DonSS3

FS 24151 & 34151 are the same color. The first number in an FS code indicates how "glossy" a specified color is. "1" indicates GLOSS, "2" indicates semi-gloss and "3" indicates flat. I don't recall the final outcome, but if you do a search on hyperscale.com's Plane Talking discussion forum, and do a search for P-51 you'll find some quite detailed posts on P-51 gear bay colors. I do think you're safe in doing the whole cockpit and wheel bays in Interior Green.

Craig, All my phtos are stashed, so I'm going from memory here: Seats were orange with (usually) Gray belts. Belt arrangement was pretty basic, two lap belt pieces and two shoulder belts. There was no standard to how the belts were placed when the seat was unoccupied. When I'd help my FE set up the airplane at postflight, we always crossed the lapbelts on the seat and hung the shoulder belts over the back of the seat. The parts of the seat frame you can see (actually plastic cover for the metal frame) were a gloss to semi-gloss orange. The headrest "surround" was orange vinyl padding.

Are USAF pilots assigned to the EA-6B squadrons, or is it just EWOs? If the pilots are there, it must be quite a change going from the AF way of doing things to the USN ways of doing things, plus learning to land on "the boat."

We knew nothing about the rescue attempt until my NAVCOMM decided to tune in AFRTS radio on one of the HF radios during preflight. They told us nothing about it at the brief on Diego Garcia that morning. The only thing we were told was that we were to go nowhere near the C-130s at the far end of the runway that morning. Our first response to hearing about the attempt was "No way, Jimmy Carter doesn't have the balls!"

Thanks for the info, guys. I was afraid of that. ;)

I think it was the Nimitz that sent your intrepid P-3C aircrew out ahead of them to let a couple of Iranian F-14 VID Us!!! This was the day after the hostage rescue attempt (in 1980)! When questioned about this their reply was something to the effect of "Don't worry we've got 2 F-14s about 100 miles south of you to cover you." I think my PPC's response was something like, "Um, we're running low on fuel now, we have to go home."

I'm wanting to do the Blue-Gray over Aluminum (is this the so-called "Aegean Scheme?) scheme for a Greek F-4E. I know I need to add the intake shoulder ECM antennas (I can get them from an old Monogram F-4J I think). Anything else? Does the F-4EJ come with the correct wings and tailplanes for the Greek Aircraft? I know I saw some decals somewhere for this scheme (Flightdecs.ca maybe?), any suggestions there?

I suspect that you're right. I still think of it as "Burma." So, that begs the question, is a Burmese Python now considered a Myanmarese Python? Expiring minds want to know.

While on the subject of YF-16s… I've got Hasegawa's early 1/32nd F-16 (the Minicraft release in Prototype Colors). Any detail sets that may work with this kit? I'm not into scratchbuilding, so if I can't find any good resin or em, I guess I'll just build it oob. i can't think of anything that's out there other than operational stuff. Any suggestions?

These URLs may help: http://www.google.com/images?as_q=Dornier&...earch=&safe=off (you'll probably need to copy & paste the whole Google URL) Do 24K at the Luchtvaart Museum: http://aircraftwalkaround.hobbyvista.com/do24/do24.htm Dornier Do 24 Homepage: http://www.dornier24.com/ HTH

Rumor had it that Revell was going to make a kit (about the same time they came out with the Hunter), based on the Echelon kit. Not having seen Echelon's Hunter, myself, can anyone comment on the other rumor that Revell based their Hunter on Echelon's kit? I've got a friend that's got Echelon's Hunter Trainer, he enthuses about the quality of this kit.

Can't see the images here, so… Didn't Revell have it's own A-10 before the merger with Monogram? I've got one of the Monogram kits (in the "someday" pile), and IIRC it's much better than the Revell original.

What is the issue with the kit nacelles? Too long, too short, too fat, too thin? Or are they just generally misshapen?

What's wrong with the Tamiya engine nacelles?

Easy way to figure it out: Convert dimensions to decimal units, then divide by 4 (for 1/48) for 1/24 divide by 2 for 1/32 divide by 2.6666666666… for 1/72 divide by 6 for 1/144 divide by 12

Does anyone know the origin of this kit? I think it's a re-pop of the Italeri kit, but I'm not 100% sure. Does anyone know?

Could make sense on a relatively flat area (Great Plains?), but to me it's total madness to use something that big in mountainous areas.

The Academy kit I've got is basically a re-pop of Fujimi's OLD (early-70s?) A-4E in 1/50th scale. Pass on this one and get a Hobbycraft or Hasegawa kit.

I know there's been rumors flying for at least 5 or 6 years that Bill Koster's planning on a 1/48th scale P-2. We can only hope.

IIRC the (purportedly) 1/48th Fujimi kit is from the late-60s, early-70s, so figure Monogram's kit is probably 20 years "newer." It's hard to believe Fujimi's 1/72nd scale A-6s are from the same company that produced their 1/50th kit. Short version: 1/72nd - Get Fujimi 1/48th - Get Monogram

This might be useful as well: http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/lanc.html

I used to have a good website for Falcon, but can't seem to find it. Maybe try NKR (In Australia), Hannant's (UK) or Squadron (USA)? I did find this tho: http://www.72scale.com/aircraft/Lockheed/P-3.html Good luck.

Falcon did this in one of their "Triple" vac conversion sets. IIRC You get the lower APS-20 radome, the fairing that goes behind it and the canoe fairing for the upper fuselage. You are reduced to making your own airflow vanes (around the lower radome) and any other antennae from scratch. You also need to delete the mad boom and fill in the sonobuoy launch tube holes in the bottom of the fuselage. HTH

In short, yes, you'd need to drill them out. Or wait for Eduard or Part to produce a flap set for the Academy kit.

You mentioned that you don't want to do a Greek "Ghost Scheme," I think the Greek Blue-Gray over Aluminum scheme would look cool. That's how I'm planning to do my next F-4E. Then there's alos plenty of light gray (ADC Gray) schemes for USAF and Air National Guard F-4C/D aircraft if you don't want to do the two-tone Hill Gray-type schemes. Good luck with your F-4s, sounds like a fun project.