mrvark

Thanks all!

Where was this picture of the F-105 inboard multi-weapon pylon taken?

In the above pictures, the missiles with the milky-orange seeker windows are IIR missiles (125-lb warhead D or 300-lb warhead G). The ones with clear windows are EO (H, which are 125-lb warhead Bs modified with an improved seeker or Ks with the same seeker and a 300-lb warhead). Laser seekers (L for USAF E-2 for USN) also have clear windows, but the side of the seeker has LASER in large letters stenciled on the side.

Just a quick tip. When making Reskit resin nozzles, most of the cutting to free the parts from their casting blocks is pretty straight-forward. However, the afterburner flame holders are a bit of a challenge. These parts are three-dimensional in that they are conically shaped. I've tried cutting them free and am here to warn you not to do that--you'll probably end up damaging the parts (at least, if you're as clumsy as I am)! Instead, get a corse sanding stick and sand the excess away gradually. It's time consuming and messy, but the part will end up intact and you won't beat your head against

As a guy with a little (NOT a lot) of USAF F-4 time, I wonder how those Navy guys got in the jet without stepping on the seat cushion!

The original AGM-12B Bullpup A was usually mounted to the LAU-34, which was also used with the AGM-45. This is what it looked like:

Sparrow (probably an E-2) in the front well as well--that's unusual. Can't tell for sure, but it looks like there may NOT be any aft-mounted Sparrows. Too bad the photographer didn't wait about two more seconds before taking his pic. 🙄

So far as I'm aware, only 497 TFS (FP) F-4Ds had (gloss) black bellies. The earliest pic I've seen so painted was in 1969 and they were painted this way through 1972. Aircraft noted painted this way included 66-0279, 66-8713, 66-8738*, 66-8786*, 66-8802, 66-8812* (there may have been more, but NOT all 497th aircraft were painted this way). All of these aircraft were fitted with the PAVE Phantom Towel Rack antenna. The aircraft above marked with an asterisk (*) are known to have been some of the 11 F-4Ds capable of employing the PAVE Sword pod. From a modeling standpoint, they were

Academy's two-seat canopy is too flat (IIRC). Fairy Hobby did a vac-u-form correction some years ago, but it now seems to be OOS. Don't let the posted price scare you, $120 HKD is only about $15.50 USD!

Here's what the Scale Motorsport carbon fibre decals look like on my 1:48 F-16I. The decal is just one big sheet, not individual decals. Came up with a drawing on what the individual petals look like and had a friend with a silhouette printer cut them out for me. Turns out the petals differ, depending on which kit you're using.

I got really excited until I went to the link and it is 1/48 🙁 (and they don't specify which kit its for). Amazon (of all places) seems to carry AFV Club's line of coated canopies (which is unfortunately kind of limited).

The majority of MXU-648/A Travel Pods are repurposed BLU-27 Vietnam era Napalm bombs. There used to be some based on the BLU-1, but I think most of those have passed into history.

Not a great shot, but here's one loaded with Scalp (sis Storm Shadow) on 25 March 2011.

I just checked this out on the Scalemates website and noticed that the Eldorado Canyon markings are for 70-2386, which just happened to be the jet with my name on it that night 😃. I know the WSO who flew it and he confirmed the next morning that it was 'my' jet. Unfortunately, it was an air spare and didn't fly the whole mission, turning back after the first air refueling near Land's End (with a runaway INS showing 600 knots of wind 🙄). BTW, my book on the raid is nearing completion--hoping to get it sent off the the Pentagon within the month for the security review. Not sure how long tha

I don't think its a MTOW issue. When I asked the question, my understanding was that Spice can be carried with the 600 gal tanks, but that mix precluded the Python IV on the outboard station. That makes me think it is probably a separation issue (i.e., when the Spice is released, the airflow around the tank might force it outboard enough that it might impact the the Python IV), but that is only my GUESS.