Fred Garvin

A fellow Alaska ANG member who retired was a rescue Helo pilot and is still a good friend. He used to fly with the 71st ARRS, prior to coming over to the dark side. He said that they (71st and 5040th Helicopter Squadron prior to that) had two sets of daddy long legs main landing gear that they could mount instead of the retractable gear sponsons. He said they would only use them on their CH-3Es as they were the ones they would keep up at Eielson AFB to provide range support. They would also sometimes use them for forest and range fire supression support (slinging water buckets). I guess t

Hey Waco, just thought I'd mention that on a recent trip to Osan I met a Pavehawk driver using yer C/S. Now I know what yer probably going to say...helo dudes don't count....had to pass it on though. Salbando

Now I'm no expert, but have to agree with Waco on this. Been to lots of different places around this dirt circle and nothing that i've seen compares to Alaska's skeeters, black flies, no-see-ums and white socks. Especially in Interior Alaska. Black flies and no-see-ums and white socks seem to be the worst, as unlike skeeters they don't fly off after detecting bug dope on your skin...instead they'll crawl around until they find a spot that doesn't have bug dope and start to chew away....and THAT'S the first time you feel them so the damage is done. Case in point: Got lucky one year and k

Outstanding job Klaus! :D Of course, a different tail number and "ALASKA AIR GUARD" on the door would have been better. ;) Sal

Thanks for the HIP shots. Gotta love the IR Baffles on the Spectre. Wondering why AFSOCs MC-130s and our HC-130s don't have them, especially considering the mission profile. I would think it would help the DIRCM/LAIRCM. Sal Sure wish you had 45 off the nose shot of the HIP, or a close up of the hoist. Thanks again!

How's about more shots of the White AFSOC Mi-17?

Hey I took those at Kenai! Nice to see someone's getting some use out of them. Can't wait to see the rest of the build Jon. Sal

Saw a Turkish AF KC-135R at Fairchild AFB, WA. back in 1990-91

The one with the fictional "HI" tailcode markings is still there. The Hawaii ANG F-4C is gone along with their other F-102A, F-86L and F-86E that they had on static display over at their side of Hickam. They're all now over at the Pacific Air Museum on Frd Island. The F-4C is out in the sun next to the old tower. The other three are in the refurb. hangar; the Deuce is still in 199FIS colors in immaculate shape with the missle bays open, the two F-86's are undergoing refurbishment. One of the guys there said that none of them will be in Hawaii ANG markings, instead they'll be painted as Vi

Question: Was there at one time a change where Bs & Ds got the same canopies as the Med Huns or have they always been like that? My cranial vapor barrier ain't what it used to be but if I recall correctly it seemed like earlier two-pit Light Grays had a less bulged (ala Dark Grays/F-15Es) canopy. If so were they intoduced starting with the Delta Models? Was it part of the MSIP I/MSIP II upgrades? Just wondering.

From Joe Baughter's site "On November 4, 1970, the Dart-powered Mustang prototype was delivered to the Piper factory at Vero Beach. At that time, the US was embroiled in the Vietnam War, and combat experience indicated that there was a need for a low-cost, high-performance close-support aircraft for use by foreign air forces obtaining MAP assistance. This project was given the name *Pave Coin*. In pursuit of production contracts under the *Pave Coin* program, the Piper company undertook a more ambitious Mustang conversion effort. One single-seat F-51D and one two-seat TF-51D airframe were f

So Mark, have you got an ETA for these jewels?

Those three for sure...I'd say add the Deuce! And then maybe the SH-21 for us rotorheads. Somewhere i've got polaroid of some nice noseart on an Elmendorf SH-21B. It was a comic goose with the title "The Goose is Loose!" Unfortunately it wasn't replicated when they refurbished it and put it on static display over by the Muldoon Gate.

