tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58484370781813456102024-03-18T20:18:30.208-07:00Tailhook Topicsby Tommy H. ThomasonTailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-23207559140386049782023-12-31T10:08:00.000-08:002023-12-31T10:08:02.422-08:00TBD Devastator in Action by Dana Bell<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXm5-hTIh_BL6glooQfpzrDhLh8cuF6IfltD3elBPRWBXx-JKstSUCJI5_LZQ4cFRbpHq4NjHpzixDlny_U1pedcG-QD7VK2OqijW2ehtS2b9YKeCkT83MaKjjfY8W6ratMU_BVMy1etzr45B_HTpr_kzjKMy4N_rDEp_cj40kpBLo91rkxX2FWHkgp_w/s2196/TBD%20Book%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="2196" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXm5-hTIh_BL6glooQfpzrDhLh8cuF6IfltD3elBPRWBXx-JKstSUCJI5_LZQ4cFRbpHq4NjHpzixDlny_U1pedcG-QD7VK2OqijW2ehtS2b9YKeCkT83MaKjjfY8W6ratMU_BVMy1etzr45B_HTpr_kzjKMy4N_rDEp_cj40kpBLo91rkxX2FWHkgp_w/w640-h476/TBD%20Book%20Cover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>For my review, click <a href="http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2023/12/tbd-devastator-in-action-by-dana-bell.html">HERE</a><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-64144044204495318502023-12-08T11:07:00.000-08:002024-02-11T20:38:26.553-08:00Sword 1/72 F8U-1P/RF-8 Photo Crusader<p> 22 January 2024: This is a work in progress. I'm still making additions and corrections. Please don't hesitate to inform me at tommythomason@sbcglobal of any you have. </p><p>This post has benefited significantly from input from Ed Barthelmes and Bill Spidle, who I consider to be Crusader subject-matter experts. For more on this iconic carrier-based airplane, I recommend you add Ed's <i>F-8 Crusader Walk Around Number 38</i> from squadron/signal publications and Bill's <i>Vought F-8 Crusader</i> from Specialty Press to your library.<br /></p><p>Finally, a 1/72 kit of the photo-reconnaissance F8U/F-8 Crusader! And the first impression before building it is excellent (Sword was also provided with pretty good Vought drawings of it). This is Sword's test assembly as an RF-8G"+":</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7Qrw72FNnH3ExzuP-0E1dZYNb0q9knuG-F9mL23bmE3nvfkv6XbsDEsCG9U7BeK-DBx-N3LeKEjTT2axig4LUtyZmwichsuM95gclsb2L-_ssSbigUmZgu70E2w94xOERbVLLKhk9y_oa6KkargM1oopu3t_qdH1NxucymgizsqNnVh6ag4L1j6CPMo/s1500/Sword%20Unpainted%20Model.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="1500" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7Qrw72FNnH3ExzuP-0E1dZYNb0q9knuG-F9mL23bmE3nvfkv6XbsDEsCG9U7BeK-DBx-N3LeKEjTT2axig4LUtyZmwichsuM95gclsb2L-_ssSbigUmZgu70E2w94xOERbVLLKhk9y_oa6KkargM1oopu3t_qdH1NxucymgizsqNnVh6ag4L1j6CPMo/w640-h252/Sword%20Unpainted%20Model.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>To answer the two most frequently asked questions: there is no option to raise the wing and while some of the detail parts like the nose landing gear resemble that of the Academy F-8E/F-8E(FN), F-8J kit (Tom Weinel's preference: see <a href="https://superheatmemorial.blogspot.com/2018/12/172nd-f-8-kit-review.html">https://superheatmemorial.blogspot.com/2018/12/172nd-f-8-kit-review.html</a>), it is also clearly different in most particulars. One small flaw that Tom noted in most F8U kits (Heller got it right) that Sword also included: there is no fairing or bulge on the upper wing surface at the wing fold joint on any Crusader.<br /></p><p>Pictures of the sprues and decals are here: <a href="https://aeroscale.net/news/crusader-box-contents">https://aeroscale.net/news/crusader-box-contents</a>. Note that there is no difference in the kits with respect to the plastic, resin, or even instructions. The only difference is the decal sheet. Additional markings will be forthcoming from <a href="http://www.caracalmodels.com/index.html">Caracal Models</a>. Also, don't lose track of the small rectangular tan piece of paper in the box. Barely perceptible on it are the masks for the canopy, windscreen, camera ports, and the view-finder window.</p><p>You may wonder, as I did, about the raised rounded triangles on the top of the inboard leading edge slat;</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMZPyM34lqkX6qiu9cSlcaltSvzeOXbvcETMM6blpn5XLc_QD0ckMffbWBfF5vhLoiJyg9uq_U-r0ekTdJpkmPJ7xPltrJhjNCFsYG0WrUT3Rc4X81gLwTAdURHQ6LjXKcmRuSvuwdVGaA02yY0AIvzydNK3hOQLVvcz_RzTXuGXj5fmsS99hD9nHEkA/s2374/IMG_5080.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1562" data-original-width="2374" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMZPyM34lqkX6qiu9cSlcaltSvzeOXbvcETMM6blpn5XLc_QD0ckMffbWBfF5vhLoiJyg9uq_U-r0ekTdJpkmPJ7xPltrJhjNCFsYG0WrUT3Rc4X81gLwTAdURHQ6LjXKcmRuSvuwdVGaA02yY0AIvzydNK3hOQLVvcz_RzTXuGXj5fmsS99hD9nHEkA/w640-h422/IMG_5080.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Bill Spidle informed me that these were associated with the F-8L wing which added pylons, one on each side, to F-8B wings. They were located at the hinges of the leading edge flaps and increased the fatigue life of the wing. After the F-8Ls were retired, their wings still had life remaining to they were utilized for at least some RF-8G upgrades. They are present on the RF-8G "+" BuNo 146882 on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas. His photo:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVJZyiY61xCbakgxmxD4b1CjNT2ZlZ7YPI4UCsPzjKH_ihkHKRAlO5uc0MfecDYkxaJlam9lWi_9rV6p1OkftsZxmEU2BbTDuv3rPpMMH4t0R3thV6udQO5J7tvBl4_CXOj010uhIPTnktKnRNeohxqPEIaWpsPNXK5awY5vPlHOIcQpHKXeKkjlOeXE/s1583/Wing%20Triangles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1583" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVJZyiY61xCbakgxmxD4b1CjNT2ZlZ7YPI4UCsPzjKH_ihkHKRAlO5uc0MfecDYkxaJlam9lWi_9rV6p1OkftsZxmEU2BbTDuv3rPpMMH4t0R3thV6udQO5J7tvBl4_CXOj010uhIPTnktKnRNeohxqPEIaWpsPNXK5awY5vPlHOIcQpHKXeKkjlOeXE/w640-h256/Wing%20Triangles.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>They are clearly not as prominent as the kit's and in any event, are not on the F8U-1P/RF-8A wings. <br /><p></p><p>The F8U-1P prototype (a conversion of F8U-1 BuNo 141363) first flew on 15 December 1955. The last flight of one, an RF-8G"+", was to the National Air and Space Museum on 29 March 1987, over 30 years later. There were numerous detail changes to the configuration over that time. Sword provides most of them in this kit.</p><p>There were three basic versions, not counting details like DECM antenna fairings and camera ports:</p><p>F8U-1P/RF-8A: The most notable omissions from the kit are that the first F8U-1Ps were delivered with a Vought ejection seat, a nose-wheel hub with spokes, and a fuel vent mast under the left hand side of the aft fuselage. For the seat and nose wheel, see <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/10/f8u-crusader-variations.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/10/f8u-crusader-variations.html.</a> For more on the landing gear changes, see <a href="https://superheatmemorial.blogspot.com/2018/12/f-8-landing-gear.html">https://superheatmemorial.blogspot.com/2018/12/f-8-landing-gear.html</a>. The kit only provides a Martin Baker seat that might be either a Mk 5 or a Mk 7. However, in 1/72 scale, these can be distinguished by painting the parachute housing accordingly (see <a href="http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/02/transition-to-martin-baker-ejection.html">http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/02/transition-to-martin-baker-ejection.html</a>). For an introduction to the F8U-1P, click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHCXwnjKXa8">HERE</a>.<br /></p><p>RF-8G: 73 RF-8As of the original 144 were remanufactured to be RF-8Gs, including new wings that added a pylon on each side. These were delivered between 1965 and 1970. The most obvious external change was the addition of the ventral fins under the aft fuselage to increase supersonic directional stability (the left fin incorporated the RF-8A's fuel vent mast). For some reason, five USMC RF-8As got the ventral fins with no designation change. The G changes included a beef up the landing gear; the differences might not be readily apparent in 1/72 scale (see the landing gear link above). The tail hook shank went from squarish to round (the kit's looks squarish, i.e. RF-8A).<br /></p><p>RF-8G"+": The + is a notation that Tom Weinel added to differentiate it from the G's that were modified to this configuration beginning in 1978. The major external difference was the addition of the cooling scoops on the top of the tail pipe and blocking off one of the small vents on the right side of the fuselage just ahead of the wing. For more on the afterburner differences, see <a href="https://superheatmemorial.blogspot.com/2018/12/f8u-engines.html">https://superheatmemorial.blogspot.com/2018/12/f8u-engines.html</a><br /></p><p>For more general background, see: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/12/photo-gator.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/12/photo-gator.html</a>. One comment on it by OldGeezer should be noted when evaluating the usefulness of the following:</p><p><b>From 1975-1977, I was one of the tiny group of engineers responsible for
the last 30 or so RF-8Gs at the Naval Air Rework Facility in Norfolk. A
lot of things stick in my mind, probably of no interest to anyone these
days. You mention the ECM antennas, from memory the last ones I
personally saw were Air Frame Changes 598 and 599. I don't think any two
of the aircraft that came into our shop ever had identical antenna
configurations, and we'd incorporate everything they had missed along
with the latest stuff, so theoretically they'd leave our line all with
the same equipment. That didn't apply to the cameras though. There were
different numbers and locations of windows on the various airplanes, and
we couldn't do much about that.</b></p><p>Which DECM antenna configuration you use can only be established by reference to the RF-8 that you are representing.</p><p> The first one on at least a few RF-8A/Gs as early as 1966 is the same as on the Crusader fighter of that era:</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MAZx3Lyk2wa06lFcsBTXoHLGShcqsZZ65FNfrM_EYPaTJx6XRiafsAKmJ0QkvSo6uLEtnhWChDXu0HjFDPxmLrHBF2OshApEGsf9_QEPqCDRdcI_uJ0rzH9qLM8gYpENP5OhvPpa5yaUgV9PpSa_ma4IExNsesaHKw2982lCaYnjj9kCN6xbtkbwb-s/s480/RF-8%20ECM%20first%20cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="480" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MAZx3Lyk2wa06lFcsBTXoHLGShcqsZZ65FNfrM_EYPaTJx6XRiafsAKmJ0QkvSo6uLEtnhWChDXu0HjFDPxmLrHBF2OshApEGsf9_QEPqCDRdcI_uJ0rzH9qLM8gYpENP5OhvPpa5yaUgV9PpSa_ma4IExNsesaHKw2982lCaYnjj9kCN6xbtkbwb-s/w640-h448/RF-8%20ECM%20first%20cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>It uses part 30. The small circle is a tail light. This was accompanied by a pair of antennas on the bottom of the fuselage between the main landing gear doors that are not provided by the kit.<br /><p></p><p>The second one looks like this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhczcErHWd0jZaatcJx2yuvfieS6ZuxqIYBd8y772M_IaJnW4GbK90So10NbdgBgk9Y79cUxXaCQIAT5vlxOZoqlVP4Wha_am_GT-uW3k4j7CvHuNlJ3k1XBnnRR8u6XWZjq_4ogTuqGsRYMT9Czt1OPelJpWZkYcor-PaWqQB4wKuvdiK5El1jYZywE/s848/RF-8G%20146827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="848" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhczcErHWd0jZaatcJx2yuvfieS6ZuxqIYBd8y772M_IaJnW4GbK90So10NbdgBgk9Y79cUxXaCQIAT5vlxOZoqlVP4Wha_am_GT-uW3k4j7CvHuNlJ3k1XBnnRR8u6XWZjq_4ogTuqGsRYMT9Czt1OPelJpWZkYcor-PaWqQB4wKuvdiK5El1jYZywE/w640-h382/RF-8G%20146827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It uses parts 27, 28, and 30. It appears on Gs in pictures dated 1967 through 1972.</p><p>The next one deleted the antenna on the leading edge beginning in 1969. The trailing edge fairing extended farther forward on the fin (the tail light was embedded in the fairing) and there appears to have been two different fairing and antenna configurations. One had multifaceted lumps and appears to have been retained for the remainder of the RF-8's service life:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXaZeDWMY76008b1ghBPr3VU2TnXadseGehO2xGhLzcCvTcOfGVV6WVtUXnTJM5xCZXA2cZae87QEKNN-UuGqOFy-VPvZsvGNr-kDE_bPe3pLMMRN625P3A9qwdf1-WaN1JonVOmC9oCMDhjpWoF2T3cWCGXwPZSaBhfk2gTL7NdMd9O7bABe4J355T4/s2289/Multifaceted%20Tail%20Antenna.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="2289" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXaZeDWMY76008b1ghBPr3VU2TnXadseGehO2xGhLzcCvTcOfGVV6WVtUXnTJM5xCZXA2cZae87QEKNN-UuGqOFy-VPvZsvGNr-kDE_bPe3pLMMRN625P3A9qwdf1-WaN1JonVOmC9oCMDhjpWoF2T3cWCGXwPZSaBhfk2gTL7NdMd9O7bABe4J355T4/w640-h172/Multifaceted%20Tail%20Antenna.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It resembles kit parts 57/58. I'm not sure when the flare/chaff dispensers were added under the fuselage aft of the main landing gear (they are not provided in the kit, either): </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtatSTXUIFz5ensB-U7gZoL0_2GZn5cIvc7ksiQuoK79NA-8sx02wxY8SWD0r8ZY3dsqEt8wKKMVzERdT4AbexwX4vaXbllwDRGjbb5meg2dsHULg8YOK8s0D0o67WK7nnK47BlakZj-JleDLsG9cc_QZpjgLA8QfJjGT-J5fSYcvD0ihE7gl7CLxGMqQ/s1926/RF-8G%20Defensive%20Systems.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1926" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtatSTXUIFz5ensB-U7gZoL0_2GZn5cIvc7ksiQuoK79NA-8sx02wxY8SWD0r8ZY3dsqEt8wKKMVzERdT4AbexwX4vaXbllwDRGjbb5meg2dsHULg8YOK8s0D0o67WK7nnK47BlakZj-JleDLsG9cc_QZpjgLA8QfJjGT-J5fSYcvD0ihE7gl7CLxGMqQ/w640-h282/RF-8G%20Defensive%20Systems.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The other was shaped like a bullet and the fairing extended the farthest forward. It may have actually preceded the one described immediately above.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymGjA_s-Bemh9EvmpldvGoyK1KyUh_RMNzsEljr4YAIGNetrtsIlL71NOaEORMBWlhFhh-6yM-O3MMhlKLPYy2Wu2efGMRNetYq2zFBzFVKmISNWMiHut9yFPqQ0gDtUNGFtIeNAOHpMF1a94WbOSiQb-6SxEXHETqFLZjN2NzUItsAOV7GTy3bs7o7E/s212/RF-8G%20ECM%20Fin%20Smooth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="85" data-original-width="212" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymGjA_s-Bemh9EvmpldvGoyK1KyUh_RMNzsEljr4YAIGNetrtsIlL71NOaEORMBWlhFhh-6yM-O3MMhlKLPYy2Wu2efGMRNetYq2zFBzFVKmISNWMiHut9yFPqQ0gDtUNGFtIeNAOHpMF1a94WbOSiQb-6SxEXHETqFLZjN2NzUItsAOV7GTy3bs7o7E/w640-h257/RF-8G%20ECM%20Fin%20Smooth.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>This would be kit parts 65/66.</p><p>Finally, an antenna was eventually scabbed onto the right hand underside of the G inlet.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvePHzCMalbQYIACnv2CjryUPU6OPHWRrDTKOKhgJUE3eO1O1JHnt8fOeAl8FO7P8Lz0AD3cjBT8G9Wu-kO7UYPpc5EExZdhKyZ5vtHBYz2-CeSDWxnrtPvoTtBTySNt1nnC0Ea8KRDhC5Y_Df6aVqglhZ2iovq6veLxyUz8bwk4Myep6J50HlLIiSqU/s2050/Intake%20ECM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="2050" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvePHzCMalbQYIACnv2CjryUPU6OPHWRrDTKOKhgJUE3eO1O1JHnt8fOeAl8FO7P8Lz0AD3cjBT8G9Wu-kO7UYPpc5EExZdhKyZ5vtHBYz2-CeSDWxnrtPvoTtBTySNt1nnC0Ea8KRDhC5Y_Df6aVqglhZ2iovq6veLxyUz8bwk4Myep6J50HlLIiSqU/w640-h146/Intake%20ECM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>This is kit part 70.<br /><p>The F8Us did not originally have red anti-collision lights on the top and bottom of the fuselage (they were not a requirement on U.S.civil airplanes before 1957; the military was not required to incorporate them but did). The upper one is provided as a separate clear part. The lower one is molded with the bottom of the camera bay, part CP2, and will have to be removed for the initial F8U-1P configuration.<br /></p><p>The photoflash cartridge dispensers, one on each side of the upper fuselage aft of the cockpit, are usually covered by a panel that was removed when required for night missions (for illustrations of previous Navy photo flare dispensers, click <a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2021/06/grumman-f9f-8p-photoflash-cartridge.html">HERE</a>). </p><p>An F8U-1P with the small-diameter flare dispenser:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenKjmtcLc0eXQDve_gLHNr-lcc8OTT8aKaki9paV01IOgkA29JAlhEFtEwmL82hQJbw-1wRGrjOX5ktH0nrWtZEZimQZ7NssQ0tmCAC0sdXAa9ovn9trGhXCGCbT7VHafKrf8EdHv0YeDwxR6S8c7L_Wc_0-yuVh-HGTa48zF04KSDvw3tljSXflhY3c/s460/RF-8A%20Flare%20package.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="460" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenKjmtcLc0eXQDve_gLHNr-lcc8OTT8aKaki9paV01IOgkA29JAlhEFtEwmL82hQJbw-1wRGrjOX5ktH0nrWtZEZimQZ7NssQ0tmCAC0sdXAa9ovn9trGhXCGCbT7VHafKrf8EdHv0YeDwxR6S8c7L_Wc_0-yuVh-HGTa48zF04KSDvw3tljSXflhY3c/w640-h362/RF-8A%20Flare%20package.