First Annual USAF Vietnam Group Build

Nice photo. You can tell from the markings that this was an AD-6 R.V.N.A.F. They had the yellow bar on the tail and the US insignia was yellow on the lapels.

Here is that picture I promised of the Skyraider.  Like I said, it has the Vietnam Air Force markings.

Ken 

Dogfish_7

I'd like to enter with my AD-6 Able Dog, using the Douglas Skyraider A1-H, USAF 56th SOW.

Welcome aboard Bruce!    I have a picture of a Skyraider that my Dad took when he was TDY in Vietnam that I will post later when I can dig it out.  I am not sure if it is an H or an J model, but it has Vietnam markings on it which the USAF was doing back before we got "officially" into the war.  The picture was taken around August 1964.

Ken

I'd like to enter with my AD-6 Able Dog, using the Douglas Skyraider A1-H, USAF 56th SOW.

Ahh well, I don't know this plane really well, Ken. I spent most of my time repairing receiver systems in the shop. Most of our equipment was in racks installed in the bomb bay. We had three models at Takhli: B, C and E as I recall. The C models were used to monitor and analyze enemy radar and communications signals. This was the one bristling with antennas. The other two carried mostly jamming equipment.

Cheers,

Russ

Hi Everyone,

Tonight I worked on putting the wash on the front wheel bay.  The first go around the gray was too light.  So I did it again with the next darker shade I had on the shelf (which was Flat Gull Gray) which was about perfect.  Those Aires wheel bays are so detailed!  I spent the entire evening wiping the excess wash off and I am still not done.  I will finish tomorrow.

Ken

Striker8241

Marty,

You had a link to a video of the A-3. Did you take it out ? That's a great video BTW. Haven't heard the whine of those engines in a long time. I worked on the B-66 in Thailand and it was very similar to the A-3.

Cheers,

Russ

I didn't know you also worked on the B-66 Russ!  Very cool!  Another aircraft I can pick your brain about!

Ken

Marty,

You had a link to a video of the A-3. Did you take it out ? That's a great video BTW. Haven't heard the whine of those engines in a long time. I worked on the B-66 in Thailand and it was very similar to the A-3.

Cheers,

Russ

MAgather

Good looking Voodoo's. Was your father a pilot?

And oh by the way, super nice work on the tail hook.

That D was sure purdy. The Pilot - Maj Ed Cherry was involved with the group that founded the airpark. So I'm sure he had an extra incentive to make her look really good.  He actually reunited with the Vietnamese pilot he shot down a few years ago i nVietnam, wrote a book My Enemy, My Friend.  Then they got together for the dedication of the aircraft, and he got to sit in the aircraft that shot him down. 

Cool story Marty!  I like hearing stories like that.  I will have to look that book up.

And thank you for the compliments!  My Dad was a crew chief in both those squadrons. He later went to school to become a flight engineer on the C-141A and eventually the C-5A.

Ken

MAgather

Striker:  That is some great info and images on the Talon.  I'm doing a first time scratch of an EW station in an A-3 right now, but I'm guessing my pitiful first time efforts will pale compared to yours.

~

Thanks, Marty. Don't bet on it, bud   I'm looking forward to seeing that A-3.

Russ

Good looking Voodoo's. Was your father a pilot?

And oh by the way, super nice work on the tail hook.

That D was sure purdy. The Pilot - Maj Ed Cherry was involved with the group that founded the airpark. So I'm sure he had an extra incentive to make her look really good.  He actually reunited with the Vietnamese pilot he shot down a few years ago i nVietnam, wrote a book My Enemy, My Friend.  Then they got together for the dedication of the aircraft, and he got to sit in the aircraft that shot him down. 

MAgather

Striker:  That is some great info and images on the Talon.  I'm doing a first time scratch of an EW station in an A-3 right now, but I'm guessing my pitiful first time efforts will pale compared to yours.