The 5021st T-Birds also had the polar bear on the tail the same timeframe as the F-4Es. If you go to DVIC you will also see that along with the air defense gray scheme on your instructions, they were in aluminum/artic red and gray/arctic red markings. Back in 1979 when I first moved to Elemdorf they had T-birds with all three schemes at the same time on the ramp. Now. I am on one knee asking (please don't make me beg) if there is any way possible and I mean ANY WAY POSSIBLE that we could get those Alaska markings in 1/48 scale??? Especially considering the possibilities with the 1/48 sca

I'll be doing a TDY down there in a few weeks and taking the family with me. I always like to support the LHS's so does anybody have any in this area I might check out? I'm mainly a fixed-wing and helo model builder. I'll also be in Columbus Ohio and visiting Avon Indiana. Thanks!

We've (AK ANG) already had the new seats for awhile. Also the 200 single tanks in the back as opposed to the former dual 185s. The new seats are way better with respect to crashworthy/survivability for the FE/Gunner. If you take a look over at prime portal I've got some Pavehawk pics to include pre/post Block 152, different configs for flare/chaff buckets (and number), pre/post HF antenna, interal aux fuel tanks, external gun/ammo can mounts, 50s and GAU-2b(M-134) etc... http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/sal_prov...ndex.php?Page=1 http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/sal_prov...ndex.php?Page

Well.....kinda....AFSOCs HC-130s were renamed MC-130s. The P models are the oldest in the fleet as I'm sure Curt will attest to. Our oldest HC-130 (211 RQS) is a 1993 bird. We have 4 and they are HC-130N(H3)s. Rescue squadrons fly HCs and Special Ops fly MCs. The Talons can also hang the A/R pods and refuel Helos as well. AFSOC is also getting (and already has a few I think) MC-130Ws. 11bee, Actually yeah. Our HC-130s have supported (and still do) any rotoary winged airframe that has an A/R boom on it. They've done deployments to HOA supporting USMC CH-53E, and elsewhere suppporting

AK ANG 144AS C-130H3 Kenai Air Fair static last year. Salbando

Posted on this a while back. THe Dutch and JASDF Apaches both use them. They're the same skis as on our Alaskan HH-60G/UH-60 and Austrian S-70s. Oh and they're a tad more complicated/compound shape than you might think on the top side....still could probably do them. Aeroglas here in Anchorage makes them; they actually had a quarter scale Apache made to test the aerodynamics. Alaskan and Dutch Chinooks have them as well...the rear Chinook skis are the same as the 60 skis but the front Chinook skis are larger...same general shape though. The Cav OH-58Ds up at Ft Wainwright have skis as w

Yeah Curt is spot on...simple aerodynamic fairing for the FLIR. Kinda ironic when you look at all the other crap hanging out the side of the thing spoiling aerodynamics. But then again it's a Herk (and I meant that in a good way). Funny that our HC-130s have the nose mounted FLIR (just aft of the radome). Wonder why the U-boats mounted them that way. The HC-130 mount gives us excellent coverage. Four fans of freedom baby!

Andy is right on the money. The first pic is configured for the .50 Cal, the second is for the minigun. Happy to see the pics were useful. Sal

The USAF designation is UH-1N.

I'LL SECOND THAT REQUEST!!!

I'd be in for at least two copies in 1/48. Especially the UH-1F (any 37 ARRS decals in the works?) USAF UH-1N (SOS or SAC Missisle Site Support/ARRS units) C/HH-3E (gotta get that SH-3 conversion gouge from Jon) HH-53C/MH-53J/M I'll throw out there that SH-21 Arctic Decals would be OUTSTANDING if you were so inclined to consider producing them. Models are available in both 1/72 and 1/48.

I think here's a picture of Sniper (I think) (edit: just re-read your first post and saw that you were talking about an ACMI looking pod....SADL and Sniper definately ain't it. What Waco posted looks to be it, except that doesn't look like a hollowed out jamming pod like the article said. It looks like a hollowed out ACMI pod. Then again he might be talking about the pod on the other wing...) It's part of the Precision Engagement (PE) program upgrading all A-10s to A-10Cs. From an article in Code One: Most of the changes are related to avionics. The A-10 is now wired to carry e