Jump to content

Midway Crusaders?


Recommended Posts

Sorry Charlie, but no.  The big problem is no suitable kits, since all those cruises were in early versions with the small nose, and no kit maker has seen fit to do any early Crusaders, even though with only a few extra parts they could do them all.  And decal producers show no inclination to do decals for versions for which no kit exists, even though there is a very good conversion available from Muroc Models. We basically get the same stuff over and over and over again: CAG's and MiG killers. I have nothing against either, knew a lot of both, but there were a lot of colorful early Crusaders

 

VF-111 would not be too hard to cobble together from existing sheets - just leave off the sunburst and put together the NE with black stripes or design and print your own, The red trim on the tail, wingtips and ventrals could be cut from plain red decal, or just masked and painted.  VF-24 would be a bit more difficult since they had the checkerboard stripe on the tail, but you could design and print your own red checkerboard and apply it onto a white stripe.  Old school modeling, which we are not used to any more, but it could be done.  Or maybe Caracal could be convinced to do an early Crusader sheet, or at least a Crusader sheet with some early versions on it.  You listening, Kursad?  I have LOTS of photos!

 

Cheers,

Tom

Link to post
Share on other sites

VF-24 would have been flying A's then C's on Midway. I don't know that there were ever any decals for an F-8A because there wasn't a conversion until Muroc Models did one a couple of years ago, and there still aren't decals. Furball Aero Design did include VF-24 F-8C's on their Mig Killer sheet but the markings cover their time after Midway while flying missions off of Bon Homme Richard  in SEA. Their tail code (among other things) changed from NE when on Midway to NP.

 

VF-111 was flying F-8D's on operations in SEA when on Midway. There are no VF-111 jets on the Furball sheet and I don't know of any otherwise.

 

The good news is that you can actually build F-8A, C or D models with conversions (both the F-8A and F-8C are available from Muroc) or modifications to the Hasegawa kit. I think there are issues with current aftermarket  seats with respect to absolute accuracy of the F5, F7 and original Vought seat as fitted to the F-8A. The latter seat only available in Muroc's F-8A conversion. But accuracy issues (if such things consume you) are really outside the scope of your question.

 

As for markings, I think you'd have to go through images and see if you can cobble something together. Doable? Probably.

 

Edited by Tom
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks guys for detailed replies! It's kinda  what I figured, but I was hoping there was some obscure sheet I hadn't heard of. I didn't know of the muroc conversions, so that will save me some time! 

 

I had the opportunity to tour the Midway about 5 years ago. I was totally amazed at the experience, and that she soldiered on as long as she did.. inspired me to build many of the types that flew off her.

 

 

Edited by Charlie D.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Furball Aero Design released a sheet for F-8E/H/J Crusaders, but mostly MiG Killers from 1966 -1972. It does include marking for VF-24 (F-8E & F-8J) and VF-111 (F-8H), but not aboard USS Midway.  This Japanese website is my "Go To" site for Westpac deployments, carriers, air wings, squadrons, and sometimes even BuNos.  Tom is right!  No correct kit or decals exist for the time period you want.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The last VF-24 cruise on Midway had the same tail design markings as the bottom option on page 3 of this sheet. Just slice the slanted NP into a slanted NE,,,,,,and off course, change the number on the nose and the BuNo.

 

For VF-111, the two options on that sheet have the Red fin flash at the top as part of the markings. Again, you need to slice up some NP to make NE, and swap some numbers around.

 

https://www.furballaero-design.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=48-007

 

Furball is one of the companies following the new trend of giving us so many numbers and letters on the sheets that they are almost better deals for decal bits to mix and match than the old number and letter sheets we used to be able to find.

Edited by Rex
Link to post
Share on other sites
9 hours ago, Dutch said:

Furball Aero Design released a sheet for F-8E/H/J Crusaders, but mostly MiG Killers from 1966 -1972. It does include marking for VF-24 (F-8E & F-8J) and VF-111 (F-8H), but not aboard USS Midway.  This Japanese website is my "Go To" site for Westpac deployments, carriers, air wings, squadrons, and sometimes even BuNos.  Tom is right!  No correct kit or decals exist for the time period you want.

Thanks for the link! Interesting site, I've book marked it. I found lots of good pics for Westpac deployments on the checkerboard bbs site, this one looks like another good source.

Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, Rex said:

The last VF-24 cruise on Midway had the same tail design markings as the bottom option on page 3 of this sheet. Just slice the slanted NP into a slanted NE,,,,,,and off course, change the number on the nose and the BuNo.

 

For VF-111, the two options on that sheet have the Red fin flash at the top as part of the markings. Again, you need to slice up some NP to make NE, and swap some numbers around.

 

https://www.furballaero-design.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=48-007

 

Furball is one of the companies following the new trend of giving us so many numbers and letters on the sheets that they are almost better deals for decal bits to mix and match than the old number and letter sheets we used to be able to find.

Thanks Rex I think I'll be picking up one of these sheets. I'd really like to do a VF-24 scheme. Now...onto the muroc models site..

 

I do like furball, they do some great subject, and their new banshee sheet has a Midway bird on it. It seems the Midway is a bit neglected with the exception of phantoms, Intruders, and the A-7 Corsair.

 

Edited by Charlie D.
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
On 9/14/2017 at 8:21 PM, anj4de said:

Hi

 

There is a very nice -C conversion out there from Cutting Edge! I have it and a Hase -E waiting to be converted down stairs...

 

cheers

Uwe

Pretty hard to find these days, as is the cobra one, and with that you have to re-profile the nose yourself.

 

Muroc models do a nice set which is available. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...