SCOUT712

Back in those days, they still flew with AIM-7 on the onboard wings. For instance ,when VF-21 bagged the first official MiGs of the Vietnam war, at least the wingman had 2 AIM-7 in the rear wells 1 und one wing (I don't remember from the top of my head which one , I'd have to check the Osprey Book) and 2xAIM-9B under the other wing. There is also a YouTube video available about Gulf of Tonkin ops of USS Midway. There you actually see one of the MiG Killers (Modex 102 IIRC), showing a MiG-17 silhouette on the spine and an AIM-7 under the right wing. Later they tended to fly with 2 by 4 mea

Correct, FM developed special weapons sets You can look here, some comments of mine including pics about their A2A set. It's German but G-translate should help. To make a long story short. It's a hit and miss. Some missiles are really nice, some are not usable at all. BTW, at least the inboard pylons of the FM kit are about 1,5 mm too short. I found out the hard way, when I wanted to use their beautiful moulded Navy pylons on a DS Hasegawa RF-4C to attach the equally perfect Revell F-16 ALQ-131 pods. I could not align them iaw the picture I have. Then I tried it with the Hasegawa py

As just about any other manufacturer except for Revell (which made other horrible mistakes in their kit) FM put the wrong AIM-9 Launchers and Missiles into the kit. Luftwaffe Phantoms (at least from their time with NORM81 camo as depicted onwards used the LAU-7 not the Aero3B. Also Luftwaffe never used the AIM-9J/P on their F's. Only B's and L and Li's. Btw, 38+33 as depicted was one of the 4 Flyout Phantoms from 2013. It was a ICE conversion with a black painted radome. B/r Michael

Hello Gene, here's a build of mine. It's the Hasegawa 1/72 F-4E to which I added a scratch built belly strap. It is very visible and potrudes from the rest of the belly and wing. After 71-0237 all subsequently built soft wing Phantoms received a re-enforced wing box. There you won't see anything from the outside. Hence all surviving E' with a lower serial numbers and ALL GS have the strap. The GS were all converted from low tine E models which started out their life as hard wing E's Best regards Michael

I'd guess they are doing a late strengthened wing because the F'd did not have the belly strap and they are realizing it together with late model Es from Clark. B/r Michael

Hello, calling the Sabreliner experts. Did the D model also have the rotateable jumpseat for the instructur in the entry corridor as the N model had? Thanks Michael

I am looking for this Flightline tractor from F4Models. Thanks for looking. Michael

Hello, I am looking for the dimensions of the US Navy aircraft hangar of the type the famous Topgun hangar at Miramar was. As a matter of fact, the wall section where the MiG silhouettes were painted is of special interest for me. Thanks for your support. Michael

Thanks for your help! B/r Michael

Hello US Navy experts, I have a question about the tie down points of Cold War US Navy aircraft carriers. How would I know if 4 spoke or 5 spoke tie down points are to b used for my diorama. I am particular interested in the USS Ranger of 1967, USS Coral Sea 1980. Thanks Michael

I am pretty sure I read it somewhere (might have been in the Muroc Models F-8U1 conversion set instructions). And when watching YouTube videos of early Crusaders landing, the nosewheel swivels freely when the Jet is pulled back from the arresting cable. The early Version A-4s also did not feature nose gear steering while later versions do. So I wonder if it was also added to late model Crusaders. Best regards Michael

I got a question regarding the nose gear of the J model. Was it steerable or just like on the F-8U1 not steerable. How was taxiing on the narrow carrier deck done with a none-steerable nosegear? Regards Michael

Did I miss it or isn't there a preview of your decals for the Recon Crusader available yet? I'd love to see some for the 1970 USS Bonne Homme Richard WestPac since I have VF-53 decals and A-4E VA-94 from that cruise and it would provide for a nice dio. Cheers Michael

During my research about Crusader squadrons which flew the E version, I came about that Microscale decal sheet I was happy to see another color on the tail than the usual red and yellow. However I am yet to find a color picture confirming blue, since there are also decal sheets and webpages, which propose these markings in red Clicky. Maybe there is somebody put there who could confirm the color of these specific tail markings. Since they seem to be carried only during one or two cruises. Michael

Hello, here's my next request. I am looking for the VF-53 option of either the Superscale 72-833 or of the Furball 72-002 sheet. I am.willing to pay or can trade. Thanks for looking Michael

I am looking especially for the VA-23 markings of the Superscale 72-319 sheet. Your help is very appreciated! Best regards Michael

I have some resin copies of it a friend of mine made some years ago. Send me PN. Best regards Michael

I just purchased the SOVA Kit. It is really nice, coming with photoedged parts and canopy masks. But, these are the markings I'd wish to see on your sheet Kursad. 86th TS Rio Lobos detached to TRAWING-6 NAS Pensacola 1997-1999 (when I was there). Back then the US AIR FORCE Lettering was still on the front secton of the aircraft. Unfortunately I did not take any close up pics back then. The second one is quite blury but shows the upper wing markings (USAF Letters on the right wing) There are some high res pics floating around on the internet. Best regards Michael

I double your thoughts. I already built my fini flight T-2, a T-39N is in the making and T-34C in the stash. Would be awesome to add the T-1 to the collection. B/r Michael

IIRC Randy Cunningham in his Book Fox-2 said while describing a very close head on pass with a MiG-17 "I could see the gomer head with the gomer goggles. Best regards Michael

That config was used early in the war. Later an adapter was fitted to to the LAU-17/A which allowed carriage of TERs on the inboard pylons B/r Michael

I am about 100 percent sure that the Hasegawa B kit comes also with the sprue containing the thick wings and larger tires since some RF-4Bs had them. The rest is the same as on the RF-4C. So yes. I only have RF-4B kits and am building a RF-4C at the moment but I have so many Hase Phantoms kits , I cannot confirm that I took the wings from that box ( the model is on the desk since about a year). B/r Michael

Hello Mike, to cite the excellent book US NAVY Carrier Air Wing Aircraft 1975-2015 Vol. 1 by Mike Crutch At the start of 1975, the final F-4Ns to serve with frontline LANTFLT squadrons resided within CVW-6. They deployed for the last time on 3 January for a Sixth Fleet cruise in USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42, which was re-designated CV-42 on 1 July). After a typical round of exercises throughout the Mediterranean, ‘Rosie’ came about and passed back into the Atlantic on 6 July. The Phantom IIs of VF-41 Black Aces (tactical callsign FAST EAGLE) and VF-84 Jolly Rogers (tacti

I guess you'd have to check the timeframe of your N and if the desired squadron was deployed onto a carrier at that time. If so, AA missiles would be loaded onto alert birds. For sure, VMFA-323 and 531 carried AIM-7E-2 in the rearward missile wells and AIM-9L plus G (H?) at the same time under the wings (one rail each with the L the other rail carrying the G) when they were sitting alert for OP Eagle Claw in 1980. B/r Michael

When I worked as a tactics intructor at NATO's Tactical Leadership Programme, we had a mix of instructors from various nations and aircraft background. Pilots (Transport/Fast Jet/Helo, WSO's (like myself) and Navigators (RAF Tornado F-3 and GR-4). Naturally F-16 jocks were of the hardcore God's gift to mankind - I can do everything by myself - type of personality. One day we received a briefing by a RAF GR-4 nav about his experiences in the Afghanistan ToO. He presented a TST mission when from the ring of the claxon (ground alert not sitting in the jet) until bomb impact less than 30 minu