Interesting little craft, the A-4, some people nicknamed it "Scooter". I have a couple in my stash, an old Testors E/F with an "authentic" avionics hump, though I'm not sure what an "un-authentic" avionics hump might look like! I also just recently picked up Airfix's A-4B/4P-no hump on this one. I don't know the quality of these little (1/72 scale of course) kits as I haven't really cracked them open. FSM is to do a benchtop review sometime soon for the Airfix kit. I had to have one as I always wanted a humpless version.

The A-4 looked so teeny when it went up against the F-14 in 'Top Gun'.

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

Tonight I picked up our new stove.  It took a week longer for it to arrive than originally forecasted.  It took most of the evening just getting to the store, loading it on the truck, bringing it home, getting the ramps and the two wheel cart out of the shed, getting it out of the truck and into the house, putting the ramps and cart away, and then unpacking the stove.  On top of all that I had to stop by my Mom's house to take care of a few things.

Ken

Great news, Ken! Please post a picture when you get it installed. Are you going to weather it lol? [D:]

Russ

Ken: Congrads on the new stove, though now I'm sure the Mrs will complain that it does not match the fridge, the curtains etc and want an entirely new kitchen... 

Not sure there's much to see here but anyway. Here's the P-47D I'm building for Doogs' P-47 GB, about halfway though decaling her now: 

And the MiG-25 I'm working on for Dean's MiG GB over on the aircraft forum. Not the best fitting kit, started her about five years ago and just dusted her off and restarted: 

The figures I just laid down the flesh tones and there's not much to see. 

Gamera

Ken: Congrads on the new stove, though now I'm sure the Mrs will complain that it does not match the fridge, the curtains etc and want an entirely new kitchen... 

Not sure there's much to see here but anyway. Here's the P-47D I'm building for Doogs' P-47 GB, about halfway though decaling her now: 

And the MiG-25 I'm working on for Dean's MiG GB over on the aircraft forum. Not the best fitting kit, started her about five years ago and just dusted her off and restarted: 

The figures I just laid down the flesh tones and there's not much to see.

 

Great builds there, Cliff. Is it true that parts of the Mig-25 were made of wood?

Russ

Thanks Russ! Not sure about parts being made of wood, they were almost entirely built of steel which amazed USAF and Japanese personal when we got our hands on one from a defector who flew it from Siberia to Japan. Aluminum loses it strength at  high temperatures  and the Soviets were apparently unable to fabricate the exotic alloys used in the SR-71 so they just used steel despite it's weight.

Striker8241

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

Tonight I picked up our new stove.  It took a week longer for it to arrive than originally forecasted.  It took most of the evening just getting to the store, loading it on the truck, bringing it home, getting the ramps and the two wheel cart out of the shed, getting it out of the truck and into the house, putting the ramps and cart away, and then unpacking the stove.  On top of all that I had to stop by my Mom's house to take care of a few things.

Ken

Great news, Ken! Please post a picture when you get it installed. Are you going to weather it lol? [D:]

Russ

Now that's funny!    But now that you mentioned it, I will have to put a fresh coat of paint on the wall behind the stove before I install it!  It will be easier while the old stove is out before I put the new stove in.  I am going to wait and do it this Saturday.  I am still stopping by my Mom's house each evening after work and tonight is the first night this week I don't have a bunch of stuff waiting for me to do.  So I am going to do some work on my Phantom tonight!

Ken

Gamera

Ken: Congrads on the new stove, though now I'm sure the Mrs will complain that it does not match the fridge, the curtains etc and want an entirely new kitchen... 

Not sure there's much to see here but anyway. Here's the P-47D I'm building for Doogs' P-47 GB, about halfway though decaling her now: 

And the MiG-25 I'm working on for Dean's MiG GB over on the aircraft forum. Not the best fitting kit, started her about five years ago and just dusted her off and restarted: 

The figures I just laid down the flesh tones and there's not much to see. 

Nice paint on the Thunderbolt Cliff!  Looks really sharp!     

Ken

Jim:

Yeah, it looked like a tiny fox being chased by a huge hound. I don't think I

could build anything in 1/72 anymore. I'm really starting to love big kits.

It's a moot point for me, I'm not actually completing anything these days....

Maybe an 'unauthentic avionics hump looks like this:

Ken:

You sure are handy, must be nice to have a new stove. Lucky mom you have. My MIL is getting back to normal, I have been making her dinner.

Cliff:

Great looking Jug! Very nice paneling/weathering work.

That Foxbat of yours is very cool:

and:

Russ:

"Great news, Ken! Please post a picture when you get it installed. Are you going to weather it lol? [D:]"

LOL.....Ken is buying aftermarket components for it....

Great work going on, that window you installed looks great!

