Strategic Air Command GroupBulid

D-rat- First of all how goes the TDY? If you're back by Memorial Day and in my area I'd have you over for the grille feed, really. Going thru the string I looked again at the pictures of the Dragon Lady wing tips and I'm guessing they're on backwards, i.e. rotated front to back. So, if you broke them off and rotated them 180 on the end of the wing, the ends would look more like they matched the ends of the wings and the teardrop shaped position lights would point (round end) forw'd.

Yardbird- good info on the F-89. There was a pilot instruction I read abt firing the Genie: Immediate 135 deg left turn and descend at max altitude with full afterburners and throttle, to "enhance the rate of pilot survival". I picked up a cheap Hobbycraft F-89J to get the weapons pylons; my -D had no pylons. I also bought the Hasegawa C weapons kit which has much better Falcon models. The plan, post this build, is to do the first -J with the rocket/fuel tanks and empty pylons, like the photo. That one is of a 59th FIS a/c at Goose Bay.

The second I don't know. Probably an NMF Air Guard with the slim end tanks, and Genie missiles on the pylons , which I'll copy from the first kit. So why do I own so many Falcons? Do you think an interceptor GB might be a go? F-101, F-89, F-86D, F-84, F-94?

Bondoman

On the bench:

C-54 sanded and primed. All of the previous DC-6 control surfaces are smooth, and will be textured to look like fabric.

F-82: cockpits painted but not detailed.

I'm off to the beach. My daugther and I are going to build a couple of kits, probably the Boeing B-307 which is a Maquette/ Hasegawa B-17 trainwreck, and the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser.

In Peace and Christ

All J model F-89s were converted from D models rather than being "new build".  Most were given the new tip tanks that were fuel tanks only.  A few kept the rocket pod/fuel tank pods installed.  They were technically J models, but retained the 2.75" FFAR capability.  The conversion from D to J involved making the underwing fuel tank pylon capable of mounting the Genie missile and adding the two AIM-4 Falcon pylons.  The Falcon was so terribly unreliable, especially when left mounted with the aircraft outdoors that their use was discontinued.  The ANG units started receiving the F-89J models after this action and never used the Falcon.  They operated with only the nuclear warhead Genie for armament.  God help us if we had ever had to use them.  We would have done more damage to ourselves than the Russians would have done.

Darwin, O.F.

One last thought on the F-89. I do want to model this aircraft at a later date because of its era and location, plus the markings are great. Careful study of this photo shows something:

This one is armed with the wingtip rocket pods with a total of 104 2.75" Mighty Mouse FFRs, which in sum total was the armament of the -D, plus it has pylons for four Falcon AAMs and two Ding Dong (later Genie) nuclear armed AAMs these six last of which were the sum total armament for the early -Js, and the Genies alone for later -Js and ANG units. So this is by far the most heavily armed fighter to that point in time, really bada**ed.

The C-54 is in the sand/prime/sand/prime room, i.e. close to the radio with the baseball game.

Bondoman

I glued the halves of the C-54 together last night, and attached the lower middle wing.

I also shortened and rounded the horizontal stabilizers and the vertical fin. Next, rescribing the panel lines, which I've not really done in a big way before.

Bondoman

Thanks everyone for their input. What sources can you reccomend for assignments of groups within the Air Force to SAC? Wikipedia seems to have alot down to about the Wing level, to the degree its accurate. But most of the Wings don't seem to show up in searches or provide any info at Squadron level. I don't want to go overboard about this but for instance if an aircraft is in the 6622nd Squadron of the Northeast Air Command, is that enough to find out whether that is a part of SAC? or God help us, partially?

 This is beyond the scope of FMM's rules I know for the Group build, so I'm feeling ok with the C-54, as he has based this mostly on aircraft types. But I'm curious.

Bondoman

on the bench c-54 55% I'm gluing the halves together a little bit at a time. When you cut each side in thirds, there are some little issues, but surprisingly its fitting pretty well.

F-82 It's headed for the beach house I think.

Ford Trimotor 25% to be painted. For another GB.

