing that thing!
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Hypersonic stuff is outstanding but the vey best seats are from Sparkit. The former are from cast resin, the later 3D. You’ll want Mk5 up to about 1967-8. Opt for early H-7s after that. Late H-7 showed up around late 70s early 80s.
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Just a great discussion and wow, some great seat collections. It is worthy of noting the differing philosophies between service branches and nations. The Brits and USN were initially big in to face curtains for actuation while USAF went for leg guard triggers, man seat separators (butt snappers) then between the leg D rings. On the MB seats, the harness European style harness was rated to 20 Gs while the US integrated design was rated to 40 Gs. Surprised there’s not a Northrop seat in the mix here.
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Gene K is bang on. Unsee it. He flew them, I was a maintenance officer on them and I still trying to figure out what’s so awful about the ZM C/D/J! I think the 40 something Monogram with a little tarting up still builds in to a nice replica.
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Dave Roof will know for sure.
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Habu nailed it. I pulled the attached from NATOPS. Though not real detailed, it gives a good explanation of gear actuation. The one actuator in your images does the work. Springs and air loads assist with alternate extension.
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I’m with Dave. I talked to the Tam. Reps at last year’s nats. They said the reason no new variants of the F-4 have come out is because they have 3 engineers that do all their scale airplane development. The F-35 was the “priority”. Considering the success of the A and B, I’m betting they're going to round out the series with a C. It’s different, it’s big, it’s got a tailhook and it’s got markings. If they’re going to do one, I’m thinking a November 2024 announcement is plausible.
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Without question the main assembly comprising the bucket and structure were dark gull gray. The seat cushion as depicted above was light olive. The parachute was sage green or sort of light bluish green as were the chute risers and lap belt. These did fade out. The face curtain, harness release and lower ejection handles were yellow as was the “head knocker”. this was a narrow handle in the middle of the headrest that when puled down, safed the seat.
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I’ve built 2 Hasegawa AV-8Bs and one Kinetic FRS2. They are both quite good so it boils down to version. Overall I kinda lean toward Has.
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Gorgeous
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Quinta-cockpit
Reskit-Augmenter and nozzle, wheels
Flying Leatherneck-Reinforcements
Master -probes
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Weird thing is I was at Nellis at this time. Those jets pretty much flew clean as I remember. There was a ramp full of them down by base ops and T-Birds. they were very active but I think most of their work was around giving stealth guys stick time and supporting their work. The most memorable thing I remember was a late afternoon when one blew a tire and ground looped right in front of me. You could tell the pilot was hanging on for dear life! He ended up in the infield in a cloud of dust and that was that! I remember another incident was a fatality one night on the range. Not much said about that one.
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Well for sure the thing is based on a BLU 27 napalm canister that has been modified to become an MXU 648 travel pod. These were standardized and were governed by their own Tech Orders. They could be locally manufactured or at least they used to be.
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Not a whole lot to fuss over. On some the slipway door was natural metal color
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Curt,
although the MB H7 is depicted here, the GRU 7 harness concept was pretty much the same. Basci ally, the pilot wears a harness without a parachute. The harness hooks to the risers/shoulder harness and to the survival kit. There is a sort of conventional lap belt and four leg restraint garters. The risers are connected to an inertia reel behind the crew members upper back. Even though foreign nations used MB, their harness assemblies were somewhat different. USAF/USN are rated to 40gs. RAF to 20 on those older seats. The MK 10 and up are probably common for every user I think
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‘Nawlens of course
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Personally, I don’t know where the idea that 17875 is “off white”. When freshly painted insignia white is well, “white”. I think the exception is obviously heavily weathered or dirty areas. Turbine oil in particular leaves an oriangeish stain. So, missles of that period were white but might show hand prints etc. I think off white would look, I hate to say it this way, but off!
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Holy balls! What a sheet! And it’s Cartograph. What’s not to love!
1/48 F-86A: it's almost here...
in Jet Modeling
Posted
This kit has me as worked up as the Eduard P-51B! I just cant wait. Thanks Gabor for filling us in!