First Annual USAF Vietnam Group Build

Striker8241

Well, everybody seems to be tied up with the holiday so not much model building going on. I've been busy as well with family visiting us from out west. But I did manage to do a little on the model.

 I can't really start on the cockpit until I set up my spray paint booth, which will be at least two more weeks, so I've been working on the main landing gear. I discovered some of the detail on the main gear assembly just isn't accurate. For example, there is no bar between the tops of the two struts. I'm sure this was added to strengthen the model assembly. Also, the struts are of uniform diameter most of their length, as opposed to the model's rendition which has a large sleeve in the middle.

The picture below shows the original strut assembly and what it looks like after I modified it. The struts rode up and down in tracks and were driven by electric motors and worm gears.

Cheers,

Russ

Very good information to know Russ!  And great job on "fixing" yours to represent the real thing!

I plan on building several of the 1/48 scale versions of the C-130 and was going to use the Scale Aircraft Conversions white metal replacements shown here:

 Obviously it is just a recast of the plastic part.  Starting with the metal part and customizing it may offer more strength though.

Ken

Well, everybody seems to be tied up with the holiday so not much model building going on. I've been busy as well with family visiting us from out west. But I did manage to do a little on the model.

 I can't really start on the cockpit until I set up my spray paint booth, which will be at least two more weeks, so I've been working on the main landing gear. I discovered some of the detail on the main gear assembly just isn't accurate. For example, there is no bar between the tops of the two struts. I'm sure this was added to strengthen the model assembly. Also, the struts are of uniform diameter most of their length, as opposed to the model's rendition which has a large sleeve in the middle.

The picture below shows the original strut assembly and what it looks like after I modified it. The struts rode up and down in tracks and were driven by electric motors and worm gears.

Cheers,

Russ

Striker8241

To finish up the detailing of the lower front deck area, I've added the TO rack next to the ladder. It's amazing how much extra room and storage space these planes had in the crew areas, as apposed to bombers and fighters. It's more like an airliner. I flew many miles in them and it was nice to be able to stand up and move around and even gaze out the windows. Noisy beasts though .

Cheers,

Russ

 

Nice work once again Russ!  That looks great!     

I can attest to the noise level inside a C-130 myself.  As you know Russ, one of the benefits of being in the USAF (or at least it used to be, don't know if it still is), you could put your name on a list for a ride to another AFB.  You just never knew when your name was going to get to the top of the list.

When we were stationed at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, my Dad put his name on the list to fly to Tachikawa AFB (which is no longer in existence).  It was an AFB just outside of Tokyo, Japan.  He had a couple of friends there he knew from Randolph AFB (the last AFB we were stationed at).

When you put your name on these lists, you never knew what you were going to fly on.  So when his name came up, it was hurry up and pack and off to the Kadena AFB to catch our "flight".  Our "flight" was a C-130.  I don't remember what model it was.  It was December 1963.  But I do remember how loud it was!  And the only seats were the "troop seats" that lined each side of the fuselage.  But there was plenty of room to move about!

Ken

To finish up the detailing of the lower front deck area, I've added the TO rack next to the ladder. It's amazing how much extra room and storage space these planes had in the crew areas, as apposed to bombers and fighters. It's more like an airliner. I flew many miles in them and it was nice to be able to stand up and move around and even gaze out the windows. Noisy beasts though .

Cheers,

Russ

Lol!

Striker8241

Hi, All,

Since I plan to do a lot of interior detailing, it makes sense to have some way to look inside . Below are a couple of pictures of how I plan to do that. I've cut off the roof over the cockpit and part of the cargo hold that will house the Talon compartment. I also plan to have the rear cargo door in the open position. BTW, that seam running down the center of the removable section is already filled and sanded. The filler is just transparent.

Cheers,

Russ

 

Alright!  An "Under the hood" build! 

Ken

Thanks, Dom.

Russ

Russ:

Nice brain surgery there, your cuts look very clean.

Dom

Hi, All,

Since I plan to do a lot of interior detailing, it makes sense to have some way to look inside . Below are a couple of pictures of how I plan to do that. I've cut off the roof over the cockpit and part of the cargo hold that will house the Talon compartment. I also plan to have the rear cargo door in the open position. BTW, that seam running down the center of the removable section is already filled and sanded. The filler is just transparent.

