Bob Moore Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 Great job on the Vark. I was about to call you on the tail color as well, but you definitely did your research. Actually it's kind of fun to have a model like this, I get called on the markings all the time, one guy emailed me this, well let's just say rather stern email about "You MUST research you subjects better", I wish I still had it, I'd post it, it was pretty funny, I sent him this same info and I never heard from him, Go figure! I wish to thank everyone for their kind words. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Actually it's kind of fun to have a model like this, I get called on the markings all the time, one guy emailed me this, well let's just say rather stern email about "You MUST research you subjects better", I wish I still had it, I'd post it, it was pretty funny, I sent him this same info and I never heard from him, Go figure! I wish to thank everyone for their kind words.Bob Haha, funny stuff. You know, I find that as model builders we often start to take the whole armchair historian thing over the top. I mean, we're supposed to enjoy this hobby, right? You could have painted that tail pink; it's your right to do what you want! It so funny that that guy demanded you do more research. Great stuff. My dad was in the 494th for ten years and went to combat twice with them. I don't ever remember seeing this aircraft, but I'll have to ask my dad if he remembers it. Now if we could just convince some decal company to produce markings for 48th FG P-47's! Oh, and an F-84, F-86, F-100 and F-4... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Moore Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 Very sharp looking bird! How did the kit fit or not fit together? Well it did have a few fit problems, mainly where the fwd and aft fuselages fit together, you know instead of going through this piece by piece I think I'll submit an article to the gallery this weekend with more detailed pic's. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 My dad flew 387 a couple of times during Desert Storm. My dad says: "Best F-111 model I've ever seen. By the way, the real touch of authenticity would be if the base of the WSO stick had the name "Boots" carved into it. Because every F-111F at Lakenheath had "Boots" carved into by the most infamous F-111 WSO in the world." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J.C. Bahr Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 you know instead of going through this piece by piece I think I'll submit an article to the gallery this weekend with more detailed pic's. Yes, please do! Will be looking forward to it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Randy Wise Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Pretty cool Bob! Randy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scotsman Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Just catching up on this thread - excellent work - a really superb build - I've got the kit , and the Paragon plaps set - and I've go a pretty good idea what you must have gone through to get such a excellent result .. bravo sir! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
metroman Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Love the 'Vark! Please detail in your article (if you can) assembly problems and remedies, plus any mods you may have made. Articles on this kit are very few, looking forward to yours. Thanks for posting it, Brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Moore Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 My dad flew 387 a couple of times during Desert Storm.My dad says: "Best F-111 model I've ever seen. By the way, the real touch of authenticity would be if the base of the WSO stick had the name "Boots" carved into it. Because every F-111F at Lakenheath had "Boots" carved into by the most infamous F-111 WSO in the world." That's pretty cool, was he there when 387 flew this mission? I'm sorry this is the first I've heard about "Boots" could you fill me in on this? Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 (edited) Haha...well "Boots" was a nutty WSO at Lakenheath at the time, and every time he flew in a Vark he would get his knife out and carve his name in the WSO control stick! Haha, funny things one would never think of when building a model. My dad didn't fly that aircraft on the bunker busting mission. 387 was a "rainbow aircraft" that was flown by all three squadrons during the war. My dad flew it with the 494th on a tank plinking mission in Kuwait. I do know the pilot who flew 387 on that bunker busting mission. I hesitate to throw out the name though. The whole USAF flying community has become very careful with saying who did what these days, especially post 9/11. My dad was pretty floored by the detail you showed in the cockpit. He was blown away by how you had even painted the pilot's and copilot's monitors different colors. The left one was always an odd shade of brown. Great work! Edited March 30, 2007 by latormentabritanica Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Moore Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 Haha...well "Boots" was a nutty WSO at Lakenheath at the time, and every time he flew in a Vark he would get his knife out and carve his name in the WSO control stick! Haha, funny things one would never think of when building a model.My dad didn't fly that aircraft on the bunker busting mission. 387 was a "rainbow aircraft" that was flown by all three squadrons during the war. My dad flew it with the 494th on a tank plinking mission in Kuwait. I do know the pilot who flew 387 on that bunker busting mission. I hesitate to throw out the name though. The whole USAF flying community has become very careful with saying who did what these days, especially post 9/11. My dad was pretty floored by the detail you showed in the cockpit. He was blown away by how you had even painted the pilot's and copilot's monitors different colors. The left one was always an odd shade of brown. Great work! Thanks for the info, that's very funny about the WSO, I guess he wanted to leave his "mark", wow I guess 387 really got around, hey I don't blame you, I wouldn't put the crews names out either, I really appreciate what your dad has to say, it means a lot coming from someone who actually flew the real one. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TomcatFanatic123 Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Nice work! I love it! B) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 You're welcome Bob, any time. For me, the joy of building an aircraft is the research I put into learning about the pilot. Anyway, thanks for putting out a great model. It's been an inspiration and a great way for us to reminisce. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
