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For the particular S-3B Viking VS-29 that took part in OIF shown below, SuperScale Decal Sheet 48-951 calls for an overall color of FS 36320.  I thought low viz S-3B Vikings are painted FS 36375 overall.  Is this aircraft a special case?

 

LowViz_Color.gif.026b0c83021b904fffa0f340fb6928e0.gif

 

 

Some pictures of this aircraft can be found at https://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayhangar/viking.html

It does appear to be an overall Dark Ghost Gray on my computer monitor from the photos.

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Generally Vikings were painted overall 36375 but, I've found SuperScale to be pretty accurate with their research. Best thing to do would be to try and find some pics of VS-29 jets during OIF. Also, unless those two colors 36375 and 36320 are right next to each other it's hard to tell them apart. Throw in some weathering and fading and it would be really tough to tell.

The two I'm currently building, a S-3B from VS-29 "OEF" timeframe of 2001 / 2002 and a ES-3A from VQ-5 1994 timeframe, are both overall FS 36375 Lt. Ghost Gray.

Steve

Edited by A-10 LOADER
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/17/2021 at 2:09 PM, RichardL said:

For the particular S-3B Viking VS-29 that took part in OIF shown below, SuperScale Decal Sheet 48-951 calls for an overall color of FS 36320.  I thought low viz S-3B Vikings are painted FS 36375 overall.  Is this aircraft a special case?

 

LowViz_Color.gif.026b0c83021b904fffa0f340fb6928e0.gif

 

 

Some pictures of this aircraft can be found at https://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayhangar/viking.html

It does appear to be an overall Dark Ghost Gray on my computer monitor from the photos.

I just noticed your building the same jet, NH-700 but, different BUNO, mine is S-3B, NH-700, VS-29, 160569. Mine was on the USS Carl Vinson during "OIF" from July 23, 2001 - January 23, 2002, overall FS 36375, Lt. Ghost Gray.

Steve

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On 1/27/2021 at 9:38 PM, RichardL said:

Actually I have not started building it yet.  It's in the queue.  I'm waiting for the S-3B Viking Conversion Set from Phase Hangar.

Gotcha. I used these on my S-3B and the ES-3A.

Steve

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The recommended kit for this 48-951 decal sheet is the ES-3A Shadow.  From the instructions:

Quote

This aircraft is one of a kind SSU S-3B that took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom with VS-29.  It had the ES-3A avionics bay door on the starboard side of the fuselage, a SATCOM antenna on top of the fuselage, an additional GPS brick on top of the crew stations, and two antennas from the ES-3A adjacent to the nose gear doors.  This aircraft was used to plot target positions prior to the beginning of the air campaign in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 

Therefore, the best route for me to take is converting my ES-3A to an S-3B using the conversion set since I need some Shadow parts.

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I know the OP asked about the color, but just passing along some info.  The airframe is now on display on the former-USS Midway so there are plenty of pics of it that can be found on-line.   The last time I saw it, it still retained the ES-3A doors on one side and the extra antennas.  Due to COVID restrictions, the museum is currently not open.

Another image of the jet with those markings are on this page -> LINK   and the jet was definitely painted in one overall color when it  had those markings.

 

Edited by John B
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Thanks John.  I was able to find some pics from the link I posted on the first post but was not able to find larger pics on-line elsewhere.  From those pictures, looks like the aircraft carries triple-rail launchers but not sure which, LAU-88?

 

midwayaircraft-204b.jpg

 

midwayaircraft-203b.jpg

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Correct: That’s a TER loaded with FMU-140 fuzed ROCKEYE. 

 

TER (Triple Ejector Rack) is not a launcher, just a modified bomb rack system allowing three weapons to be hung from a BRU-11 parent rack (the bomb rack inside the pylon that the TER attaches to). 

 

This was one one of our standard SuCAP alert loads while in the Gulf (we didn’t have Mav+ installs yet). 

Of course we couldn’t loose the buddy refueling pod. We also had 2x MK-82 slicks in the bomb bay. 

 

Cheers

Edited by Collin
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