Eliminator Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 Hi Folks, Once Bullet 100 (BuNo163894) dio will be finished, I plan to start a new build, but this time with several aircrafts in flight. I'm not decided on the Tomcat variant nor squadron (maybe VF-11 showbird on their last cruise, the full color F-14B, or Vandy 1, or a VF-154 F-14Ag, or even one of VF-31 F-14Ds), but what I do know is that the aircraft is being in-flight refueled. Question is, what Navy aircraft is going to give the fuel given the time frames? S-3? K/A-6D? Rhino? Sorry for not being more precise... Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddler Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 It all depends on the timeframe, but if you'd do the Tomcatters D, in their last cruise,it would be higly likely by a 4 bag + one pumping bag equiped Super Hornet Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 Would most certainly be down to timeframe and the Airwing complement for the specific cruise. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 3, 2022 Author Share Posted December 3, 2022 Time frames would be VF-11, VF-31, VF-154, VF-2 last cruises and last years of BuNo 164604 at VX-9 Build will also be 1/32 scale Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 Either going to be F-18E/F or S-3 for those time scales. All four final cruises for the above F-14 units had both types within the CVW’s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 IMO The most likely aircraft that would be refueling a Tomcat late in it's career (2000's) would be an S-3, KC-135 or KC-10. It would be very rare for it to get gas from a Super Hornet since no Airwings with Tomcats had Super Hornets so the only way for that to happen is if there was another Airwing pulling the tanker duty. Keep this in mind, the Super Hornet wasn't cleared for tanking (fleet wide, not test, it had been tested for several years before being authorized for the fleet) until June of 2002 and at that time there was only like 4 Super Hornet squadrons (if that) in the fleet. The Super Hornets and Tomcats rarely flew missions together unless it was a PR photo shoot when a squadron was transitioning. If you want to do a Super Hornet passing gas to a Tomcat you are going to want to use an older style buddy store (like the kind used by the S-3's), the new style (with the blunt nose rat) weren't authorized until after the Tomcat's were retired. Also, the KA-6D was retired in the early 90's IIRC, so after 93/94 you would want to use an A-6E until it was retired in Feb 97. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, scotthldr said: Either going to be F-18E/F or S-3 for those time scales. All four final cruises for the above F-14 units had both types within the CVW’s. There wasn't any Super Hornets and Tomcats squadrons in the same CAG, there was Hornets and Tomcats and the Hornets aren't cleared for IFR'ing. Edited December 4, 2022 by GW8345 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 good point 👍🏻 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 4, 2022 Author Share Posted December 4, 2022 Wow, great replies! Then question is, do any maker makes a 1:32 S-3? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 20 hours ago, scotthldr said: Either going to be F-18E/F or S-3 for those time scales. All four final cruises for the above F-14 units had both types within the CVW’s. Not on the last couple CVW-8 cruises. Just S-3s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 4, 2022 Author Share Posted December 4, 2022 Do anyone knows about 1:32 S-3s? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 On 12/5/2022 at 5:17 AM, Eliminator said: Do anyone knows about 1:32 S-3s? None in injection form, you could look at a 3D printed one but it would be expensive. Or you could scratch build one like this guy did Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 I also readed somewhere that Rhino were cleared to refuel since 2002, that would render the project feasible then, just have to find which Tomcat squadron was around those tankers... But, since BuNo164604 was a Test aircraft, is would make a buddy refueling from a Rhino a great possibility finally, I "just" would have to find VX-9 or VX-30 decals for the Echo or Foxtrot Rhino Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 (edited) You can do a VX-23 F-14D (Salty Dog 231) refueling from a VX-23 F-18E (Salty Dog 400). That was done back in 2001 when VX-23 was doing the capability/integration testing for the buddy store on the Super Hornet. In 2002 the only Super Hornet squadrons (besides test squadrons) were VFA-14 and VFA-41 IIRC, everyone else was either still Tomcats or in the middle of transitioning. Edited December 6, 2022 by GW8345 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 Thanks for the great info! Wonder if there are VX-23 decals in 1/32 scale for both jets Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stephen Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 CVW-14 on the USS Abraham Lincoln had the F-14D (VF-31) and F/A-18E (VFA-115) on deployment 2002-2003 including Operation Iraqi Freedom. IIRC when the USS Nimitz was enroute to the Persian Gulf, VFA-14 and VFA-41 forward deployed 2 x F/A-18E and 2 x F/A-18F to the Lincoln for use as additional tankers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 So let's say Flying Pencil refueling from a Foxtrot VFA-41 Rhino would be my best bet if I can't find VX-23 decals Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 2 hours ago, GW8345 said: You can do a VX-23 F-14D (Salty Dog 231) refueling from a VX-23 F-18E (Salty Dog 400). That was done back in 2001 when VX-23 was doing the capability/integration testing for the buddy store on the Super Hornet. In 2002 the only Super Hornet squadrons (besides test squadrons) were VFA-14 and VFA-41 IIRC, everyone else was either still Tomcats or in the middle of transitioning. VFA-115. First SH Squadron to deploy ( with VF-31 in the airwing as well). VFA-14 and VFA-41 on Nimitz relieved VFA-115 on Lincoln at the tail end of the Second Iraq War. Whether or not 115 did any tanking I can't say. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 2 hours ago, Eliminator said: Thanks for the great info! Wonder if there are VX-23 decals in 1/32 scale for both jets In 1/32, that would be "no". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 Isn't VFA-115 a former A-6 squadron? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 3 hours ago, Stephen said: CVW-14 on the USS Abraham Lincoln had the F-14D (VF-31) and F/A-18E (VFA-115) on deployment 2002-2003 including Operation Iraqi Freedom. I stand corrected. Never knew that, thanks for keeping me straight. ;-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 11 minutes ago, Eliminator said: Isn't VFA-115 a former A-6 squadron? Yep, they were the forward deployed A-6 squadron from 1973 until they transitioned to Hornets in 96. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Eliminator said: Isn't VFA-115 a former A-6 squadron? VA-115 was an A-6 squadron from 1970 to 1996, became VFA-115 with the F/A-18C in 1996. Unsure when they switched to the Super Hornet. (damn, ninja'd while I researched) 🙂 Edited December 6, 2022 by habu2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eliminator Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 Am thinking... Is there any KA-6D in 1/32? Would be a VF-11 Delta refueling then! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 7 minutes ago, Eliminator said: Am thinking... Is there any KA-6D in 1/32? Would be a VF-11 Delta refueling then! Doesn't have to be a KA-6D, you can use a A-6E TRAM with a buddy store on the centerline. 😉 Trumpeter made a 1/32 A-6E. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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