Jump to content

Proposal: TOPGUN Group Build for the 50th Anniversary


Would you be interested in a TOPGUN group build to lead up to the 50th anniversay?  

47 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you be interested in a TOPGUN group build to lead up to the 50th anniversay?

    • Yes. I feel the need. The need, for speed!
      45
    • No. I'd rather fly a cargo plane full of rubber dog s**t out of Hong Kong!
      2


Recommended Posts

10 hours ago, phantom said:

NOW>>>> This time EVERYBODY who said yes.....FREAKING STEP UP AND BUILD SOMETHING!!!!!!!

 

 

The GBs around here of late are getting very few completed and not many more started builds. Its up to you all to make this GB process work. Yes, life gets in the way and all that. But take some time once in a while and build what you say you are going to build.

Guilty as charged.  But I will do my best....

Link to post
Share on other sites
52 minutes ago, tosouthern66 said:

What dates are we talking about here? I was unable to finish what I started in my own GB due to some issues in my life. I still have those issues to deal with but will try and participate in this one.

 

Sept. 1 to Mar. 3rd.

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 3/16/2018 at 9:14 PM, Raceaddict said:

 

Sept. 1 to Mar. 3rd.

Raceaddict

Thanks! Now I need to find decals and a kit. Anyone have any suggestions for decals in 1/72 scale for this GB?

 

Edited by tosouthern66
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...

Went to an airshow yesterday, saw Mavericks squadron emblem on an E-2C.I asked

one of the crew why they stole Tom Cruises' squadron insignia and got a strange look.

I wasn't thinking but the crew member was maybe 25 or so years old, he seemed to

have never of even heard of the movie Top Gun. Guess I am getting old!---John

YGPCwbh.jpg

4u3FQq2.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

I’ve read through both discussions about this group build but could not find a consensus as to what builds would qualify for this GB. Do they have to be F-14s, A-4s and F-5s as they appeared or is the scope wider and includes all USN aircraft involved in DACT?

 

Mark

Link to post
Share on other sites
13 hours ago, gb_madcat_sl said:

I’ve read through both discussions about this group build but could not find a consensus as to what builds would qualify for this GB. Do they have to be F-14s, A-4s and F-5s as they appeared or is the scope wider and includes all USN aircraft involved in DACT?

 

Mark

 

I *think* it comes down to only Miramar-based aircraft assigned to Topgun/NFWS and NSAWC, though I recall some possibility of VF-126 since they operated in conjunction with NFWS. In fact, when TG started they actually used 126's aircraft fairly often when they were only a training unit.

 

Since pretty much every fighter squadron would rotate through for training, opening it to anyone involved would turn it into a USN fighter group build. 

 

So really it would come down to, yes, A-4's, F-5's, T-38's, F-14's, F-16's, F/A-18's all assigned to NFWS and NSAWC and possibly VF-126, and maybe even the specially marked and painted movie F-14's and F-5's. 

 

Okay, folks, correct me if I'm wrong on any of this. :) 

Edited by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy
Link to post
Share on other sites

Either F-16 or F/A-18 aggressor for me, I have Ice's F-14 markings but I need

a break from Tomcats, leaning towards the F/A-18,there's some cool schemes

out there for this.---John

Edited by john53
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

WOW! it's been 50 years!

 

I'm in with two 1/32 models. Probably a TA-4J and a F-5E with VF-126 paint schemes/markings, though I have to admit making the Skyhawk's marking in 1/32 can be challenging. I only got an inkjet printer.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Brian P of Fightertown Decals was living by Miramar through the 80's and early 90's with constant access to the flightline, and has a VAST collection of slides of Topgun's and 126's birds in those amazing days. He well documented the earliest F/A-18 adversaries and the F-16's. I've got a number of prints from his slides, just eye opening stuff.

 

So, at the risk of sounding like a commercial, if you get any of Fightertown's sheets for the adversaries from that time frame, he knows the subjects up close and personal!

Edited by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy
Link to post
Share on other sites
On 6/4/2018 at 7:36 AM, tosouthern66 said:

Question?

 What kit is recommended in the following scales?

1/72 F-5 Hobby Boss or Italeri

1/48 F-5 What's out there other than AFV

 

 

Forget Hobbyboss. It's a cheap copy of the Italeri kit but with recessed panel lines. Hobbyboss got the windshield undersized and IIRC they used  F-20 Tigershark intakes or something because they look larger than the normal F-5E intakes.  IMHO, you're better off rescribing the Italeri kit. Also, they recently released the 2-seater F-5F too, which incidentally, comes with 3 different Aggressor markings.

https://d3fa68hw0m2vcc.cloudfront.net/9e3/150616751.jpeg

 

For 1/48,  AFV's the best.  It also comes with "Mig-28" markings 

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/276414-mig-28-afv-club-148/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 2:44 AM, picknpluck said:

Not sure about 1/72, but in 1/48 there's always Monogram/Revell if budget is a concern. They make an E and an F.

Monogram's Tigers are still excellent kits to consider however, you can only built OOB the first ones that the Adversary units had at their disposal. I think it was near the end of the 80's when they introduced the F-5s with the 'shark-nose' random and the LERXs on the wings. For these later ones you will need AFVs excellent kits. By the way, you can improve the landing gear/speed brakes bays with Aires resin sets. I have done so, on one of my Monogram Tigers.

 

The challenge here is to rescribe the Monogram kits. Too many curves and the aft fuselage near the engines' exhausts has raised rivets.

 

Similar situation with Italeri's 1/72 Tigers. They have a very soft plastic and the scale doesn't really help the rescribing.

Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, tosouthern66 said:

Just ordered 2 1/72 Hasegawa F-16N kits. So I will be building at least one of them for this build. Maye both we shall see!

Fujimi has also produced a kit in 1/72 for the F-16N and with a much better and with more options, decals sheet.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I found the Hobby Boss 1/72 F-5E kit at Hobby Lobby $15.99 with the 40% off coupon it came out to $10.38 so I picked one up just to see how Hobby Boss kits look like. My impression is it looks like an Academy kit the way it is set up and the way the plastic is molded. SO I will have an F-5E to add to the F-16N kit. 

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...