Darren Roberts Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 (edited) This was going to be a build for FSM, but we decided it was a bit too specific, so I'm going to go ahead and post the progress here. I started with the Trumpeter TA-3B kit, as their EA-3B kit isn't really an EA-3B at all. I used the Steel Beach early EA-3B set as well as scratchbuilding and casting some of the antennas. This particular EA-3B spent most of its time flying out of Shemya AFB, Alaska, collecting telemetry data from Russian missile test launches. This is the subject at hand. Port side windows filled in. The SB dove tail put in place. The kit arrestor hook isn't the greatest, so I substituted it with the SB hook. I cut a NACA cooling vent to the underside of the nose. The four antennas on top of the fuselage were cast in resin so I only had to scratchbuild one. The round antenna on the bottom is from a 1/350 scale E-2. This is the SB avionics canoe in place. Edited February 6, 2016 by Darren Roberts Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 6, 2016 Author Share Posted February 6, 2016 The cheek antennas were made from Apoxie Sculpt. The side antennas were cast in resin after making one master. Here's where it's at now. I need to start the other wing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Definitely following! Your modifications, apoxie sculpt work and other scratchwork are amazing. I'm going to learn a lot from this build. Mind if I ask what that tool is that you used in the NACA vent photo and what it's used for ? It seems to have an L-shaped tip? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 (edited) Very nice work and a very cool choice of subjects. Are you going to use that resin engine correction set I saw posted here a few weeks back? Still can't believe something this big landed on a carrier. Edited February 6, 2016 by 11bee Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyraider Maniac Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 Great work! Looking forward to seeing more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 This has been sitting on the shelf for a couple months, so I thought I'd make some progress on it. I got the paint on and one side decaled. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
falcon20driver Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I love how clean and crisp your builds are. Great stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Looking real good! Could you explain a little bit on the Trumpeter TA-3B vs the EA-3B kit, "as their EA-3B kit isn't really an EA-3B at all"? I'd like to do a VQ-1 EA-3B at some point, would the TA-3B be the better starting point? I know that antenna configuration wise, the VQ birds can vary greatly, but from a basic airframe standpoint, does the TA-3B kit have the more proper fuselage window layout, etc. ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 Looking real good! Could you explain a little bit on the Trumpeter TA-3B vs the EA-3B kit, "as their EA-3B kit isn't really an EA-3B at all"? I'd like to do a VQ-1 EA-3B at some point, would the TA-3B be the better starting point? I know that antenna configuration wise, the VQ birds can vary greatly, but from a basic airframe standpoint, does the TA-3B kit have the more proper fuselage window layout, etc. ? The TA-3B has the windows and door that are needed for the EA-3B. Unfortunately, what Trumpeter released in their "EA-3B" boxing is simply an A-3B. You're correct about the varying antenna configurations. Steel Beach has both an early and late update set to use with the TA-3B to get an accurate EA-3B. In other Skywarrior news, Trumpeter just released the ERA-3B, but that's got a bunch of missing parts as well that I'll make available once I get the kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 The TA-3B has the windows and door that are needed for the EA-3B. Unfortunately, what Trumpeter released in their "EA-3B" boxing is simply an A-3B. You're correct about the varying antenna configurations. Steel Beach has both an early and late update set to use with the TA-3B to get an accurate EA-3B. In other Skywarrior news, Trumpeter just released the ERA-3B, but that's got a bunch of missing parts as well that I'll make available once I get the kit. OK, thank you. I work with a couple of guys who were crewmen on those in "The Q", and just like the EP-3E Aries, the configurations are all over the place. You need to pretty much pick a specific reference pic/time-frame and go with it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jminer Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Really nice looking, Darren! Justin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Major Walt Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 (edited) One of my favorite aircraft. I've always been hopelessly in love with the Skywarrior's evil Blue twin, the B-66. Wish they'd release a 1/48 kit of that one. My life would then be complete. More or less... Great work on that bird!! I've always learned a lot from your FSM articles! Edited April 24, 2016 by Major Walt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scoobs Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Very Nice! Great inspiration for my own eventual plan to build up one of the Trumpeter Skywarriors as an EA-3B of VQ-1. My first aviation memory, and one of my first memories period(!), is from 1985 or 1986 of my Dad taking me out to the LSO shack at NAS Barbers Point, HI to watch some Whales of VQ-1 do Fleet Carrier Landing Pattern (FCLP) bounce work at dusk. Watching those those roaring monsters come flying past certainly got my attention as 4 year old! -Scoobs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gary F Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 Nice project and work, as usual! Just picked up your new ERA-3 nose (and other stuff) ... is there more ERA -3 stuff coming? Did you get the kit yet? If so, is the ERA version as kitted, a good starting point for an RA-3 or do we still need your RA-3 conversion or some portion of it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aircal62 Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 Simply outstanding work. A question however and I guess not so simple. Is there anywhere that you have seen posted a list of what you get in each of Trumpeter's A-3 boxings and cross indexed with the various A-3 variants so you know if you want say an EKA-3 what kit and aftermarket items you need? Keep up the great work and helping the rest of us out with your outstanding resin products. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gary F Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 (edited) Was going to ask Darren the same question as air cal did ... if he'd put together a matrix of which Trumpeter Skywarrior is the best starting point for various versions? And Scoobs ... You're post made me feel old! We were at Barbers the same time, only my wife was flying on EC-130s then. I did see some VQ-1 A-3's (and some RF-8's) do some car quals shortly after we pulled out of the PI during my last cruise (1974). These guys came aboard and had the flight deck to themselves for most of the day before the air wing came back aboard. Was the first time I'd seen either of them up close. Always liked the A-3, ever since I built the old Revell kit as a kid, probably late 50's. Edited May 8, 2016 by Gary F Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 Nice project and work, as usual! Just picked up your new ERA-3 nose (and other stuff) ... is there more ERA -3 stuff coming? Did you get the kit yet? If so, is the ERA version as kitted, a good starting point for an RA-3 or do we still need your RA-3 conversion or some portion of it? I'm going to come out with an RA-3B set to use with the ERA-3B. I haven't gotten the ERA-3B yet, but from what I understand, it's missing quite a few things. As soon as I get it, I'll start working on those missing pieces. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 Simply outstanding work. A question however and I guess not so simple. Is there anywhere that you have seen posted a list of what you get in each of Trumpeter's A-3 boxings and cross indexed with the various A-3 variants so you know if you want say an EKA-3 what kit and aftermarket items you need? Keep up the great work and helping the rest of us out with your outstanding resin products. Aircal and Gary, that's a great idea. I'll work it up and post it here as well as on my website. Thanks for the idea and the kind words. If I can help out some fellow modelers, I've done what I set out to do. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gary F Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 That sounds great, Darren. Like the idea of the RA-3 set for the ERA-3 kit, too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rich in name only Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Suggest a separate post with a clear title. The answer is scattered around the various posts now going back a couple of years. A clear title is something that will get Search hits with ARCs search engine (which doesn't even allow a search for a short entry, like "A3"). I recommend something like "Trumpeter Skywarrior". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 Suggest a separate post with a clear title. The answer is scattered around the various posts now going back a couple of years. A clear title is something that will get Search hits with ARCs search engine (which doesn't even allow a search for a short entry, like "A3"). I recommend something like "Trumpeter Skywarrior". Will do! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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