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mrvark

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Everything posted by mrvark

  1. Why Eldorado Canyon and not El Dorado Canyon? Some controversary has been generated as to why I titled my book Operation Eldorado Canyon rather than to grammatically correct Operation El Dorado Canyon. It was not a mistake. Modern U.S. military operations have two-word code names (e.g., Desert Storm, Provide Comfort, Unified Protector). The code-name the Libya raid was initially being planned under, Prairie Fire, was usurped by the Navy’s actions in March 1986 (when Operation Attain Document went kinetic). When the USAF planners were informed that their planning was to continue und
  2. The close up pics are of the F-111A at the NMUSAF. The other photo is from the Vietnam War. It appears that the rear of the pylon conform to the rear of the AN/ALQ-87 ECM pod; there are drawings the support this. Note that the pylon is aligned with the cannon fairing, NOT the aircraft centerline. The rear pylon was as the previous post.
  3. https://www.ebay.com/itm/115083140304?itmmeta=01HQVHFWWAA2QF3T9YKVT3ZQG4&hash=item1acb7d5cd0:g:NeIAAOSwHvphhs1A&itmprp=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwPXYEx%2B15m4h8mnAKKP9PT%2BI3PZvNr1cR1Dn8sMQWik7bJ02%2BvvH6XA3PkBd96a3raH7OkhnOTCRFu1NbnEBwF0ub%2FPi7dHhjVGYjQwalcpUV26gyaWqMjkqPMGL%2Bmvj09dywAAnXhc7dBWVzsKcFiextAwu39wZ7jP1%2BsKTQyQppBmGb6oVqLsBJqrTSB39RrmFqQgnR1bFPpUeTCZxtyzbQu5t9kI0jrXCxP%2BXq1QlHAuHt6ha3u2jEnl%2Bpwu23Q%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR6TOv_G-Yw
  4. The interesting thing about #2 was its wings had 5° (I think) dihedral, which you can see in the above picture.
  5. Yeah, just slipped again, but this should be the last one. Book is being published in Europe and the latest slip probably reflects shipping time.
  6. Make sure you're using BRU-3A/As and not MERs. Also, if the reverse taper (narrow by the fuselage, wide at the tip) of the Hobby Boss flap vanes annoy you as much as they do me, the Scaledown wings made for the Academy kit will fit the HB kit. One last thing--the aft MLG door was parallel to the fuselage during Vietnam, but was shortened and bolted to the back of the MLG making it perpendicular to the fuselage by the time it was acquired by the RAAF.
  7. Try this first. Second, get the ResKit RS48-0442 for the correct ECM pods (F-111As didn't need the RAT nosecones) and RS48-0438 adapter for the rear ECM pod. The attached picture will help with positioning. The front ECM pod was installed directly behind the gun blister (not on the centerline). Its adapter is easy enough to scratch build. ResKit also does a number of kits to correct the numerous flaws in both the Academy and Hobby Boss kits that can be ordered directly from them, SprueBrothers or Hannants. Especially useful with the Hobby Boss kit is their RSU48-0166 escape capsule
  8. The book has been to the printers, you can see some sample pages HERE. It should be available in Europe in February and late March in the U.S.
  9. I agree with A-10 Loader that bomb racks go on all four tunnel stations. If you want, you can add an AIM-7M on the aft (#4) station. Also, you must install the FPU-1 fuel tanks. The glove stations were independent, but while carrying LLLGBs, they'd undoubtedly carry an AN/AAQ-25 LANTIRN pod on the right pylon. Corrected thanks to Gerry's comment below--I misread a table.
