ALF18 Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Finally done. Nowhere near as impressive as the other entries I've seen on this GB, but will look OK in my bookcase at work. I am working on high volume, making several examples of various aircraft that have touched my life in one way or another over the years, mostly in 1:48. In the case of the SLUF, I remember vividly flying in the back seat of a CF-5 during exercise Maple Flag in about 1982 or 83, and calling out the USAF A-7s (wearing Central European-type camo) to the pilot in front. The SLUFs were our adversaries that mission, and they looked so cool carving around in high-G turns a few hundred feet off the ground. Unfortunately, I couldn't readily find a USAF version, so I built the USN version for this time. Sometime soon I will get my hands on an A-7D and build a USAF version. The lessons I learned from this build should make that one far better. Thanks for looking, and thanks for the comments! ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tilt Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Looks great Alf. You certainly are a 'poster-child' for this hobby. You're a prolific builder, you get much joy from it, the subjects all crossed your path at one time or another, and one main goal is to learn along the way. Easy to read all that from this build. The Sluf certainly passes the 'bookshelf' test. I'm sure this model will be like your others, and generate great side stories for you to tell at work. Which brings me to a main reason that I loved building Hornets for pilots. The times spent over some good food, good drink, with the model as a center piece on the table - listening to endless tales of "so there I was............" Cheers, Tilt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Looks great Alf. You certainly are a 'poster-child' for this hobby. You're a prolific builder, you get much joy from it, the subjects all crossed your path at one time or another, and one main goal is to learn along the way. Easy to read all that from this build. The Sluf certainly passes the 'bookshelf' test. I'm sure this model will be like your others, and generate great side stories for you to tell at work. Which brings me to a main reason that I loved building Hornets for pilots. The times spent over some good food, good drink, with the model as a center piece on the table - listening to endless tales of "so there I was............"Cheers, Tilt Thanks buddy! ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Or maybe the load charts are deliberate misinformation, so the enemy will not learn of any limitations... Just checked the chart. It shows a solid dot on stations 3 and 6, as well as stations 1 and 8, and a white dot on stations 2 and 7 where I put my fuel tanks. There is no legend, of course - maybe they were trying to show what you described, where the stations can carry the store but aren't equipped with the plumbing for fuel transfer. Are the outboard stations (1 and 8) capable of fuel transfer from external tanks? If not, would the FLIR units carry a single fuel pod on station 3, and a FLIR pod on station 6? Seems to me it would be a huge limitation to have to forego external fuel to carry a FLIR pod (and pay the drag penalty as well). The A-7, though, did have pretty good range even without external tanks, so maybe it wasn't such a big deal. As I said, it's fun to learn more about the real jets from guys like you. Thanks for the info again, Reddog! ALF Edited to add pic of weapons load chart from Hasegawa instructions. Alf, that chart is totally whacked! Station 2 and 7 where dry stations, stations 1, 3, 6, and 8 where wet stations. FLIR squadrons often flew a drop tank on station 3 and a pod on station 6, non FLIR squadrons normally had a drop tank on station 3 but sometimes on 6. One thing that is wrong with that chart is it says the A-7E carried the GBU-8, that was an Air Force one weapon. And, the AGM-12 Bullpup was already pulled from service shortly after the A-7E came out so VA-82 would not have carried it with those markings. Also, a little know fact, you could put Sidewinders on station 1 and 8 when you used an ADU-299 with a LAU-7 so the bird can carry four Sidewinders. Great build, looks like a Marauder bird. Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 Alf, that chart is totally whacked!Station 2 and 7 where dry stations, stations 1, 3, 6, and 8 where wet stations. FLIR squadrons often flew a drop tank on station 3 and a pod on station 6, non FLIR squadrons normally had a drop tank on station 3 but sometimes on 6. One thing that is wrong with that chart is it says the A-7E carried the GBU-8, that was an Air Force one weapon. And, the AGM-12 Bullpup was already pulled from service shortly after the A-7E came out so VA-82 would not have carried it with those markings. Also, a little know fact, you could put Sidewinders on station 1 and 8 when you used an ADU-299 with a LAU-7 so the bird can carry four Sidewinders. Great build, looks like a Marauder bird. Reddog Reddog Thanks for the info, and the comments. It's a bit daunting building models when you know that people from those units are looking... I must say, the colour scheme is very nice - great squadron markings. That's why my daughter told me to use those decals - she said they looked cool. ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AX 365 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 ALF: Great build and an entertaining read as well. I liked the way you overcame the exploding tailpipe episode. Red Green would be proud! Thanks again for you message. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 ALF:Great build and an entertaining read as well. I liked the way you overcame the exploding tailpipe episode. Red Green would be proud! Thanks again for you message. Mike Thanks Mike. Red Green called it duct tape; civilian aviators call it speed tape; I call it gun tape usually. Without it, the world would fall apart. Nice to see you back in action on the forums, and I'm looking forward to seeing your P-47 build. Hopefully you can regain some measure of peace and sanity from ARC! ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
POMPEO Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 great build my friend, i love your sluf cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete W Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Dan, Another nice build to the collection, full of the twists and turns that my models always seem to take as well. You can't say modelling is dull can you, always full of adventure :unsure: I look forward to getting some done on mine now that I've finished the Hellcat & Spitfire that were holding me back. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted January 16, 2010 Author Share Posted January 16, 2010 Thanks for the comments, POMPEO and Pete! Don't get discouraged - just press ahead and build, that's my moto! ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.