Teeradej Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 (edited) My secondhand Hasegawa 1/72 F-111A is on the way for Linebacker II build project soon. Certainly an already yellowed decals in the box will go to a trash can. I am deciding wheather to buy a cheap Italeri F-111A kit for decals, and some plastics if needed. My questions are how accurate decals in Italeri F-111A kit are and, apart from the bombs, are Hasegawa parts alone sufficient for the jet configuration at this specific period? Or any more proper decals? Thank you. Edited August 27, 2013 by Teeradej Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 My secondhand Hasegawa 1/72 F-111A is on the way for Linebacker II build project soon. Certainly an already yellowed decals in the box will go to a trash can. I am deciding wheather to buy a cheap Italeri F-111A kit for decals, and some plastics if needed. My questions are how accurate decals in Italeri F-111A kit are and, apart from the bombs, are Hasegawa parts alone sufficient for the jet configuration at this specific period? Or any more proper decals? Thank you. I believe you can remove the yellow by putting the decals in a sunny window for a day or two. Can't add much else on the configuration question, not having seen the Hasegawa kit. I believe that the jets flew with dual ECM pods and 4 x MER's. No other mods to the aircraft. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 The yellow will come back, and it's likely the Hasegawa decals were yellowed right from the factory (their famous off white white). You can't stop oxidation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Pic of the Italeri decals here. Like Jennings said, you'll need to add two AN/ALQ-87's - one under the fuselage aft and slightly to the right of the gun fairing and one on the aft station. TwoBobs did a Combat Lancer sheet a while ago, but you'd probably have to hunt one down. HTH, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Teeradej Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 (edited) Thank you guys. I see one eye-catching markings in Italeri box art and I am wondering if the jet tailcoded NA which included in the decal sheet did actually flew Linebacker II December 1972 missions or not. It seems like the best solution is to find for both decals and ECM pods and pylons from Italeri kit which is still around domestically. One more question, What type of weapon that F-111s dropped during airfield strike missions during those nights? Edited August 28, 2013 by Teeradej Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 The decals linked above don't look too bad. Yellow fin flashes were 429th TFS, Red were 430 TFS, both from the 474th TFW. The Linebacker II jets were sent over in late Sept. 1972 as the Constant Guard V deployment. This was completely different than the 1968 Combat Lancer deployment that is the subject of the TwoBob's sheet. As mentioned above, the standard loadout included two fuselage mounted AN/ALQ-87 ECM pods. High-level Combat Skyspot missions would typically drop 24 x MAU-93(conical) finned Mk 82 500-lb bombs, 16 x CBU-58 cluster bombs (SUU-30B/B dispensers loaded as 'flat-fours' on BRU-3A/As) or 4 x pylon-mounted Mk 84 2,000-lb bombs. Low-level TFR missions would carry 12 x Mk 82s with Mk 15 Snakeye fins (carried on BRU-3A/As on the outboard pylons). No Sidewinders were carried on this deployment. The Combat Lancer jets differed from the above in that they carried 12 x 750-lb M117 GP bombs with MAU-91 high drag fins on outboard BRU-3A/As and a single AIM-9B on a trapeeze mounted in the left weapon bay! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 The decals linked above don't look too bad. To further elaborate - the Italeri repop of the Esci F-111A features the following options according to the instructions: - 67-0065, 474th TFW, 429th TFS, Takhli '72 (red tailband - should'n this be yellow for the 429th..?, solid "NA" tailcode, stencilled serial) - 66-0025, 4481st TFS, Takhli '68 ("Combat Lancer" Arrow marking) - 67-0054, 474th TFW, 428th TFS, Nellis '78 (green tailband, solid "NA" tailcode, stencilled serial) The original Esci incarnation, which I also happen to have in my stash, has decals for, again according to the instructions: - 67-0074, 474th TFW (red tailband, stencilled "NA" tailcode and serial) - 67-0071, 474th TFW, 429th TFS (yellow tailband, solid "HG" tailcode and serial) Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Teeradej Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thank you everyone! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RAGATIGER Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi there Well after finding this http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev1/501-600/Rev597-TwoBobs72032/00.shtm I wonder if a more clear instructions can be found as I'm very interested on the details descrived on the decals instructions Best day Armando Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I don't know if these will help, but here's a few shots I took of some of our 111s after they moved to Korat: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi there Well after finding this http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev1/501-600/Rev597-TwoBobs72032/00.shtm I wonder if a more clear instructions can be found as I'm very interested on the details descrived on the decals instructions I'm not sure what your question is. As mentioned above, this sheet is for the original Combat Lancer deployment, NOT Constant Guard V, which supported Linebacker II four years later. