Rob de Bie
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Posts posted by Rob de Bie
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I made a better canopy for my Anigrand 1/72 A-12 Avenger. The mold was made from the kit canopy.
Rob
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23 hours ago, ya-gabor said:
The museum is still there and Karoly is doing a lot of work on it. They did have a completely renovated MiG-21bis but eventually the four owners (Karoly was not one of them) had some issues and it is now located next to the main international airport in Budapest. Well it is a "Park" for (mainly) Malev Hungarian Airlines aircraft but they found a little space for the MiG-21 bis there, so it is possible to visit.
In the museum at Berekfürdő now they have a MiG-21 MF. Dont know how far the restoration went, but it also should look good eventually. With the Bis I gave them original photos, marking sizes and most important the very special "Teflon Grey" colour for the airframe. Karoly made reproduction of all the stencils, they are perfect!!!
That is so nice to hear! I think I found their website, but my internet security blocks it.
Rob
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On 4/7/2024 at 12:46 PM, ya-gabor said:
It was the same here. The first and the very last opportunity to get on a Soviet base with a camera (officially) in Hungary was when they left the country, very last flight out. Long line of MiG-29 9-13's, Su-24's, Su-17's, MiG-27's . . . at different bases.
Ah yes, of course! That made me remember I corresponded quite a bit with Karoly Vandor from Hungary, who lived near Kunmadaras air base, and maintained a small museum back then. I even made a web page about it on my long-abandoned 'The Russian Air Force in East Germany' website:
https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/vvs-ddr/kunmadar.htm
The page's layout reflects what was fashionable those days. It hurts my eyes, but I can't delete it..
Rob
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Yesterday I read the news of several Su-27 and Su-34 being damaged / destroyed at Morozovsk airbase by a Ukrainian drone attack. My automatic response is to start up Google Earth (I use the stand-alone software, not the browser version), find Morozovsk, and study the airbase, just like an amateur photo interpreter 🙂
I bet many of you do the same, so maybe it's interesting to compare notes. Here are mine:
- I was surprised the airfield had no hardened shelters. There are plenty of air bases in Russia that have them. But maybe not with the largest types that are required to house a large Su-27/34
- the revetments on the west are a poor substitute for shelters I think. Interesting that the spare fuel tanks are stored behind the a/c, in the jet exhaust. I count 24 revetments there, not enough for a regiment
- even in 2023 photos, there are nine a/c in a straight line on the flight line
- the 2015 photos shows an amazing number of retired Su-24, I counted 48. And they just started breaking up part of the flight line, you can seen the PAG-14 (or similar) concrete slabs. Demolition is still in progress in 2023
- what are the objects in the first-from-the-left heavily fenced area? The most common type is around nine meters, small trucks? But why store them in a double-fenced area, and not use them? In the October 2021 photos, the earth wall show up, suggesting it's the ammo dump.
- the double-fenced area in the center/north has a strange object at its west side: a sand-covered bunker with a blue building (??) in front of its door(s). In a May 2022 photo it looks like there's a small gap.
- in 2018, a gate guard a/c in the shape of a Su-24 was installed. There's a small parking place near it, and it seems no-one is allowed to take his private car onto the base - at least I don't see one anywhere on the base.
I can go on, but you get the idea. What do you guys spot in these photos?
Rob
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Gabor, thanks for the news! I've been waiting for years for the M-4. I thought it would be a simple modification of the M-3, but this looks like something else!
I still remember 5 April 1994, when the 20th Regiment pulled back to Russia from the former GDR. What a day that was.. An huge airbase, lots of shelters, 35 to 40 Su 17M-4 with four fuel tanks on the flightline, starting up, racing over the taxiways (way faster than I was used to with NATO a/c), leaving in pairs or fours, with the afterburners kicking in with a huge bang. I was wearing earplugs and ear defenders, combined 🙂 Here's one photo, by Stefan Goossens
Against a threatening sky, Su 17M-4 coded 41 waiting on the Templin flight line for its last flight over German soil. The unit relocated to Taganrog that day.
Rob
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Scott, eraucubsfan, Chuck1945, thanks for your replies!
Scott, 'hunter green' some variants of 'Kelly green' indeed look like good matches. I've done some similar color matching using screen shots, but that method has lots of objections.
Maybe I need to find a cigarettes / tobacco museum? To my amazement I just found out there's one in my home town (Delft, Netherlands) but they seem to focus on local tobacco subjects only. But I'll give them a call.