Lockheed Lodestar. 0% for another GB

R-CMan73 wrote:

Hey Bondo check out the home page For SAC the F-89 was part of SAC here is the link for it http://www.strategic-air-command.com/aircraft/0-aircraft_home_page.htm There are 68 total aircraft used by SAC

That list is fairly inaccurate.  They list the F-22, C-17, C-27, T-1A and T-6A which weren't even in the Air Force inventory until after SAC ceased to exist in 1992.  SAC did not operate the A-1H, A-10, AC-130, AC-119, F-4, F-89, F-94, F-15, F-16, F-117, F-104, or F-105 which are all on the list.  SAC transported a lot of their equipment on C-141 and C-5 transports, but did not operate the aircraft per se.  They were operated by MAC.

It did operate the KB-50, RB-45C, RF-84F, F-84E, F-84F, F-84G, U-3, U-4, U-6, HU-16, C-45, C-47, C-82, T-29, T-39,  and some others that are not on the list.

Darwin, O.F.

Hey Bondo check out the home page For SAC the F-89 was part of SAC here is the link for it

http://www.strategic-air-command.com/aircraft/0-aircraft_home_page.htm

There are 68 total aircraft used by SAC

4 Attack Aircraft

9 Bombers

16 Cargo

7 Command

19 Fighters

2 Reconnaissance

4 Tankers

7 Trainers

I have figured out that the F-89 was not assigned to SAC, and should have looked at the lists yardbird created. Saved for another time.

Bondoman

Hey Bondo! Thanks for the encouraging words. You're a real pal

    Well, let me give you the rundown on my 1/1 scale builds here, shall i? Class is going well, and i'm down to just 2 1/2 weeks left before flying home. For the most part, the most difficult thing i've had to deal with is the difference in terminology (ie. tailboom vs. tailcone, gearbox vs. module, pitch change link vs. pitch change rod, etc.) But this particular airframe does have it's difficulties, and i've had plenty of bloodloss to prove it! But all in all, i've been having a great time! I was at Gettysburg a few days ago, and the weather was beautiful! Took a whole buncha pictures too- i just haven't downloaded them yet. I was flying solo that day, so there was none taken of me. Otherwise, i would be posting them up. My only complaint is just the $2,100 car rental fee i'll need to contend with. But other than that, it's all good here!

   There's a really nice C-46 there! I really love the fact that it's primered in yellow before the outer paint- just like the actual aircraft. I think i'm gonna need to start doing that, myself! But it's looking good, from the last photo ya got up there. I have to admit though- the design of that aircraft does seem kinda odd. Is it just me? Or does it look like a Buck Rogers rocketship with wings? But now ya really done it! Looking at that picture of the F 89 ya got lined up next, now i wanna do one! You're making me wanna buy more kits!

   Anyways, i had a little time here, so i figured i would pop on and say hiya! Hope ya guys are doing well

Well today I set out to unintentionally prove rule # 32 in the Bondobook-"Initial success leads to a gradual degradation, starting with a 50% failure rate and decreasing to a steady 25% over time".

The C-54 conversion set got tricky with the replacement cabin windows (ports?). On the port side all went well. The inserts are meant to be proud of the fuselage side and get puttied and sanded down. All so good. Somehow, on starboard, with a differing pattern, it got bad. I've broken it apart twice and started over. (-33%) The pic shows it ready I think to be bondoed and sanded.

But I'm jazzed because the port proves that it can come out ok. I have assembled and painted the cockpit, which is not visible anyways. I had Airman Jim bandsaw the nacelles off (his fingers not mine) of their casting blocks, and the horizontal stabilizers have been cut down to shape.

On another front, the C-46 is done enough to go into storage and never appear in this GB again to make way for the second kit- the F-82. I have all of the decals I need, thanks to advice from Nebrnat and my paypal acct.

DRat call in soon. At the risk of sounding silly, we keep you and the boss in our prayers.

Wirr- that B-36 is really fun to build. I'm going to build another one some day.

RC-Man- I built my BUFF on the kitchen table with my 10 year old daughter helping: we built the "Leper Colony", Major Kong's aircraft from "Dr. Strangelove".