Cheers,

Russ

Thanks, Dom!

Striker8241

Hi, All,

A quick progress report on my C-130E. I've been concentrating on the detail around the crew ladder and under the flight deck. It became a bit more involved that I anticipated but finally it's done. Below are a few pictures.

Cheers,

Russ

You know your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal.

I hate it when that happens! -really messes up the paint stripes on the tarmac!

Looking good as usual Russ!

Dom

Son Of Medicine Man

Hey Russ,

I was taking a closer look at the top picture, and it looks like that behind the C-130E on the left that might be an RB-47H Stratojet.  I like looking at my Dad's pictures and spotting the different aircraft in the background.

Ken

Ken,

Yes, that's what it is. The RB-47s were still used for reconnaissance well into the 70s I believe.

Russ

Striker8241

I was fortunate to come across a You Tube video by Ron Rowe that shows the original Combat Talon C-130E aircraft that were at Nha Trang AB Vietnam when I was there in 1971.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhbUlgjAapY

These planes were later designated "Talon I". Note the shape of the nose radome. This was the first modification with the Fulton (STARS) pickup system and the APQ-115 radar (modified from an F-4 radar with added terrain following capability). You don't see many pictures of these blackbirds on the web; most Talon 1s are shown with the later radome modification for the APQ-122 radome, which has a pronounced dip at the bottom. Much later radar system mods resulted in the "Pinocchio" nose and the removal of the Fulton pickup system.

Below are a couple of captures from that video. I particularly like the shot with the Sandies. These were fantastic planes, and fantastic crews.

Cheers,

Russ

Hey Russ,

I was taking a closer look at the top picture, and it looks like that behind the C-130E on the left that might be an RB-47H Stratojet.  I like looking at my Dad's pictures and spotting the different aircraft in the background.

Ken

Striker8241

I was fortunate to come across a You Tube video by Ron Rowe that shows the original Combat Talon C-130E aircraft that were at Nha Trang AB Vietnam when I was there in 1971.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhbUlgjAapY

These planes were later designated "Talon I". Note the shape of the nose radome. This was the first modification with the Fulton (STARS) pickup system and the APQ-115 radar (modified from an F-4 radar with added terrain following capability). You don't see many pictures of these blackbirds on the web; most Talon 1s are shown with the later radome modification for the APQ-122 radome, which has a pronounced dip at the bottom. Much later radar system mods resulted in the "Pinocchio" nose and the removal of the Fulton pickup system.

Below are a couple of captures from that video. I particularly like the shot with the Sandies. These were fantastic planes, and fantastic crews.

Cheers,

Russ

Great find Russ!  Thank you for sharing that!  I added it to my favorites for sure.

Ken

I was fortunate to come across a You Tube video by Ron Rowe that shows the original Combat Talon C-130E aircraft that were at Nha Trang AB Vietnam when I was there in 1971.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhbUlgjAapY

These planes were later designated "Talon I". Note the shape of the nose radome. This was the first modification with the Fulton (STARS) pickup system and the APQ-115 radar (modified from an F-4 radar with added terrain following capability). You don't see many pictures of these blackbirds on the web; most Talon 1s are shown with the later radome modification for the APQ-122 radome, which has a pronounced dip at the bottom. Much later radar system mods resulted in the "Pinocchio" nose and the removal of the Fulton pickup system.

Below are a couple of captures from that video. I particularly like the shot with the Sandies. These were fantastic planes, and fantastic crews.

Cheers,

Russ

GreySnake

Ken, Wow, thanks for that! I searched online for the instructions and came up dry. Forgot that Revell Germany also issued the kit.  

You are most welcome GreySnake!  I was not sure that they were the same kit since Revell of Germany did issue their own versions of some kits.  I tried to research to see if they were the same kit but came up dry.

Ken

Ken, Wow, thanks for that! I searched online for the instructions and came up dry. Forgot that Revell Germany also issued the kit.  

GreySnake

Thanks for the welcome Son of Medicine Man!

Striker, That work on the B-52 is excellent!

