aircommando130

I have those Shuttle patches as well. Plus like the first 40 or so launches...I airlifted a bunch of "payload" items for the Shuttle to put into orbit in the C-5. Never saw a Shuttle launch but I did get to see 3 Saturn V launches! Cheers...Ron

Those look nice! Have the gimbal mounts on them too!

Shapeway's has a bunch of 3D printed parts now for the Dragon Saturn V. I have a few of their parts for the Saturn and just about everything for the 32nd CSM from Revell. I have the flight ready batted F-1 engines for the Saturn too...can't remember who makes them right now though. Need to get building on mine! "Ignition Sequence Start"..... Cheers...Ron

We had a house that was out by Hobby Airport...the MSC was still under construction but I remember learning how to swim in the Ellington AFB Officers Club Pool. Same pool they would put a boiler plate Command Module in for water training for the astronauts.

Got my Weasel sheet today! Very, very nice! "Sweet Sixteen" for sure and probably a 90th TFS Weasel from Clark AB. Cheers...Ron

I do remember seeing that bumper sticker on vehicles at the F-15 Joint Test Force at Edwards. I think it was a poke in the eye to the F-4 guys that were flying chase on the F-15's. I think most of the F-15 test pilots came out of the F-4 or maybe the A-7. Cheers...Ron

It was a great time to be a young guy. My dad was at Edwards AFB from 58-64 and then we moved to Houston, Tx till the end of 1969 then back to Edwards AFB. I have autographs of 5 of the original Mercury 7 and 9 of the 12 that walked on the moon. I have the entire crew autographs of Apollo 9, 10 and 15. I have his Grumman contractor model of the Lunar Module and his contractor model from North American of the CSM. The Grumman data plate from LTA-2 serial number 0001 that launched on Apollo 6 I think it was. I was very fortunate for my dad being at the right place at the right time and being able to witness the flight test milestones at Edwards (X-15, B-70, YF-12, SR-71) and the race for the moon first hand. Left a forever impression on a 12 year old watching the Saturn V boost off of Pad 39A! (Apollo 10 off of Pad 39B) Cheers...Ron

Martins Models in the UK has upgrade parts for the Dragon Saturn V...I have those and he also makes a 1/72 Saturn 1B that uses the 1/72 Apollo down to the Instrument Unit. I need to get busy...the 50th anniversary of Apollo 7 just passed...Apollo 8 is in December. My dad worked the Lunar Module for Apollo 9, 10 and 11 and I saw those Saturn's launch at the Cape. Sadly he won't be around for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. He passed almost 7 years ago. Cheers...Ron

I agree with you 100%...I met retired Lt.Col. John Piowaty a couple years ago. His daughter was coming through HC-130P pilot mission qual school. He had come out to visit her and we gave him a tour of the facility. He was enlisted...life support...got his commission and went to F-105 school. Survived 100 missions over North Vietnam in 1967 I think it was. Had an airplane shot up pretty good but managed to land it at Udorn, Thailand. The whole time I was talking to him I knew I was in the presence of a Legend. If you look up his name there's pictures of his shot up airplane. Thanks for sharing that link! Cheers....Ron

Love the Phantom! Clark AB had the 3rd TFW and we'd land there in the big C-5A and I'd look at row after row of shark mouthed F-4E and F-4G's on the fighter ramp. Pretty much nothing says "Do not F*** with me more than a shark mouthed F-4! Great job on your weasel! Cheers...Ron

I think your Trumpeter F-100D looks really good. I have a couple Monogram D's and bought a Trumpeter F. Was going to build it either as a MISTY FAC or a chase plane F from Edwards AFB. Saw them fly there with the F-104A and F-104D. Something about metal finish with Day Glow paint is just cool! Cheers...Ron

Should be available on Amazon! It was one of those that you can't put down! Cheers...Ron

Beautiful Skyraider! That particular A-1 was flown by a guy named George J. Marrett. He had been a test pilot at Edwards AFB and got sent to Hurlburt Field, FL to check out in the Skyraider. Was initially assigned to Udorn RTAFB in northern Thailand. Several months into his assignment they transferred the 602nd SOS to NKP, Thailand. He wrote a book about his year flying the A-1 for SAR missions escorting the HH-3 and the HH-53 into the hostile environment to pick up the survivor. The book is called "Cheating Death" Combat Air Rescue in Vietnam and Laos. He mentions in the book that Tamiya put out a Skyraider model that had his airplane as the decals. So now get the book and you'll have even more appreciation of that role the A-1 played in the secret war in Laos and bombing trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. You did a great job...oil staining and fading paint in the SEA heat and humidity. Cheers...Ron

I think I read somewhere that the main wheels were from a F-111. The props were off another airplane and cut down for the A-26K. That is a pretty bad fool airplane! Cheers...Ron

I think they are...The D had the steam jet engines like the KC-135A had. I remember seeing them take off from Andersen AFB on Guam and trailing the black smoke...drop down off the runway....the East departure was about a 600 ft cliff and they would drop down over the water till they got the airspeed up. My dad bought that original boxing of the Buff for me. It came with a jet noise simulator and I think it was in the bomb bay. My mom hated that sound after I got it built!