FMM- keep us posted on your great Model as time permits.

Great GB guys, keep the posts up!

Bondoman

On the bench- C-54 somewhere in (50%-60%)

F-82 on the ramp

F-89 the Academy 1/72 kit which is WAY cool and I've got the scheme:

Wirraway wrote:

... my soon-to-be-completed "Den"  (I'm adding on a room to the house for my stash/finished models display/work area)   Whats that dear? Oh, I was just telling the guys about the scrapbooking room I'm building for you, darling..............

That B-36 is one big bird.  How big is that addition?  Maybe you can get a space compromise?  Hope it does not evolve into a mini-border dispute.

The B-36 is kinda stalled at the moment, due to space restrictions.  I dont think I can mate the wings to the fuselage until I get some serious display area  in my soon-to-be-completed "Den"  (I'm adding on a room to the house for my stash/finished models display/work area)  

Whats that dear? Oh, I was just telling the guys about the scrapbooking room I'm building for you, darling..............

FeldMarSchall Model wrote:

Hay very nice progross everyone, sorry I haven't been on.  Just that with work and all that has me tied up, but Im trying find time to finish my models.

Well at least i'm not the only one! lol

Hey guys! Just dropping in and saying hi. The weather was not ideal last weekend, but i got the green light to head out to Gettysburg this weekend. I'm just glad to finally get outta the barracks!

The C-46 is almost fin,

The C-54 progresses. On the right side the windows just did not work, so major surgery entailed. Putty to follow.

The airforce gave me info abt the insignia on the tail:

Northeast Air Command

Bondoman

on the bench: C-54 30%

F-82 20%

F-89 whataminutz!!

Good to hear from you, DRat. Check out Aberdeen Proving Grounds in north Maryland. I went there in maybe 1982 and they have every kind of tank you can imagine (really) parked out in the grass. At the time I was building Tamiya tanks in 1:35 which were the best models of anything in any scale at that time and easy to do.

The C-54 will be glued together next week.

F-82 airframe finished.

Bondoman 

Hey Bondo and all the rest of y'all!

   Well, i'm back online here and figured i would say hey to y'all. This course is pretty intense and fast paced, but i'm doing well enough. Tomorrow i'm gonna try to get out and see Gettysburg if at all possible- The weather really hasn't been working with me since i got here. I think i only got to see the sky a couple of times so far. But other than that, i can't complain in the least.

   It was my intent to get on and check in with y'all more often than i do, but the wireless internet is pretty tricky. The signal is pretty feint, so after i find a good place to set up, i have to click my heels 3 times and say (lather rinse repeat), turn around and do the macarena. Then, and maybe then, i can get onto the internet. It's a highly complex and technical process, ya know!

   Looks like there's been alot of progress happening here, and i gotta tell ya, i am feeling way behind the power curve on my build. But the good news is that i'll get to start burning up more of my vacation time when i get back home. So hopefully i'll be applying paint about early june. It's been a little while, but i know there are a few things i need to finish before moving to the airbrush. Thank god for the long deadline!

   Anyways, i hope ya guys are doing well, and i'll check back the next opportunity i get! Cheers!

nebrnative wrote:

Hey Bondoman, For the stars try the website I posted a few posts ago. They have yellow stars in decals. Where it gives the color of the stars, just pull down the scroll listing and they have yellow listed. I have not actually seen the yellow, so I am not sure what the shade is. Good luck!!! Nebrnative

I got the stars today! amazing turnaround from England. They are schoolbus yellow which closely matches the yellow bands that came w/ the kit; for a silver machine. The decals of the milkyway which are all white need top and bottom bands, fuselage bands in yellow which I guess I'll canabalize from the kit solid bands. So far so good.

I'm going to find the blue, or make it, this weekend. I'm planning to paint the cockpits based on postwar Mustang color photos.

Now, I just bought an F-89 on ebay for $ 6. The C-54 is coming along, I'll post some photos.

I'll start the F-82 this weekend. The chore is looking to be paint and decals.

