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All this past week I've been watching the live feeds from Oshkosh and the afternoon airshow on YouTube. Watching online isn't as good as actually being there but better than nothing. So, while I've been watching, I've been working on my third Century Series fighter: a 1/72 scale RF-101C Voodoo from Hasegawa. I started with a 1/72 scale F-100D then I built a 1/72 scale F-106A, both from Hasegawa. Of course, the kits are old but they're nice kits. They build up nice with almost no fit issues. I have a 1/72 F-102A, a 1/72 CF-104, and a pair of 1/72 F-105s to be built yet. The F-105s are a single-seat D and a two-seat F model. All 1/72 scale and all but one of the 105s are Hasegawa. The D-model is Monogram.
So, how does all of this relate to Oshkosh? Well, the warbird area was jam-packed with all kinds of aircraft this week. If it was an airplane that once wore war paint, it was parked there. Plus there were a few jets there. An FJ-1 Fury, a couple of Migs, a T-33, some L-39s, a really nice A-4 Skyhawk, and a couple of Navy T-45s, but no Century Series fighters. I didn't realize how big these airplanes are until I started building these kits. The F-100 is the smallest, not much bigger than an F-86 Sabre. The others are quite large relative to the F-100 and I'm sure they're real gas guzzlers, especially the F-105. So, anyway, I guess if we are ever going to see one of these Century Series fighters live and in the flesh, it will have to be at a museum. I'm sure that even the richest rich guy can't afford to pump the tank full of Jet A and then go burn it off for some time in the pattern.
That's all. Just some musing about what-if.
OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...
I believe that the F-104 is the only Century series fighter to see any life in non military use. Not sure if any Century series types are out there in flyable condition as warbirds.
F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!
U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!
N is for NO SURVIVORS...
- Plankton
LSM
Yeah, we saw the Starfighter Team at the VAC airshow some years ago.
Would be cool to see a Thud in the pattern though.
I was just looking on Wiki... supposedly the only their Century series in flyable condition are some F-100s owned by a company called Big Sky Warbirds.
Nothing but museum birds and gate guards left for Voodoo, Deuces, Thuds, and Darts.
I do remember seeing 101s and 104s at air shows long ago giving aerial demonstrations... and 105’s & 106’s displayed on the ramps at some of those same shows. Never seen a Hun or Deuce in flyable condition. Man I miss those base open house air shows...
There is some foundation out there flying a dual seat F-100f, and to go back a generation of Jets, there are flying f-86s.
Still some airworthy F-111s.
Frank you do need a Hun.
Modeling is an excuse to buy books.
Mr. Morrison, an F-100D is the first Century Series fighter I built. The one that got me started. I'd like to do another one, maybe a Thunderbird. Does the F111 qualify as a fighter? Like the F-117, it's a bomber, right?
Back in the fall of 2017 while driving I saw this:
When I got home I looked on the web and found a news story about a Canadian F-104 being shipped to new england for refurbishing.
I'm going from memory, But I think it was going to a foundation dedicated to get it flying again. Maybe in Maine?
The photo was taken in Mass.
It would be good to see it flying again.
The F-100 was not to bad for maintenance, but I think the 101, 102, and 105 were maintenance nightmares. I seem to remember the 104 being not too bad either.
I'm surprised the 106 isn't flying in private hands yet. They were in the Air Force inventory in the '80s. It's not that complicated of an aircraft, and VERY fast!
BTW the Air Force is flying the F-117's again!
https://combataircraft.keypublishing.com/2019/02/27/f-117-nighthawk-still-out-there-still-flying-clearest-photos-yet/
So the Century series lives on!
Hi;
The only Century Series plane I have built is the F-100 from Monogram. This particular plane was supposed to be a " Go-By" for my disabled vets to try to meet on level with, or close. Well they ( My Students ) blind sided me and because of it thst aircraft got me a Gold in 1/48 aircraft at the National Veterans Creative Arts show and contest.
I still Blush when I think about those guys turning it in for judgement. I could've cried. They said I deserved it. It was all done in different shades of Foil Chrome with the Kit decals ,which the California national Air guard colors. Very colorful natural Metal Bird !
Surprisingly ,it was O.O.B. ! Now I do have all the rest. I Just have to build them !I try to keep all my planes in 1/48 as I am comfortable with that scale.
I haven't heard from a friend yet.The only outfit I can think of in that part of the country doing this is the Collings Foundation. Maybe we'll see some jets at an Airshow ?
Tanker - Builder Hi; I haven't heard from a friend yet.The only outfit I can think of in that part of the country doing this is the Collings Foundation. Maybe we'll see some jets at an Airshow ?
Yeah, Collings is up there in Mass. Logical that that F-104 would be going there for restoration. I sure would like to see their F-4 at an airshow here in Florida. Their B-17 and B-24 are based over at New Smyrna Beach in the winter.
I'm fixated on these early jets right now. I'll finish the kits that I have all in 1/72 scale before I go back to 1/48 prop airplanes. I'm posing them all in flight becaue they just look good that way. My wife bought me three sets of the Hasegawa Aircraft Weapons Set One so I'll be able to do the F-105s all armed up.
fotofrank Mr. Morrison, an F-100D is the first Century Series fighter I built. The one that got me started. I'd like to do another one, maybe a Thunderbird. Does the F111 qualify as a fighter? Like the F-117, it's a bomber, right?
Well, the F-111 can be fitted with a Vulcan in the weapons bay, and carry Sidewinders on the wing pylons. The never operational Navy F-111B carried the Phoenix missile. So it did have some fighter capability. Probably about the same as the Panavia Tornado. One EF-111 did maneuver/outfly an Iraqi Mirage F1C into the ground on the opening night of Desert Storm. But yes, it is primarily a strike aircraft, much as the F-105 is.