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 When they were first deployed for Linebacker II they had the NB tail codes in white with a TAC shield on the fin and unit badge on the flanks. loaded were the 20mm gun and a pair of AN/ALQ-87 jamming pods front and rear. Other loads on bombs would have been 16x CBU-58 SUU-30B/B in a slant 4 as well as flat four, always on a BRU-3, never ever on a MER, they took the BRU-3 on the ferry flight to make sure they had them to use and always have from first to last. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Boyer Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 When they were first deployed for Linebacker II they had the NB tail codes in white with a TAC shield on the fin and unit badge on the flanks. loaded were the 20mm gun and a pair of AN/ALQ-87 jamming pods front and rear. Other loads on bombs would have been 16x CBU-58 SUU-30B/B in a slant 4 as well as flat four, always on a BRU-3, never ever on a MER, they took the BRU-3 on the ferry flight to make sure they had them to use and always have from first to last. Methinks you mean "NA" tail codes (?). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) I have only photos provided to me and they are of jets marked up NA, NB & NC. At the time TAC jets were marked with two letter tail codes, the first letter was base the second letter was to denote squadron, a wing with 3 squadrons would have 3 letters... N = Nellis, A, B, C I dont know what jets (FY numbers) were in which squadrons, I can tell you some from old photos but after that its pure guess/detective work. You will need the gun and the AN/ALQ-87 ECM pods and BRUs... bombs optional. Edited October 23, 2014 by ElectroSoldier Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Boyer Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 According to the Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takhli_Royal_Thai_Air_Force_Base), "All F-111As of the 474th carried the tail code NA." Then: "On 30 July 1973 the TDY of the 474th TFW ended. The 428th and 429th TFS were assigned to the newly transferred 347th Tactical Fighter Wing from Mountain Home Air Force Base Idaho which arrived on 30 July 1973. 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: HG - Red Tail Fin) 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: HG - Yellow Tail Fin)" This jibes with my memories and my photos (which would take time for me to uncover). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DET1460 Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I have only photos provided to me and they are of jets marked up NA, NB & NC. At the time TAC jets were marked with two letter tail codes, the first letter was base the second letter was to denote squadron, a wing with 3 squadrons would have 3 letters... N = Nellis, A, B, C I dont know what jets (FY numbers) were in which squadrons, I can tell you some from old photos but after that its pure guess/detective work. You will need the gun and the AN/ALQ-87 ECM pods and BRUs... bombs optional. The Lancer birds didn't fly with two letter tail-codes. They had the original 5 number serials and the 'Combat Lancer' chevron, which was blue, not black. The jets in the '72 time period were also, occasionally armed with 4 Mk 84 2000 pounders attached directly to the pylons, but BRU's with 500's looks so much cooler! And some missions were flown with only two BRU's on the outer pylons only. I believe it was a trade off for speed/distance to target. The EG tail-code was for the 347th TFW at Tahkli(?) After Linebacker II. The NA codes are perfect for what you're planning... and don't forget the anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen. Except for pre-delivery C's, it was the only version to have it. MRVARK is correct on his info. As far as weapon load, 12 500's, 24 500's or 4 2000's would work fine. And the Hasegawa kit has the correct BRU's. Well, as close as any kit has been! And those pics of the 347th birds are great! Thanks for posting them! Hope this helps... DET1460 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 DET I wasnt talking about Combat Lancer, nor was I talking about the Harvest Reaper jets, Ive seen them, I know what they looked like. The Linebacker II jets came from Nellis and were marked up NA, NB & NC. Ive never seen a jet carry an empty BRU in a pre flight photo. loads of (slant and flat 4) 8x bombs were flown, they didnt always use all 6 stations on a BRU, if they only used two BRUs they are always on the outer pylons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) I await your photos Paul Boyer Edited October 23, 2014 by ElectroSoldier Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Boyer Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 No time to dig for old slides. Other references will have to do. I was at Takhli from March 28, 1973 (the last day of the troop withdrawals in VN – I left about 21:00 or so from Tan Son Nhut after running down in the tunnel to turn the light out ) to August 10 '73. All the birds during that time had NA codes, then switched at the end of July to HG codes. It's possibly they had NB codes on one of the squadrons earlier (before I got there). I remember the commander's bird having "Roadrunner 1" or "Roadrunner One" on the nose-gear door with a crude drawing of a roadrunner, nothing as fancy as the Warner Bros. cartoon character. I remember the loadouts with the CBUs, or 24 Mk. 82s, or four Mk.84s, the two ECM pods, and the gun. I also remember while I was there that there was a mid-air between two of the 'Varks over Cambodia; one came back with a few feet gone from a wingtip; the other crew had to eject. There was an effort made to retrieve the capsule to study its performance in a combat bailout scenario. Story went that a chopper went to get it, started lifting it, but there was no second line attached to keep it from twirling. It started winding up the winch line and had to be cut loose, so they never got a chance to examine it. One of the most thrilling sights was to watch a night takeoff with about 30 feet of lavender-colored flame coming out of the burners. I took a series of shots after dusk that really looked great. Someday I'll try to resurrect the pix, scan, and color correct for posting. One of these days . . . . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 One of the most thrilling sights was to watch a night takeoff with about 30 feet of lavender-colored flame coming out of the burners. I took a series of shots after dusk that really looked great. Someday I'll try to resurrect the pix, scan, and color correct for posting. One of these days . . . . Paul, You should have seen an F-111F take off. I remember watching an EF-111A taking off from RAF Lakenheath shortly before Op Eldorado Canyon and thinking it's afterburner looked like a pilot light compared to the blowtorch that came out of the back of an F-model! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Paul, You should have seen an F-111F take off. I remember watching an EF-111A taking off from RAF Lakenheath shortly before Op Eldorado Canyon and thinking it's afterburner looked like a pilot light compared to the blowtorch that came out of the back of an F-model! Ill never forget that night... When the tankers took off from Mildenhall everybody knew something was going on, then went over to Lakenheath to watch the One Elevens leave too. I remember tying a yellow ribbon around a tree for them too. The burner flame was most individual, different even from the E models over at Upper Heyford. Paul youre right all the jets in Linebacker came from the same squadron... only those there got the HG tail codes... Ive got a photo from March of '76 of an A model at Nellis still wearing NA codes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Boyer Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 As I recall, only two of the three squadrons of the 474th went to Takhli; the third remained at Nellis for training. I do remember both red and yellow horizontal bands on the tails at Takhli. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 When did the USAF change from 2 letter tail codes to denote base and squadron to a two letter code to denote only the base? I know for instance the F-111A at Nellis had NA, NB, NC... Upper Heyford E models had JS, JT, JR. I guess it must have been at that point, they did deploy two of the three, but they all had the same NA tail codes... In fact when the F-111A went from Nellis to Mountain Home as part of the Ready Switch / Creek Swing change they had NA tail codes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 When did the USAF change from 2 letter tail codes to denote base and squadron to a two letter code to denote only the base? I know for instance the F-111A at Nellis had NA, NB, NC... Upper Heyford E models had JS, JT, JR. I guess it must have been at that point, they did deploy two of the three, but they all had the same NA tail codes... In fact when the F-111A went from Nellis to Mountain Home as part of the Ready Switch / Creek Swing change they had NA tail codes. Depended on the wing, but generally late 1971 to early 1972. The 474th TFW switched to NA on 1 Apr 72. The deployed jets at Takhli switched to the 347th TFW on 30 Jul 73, switching those jets from NA to HG until they returned to the US in Jun 75 (they had moved to Korat in Jun 74). More info in WAPJ Vol 14, if you can find one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 (edited) Ive Got that, but I do often find its a bit thin on the ground regarding details. So by the time they got to Thailand from Nellis all the jets were wearing the NA tail codes then Mr Vark? From what Ive just been reading 'Constant Guard V opened on 27 September 1972 when twelve aircraft under the charge or Col WIlliam R Nelson, the new Co departed Nellis, arriving at Takhil RTAB with the single four-hour stop-over at Guam. First in was 67-086. Televe more, all 430th TFS" thats was followed by the 429th TFS between 29th September and 3rd October, all 48 aircraft sent arrived within 6 days... Any idea when they went back to the NA tail codes from HG after Vietnam Mr Vark? Edited October 26, 2014 by ElectroSoldier Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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