'The Eye in the Sky' Recon Aircraft GB 2005-2006

Almost forgot about this build. Well, I'm back from a 9 month assignment with an incredibly difficult client to work with in Redmond, WA. Never in my life have I seen more people yell, slam their fists down on the table, and generally be so unprofessional at what they're doing. Gee, anyone wonder who that could be.

Anyway, I'm building again and the Spitfire PR Mk. XI I signed up to build for this GB long ago is coming up on my build list. Hopefully I'll get it started within the next few weeks.

bump again

On a down note, I just moved, and my contribution (O-2) took a bit of damage in the process.  One of the wing struts broke where it meets the body and a couple of antennas popped off, but I think they're still in the bottom of the box.  Nothing that ain't fixable, but I don't know when I'll be able to fix it right.

bump

Almost done!

well, it's been awhile...
since nobody else has anything new 2 report, here's my project so far:

the ARII 1/72 Skymaster kit comes w/ extra starboard fuselage pc.
w/ O2-a cutouts, the O2-a one is not quite as good as the stock piece
which u see below the a/c...
this is a dryfit mockup, the kit has some flash & fit problems
but i hope it will look ok in the end...
just so u know i'm still w/ this !

frosty

Bump.

Me too, unless I get another kit. Cat + Tenax + model = S^&t!!!! I haven't decided if I want to to spend the cabbage on another. Sorry also.

Hate to do this but due to my assignment at work I most drop out of a number of my GBs including this one. I/m on a project that seems like "Hotel California" (can check-in anytime I'd like, but I can never leave it seems). Add weekly travel between Chicago and Seattle and I just don't get the time to do a lot of other things like modelling. Sorry all.

yardbird78 & cffrederickson:
great work !
must get 2 work on my little bird 4 this build !

frosty

Well, it's done for now:





Some additional comments: The kit decals are for plane 21295, which fellow builders of the O-2A should know was the first BuNo listed on the requisition contract. The kit's instructions show pictures of this plane during (or just before, since the prop warning bars on the booms are missing) it's delivery flight, so I decided to use that paint scheme. I didn't like the gun and rockets that were shown on that flight though, so I substituted the rocket pods from the Revell's Huey Hog (the kit I stole the pilot from).

Due to the kit's thick windows, some of my installation gaffes, and the location of the wings, a lot of the interior detail I put into it ended up being hidden (see my prior posts).

I've left the props off to help show that it's in flight; havent' decided if I'm going to try to add something to indicate the presence of the spinners. I've also left the two whip antennas off, though that's more from a practical standpoint... I'm going to have to move at least twice in the next 6-12 months, and don't want them to bend or break off (hoping the rocket launchers will also avoid that fate).

Nice!

Well, I finally finished my Marine RF-4B from VMFP-3. It is the 1/72 Testor's RF-4C kit that is intended to be an Air Force version. Since the last 12 RF-4B's for the Marines were built using F-4J airframes, the thick wing roots, fat tires and long exhaust nozzles are correct.
VMFP-3 was formed in 1975 with aircraft from Marine Composite Squadrons VMCJ-1, 2, and 3. Their parent unit was stationed at El Toro MCAS, California, with detachments in MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, and MCAS Kaneoha, Hawaii. The squadron was know as, "The Eyes Of The Fleet" and deactivated on 30 September 1990. More photos are at: www.bellevillercflyers.com/gallery/album125 .

Darwin, O.F.

QUOTE: Originally posted by oscardeuce I used model master aircraft gray. I'll measure the stars for you. When you say BAT 21 A/C do you mean the one from the movie. The actual resuce was OV-10. I'll check and see if there are any documented O2 tail numbers from the rescue.

oscardeuce:
thanx 4 the info, i picked up some aircraft grey at the LHS.
any info on the size of the stars & USAF letters (i'm building in 1/72) ?
i do mean the a/c from the movie, & i'd b grateful 4 any tail number info
also !
sorry 4 the delay in reply...

frosty

Why do we build these models?
Why do some spend thousands or millions of dollars to keep the aircraft flying?
Here are the reasons, our heroes!
http://www.fac-assoc.org/memorial/memorial02a.html

Sorry I haven't been the most frequent of contributors. I don't want to feed you guys excuses, but I really have been busy. My 0-2 is done, but I don't own a digital camera. As soon as I get one, I'll post plenty of pictures.

Hey all just so you know I want be starting my build for a couple of weeks so I can also use this build in another group build forum!

Howdy all. I have'nt touched base for awhile cause I've been waiting for my stinking clear parts to get here. Finally got them yesterday.( I tried the Squadron ones and DID NOT CARE FOR THEM) Anyway,I'm gettin' busy with the kit and will post some picts soon. Sorry to be so tardy!!(Hmmm,I don't feel tardy)

Man I just got my kit of the Ar196 from revell and man its a weird one! It's molded in a highlighter blue colour plastic which put me off first of all but after some close inspection of the kit it looks pretty good, with only some finely raised panel lines and a sparce cockpit it looks to me like it will be a straigth forward build, with maybe some extra detail in the cockpit?

As inspector Clueso would say- Bimp(with a french accent)

Off we go into the wild blue yonder!

Great work everyone! Good to see this thread alive once more!
Not much to report on my build since I spent the past week teaching people how to navigate their way around the bush without getting lost.
I'm preparing to scribe the panel lines on the fuselage as well as begin construction of the radar array. Pics to follow soon hopefully.
Cheers,
John

I used model master aircraft gray. I'll measure the stars for you. When you say BAT 21 A/C do you mean the one from the movie. The actual resuce was OV-10. I'll check and see if there are any documented O2 tail numbers from the rescue.

cjk:
looking good so far !
oscardeuce:
that has really come together nicely w/ paint & decals...
what color grey is that on ur model
r u both building the testors kit ?

my skymaster kit is the civilian model, it has an alternate
fuselage piece w/ the glazing 4 the O-2a but no military decals.
can anyone suggest appropriately sized decals so i can do this
as a USAF bird ? i want 2 do the BAT-21 a/c if possible...
thanx in advance,

frosty

CK,
Looking good.
That radio rack looks good!
Some progress on painting and decals

John, O-2 and CF, great work on your models. Keep the pictures coming.

Darwin, O.F.

Here's my O-2A as it appeared last night. Closed up the fuselage this morning.



I decided that I'm going to build the plane wheels up and in flight, so I stole the pilot out of Revell's 1/48 Huey Hog. He's a bit big for the kit: I replaced the floor with sheet styrene to give me a bit of flexibility. Even so, his head scrapes against the roof.

The stuff on the rack was carved from an eraser; in hindsight this was a bad idea because the paint was still tacky this morning.

Looking swell, oscardeuce.
Keep it up!
Cheers,
John
P.S. Progress pics of my Wedgetail coming soon!

Some progress on my O2-A

Picture bump!



Cheers,
John