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VHF Antenna

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  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
VHF Antenna
Posted by Pawel on Friday, November 30, 2018 1:36 AM

Hello!

On many Vietnam aircraft you get to see an antenna like this (I mean the white blade antenna):

It has that black "boomerang" on it and I hear that it's the manufacturer's logo. My question to you would be: What company's logo is that supposed to be? A friend modeller would like to make it a bit more accurate that in the picture above.

Thanks in advance for your help and have a nice day

Paweł

 

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Friday, November 30, 2018 8:44 AM

That logo does look familiar, Pawel, but I just can't place it at the moment.  At my age it takes me awhile to recognize anything, but I'll work on it.  I am wondering if it is a stylized antenna.  That is a pretty good image- I would think one could make a pretty good decal from it, especially if you have a good graphics program that has good sharpening and upsampling routines.

One method is to upsample, to maybe twice as many pixels- say 600 dpi vs 300 dpi, then create a new layer, and use a pen or brush set at two pixels and draw it in over the picture.  Maybe making that second layer a vector layer would help too.  Do the outline as a vector, then fill it with color.

 

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Friday, November 30, 2018 1:27 PM

Hello Don!

Thanks a lot for your comment. And I thought you had something against me and you avoid answering my post at all costs!

If it was my model, it would be in 1:72 and then I'd probably just freehand the "boomerang" and leave it at that. But my friend has found a color profile of a Huey where the same or similar antenna is explicitly called out:

 

The caption says:

"..The large vertical VHF antenna mounted on the roof of the cabin was painted white and carried the manufacturer's logo in black.."

So we're wondering what company could that be and of course how would that logo look, exactly.

As for creating decals my first choice is always my old Corel 9.0. Of course bitmap manipulations like upsampling the image would of course work, too, but my feeling is that would take more work than Corel to get nice, straight lines, smooth curves and complex geometries in high resolution bitmap.

So, anybody has an idea on the company? I bet it's a well known brand name.

Thanks in advance for your help and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2016
Posted by learmech on Friday, November 30, 2018 2:12 PM
Pawel, I work at a large aircraft maintenance/modification facility. I went around to several of the old timers who are involved with avionics installation/modification and asked if any of them knew who's logo it was. Nobody recognized the logo. Sorry I couldn't provide any answers but I figured I had good resources available.
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Friday, November 30, 2018 4:43 PM

learmech - thanks a lot for trying, I appreciate it greatly. I wonder - if the old hands didn't know, are we ever going to find out?

Thanks again and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, November 30, 2018 6:28 PM

it is a drawing after all. I'd like to see a photo.

EDIT:

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Friday, November 30, 2018 9:41 PM

Hmmm, this has been driving me crazy.  Do you think it could be some warning stencil - maybe for RF transmission?  Anyone that has been zapped by RF can appreciate that!

Also - looks a little bit like a missile/rocket being launched - company logo?

GM - the bird dog got me looking

Good pic here: https://www.tinker.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1390170/tinker-history-cessna-l-19-bird-dog-aircraft-profile/

And the Model USA kit I have has the marking #41 and #42

 

 

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, November 30, 2018 10:48 PM

Well, look at that...

I suppose the people who restored that heritage tail dragger would know.

I'm not gonna 'jack this thread, but I did come across an interesting photo of a Skymaster FAC with two foot high letters "DON'T SHOOT" across the wing.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Friday, November 30, 2018 11:03 PM

They were common on the aircraft in my Army National Guard unit, and I am certain it is a manufacturer's logo.  Here is one of our CH-37's with the antenna above the cockpit.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, November 30, 2018 11:22 PM

That is a very ugly aircraft, John. Is that at McLelland?

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Saturday, December 1, 2018 12:11 AM

Ah the Mojave... a face only a mother could love.

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Saturday, December 1, 2018 12:31 AM

It’s not Cessna’s logo? They did have their own VHF COMM and Nav line of equipment. Otherwise Bendix/King? ...Narco?

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Saturday, December 1, 2018 5:59 AM

Hello everybody!

Ahh, the Mojave... I have to build me one of these... Some day!

Nathan T - I wouldn't say it's the Cessna logo... On an UH-1?

Thanks a lot for your great comments here. I believe they have allowed me to make a breakthrough here. I found another photo of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation bird:

After enlarging the photo one starts to see the logo...

Until somebody has a better idea, I have to conclude that we're talking about a Collins logo here:

Especially considering this:

What do you say?

Thanks again everybody and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    January 2012
  • From: Barrie, Ontario
Posted by Cdn Colin on Saturday, December 1, 2018 8:36 AM

There seems to have once been a connection between Collins and Rockwell.

http://rockwellcollinsmuseum.org/logos.php

 

I build 1/48 scale WW2 fighters.

Have fun.

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Saturday, December 1, 2018 9:29 AM

Pawel

Hello everybody!

Ahh, the Mojave... I have to build me one of these... Some day!

Nathan T - I wouldn't say it's the Cessna logo... On an UH-1?

Thanks a lot for your great comments here. I believe they have allowed me to make a breakthrough here. I found another photo of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation bird:

After enlarging the photo one starts to see the logo...

Until somebody has a better idea, I have to conclude that we're talking about a Collins logo here:

Especially considering this:

What do you say?

Thanks again everybody and have a nice day

Paweł

 

I meant Cessna made its own VHF Comms To possibly sell to other manufacturers? But Collins seems more likely 

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Saturday, December 1, 2018 3:09 PM

GMorrison

That is a very ugly aircraft, John. Is that at McLelland?

 

Bill, I took that picture at summer camp at Camp San Luis Obispo in 68 or 69 most likely.  The logo on the hill is for the California Military Academy which was there at the time.  The road to San Luis Obispo in just about under the Mojave, maybe a little behind and it is landing at the parade ground that borders the highway.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Saturday, December 1, 2018 3:12 PM

You know, my memory was that it was a Collins antenna but I wasn't sure enough to say so and I couldn't find any logo like that on the Collins page I found.  In the 50's and 60's Collins was the gold standard for corporate aircraft radios.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, December 3, 2018 11:54 AM

Ah yes I recognize it now. And McLelland doesn’t have big hills.

I moved to SLO in 1974.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 9:29 AM

BTW, Pawel- are you building the Roden 1:32 Cessna?  That is kinda what that section of the fuselage looks like.  I have the kit in my stash and hope to get it on my bench soon. 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 11:33 AM

No, Don - I'm researching this for my friend who is building a 1:72 Huey and for myself, for future reference. Many times I have seen that "boomerang" on the antenna and wondered what it is - now I think I know.

So what's your Cessna going to be? Air Force, Army, Marines? Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 11:48 AM

GMorrison

Well, look at that...

I suppose the people who restored that heritage tail dragger would know.

I'm not gonna 'jack this thread, but I did come across an interesting photo of a Skymaster FAC with two foot high letters "DON'T SHOOT" across the wing.

 

GM - One of Roden's 1/32 O-2 kits has that decal included.

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