Darren Roberts

Welcome back! I'm sorry you had to go through that. Hopefully you can get settled in and start a new chapter of your life. As Richard L said, the ZM kit is great, albeit a bit pricey. But, if you love Phantoms, that's the way to go.

So the AF is simply catching up to what the Navy has been doing for years. Now they need to let AF squadrons paint logo's on the tail. There's a reason Navy planes are better looking than AF planes. 😄

I would have taken them off your hands for you. I love reclaiming projects that have been given up on. I bet they weren't as bad as you thought they were. In response to your question, I've done it a couple of times over the years. Ususally, I just push through and give them to a kid if I don't like the finished project.

Thanks! How'd you get it already? The F-14 article in the Jan. issue just came out. I didn't figure the F-16 article would be out until at least the end of December.

NOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

This right here. It's the perfect fix. If you want them fully closed, glue them in as best you can, leaving any edges protruding, and then reshape them with a sanding stick.

I lived in Syracuse and in high school joined an Explorer Post at Hancock Field with the 174th NYANG. For one of our meetings, I got to go out to the ramp, put on a headset, and do the preflight with the pilot. For another meeting, they took us up to Drum on a Huey and we got to watch the Syracuse A-10's roll and fire the gun. What great sights and sounds that I will never forget!

That, my friend, is a LOT to deal with. Just having to deal with what you went through with Charlotte would crush most of us.

That's a great idea! I bet index cards would work.

That's not a bad idea at all.

Ahh, now I see why you were asking for info about the FSM article. 😀 When I did that article, many moons ago, FAC with Zuni pods was being talked about as a future mission for the Tomcat. Zuni's were tested, but never put on operationally. But at the time, that wasn't known. So, I used some artistic license for the article, since the LANTIRN and FAC were new to the Tomcat. Though the article was published in 1998, it was actually written soon after VF-103 changed from the Sluggers to the Jolly Rogers in 1996, so no hard decisions had been made yet.

I don't think so. Trying to find either of those A-4 sheets is near impossible. They are absolutely gorgeous sheets.

If they're smart, they'll wait to release the F until the Block III's hit the fleet. Then they can have parts for both Block II and III.

That would be kind of cool to show all four schemes. To quote a not-so-great 80's song... "Things that make you go hmmm".

😂

And they get schooled by every other Navy squadron as well. Sorry, I couldn't resist a little inter-service rivalry humor. 😀

I don't consider the Marines part of NavAir. 😄

I'm not sure there's any copyright infringement. I would say it's more of an honorable thing to do. If he did the work on them, he should at least be mentioned.

I didn't know Trigger did those. Sweet! He should definetly be credited.

Of all these produced, is there still only one Navy fleet squadron (VFA-147) with them?

He does great work, but I'm a bit put off by the language and attitude. Is it like that on his YouTube stuff?

Great to have you back in the game.

NOICE!!!!!!!!!!

I have great memories of Griffiss. I grew up in Syracuse and my dad was a high school guidance counselor. They invited him up for a visit to help with recruiting and he took me along as a 12 year old. I got to go up in the tower and watch Sixes from the 49th FIS land and -52's take off. I talked with a -106 pilot and toured the hangars. If only I had a good camera! A few years later, as a member of a Boy Scout Explorer post, we got a ride in a KC-135 out of Griffiss and refueled B-52's. It was a thrill of a lifetime for a teenager. Thanks for the bringing back those memories. It was a sad day

What a sad, sad day. It's been a hard week for our hobby. First Bill Koster, and now Mark Bilas. He was a great guy and I was glad to have known him.