Ken,  I saw that announcement on the Kitty Hawk 101 a couple of weeks ago, and it convinced me to pull the trigger on some decals I ran across a month or so ago.  I'm betting that you might be interested too:  

http://www.canuckmodels.com/

Check out the Voodoo Special Schemes.  I had purchased the Revellogram 416 Lynx One boxing and so had an interest in that version, but the others on the sheets are pretty awesome too.  I'm really digging Lark One. 

I need to get some shots of the EF 101B  CAF # 58-0300 (All Black). I found out it is part of the museum at my local airport.(MSP) I'm there about every week, but never have taken the time to stop in and see the sights!

Hi Marty,

Yes, the Canadians had some very colorful Voodoos.  I have seen an all black one before, it looked really cool!

Here is the RF-101C that I intend to do:

It was in the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron that went by the name "The Cotton Pickers".  It was the squadron that my Dad was in while we were stationed at Kadena AFB, Okinawa.

And here is the F-101F that I want to do:

It is from the 98th FIS while assigned at Suffolk County AFB New York.  It is another squadron my Dad was assigned to. 

Ken

And my bad news is that my Verlinden ordnance came in for my F-100.  Anybody going to object to me putting 1/72 snake-eyes on a 1/48 bird?  What is the difference of 22 between friends???

OOPS!  

Striker:  That is some great info and images on the Talon.  I'm doing a first time scratch of an EW station in an A-3 right now, but I'm guessing my pitiful first time efforts will pale compared to yours.

Ken,  I saw that announcement on the Kitty Hawk 101 a couple of weeks ago, and it convinced me to pull the trigger on some decals I ran across a month or so ago.  I'm betting that you might be interested too:  

http://www.canuckmodels.com/

Check out the Voodoo Special Schemes.  I had purchased the Revellogram 416 Lynx One boxing and so had an interest in that version, but the others on the sheets are pretty awesome too.  I'm really digging Lark One. 

I need to get some shots of the EF 101B  CAF # 58-0300 (All Black). I found out it is part of the museum at my local airport.(MSP) I'm there about every week, but never have taken the time to stop in and see the sights!

Good info, Ken! Thanks!

Russ

Striker8241

Cool, Ken! Definitely looks metallic. What do you use to buff such small parts?

Russ

Hi Russ,

On the larger areas I use a Q-Tip, and for the smaller areas I use a Microbrush:

These come in three different sizes; regular, fine, and the one shown here, super fine.  They are meant to be used for applying glue or paint but they work pretty good for buffing in tight places too!

You can get them in most hobby stores, Amazon.com, eBay, etc.

Ken

Cool, Ken! Definitely looks metallic. What do you use to buff such small parts?

Russ

Hi Everyone,

I finally had some time to spend at the workbench tonight.  I buffed the Metalizer that I had painted earlier on the mechanical up latch and tail hook.  Here is how they turned out:

Not near as shiny as your F-4D Marty, but that is all I can get out of it.  I think they must have used Turtle Wax on that F-4D!

Next I will start back on the front wheel bay and add the wash to bring out the detail.

Ken

Striker8241

Thanks for the information, Ken. I wasn't thinking about buying one - I was just curious if there was one marketed. Man, that could easily take a year to build if you detailed it .

Russ

Yes, and it would definitely fill up your workbench!   

Ken

Thanks for the information, Ken. I wasn't thinking about buying one - I was just curious if there was one marketed. Man, that could easily take a year to build if you detailed it .

Russ

Striker8241

Looks pretty plain for that price.

Here is a better view of the kit:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2010/reviews/kits/anigrandaa9001reviewpb_1.htm 

You can also get it at a better price on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-72-Anigrand-LOCKHEED-C-5-B-GALAXY-Transport-/400485197447?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item5d3ec72687 

$325 + $20 for shipping.

Ken

Looks pretty plain for that price.

Striker8241

Wow! Nice scores, Ken!  I especially like the one with the B-52s . C5 is cool too. Does anybody make a 1/72 scale C-5 model?

Russ

Actually Russ, yes, Anigrand Craftswork makes a resin 1/72 kit of the C-5B:

http://anigrand.com/AA9001_C-5B.htm 

It is a bit pricy at $328 plus $52 shipping but it is a HUGE kit.  When completed it measures 41 inches long with a wingspan of 37 inches!