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>An RF-8G with the large-diameter flare dispenser:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOV9m-p5HrwDeeICdkvii0lbggYFYRdhbHzsVm0MZs4OfP6EHjJISTfKGPG-T4PcTtiplBAikc4OTbzddfeDqn0hqqhnE54FC-k4nhYIfMTiE-aa-pycw-MNP8jS6d3z4D7aa1j8Nco8nyY1c1Bnicrb5dUoA3Y-GqmWoRvdzxkESU64A6iwGJkTFBa84/s396/RF-8G%20Photo%20Flash%20Dispenser.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="396" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOV9m-p5HrwDeeICdkvii0lbggYFYRdhbHzsVm0MZs4OfP6EHjJISTfKGPG-T4PcTtiplBAikc4OTbzddfeDqn0hqqhnE54FC-k4nhYIfMTiE-aa-pycw-MNP8jS6d3z4D7aa1j8Nco8nyY1c1Bnicrb5dUoA3Y-GqmWoRvdzxkESU64A6iwGJkTFBa84/w640-h360/RF-8G%20Photo%20Flash%20Dispenser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Photo via Ed Barthelmes</p><p></p><p>The F8U-1P/RF-8A camera system:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSWudvtwrZMLTQqfF9ousam_JovJynpcPoIwlrTYXzurBTea9mCrUXYVBrJ-ozfckw49yG2YfdCA-bF0sYX63sO2Pm5uf12N_IKzoXUslsN7sitYBn-FkLldGmvrTpNhg-OKczICTdR79uVLOCMlMC4j_IKUvdnbZYno09u5TR4A6Ak21Zhtk3iHJvv8/s2789/F8U-1P%20Camera%20System.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1263" data-original-width="2789" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSWudvtwrZMLTQqfF9ousam_JovJynpcPoIwlrTYXzurBTea9mCrUXYVBrJ-ozfckw49yG2YfdCA-bF0sYX63sO2Pm5uf12N_IKzoXUslsN7sitYBn-FkLldGmvrTpNhg-OKczICTdR79uVLOCMlMC4j_IKUvdnbZYno09u5TR4A6Ak21Zhtk3iHJvv8/w640-h290/F8U-1P%20Camera%20System.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Above the light detector window was one of two sensors, either a light monitor for day photos or a flash detector for night photos. The scanner window provided a view for the image motion sensor.</p><p>The RF-8G camera system was initially identical to the RF-8A's but eventually diverged. Note the removal of the Station 2 windows from the side and bottom of the fuselage and the addition of a prism window (kit part CP9) at Station 2 on the right side of the bottom of the fuselage. A second prism window was sometimes substituted for the Station 4 window on the bottom of the fuselage. Note that this airplane did not have the Doppler antenna or the single large DECM antenna fairing (see next photo for both) between the main landing gear doors in place of the two in this photo.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYDAxAqN-JfTUOmbD3fnmJxMob9SeGNpJ17YiAPOKzCZ42YpT6WDTGM7ktT1BYZEXwQgTyr0ddbsq-OGBRfhZosWmP9ajy8ySrh9BtWW56WSn3SsbW76GxDWYPTw1BGAZCV_c-tNlHlLkQYmhDqIkBdHqI8tavX-ftC9Va7yqLH_1vPlDxDXVbQrRlDI/s2134/Late%20RF-8G.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="2134" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYDAxAqN-JfTUOmbD3fnmJxMob9SeGNpJ17YiAPOKzCZ42YpT6WDTGM7ktT1BYZEXwQgTyr0ddbsq-OGBRfhZosWmP9ajy8ySrh9BtWW56WSn3SsbW76GxDWYPTw1BGAZCV_c-tNlHlLkQYmhDqIkBdHqI8tavX-ftC9Va7yqLH_1vPlDxDXVbQrRlDI/w640-h228/Late%20RF-8G.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This is the bottom of a late RF-8G"+", mainly distinguished by the addition of DECM antenna variations (kit parts 25 and 70) and a Doppler antenna (molded with the bottom of the camera bay, part CP2, so it will have to be removed when modeling earlier aircraft configurations):</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqRPpbOjJYI9-JlFHUpFWUV5Z4qJUeIlTBGPdXW35yM28ZNwlpAWpWWt3-oqO7NzympDJFB6AxwucvWqH27TZ3LFAYW7kO0izh5MTn9QcwD01-smOYdWVjZcUWyAoyUR3ELhUFwZXmoiY4qNou_rvvDbiJQl3XtLPOmoCATvVLnsSK-y13a5XfFU4SW8/s2369/RF-8G+.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="2369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqRPpbOjJYI9-JlFHUpFWUV5Z4qJUeIlTBGPdXW35yM28ZNwlpAWpWWt3-oqO7NzympDJFB6AxwucvWqH27TZ3LFAYW7kO0izh5MTn9QcwD01-smOYdWVjZcUWyAoyUR3ELhUFwZXmoiY4qNou_rvvDbiJQl3XtLPOmoCATvVLnsSK-y13a5XfFU4SW8/w640-h320/RF-8G+.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I'm not sure why the scanner window appears to be missing in this photo.</p><p>The presence or absence of the left or right Station 2 windows on Gs and G"+"s is another mystery. The left window is often missing with or without the prism window present on the bottom of the fuselage. However, the right window is sometimes present even though the left window is not.</p><p><b>Build Notes</b></p><p>There are holes on the inside of the fuselage halves that would need to be drilled out if you are adding the ventral strakes, which are mounted at a 45° angle. The kit parts have different part numbers but I don't know yet if they are actually handed.</p><p>Note that the wings were mounted with anhedral of 5 degrees and the horizontal stabilizers, dihedral of 5.4 degrees (n.b. the left and right UHTs were not connected):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52v2zqB5G2qYVO95EFw5eIXhsxOWMoU3lvZGgYII_pZ3Seb9JcCtcWrMESlGXap1Y_JKmy2t5qpr_hfdGG2Ow6PN9_P5O1rmCe0GvwaNzuUGFP5J1DU6P0b0vEKvqbSQIZxIrt8_cgakhA-oQ2znA0JOWkepOOMHYgbl4h10je0_mkSvQPzRL2f_fl0Q/s1024/F8U%20Anhedral%20Front%20View.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="1024" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52v2zqB5G2qYVO95EFw5eIXhsxOWMoU3lvZGgYII_pZ3Seb9JcCtcWrMESlGXap1Y_JKmy2t5qpr_hfdGG2Ow6PN9_P5O1rmCe0GvwaNzuUGFP5J1DU6P0b0vEKvqbSQIZxIrt8_cgakhA-oQ2znA0JOWkepOOMHYgbl4h10je0_mkSvQPzRL2f_fl0Q/w640-h270/F8U%20Anhedral%20Front%20View.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Because of the length of service of the photo Crusaders (the high-time one was retired with almost 7,500 hours after 28 years and 11 overhauls) and Sword's reliance on close examination of survivors, there are mid-life and late-life detail additions on the kit parts like reinforcing doublers around the main landing gear wells and a small bulge above and below the stabilizer at its attach point to the fuselage that aren't present on the initial F8U-1Ps.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p>More to come... <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-29294368696013725982023-09-25T09:19:00.000-07:002023-09-25T09:19:14.884-07:00Relying on Museum Examples for Detail Accuracy Part 4<p> Actually, I have written about this more than three times. Some unnumbered ones were:</p><p>Mk 4 Atomic Bomb: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-it-right.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-it-right.html</a></p><p>F11F Tiger: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/10/f11f-tiger.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/10/f11f-tiger.html</a></p><p>P/F-80 Canopy: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/10/lockheed-pf-80.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/10/lockheed-pf-80.html</a><br /></p><p>A4D-2 Skyhawk: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-airfix-172-4b4p-modeling-notes.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-airfix-172-4b4p-modeling-notes.html</a></p><p>F4D Skyray Wheels: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2015/07/its-not-that-easy-to-avoid-error.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2015/07/its-not-that-easy-to-avoid-error.html</a></p><p>J79 Exhaust Nozzles: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/12/j79-exhaust-nozzles.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/12/j79-exhaust-nozzles.html</a></p><p>Grumman F9F-8T Nose Strut Extension: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/06/grumman-f9f-8ttf-9j.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/06/grumman-f9f-8ttf-9j.html</a> <br /></p><p>Numbered ones:</p><p>Part One (F6U): <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2017/06/relying-on-museum-examples-for-detail.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2017/06/relying-on-museum-examples-for-detail.html</a><br /></p><p>Part Two (F7U-3M): <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2017/08/relying-on-museum-examples-for-detail.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2017/08/relying-on-museum-examples-for-detail.html</a></p><p>Part
Three (AD Skyraider Vertical Fin: note that in this case, the fin shape
of readily available examples has almost always been ignored): <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2017/08/relying-on-museum-pieces-for-accuracy.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2017/08/relying-on-museum-pieces-for-accuracy.html</a></p><p>This post was inspired by the F11F kit project at DBMK (<a href="https://dbmk.co.uk/">https://dbmk.co.uk/</a>); also see their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084846155184">Facebook page</a>. Note that their research includes LIDAR scans of an F11F.<br /></p><p>Based
on their requests and questions, I can vouch for their desire for
accuracy, at least in this instance. The latest one was about this
feature under the forward fuselage between the forward speed brake and
the NACA air inlets.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlHYusHbVo4rSxNZaU_3RrsYaYpQmn-2g9X9rvZeOtJvoEOajTX4RJ9SMo5495ozJPZYoNWmbAZOHNzG_OE1gvVFoCiNqUFsNSeYXfRI0G_B3PXKOuHiSAM8ecazx5WFZJPqinTa7mTqc8u7VzQaWlph03Dg6qy5kz-ideQ0tJeDSe3bLHWoM_rz7zhA/s1000/image0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlHYusHbVo4rSxNZaU_3RrsYaYpQmn-2g9X9rvZeOtJvoEOajTX4RJ9SMo5495ozJPZYoNWmbAZOHNzG_OE1gvVFoCiNqUFsNSeYXfRI0G_B3PXKOuHiSAM8ecazx5WFZJPqinTa7mTqc8u7VzQaWlph03Dg6qy5kz-ideQ0tJeDSe3bLHWoM_rz7zhA/w400-h300/image0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I'd
never noticed it before but quickly tracked this example down to BuNo
141735, now at the Yanks Air Museum at Chino, California. At first, I
assumed it was for the attachment of an antenna that wasn't present,
probably specific to this particular Tiger since it wasn't evident in
pictures of any operational or Blue Angels F11Fs. I finally found one
that wasn't BuNo 141735 with a shape there that seemed familiar:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVox9A9lnfVeR6FGmChya_fUl4_043labCIxqQrP6F5ZNrVMTboB9U78nOH9cDthP5WiAoVu3RhoaZL5k6zM6EInq_r_ciFFVGDUh4VHoZMxI9gObvd6FfcWss4ae9h5Zy-WWQlWpS652lPVjpvk89Wwzixs8tUJDQc2IyMq-3FzvyWlKLoV9XolSEUg/s2916/F11F%20El%20Centro.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1623" data-original-width="2916" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVox9A9lnfVeR6FGmChya_fUl4_043labCIxqQrP6F5ZNrVMTboB9U78nOH9cDthP5WiAoVu3RhoaZL5k6zM6EInq_r_ciFFVGDUh4VHoZMxI9gObvd6FfcWss4ae9h5Zy-WWQlWpS652lPVjpvk89Wwzixs8tUJDQc2IyMq-3FzvyWlKLoV9XolSEUg/w640-h356/F11F%20El%20Centro.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>More searching and I found a few more examples of Navy Training Command F-11s with the shape, in particular this one:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRaHcbzhx48VvEehEV8pQuvfP22QcLnDcpFDgkgR1AmaIbz0DUDWxvNxfQ-H1fRkKv3UX7X0gv9hxRJSfqRhbO3ugiGD0OuQa8Vb5-KoF2amg_KEAqZbJkhdM7CfCK9PiBCmV0buOvMwv8xIeXaHKf3pI_-K8_KKxM205ZT_7G3elWSDZtKP4owula4s/s2361/F-11%20Anti-Collision%20Lights%20141839.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="2361" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRaHcbzhx48VvEehEV8pQuvfP22QcLnDcpFDgkgR1AmaIbz0DUDWxvNxfQ-H1fRkKv3UX7X0gv9hxRJSfqRhbO3ugiGD0OuQa8Vb5-KoF2amg_KEAqZbJkhdM7CfCK9PiBCmV0buOvMwv8xIeXaHKf3pI_-K8_KKxM205ZT_7G3elWSDZtKP4owula4s/w640-h248/F-11%20Anti-Collision%20Lights%20141839.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>That's
when the light dawned (no pun intended). At some point after the
collision between two airliners over the Grand Canyon in June 1956, the
CAA/FAA decreed a requirement for anti-collision lights on U.S. civil
aircraft. The military was not required to comply but did so
voluntarily. As a result, anti-collision lights were eventually added to
the Navy Training Command's surviving F11Fs, including the early ones.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6yvJ5pvl6IU-BSyi848lsByXwb4o1sy5uWjnX_41Z2vzcBSwzljliM0LvAG49FJu08MyWEb53u5s85UCydux4x1MClbqgd5ygFTzqvGxupmvW-JnAjB4IVpqG23epYzCJO_-aixMaIaKjoHF0sUl8_Ag1Pigc-H1WO__01cEU2kDIwtij9nQmgr4pB4/s2199/Training%20Command%20F-11s.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="2199" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6yvJ5pvl6IU-BSyi848lsByXwb4o1sy5uWjnX_41Z2vzcBSwzljliM0LvAG49FJu08MyWEb53u5s85UCydux4x1MClbqgd5ygFTzqvGxupmvW-JnAjB4IVpqG23epYzCJO_-aixMaIaKjoHF0sUl8_Ag1Pigc-H1WO__01cEU2kDIwtij9nQmgr4pB4/w640-h306/Training%20Command%20F-11s.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-1995712613031003432023-06-03T08:46:00.080-07:002023-07-13T13:52:08.018-07:00Early McDonnell F-4B Phantom Configuration<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PQupROVxvHauAgXaISfTHF-rTYaRjQgRjIId6AYTdcc59BDBJ5KflER4vk1jzDfJIeG6bF8r58x8waM0b15n7Zt7bNHTGvIUkWh9S3T-VgByXbJpOWDyHJ5epXzgunrwguHrHSNNSpxsal2wbq7T2yWGcF-F5iKAybVT90v25uGDNa-MEms7fTBS/s3084/F4H%20Launch%20Color.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2147" data-original-width="3084" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PQupROVxvHauAgXaISfTHF-rTYaRjQgRjIId6AYTdcc59BDBJ5KflER4vk1jzDfJIeG6bF8r58x8waM0b15n7Zt7bNHTGvIUkWh9S3T-VgByXbJpOWDyHJ5epXzgunrwguHrHSNNSpxsal2wbq7T2yWGcF-F5iKAybVT90v25uGDNa-MEms7fTBS/w640-h446/F4H%20Launch%20Color.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The external appearance of the McDonnell F-4B changed in detail during its time in service. This is not a comprehensive list of the changes to a kit required to reverse it to the configuration when it was first deployed on <i>Enterprise</i> in 1962.<br /></p><p>1. Early Bs did not have the slotted stabilizer: <a href="http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/09/f-4-flapstabilizer-change.html">http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/09/f-4-flapstabilizer-change.html</a></p><p>2. Early Bs did not have the bump on the upper surface of the wing over the main landing gear strut or the doubler reinforcement plates on the lower surface of the wing.</p><p>3. Early Bs had the Mk 5 ejection seat; the difference in the top of the seat is apparent in any scale: <a href="http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/02/transition-to-martin-baker-ejection.html">http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/02/transition-to-martin-baker-ejection.html</a></p><p>4. The initial external drop tanks on the wing were a McDonnell design; the Navy subsequently procured the cheaper Sergeant Fletcher tanks with a constant-diameter mid section (statements reversing the identification of the source of the tanks are wrong): <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/02/f4hf-4-370-gallon-external-tank-redux.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/02/f4hf-4-370-gallon-external-tank-redux.html</a></p><p>5. The total air sensor wandered around from the nose to the vertical fin and back: <a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/07/mcdonnell-f4h-total-air-temperature.html">https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/07/mcdonnell-f4h-total-air-temperature.html</a> </p><p>6. Initially the only external antenna was on the nose landing gear door:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMAYRVFWCpSww4Jvkr-X2KDb8hNgEfDOpyYiyzsVZmUo1IbW0JNBCDREkQQ4dv6bpe6Xk4KyY2Zn7m_n6Pc0uL-xI2fCFGDdbOsUTi8wz5x6lFyXzNldh_WKFwTsZqN98CPVqlDY1wVF3D0ykhDIb6g4Dd7ucKYCCbCPXNB_zUSLYE6W1SysSwaU7/s581/Lower%20UHF%20Com%20Antenna.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMAYRVFWCpSww4Jvkr-X2KDb8hNgEfDOpyYiyzsVZmUo1IbW0JNBCDREkQQ4dv6bpe6Xk4KyY2Zn7m_n6Pc0uL-xI2fCFGDdbOsUTi8wz5x6lFyXzNldh_WKFwTsZqN98CPVqlDY1wVF3D0ykhDIb6g4Dd7ucKYCCbCPXNB_zUSLYE6W1SysSwaU7/s320/Lower%20UHF%20Com%20Antenna.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>All the other bumps were added later.<p></p><p>7. Deliveries of the IR sensor under the radome were behind schedule and the performance of the system when it was available, a disappointment, so it was usually not present, replaced by a cap. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAE4uJJKzUM0uK5O8P9i8wb8hNfJcmywpZWLAI50ioc3h-Mudz-lM9QQlQ4_S-Cz8twuDeHCAglqLhW4L2JEyN5LRu3qEV-fOLU-AMb1sPgX66DqQLfdlmwa4c2cMDxCZ1waWWExHS0shZjcAYL4T5hshlxsfPib8KA4VDmupQi5Vj4Due-eZRibx/s801/IR%20Cap.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="801" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAE4uJJKzUM0uK5O8P9i8wb8hNfJcmywpZWLAI50ioc3h-Mudz-lM9QQlQ4_S-Cz8twuDeHCAglqLhW4L2JEyN5LRu3qEV-fOLU-AMb1sPgX66DqQLfdlmwa4c2cMDxCZ1waWWExHS0shZjcAYL4T5hshlxsfPib8KA4VDmupQi5Vj4Due-eZRibx/w640-h230/IR%20Cap.