The F-117 on the other hand... not truly a Century series aircraft, coming along two decades later.... and I can’t recall of ever learning of any air to air capability in the aircraft.
From the 2010 Thunder Over Michigan airshow.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/waynebaker/Thunder%20Over%20Michigan%202010/IMG_1250.jpg
I may get so drunk, I have to crawl home. But dammit, I'll crawl like a Marine.
wayne baker From the 2010 Thunder Over Michigan airshow. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/waynebaker/Thunder%20Over%20Michigan%202010/IMG_1250.jpg
Very nice, Wayne. Thanks.
I have fond memories of watching the Thunderbirds when they were in the F-100s perform at the Air Force Academy at halftime for the homecoming game.
Several flying F-86s around, a couple Mig 15s, and T-33s. Wonderful video from the Air Force Historical Flight of an F-86, P-47, P-51, and F-22 in formation. You can watch the F-22s elevators working hard and the engines being worked. Tremendous piloting skills on display there.
A guy out of North East Philly airport used to have a flyable Mig-21 which he needed special permission from the FAA to fly under the Phila. TCA. He apparently burned fuel so fast he would get airborne, tuck the gear up, do a couple wide pattern circuits, then have to land. Haven't heard anything about him or the plane in years though.
The F-105 was an air to mud plane. While could carry the sidewinder and it had a cannon but I've never heard of one engaging in air to air. It was really a bomber, as was the F-111 and the F-117.
The Air Force designated them F's so they were fighters.
I like that. Air to mud. An apt description.
I just found this: 1/0 F-105 vs MiG-17.
https://theaviationgeekclub.com/f-105-vs-mig-17-how-a-badly-damaged-thud-gun-killed-a-north-vietnamese-fresco/
I bought a Trumpeter F-107A Ultra Sabre jet fighter from the Hobby Lobby clearance aisle many years ago. I think it was not put into production, but it looks like a plane that could have kicked butt in the 50s and 60s.
mach71 The F-105 was an air to mud plane. While could carry the sidewinder and it had a cannon but I've never heard of one engaging in air to air. It was really a bomber, as was the F-111 and the F-117. The Air Force designated them F's so they were fighters.
Rob Gronovius I bought a Trumpeter F-107A Ultra Sabre jet fighter from the Hobby Lobby clearance aisle many years ago. I think it was not put into production, but it looks like a plane that could have kicked butt in the 50s and 60s.
That looks like a cool kit. I think the F-107 was deemed to radical for the USAF.
fotofrank Rob Gronovius I bought a Trumpeter F-107A Ultra Sabre jet fighter from the Hobby Lobby clearance aisle many years ago. I think it was not put into production, but it looks like a plane that could have kicked butt in the 50s and 60s. That looks like a cool kit. I think the F-107 was deemed to radical for the USAF.
I had plans to dress it up in SEA camouflage or at least in NMF operational looking markings.
Thanks for the info everyone! Cool to see that the Thud could hold its own.
I can't open the link for some reason, but I'm looking forward to read it.
The Thud against a Mig-17, the Mig is more manuverable, but can't hold the energy in a turn like the Thud could. Knowing nothing about the fight I'm guessing the Thud pilot would take the fight vertical and avoid a low level turning fight.
The F-107 is on display at the Pima Air Museum in Tuscon AZ, at least it was in the 1980's. Its a cool plane but lost out to........... THE THUD!
Rob Gronovius mach71 The F-105 was an air to mud plane. While could carry the sidewinder and it had a cannon but I've never heard of one engaging in air to air. It was really a bomber, as was the F-111 and the F-117. The Air Force designated them F's so they were fighters. One of those history channel dogfight shows, I do recall one feature of the F-105 taking down MiGs of some sort.
One of those history channel dogfight shows, I do recall one feature of the F-105 taking down MiGs of some sort.
The F-105 made many MiG kills in Vietnam. A few pilots even scored some double kills. But that was not it’s assigned or designed role. It was designed as a low level nuclear strike aircraft with a secondary conventional strike role. The SEAD Wild Weasel role was something that fell into its lap as that doctrine was developed on the job in combat.
But most all F-105 MiG kills happened when they were jumped by Migs during their strike or Weasel missions and their pilots were able to turn the tables on their hunters. Most Thud MiG kills were achieved with the gun, and a few by Sidewinders. One was made when a pursuing MiG flew into an ejected MER as the Thud jettisoned all stores to clean up and evade.
DaNang, RVN Oct., 1966
Pima Air Museum
Thunder Over Michigan, 2011
Thanks for the info Sitckpusher! Always happy to learn things.
Nice photo's Wayne! I had forgoten that the -102 was in SEA.
We had a squadron of "G" model weasels at Korat. The bomb/weapons bsy held a extra fuel tank. When they hit afterburner for takeoff, the concrete protective wall we had at the base gate about 100 yards away would vibrate, and it was a good 6 inches thick.
I've seen all of the Century series except for the 102. When our 106s in the 5th FIS went into A.B. it could be heard all over the base and felt a great distance from the aircraft. It to was a very hard lighting after burner.
My favorite is still the 106. At one point there was an attempt to have the 106 sent to Vietnam by Col Coe, the commander we received from the 87th FIS for our transition inot the F-15A/B. Coe was also a mig killer and we were lucky to have him.
Here's a few shots of century aircraft:
Great photos!
The 2 seat F-102 is an odd looking duck, but in some ways better than the single seater.
I've seen all the operational century series aircraft fly except the 101, I've only seen that one on a stick.
I must be old! ;-)
Thanks, Ikar01. Great pictures! I was at Moody Field from Feb 67 to Sep 70. I was surrounded by T-37s and T-38s. No big iron ever came our way so I didn't get to see the aircraft you saw at Korat.
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