I do have this in my stash.  When I build this the only place I could put it when finished would be suspended from my ceiling!

Ken

Wow! Nice scores, Ken!  I especially like the one with the B-52s . C5 is cool too. Does anybody make a 1/72 scale C-5 model?

Russ

Hi Everyone,

Well since I worked yesterday I had to squeeze my regular weekend chores into one day today and I am just now getting done.  I am wore out.

I did have a chance to score a few nice lithographs on eBay though!  Here is what I got:

Pretty happy with the lot.  Now I will have to buy frames for them!

Ken

Wow, good information, Ken! Thanks!  

Russ

Striker8241

Man, that looks nice, Ken! And they are going to market the whole family? How many versions are there?

Great news, bud!

Russ

According to Rowan Baylis from Aeroscale, "The F-101A pictured here is set to be just one of a whole family of Voodoo kits".

That is all the information out right now.

There were several versions made of the Voodoo but the major versions were:

F-101A / RF-101G: F-101A released 5/2/1957 and withdrawn starting 1966.  It was fitted with 4 20mm M39 cannons in the nose.  The F-101A was powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney J57-P-13 turbojets.  A total of 77 were built.  29 survivors converted to RF-101G with a modified nose (cannons removed) to house a camera and served in the Air National Guard through 1972.

RF-101A: Entered service May 1957.  Long nose variant to house up to six cameras. A total of 35 were built.  Same airframe as the F-101A.

F-101C / RF-101H: Improved F-101A, had a 500 lb. heavier structure to allow 7.33-g maneuvers and revised fuel system to increase time in afterburner.  Released later in 1957.  A total of 47 were produced.  Also withdrawn starting in 1966 with 32 being converted to RF-101H with a modified nose to house a camera and served in the Air National Guard through 1972.

RF-101C:  Entered service in 1958 using the same airframe as the F-101C.  Long nose variant to house up to six cameras.  A total of 166 were built.  Nicknamed the "Long Bird", it was the only version to see combat.  Used during the Cuban Missile Crisis and entered into the Vietnam conflict in October 1961.  It served in Vietnam until November 1970.  Continued service in USAF through 1979.

F-101B / CF-101B: Entered service 1/5/1959.  It had a 2 man cockpit, and the forward fuselage was larger and more rounded to house the Hughes MG-13 fire control radar.  Instead of the 4 M39 cannons the earlier versions had, the F-101B carried 4 AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles on a rotating pallet in the fuselage weapons bay.  The F-101B used a pair of more powerful engines, the Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55, which had much longer afterburners than the J57-P-13s, and they were allowed to extend out the fuselage by almost 8 ft.  There were a total of 479 F-101Bs manufactured.  The Canadian version of the F-101B was designated the CF-101B.

F-101F / CF-101F: Basically a F-101B with dual controls used as a trainer.  A total of 79 were built.  The Canadian version was designated CF-101F.

RF-101B: Twenty two CF-101Bs that were returned to the USAF and converted to RF-101Bs.  The radar was removed in the nose and a camera was adapted.  Also the weapons bay was removed and replaced by a camera package.  In service from early 1970s through 1975.

Ken

Man, that looks nice, Ken! And they are going to market the whole family? How many versions are there?

Great news, bud!

Russ

Hi Everyone!

Great news!  Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Voodoo.  (You can probably tell by my avatar.)  I just discovered that Kitty Hawk has announced plans to build all versions of the Voodoo in 1/48 scale!!  Here is a link to a first look:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2013/reviews/kits/kittyhawkpreview_5.htm 

Happy, happy!!  Joy, joy!!

Ken

Hi Everyone,

I painted the mechanical up latch.  I also painted the tail hook since I had the paint in the airbrush already.  I used Model Master Metalizer buffing Titanium.  I like to let it dry overnight before I buff it.  Here they are:

So I will be buffing tomorrow.  I have to work tomorrow as well, so I am not going to get as much done at the workbench as I had originally hoped.

Ken