  10. Hi Pappy, I'm NOT a Spark Vark expert, but I can answer some of your questions: 1) By the time 66-0044 had the Straight Flush artwork applied, it had received the AMP modifications and did have the GPS antenna installed. In late 1992 it didn't, butBy April 1994 it did. The pic I have of the artwork was taken in 1995. 2) I think the AN/ALE-40 was part of the AMP upgrade, but I'm not positive about that. 3) I looked through my pics and the prototype had the CMRS installed, but I couldn't find any pics of operational jets with it. I didn't do a thorough search, but certainly b
  11. I hate to burst your bubble, but it was supposed to come out LAST July 4th! 🤣
  12. Just a quick update on the BOOK. Originally scheduled for release last July 4th, it's now scheduled for release in the U.S. the third week in March. As I understand it, it will come out about a month earlier in Europe. A LOT of folks have asked for autographed copies and I'm happy to do that. Rather than run up everyone's postal bills, I will be at both the U.S. and U.K. IPMS conventions next year and (as I understand it) you'll be able to purchase the book at a discount and I can autograph it there. I'll also be giving my presentation again at Madison (a 1-hr. version) on Thursday morning. I'
  13. Pretty much. However, the F-111C had Triple Plow I (TP I) inlets while the FB-111 (aside from the first two) had TP II inlets. That said, none of the TP II inlets on either of the kits are accurate.
  14. If you read my previous post, there is a hot link to OzMod's 1:48 F-111 page...
  15. While the Hobby Boss kits have more pronounced panel lines, it has numerous flaws that just drive me nuts (bug-eyed canopy and flap vanes that have increased chord as they go outboard, etc.). The Academy kits are cheaper and look more like an F-111 in my opinion. Their canopies, while still a bit too wide are MUCH closer to correct than the HB kit's. The best place for a lot of F-111 aftermarket (including wheel wells) is OzMods. ResKit also does a lot of F-111 related aftermarket, as well.
  16. We had a pretty good turnout—about 60 people attended. Sorry you missed it.
  17. My understanding is that they were clean with empty pylons on stations 3 & 6.
  18. That’s an F-111C showing what’s possible to load on a jet. NO operational F-111 ever flew like this, the outboard hard points were never used; the next to outboard hard points were only used to carry fuel tanks by SAC FB-111As and were fixed at the 26 degree sweep back setting. Operational jets only used the four inboard most pylons, which swiveled to all sweep back angles.
  19. I can't see the pic you attempted to post. You might try linking it using the icon between the strikeout an quote icons when you post. I'll try that here. (Which didn't work either--before you look.) As for the best kit, the old 1:72 Hasagawa kits are your best bet. You'll probably need to go on e-bay to find one. Their errors are minimal. The 1:48 kits on the other hand are train-wrecks that need lots of aftermarket to be accurate.
  20. Their labeling of these cockpits is confusing. There were actually three F-111F cockpits. The original had a flat radar scope panel, more or less like the original FB-111; they didn't do this one. The Early Modification (RSU48-0236) is the PAVE Tack modification that featured the Virtual Image Display (VID). This cockpit was used from the early 1980s through Desert Storm. The Late Modification (RSU48-0239) was installed in 41 jets after Desert Storm under the Pacer Strike program that also featured the large GPS antenna in front of the cockpit where the astro tracker was located on the FB-111A
  21. The easiest way will probably be to bring your copy to Madison. I believe the plan is for me to be at the Casemate booth for at least a little while there.
  22. I can if they want me to. In the meantime, if you have a couple of hours, here is a recording of the first time I gave the presentation. It's a bit rough around the edges and I've refined it some since then, but it has all the basics. The only big flaw in it is the bit about one crew 'repairing' an instrument in flight with a crushed orange juice can. I subsequently find out that that didn't happen, so ignore that (fortunately, I found out in time to remove it from the book). The rest of it is good to go.
  23. Shameless plug here. My book, Operation Eldorado Canyon should be out in the States on 15 March 2024 (subject to change) and can be pre-ordered from Casemate, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobel. I say subject to change because every time I check on the websites, it slips to the right a month or more. All the work is done on it, so I think it's now just waiting on the printers. I'm going to be giving my presentation at Telford on 11 November and they're hoping to have some copies available there, so we shall see... The book will cover tail numbers, bomb loads and first hand accounts from
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