Just looked at Nebrnatives aircraft and got to thinking about a KC-97. NO, go back..

DesertRat- how goes the TDY? Check in when you can. Your seat is in the front row of this GB.

Bondoman

On the bench:

C-46 90% photos to follow (not a part of this GB but first in line)

C-54 30% port side sanded, starboard kind of a mess.

F-82 all parts and decals accounted for. Airframe this week.

Thanks, Nebrnative- done! I actually bought some other decals from there recently and should have included this; stupid!!

Next, search down the blue.

 The Air Force responded to my query about the insignia on the C-54 in the photos I posted- the tail photo insignia (on the fuselage) is North East Air Command and the one on the nose is 6622 Air Transport Squadron. The latter seems to have been mostly located at Torbay Field, Pepperrell AFB in Newfoundland during the time concerned.

I've been unsuccessful tracking down the art for these insignia. Any clues?

BTW while researching the C-54 I discovered a really great web site group under pinetreeline.org. And... lots of pictures of F-89s at Goose Bay. Groan, so I bought one cuz it fits in with the SAC picture.

Bondoman

On the bench-

C-54 25% putty is drying, waiting to be sanded.

F-82 decals in hand/ on order. 10%

Bondoman

DesertRat wrote:

Hey all! I finally had a few minutes on the net here, and i thought i'd drop in and say hiya to y'all!    I'm sure you guys know that there has been so progress while i'm here. All builds being on hold- mainly because TSA don't really care to much for me bringing the bench tools. But alreay i am itching to get back at it.    Doing fine here in Pennsylvania, even if it is friggin cold here. I was hoping to get a trip into Gettysburg here this weekend, but now people are talking about snow on me. So far no sun here yet. It seems only ironic that i got a rental car with a sunroof. Sometimes i just gotta laugh at myself...   But, anyways, i figured i would just check in with you guys- see how things are going for y'all. Best wishes!

It's good to hear from you, D-Rat. The F-82 is about to get started, the C-54 I emailed the Airforce about info- I am deciding to model a station bird from Goose Bay/ Thule with Arctic Red and really beat up natural metal finish Circ: 1957-1960- Hey, thats when I was conceived!!! Look back up the string at some good fotos I found. No, not my conception!!

Da*n- I looked into the Museum at Aberdeen in Maryland- you should drive down there.  Got to understand if it's like work, but...

I've prayed for you and the Chief a lot, I get puzzled abt being interested in the armed forces and wanting to have my friends be safe. Come back home, please.

Bondoman

On the bench-

C-54 25% going to putty and sand this week.

F-82 the decals came in. The color spec. for the SAC sash is "Pactra Blue". I'll find the right spec., and I think the fighter might be a shade light. I also need to find yellow stars.

Hey all! I finally had a few minutes on the net here, and i thought i'd drop in and say hiya to y'all!

   I'm sure you guys know that there has been so progress while i'm here. All builds being on hold- mainly because TSA don't really care to much for me bringing the bench tools. But alreay i am itching to get back at it.

   Doing fine here in Pennsylvania, even if it is friggin cold here. I was hoping to get a trip into Gettysburg here this weekend, but now people are talking about snow on me. So far no sun here yet. It seems only ironic that i got a rental car with a sunroof. Sometimes i just gotta laugh at myself...

  But, anyways, i figured i would just check in with you guys- see how things are going for y'all. Best wishes!

Airman Jim sends a picture of him as a scanner in his C-124 and does think he will ask me to do the Anigrand kit.

It's been a busy week, but I have had some time to do a little research on SAC C-54s. Also, in a more sober moment I looked at the havoc wreaked on the C-54 by yours and his razor saw, and a polished bare metal finish is not a reasonable goal. So...I did some reading, and got into the SAC bases and flex asignments way up in Greenland. There is a lot of really great stuff that brings out how a bomber with a 10,000 mile range manages to fly a 16,000 round trip, or not. Fly from Carswell to Maine to Thule. Pick up weapon. Attack target. Ditch in the North Sea. And I've read the online stuff about Thule which got me into this focus on the front line. We did win the Cold War.