The Gee Bee R6 is from 1934, therefore it's the pre-war Lucky Strike packaging that I'm after. Apperently, industrial designer Raymond Lowey was behind the change to the white & red package, made in 1940.
Rob
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I want to start building the SBS / Plastic Passion 1/72 Gee Bee R6, a partipant in the 1934 MacRobertson Trophy race from Mildenhall to Melbourne. The aircraft was sponsored by Lucky Strike, and therefore green overall. The instructions call for 'Lucky Strike green' without giving any matches.
Therefore my question: what is 'Lucky Strike green'? I looked at the cigarette packages from the thirties on the internet, and just by eye guessed at a color close to FS 14062 or 24108 or 34092 on my FS595B fan deck. But that's a rather flawed method. Can anyone help?
Rob
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Jonathan, your bomb rack looks excellent! I've been researching the RNLAF F-84F stores (tanks, weapons, others) for a couple of years now, and this bomb rack was part of its stores too. The confusing thing was the various names applied to it.
I don't think I ever saw the 'AF/B37K' or 'B37K' designation in RNLAF documents, only for other aircraft (like USAF OV-10). I did find 'R-3', and I've traced that back to the F-86F Flight Manual, where it's listed as 'R-3 Fragmentation Bomb Rack'. It was often called 'LABS rack' within the RNLAF, probably because it was bought for training of the LABS bombing procedure. In the German Air Force it was called Mk 25.
Do you recognize any of the above? I would love to be trace back the history of this bomb rack.
Rob -
I checked the model at Shapeways, and oh dear.. The fuselage looks reasonably good, although the exhaust is bad. But the wing and horizontals are trapezium-shaped instead of constant chord. And the horizontals have wing endplates, which were very rare AFAIK, but those can be removed easily. That leaves the wing and horizontals planform shape.
If you need BQM-34 drawings, check out my PlusModel 1/72 BQM-34A Firebee kit review: https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/bqm34review.htm.
Wing thickness is 3.04", horizontals thickess 2.8". That would make around half a miilimeter in 1/144, and very floppy.. Fattening a small-scale wing does little harm, it apparently looks more realistic too 🙂
Back to the Corgi model?
Rob
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6 hours ago, Dutch said:
Bryan & Rob,
I placed an order last week on Shapeways.com for a bunch of 3D printed items, including a couple of 1/144 scale BQM-34A Firebee drones for a 1/144 DP-2E Neptune project. Two days later they send me an email saying that they are processing the order except for the BQM-34A which is out of print parameters and they're coordinating with the designer (Bill's Models). If the designer does not respond within seven days, Shapeways will cancel that item from my order. I was really hoping to get some 1/144 BQM-34As for my planned Neptune and Hercules projects. I have also contacted the designer myself. Will see what happens.
There's always the Corgi die-cast 1/144 DC-130 with four BQM-34As. Never seen it in the flesh though..
Rob
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On 2/18/2024 at 7:14 PM, Rob de Bie said:
From the heart, there are a few more doublers on the fuselage of many A-4 versions. It heavily depends on the lighting whether they are visible.
I remembered where I saw the additional doublers: two videos about A-4s used as aggressors. Here are two scenes where they can be seen.
https://youtu.be/GlCRs-gINUY?si=32VyVQ3bwOtOxsDy&t=1115
https://youtu.be/e1i2vVPgG8o?si=wkitZHWC0Op1a28S&t=544
That's all I know - don't claim to be an A-4 expert.
Rob -
From the heart, there are a few more doublers on the fuselage of many A-4 versions. It heavily depends on the lighting whether they are visible.
Rob
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I have this issue, that was the first issue (AFAIK) that had the bomb bays. Maybe the only?
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/hasegawa-00086-f-117a-nighthawk-w-gbu-27-guided-bombs--187879
Rob
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I tried again, same result. I sent a PM with the message received back.
Rob -
11 hours ago, BWDenver said:
Rob,
I'll check with my email provider....
We've bounced emails back and forth a number of years ago, but can't remember what my provider was, either USARMY.mil or 4Division...
Bryan
I looked it up, it was in 2016. Your e-mail address back then was exactly the same as last December. That's puzzling, since there was no problem in 2016.
Rob
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5 minutes ago, BWDenver said:
That would be me! Can't think why you would get an NDR...