I saw a documentary on MiG 25, I think it was on the Military Channel, and they mentioned

that to save weight they decided to TIG weld the titanium bulkhead/spar components together rather than use a fastener system, i.e. flanges and bolts. Wood?---probably had a burled walnut instrument panel

Dom

Dom, you are too funny!   

Ken

Bockscar

Wood?---probably had a burled walnut instrument panel

Dom

LMAO! Dom, you're hilarious, and probably right! 

Russ

Thanks guys,

My favourite story when I was a three-year-old was

"The little Engine That could, I always like the clown!

Dom

Dom, you reminded me I have a 1/48 MIG 25.  It's half of that dual Monogram/Revell kit that they put out in the 80s I think.  I need to see if I can get Deb to go to storage and get it someday.  No instructions or decals, but it's a simple kit and I can always find some cheap AM decals.  Definitely one brute of an aircraft.  I remember how when the final specs came out of the east on it, that everyone on the joint chiefs was having a fit with the egg on their faces about overreacting to what they were "guessing" were the specs.  Of course, if they hadn't overreacted, we may have never had the F-15 and F-14.

Cliff, that Jug looks great already. It looks as though you pre-shaded; I love the look. I've never done it before but now that I finally got a good airbrush I'm thinking of trying it on my Stuka. What type of paint was used for the NMF? because it looks very realistic.

MikeM: Thanks! It's pretty easy, DoogsATX linked an article he found on how to do it and I just followed him.

1). Paint model gloss black.

2). Paint model with Alclad airframe aluminum. It's shiny and the black will show slightly though making it kinda dark.

3). Paint the centers of the panels with Alclad aluminum. It's lighter and will give a highlight effect.

4). Spray a few misting coats of aluminum over the whole model to bring down the contrast till it looks right to you.

Doogs has more as well as photos on his website, I think it's linked on the bottom of his posts.

Actually my MiG-25 is the old kit Revell kit, I think it's the same one that came in the box with I think a F-15. This kit was designed back during the Cold War so the detail is pretty sparse. But it looks like a Foxbat to me!

Thanks for the response Cliff. I've been following Doogs for a while now and have always admired his work. I'll check out the link. After my last NMF fiasco on the MiG I need to try a different approach! Working on my Stuka now so I will most likely try it on my Academy F-86 next year.

Np, it's pretty easy and it doesn't hurt to be a little sloppy - if you paint outside the lines it's still ok. Alclad is very easy to use, the big hassle is getting a perfect undercoat since the Alclad will show every little spot or blemish like a sore thumb.

Gamera

MikeM: Thanks! It's pretty easy, DoogsATX linked an article he found on how to do it and I just followed him.

1). Paint model gloss black.

2). Paint model with Alclad airframe aluminum. It's shiny and the black will show slightly though making it kinda dark.

3). Paint the centers of the panels with Alclad aluminum. It's lighter and will give a highlight effect.

4). Spray a few misting coats of aluminum over the whole model to bring down the contrast till it looks right to you.

Doogs has more as well as photos on his website, I think it's linked on the bottom of his posts.

Actually my MiG-25 is the old kit Revell kit, I think it's the same one that came in the box with I think a F-15. This kit was designed back during the Cold War so the detail is pretty sparse. But it looks like a Foxbat to me!

it is the only kit in town, unless there's another floating around.

The outline seems accurate, if the deatils are shallow.

FSM runs lessons on Alclad about every 18 months.

i think I picked up the basics from a tiny Connie build.

My recollection, is that the gloss black base coat is the trick,

if you get the plastic smooth enough, and the gloss on perfect,

the Alclad makes the bird pop. i've used it, and it is one of the thinnest

coatings of all time. When they say 'buffable', they mean 'just breath hard'

....lol.....looking forward to NMF in the future, when I am TDO.

Dom

Sparrowhyperion

Dom, you reminded me I have a 1/48 MIG 25.  It's half of that dual Monogram/Revell kit that they put out in the 80s I think.  I need to see if I can get Deb to go to storage and get it someday.  No instructions or decals, but it's a simple kit and I can always find some cheap AM decals.  Definitely one brute of an aircraft.  I remember how when the final specs came out of the east on it, that everyone on the joint chiefs was having a fit with the egg on their faces about overreacting to what they were "guessing" were the specs.  Of course, if they hadn't overreacted, we may have never had the F-15 and F-14.

I'm going to coast for a while.....our firm has hired a consultant, and they want both a job description and, get this, a "what we really do" description. Does that sound like a consultant, or what?

Dom

Bockscar

Sure Rich, I'ld love to have one, and a couple of Tupolevs, the kits i posted, and a few more.

I'm going to coast for a while.....our firm has hired a consultant, and they want both a job description and, get this, a "what we really do" description. Does that sound like a consultant, or what?

Dom

Oh for crying out loud Dom!  Are you kidding?  After already having your pay reduced now you have to deal with this?  No, that does not sound like a consultant.  The name that comes to mind is hatchet man!  Does he have body guards?  That just totally sucks!