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>When present, the portion immediately behind the dome was probably cylindrical rather than tapered as in the picture above.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_317lMY3Vaeb1DREv535dPd9XZei5Rk0wFfCclw3KVgrbQZt2q-ijHopBWatnc5iZKnblcNRBFaXMr8MbUZyvC76QLw9s56d6HTw3AG_xebpT4M8XmkA3BKd6dVqN_2yoBgkZc_mHPUX5VJRo5C-J1OlfvNXrFcS_858mxY6q-5Hk74Fxz3ikL3Y/s178/IR%20Seeker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="63" data-original-width="178" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_317lMY3Vaeb1DREv535dPd9XZei5Rk0wFfCclw3KVgrbQZt2q-ijHopBWatnc5iZKnblcNRBFaXMr8MbUZyvC76QLw9s56d6HTw3AG_xebpT4M8XmkA3BKd6dVqN_2yoBgkZc_mHPUX5VJRo5C-J1OlfvNXrFcS_858mxY6q-5Hk74Fxz3ikL3Y/w640-h227/IR%20Seeker.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p> The dome of the AN/AAA-4 sensor is reflective, essentially a mirror.<br /></p><p>8. There were detail changes to the cockpit over time but with the exception of the top of the Mk 5 vs. Mk 7 ejection seat in any scale and the instrument panel/radar control in aft cockpit in 1/32, I doubt that they would be discernible by the casual observer. Bill Spidle provided the following illustrations for the Block 22 configuration (circa 1966), BuNo 152244 and subsequent, at least for a while:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyiMbyvVqWeAeJz_PpXx9DE7RbEqS8HmuQT3d6b0jFOFdVgLyjet5GB4_eoqPYluBfp2aIqvEkCmj_wCorQUXxKwnukNCLAokOkPCVoK-zO6SqI60TEfqiwzBwhZDDFAjbW1Sl3AHykAswN1y8HfUZsZjOafZ5qvK_uVoE8Heflr8dojYkEfbMrzq/s2795/F-4B%20Front%20Cockpit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1827" data-original-width="2795" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyiMbyvVqWeAeJz_PpXx9DE7RbEqS8HmuQT3d6b0jFOFdVgLyjet5GB4_eoqPYluBfp2aIqvEkCmj_wCorQUXxKwnukNCLAokOkPCVoK-zO6SqI60TEfqiwzBwhZDDFAjbW1Sl3AHykAswN1y8HfUZsZjOafZ5qvK_uVoE8Heflr8dojYkEfbMrzq/w640-h418/F-4B%20Front%20Cockpit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXYn7s6MwlEUzPwGqqTiP9gncI-B8sExWDfVd1L6Ga33seRISFUDVbxxKyHSbFiSn6wsAA6bT3A64-gY3nbeytUvbXQyNlF8eNuGw2amVcpgy6P1GpiuICPeb8Y5a2Lnar9s2K9hJW8ByrcxytABju1Iy6zqgTGJcj410BWDEgg_3-0OLBZ7Dzgin/s2544/F-4B%20Pilot%20Instrument%20Panel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1623" data-original-width="2544" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXYn7s6MwlEUzPwGqqTiP9gncI-B8sExWDfVd1L6Ga33seRISFUDVbxxKyHSbFiSn6wsAA6bT3A64-gY3nbeytUvbXQyNlF8eNuGw2amVcpgy6P1GpiuICPeb8Y5a2Lnar9s2K9hJW8ByrcxytABju1Iy6zqgTGJcj410BWDEgg_3-0OLBZ7Dzgin/w640-h408/F-4B%20Pilot%20Instrument%20Panel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Note that the radar scope in the rear cockpit retracted under the instrument panel and the black on either side of the upper part of the instrument panel were curtains (there was also one that blocked out light overhead).<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrw7SPFwRMpgyf-XPfW9ItiRnH5EgVIv8zonfIKeyGiU6D-IYCRcfmmLqKQYJCNZnYzc9Krg3fAE74uIr3bSV22UHj_2lz8d6_uBYnt8jRignz3L9OZd-9jdxtp835pMbpLIn5aQPxfz1IHJDVHw0PLlazAME86xSIgs2DtFh-KxvWjKGs2Mpyc2O/s2767/F-4B%20Rear%20Cockpit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1686" data-original-width="2767" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrw7SPFwRMpgyf-XPfW9ItiRnH5EgVIv8zonfIKeyGiU6D-IYCRcfmmLqKQYJCNZnYzc9Krg3fAE74uIr3bSV22UHj_2lz8d6_uBYnt8jRignz3L9OZd-9jdxtp835pMbpLIn5aQPxfz1IHJDVHw0PLlazAME86xSIgs2DtFh-KxvWjKGs2Mpyc2O/w640-h390/F-4B%20Rear%20Cockpit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>9. One detail missed by most kit designers is that the aft bulkhead of the rear cockpit was never slanted. It was vertical (the compartment was not originally intended to be occupied) and the ejection seat rails were attached to the floor and the top of the aft bulkhead so as to be at the correct angle.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw32y4QjmvSL8ejbnXyb5SV_z2gz3VdXWQZ832ON5mlJcFdKsot5PDMdatvdS03AciGIjlRn2acqXa9ppCHmNwEfwy0SzujrOIgJzg3pdHMcXilWQNa6R2KlSTWt3JrWFFn2MnwmgcPjGpia3nyozUdYjr-Sbt65kIePOufD1T1wglYSyaUkBIFwz/s1812/3A%20Aft%20Cockpit%20Ejection%20Seat%20Installation%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="1812" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw32y4QjmvSL8ejbnXyb5SV_z2gz3VdXWQZ832ON5mlJcFdKsot5PDMdatvdS03AciGIjlRn2acqXa9ppCHmNwEfwy0SzujrOIgJzg3pdHMcXilWQNa6R2KlSTWt3JrWFFn2MnwmgcPjGpia3nyozUdYjr-Sbt65kIePOufD1T1wglYSyaUkBIFwz/w640-h550/3A%20Aft%20Cockpit%20Ejection%20Seat%20Installation%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>10, The wingtip lights:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5BXRDyzrbaqrcAbWHj-VC157idDc-u_vaFLiQrrQrnoecBGm-Dfz4WPWtzvOeFE4YpWijZQ6H2AmU3WsAhVwtUB-Igpeaxow2riYVI6PM_wLuzAUwlfejV1jniqh0dAjLMzsS2Se02KtXnVm7MJWOqj6p01kRfC-DRjAMDHTaGnQwIladKq9S0Jb/s1319/Early%20F-4%20Wingtip%20Lights.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="1319" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5BXRDyzrbaqrcAbWHj-VC157idDc-u_vaFLiQrrQrnoecBGm-Dfz4WPWtzvOeFE4YpWijZQ6H2AmU3WsAhVwtUB-Igpeaxow2riYVI6PM_wLuzAUwlfejV1jniqh0dAjLMzsS2Se02KtXnVm7MJWOqj6p01kRfC-DRjAMDHTaGnQwIladKq9S0Jb/w640-h278/Early%20F-4%20Wingtip%20Lights.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>For a more complete wingtip discussion, click <a href="https://phantomphacts.blogspot.com/2018/06/f4h-1-wingtips.html">HERE</a>.<br />Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-25987352753870952032023-02-23T17:53:00.005-08:002023-02-23T19:20:23.726-08:00Douglas A3D Skywarrior Entry/Exit Doors<p> The Skywarrior bombers had a self-boarding arrangement* that also did double duty as a bailout slide:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiAHs5cPQ6reZ46fYjJoBW1gIW8QwDTpp0fFclNjUe_5TQtK3bB9cfywGtXaPj3Wo_PWKNYxmcSHX1Rr8-83SA5wcYvKqpxEw87v_MkrLi1kkfySGo_HwAegnPeqnkxCa3xQLiXpyxxQ9E0dpQOnqMXfPV7D0_bmjnefgCSkv1SPQmpY3ZJ7MsfrE/s2133/A3D%20Entry%20Illustration%20cropped.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1875" data-original-width="2133" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiAHs5cPQ6reZ46fYjJoBW1gIW8QwDTpp0fFclNjUe_5TQtK3bB9cfywGtXaPj3Wo_PWKNYxmcSHX1Rr8-83SA5wcYvKqpxEw87v_MkrLi1kkfySGo_HwAegnPeqnkxCa3xQLiXpyxxQ9E0dpQOnqMXfPV7D0_bmjnefgCSkv1SPQmpY3ZJ7MsfrE/w640-h562/A3D%20Entry%20Illustration%20cropped.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It consisted of an inner (upper) and outer (lower) door. When closed, the inner door formed the bottom of the cockpit floor and sealed the crew compartment for pressurization; the outer door closed off the opening in the bottom of the fuselage. Large indentations, two in the inner door and three in the outer door, served as steps and hand grips and still allowed the doors to have a smooth surface to function as a slide for bailout.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYr-1CsMXzPw-qx_SvF5JDZCIwSKWxDxvF_GBPwQ7OEY9zrylszlC2fb-Z7CRu4mlqP8HJedCSp67BMTx1zsoWa1HiyD5AAZyTw8Py1N_N5_oaYnQllTmEuN0K0HXxSYPaN9QM-jVHScw8poTTimcgUaOR4D5A1lG4CYOcgLfXb13FXfjePdVNZfqD/s1216/Entry%20door.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1216" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYr-1CsMXzPw-qx_SvF5JDZCIwSKWxDxvF_GBPwQ7OEY9zrylszlC2fb-Z7CRu4mlqP8HJedCSp67BMTx1zsoWa1HiyD5AAZyTw8Py1N_N5_oaYnQllTmEuN0K0HXxSYPaN9QM-jVHScw8poTTimcgUaOR4D5A1lG4CYOcgLfXb13FXfjePdVNZfqD/w640-h574/Entry%20door.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>However, the following picture of a crewman ascending into the cockpit included a feature not included in the illustration above, a rectangular transverse ledge (highlighted by question marks) with a raised non-skid pattern.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHihaPMZVmJq_OGYfSCExnyuSy7oPVE0OYVo1vzphCcnN_sfGZmvoP6N3IeHcNMrygrLqnPyGZEFXqGp4Cwd4JL9AGk0Uovp4koBHCEN4BSia8GOsHsM9tdW2MEHL99ZQgqXmowQLI8QGkTXk_SCVXoRkN3i9k3MopY0LqZunqE6X-1AeZIgiDO4G/s2992/Entry%20from%20above%20annotated.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2063" data-original-width="2992" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHihaPMZVmJq_OGYfSCExnyuSy7oPVE0OYVo1vzphCcnN_sfGZmvoP6N3IeHcNMrygrLqnPyGZEFXqGp4Cwd4JL9AGk0Uovp4koBHCEN4BSia8GOsHsM9tdW2MEHL99ZQgqXmowQLI8QGkTXk_SCVXoRkN3i9k3MopY0LqZunqE6X-1AeZIgiDO4G/w640-h442/Entry%20from%20above%20annotated.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>On close examination (you can see successive ledges below the top one), I finally realized that in this instance, climbing into the airplane had been made easier—particularly if you had something in your hands—by leaning a folding ladder up against the outer door.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCSjwkM-zX-tOwYeb1J5K2bPICxzsfyZjR2CRB1n7riCpJlP-zLju8ZiCISSTMDwd2Ue3ce7tCnGHR2pUQyLN4mmRFErzz81SrJht_fku5WeiRUHfBEDpgqtgZEz8vHxLl921EsNkQmIyiD4TEu9F4VyT8MwO0yUxvsRqJhrVNz7eMQtaITgbwGHd/s309/Ladder.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="309" height="553" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCSjwkM-zX-tOwYeb1J5K2bPICxzsfyZjR2CRB1n7riCpJlP-zLju8ZiCISSTMDwd2Ue3ce7tCnGHR2pUQyLN4mmRFErzz81SrJht_fku5WeiRUHfBEDpgqtgZEz8vHxLl921EsNkQmIyiD4TEu9F4VyT8MwO0yUxvsRqJhrVNz7eMQtaITgbwGHd/w640-h553/Ladder.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>* Skywarrior versions had similar arrangement that was different in detail, including the arrangement of steps: <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-5SvRyt2r-gGyY3Wt1j2D5R532x1Lqdl_Cqw4nVmQHUhw-kCJJgxi9BGNXzTnT_ac47ZF8c2ddhxIruCwBe8Nd0OvxF5I2WB20djk5tSzKxbX79Sumvgx6VWFHtzGyuN8W-U6rQAJET-CjW_gFgC2UnqpsWTPt9UJO_-keW_EXW8brAvlGLIo3B3/s2673/Version%20Entry%20Door.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="2673" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-5SvRyt2r-gGyY3Wt1j2D5R532x1Lqdl_Cqw4nVmQHUhw-kCJJgxi9BGNXzTnT_ac47ZF8c2ddhxIruCwBe8Nd0OvxF5I2WB20djk5tSzKxbX79Sumvgx6VWFHtzGyuN8W-U6rQAJET-CjW_gFgC2UnqpsWTPt9UJO_-keW_EXW8brAvlGLIo3B3/w640-h258/Version%20Entry%20Door.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Also see <a href="http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/05/trumpeter-148-a3d-forward-fuselage.html">http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/05/trumpeter-148-a3d-forward-fuselage.html</a>).</p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-31510392160045114852023-02-04T09:59:00.253-08:002023-09-02T14:37:04.312-07:00McDonnell F2H-2B Banshee<p>2 September 2023: Added an illustration of how the nose gear shock strut functioned.</p><p>This post incorporates material provided from the Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum by Mark Nankivil.</p><p>Click <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/11/nuclear-banshees.html">HERE</a> for my previous post on the "Nuclear Banshees". When I get a chance, I'll correct some of the discrepancies in it. Click <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/12/f2h-banshee-modeling-notes.html">HERE</a> for my F2H Banshee Modeler's Notes: it includes links to several of my other posts on the Banshee.<br /></p><p>By the early 1950s, the Mk 7 and Mk 8, tactical nuclear weapons small enough to be carried by single-seat fighters and bombers, had been developed. The U.S. Navy quickly modified two carrier-based airplanes to accommodate them, the Douglas AD Skyraider (see <a href="http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/04/ad-4-skyraider-variant-ad-4b.html">http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/04/ad-4-skyraider-variant-ad-4b.html</a>) and the McDonnell F2H Banshee. The suffix B was added to the designation of these airplanes to identify them as having non-standard armament.</p><p>The Mk 7 was lighter (about 1,680 lbs) than the Mk 8 (about 3,250 lbs) but much larger (30.5 inches in diameter and 182 inches long). To fit it under the inboard wing of the F2H-2 required that the landing gear shock struts be pressurized to extend them to their full travel.</p><p>The nose landing gear extension;</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWyevfzv8_B6kCaAcwkqTuai8DdkZZQQzrIp3NcNsjZT3gsZTPBD12S4w1DMvRNEQI6ctpIHuTa4wIS8wjNl9yCsfV5-6w8CCRFjFKYv0ZUmj-z2mcJbe7xMOzDuDv4vZ2cnt0hICUQUltZ_gjMjzXOiw2rRan-C6nH6ImROipYRXwZ2Ba186RPRa/s3941/F2H-2%20Nose%20Gear%20Comparison.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2454" data-original-width="3941" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWyevfzv8_B6kCaAcwkqTuai8DdkZZQQzrIp3NcNsjZT3gsZTPBD12S4w1DMvRNEQI6ctpIHuTa4wIS8wjNl9yCsfV5-6w8CCRFjFKYv0ZUmj-z2mcJbe7xMOzDuDv4vZ2cnt0hICUQUltZ_gjMjzXOiw2rRan-C6nH6ImROipYRXwZ2Ba186RPRa/w640-h398/F2H-2%20Nose%20Gear%20Comparison.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>With the help of Jerry Wells, I was finally able to establish how the nose landing gear shock strut extended:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImurhBj6ChX9VkJtvJja9EaPodxKmgG4bcXyOdC-8qGEsxnJFY57Lws1Syj1w_s5IV2qkmWl6QIDMggcZVvp82WtiXhHM78FP1GSBMg5U5HKP_OCnnETPstavhFUUWTib04J9RtkVM2CkpnUyFb0fgdVEIt1BpGiv2MO0d5wlsB7z03IXL4nddS-gyHc/s3122/F2H-1:2%20Nose%20Gear.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2695" data-original-width="3122" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImurhBj6ChX9VkJtvJja9EaPodxKmgG4bcXyOdC-8qGEsxnJFY57Lws1Syj1w_s5IV2qkmWl6QIDMggcZVvp82WtiXhHM78FP1GSBMg5U5HKP_OCnnETPstavhFUUWTib04J9RtkVM2CkpnUyFb0fgdVEIt1BpGiv2MO0d5wlsB7z03IXL4nddS-gyHc/w640-h552/F2H-1:2%20Nose%20Gear.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>The extension required the addition of small hydraulic reservoirs to add fluid to and remove fluid from the shock struts as required:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NkoUbkE5etjimbNwHI9urfFlRmCoPXj6gXOEkpDXm8_7zza5rmvu3PpEj9Z_GMWYQnfSPw_84mJee-7JdlrEvRNaB8ZeIhJUHV278BgqMRnotkWfADy1PQxY6TaxLGhn7Nzmxg1Uj7w0LnXMvjb04vzfQWTJjEwX17dcP-OEUUVIpR1sVqXIGber/s3882/F2H-2B%20Landing%20Gear.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2713" data-original-width="3882" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NkoUbkE5etjimbNwHI9urfFlRmCoPXj6gXOEkpDXm8_7zza5rmvu3PpEj9Z_GMWYQnfSPw_84mJee-7JdlrEvRNaB8ZeIhJUHV278BgqMRnotkWfADy1PQxY6TaxLGhn7Nzmxg1Uj7w0LnXMvjb04vzfQWTJjEwX17dcP-OEUUVIpR1sVqXIGber/w640-h448/F2H-2B%20Landing%20Gear.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The result increased the height of the requisite pylon above the ground by 10 inches, providing just enough clearance for a carrier launch with a Mk 7:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDge3jAV-ozUueIGCzp4J_KcWSUrHRUVlY8stqbPNKSOMptnv7HAbqds7uceJRt6XaQ5t7gA82wo3M9wzSMWfyFSDuwcmguoXe6FVtefh-lUrI52wyI9Zq45vCt5BGSTo23zFGezZKzts8GqN3qlPLgNgO9iYxEJBkabrUogDxTjwQw6ww90czJNy/s2375/F2H-2B%20and%20Mk%207.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="2375" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDge3jAV-ozUueIGCzp4J_KcWSUrHRUVlY8stqbPNKSOMptnv7HAbqds7uceJRt6XaQ5t7gA82wo3M9wzSMWfyFSDuwcmguoXe6FVtefh-lUrI52wyI9Zq45vCt5BGSTo23zFGezZKzts8GqN3qlPLgNgO9iYxEJBkabrUogDxTjwQw6ww90czJNy/w640-h338/F2H-2B%20and%20Mk%207.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note that the tail cone had to be installed "upside down" to provide clearance from the underside of the wing. This also meant that the retracted tail fin could not be extended before the bomb was dropped, so the electric motor that did that was replaced by first one and then two springs; the fin was held in the retracted position by a locking device until the bomb was dropped and a lanyard attached to the pylon opened it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An elaborate arrangement of sway braces and a spring-activated separation device on the inboard aft end of the bomb was required to carry and safely separate the bomb from the Banshee when it was dropped.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_oQ_Ns9ElY-KRc8Di4K-bIIPf0aZEGLmw9BoI95OCI2VsvTyudRpmsawJxWxykbxOWWqIQE8MWYZP9sT01nRulkairnpJICGsMimTucBu0QObxcvDnhQQMInx6I5VEK1hzfDUuhT3ao6ubw4MHbuWVVZUYJl7OgRrPefcDN3zawXA2L_2_NJhmE5/s3960/Mk7%20Sway%20Bracing.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="3960" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_oQ_Ns9ElY-KRc8Di4K-bIIPf0aZEGLmw9BoI95OCI2VsvTyudRpmsawJxWxykbxOWWqIQE8MWYZP9sT01nRulkairnpJICGsMimTucBu0QObxcvDnhQQMInx6I5VEK1hzfDUuhT3ao6ubw4MHbuWVVZUYJl7OgRrPefcDN3zawXA2L_2_NJhmE5/w640-h494/Mk7%20Sway%20Bracing.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Loading the Mk 8 did not require extending the shock structs but did require that the left inboard flap extension be disabled.