longmc Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Haha, funny stuff. You know, I find that as model builders we often start to take the whole armchair historian thing over the top. I mean, we're supposed to enjoy this hobby, right? You could have painted that tail pink; it's your right to do what you want! It so funny that that guy demanded you do more research. Great stuff.My dad was in the 494th for ten years and went to combat twice with them. I don't ever remember seeing this aircraft, but I'll have to ask my dad if he remembers it. Now if we could just convince some decal company to produce markings for 48th FG P-47's! Oh, and an F-84, F-86, F-100 and F-4... That's cool your Dad was a Vark Driver! I was in maintenance there from '91 to '93. I've been trying to get decals done for 48 TFW for years now. Jim "Mr. Vark" provided me with some excellent references as well as what I gathered. Specifically I wanted Gulf War Varks, but no one is interested. Jim provided walkarounds from 387 (great job on the markings by the way!!) and I have 390 "Miss Liberty II" and at least one line bird from each squadron. There are markings for the F-4 and F-100 now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 There are markings for the F-4? I've seen the Superscale F-100 markings for the 492nd, but nothing for the 494th. Where can I get those decal sets for the 48th? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
longmc Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 There are markings for the F-4? I've seen the Superscale F-100 markings for the 492nd, but nothing for the 494th. Where can I get those decal sets for the 48th? XtraDecal made a sheet of 48 TFW birds that had the 'new' F-15E and the F-111F (72-448) as well as an F-4D on it. Sorry, not sure of the number as they are buried deep in my basement somewhere (Ill look later for you). Aeromaster sheet 48-782 has an F-100D from the 492nd. It's a lot like the old micrscale sheet, but in Madhatter markings. Hope that helps! Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boomstick Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Very nice job indeed. I was stationed at Cannon from 89-92 as a crew chief. Thank god I was re-assigned to Transient Alert and didn't have to work on these pigs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Moore Posted April 1, 2007 Author Share Posted April 1, 2007 Excellent build regardless of the kit you had to work with!BTW - where'd you get the refs for the markings on 387?... and where'd you get the decals? I finally found the decals I used, it was an Extradecal sheet #48-15, I don't believe it was specifically for this A/C but I was able to get the Sqd patches and other things. HTH Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt_S Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Good job on the cockpit. :) Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 Thanks for all the references on the decals guys. I want to do 409, the aircraft assigned to my dad. I'll look into getting all I need over the next six months or so. I think it would be the most challenging kit I've done so far, considering I've only done OOB WWII props. I think I have a sheet I bought in 99 with Miss Liberty (or Miss Piggy to the aircrews), but at my parent's house. We'll see how it goes. Great work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
longmc Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 Thanks for all the references on the decals guys. I want to do 409, the aircraft assigned to my dad. I'll look into getting all I need over the next six months or so. I think it would be the most challenging kit I've done so far, considering I've only done OOB WWII props. I think I have a sheet I bought in 99 with Miss Liberty (or Miss Piggy to the aircrews), but at my parent's house. We'll see how it goes. Great work! 409 should be an easy one. During DS it only had tail number and red stripe on gear door. It did not carry any crew names. I was going to do that one for that very reason. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 409 should be an easy one. During DS it only had tail number and red stripe on gear door. It did not carry any crew names. I was going to do that one for that very reason. That's interesting and good to know. Thanks for that info. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
longmc Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 That's interesting and good to know. Thanks for that info. No problem. I have a couple of shots of it getting loaded for a mission. They are only from the WSO side. I think I got them from Airman magazine or something, but they show it to good effect. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
latormentabritanica Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 I would love to have those shots. Anything about Pop's old airplane would be tremendously appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maveryck Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 (edited) Haha, funny stuff. You know, I find that as model builders we often start to take the whole armchair historian thing over the top. I mean, we're supposed to enjoy this hobby, right? You could have painted that tail pink; it's your right to do what you want! It so funny that that guy demanded you do more research. Great stuff. There will always be someone dissenting about an a/c model that in most cases we build for ourselves. Currently, I'm building a Monogram A-1H Skyraider from the "Tour of Duty" series. I'm not even finished with it, and I already have a couple guys giving me a crap about "over doing" the paint chipping on the cowling -- "No AF a/c would ever look that beaten up!!" Who cares? Besides, I don't believe this particular AF squadron ever existed, except in TV Land --- it's an OOB build, didn't bother w/research -- Why? Simply building to practice my weathering techniques. If they think I over did it w/the cowling, wait til they see the leading edge, walkway, etc.... I can hearing the whining now. Maveryck Edited April 11, 2007 by Maveryck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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