Anyway, I also picked up a back issue of FSM that listed the various Arctic Red/ Hi Vis red orange yellow colors and locations. Thule, Goose Bay, B-36s and B-47s (FMM!) it all looks good to me.

So I think I found my girl.

Credit to Robert Guthrie, taken at Goose Bay AB, Labrador in 1957:

I get bench time on Friday night, now that Lent is over.

Bondoman

On the bench:

C-54- (15%) but I've got a plan!!

F-82- (0%) decals are in the mail

Here are a few items of progress.

Thanks to advice from this GB, I've ordered some decals for the F-82, so I'm really excited about starting that bird. I'm hoping that the instructions have a paint match for the light blue sash in the Milky Way, if not, do any of you have a spec?

But first of all, I'm getting farther with the C-46 (not a part of this GB) in order to clear my bench.* I like getting the antennas right on my aircraft- the ones here are not yet cut to length or rigged, but the solution to flying over the Hump was developing RDF and a hard working radio/navigator, so it needs to be put together right. If I haven't mentioned, only one company kits this aircraft, and I think it's a pretty fine model, too. I'd like to do another one in Flying Tigers Line, and they are planning a new release, so...

On to SAC- the C-54 is starting to look good. I glued the pieces all together and cut out the window strips for replacement with resin inserts. These were ground down on the back with the sanding drum in the Dremel, then popped into place as shown here, finger tight. I'm going to have to scrape out the window slots a little from the inside to get the resin pieces to come out proud so that they can be sanded flush. I've also glued in the kit rectangular windows in the remaining openings, to be puttied and flushed over.

I found this image, which isn't the right aircraft, but it's the finish and markings I think I will do. I cannot find a dedicated SAC C-54 picture. The aircraft at the SAC Museum is a pressurized, radome equipped, basically short DC-6.

This is all based on the Heller DC-6 which I think is a good model to start with.

I bought a little C-45 on eBay for almost nil. I think I'll try to squeeze her in at the end if the F-82 goes together well.

FMM- how's that Stratojet? Do the wings know their roots yet? Can't wait to see.

Wirraway- I'm happy to let you know what not to do w/ the B-36 but it's a great kit.

Tex-?

Yardbird- looking forward to your Thunderjet.

D-Rat- I went back through the string and looked again at your progress shots- great work and keep in the pattern.

Bondoman

On the bench:

C-46 60% (NI This GB)

C-54 15%

F-82 just a bunch of $$ spent so far

C-45 0%

October mystery- ??

mph34 wrote:

DesertRat wrote:      But other than that, i'm wondering what all there is in that part of Pennsylvania. Anyone know of any good places to go to for a modeller? Gettysburg & Antietam - enough said.  If you have any intrest into history, this is a MUST for you.  DC has the National Air & Space Museum, and all of the other museums & monuments.

There is a decrepit but HUGE armor museum at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. I went out there about 20 years ago, so you need to check to see if it's still there, but I thought it was pretty worthwhile. Way up north in Lanesboro is the Starrucca viaduct, a huge stone railroad bridge, and out west in Altoona the Pennsy RR. Maybe you can fly to those.

Hey bondoman,

In my search for various items, I did run across some possibilities for you.  There is a set of decals listed on ebay under 1/72 Microscale f-82 that have the white star pattern, I don't think that it is the exact set you are looking for, but it might fit the bill.

 Search the following terms (Microscale-1-72-F-82-Twin-Mustang-decals)

Secondly, if you wanted to place the stars individually check out this listing from fantasy print shop in the UK.  They do have decals sheets with various sizes and colors.

http://www.fantasyprintshop.co.uk/Stars-_B213SC.aspx

Hopefully this might help, I would love to see that scheme done.  Good Luck

 BK

DesertRat wrote:

But other than that, i'm wondering what all there is in that part of Pennsylvania. Anyone know of any good places to go to for a modeller?

Gettysburg & Antietam - enough said.  If you have any intrest into history, this is a MUST for you.  DC has the National Air & Space Museum, and all of the other museums & monuments.