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehsmlJNjJdkkskN1cgQUcytScL7BYMLSkDCLptti_auvOMGm5zcBUOGmDwRcbDTOOrmZRTj5hH0_B3Dxxvu9MElAdTcv7T6kMJi0J4H5dA-nA4zEgYQeb33RPDTjEshUMSfi3v_fNAKMh99QwjFZRuX6CdQKBjUfWqpTcACkQVPnd6LsKFGug4Rdo/s3690/Mk%208%20and%20Pylon.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="3690" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehsmlJNjJdkkskN1cgQUcytScL7BYMLSkDCLptti_auvOMGm5zcBUOGmDwRcbDTOOrmZRTj5hH0_B3Dxxvu9MElAdTcv7T6kMJi0J4H5dA-nA4zEgYQeb33RPDTjEshUMSfi3v_fNAKMh99QwjFZRuX6CdQKBjUfWqpTcACkQVPnd6LsKFGug4Rdo/w640-h270/Mk%208%20and%20Pylon.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>(For a dimensioned drawing of the Mk 8, see the AD-4 link above.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It necessitated a different pylon/shackle (30-inch distance between lugs for one thing), arrangement of sway braces, and a simpler separation feature.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLepGlLy3Q6xQYyeHHxbMsxeTuo7NqGk0tWtuNZ2QYTkZTAfwMkeKm7D6DcVDWl_Kb8LgKkicj5TryVP1OxTSUk_t7Qpv7pt-_bNcGrhoaIs9BsmvbWGQO7Rrp3Odvjn_poWlJEgdV4xU6UQ8FBnBdq3zX4-nlD38d1xZTVfDY0Kn-G2cw9j6nrzV/s2954/Mk%208%20Sway%20Bracing%20Annotated.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2243" data-original-width="2954" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLepGlLy3Q6xQYyeHHxbMsxeTuo7NqGk0tWtuNZ2QYTkZTAfwMkeKm7D6DcVDWl_Kb8LgKkicj5TryVP1OxTSUk_t7Qpv7pt-_bNcGrhoaIs9BsmvbWGQO7Rrp3Odvjn_poWlJEgdV4xU6UQ8FBnBdq3zX4-nlD38d1xZTVfDY0Kn-G2cw9j6nrzV/w640-h486/Mk%208%20Sway%20Bracing%20Annotated.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The left inboard flap had to be locked up for clearance with the Mk 8 tail fin:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHqmemvNk0M51kvfX_4K-K-I34GceMDQY0tF7_zU7Cd8XcE29EN1OmqYwxle-acuiv0z-ywYlGx8blzUeonn71Uk35d0EuwokxKKThYXaMR7crNUzN_MVJojv57L1hij5KG85o9mDHKjCZA5M5lCzHPwNrFjKH3kzLw7P97YbWnPBVUqpsBVww5vQ/s3960/Mk%208%20Flap%20Configuration.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="3960" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHqmemvNk0M51kvfX_4K-K-I34GceMDQY0tF7_zU7Cd8XcE29EN1OmqYwxle-acuiv0z-ywYlGx8blzUeonn71Uk35d0EuwokxKKThYXaMR7crNUzN_MVJojv57L1hij5KG85o9mDHKjCZA5M5lCzHPwNrFjKH3kzLw7P97YbWnPBVUqpsBVww5vQ/w640-h494/Mk%208%20Flap%20Configuration.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The pylon location, on the same wing station as the original inboard stores pylon, was the same for both bombs; a notch in the center section flaps was provided for Mk 7 clearance (not shown is the recess on the outboard center section flap for the Mk 8 fin clearance noted above).<br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4QocWLkb4lkzM5I8A_iSzElh3vn7MxkfJRePGwK62vTRqsKPxl3Api9Smthcf290TnhIeRf2TjaDPmKoOmB_oN0dYyjkyjNsizj4AUx3yEhecDw1U6VAtW019WCMYsar5hgQM4Vqg1_X7WRJka77Aq9fsF8cE-n5_iN9aDaaNtpKkH3bV4mIfnSR/s1587/F2H-2B%20Bottom%20InBd%20Wing.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1587" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4QocWLkb4lkzM5I8A_iSzElh3vn7MxkfJRePGwK62vTRqsKPxl3Api9Smthcf290TnhIeRf2TjaDPmKoOmB_oN0dYyjkyjNsizj4AUx3yEhecDw1U6VAtW019WCMYsar5hgQM4Vqg1_X7WRJka77Aq9fsF8cE-n5_iN9aDaaNtpKkH3bV4mIfnSR/w640-h430/F2H-2B%20Bottom%20InBd%20Wing.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p> It was essentially coincident with the outboard edge of the engine intake opening:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA3uaLGgY5bm1ZhwQNYJsouP1V2nDyh4K5BzdPcbkd_x14cosJJPukLtPCR1E0Yxm1daPupNApSzBWw59BlTS9uD4wW3nT6ikNJxW2__kJQb2U_rHg4Iw9uFKNI8cfJYPkuDZuxqkai0wYHXdKOcy1fz3ZmX427Dgk2cSPidhDEgtlQILJRZMztxf/s3151/Pylon%20location%20.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2521" data-original-width="3151" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA3uaLGgY5bm1ZhwQNYJsouP1V2nDyh4K5BzdPcbkd_x14cosJJPukLtPCR1E0Yxm1daPupNApSzBWw59BlTS9uD4wW3nT6ikNJxW2__kJQb2U_rHg4Iw9uFKNI8cfJYPkuDZuxqkai0wYHXdKOcy1fz3ZmX427Dgk2cSPidhDEgtlQILJRZMztxf/w640-h512/Pylon%20location%20.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Note that this initial capability predated the development of the Low Altitude Bomb System (LABS) delivery (click <a href="https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2008/06/not-doing-it-right.html">HERE</a>). Instead, the bomb was to be dropped from altitude, in this example in a dive utilizing a "loft" bomb deliver capability, not to be confused with the loft options provided by LABS,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsi6HZHc5aFWCcOoReA6e9ZGg-XjWSmMhAWTN7geTr3LQt3A3CRFDIGtIPxtigBFTXBZJPZt2B8OGLseZu9AYrxJe4KKl1yRex9Z0IHIXrWm_BFKzevYlYEWMbdAxzScXJJYk-UfB_O3kN15KE1f7XqlKtqe-OqIrqaL7zIKSfGy1hV4c0SM_LDJu/s1490/Weapon%20Delivery.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="1140" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsi6HZHc5aFWCcOoReA6e9ZGg-XjWSmMhAWTN7geTr3LQt3A3CRFDIGtIPxtigBFTXBZJPZt2B8OGLseZu9AYrxJe4KKl1yRex9Z0IHIXrWm_BFKzevYlYEWMbdAxzScXJJYk-UfB_O3kN15KE1f7XqlKtqe-OqIrqaL7zIKSfGy1hV4c0SM_LDJu/w490-h640/Weapon%20Delivery.png" width="490" /></a></div><p>The flight manual advised caution not to exceed G limits when the Mk 7 was released in the loft maneuver; use of loft delivery for the much heavier Mk 8 was prohibited.</p><p>A couple of details on the Mk 7 development: </p><p>Problems with its stability and trajectory were discovered during initial test drops. This was solved in part by adding wedges one one side of the tips of the tail fins that resulted in the bomb spiraling like a football.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3Rdg0MhqFBqITW4WU0giFJiv1ZXpd1srgmcelVoCMHOC7GdXtQFWP-Mh41HA6nIRs-b79AXQmsgQwP4xUPtTv3_bDs8rMhJvZosYkbUxK79lU8hIs0E682EGBKHWFsJbJWGaGbgqz-iTFe4wFAhTZ7mk2h0tZKOk0j4lqTeHpzBHbnKCDMAEG5D8/s2367/Mk%207%20Fin%20Tabs%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2367" data-original-width="2034" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3Rdg0MhqFBqITW4WU0giFJiv1ZXpd1srgmcelVoCMHOC7GdXtQFWP-Mh41HA6nIRs-b79AXQmsgQwP4xUPtTv3_bDs8rMhJvZosYkbUxK79lU8hIs0E682EGBKHWFsJbJWGaGbgqz-iTFe4wFAhTZ7mk2h0tZKOk0j4lqTeHpzBHbnKCDMAEG5D8/s320/Mk%207%20Fin%20Tabs%20copy.jpeg" width="275" /></a></div><p>Another was the initial use of barometric pressure to provide an air-burst capability for more wide-spread devastation. However, as the Mk 7 neared the ground, it was going faster than the measurement of the air pressure could keep up with from a detonation accuracy standpoint. As a result, speed brakes were initially provided between the tail fins that opened up when the bomb was dropped (it probably also provide a few vital seconds for the pilot to get far enough away to avoid getting "hoist by his own petard").</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUi4UkFLh1-Chwyj3JOYtxaLs_TTozB4Uzjdgxlja0j4gIRSmKn29CC5elxC61cuvSI9vfaTCDXkHprlHmgVfM7TosI8Kg2OfqF-3qh2oFAb8W-2y4tvJpJAcZpEh6QXXCtIVtWM6yOCNFLTSeJo2R-qM12ijCZJTWESfaHNz3XX_ygQg9FQHkEq6j/s725/Mk%207%20Speed%20Brakes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="725" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUi4UkFLh1-Chwyj3JOYtxaLs_TTozB4Uzjdgxlja0j4gIRSmKn29CC5elxC61cuvSI9vfaTCDXkHprlHmgVfM7TosI8Kg2OfqF-3qh2oFAb8W-2y4tvJpJAcZpEh6QXXCtIVtWM6yOCNFLTSeJo2R-qM12ijCZJTWESfaHNz3XX_ygQg9FQHkEq6j/w400-h364/Mk%207%20Speed%20Brakes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The addition of radar sensing of the height above ground resulted in them being deleted from the Mk 7. <p></p><p>Note that the Mk 8 did not have speed brakes because its raison d'etre was destruction of well-protected submarine shelters, accomplished by not detonating until as far below ground as possible, which meant that the faster it was going when it hit the ground, the better.<br /></p><p> The development of bespoke pylons (to be described in a subsequent post
covering the F2H-3/4 nuclear-strike configuration) and more options for changing the angle of the tail cone allowed the Mk 7 to
be loaded with the fins pointed upwards and eliminated the separate sway
braces required for the Mks 7 and 8.</p><p>An important feature of the F2H-2B was the addition of the newly developed inflight refueling capability. This was accomplished by adding a fuel probe replacing one of the 20mm cannons on the right side of the fuselage. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXSkOGn3wNevtLNN0R4XRTyhAybpjWRDVTKutrwk0fWd8k3WrE199xwJNTZZlBunma_Uic9UKjzMV_mUUZFR7CUYAh9YLaLfAYl8RGabsan3TwJzlJ2-9saNGY-keTdnpe_S2_ePIju76ViC1kb5uvH3z_neHW6cWLwMozaC5L11oZRtiRUGTGiHQ/s1396/F2H-2B%20Dimensioned%20Side%20View.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="1396" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXSkOGn3wNevtLNN0R4XRTyhAybpjWRDVTKutrwk0fWd8k3WrE199xwJNTZZlBunma_Uic9UKjzMV_mUUZFR7CUYAh9YLaLfAYl8RGabsan3TwJzlJ2-9saNGY-keTdnpe_S2_ePIju76ViC1kb5uvH3z_neHW6cWLwMozaC5L11oZRtiRUGTGiHQ/w640-h212/F2H-2B%20Dimensioned%20Side%20View.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Only the fuselage fuel tanks could be refilled in flight, probably because these early jets did not have single-point refueling capability. Also filling the tip tanks would have required the addition of additional fuel lines and flow management valves and controls. That was a tradeoff against the extra range that would be achieved, particularly since even though the store was mounted fairly close to the center line, the tip tank on that side could only be partially filled before takeoff since only so much lateral imbalance could be offset by the roll-control power (i.e. aileron effectiveness) available at low speeds. At cruise speeds, however, the imbalance could probably be accommodated, albeit at some increase in drag due to the control-surface deflection.</p><p>The early refueling probe had a tip that resembled a baby bottle nipple. It was subsequently replaced by the one that's now standard across U.S. and NATO probes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxSrJ6Iy0r7c8M_5tWerQlAtFzezz8huo14Xg_kVn3EK9RhZMu0vDbV5AjJhgEwRzslPwsMsx6nNPoA_X5ot1sDOdgIuHvG3gkPwN847OW55jwU7vE2U0c7qSno2pQTryYThghZNjixiboS8TvGCQF-yxr3pQYFRnf0ef2K6AwgfFzGhEmyYBGAKV/s2839/IFR%20Tip.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="2839" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxSrJ6Iy0r7c8M_5tWerQlAtFzezz8huo14Xg_kVn3EK9RhZMu0vDbV5AjJhgEwRzslPwsMsx6nNPoA_X5ot1sDOdgIuHvG3gkPwN847OW55jwU7vE2U0c7qSno2pQTryYThghZNjixiboS8TvGCQF-yxr3pQYFRnf0ef2K6AwgfFzGhEmyYBGAKV/w400-h181/IFR%20Tip.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>There is currently a discrepancy in the number of F2H-2Bs. In my earlier post on Nuclear Banshees (see link above including comments) there were 25 to as many as 31, depending on the source. The effectivity given in the 15 January 1954 document provided by Mark Nankivil lists 60!:<div style="text-align: left;">125030-70</div><div style="text-align: left;">125500-05</div><div style="text-align: left;">125650-62<br /></div><p>In any event, the F2H-2Bs were deployed in both "composite" squadron detachments and fighter squadrons:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1r8WUDtnP9IBwJ1gX1q_0aXQ138PmUI1YT51gQsx-qgMuYfLSzWRagk5mZjAK27mJfdkfqQKaB5sHdC_e70XAo8g-q4x0mAn6qun27-ZAQyXLNAn1Y1hLOD9pLLA4HuR5miyqxu45CT9XyvslzOij25X3nwf62UyGrFl9Du3aSAPZapmqtCNBkkv/s1656/F2H-2B%20Folded.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1656" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1r8WUDtnP9IBwJ1gX1q_0aXQ138PmUI1YT51gQsx-qgMuYfLSzWRagk5mZjAK27mJfdkfqQKaB5sHdC_e70XAo8g-q4x0mAn6qun27-ZAQyXLNAn1Y1hLOD9pLLA4HuR5miyqxu45CT9XyvslzOij25X3nwf62UyGrFl9Du3aSAPZapmqtCNBkkv/w640-h502/F2H-2B%20Folded.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This squadron's markings in color and regrettably, a bit out of focus:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2rqAVtCHtBOtvxnC9fms_Rh16tg-HFfmTGziAzIKDacU7dLt5Hkklt1fdCm25nxNw1-6YjkwfQ0c-B4tcC8FCP0NiC_sXplOAO8M1_VGCRxVV745WSAHqT37N3S0Asik8Ddqx4KTM6uFagIUq1UFf_02N6344f7Dj0TZKnpRBFg1f-Q9C71Az9jI/s900/F2H-2B%20color%20cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="900" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2rqAVtCHtBOtvxnC9fms_Rh16tg-HFfmTGziAzIKDacU7dLt5Hkklt1fdCm25nxNw1-6YjkwfQ0c-B4tcC8FCP0NiC_sXplOAO8M1_VGCRxVV745WSAHqT37N3S0Asik8Ddqx4KTM6uFagIUq1UFf_02N6344f7Dj0TZKnpRBFg1f-Q9C71Az9jI/w640-h586/F2H-2B%20color%20cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-16144879629937245762023-01-15T11:16:00.016-08:002023-01-15T13:08:18.336-08:00Roden 1/72 AJ-1 Savage Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH2HPx4Sr38E-nbUph5KgtcsgXOJ_z1pqWxqWE1kWywfKhT1GMgXP7nGoLbXadREAy886euttaU4SlA_O-eHK0UqlSRTTB3bjjQgtpTY4PPFYAhj4218ogz615qsyWuZflN5MLOajRIgCQoktWEAHeKXaQ-LodgUKnL_Yj2tJJUdKC2d4lKlUV-qZ/s654/IMG_4226.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="654" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH2HPx4Sr38E-nbUph5KgtcsgXOJ_z1pqWxqWE1kWywfKhT1GMgXP7nGoLbXadREAy886euttaU4SlA_O-eHK0UqlSRTTB3bjjQgtpTY4PPFYAhj4218ogz615qsyWuZflN5MLOajRIgCQoktWEAHeKXaQ-LodgUKnL_Yj2tJJUdKC2d4lKlUV-qZ/w640-h284/IMG_4226.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Model and Photo by Paul Boyer</p><p style="text-align: left;">Paul Boyer's review of the excellent Roden 1/72 scale AJ-1 kit here: <a href="https://finescale.com/product-info/kit-reviews/2022/11/workbench-review-roden-aj-1-savage">Fine Scale Modeler</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">He mentions the windshield wiper location (note that this AJ-1 canopy has been modified with the larger escape hatch);</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIjov8F-Raeq218echV9O4f_k_PnA0_PBrtuv3WTg8HsIvJwBZ14Gk9skVOWzexZmyD7cAcz4XLdQ314Vh-f_Zuh1DBShK90JM-IsSOJSQyDnMSGxNUOFp2eH8WvF8_ktGz4rl-gon8K3vCWHH7Uub5ZbEs35MphTP-7c-Y_LwC9w42Z-y6_U_8yM/s2560/AJ-1%20Canopy%20Charles%20Bertrand%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="2560" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIjov8F-Raeq218echV9O4f_k_PnA0_PBrtuv3WTg8HsIvJwBZ14Gk9skVOWzexZmyD7cAcz4XLdQ314Vh-f_Zuh1DBShK90JM-IsSOJSQyDnMSGxNUOFp2eH8WvF8_ktGz4rl-gon8K3vCWHH7Uub5ZbEs35MphTP-7c-Y_LwC9w42Z-y6_U_8yM/w640-h370/AJ-1%20Canopy%20Charles%20Bertrand%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">A couple of other easily fixable nits:</p><p style="text-align: left;">1. The AJ-1 had a single, rectangular (except for forward lower/right corner) nose landing gear door; the kit provides the AJ-2's two-piece door. An easy change:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JzdDHCnZBcHc82PSbeFkC20kEUOAAdOzsw2nX-e5zTeEBCbQF3vh5SaItKDtD7UTnOQ1eclPbKEIcQmjIscW4Fbdy0XxrARYrT7lnHnt2C0Kifshr0cj0YBHzGDcDnAuE8grqC5uHOWg9TuflSDMBj_3OK-dUHaijuaQg3GeQQ61MfaQDPJittSB/s327/AJ-1%20Nosewheel%20from%20side%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="327" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JzdDHCnZBcHc82PSbeFkC20kEUOAAdOzsw2nX-e5zTeEBCbQF3vh5SaItKDtD7UTnOQ1eclPbKEIcQmjIscW4Fbdy0XxrARYrT7lnHnt2C0Kifshr0cj0YBHzGDcDnAuE8grqC5uHOWg9TuflSDMBj_3OK-dUHaijuaQg3GeQQ61MfaQDPJittSB/w640-h436/AJ-1%20Nosewheel%20from%20side%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAC6RJZTHj2smzuuzRYjlSpIypiUaq_7M0or9tOxxj9qOnI2KWfTJEFV6ODmKuh3_fCa3Gd3eOVJbaUHeDXS-ev5j2s065riYnnkQfOKXHwmqe3dqX_V0OyDODE7p7loGDKlORFJXDLDxrkT9uPhh-rapj0mPYSOuMbeF8g-YLB3Qqt7hzq8Byj-a/s1935/AJ-1%20Nose%20Wheel%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="1935" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAC6RJZTHj2smzuuzRYjlSpIypiUaq_7M0or9tOxxj9qOnI2KWfTJEFV6ODmKuh3_fCa3Gd3eOVJbaUHeDXS-ev5j2s065riYnnkQfOKXHwmqe3dqX_V0OyDODE7p7loGDKlORFJXDLDxrkT9uPhh-rapj0mPYSOuMbeF8g-YLB3Qqt7hzq8Byj-a/w400-h311/AJ-1%20Nose%20Wheel%20copy.