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Rob_Haelterman

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Posts posted by Rob_Haelterman

    Karaya Captured Fw190 Vol 5: too few decals

    in Props

    Posted

    Hi Ken, I've already used all the other decals on 3 other kits.

    Besides, trimming the bars doesn't give the right insignia as the stars and bars insignia didn't simply add bars to the disk, it also added a thin blue circle.
    You might notice that in the star-in-disk insignia the stars touch the edge of the disk, while they don't in the stars-and-bars.

     

    But meanwhile, it seems the problem is solved. Karaya got back the other day, offering replacements.

     

    Cheers

    Rob

    Karaya Captured Fw190 Vol 5: too few decals

    in Props

    Posted · Edited by Rob_Haelterman

    Hi guys,

    just finishing one more captured Fw190 in 1/72 using Karaya's excellent decals, only to discover when I am ready to put the decals on that there are only 4 of the 6 roundels present for the blue aircaft. Either I lost the two that apparently are supposed to come on a additional small sheet, or they weren't present in mine.

     

    See here (link showing 1/48 decals, but they are the same)

    96c39c71812e8006a02a031e00f7b940d5cfafeb

    6487b315045fd10bde5e683965b02bc0b992e346

     

    I am hoping that Karaya might help me out (if and when they answer my mail), but I am already looking for a plan B. E.g. someone who has this sheet but doesn't want to do this particular aircraft.

    TIA

    Rob

    Hurricane identification

    in Props

    Posted

    8 hours ago, Cubs2jets said:

    I guess you missed the swastika on the tail and the people in German uniforms around the plane...

     

    C2j 

     

    ROTFLMAO.
    So you are saying it cannot be a Hurricane because it has German insignia ?
    LOL !!!

    Hurricane identification

    in Props

    Posted

    Thanks, Don.

    This makes it all more confusing. Most of my references tell me that it was used by II/JG51 on Marquise airfield in France, 1940.

    To be honest, it doesn't look like North Africa to me, but it might be a MkII.

    Cheers

    Rob

    Hurricane identification

    in Props

    Posted

    Hi Rick,

     

    I was afraid that that was another possibility.

    I always try to spot the difference by looking at the fillet where the leading edge of the wing meets the fuselage, but in this case, somebody is standing in front of it.

    But the nose does indeed seem a bit long for a MkI, now that you mention it.

    Wasn't the oil cooler not a bit deeper on the MkII as well, whcih this plane seems to have ?

     

    TIA

    Rob

    Very specific FW190 question: MG151 access hatches

    in Props

    Posted

    Hi guys,

     

    Help appreciated, because it seems that my references are contradictory.

     

    My question relates to the Fw190A-5/6/7/8, i.e. the ones with the MG151 in the outer wings.

     

     

    1.

    I have always been taught in school that the upper wings were smooth, until the A-8/R2 came around which required the typical rectangular blisters. To ease production, all wings were equipped with the blisters soon after A-8 production started, whether they were fitted with MG151 or MK108.
    This would mean that all A-6/7 would have smooth upper wings. The Bentley files (and an article by Eduard) agree with me, but most of my other references show blisters for these earlier versions.

    Nonetheless I spotted an A-6 Nachtjäger with smooth wings and the A_8 at le Bourget is smooth as well, so I would lean towards my original idea, but there are just too many references that tell me other wise.

    Can someone confirm that the blisters only appeared during A-8 production ?
    Related to that: how common would an A-8 (or even more interestingly, an F-8) be with smooth upper wings ?

     

     

    2. Now for the lower wings, and here it gets more confusing as even Arthur Bentley contradicts himself and the Eduard article doesn’t help anymore.

    Again, I always thought that the underwing panels for the MG151 were roughly the same size as those for the MGFF (but of different design). When the A-8/R2 appeared a larger hatch was needed and to standardize the opening was kept large for aircraft fitted either with MG151 or MK108. For the MG151 a slightly larger hatch was fitted from then on. This is what Eduard would make me believe, but Arthur Bentley agrees with my idea (even though one of his drawings contradicts what he writes).
    This would mean that an A-8 with smooth upper wings has a small lower hatch, and an A-8 with bulges would have a large lower hatch (as it was standardized for the R2).
    Can anyone confirm or refute this thesis ?

     

     

     

     

    Many thanks in advance,

    Rob

     

    Airfix 1/72 F-4F4 WIldcat/Martlet vacform canopy

    in Props

    Posted

    Hi Ikar,

    I have considered them, but their canopy isn't designed for the Airfix kit (unless they reworked it recently). I think their canopy is either meant for the Hasegawa or Academy kit, which are both rather different than the Airfix in the cockpit area, so I am afraid that it won't fit.

    Besides, if I were to buy it, then I am convinced that the first law of modeling will ensure that a canopy that is tailor-made for the Airfix kit will appear on the market within a few days. ;-)

    Cheers

    Rob

     

    A-4 adversary (1/72) decals

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    "I don't think there will be much of a problem seeing the announcement... ",,,,,,,,,or much of a problem seeing it linked to on any forum that Vagabond might not belong to. (if there are any)

    When new stuff comes out in 1/72 Navair,,,,,,even my local Spitfire fan hears about it from me.

    The issue is,... and I am afraid to say it here on this forum, that, well, I am actually an armor modeler.

    So, I am not sure if I will get the news.