Ken

I'm afraid I have to agree with Ken on this one.   I hate guys like this.  Corporate parasites.  And of course, their job is never in danger.  It always just makes me sick when you have someone who works his behind off, trying to do the best job he can.  And then some uppity yuppie in management, who probably has never done and honest day's worth of real honest work in his life, goes looking for excuses to fire the guy with the real skills, to save money so he can get his big fat bonus for saving the company money by firing the good worker, just so the yuppie can get another new BMW or other yuppie-mobile that year.  THIS is the ugly side of capitalism...  Don't worry too much Dom.  You have a unique set of skills, I'd start shopping around to other businesses who may need them.

Rich

Son Of Medicine Man

Bockscar

Sure Rich, I'ld love to have one, and a couple of Tupolevs, the kits i posted, and a few more.

I'm going to coast for a while.....our firm has hired a consultant, and they want both a job description and, get this, a "what we really do" description. Does that sound like a consultant, or what?

Dom

Oh for crying out loud Dom!  Are you kidding?  After already having your pay reduced now you have to deal with this?  No, that does not sound like a consultant.  The name that comes to mind is hatchet man!  Does he have body guards?  That just totally sucks!

Ken

Yikes! Good luck Dom

Guys, thanks for that, I appreciate it.....

But I don't want to all out say I'm beef jerky

quite yet. If I don't make bonus this year I'll

suck it up and move one. Big deal, so far I am

not a Hostess employee.....

Sometimes consultants find areas of strength

the employer overlooked, and i need to focus

on that.....otherwise......I'll be driving a delivery truck.

Dom

hey Guys,

i have some USAF numbers from an XF-91 build that

Rich imported for me.

Tail #112958

and Fuselage #FU-958.

Does anyone here know if they are Authentic?

Many thanks,

Dom

Bockscar

hey Guys,

i have some USAF numbers from an XF-91 build that

Rich imported for me.

Tail #112958

and Fuselage #FU-958.

Does anyone here know if they are Authentic?

Many thanks,

Dom

Hey Dom,

Apparently they're authentic. Here's a link to the location of an F-86 with that tail number.

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/the-paper-tiger-f-86f-sabre-51-12958-fu-958-cn-172-249/view/?service=1

Hope this helps.

Russ

I found a better view on Google Maps.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=San+Diego+CA&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&ei=bZ7MULzAJIGGyAGD_oDIDg&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAA

It lets you get in a lot closer.  Man they have quite a collection at that place, Crusaders, A Delta Dagger, MIGs etc...

Striker8241

Bockscar

hey Guys,

i have some USAF numbers from an XF-91 build that

Rich imported for me.

Tail #112958

and Fuselage #FU-958.

Does anyone here know if they are Authentic?

Many thanks,

Dom

Hey Dom,

Apparently they're authentic. Here's a link to the location of an F-86 with that tail number.

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/the-paper-tiger-f-86f-sabre-51-12958-fu-958-cn-172-249/view/?service=1

Hope this helps.

Russ

 

Hey Dom for what it's worth I've been there before; they actually gave out profit sharing checks to upper management 2 months after I was "let go". If you haven't seen it, check out the movie "Office Space" it pretty much sums up the whole restructuring thing with big laughs. Fair warning, plenty of "adult dialogue" but not gratuitous. It's one of my favorite comedies.

mikeymize

Hey Dom for what it's worth I've been there before; they actually gave out profit sharing checks to upper management 2 months after I was "let go". If you haven't seen it, check out the movie "Office Space" it pretty much sums up the whole restructuring thing with big laughs. Fair warning, plenty of "adult dialogue" but not gratuitous. It's one of my favorite comedies.

I was thinking about the same movie myself when Dom was describing the "consultant".  Yes, one of my favorites, I have it on Blu-ray.  Highly recommended!

Ken

LMAO.  I loved that movie.  Especially the weird guy that got fired but kept coming in anyways and they kept moving him to smaller and smaller spaces in the office. lol   I just love movies where people like the office managers in that one get what's coming to them...

Rich.

Hmm, don't do like my last job, they hire a consultant to come in. Guy told the management  the same thing we employees had been gripping about for years- common sense really. The big dogs totally ignored the guy and we ended up out of business a couple of years later...  

Hey guys, been out of touch for the weekend. Reading through the posts. Some interesting stuff.

After talking to a couple guys while i was up north, i found out the story about NZ6208 with the nose gear collapse. What happened is the aircraft had gone through some testing etc in the hangar then wheeled out onto the tarmac. Several people went through the aircraft inside and out to check everything was in the right place...except the gear selectors. Nose gear was cycled to UP. Pilot jumps in, didnt check the gear switches (even though its on his list) fired it up, hydraulic pressure, nose gear retracts.

This i heard from one of the groundies who checked things over. He didnt check the gear selectors because they werent on his list, they were after that day though.