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>2. The kit canopy represents the fix to the original sliding canopy with white fiberglass straps glued on it to strengthen it; only a few early production AJs were delivered with the version (I've not seen a picture of a Savage on a carrier with this canopy):<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRF_0vqzSpNUjm3fg-e5sjbWtrp4xf6NJxIPSlsAO-4sVTgRJz-ZdAMDHKccFCt4oiIgzDT6bzmz4aRf3yiYcXDCuDDvgiMQY-bHiQc9Z1Rllsnrq-I6SWJrfTnNIIF0nWHiAS68iLG0Ak-0OnjDWhj3SrxAcHcb4g2OrjIm2IBnLdC4Mtyv2jjljF/s250/Reinforced%20Canopy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="110" data-original-width="250" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRF_0vqzSpNUjm3fg-e5sjbWtrp4xf6NJxIPSlsAO-4sVTgRJz-ZdAMDHKccFCt4oiIgzDT6bzmz4aRf3yiYcXDCuDDvgiMQY-bHiQc9Z1Rllsnrq-I6SWJrfTnNIIF0nWHiAS68iLG0Ak-0OnjDWhj3SrxAcHcb4g2OrjIm2IBnLdC4Mtyv2jjljF/w640-h282/Reinforced%20Canopy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This was quickly replaced by a non-sliding, framed canopy:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUFLtsYlrWiJcBqhBpB490MNPsCBZZMuF3iXo5rjSTHXEZHCerlWcd_iFalelCKfgiYw64RirEYI3QiQca2pZKkaAo5JFW_xZ1v6Ix3TXfeLNH7c0aYK2EVrn3-ReEc6gP3IpLSnAnHKZCjYzjGc2YVHjVYzesPWGfZe5U37fECK0GxSv6H51TGAA/s920/Early%20AJ-1%20Canopy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="920" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUFLtsYlrWiJcBqhBpB490MNPsCBZZMuF3iXo5rjSTHXEZHCerlWcd_iFalelCKfgiYw64RirEYI3QiQca2pZKkaAo5JFW_xZ1v6Ix3TXfeLNH7c0aYK2EVrn3-ReEc6gP3IpLSnAnHKZCjYzjGc2YVHjVYzesPWGfZe5U37fECK0GxSv6H51TGAA/w640-h274/Early%20AJ-1%20Canopy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>In building the kit for review, Paul chose to simply paint the existing frames blue. However, a close approximation of the early AJ-1 canopy (note that it has a small sliding window beside both the pilot and bombardier) can be easily created by 1) sanding off the last transverse frame and the longitudinal frames fore and aft of it and 2) representing the structure on the back of the canopy with a thin layer of filler.<br /></p><p>For more on the AJ Savage canopy variations, click <a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/08/north-american-aj-savage-canopies.html">HERE</a>.</p><p>I was particularly impressed by the detail and accuracy of cockpit detail. Whoever did the research should be commended. The only minor exceptions, like some of the detail provided, will not be visible when the kit is assembled.</p><p>Kit parts 2K and 37K should provide for an opening under the flight deck to the left of the nose wheel well for access to the electronics forward (this is a photo of the AJ-2 at the National Museum of Naval Aviation):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp4Cl4nkif6ef6WinR0NayD8SBmkeIx4VjQ9ekoCTuYbKOtiXGx0fc8s1nr3FX70KrG6MsQ7Vn2fCIAtDJqtAQKV6XDnx2-1-Ef5Oh09_FVwhBHlhZibpPURZKv3dfULXZYxPNZprIHSIoWeoGaV_Tlu1zMeJl8a1UyJIzArlG_3DGrcoNx__ch7j/s4288/Access%20to%20electronics.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3216" data-original-width="4288" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp4Cl4nkif6ef6WinR0NayD8SBmkeIx4VjQ9ekoCTuYbKOtiXGx0fc8s1nr3FX70KrG6MsQ7Vn2fCIAtDJqtAQKV6XDnx2-1-Ef5Oh09_FVwhBHlhZibpPURZKv3dfULXZYxPNZprIHSIoWeoGaV_Tlu1zMeJl8a1UyJIzArlG_3DGrcoNx__ch7j/w640-h480/Access%20to%20electronics.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The area aft of kit part 17E, which is the forward end of the fuselage fuel tank, should therefore be filled in to represent it accurately.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ymLjutCvsW1BT2UEOKKGWKguS_MsnOD3XAVz4DFQo_x9P3g7jiG7kouSylubNVUZ_Y-TeQlyHgMe3AvUykJFOJMSmenEOTAWODgyqcWX6NWhv95Dh9RSMyzvhgmEGp7B0i9rOJhtkWmXa1KlhtR1wnR9HckSN7VZsMhSmLUcpekVfB_gd_RwGTJE/s2020/Third%20Crew%20Position.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2020" data-original-width="1552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ymLjutCvsW1BT2UEOKKGWKguS_MsnOD3XAVz4DFQo_x9P3g7jiG7kouSylubNVUZ_Y-TeQlyHgMe3AvUykJFOJMSmenEOTAWODgyqcWX6NWhv95Dh9RSMyzvhgmEGp7B0i9rOJhtkWmXa1KlhtR1wnR9HckSN7VZsMhSmLUcpekVfB_gd_RwGTJE/w492-h640/Third%20Crew%20Position.png" width="492" /></a></div>Note that there is a door/hatch in kit part 23K that was required when the nuke in the bomb bay had to be armed after takeoff. It may not be as tall as it should be since this installation shows it extending up to what is the bottom of the fuselage fuel tank...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODXOlRRKB6hjTF-kKDvL2rJgE_arB3S40cep6yY2yZVVykIJKHmwBysseP9Rv0mlOENZW8f8HRLXkrHDu3dRQFpJdCDYMf4Pn_q1olf5JH_bX6byTEZtoAGkVMY2rA4ZOdeXtRVIUpnlsUSd9Iitwa5EaC0pX9SUR8hSCf6lMgk9TX6LCYfL9CPtS/s1634/Bomb%20Bay%20door.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1634" data-original-width="1624" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODXOlRRKB6hjTF-kKDvL2rJgE_arB3S40cep6yY2yZVVykIJKHmwBysseP9Rv0mlOENZW8f8HRLXkrHDu3dRQFpJdCDYMf4Pn_q1olf5JH_bX6byTEZtoAGkVMY2rA4ZOdeXtRVIUpnlsUSd9Iitwa5EaC0pX9SUR8hSCf6lMgk9TX6LCYfL9CPtS/w398-h400/Bomb%20Bay%20door.png" width="398" /></a></div><p>I'm not sure that there should be an opening in kit part 15K but it's possible because 1) the jet engine firewall is aft of that and 2) the tanker installation requires a "fuel splash door" to be fitted here.</p><p>For other posts for reference for added detail, click <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/08/roden-172-north-american-aj-1-savage.html">HERE</a>.</p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-35829542444517944172022-12-24T08:36:00.068-08:002023-01-19T17:15:25.957-08:00Sikorsky RH-3A Sea King Minesweeper<p> For a brief history of USN helicopter mine sweeping, click here: <a href="http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/12/a-brief-history-of-usn-helicopter.html">http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/12/a-brief-history-of-usn-helicopter.html</a></p><p>The RH-3A was the first of the Navy's mine-sweeping helicopters to be used operationally. Nine were converted from early production HSS-2 Sea Kings, BuNos 147139-142, 147144, 147146, 148038, and 148040-041. Some sources claim that conversions included 147138, but according to Tom Chee, it was stricken on 1 October 1959 as a result of Sikorsky flight-test related incident on 9 September 1959. RH-3A conversions didn't begin until December 1965.</p><p>The major changes to the SH-3A were the removal of all the ASW equipment and the addition of a large sliding door on the left side, bulged observation windows at the rear of the cabin on each side*, and rear-view mirrors for the pilot and copilot; a beef up of the lower aft fuselage above the tail wheel; and the addition of the mine-sweeping hardware including a tow reel in the cabin. They reportedly received a larger diameter, beefed-up tail rotor at some point due to the loads on the tail rotor while sweeping.<br /></p><p>A right side view:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0_F8IFCX4lwo7Blf8fp8uqP1D4QTfCZHaxhHbu0aKM1UcGewu5NMs7uPgS-80S_cc_-oiQV2-wxWXb9PwsXGCTVwCEck__cZgLrs2980OeRROZWsvFFgtpCH-r1IFWPMdy8bqfwHvVpsJ_MpxRebmaQBs3Fl0CussMvnzHqQSdCX9--D-5G1-oss/s1000/IMG_2852%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="1000" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0_F8IFCX4lwo7Blf8fp8uqP1D4QTfCZHaxhHbu0aKM1UcGewu5NMs7uPgS-80S_cc_-oiQV2-wxWXb9PwsXGCTVwCEck__cZgLrs2980OeRROZWsvFFgtpCH-r1IFWPMdy8bqfwHvVpsJ_MpxRebmaQBs3Fl0CussMvnzHqQSdCX9--D-5G1-oss/w640-h220/IMG_2852%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>A left-side view:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcH773hetOkIhM35jhZYezVTL8HMqbGpeWq26VhUu1rN3MxY3jWacwtH3lP2jwo6AMWLcy__7yQPlvGkv7_mKUpepY1VsYkEp5XPO6d3-wHPaCAzdUXLzSrZC6Q-yp1Q9pn1zY8MhVbR6L2wPpIzBZKgmFFdcCJb5isSf7DevlUD0K9WEsXmUAQo9O/s720/RH-3A%20left%20side%20May69%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="720" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcH773hetOkIhM35jhZYezVTL8HMqbGpeWq26VhUu1rN3MxY3jWacwtH3lP2jwo6AMWLcy__7yQPlvGkv7_mKUpepY1VsYkEp5XPO6d3-wHPaCAzdUXLzSrZC6Q-yp1Q9pn1zY8MhVbR6L2wPpIzBZKgmFFdcCJb5isSf7DevlUD0K9WEsXmUAQo9O/w640-h282/RH-3A%20left%20side%20May69%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Mine sweeping gear was deployed out of the right side of the cabin after attachment to the boom.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVehVC3VtAze7cgJL-GNxOp85i4Lu5NdKQQplzA8ePSs2xyuyFEwheMZ1ed5zVw9U2OgjsmdS0wL5LmO2Gr0wPapIErD6-Qo7PJm-LtupaOISXqmNeIqNxvOQoQckJmKPeL5V8psIO1aMeohxQ4iICvySIYGrvmzC9geWFYOd6fBlc_bKn5tTLgkE/s2084/RH-3A%20Streaming.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="2084" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVehVC3VtAze7cgJL-GNxOp85i4Lu5NdKQQplzA8ePSs2xyuyFEwheMZ1ed5zVw9U2OgjsmdS0wL5LmO2Gr0wPapIErD6-Qo7PJm-LtupaOISXqmNeIqNxvOQoQckJmKPeL5V8psIO1aMeohxQ4iICvySIYGrvmzC9geWFYOd6fBlc_bKn5tTLgkE/w640-h392/RH-3A%20Streaming.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The mechanism required to rotate the boom and tow cable from alongside the cabin into the streaming position was pretty complicated:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lqbl2KNs0LA7aaY83YoLZRpP_hlo_w6yzYv2e8TD_007RqwYpwH8cY6JKP5yqCtuc63KgYzN1Hlq1zyaPM0iCYDc_I74aEVqBLq-PZRBvt797IQDXlsUzE7PXhXItwwl8lTQ-9F1MtF7UJ8FP07PV-IGMOKTWWO4PUIvHmWMR8YwCNcuYSXECbrR/s3016/RH-3A%20Annnotated%20Tow%20Mechanism.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2202" data-original-width="3016" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lqbl2KNs0LA7aaY83YoLZRpP_hlo_w6yzYv2e8TD_007RqwYpwH8cY6JKP5yqCtuc63KgYzN1Hlq1zyaPM0iCYDc_I74aEVqBLq-PZRBvt797IQDXlsUzE7PXhXItwwl8lTQ-9F1MtF7UJ8FP07PV-IGMOKTWWO4PUIvHmWMR8YwCNcuYSXECbrR/w640-h468/RH-3A%20Annnotated%20Tow%20Mechanism.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Some other pictures:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxAXY1kW0v0oOEUtjQSxJ5hcWd09hn-fQkScKCc5GD3NUXvY5ksEL1xly2hjyMM2xYHOFMAlaLLfutEsQx2wd_jE-dDz4sXl5QV7N6JfnTEuOBMhMebE3RxiSGRO-jMtzVIl9La7Fu1phEWDckNu1uSRMN1ztXAsx4daVGpCYAAZRcsJyDQRJhpP8/s1291/IMG_3017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxAXY1kW0v0oOEUtjQSxJ5hcWd09hn-fQkScKCc5GD3NUXvY5ksEL1xly2hjyMM2xYHOFMAlaLLfutEsQx2wd_jE-dDz4sXl5QV7N6JfnTEuOBMhMebE3RxiSGRO-jMtzVIl9La7Fu1phEWDckNu1uSRMN1ztXAsx4daVGpCYAAZRcsJyDQRJhpP8/w628-h640/IMG_3017.JPG" width="628" /></a></div><p>The forward fuselage of an HC-7 RH-3A:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4sIQkny8rn3AG603SghWl5khPMZezxDyTEYs13AJI9BH0RpEW9AjbuNmCIhAqs6SnXoSgVnVyqwacel0s2EqIaiTWlBa3e5BnyLFaXwERNExzZyO6wv8V6OOdRamRBNisZ2PKZIEMBRFKt8-vKmU59IjZaAuge-VG93pJgEgyXg0S13kG7uTpLbw/s1024/7057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1024" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4sIQkny8rn3AG603SghWl5khPMZezxDyTEYs13AJI9BH0RpEW9AjbuNmCIhAqs6SnXoSgVnVyqwacel0s2EqIaiTWlBa3e5BnyLFaXwERNExzZyO6wv8V6OOdRamRBNisZ2PKZIEMBRFKt8-vKmU59IjZaAuge-VG93pJgEgyXg0S13kG7uTpLbw/w640-h430/7057.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p> An explanation of the "kill" scorecard by the forward entrance steps:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUANMdeG_uASMlQG-zochBJPUmdr9DigyfxKMhhTBCHUMPT-KepPrFvkgEOXjovLp3HKfVM69LqVr__Sith-VlhMuKRcGd4eCjTsHNUnZ5XUtpo51oTPiGkHLCphrtiDcMrdcmuqydlGf8bZl4sMjHIQqQkVn6LzPs1zazMkJOSt07fzel-mTZ_Hd_/s396/RH-3A%20Markings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="396" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUANMdeG_uASMlQG-zochBJPUmdr9DigyfxKMhhTBCHUMPT-KepPrFvkgEOXjovLp3HKfVM69LqVr__Sith-VlhMuKRcGd4eCjTsHNUnZ5XUtpo51oTPiGkHLCphrtiDcMrdcmuqydlGf8bZl4sMjHIQqQkVn6LzPs1zazMkJOSt07fzel-mTZ_Hd_/w640-h546/RH-3A%20Markings.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Jodie Peeler noted that RH-3As were also operated from <i>Ozark</i> (MCS-2):</p><p>Like <i>Catskill</i> (MCS-1), <i>Ozark</i> was a former minelayer/landing ship that was converted into an <br clear="none" />oddball "mine warfare command and support ship," typical of the odd ducks often seen in this era of the Navy. A friend's dad served on Ozark in 1969 in that era (has recollections of being prepared for duty as <br clear="none" />Atlantic Fleet recovery ship if Apollo 10 had gone wrong) and that's how I first became aware of the RH-3A.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWBVh4Fkr8nRpY7X3zfTzdIjx_F_bfS7r77-DF0q8IxWU728xaAfYWduOCdjpO9XEpjX-bPmQdcexAm2q3r82kvHPFthUk2MhaeGVmQvhgNwSKBHnzMZFcrdKIDMO7z7uG2Leu0H8eHlN5w-pvgjuMRGfdegoQyw1MEKRSDZWNVisnpYSLNpy3kIc/s738/Ozark%202of2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="738" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWBVh4Fkr8nRpY7X3zfTzdIjx_F_bfS7r77-DF0q8IxWU728xaAfYWduOCdjpO9XEpjX-bPmQdcexAm2q3r82kvHPFthUk2MhaeGVmQvhgNwSKBHnzMZFcrdKIDMO7z7uG2Leu0H8eHlN5w-pvgjuMRGfdegoQyw1MEKRSDZWNVisnpYSLNpy3kIc/w640-h252/Ozark%202of2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdV9KlsjLH-sGegQFyI7zj_AJaWOoerQfCVCGsWtI5hBL-cWj3GSS5XmBkxIhNLLToKB-ULC6a2_k7-0TT7RyDPR3FOAjItEQzBPDy-lJz0y4yZPxj9xJ7dmR4R2fKdK__5MCKZz9TPRDJHEdkBWbEEwGFeG26xiyXJ9dsaWdG6mFCSqWSiMNtQog/s782/Ozark%201of2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="501" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdV9KlsjLH-sGegQFyI7zj_AJaWOoerQfCVCGsWtI5hBL-cWj3GSS5XmBkxIhNLLToKB-ULC6a2_k7-0TT7RyDPR3FOAjItEQzBPDy-lJz0y4yZPxj9xJ7dmR4R2fKdK__5MCKZz9TPRDJHEdkBWbEEwGFeG26xiyXJ9dsaWdG6mFCSqWSiMNtQog/w410-h640/Ozark%201of2.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What look like lifeboats are small mine-sweeping launches (MSLs). <br /><p></p><p>After being replaced by the RH-53A, the surviving RH-3As were stripped of the mine-sweeping hardware (but retained the cabin doors on each side and the bulged aft cabin windows) and redesignated UH-3As:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mN_SPzEg9rv-fUyyWpmR4EUJ4MOXJSAYYM7oKY8uKnoklDCjwNDkRBXMflP8UiA1F2v2-fbRC4eyKiNZ6udQcq1w6cx2GTuDxTPEBAnPmWUxS36puleK-t6-iRwotOX52rM9RtG4-lrJF33StepUDPjUZ4wBAIezeLgK2O4ovQR6suSuWp3cKbwA/s700/h3_147141%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="700" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mN_SPzEg9rv-fUyyWpmR4EUJ4MOXJSAYYM7oKY8uKnoklDCjwNDkRBXMflP8UiA1F2v2-fbRC4eyKiNZ6udQcq1w6cx2GTuDxTPEBAnPmWUxS36puleK-t6-iRwotOX52rM9RtG4-lrJF33StepUDPjUZ4wBAIezeLgK2O4ovQR6suSuWp3cKbwA/w640-h284/h3_147141%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a> via Jodie Peeler</div><p></p><p>* Note that the combat-rescue HH-3As also had aft cabin windows on both sides but these were located one frame forward of the RH-3A's. HH-3As also did not have the left-side cabin sliding door.</p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-38321477521280822392022-12-23T08:55:00.201-08:002022-12-27T07:18:30.823-08:00A Brief History of USN Helicopter Minesweeping<div><p>Many of the problems that the helicopter was the solution for were identified in the decade or so after Larry Bell and Igor Sikorsky were successful with theirs. One was mine sweeping. In October 1950, the U.S. Navy needed to sweep the waters off Wonsan, Korea for an amphibious assault. Due to budget restrictions and the lack of need following World War II, mine-sweeping capability/capacity had been neglected by the U. S. Navy while other countries had focused on anti-ship mine development. As a result, a very small force of mine sweepers was tasked with clearing what proved to be an enormous field of Soviet-supplied mines. Light observation helicopters were used to spot mines ahead of the
sweepers but the pilots and observers could only detect ones floating
