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

Hey guys! I finally got up the courage to start chopping the kit to pieces.


This is after about 1/2 an hour of cutting. Both fuselage halves have now been chopped. Next to go: some parts of the tail.
Cheers,
John

Alby: sounds good, mate. Hope to see some pics on here soon!
oscarduece: lol that's crazy! But worth a try, as long as you have 3 kits to get rid of!
Cheers,
John

I've managed to get most of the cockpit built up on the Vigi. I'm impressed with the detail on the side consoles and instrument panels. Lots of raised details for easy painting, plus acetate inserts for the instruments, which beats decals panel any day of the week. The only gripe is the lack of seat belts on the bang seats, but some tape or foil will solve that bugaboo. I'll try to post pics before I seal the cockpit into the fuselage.

Cheers,

QUOTE: Originally posted by oscardeuce How about this an Oscar Deuce (O2-A) and twin F/A 18 hybrid/zwilling configuration?

You have been spending too much time looking at Eddie Miller and Lucien Harpress concoctions.! It would be neat, though!

Darwin, O.F.

How about this an Oscar Deuce (O2-A) and twin F/A 18 hybrid/zwilling configuration?

Oh yeah , forgot about looking at the list! Cheers

It seems Jin will be building a 1/72 SR-71, if the build list is anything to go by!
Cheers,
John

Cool, hey JIN what are you going to be building?

hu guys, I posted just to tell you thatg I haven't ditched or forgot about this GB

Hey thats the same pic as in the back of the latest FSM!!!

Bump!


Spare parts, 1976 The Boneyard The 10862 is flying today!

Welcome aboard, Alby! I've always loved the look of the Vigi. You're in the build list.
Cheers,
John

Hi John,
I would like to join if it isn't too late. My kit for this GB would be Trumpeter's 1/72 RA-5C Vigilante, circa Viet Nam. It will be built OOB with Zotz Decals. If there is time, I could also squeeze in an Italeri OH-6A Cayuse in as well. The Vigi is a definite though.

Cheers,

Usually the 2 front seats were the only ones in the aircraft. At most the O2-A had 4 seats ans the radio rack took the place of the 5th and sixth steats. They also used the O2 at times for liason type work, but the crew was1 or 2.The picture of the radio rack does show the standard equipment. UHF/VHF FM radios were carried by FACS. O2-A's were ferried from Kansas to Viet Nam island hopping over the Pacific in grops of about 5 aircraft following a C-130 navigation bird. During ferry flights all seats except the pilot's were removed and replaced by fuel and oil tanks. of the 400+ ferried this way only one A/C was lost, the pilot was recovered.

oscardeuce (or anybody who's building an O-2):

My kit (Testors 1/48 O-2) contains 4 seats, but I've seen some references list the crew as 2. I had inferred from this that 2 of the seats were simply removed, but the comment about the gunports in the back have made me rethink this...

I found a pic of a radio rack on the rear bulkhead of an O-2A (was going to post a link, but it looks like the site has been removed or blocked off)... was this standard equipment? Was it placed behind the rear seats, or were the rear seats removed from the A version?

I guess what I'm looking for is information (preferably pictures) regarding the actual cabin configuration behind the first two seats.

Can you help me out? Thanks.

Edit - Here's the picture (I hope)
Edit 3: Since the link is working now, I'm pulling down the picture.... you now have to actually go to the link, which is well worth your time anyway.

Edit 2 - well, it looks like the link is working again... maybe my work blocked it somehow. Anyway: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Thomas.Pilsch/AirOps/O2.html

After some carefull consideration I've decided to change my build from the FW189 to the Ar 196 reconnisence floatplane this is becuase I don't have time to build a bigger kit and also I don't have enough money to actually buy the kit.
I will be using Airfix's mold of the Ar 196 and will build it OOTB with maybe some extra detail if I have time!?

my progress so far :
i opened the box & took a peek inside...
the arii 1/72 skymaster kit looks pretty good,
recessed panel lines & nice detail, some flash here & there,
but nothing too worrisome (i hope)...
will get a basecoat of white on there this weekend,
if things go as planned.

frosty

Here's a picture bump!



Cheers,
John

Well I'm still around! Finally got the canopy for the F6 from Sqdr. This will be a challenge. But hey I'm up to it . Been chomping at the bit to get'er done!

Unfortunately, the canopies have not been found. That kit has been shelved indefinitely until either, I find the canopies, or think up a way to get some replacements.
The kit I'm doing for this build is a kit-bash of the Revell 1/144 Boeing 737-800 and the Minicraft 1/144 Boeing 737-400. It'll be used, together with a lot of scrathbuilt plastic card to make a 1/144 RAAF AEW&C 'Wedgetail'. I'm currently checking out the dimensions I need for it.
Cheers,
John

I have been dividing my computer time between FSM and the ARC forum. Both are enjoyable, though different. Did you ever find the canopies for your SR-71? Which kit are you working on?

Darwin, O.F.

Lookin' great, Darwin! Good to see you're still with us.
How's everyone else doing? I'm just about ready to pull out the saw and get stuck into my kit! Finally!
Cheers,
John

I originally signed up for this GB with an RF-4B and I finally got started building it. It is the Testors 1/72 kit and will be done up in the markings for Marine Squadron VFMP-3. These pictures show the initial assembly of the cockpit and the rest of the plane, up through the coat of primer paint. The instrument panels are decals and seats are white metal. I needed to put a shim between the left wing and the fuselage, but the right wing was OK

Darwin, O.F.

Welcome aboard, frosty! Let me know when you've made your decision on your build.
Cheers,
John

Hey Calvin, sorry it took so long to get back.That's exactly what I'm gonna do is get those pieces. The other clear pieces in this kit fit horrrrrribley!!!! I really think I got a kit with screwed up clear plastic. The main canopy and other wind shield are kinda..... warped, crooked,.... not right. I set them aside and ordered the others.
Once I fixed the other little quirks she's starting to look like a winner!!

Bring on the O2's Frosty!
They are small but tough.

johnforster:
if it's ok, i'll sign on 4 this GB also !
i love the theme of recce/observation &
i've got a couple of kits that would work,
i just need 2 figure out what i want 2 build...
i'd love 2 do an O2-A, but i see there r
already 2 of them in the GB... maybe i should
find another a/c ?

frosty

I am doing the pre-invasion, mission planning for my RF-4B I had planned to do for this GB. I will hold off for a few days on the actual start to coincide with an F-4 Phantom GB on the ARC forum. I spend too much time on the computer on both the FSM and the ARC forum at the expense of modeling time. That probably adds up to a negative thing.

Darwin, O.F.

My Sky Pig is primer white! I'll post pics soon.

Also visit www.nakedindanang.com for the story of an O2-A FAC. No nudity, just the name of the book!

Good to hear stuka. Looking forward to seeing it done!
Cheers,
John