Just maybe it's that my provider 'xs4all' is blacklisted? It was founded 40 years ago by hackers, and had a bad rep for some years. But that is all way, waaaay in the past. Over to you..
Rob
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27 minutes ago, Rob de Bie said:
Are you the same Bryan that contacted me mid-December? I replied but got an 'Undeliverable' reply:
failed: host mx1.emailsrvr.com (173.203.187.1) said:
554 5.7.1 <ewsoutbound.kpnmail.nl[195.121.94.184]>: Client host rejected: The sender's email address or mail server is blocked by this recipient (in reply to RCPT command)That left me without any alternatives to reply.
Excellent research on the four-pylon Firebee, and how nice that it is preserved!
Rob
Upon rereading the thread, I spotted your full name in the photo's copyright note, so I can answer the question with a yes 🙂 That leaves the e-mail problem.
Rob
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6 hours ago, BWDenver said:
Currently working up 3D CAD files on the B Wing, and hope to print them, along with a 147TE and 147J nose section.
By any chance do you have a clear copy of the TO 21M-AQM34-3, Figure 1-7, RPV Station Locations? I The low rez copy I have is so bad you can't read the Flight Station numbers...
Yes, I have a few TO 21M-AQM34-3 drawings, courtesy of Dave Matthews, former AQM-34 instructor IIRC. But to transfer them, we need to sort out that e-mail problem.
It seems we have similar plans regarding 3D models and 3D printing. But I have too many plans.. 😞 I've done a few 3D CAD + print projects now, and confidence is growing. One question regarding wings is a comment I heard that properly scaled wings always look too thin and flat, and that they need to be fattened as an optical correction. It would help with the bending stiffness too, that would be welcome. What are you planning to do in that respect?
Rob
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6 hours ago, BWDenver said:
Well aware of your fantastic site, and have it bookmarked on my Firebee folder. Love your work.
Several weeks ago, I made a trip to Bosque del Apache in NM to photograph Sandhill Cranes. Decided to run down to White Sands and shoot the missile Garder, since I was in the neighborhood. There was a rather curious BQM-34A there, highly polished with 4 wing pylons. Turns out it was the HATS (High Attitude Teat System) used as a Laser target. Shot of the bird in the garden, and after a flight, photo from "Fireflies and other UAVS".
Are you the same Bryan that contacted me mid-December? I replied but got an 'Undeliverable' reply:
failed: host mx1.emailsrvr.com (173.203.187.1) said:
554 5.7.1 <ewsoutbound.kpnmail.nl[195.121.94.184]>: Client host rejected: The sender's email address or mail server is blocked by this recipient (in reply to RCPT command)That left me without any alternatives to reply.
Excellent research on the four-pylon Firebee, and how nice that it is preserved!
Rob
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I've been working on various AQM-34K / L / M models for many years, slowly understanding the details and creating the parts. I used an Italeri BQM-34A (from the DC-130 kit) as the basis. I used tips cut from needles for the AoA probe you're asking about.
The mold is worn out, so I cannot provide copies unfortunately.
https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/aqm34.htm
https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/aqm34-1.htm
https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/aqm34-2.htm
I've also done an extensive review of the PlusModel BQM-34A. My conclusion is that the old Italeri BQM-34A is still the best option.
If you've been searching the net, you probably found my AQM-34 website.
Rob
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One way would be to use the 'countermask' first, and position that accurately. Then you can apply the actual mask in one go. I did something similar on my old Revell F-16:
Rob -
We're too lazy too, to answer your question.
Rob
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The brownish sphere on the nose looks like a Luneburg lens, a radar reflector to increase the radar cross section.
Rob
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18 hours ago, 82Whitey51 said:
Wow, thank you! It'll be a drawn out project, net even sure when I'll get started on it so, I'm plenty patient.
I went through all my storage boxes, but no M2-F1 to be found. I sold a bunch of models in 2020, and I don't specifically remember selling the M2-F1, but it must have been among them. My stash book keeping did not register it either. Sorry!
Rob
What have you vacuum formed?
in General Discussion
Posted
The canopy was glued to the frame, then filled completely with Apoxie Sculpt. I painted it with Revell enamel coal black for reasons I don't remember. Then I spotted an asymmetry in the rear half of the canopy, that was built up with more Apoxie Sculpt. I thought I was ready for vacforming, but realised the bottom of the master was concave, meaning the master would probably crack under the vacuum. So I had to build a supporting base, as shown in the first reply. All in all a lot of work!!
Rob