near the surface, a small portion of the defense-in-depth of various mine types. Although eventually successful in clearing an approach into the harbor, three mine sweepers were sunk, two USN and one ROK, and more than a dozen sailors killed.</p><p>The problem was that the mine sweeper on point, leading a wedge of mine sweepers clearing a channel, was too susceptible to being sunk by a mine. What a helicopter could do was tow sweeping gear ahead of the lead ship to minimize the risk to it of a mine encounter without risk to itself.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_kPDT7oUFOhpXg9FgCkKrEqzzwL-4vM_qpcP8ZGidwYrRy20x7lZApL44DurU2qQnGRtbewKCs3LoaHADzGciS_ZWOGtANiECZ03HJSq8QqnL18z9qJIzQg7fvXTWpToorhggQNy6aym6q-5BEwImuwXmtS6HlEKMaPolNlq5_y3XvxZ07E9kZEy/s1661/Minesweeiping%20concept.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1661" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_kPDT7oUFOhpXg9FgCkKrEqzzwL-4vM_qpcP8ZGidwYrRy20x7lZApL44DurU2qQnGRtbewKCs3LoaHADzGciS_ZWOGtANiECZ03HJSq8QqnL18z9qJIzQg7fvXTWpToorhggQNy6aym6q-5BEwImuwXmtS6HlEKMaPolNlq5_y3XvxZ07E9kZEy/w640-h312/Minesweeiping%20concept.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>VX-1 commenced helicopter-tow testing with the Piasecki HRP-1 tandem-rotor helicopter in November 1952. It was the biggest, most powerful helicopter available at the time. For the testing off Panama City, Florida, they were stripped of fabric to reduce download and weight. Flotation was also added to allow for a water landing in the event of failure of its single engine.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQmwqq_82NajA1fhQYhxUujCH39V8rtX0nwEk0fL2cUBq6gLtGM4DqUnvUVjda4VIZAX9ZUEXgxUOWf_Qe_909TF_P9gzLhKDkxRYFxMecwxyCuvxUa9MjaAO6nOPt0GiN-iOi306Hmgz_3cLk549UOWtJP3cmyVI4L51dGUln2P0KP8fqRWAqL33/s5758/HRP-1%20MineSweeping%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2198" data-original-width="5758" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQmwqq_82NajA1fhQYhxUujCH39V8rtX0nwEk0fL2cUBq6gLtGM4DqUnvUVjda4VIZAX9ZUEXgxUOWf_Qe_909TF_P9gzLhKDkxRYFxMecwxyCuvxUa9MjaAO6nOPt0GiN-iOi306Hmgz_3cLk549UOWtJP3cmyVI4L51dGUln2P0KP8fqRWAqL33/w640-h244/HRP-1%20MineSweeping%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The Navy borrowed at least one Piasecki H-21 helicopter from the Air Force in 1953 to evaluate it as a candidate for operational mine sweeping. The tandem-rotor configuration was preferred because all of the engine power went to lift and unlike a single-rotor helicopter with a tail rotor, it was insensitive to cross and tail winds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52LXBdIYhPWoMR873z4L1eysZTJWX6UCKQjq0_g-6Mpt2Pq1HaGAELmNDigvhPvOQbTDkjf-Nv1rN-EdkGzkH01A4HZM8oi0X5ptms4ClshSfdHu1hAxVjMoLN2crL8q8BJ7XyxPSjZ4myokKuH8ch0kpoIwtet6b-OSWZnIb8GXzy0M2GuhqqqYF/s1115/H-21%20Mineweeping%201953.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="1115" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52LXBdIYhPWoMR873z4L1eysZTJWX6UCKQjq0_g-6Mpt2Pq1HaGAELmNDigvhPvOQbTDkjf-Nv1rN-EdkGzkH01A4HZM8oi0X5ptms4ClshSfdHu1hAxVjMoLN2crL8q8BJ7XyxPSjZ4myokKuH8ch0kpoIwtet6b-OSWZnIb8GXzy0M2GuhqqqYF/w640-h324/H-21%20Mineweeping%201953.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>In 1954, the Bureau of Aeronautics contracted with Bell Helicopter to make modifications to its HSL antisubmarine warfare helicopter to optimize it for mine sweeping. One requirement was to insure adequate engine cooling and oil supply at extreme nose-down attitudes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8igqvDZjDY5uJBzMfC2oYg8SbsbejiVMn_DRBc5fu-Srbs-D9XXfSGIrvnQZdVDKVNoCj7Pl671fXHZ2Ui2DqTAZBGA8hIf31UASx2B1IUKR5SO3oNpPmouCfzfO-LESoqYPTC486UzL0HVP-sKSBhRguziVPyllrmpBhBqg7rn0qJ5gy8Lu0h5_/s2589/HSL%20Ground%20Run.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="2589" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8igqvDZjDY5uJBzMfC2oYg8SbsbejiVMn_DRBc5fu-Srbs-D9XXfSGIrvnQZdVDKVNoCj7Pl671fXHZ2Ui2DqTAZBGA8hIf31UASx2B1IUKR5SO3oNpPmouCfzfO-LESoqYPTC486UzL0HVP-sKSBhRguziVPyllrmpBhBqg7rn0qJ5gy8Lu0h5_/w640-h346/HSL%20Ground%20Run.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>By 1956, the HSL was successfully qualified as a mine sweeper and adequate numbers had been built for a mine-sweeping fleet. Here it is pulling a large salvage barge to demonstrate its towing capability.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNxDkQdQjtU1eQZbinGIpjgzuzhTo8oQmkC4vxNlYA0vSBBCKsXAoiI_tnBiYHxtZ4k37EqcK4G3rUqBNB_yUXZO6YlwdlU0igudkkQ-jqWd2JJf4vXHCStDN3VeUyJTLgM_w4Ts_Woudt6h7xOLigPh6On9QktUA6Cpb7dSBQsFVo7ae65OOcBfP/s3753/HSL%20on%20tow%20of%20salvage%20vessel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="3753" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNxDkQdQjtU1eQZbinGIpjgzuzhTo8oQmkC4vxNlYA0vSBBCKsXAoiI_tnBiYHxtZ4k37EqcK4G3rUqBNB_yUXZO6YlwdlU0igudkkQ-jqWd2JJf4vXHCStDN3VeUyJTLgM_w4Ts_Woudt6h7xOLigPh6On9QktUA6Cpb7dSBQsFVo7ae65OOcBfP/w640-h432/HSL%20on%20tow%20of%20salvage%20vessel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>However, when further HSL production for the ASW mission was cancelled in favor of the Sikorsky HSS-1 Sea Bat, the HSL was not deployed and utilized only for development of mine-sweeping gear. (For more on the Bell HSL program, see my monograph: <a href="http://tommythomason.com/books/Bell-HSL/">http://tommythomason.com/books/Bell-HSL/</a>)<br /><p></p><p>In October 1962, the CNO directed BuAer to develop an operational helicopter minesweeper. The tandem-rotor Vertol H-46 was preferred but the decision was to convert nine early production SH-3As to the RH-3A configuration instead (the R prefix indicated a modification for reconnaissance, which apparently was considered to be the most descriptive of those available). Beginning in 1964, Sikorsky removed the ASW mission equipment from these helicopters and installed tow hardware on a beefed-up lower rear fuselage. A sliding door was added to the left side of the fuselage and a bulged observation window added on each side of the fuselage at the rear of the cabin.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSq7KJgV3LqlYi-9imMlsz27O7Wr53MVGI-2uNf4uVsp9k5478P5vKajlDwQnM3OLIbLRUUdn3t-DUcpr8plbsyOF5zrw2eAJLuEUzznZCqPdHLSZo8leuHoH-Rr1n12EjVLIFALXc48bNOv9_M8ltlUyg2uKqN3so6azTzAreMfUeGXSA_jl_iGy/s1000/IMG_2852%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="1000" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSq7KJgV3LqlYi-9imMlsz27O7Wr53MVGI-2uNf4uVsp9k5478P5vKajlDwQnM3OLIbLRUUdn3t-DUcpr8plbsyOF5zrw2eAJLuEUzznZCqPdHLSZo8leuHoH-Rr1n12EjVLIFALXc48bNOv9_M8ltlUyg2uKqN3so6azTzAreMfUeGXSA_jl_iGy/w640-h220/IMG_2852%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Wq4E7hw5e3BJ2Nsj26u-EhcXycgD0RcPzlvfzssiEChNfwvtIa4V_QMdidZtm_ho2s55T8zBbybfxJZmFMA-k1tWiXY9idhnT83rxpOetqZ18cj9AK4aDiQSGA1cxZ7C7_RBGvjF0mE0EQmJHP_saZakjI4_bICwG4yrevR1ioXApsbBn6V38c1M/s720/RH-3A%20left%20side%20May69%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="720" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Wq4E7hw5e3BJ2Nsj26u-EhcXycgD0RcPzlvfzssiEChNfwvtIa4V_QMdidZtm_ho2s55T8zBbybfxJZmFMA-k1tWiXY9idhnT83rxpOetqZ18cj9AK4aDiQSGA1cxZ7C7_RBGvjF0mE0EQmJHP_saZakjI4_bICwG4yrevR1ioXApsbBn6V38c1M/w640-h282/RH-3A%20left%20side%20May69%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>In September 1966, NATC (Naval Air Test Center) accomplished a two-day shipboard suitability test of the RH-3A aboard <i>Ozark (MCS-2). </i>In 1967, HC-6 on the east coast and HC-7 on the west coast commenced operations with RH-3As.</p><p>Although demonstrating capability, there were teething-problems (the tail rotor proved inadequate and was reportedly replaced by a larger one, for example) and the RH-3A was under powered for some towing equipment. As a result, the Navy transferred 15 CH-53As from the USMC to AMCM (Airborne Mine Countermeasure) duty. These were equipped with more powerful engines and modified for the mine-sweeping mission. In addition to being larger and more capable, they had a rear ramp that made deployment, observation, and retrieval of the mine-sweeping gear much more straightforward. These were designated RH-53As and in 1971 assigned to a new helicopter squadron, HM-12, that was dedicated to mine sweeping.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZVlm8Ti-qS0YpMH0EgROlV8vsjvMUC1OOGyTNWPU4e-OVsRooDNBQu88Vz165nUbJvX5jARX47YhbrmREjqwffUQok_8JKQpnW0dPB4iq9ZVPMYkQ9ZDsZ-HriVjOvyvWHlK23S_SxW6VRRnS7Qp4B-0SKNUaTAGi8pLsa7J7hYp7rGSbl8p0IKy/s700/RH-53%20towing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="700" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZVlm8Ti-qS0YpMH0EgROlV8vsjvMUC1OOGyTNWPU4e-OVsRooDNBQu88Vz165nUbJvX5jARX47YhbrmREjqwffUQok_8JKQpnW0dPB4iq9ZVPMYkQ9ZDsZ-HriVjOvyvWHlK23S_SxW6VRRnS7Qp4B-0SKNUaTAGi8pLsa7J7hYp7rGSbl8p0IKy/w640-h588/RH-53%20towing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>In the meantime, BuAer had contracted with Sikorsky for 30 RH-53Ds, a derivative of the CH-53D Sea Stallion, which had first flown in January 1969. HM-12 received the first of these in August 1973. These were further refined for the mission, including the addition of inflight refueling capability.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDotgXB2-Nj18hYv7Gdxr7PyEdWblwYhDRyguwEjh4Q8oytn3elhEAQbYoCfR38zS4QpBUNr-kqALs9UOUkFi2opuKdtuWQlvNwdDtZfChTyCdFEZEfCcNObTGxy8xWcv5td2ZJIs2wB3YcUjt1g6A5fBtGlguuCvGUQ5eR3O4rch43QdlI3UixU1/s668/RH-53D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="668" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDotgXB2-Nj18hYv7Gdxr7PyEdWblwYhDRyguwEjh4Q8oytn3elhEAQbYoCfR38zS4QpBUNr-kqALs9UOUkFi2opuKdtuWQlvNwdDtZfChTyCdFEZEfCcNObTGxy8xWcv5td2ZJIs2wB3YcUjt1g6A5fBtGlguuCvGUQ5eR3O4rch43QdlI3UixU1/w640-h298/RH-53D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Further development of the H-53 resulted in the CH-53E Super Stallion, a major upgrade that added a third T64 engine aft of the main transmission for even more power. The MH-53E Sea Dragon was the mine-sweeping variant, with the prefix "M" for multi-mission replacing the prior "R". It featured huge sponsons for additional fuel capacity and a flight control system optimized for the mine-sweeping mission. The prototype first flew in December 1981. It was deployable in 1986, replacing the RH-53Ds. Fifty were built.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YVFzJ7cGa1fuLZMEBwtBaHCNOsQQbFW0ioBs2FXmD0f_ZdURdRDoEB4Ty6ohixe1BfmDUKMuO7tNeDNX7SMIS_lyhzUD8dwlzL85pgZMWFTutsikgOAby0chHc7c4JWL12oyxez-dlz3dm5z34skGvanfAsRrTKMItF3vv_0VrxVsbuWfkX_V8cW/s3600/US_Navy_070416-N-6501M-006_An_MH-53E_Sea_Dragon_assigned_to_Helicopter_Mine_Counter_Measure_Squadron_(HM)_15_conducts_a_mine_sweeping_exercise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YVFzJ7cGa1fuLZMEBwtBaHCNOsQQbFW0ioBs2FXmD0f_ZdURdRDoEB4Ty6ohixe1BfmDUKMuO7tNeDNX7SMIS_lyhzUD8dwlzL85pgZMWFTutsikgOAby0chHc7c4JWL12oyxez-dlz3dm5z34skGvanfAsRrTKMItF3vv_0VrxVsbuWfkX_V8cW/w640-h426/US_Navy_070416-N-6501M-006_An_MH-53E_Sea_Dragon_assigned_to_Helicopter_Mine_Counter_Measure_Squadron_(HM)_15_conducts_a_mine_sweeping_exercise.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Edward G. Martens<br /></div><p></p><p>In the late 1990s, the CNO initiated a program for a set of AMCM systems to be utilized by deployed helicopter squadrons flying the MH-60S Knighthawk, which is otherwise utilized for cargo/personnel transport. It is not a mine sweeper per se, but can be equipped to spot some mine types and neutralize them. An MH-60S (HSC-28) and an MH-53E (HM-14) at NAS Key West during joint MCM exercises in 2021: <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALgm5w9GunhPXY1ukDcZfo3LoIXtPwKYavbzfF6CcEqqZngEpjo-6Jw8oGcl9KVCdoM8ARYNqW_TnNlUdsKi0q4InW3dXzafn_mZbQ4lO7DrjjNGK1ExWMgS1BdX32voG9mUp7K4thR3zSmftnZP-GPzuj7OeOsWl-HWZ-bkAXOEGHUzoPqverLy8/s1074/MH-60S%20and%20MH-53E.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="1074" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALgm5w9GunhPXY1ukDcZfo3LoIXtPwKYavbzfF6CcEqqZngEpjo-6Jw8oGcl9KVCdoM8ARYNqW_TnNlUdsKi0q4InW3dXzafn_mZbQ4lO7DrjjNGK1ExWMgS1BdX32voG9mUp7K4thR3zSmftnZP-GPzuj7OeOsWl-HWZ-bkAXOEGHUzoPqverLy8/w640-h252/MH-60S%20and%20MH-53E.png" width="640" /></a></div>LT Rich Babauta <br /></div>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-7936866942124381522022-10-28T21:36:00.074-07:002022-11-02T06:10:07.176-07:00Hasegawa 1/72 CMV-22B Osprey<p>30 October: Added VRM-30 information</p><p>I am very pleased that Hasegawa elected to reissue their excellent 1/72 V-22 Osprey kit as the Navy's CMV-22B COD. For background on this aircraft and mission, see:</p><p><a href="https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/05/carrier-onboard-delivery.html">https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/05/carrier-onboard-delivery.html</a> </p><p><a href="http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2013/02/cod-redux.html">http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2013/02/cod-redux.html</a><br /></p><p>I had bought the J.G.S.D.F Transport Aviation Group kit because it had some of the same antenna details and was contemplating how to add the greatly enlarged forward end of the sponsons (a CMV-22 unique feature that added extra fuel). Now that problem is solved and as an added bonus, I don't have to come up with the necessary decals.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZ4T-e_8QqinWtd2DDJbvFbhRBnmTq40IJn3WHyriyc1whEVVtiezsknNSK4i7ZuZR81UPOHlQIqjlmAb74leZIbsuw1_VEeCNhenyLknKJ3xfJqbPOSjVZQvzY4JGsh4P11e8RpJtamTTKo_WEq1BdF8Kk0FapNBhWHwaSVkH75qu_FB9DEcxvN9/s3397/IMG_3551.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1783" data-original-width="3397" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZ4T-e_8QqinWtd2DDJbvFbhRBnmTq40IJn3WHyriyc1whEVVtiezsknNSK4i7ZuZR81UPOHlQIqjlmAb74leZIbsuw1_VEeCNhenyLknKJ3xfJqbPOSjVZQvzY4JGsh4P11e8RpJtamTTKo_WEq1BdF8Kk0FapNBhWHwaSVkH75qu_FB9DEcxvN9/w640-h336/IMG_3551.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Scott Van Aken provided a inbox review of the kit for Modeling Madness: <a href="https://modelingmadness.com/scott/21st/previews/has/02410.htm">https://modelingmadness.com/scott/21st/previews/has/02410.htm</a><br /></p><p>One build note concerns the modification of the forward end of the sponson. Hasegawa provides a resin part that fits over the kit sponson to create the bulged one. It doesn't fit particularly well (nothing that trimming, filling, reshaping, sanding, etc. can't rectify) but beware, it doesn't fit particularly well three different ways, two of which are wrong. Worse, neither the sprue that they are on nor the parts themselves are marked to denote which side they go on. In Hasagawa's defense, the assembly illustrations do depict, if you examine them and the part closely, the correct orientation of the parts and which side they go on. However, the first time I dry fitted one, having just glanced at the instructions (Cavin: "Do I look like a sissy?"), I put it on incorrectly and was about to write that Hasegawa had got it wrong.<br /></p><p>This is a bottom view of the sponsons:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfixpK6o7mji7k2GyMxmsTwXvA2iiZTj2bu9q3rnP-0Mu4TOVTAqiY4BVvGFtXNanLuVAkXcYvI9GEXskkgKsWEcFghxydNuk4R1ZnNQqTeuoveZKe1ONMV2Z4cpLLvZRfQYy39JlNJm0f5F_GOvjZC9Q38oxKcvhrNCWBurL5x-f6Eik8l4zaUiz/s340/CMV-22B%20Bottom%20Sponson%202of2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="340" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfixpK6o7mji7k2GyMxmsTwXvA2iiZTj2bu9q3rnP-0Mu4TOVTAqiY4BVvGFtXNanLuVAkXcYvI9GEXskkgKsWEcFghxydNuk4R1ZnNQqTeuoveZKe1ONMV2Z4cpLLvZRfQYy39JlNJm0f5F_GOvjZC9Q38oxKcvhrNCWBurL5x-f6Eik8l4zaUiz/w640-h520/CMV-22B%20Bottom%20Sponson%202of2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This is the correct way to orient the part (note that the one in the picture taken from above is too far forward):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jS5duTDM9i4JGGPtdP_GjC4PwF4up55Bw2j900k_v0mxzRJJhgniw40x5mBz7oMG7dtf6sCTc-bf-K9LbJ6xO0S_RZoLVpL0amGTqgiYky5AiCAWxl051Mzs8FS64e0-4Ea7cfBmsB7PmjFLREho1oLzEHR4dKXFH67tgMc8K7wcl0-nXlWhCaR7/s486/Correct%20Pod%20Orientation.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="486" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jS5duTDM9i4JGGPtdP_GjC4PwF4up55Bw2j900k_v0mxzRJJhgniw40x5mBz7oMG7dtf6sCTc-bf-K9LbJ6xO0S_RZoLVpL0amGTqgiYky5AiCAWxl051Mzs8FS64e0-4Ea7cfBmsB7PmjFLREho1oLzEHR4dKXFH67tgMc8K7wcl0-nXlWhCaR7/w400-h349/Correct%20Pod%20Orientation.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>This is incorrect:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8Xkb1SmXJj2lH02VpDBjoeHKPk0d0HF_PT2xxVTroRGkRDMWEkOAH550UGtceQ7sqxhfwyKUjYZmHB4jTNNQvq8QT4hyFR-stKetSzRlz4Hgn44zumBW0GAgYthpzuzuRbNjkbdSAhcz0nvjASbC4nhwwIRJhHd7B9UFUzqVp-xPkO0uH8AaArsi/s2085/IMG_3553.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="2085" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8Xkb1SmXJj2lH02VpDBjoeHKPk0d0HF_PT2xxVTroRGkRDMWEkOAH550UGtceQ7sqxhfwyKUjYZmHB4jTNNQvq8QT4hyFR-stKetSzRlz4Hgn44zumBW0GAgYthpzuzuRbNjkbdSAhcz0nvjASbC4nhwwIRJhHd7B9UFUzqVp-xPkO0uH8AaArsi/w400-h164/IMG_3553.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This is also incorrect:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjye1YqWGnw6oulzVMhRu_7ecEY2r4y_hHO_mlJCQOAk7eJRyGOGr9Qs0G_4cZg7V3Z0dvyTj1-uZofMf0IgpKWwoH6cxaeQCVRQDpEwN2Btzpso8ifmsDKuCLNS5X68dyl6wkC0k3wZqi3JjzYQDgs_wnUgK53oFDgkO1JpHGp9dCnxD3cWoMu9q7E/s1764/IMG_3555.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1764" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjye1YqWGnw6oulzVMhRu_7ecEY2r4y_hHO_mlJCQOAk7eJRyGOGr9Qs0G_4cZg7V3Z0dvyTj1-uZofMf0IgpKWwoH6cxaeQCVRQDpEwN2Btzpso8ifmsDKuCLNS5X68dyl6wkC0k3wZqi3JjzYQDgs_wnUgK53oFDgkO1JpHGp9dCnxD3cWoMu9q7E/s320/IMG_3555.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Note that the upper surface of the addition at the same height as the original sponson; the bottom of it is flat (both laterally and longitudinally, see picture above) but lower than the belly (and the kit part may not go low enough).