Rob de Bie

I've long wondered about the intake color of this CIA U-2. I could not think of a standard 'interior' color that would match it. But maybe it's Corogard? Can anyone comment? Rob

Thanks for posting these photos! I never thought about the fate of the airframe. I probably would have reassembled it and returned it to service 🙂 Rob

I can confirm the use on recce MiG-25s stationed in Poland. Rob

In 10 years of aircraft spotting in Europe, with a keep eye on the stores carried, I hardly ever saw live OR dummy bombs. If they were carried, it was usually from an airfield close to a range. The only one I can think of right now were some USAFE F-16 (Hahn or Torrejon) taking off from Zaragoza with Mk84s. Don't remember if they were live or dummy. Rob

Thanks for checking! I now see that my copy starts at page 7, so the cutaway drawing was removed, plus possibly some more. And between the colour and b&w sections I see a small paper strip, the remains of the drawings. Grrr.... On the other hand, both are completely outdated, so I won't miss them while building one or two MiG-25 models. Rob

Robert, I researched the kit many years ago, and learned it came out in Japan within 90 days of the Belenko defection! It was available in the USA after 5 months. So In August 1977 it was already old news 🙂 You mention a cutaway drawing and plans in the Koku-Fan Vol.26 No.9 issue. Both are absent in my copy. Are they separate? If not, what are the page numbers in your issue? Rob

I think we have a misunderstanding. I'm not talking about a normal canopy opening system, I'm talking about the system that in the ejection sequence lifts the front of the canopy a few inches, so the blast can rip it off. You can see the bullet-shaped thrusters very well in this photo. What you cannot see are the brackets on the canopy, that rest on the thrusters. I cannot see either in your B-model photo, hence the conclusion the canopies could not be removed in the ejection sequence, hence downward seats. Rob

Great photo, good find! But what's that drumband waiting for, in the background? 🙂 Good point regarding the blast effect if there is a tranparancy mounted inside the bow. That wouldn't be nice for the backseater. Another small detail I think I see is that there are not bullet-shaped explosive or pneumatic canopy lifters on the canopy rails. And no brackets on the canopies that rest on these lifters when closed. So this seems to be a 104 with downward ejection seats. Rob

I found an online version of the photo I was refering too. Look at the second 104 on the right: http://www.916-starfighter.de/Large/Contrails/contPalmdale58.htm You can see a slight kink in the hinge line, excluding the possibility of a single canopy. The sixth and ninth are B's too, btw. Rob

To add some more: there were a few D-models with the B-canopy too. I *think* most were converted to the D-type canopy. And I speculate that there is a link with the type of seat installed: downward vs upward. Rob

Two more, in the snow. The last one maybe needs an explanation: all three wanted to catch a snowball, that has just hit the ground, right in the middle of them. All three missed, and the middle one is caught looking very aggressive. Rob

The two dogs below are not mine, but I regularly join in on the walks with them. Both enjoy the water greatly, and the favorite game is trying to catch pebbles. The second one shown is very athletic, and jumps really high, as you can see. During the same walk, we passed by a biological farm, where a bunch of pigs were enjoying the easy life. And the mud 🙂 Rob

To clarify: this was for the situation of an independent 'maker' hired for a short-term job. Not a full-time employee. Rob

Just checked some books, and photos of the F-104B with open canopies are rare! But I found one, on page 83 of the Koku Fan F-104 Special. And it shows two separate canopies. Rob

AFAIK, the B-canopy was not single piece, but there was no fixed part between the front and rear canopies. A club member is trying to do what you want to do, but in 1/48 scale. I think he decided to make a vacform master from the kit parts: he glue the kit parts together, filled the interior to make a sturdy piece, then filled the panel lines and scribed new ones. The only problem now is that his vacform parts will be slightly oversized. He could go one step further, and that is to pull a glassfiber mold from his master, and do 'negative' vacuum forming. That would give