    (I hope I don't get banned for this... :-( )

    A-4 adversary (1/72) decals

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    Not too terribly long. Once we get a couple more sheets out, we'll get the Skyhawks done in the One True Scale

    As building a model in short time isn't one of my virtues either, and as I have quite a few on the bench right new, that might fit in with my schedule. Any way to get a warning when they are out ?

    Cheers

    R

    A-4 adversary (1/72) decals

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Rob_Haelterman

    Hi guys,

    I am sure I am not the only one to love the many adversary schemes that the A-4 wore.

    I am therefor more than a little bit surprised that I can find so few decal sets for them (apart from the Superscale ones from 30 years ago).

    Am I looking in the wrong place ?

    TIA

    R

    Best book on the F-5E ?

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    Hi Rob,

    I've got a slide in my collection of the opposite side of this jet taken in Oct 1985, and it clearly shows that it has the late style wing root LEXs, and duckbill nose cone as done in the Swiss Italeri kit. It is an ex-VF-43 jet, and they, along with Topgun, started getting reworked Tigers with the late style mods in the mid 80's. HTH, Fred K.

    Thanks !

    On the other hand, this means some kit-bashing. :-)

    Cheers

    R

    Best book on the F-5E ?

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    It has a shark nose yes, but I am pretty sure the wings are original if that is a 1980s picture because I don't recall the LERX upgrade being done by Navy aircraft until Northrop began "Tiger IV" upgrades (1993 on). The Swiss I believe were the first ones to use the LERX upgrade on their jets.

    Thanks Jay,

    while I await the WAPJ, would you be able to put a date on the introduction of the sharknose in the Navy ?

    TIA

    R

    Best book on the F-5E ?

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    Of we are talking the late 1980s though, you are likely safe in building a Navy jet with the original nose and wing. I see one picture of a VFA-127 jet from the early 90s with a shark nose in the WAPJ book, but the original wing and I'm pretty sure the nose replacements weren't really undertaken until maybe 1991 at the earliest. If it is a Top Gun based jet, it will be original nose since those were moved out starting in 1987 to make room for F-16Ns (which were retired starting in 1995 due to unanticipated stress cracks forming in the airframes). It looks like many of the other adversary units in the Navy were mostly operating leased F-21 Kfirs until 1989, re-equipping with F-5s again starting that year (or at least increasing their numbers). So I wouldn't necessarily worry unless you are building a model of a VFA-127 jet, which seemed to be the main operator of F-5s during that 1988 onward period.

    Hi Jay,

    I was hoping to do this bird, which ought to be from that period, but looks to have big LEX and sharknose.

    http://www.makettinfo.hu/forum/image.php?img_url=upload%2F201101%2F53_q_f-5e_160795_vf126.jpg

    It seems that a number of VF-126 F-5Es had these features.

    Cheers

    Rob

    Best book on the F-5E ?

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    Which jet are you modeling Rob? I might be able to help. Fred K.

    Hi Fred,

    I was hoping to do F-5E BuNo 160795 when it was BortNr 51 with VF126.

    It seems it has the sharknose and large LEX.

    http://www.makettinfo.hu/forum/image.php?img_url=upload%2F201101%2F53_q_f-5e_160795_vf126.jpg

    I was hoping to use the 1/72 Hobby Boss kit, but that has the early features.

    I have the late Italeri kit as well, but am not sure how much I like the raised panel lines.

    Any suggestions welcome.

    Cheers

    Rob

    Best book on the F-5E ?

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    For an F-5E of that era, your best source might be World Air Power Journal Volume 25 Summer 1996 as covers development of the entire F-5 up to that point in its cover story. While the information is 20 years old, it does go so far as talking about the full evolution of the F-5A to the F-5G (what became the F-20). It talks about what countries opted for newer ejection seats, what types, when the shark nose/LERX change was offered and some of the various rebuild options that various companies were offering at that time and every country that operated F-5s (even a post war Vietnam). Heck, it even told me who the company was that did the weather radar modifications on NASA's T-38s. That is information I have yet to find in any dedicated F-5 book.

    For pictures of USN F-5 Adversaries, the old Detail and Scale "Colors and Markings" book on US Navy Adversaries (which came out right after the Top Gun movie did and has some images of the movie's "MiG-28s") would likely be the best source for exterior shots. Detail and Scale's old F-5E Tiger II book is also a good source as it has Navy F-5 cockpits, showing the lack of a radar scope (just a checklist in that spot). Finding these older books might be a little tough though, but the C&M volumes don't tend to command as high a price on the secondary market like some of the D&S books can.

    The beauty of doing an F-5E from that era is they pretty much were plain jane jets without the lumps and bumps seen today. So in 1/72 an Italeri kit would be your best choice. In 1/48, probably the AFV "MiG-28" issue or the first Aggressor F-5E kit are your best options for the original nose and LERX.

    Thanks Jay,

    I have the C&M book. Good value for money, but it won't tell me which nose, LERX, etc I need to put on my bird.

    I hope I can find the WAPJ before other readers on this forum snap them all up ;-)

    Cheers

    Rob

    Best book on the F-5E ?

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted · Edited by Rob_Haelterman

    Hi guys,

    What would currently be the best book to teach me the evolution of the F-5E (sensor bumps, nose, LERX, etc.) ?

    I need to make sure that my late 80s US Navy F-5E is basically correct.

    TIA

    Rob

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