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPdS-SuA6QEdnnpi0WQrtI4Ie6mjXEy8kGRbZcYoWasB8igUJp5TLX_UI8uXQF7eznwhspubTU1dSxTbuBnJEZTTLhwq64_UxNgYBOmDVEFjUZH3jvb80GP99ERe_H11Ts-LfI0Kqb1r8snuXlztB7xKJn10EydicZ_TMPbAKV_1ge9X1OqTujOQD/s755/Front%20View%20Picture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="755" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPdS-SuA6QEdnnpi0WQrtI4Ie6mjXEy8kGRbZcYoWasB8igUJp5TLX_UI8uXQF7eznwhspubTU1dSxTbuBnJEZTTLhwq64_UxNgYBOmDVEFjUZH3jvb80GP99ERe_H11Ts-LfI0Kqb1r8snuXlztB7xKJn10EydicZ_TMPbAKV_1ge9X1OqTujOQD/w640-h268/Front%20View%20Picture.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The shape is very complex, particularly the forward outboard corner, which appears to be slanted outward from top to bottom:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom3mlFFp6oHOSVWf6r6BGUS_z5iEsvHgBufSyKo3eoPvDieQWNRiyfV8ueNWWlaqEmWMbB4z4dH6UFVM1niPEZiqyJzl1Ec4YXoKNRKNJia2xNtSiBN813srJ4G7zzld2MfasnKWPa0s5eRtqWg7LbZ6AWY6ypPWG-VSKO9mh4l_ZgP0e-eucx2Vu/s573/Forward%20outboard%20corner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="573" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom3mlFFp6oHOSVWf6r6BGUS_z5iEsvHgBufSyKo3eoPvDieQWNRiyfV8ueNWWlaqEmWMbB4z4dH6UFVM1niPEZiqyJzl1Ec4YXoKNRKNJia2xNtSiBN813srJ4G7zzld2MfasnKWPa0s5eRtqWg7LbZ6AWY6ypPWG-VSKO9mh4l_ZgP0e-eucx2Vu/w640-h426/Forward%20outboard%20corner.png" width="640" /></a></div>There also appears to be an intersection where the forward end of the addition ends just before the forward end of the original sponson.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eypwQdaha9HM4IS6r-L9TYTTOlsPM-vhNC-kkeI-20A_yl_UE379HTeZb7F47O5_PN6nm8zp1phR90KY1ep5NOotiunRzIm9PaxhW5i9i5GS1QLS3N10mJBl_HKagiQWxlWubQy0TYTaVyAyDyAJ03btli0deg-EJSBPJXmbyAUcYxMWRC-bJtvQ/s278/Pod%20Discontinuity.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="278" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eypwQdaha9HM4IS6r-L9TYTTOlsPM-vhNC-kkeI-20A_yl_UE379HTeZb7F47O5_PN6nm8zp1phR90KY1ep5NOotiunRzIm9PaxhW5i9i5GS1QLS3N10mJBl_HKagiQWxlWubQy0TYTaVyAyDyAJ03btli0deg-EJSBPJXmbyAUcYxMWRC-bJtvQ/w400-h357/Pod%20Discontinuity.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Note the straight line of the top of the sponson going forward, the symmetrical fore and aft bulge downward of the addition, and what appears to be a flat area at the forward outboard corner of the addition as noted above:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmyg7cTMtKw8AJKvEujImsEpNr_9MLoTpcvl0Vk4XhX_dcAHLd3AZ1Z7OBx0ztQb2Z9oAMddwFInLIgIhkQyRsQEljPoEs8vr2enErmz0tdZW4nhhOk33cBtHRYwlY-ERdMzGCetE60vzQXdpv79DFIb_J-emjAs2lHo3Ss9PgoRbLds6beDULskj/s517/Side%20view%20of%20the%20sponson%20addition.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="517" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmyg7cTMtKw8AJKvEujImsEpNr_9MLoTpcvl0Vk4XhX_dcAHLd3AZ1Z7OBx0ztQb2Z9oAMddwFInLIgIhkQyRsQEljPoEs8vr2enErmz0tdZW4nhhOk33cBtHRYwlY-ERdMzGCetE60vzQXdpv79DFIb_J-emjAs2lHo3Ss9PgoRbLds6beDULskj/w640-h300/Side%20view%20of%20the%20sponson%20addition.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p>One oddity of the CMV-22B deployments so far is that none of the Ospreys have been marked with a unit tail code. That is, until now, assuming that "SB" has now been assigned to VRM-50.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdonhw9OzdzQ6nlN_ThBiv-FbN_CHdoVJTBHwyfdc_G9txrfGlpLr7iTzdY-SELl6fmM-L28MwI0tfl_o2NH3HwhzFBm7DvW6ag1M_xdWFU_yqTt0W5w4H4xzxuoPRl4ta8_xpZK7CwFw7tIGCtkSPOCVnAF6BQc-luWF0oeD-izR3hIMAY3xRZet/s1714/IMG_3513.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1714" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdonhw9OzdzQ6nlN_ThBiv-FbN_CHdoVJTBHwyfdc_G9txrfGlpLr7iTzdY-SELl6fmM-L28MwI0tfl_o2NH3HwhzFBm7DvW6ag1M_xdWFU_yqTt0W5w4H4xzxuoPRl4ta8_xpZK7CwFw7tIGCtkSPOCVnAF6BQc-luWF0oeD-izR3hIMAY3xRZet/w640-h326/IMG_3513.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>And another, a crop of a photo by "manyinterests2020" on Reddit, tail code DC?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-0_3H00sj7S7_aksHS02Xc_T0alUqlqYWW792hxaxoT62FJfLRtnvVrmetsR3xHgvUPuLH6yG9qXitdr7w4Kifsl26pRsJRzzrfw5yxrPeRIjxtXFpACLlKHYp3EsOLGE9GZYfXQBbmbcHmBm9RFGN3nOV_hxummoHmeWMx1Hhu8zNJIdNhIOXpp/s425/Tail%20Code%20DC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="425" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-0_3H00sj7S7_aksHS02Xc_T0alUqlqYWW792hxaxoT62FJfLRtnvVrmetsR3xHgvUPuLH6yG9qXitdr7w4Kifsl26pRsJRzzrfw5yxrPeRIjxtXFpACLlKHYp3EsOLGE9GZYfXQBbmbcHmBm9RFGN3nOV_hxummoHmeWMx1Hhu8zNJIdNhIOXpp/w640-h472/Tail%20Code%20DC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>No unit marking on this aircraft, but the other CMV-22 COD unit is VRM-30 and the fin decoration is similar to its badge:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dihWXSM86sCkvEOX39Um2hFHjmq5k4Nq86Vor2gBKGDxubdoNzteUYHmmgYWtOPgdH2okz_KhHqjsqjilGttip007kA4ZKfFURo5vF3cD9LALUchQOMrm69C8-Wm1x-ZKATQGFjPneDH9pNwhBcCmTv1pG6UE6_oAhd1IxTPIMVgTj7XIfvq4joT/s547/Fleet_Logistics_Multi-Mission_Squadron_30_(United_States_Navy)_insignia,_in_2018.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dihWXSM86sCkvEOX39Um2hFHjmq5k4Nq86Vor2gBKGDxubdoNzteUYHmmgYWtOPgdH2okz_KhHqjsqjilGttip007kA4ZKfFURo5vF3cD9LALUchQOMrm69C8-Wm1x-ZKATQGFjPneDH9pNwhBcCmTv1pG6UE6_oAhd1IxTPIMVgTj7XIfvq4joT/s320/Fleet_Logistics_Multi-Mission_Squadron_30_(United_States_Navy)_insignia,_in_2018.png" width="268" /></a></div><p>Many photos, pre fin color, here: <a href="https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VRM/VRM-30.htm">https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VRM/VRM-30.htm</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-83760498786080604872022-08-31T08:56:00.002-07:002022-08-31T08:58:10.909-07:00Obscureco 1/72 F7U-3/3M Detail Set<p> Obscureco Aircraft (<a href="http://www.obscureco.com/">http://www.obscureco.com/</a>) has produced yet another detail set that will be of interest to U.S. Navy airplane modelers, OBS72030. It includes a full cockpit including an early and late ejection seat pan; the top of the fuselage behind the ejection seat including the canopy actuator; the nose gear wheel well; and a refueling probe. It replaces the equivalent "okay" parts provided in the otherwise excellent Fujimi F7U-3 kits with much more accurate and detailed resin ones.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7IYdyxA2EtFi0O3OZb8XpsQmmplDRde-sqtviZDCEeGqF5vYQxtXSdUa_Q7sOFTmA5_WvYl1U2i3g7sedbk35huq8wOBeKSqmmBjzOI7FWw9kv4hRzZwhKDs78r7WTM3K31M1jWgvP7HzvJZ5eKhwmUanLPx0UFsbqLOYkQgNbhk2rzbU7WENSi_/s3572/IMG_3938.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1977" data-original-width="3572" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7IYdyxA2EtFi0O3OZb8XpsQmmplDRde-sqtviZDCEeGqF5vYQxtXSdUa_Q7sOFTmA5_WvYl1U2i3g7sedbk35huq8wOBeKSqmmBjzOI7FWw9kv4hRzZwhKDs78r7WTM3K31M1jWgvP7HzvJZ5eKhwmUanLPx0UFsbqLOYkQgNbhk2rzbU7WENSi_/w640-h354/IMG_3938.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The two-page instructions provide a detailed, step-by-step assembly guide and detailed color information.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0k1dWody8noxF7-Nt033aBQxoVnNh-t2reNabwgjPZ6sluNifKbeAnUV-dFYJ6BYTR9cwJ2cw2mFITVvis6-4u5j5-ErSbmiu4_u4NOrbYEd-jp1z1V9lWUwAoRop7ppSIZzAYMY4rvLev1v-iG4N8Nvc9TZ8f12kPi9PfBUt-khmlo8U2zjtfVH/s3098/Painted%20Part%20Lightened.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="3098" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0k1dWody8noxF7-Nt033aBQxoVnNh-t2reNabwgjPZ6sluNifKbeAnUV-dFYJ6BYTR9cwJ2cw2mFITVvis6-4u5j5-ErSbmiu4_u4NOrbYEd-jp1z1V9lWUwAoRop7ppSIZzAYMY4rvLev1v-iG4N8Nvc9TZ8f12kPi9PfBUt-khmlo8U2zjtfVH/w640-h424/Painted%20Part%20Lightened.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chris Bucholtz</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Obscureco is in the process of updating their website so this kit may not yet be listed but it is available to order. The price is $20 plus the shipping cost provided here along with other purchasing information: <a href="http://www.obscureco.com/purchasing.html">http://www.obscureco.com/purchasing.html</a><br /></div>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-3206005845967451552022-08-03T11:59:00.014-07:002022-11-13T10:17:23.817-08:00Roden 1/72 North American AJ-1 Savage<p>13 November 2022: Illustrations of the inflight refueling system are provided here: <a href="http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/11/north-american-aj-savage-carrier-based.html">http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/11/north-american-aj-savage-carrier-based.html</a><br /></p><p> 23 October 2022: Illustrations of the hardware required to fold the wings and vertical fin of the AJ are provided here: <a href="http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/10/aj-savage-wing-and-fin-fold.html">http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/10/aj-savage-wing-and-fin-fold.html</a><br /></p><p>22 October 2022: The kit out-of-the-box does not provide for open bomb bay doors. Many modelers would have no trouble separating the doors and assembling them in the open position. The configuration is illustrated here: <a href="http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/10/aj-savage-bomb-bay-doors.html">http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/10/aj-savage-bomb-bay-doors.html</a><br /></p><p>4 August 2022: I've added a post summarizing the configuration of the different AJ Savage canopies here (at this point, the kit has the No 1 canopy that was on a few early AJ-1s):</p><p><a href="http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/08/north-american-aj-savage-canopies.html">http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/08/north-american-aj-savage-canopies.html</a> </p><p>3 August 2022: Totally unexpected:<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRl9aHHCgnrXFcTwb8ETx6TnOk3fraFrmMfg9im4P8b6L1SQHqr3Y5k2n4QRcsjdrRC2D_0NR68UB6xuvycuBVutZmInc-ESjdTrkZbq-1AEXBChBQJCedMx7WT60klVFmejLhVhdBu97wvYpogW-Y_IN5my2GJ3ZNQTzfx0s3-RogQ17paNdM54Cb/s1078/Roden%201:72%20AJ-1%20Savage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1078" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRl9aHHCgnrXFcTwb8ETx6TnOk3fraFrmMfg9im4P8b6L1SQHqr3Y5k2n4QRcsjdrRC2D_0NR68UB6xuvycuBVutZmInc-ESjdTrkZbq-1AEXBChBQJCedMx7WT60klVFmejLhVhdBu97wvYpogW-Y_IN5my2GJ3ZNQTzfx0s3-RogQ17paNdM54Cb/w640-h420/Roden%201:72%20AJ-1%20Savage.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I got a preview of the instructions and pictures of some of the
tooling a month ago. It looks very good: lots of interior detail (and a
Mk 4 bomb, around which the Savage was designed). One nit of confusion
with the -2 configuration, easily remedied, is the nose landing gear door configuration (I had previously alluded to another one but incorrectly, as it turned out). While
you're waiting, here is some reference material to peruse:</p><p><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2021/03/north-american-aj-savage-model-kits.html"> https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2021/03/north-american-aj-savage-model-kits.html</a></p><p><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/aj-savage-notes.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/aj-savage-notes.html</a></p><p><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/04/aj-2-savage-cockpit.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/04/aj-2-savage-cockpit.html</a></p><p><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-it-right.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-it-right.html</a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2013/01/aj-savage-bombardier-station.html">https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2013/01/aj-savage-bombardier-station.html</a><br /></p><p>More later...</p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-24103182540287679232022-04-24T20:59:00.019-07:002023-02-28T12:00:35.523-08:00AD-4 Skyraider Variant - AD-4B<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGU9HzQD63NSXGH-KG38jip47kVDZcIpml9pzbkvmZCV5sQkmCeFtq9SU4A2AMQdqIxVG_t076-9yIWK0Xw3KIn1EdHk7JM2tfS1xSlt5RxzsqUseIo4JguemFhNHJYPy3gfjFzCxT6xcMFIs-GPJknR7NXS6It7J8SmiTiGZCcBJXjwJcYkHoq4M/s3313/AD-4B%20Overview.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="3313" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGU9HzQD63NSXGH-KG38jip47kVDZcIpml9pzbkvmZCV5sQkmCeFtq9SU4A2AMQdqIxVG_t076-9yIWK0Xw3KIn1EdHk7JM2tfS1xSlt5RxzsqUseIo4JguemFhNHJYPy3gfjFzCxT6xcMFIs-GPJknR7NXS6It7J8SmiTiGZCcBJXjwJcYkHoq4M/w640-h264/AD-4B%20Overview.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Because of its range, the AD Skyraider would be one of the U.S. Navy's carrier-based airplanes assigned to missions employing nuclear weapons. One of the relatively lightweight ones was the Mk 8. Like <i>Little Boy</i>. which was dropped on Hiroshima, it utilized a gun-type method of creating a supercritical mass by literally firing one non-critical mass, a cylinder, down a steel tube onto another non-critical mass, a post. When the cylinder reached the post, the combined mass was supercritical and exploded.<p></p><p>While relatively inefficient compared to an implosion device like <i>Fat Man</i>, not to mention very heavy (because of the big "gun" barrel) compared to the yield, it was also much less likely to malfunction when used to destroy an underground target like a submarine pen. The Mk 8 could reportedly penetrate 22 feet of reinforced concrete before detonating.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjif3_0hVFidrnTkyHb81E77KviiZ4IXhkA1Fj5ki4p5I-fzzm_-w8wl5O_UDAcr5BS-MsYfyEeQ38vvklDB0z7nO620T6E3z_4L31gm8rrFjlJ_QQJ4sb8GqXLjeOkK795Xg2t8OTSUrda6phrqzhk7FrmJkCw4at1Iuc4w8dwK_yHVnip9yX1BGbT/s938/Mk%208%20Bomb%20Drawing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="938" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjif3_0hVFidrnTkyHb81E77KviiZ4IXhkA1Fj5ki4p5I-fzzm_-w8wl5O_UDAcr5BS-MsYfyEeQ38vvklDB0z7nO620T6E3z_4L31gm8rrFjlJ_QQJ4sb8GqXLjeOkK795Xg2t8OTSUrda6phrqzhk7FrmJkCw4at1Iuc4w8dwK_yHVnip9yX1BGbT/w640-h440/Mk%208%20Bomb%20Drawing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXXizGJj2Ya0RC9zh6GPd66XMkQ3Ec5nQHxjt9JnsB8OUKYjF_4Fqsdim6UQlRpB9DfwOOvF98pvFNu0jYwJsLKmEMUtI3S18DKt7XppHdqlKl347KG_r9067EQMJZiv_2jxHnJkc_N4i2p1VzHKFUUlffplUg-YA8IKiWKCiPVNcGEtj5OSiR-ZI/s792/792px-Mk8-pic1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="792" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXXizGJj2Ya0RC9zh6GPd66XMkQ3Ec5nQHxjt9JnsB8OUKYjF_4Fqsdim6UQlRpB9DfwOOvF98pvFNu0jYwJsLKmEMUtI3S18DKt7XppHdqlKl347KG_r9067EQMJZiv_2jxHnJkc_N4i2p1VzHKFUUlffplUg-YA8IKiWKCiPVNcGEtj5OSiR-ZI/s320/792px-Mk8-pic1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NkLVDAmMqPXK1aGrg53vvyBmvUvNchbMyuDmFVt2I0C0KvNygrtr9pl6rnf6p8NQxnVfuV8JRNiobWxuSXEz2s9Z9_a9CwnqcixoS7A2c4ueR61YoJYefzZfUAi0QSAH4uxhGQKoA2Cvix9E32wl2tg25naMBDcWZwsjDSe9wXpkfB2rT9waqwIk/s747/Untitled.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="747" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NkLVDAmMqPXK1aGrg53vvyBmvUvNchbMyuDmFVt2I0C0KvNygrtr9pl6rnf6p8NQxnVfuV8JRNiobWxuSXEz2s9Z9_a9CwnqcixoS7A2c4ueR61YoJYefzZfUAi0QSAH4uxhGQKoA2Cvix9E32wl2tg25naMBDcWZwsjDSe9wXpkfB2rT9waqwIk/w640-h246/Untitled.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>The center pylon and belly of the AD-4 had to be modified for the Mk 8 because its weight, about 3,250 lbs, far exceeded its 2,000 lb design capacity, and its suspension lugs were 30 inches apart compared to the 14 inch distance between the latches on the existing Skyraider center-line bomb rack. Since the two forward spars of the wing weren't far enough apart for the longer rack required, instead of being embedded in the bottom of the fuselage it was located below the AD-4B's belly and housed in a streamlined fairing. In addition to beefing up the structure to which the bomb rack was attached, the modification also included the creation of a recess in the belly to provide clearance for the Mk 8 tail fin.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUIuLupCKDOj27-zWKOadbMxGPrwQLyqNfDaQPIqXI5_aoUnx_ZINj5wYIKIkg4R3Le9Dgu0DD3hp5ql6F57co3Nheghc1E15P8bZ2QX9zKTlJVG724-GbyGXsNdzohDzH6GVv_GcC7gQCa3gK95e9If_bUXnNJtiYbyPvzb9a0BfJMemNIASzS_B/s1636/AD-4B%20Structural%20Modifications.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1636" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUIuLupCKDOj27-zWKOadbMxGPrwQLyqNfDaQPIqXI5_aoUnx_ZINj5wYIKIkg4R3Le9Dgu0DD3hp5ql6F57co3Nheghc1E15P8bZ2QX9zKTlJVG724-GbyGXsNdzohDzH6GVv_GcC7gQCa3gK95e9If_bUXnNJtiYbyPvzb9a0BfJMemNIASzS_B/w640-h498/AD-4B%20Structural%20Modifications.