RichB63

Looks like a winner!

Two museum examples of Wright J65 powered Skyhawks. As Tommy points out in his blog, shorter exhaust shrouds may have been fitted to these aircraft earlier in life.

Hi Gene! Thanks for rattling my cage…how quickly 2 weeks turns into 2 months! Regarding the ALQ-119 pod, I suffered some setbacks during the painting stages resulting in not just one, but two, strippings and redoings! Luckily, no harm done. Hopefully more pictures soon.

Reskit’s offering provides optional parts that appear to account for at least some of the engine differences. For example: part R9 looks like a Wright J65 exhaust.

Wow! Great looking set, especially that seat! Rich

Great stuff Ben…many thanks for posting!

Love it! Thanks, Bryan, for sharing your knowledge and documentation - very helpful! Rich

Superb! How did you achieve the striping on the seats’ overhead handles?

Haha, I just realized I typed “Stalemates.” Scalemates is the name of the website.

Stalemates is a good source for kit history and related aftermarket: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-05650-northrop-f-89-scorpion--1456143/related hth, Rich

Note the differing air intakes atop the cowls. I read that some EC-47s were equipped with R2000 engines, although I don’t know if this accounts for the scoop mod.

Fond memories of building the Monogram kit back in the eighties…but it’s high time we were graced with a new tool Thud in 1:48 (sorry, HB’s 2008 releases didn’t lift the bar), made to today’s more exacting standards. Even with nose corrections, the windscreen and canopy shapes (made so apparent in Ben’s photo above) still present problems for discriminating modelers. Rich (who sometimes wishes he weren’t so d@mn discriminating!)

Konbini, Your model looks great! The RAM sections are very convincing…like they were painted on. 👍 Rich

Awesome…glad to see more Cold War era figures!

Love it! Well researched and well executed!

A number of Eduard photo etch sets for jets come with optical sights…

Do you have a particular jet in mind? Because at some point during their ANG service, F-104B aircraft were retrofitted with the “later style” canopy, like that provided in the Kinetic kit. Hypersonic’s forthcoming conversion will include, among other things, an “early style” canopy. Note the different styles on the SC ANG B models shown below (from Kinzey D&S book): …and the later “D style” enclosure on this ANG F-104B

Great stuff! Thanks again for such valuable contributions. I didn’t know about the early Voodoo seat.

Magnificent work! I enjoyed watching this one come together: all the problem solving, innovation and added detail have paid off handsomely. Treat yourself to a Tamiya kit next! Rich

Pictures of the aircraft you’re modeling (153879, I think) indicate it had received a depot level repaint when it wore those colorful markings. Most likely the factory honeycomb markings were replaced by simple “NO STEP” instructions, as depicted on AOA Decals Phantom Airframe Data (Stencil Type) sheet, as shown below. And as you surmised, they certainly did not appear over walkways! By the mid 1970’s it was rare to see panel numbers on USN,USMC Phantoms (unlike their USAF counterparts)…just cautions, warnings, no step, push etc. Maybe @ziggyfoos or other knowledgeable

Victory Productions is the only U.S. based distributor for Hypersonic that I’m aware of…https://www.victorymodels.com/collections/vendors?q=Hypersonic Models&sort_by=created-descending Having said that, I’ve ordered directly from Hypersonic as recently as last December and received prompt and courteous service. Phil, one suggestion would be to settle on a particular airframe, from a particular squadron, at a particular point in time and let the folks here know. As you’ve already discovered, there are plenty of knowledgeable and helpful members that can guide you the

The Tamiya kit is certainly suitable for a USMC Phantom. Antenna configurations and seats might require alteration for an early (pre 1968) airframe. Excellent decal options available here: http://aoadecals.com/48.htm The Melampy book is great, but it only covers Air Force Phantoms. Here’s a link to another great book, put together with modelers in mind, that covers Navy/Marine Tombs: https://www.dacoproducts.com/KDCB004.php hth’s!

Great looking jet!

Great work Cliff! According to Jim Rotramel, AN/ALE-40 dispensers replaced the earlier CM suite on USAF Aardvarks during the 1990-92 timeframe. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/f111indetailjr_5.htm Rich

Great stuff. Mods should pin this thread!