Wish I could start on my F-105 but the seller forgot to include the instructions. Lucky they  still had them just waiting for them now. Did some dry fitting on the Thud and surprisingly the fit is really good. Now just to play the waiting game.

Hi GreySnake,

You can call me Ken.

If the Monogram kit is the same as the Revell kit (which I assume they are) here is a link to the instructions:

http://manuals.hobbico.com/rvl/80-4504.pdf 

Ken

Welcome aboard, GreySnake, and thanks for the good words!

Russ

Thanks for the welcome Son of Medicine Man!

Striker, That work on the B-52 is excellent!

Wish I could start on my F-105 but the seller forgot to include the instructions. Lucky they  still had them just waiting for them now. Did some dry fitting on the Thud and surprisingly the fit is really good. Now just to play the waiting game.

Striker8241

Ken,

Wheel well looks real good!

Man, buttoning up has got to be the most stressful part of the build. I usually start gluing at one end for a few inches (depending on the length of the fuselage), then clamp the halves together with rubber bands. Then I carefully spread the halves and insert any small parts in the next section and continued gluing for another 5-6 inches, and so on till finished. I've never had much luck trying to add glue to the whole seam at one go, regardless of the type of glue.

Good luck!

Russ

10-4 on that!  I have dry fitted several times already with each part as I completed it.  And I have pieces on each end!  And none of them are original kit pieces so it is all going to be "custom" fitting.

Ken

Ken,

Wheel well looks real good!

Man, buttoning up has got to be the most stressful part of the build. I usually start gluing at one end for a few inches (depending on the length of the fuselage), then clamp the halves together with rubber bands. Then I carefully spread the halves and insert any small parts in the next section and continued gluing for another 5-6 inches, and so on till finished. I've never had much luck trying to add glue to the whole seam at one go, regardless of the type of glue.

Good luck!

Russ

Hi Everyone,

I finally got the Aires front wheel bay for my F-4E Phantom done.  Here is how it turned out:

 Next I need to cut some more on the fuselage according to the instructions that came with the Eduard Brassin Exhaust (7mm to be exact):

 After I do that, I think I am ready to finally button up the fuselage!  It is going to be quite a task because I have so much stuff to glue in their at once.  (Aires cockpit, Verlinden avionics bay, Aires front wheel bay, Eduard Brassin exhaust and mechanical up latch.)  I think I will try to come up with a plan first before I do.  I will be using both 30 minute epoxy and plastic glue.

Ken

Thanks, Ken!

Striker8241

Hi, All,

A quick progress report on my C-130E. I've been concentrating on the detail around the crew ladder and under the flight deck. It became a bit more involved that I anticipated but finally it's done. Below are a few pictures.

Cheers,

Russ

Fantastic detail work there Russ!  That turned out very nice!     

Ken

Striker8241

Son Of Medicine Man

My Dad didn't take any pictures of F-105Gs while he was in Vietnam.  But he did take one of a F-105F at Kadena AFB that was most likely being used in Vietnam.  It was during an open house (back when the USAF still did that on Armed Forces Day) while were stationed there.  It has some interesting armament:

Ken 

Nice photo, Ken! I've saved a copy too. What missile is that on the pylon?

Russ

Dom is correct, that is a Martin AGM-12B Bullpup A to be exact.  Here is a link that describes it:

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=18096 

And here is a picture that I took from my visit to the museum:

Ken 

Bockscar

Ken;

Very cool photo, added to the collection!

many thanks,

Dom

My pleasure Dom, glad you liked it!

Ken

Hi, All,

A quick progress report on my C-130E. I've been concentrating on the detail around the crew ladder and under the flight deck. It became a bit more involved that I anticipated but finally it's done. Below are a few pictures.

Cheers,

Russ

Looks like a Bullpup to me, AGM-12, not sure what mark it is.

Son Of Medicine Man

My Dad didn't take any pictures of F-105Gs while he was in Vietnam.  But he did take one of a F-105F at Kadena AFB that was most likely being used in Vietnam.  It was during an open house (back when the USAF still did that on Armed Forces Day) while were stationed there.  It has some interesting armament:

Ken 

Nice photo, Ken! I've saved a copy too. What missile is that on the pylon?

Russ