kstater94 Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm working on a 1/48th A-7D in honor of my late father. He was assigned to the 355th TFS of the 354th TFW at Myrtle Beach. I'm almost to the stage of decaling but I don't want to build the commander's aircraft (71-0354) Why, you say? A couple of reasons First of all, did I mention that Dad was in the 355th?? (the commander's aircraft came out of the 353rd). Dad's squadron carried blue bands on their tails. Second, EVERYONE builds the commander's aircraft If specific squadron assignment wasn't an issue, there's the issue of serials Other than the 71-0354 provided in the kit, there are absolutely NO decals out there for "MB" coded A-7's (other than the commander's aircraft). Believe it or not, there WERE seventy-one OTHER A-7's that deployed to Korat besides the shark mouth painted commander's aircraft (which didn't get the shark mouth until they were in country). It irritates me greatly that it appears that decal companies don't feel that any other A-7's are worth depicting (such as the A-7 that Major Clarke flew during his record breaking SAR mission to cover a downed Wild Weasel crew). That aircraft currently sits in the Air Force museum. So, looks like I'll be cobbling numbers together. grumble grumble Venting complete Back to the bench (and the decal box) - John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Av8fan Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I would suggest contacting adastra masks I recently spoke with them regarding a project and I was very happy with the coms. Now I just need to decide which markings I want. Best of luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Yeah, back to the bench with you!!! CAG/Wing CC birds are nice, but there are usually 17 other jets in the squadron that may have more history. Look at F-15C 85-0102. It was flown in DS where two different pilots scored kills against Iraqi jets. Prior to that, it was a simple line bird. But after, the Wing CC snapped it up as his own. As it passed hands, the only place where it didnt get placed as the wing king bird was Langley. That was already an F-22. Now in the Louisiana ANG, it is once again a Wing jet because of it's history earned elsewhere. Back to decals, at least add some line birds on a sheet for those that wish to do something other than the one color bird. One off jets are just that and you wont sell as much. -Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 John, you should be able to paint the serial on with masks. I've seen WWII german crosses and letters painted on a 1/72 scle model, so in 1/48 scale, you should be OK. There are several companies that offer custom cut masks. I'ld love to do a 1/72 F-100C in SEA markings, but it is a no joy. Scavenging decals from different kits or decal sheets is the only way to accomplish this. I've printed my own decals twice now, with a third sheet already drawn up on my computer (thanks to Speijc for guiding me in the right direction). While this is easy to do with black decals, for colors and especially different shades of grey, you'll have to find other means of accomplishing the task. I am not sure if this is just me, or if this has been observed bo other modelers, too. Most of the current kits feature special anniversary decals, Tiger Meet or CO schemes. Sometimes there is not even a second choice included in the kit, or feature line jet decals for a different nation. Then, there are decal manufacturers who produce sheets with subjects like "Wing Kings" or CONA, just to name a few of them. I understand that those kits or decals will sell better than plain line jet, but what about the modeler who wants to build a simple "grey" line jet? If you ask about other jets of a particular unit, the answer is most of the times "not enough references". Heck... I don't care about the names on the canopy, or if the stencilling is kyrillic or just some unrecognizable glob of pixels. As long as it looks like a word, it is acceptable. I just want the correct tail flash and squadron badges for a particular serial number. There are a few decal sheet exeptions, which feature line and CO jets, but as long as the majority of modelers want special schemes, this is what's going to be printed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Brown Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Right there with you! I prefer line jets, too. I built my A-7 as Maj. Clark's 970. Eagle Strike or Aeromaster (can't recall which) makes sheets of black and white tail codes so you can build whatever serial number you want. Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kstater94 Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 Thanks Guys, Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. As Jeff pointed out, more often than not, it's the NON highly painted aircraft (the regular line aircraft) that have more of the history. While some companies used to include aircraft with significant histories on their sheets, it doesn't seem to be as much the case anymore. I'd like to stay away from masking if I can (but am certainly not opposed to it at all... I may indeed check into it as you certainly don't have to worry about silvering!) As for SEA F-100C's Dennis, it seems that more and more companies are coming out with SEA Huns since the Trumpeter kits came out. I'm sure Ben can point you in the right direction though as he's the Hun aficianado. Cheers John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I understand the concerns. But, the main thing is though that high visibility aircraft tend to have more pictures taken of them than line birds. So decal companies tend to go for birds they have research photos of. Squadron CO birds also tend to be more colorful anyway (and potentially more appealing to the model building public than other jets for the guy who wants to build ONE A-7 and whom isn't necessarily particular about a certain jet). A-7s aren't exactly high on many build lists either, so they don't get the piles of decal offerings like say an F-14 Tomcat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thegoodsgt Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm with you. I'm generally not a fan of CAG aircraft and wing kings. Line jets have much more character. You might also consider having some decals custom printed by one of the folks mentioned on these forums in the past. You could probably have 5-10 printed and then sell the extras here to recoup your expense. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Keith Diamond Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 John, I wish there were some 356th (green tail bands) decals out there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kstater94 Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 That would be cool too Keith I always liked the Green Demons Cheers! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I've told Scott this at Afterburner, I have said that not all of us like Wing Kings, I prefer the line jets or at least having the option of a line jet on a decal sheet. I don't like modeling paper pusher jets. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark S. Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'ld love to do a 1/72 F-100C in SEA markings, but it is a no joy. Scavenging decals from different kits or decal sheets is the only way to accomplish this. I am not sure if this is just me, or if this has been observed bo other modelers, too. Most of the current kits feature special anniversary decals, Tiger Meet or CO schemes. Sometimes there is not even a second choice included in the kit, or feature line jet decals for a Wolfpak Sheet 72-047, Mr. Bones Neighborhood has a F-100C in SEA from the Colorado ANG. Additionally all you need to do is ask for those subjects in 1/72 scale that you would like to see. I do more line jets than billboard jets. Mark S. Wolfpak Decals Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Wolfpak Sheet 72-047, Mr. Bones Neighborhood has a F-100C in SEA from the Colorado ANG. Additionally all you need to do is ask for those subjects in 1/72 scale that you would like to see. I do more line jets than billboard jets. Mark S. Wolfpak Decals Mark, thanks for that information. I'got a few of your decal sheets, but never saw the sheet with the F-100C before. Looks like I am going to place an order soon to get some of my long waiting projects going. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Mark, you are the first decal maker to come to mind when John and I were discussing the line birds. Wolfpak routinely has line aircraft versus the pretty CAG/Wing CC aircraft. Thanks for listening. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boom175 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I've told Scott this at Afterburner, I have said that not all of us like Wing Kings, I prefer the line jets or at least having the option of a line jet on a decal sheet. I don't like modeling paper pusher jets. I crewed the wing king jet at the MD ANG while the boss didn't fly it a lot, I always wanted my jet to be the high flyer for the month. BTW when the boss flew for a reguar sortie ,he usually ended up in a different tail # just because of the configuration. If he had to go cross country he took "our" jet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kstater94 Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Wolfpak Sheet 72-047, Mr. Bones Neighborhood has a F-100C in SEA from the Colorado ANG. Additionally all you need to do is ask for those subjects in 1/72 scale that you would like to see. I do more line jets than billboard jets. Mark S. Wolfpak Decals Mark, I noticed that you have expanded your line to include 1/48th scale subjects. Would a line bird A-7D be interesting to you (like I mentioned with Major Clarke's A-7D) or perhaps a Kansas Air National Guard F-100C that deployed to cover the U.S.S. Pueblo Crisis? Ironically, the MB A-7 that I want to build AND the Air National Guard F-100 BOTH fell under the control of the 354th TFW... Just at different times (only a few years apart). Cheers John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I crewed the wing king jet at the MD ANG while the boss didn't fly it a lot, I always wanted my jet to be the high flyer for the month. BTW when the boss flew for a reguar sortie ,he usually ended up in a different tail # just because of the configuration. If he had to go cross country he took "our" jet. I know how it works. I worked Hornets in the CAF. But I haven't wanted to model a USAF Wing King jet since a Maple Flag in Canada. A General was flying a jet (first time ever I saw that) and he shut his jet down on the taxi-way because he had a bug on the windshield. 300 planes launching and this guys shuts down in the middle of it all? We were so disgusted. He was flying his jet. I soured on the USAF Wing King jets after that, I don't want to model the jet of a spoiled ...... It left a lasting impression on me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boom175 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I know how it works. I worked Hornets in the CAF. But I haven't wanted to model a USAF Wing King jet since a Maple Flag in Canada. A General was flying a jet (first time ever I saw that) and he shut his jet down on the taxi-way because he had a bug on the windshield. 300 planes launching and this guys shuts down in the middle of it all? We were so disgusted. He was flying his jet. I soured on the USAF Wing King jets after that, I don't want to model the jet of a spoiled ...... It left a lasting impression on me. Don't blame ya!! Most pilot generals I've met have been pretty cool but a some of them are real ***holes. I've "broken" my jet more than one time when I've had a *** in the seat!! Amazing how fast I can fix it when they get out!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) Given the way the USAF used to letter and number their squadrons, one would think it would be a simple enough task to produce a sheet of letters in the more common measurements as well as serial number prefixes. While this certainly wouldn't cover *all* the bases (say, names on canopy sills, etc) it would go a long way towards making some decal sheets, especially older ones, a bit more user-friendly. It wouldn't be the end-all, be-all solution, as some squadrons used non standard sizing or color for their stencils, but it would be a huge help. I don't know if you remember, John, but I kinda ran into the same issue in my 1/32 188th FW F-16C. The only 1/32 Arkansas decals available were for an F-16A (identical tail art as the later C models, but serials for an F-16A) so I've tried to cobble together an F-16C serial that the 188th used. So far I've been unsuccessful. Edited February 27, 2012 by Skull Leader Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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