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGYC9ILb8zvFegCU_JesCBItOsIMzB0lLBIw-GQXseBnGH_DueUA-hKDvC2x4Crf0rWtJN_e_SX8boemRImkXqMTWsZrM063ttsCSd3nkix53G5iXaNAFTBpU6Uy4kLtQwKuIIajuGJhjuZDAGvhVBKvbQhraf7UHREFe6SrYbrs2a3ucwN0wDcg0/s2417/AD-4B%20Belly%20Closeup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="2417" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGYC9ILb8zvFegCU_JesCBItOsIMzB0lLBIw-GQXseBnGH_DueUA-hKDvC2x4Crf0rWtJN_e_SX8boemRImkXqMTWsZrM063ttsCSd3nkix53G5iXaNAFTBpU6Uy4kLtQwKuIIajuGJhjuZDAGvhVBKvbQhraf7UHREFe6SrYbrs2a3ucwN0wDcg0/w640-h282/AD-4B%20Belly%20Closeup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p> The following picture is actually the bottom of an early AD-6 but the recess was carried over, at least for a while.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkCnU5lnABR870PyEErwGJ1AorxehYda70lkqdccvP6fOIOoXZ3hRKj1xniY_416m8IT9_4Scv3Lio3-7LyC9lGHn6PLEpALq6ChtrX7KVs5IEdFU1xl7LLpKy20AoHCTFXlj0pXKTtk0C_5Pkacb214Q-gJjVJti7e2MsTA2fPWIDB--zoHbiHOp/s261/AD-4B%20Belly%20Closeup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="135" data-original-width="261" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkCnU5lnABR870PyEErwGJ1AorxehYda70lkqdccvP6fOIOoXZ3hRKj1xniY_416m8IT9_4Scv3Lio3-7LyC9lGHn6PLEpALq6ChtrX7KVs5IEdFU1xl7LLpKy20AoHCTFXlj0pXKTtk0C_5Pkacb214Q-gJjVJti7e2MsTA2fPWIDB--zoHbiHOp/w640-h331/AD-4B%20Belly%20Closeup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The recess could be closed off by a panel when a Mk 8 was not being carried.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGACQetfbfyoUcmTiM8HeG9rPoywcsyeIOhTgBJlmdvR1yQ6c8KOqxc4secIAQP4JOsyfhdkZZSCq8ulE4x21uuL4OgW5gZNv7_igy7ObUZQCxISY-V19ujW0acHpmEiwjzzZC2Z4638f-G72XiOy4z_0OHUurO43RwBaDjaQzJi-0zKjbSkqD5Tb/s945/AD-4B%20Center%20Pylon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="945" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGACQetfbfyoUcmTiM8HeG9rPoywcsyeIOhTgBJlmdvR1yQ6c8KOqxc4secIAQP4JOsyfhdkZZSCq8ulE4x21uuL4OgW5gZNv7_igy7ObUZQCxISY-V19ujW0acHpmEiwjzzZC2Z4638f-G72XiOy4z_0OHUurO43RwBaDjaQzJi-0zKjbSkqD5Tb/w640-h636/AD-4B%20Center%20Pylon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The AD-4B could also carry the Mk 7 nuclear weapon, which was much bigger than the Mk 8 but only half as heavy.<p></p><p>The external center-line pylon was retained for the AD-5 and -6/7.</p><p>Thanks to Ed Barthelmes for his help with documentation needed for this post.<br /> </p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-45445040804186636032022-04-20T10:22:00.014-07:002023-04-22T17:02:39.188-07:00Douglas AD-4 Skyraider Variants<p> This is a work in progress...</p><p> The AD-4 prototype, BuNo 122853, on 27 September 1949.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6_xLJ8_cxGp1azlPKFd88n-PIjAAeJtGHIPK_INUJtez6qEKrs_xpQ3EJxJ31qp96cOX8CJfCRQshO6RoPD02FrBSxeNhlmBgGEYxuWRzbm9oPVUQYO2U2SB3SygqngFQW49wXNW-k6-J9tMiYw6CkYHKUXZ1SIpF1irnCuLHyEdyCmJc7BRwxU7/s2840/AD-4%20BuNo%20122853%2027Sept49.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="2840" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6_xLJ8_cxGp1azlPKFd88n-PIjAAeJtGHIPK_INUJtez6qEKrs_xpQ3EJxJ31qp96cOX8CJfCRQshO6RoPD02FrBSxeNhlmBgGEYxuWRzbm9oPVUQYO2U2SB3SygqngFQW49wXNW-k6-J9tMiYw6CkYHKUXZ1SIpF1irnCuLHyEdyCmJc7BRwxU7/w640-h300/AD-4%20BuNo%20122853%2027Sept49.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I've done a few posts on the AD-4W, the Airborne Early Warning Skyraider:</p><p> <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2018/06/ad-4w-skyraider.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2018/06/ad-4w-skyraider.html</a></p><p> <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2019/11/douglas-ad-4waew1-and-sword-172-scale.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2019/11/douglas-ad-4waew1-and-sword-172-scale.html</a><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2019/08/sword-172-douglas-ad-4w-skyraider.html"> </a></p><p><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2019/08/sword-172-douglas-ad-4w-skyraider.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2019/08/sword-172-douglas-ad-4w-skyraider.html</a></p><p><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2021/12/sword-172-ad-4w-redux.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2021/12/sword-172-ad-4w-redux.html</a></p><p><a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2019/11/douglas-ad-4waew1-antenna-configurations.html">https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2019/11/douglas-ad-4waew1-antenna-configurations.html</a></p><p>I've also recommended three softcover monographs on the Skyraider with material of interest to the scale modeler: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/10/ad-skyraider-modeling-notes.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/10/ad-skyraider-modeling-notes.html</a></p><p>This is a summary of AD-4 variants (other than the AD-4W and one or two others that were not produced in quantity) and associated Bureau Numbers:</p><p>
</p><p class="Body">AD-4: Single-seat conventional attack</p>
<p class="Body"><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><span style="color: red;"><span><a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/04/ad-4-skyraider-variant-ad-4b.html">AD-4B</a>:</span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"> </span> </span>Single-seat
special stores (nuclear) attack: added external center pylon and Mk 8 tail fin recess </p>
<p class="Body">AD-4L: Winterized with deice boots on wing and empennage leading edge and propeller and windshield anti-icing<br /></p>
<p class="Body">AD-4N: Three-place (no dive brakes) all-weather attack, ECM, and ASW<br /></p>
<p class="Body">AD-4NA: All-weather mission equipment removed</p>
<p class="Body">AD-4NL: AD-4N with winterization </p>
<p class="Body">AD-4Q: Two-place radar location and jamming and provisions for target tow<br /></p>
<p class="Body">Bureau Numbers</p>
<p class="Body">122853 AD-3 (AD-4 prototype)</p>
<p class="Body">123771 - 124006 AD-4 (123935 and 123952–124005 to AD-4L; 124006
to AD-5)</p>
<p class="Body">124037 - 124075 AD-4Q</p>
<p class="Body">124128 - 124156 AD-4N (124760 to AD-4NL)</p>
<p class="Body">124725 – 124760 AD-4N (All to AD-4NL)</p>
<p class="Body">125707 – 125741 AD-4N</p>
<p class="Body">125742 – 125764 AD-4NA</p>
<p class="Body">126876 – 127018 AD-4N (Most to AD-4NA)</p>
<p class="Body">127844 – 127853 AD-4 (127845-52 AD-4L)</p>
<p class="Body">127854 - 127872 AD-4 (127854-60, 127866, 127868-72 to AD-4B)</p>
<p class="Body">127873 – 127879 AD-4</p>
<p class="Body">127880 – 127920 AD-4N<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Most to AD-4NA)</p>
<p class="Body">128917 – 129016 AD-4 (128937-43 and 71-78 to AD-4B)</p>
<p class="Body">132227 – 132391 AD-4B <br /></p><p class="Body">Skyraider kits other than AD-5 and AD-4W almost all represent the AD-6. The most notable difference between the late AD-4 and the AD-6—other than antennas and similar small details—were the stores pylons. This post illustrates the pylon differences: <a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2015/07/douglas-ad-1-skyraider-pylons.html">https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2015/07/douglas-ad-1-skyraider-pylons.html</a></p><p class="Body">Another example of the flush AD-4 center-line store rack is provided here: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2018/04/things-under-wings-va-195-kitchen-sink.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2018/04/things-under-wings-va-195-kitchen-sink.html</a> <br /></p><p class="Body">The AD-4 configuration also changed during its production run. Most of the improvements were retrofitted to delivered airplanes as well. The two most significant were the addition of another 20 mm cannon in each outer wing panel just outboard of the fold joint and "armor". For the latter, see <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/07/ad-armor-all.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/07/ad-armor-all.html</a>. Others included the exhaust glare shield addition, static-pressure source location, antenna changes, and wing-tip navigation light location. Nose flaps on the inside of the cowling were added effective with BuNo 123880; for a description of the nose flaps and their operation, see <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/10/ad-skyraider-modeling-notes.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/10/ad-skyraider-modeling-notes.html</a><br /></p><p class="Body">The AD-4 also predated the development of the Douglas high-speed fuel tanks. Some examples of these post-WW II fuel tanks are illustrated here: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2016/09/things-under-wings-post-war-external.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2016/09/things-under-wings-post-war-external.html</a></p><p class="Body">Even the single-seat AD-4 had provisions for radar. Some of the different types of radar pods that it and the multi-seat AD-4 attack variants could carry are illustrated here: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/11/things-under-wings-radar.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/11/things-under-wings-radar.html</a><br /></p><p> More to follow... <br /></p><p><style>@font-face
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{page:Section1;}</style></p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-8373621146081426962022-02-27T08:54:00.001-08:002022-02-27T08:54:43.580-08:00SUNDOWNER Phantoms by Angelo Romano with Michael Grove<p>The full title says it all:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd0miUkQpnTccQczRECFagHFLcW-fxFBQ2kjXZSfy_UcC_sdrXzJwB14iZWnCB4Eo60liZX2xQeGJrHzMUMm6Xmo_n6P1DDRvKoMW7wZ1LUTU_jiNCAfuzqzsuaQdyHaiUAW8fIFyJYY0Y-QM7FN7cIEenoTtPmjjOuiv_OQPDpQxg-mtBCHOUZLrZ=s2398" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="2398" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd0miUkQpnTccQczRECFagHFLcW-fxFBQ2kjXZSfy_UcC_sdrXzJwB14iZWnCB4Eo60liZX2xQeGJrHzMUMm6Xmo_n6P1DDRvKoMW7wZ1LUTU_jiNCAfuzqzsuaQdyHaiUAW8fIFyJYY0Y-QM7FN7cIEenoTtPmjjOuiv_OQPDpQxg-mtBCHOUZLrZ=w640-h456" width="640" /></a></div>It's a good synopsis of 68 pages of text and high-resolution color photos on heavyweight gloss paper.<p></p><p>It also includes a brief history of VF-111 going back to October 1942 when its predecessor, VF-11, was established and the origination of its name and insignia that alluded to its purpose, helping win WW II in the Pacific.</p><p>The remainder of the large, landscape-format paperback is devoted to a fairly well detailed, extremely well illustrated history of the squadron's operational history flying the F-4 Phantom. It includes a listing of Bureau Numbers assigned (and summary history), their tail codes and side numbers, large color photos of almost every one at some point in its assignment to the squadron, notable configuration changes, and marking changes over time with closeup pictures of significant ones.</p><p>It concludes with a multi-view (top and bottom, left and right side) color illustration of the paint and makings of F-4B BuNo 153019 after its crew had shot down a NVAF MiG-17 on 6 March 1972, including color and marking specifications.</p><p>Although billed as a modellers' guide, the text includes a summary history of both the squadron's operations and world events when it was assigned Phantoms.</p><p>One picture of a Sundowner F-14 is included along with the promise, "The history of the SUNDOWNERS and the F-14 , from 1978 through 1995, will be the subject of a future book in this series". <br /></p><p>For more detail on the configuration differences among the F-4s, see <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/12/you-cant-tell-phantoms-without-score.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/12/you-cant-tell-phantoms-without-score.html</a></p><p>I urge you to buy this monograph directly from <a href="https://abc-flyshop.com/en/fly-books-en/">Fly Shop</a> if you can, which benefits Angelo more financially, enabling him to continue to research and produce his excellent books on U.S. naval aviation.</p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-77439772670624363682021-12-23T09:34:00.002-08:002021-12-25T16:09:36.714-08:00Sword 1/72 AD-4W Redux<p> 25 December 2021 Update: Ralph asked me to add the following to his review below:</p><p><i>"The build wasn't all doom and gloom. The resin parts were excellent, as
were the decals, which are supremely thin, and include many of the fine
stencils."
</i></p><p>My detail notes after fondling the Sword 1/72 AD-4W kit sprues and trial fitting some of the parts are <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2019/08/sword-172-douglas-ad-4w-skyraider.html">HERE</a> (a subsequent post with that and two other links that might be of interest for understanding the various AD-4W configurations and detailing a model are <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2019/11/douglas-ad-4waew1-and-sword-172-scale.html">HERE</a>.</p><p>However, at that point I got distracted and haven't finish it yet. I was therefore very pleased to recently see a build by Ralph Koziarski (aka SoftScience) on Britmodeller. He wrote:</p><p><i>Whoa boy...I started in January and didn't finish until October of 2021.
This is built from the Sword kit, and it was a fight from start to
finish.<br />
<br />
Like any short-run kit, the parts were clunky, and imprecise. Fit was
mediocre at best, and a lot of details were missing. The clear parts
are very thick and fit especially poorly. What really made the whole
experience unnecessarily frustrating were the poor instructions. Not
only were they vague on where smaller parts should fit, they also had
contradictory directions on landing gear doors (they want you to fit
both kinds that are in the box, at the same time), and allude to details
which are not part of the kit (e.g., drop tank sway braces). Its as if
the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing, as the kit was
being manufactured. <br />
<br />
Disappointing as the kit and the project were, I'm happy I pushed
through, as the final product is hideous and cool, and now I can say I
successfully finished a short run kit. </i></p><p>While not very complimentary (and I'm sure that Sword will take the comments on the instructions to heart), the result clearly indicates that, in the right hands, an excellent model can result!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEHytdgtztcLTokE13JYRxO_ZSa3PoL84j9PtepYGZB5u_6wClOqr5ma2Mym6xHNJjL74wNpmvkgblDMOPHQNSXKA04J6hEfazrTqpSlpEnBXIN9dQGPJ84uTGXKrSVRHj3s69SrIqmJRPh5y58XpDM0dentyBSGKAP6DUFLCyWOjz0OsVFFbPY0Kk=s749" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="749" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEHytdgtztcLTokE13JYRxO_ZSa3PoL84j9PtepYGZB5u_6wClOqr5ma2Mym6xHNJjL74wNpmvkgblDMOPHQNSXKA04J6hEfazrTqpSlpEnBXIN9dQGPJ84uTGXKrSVRHj3s69SrIqmJRPh5y58XpDM0dentyBSGKAP6DUFLCyWOjz0OsVFFbPY0Kk=w640-h328" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6G8BVA9IIKMhFEshWGRQe5TAQgPaGAuvQ2HXkqcfmgftm7o56TiQwccow-IIzaWa93AqXsLvgN9DqQ1hKTRSu5I6o9U64fiIos-_CtcsZhlxRR-3wprM8NIBZhYK6lgwf53kMgAeBmXZguKLd-YE_-Ti2d6lt38D8RjnpwoMD1m9JNNvBDPMpPsxn=s809" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="809" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6G8BVA9IIKMhFEshWGRQe5TAQgPaGAuvQ2HXkqcfmgftm7o56TiQwccow-IIzaWa93AqXsLvgN9DqQ1hKTRSu5I6o9U64fiIos-_CtcsZhlxRR-3wprM8NIBZhYK6lgwf53kMgAeBmXZguKLd-YE_-Ti2d6lt38D8RjnpwoMD1m9JNNvBDPMpPsxn=w640-h416" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photos by Ralph Koziarski</div>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-10932939530638829142021-11-12T09:10:00.003-08:002021-11-12T09:10:57.531-08:00Grumman C-2A(R) Monograph Volume II by Boerries Burkhardt<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeIdHmlu5YWDTJH8E3Od01V7wl-Jwsib5rLT53crG1gg5ah4ozKAqPPxMS-qOjOZPlSeZczdmbHkoDv29eLWmxzYJVCETr4GYiW68wSc8kXhrwMqDvj6bdIg-TLZq81l4HkgoTu9A2fw/s1314/C-2A+Monograph+Covers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="1314" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeIdHmlu5YWDTJH8E3Od01V7wl-Jwsib5rLT53crG1gg5ah4ozKAqPPxMS-qOjOZPlSeZczdmbHkoDv29eLWmxzYJVCETr4GYiW68wSc8kXhrwMqDvj6bdIg-TLZq81l4HkgoTu9A2fw/w640-h228/C-2A+Monograph+Covers.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>If you have any interest in U.S. Naval Aviation, I recommend without hesitation that you buy this monograph. And I emphasize "without hesitation", because Burkhardt self-published it and only printed 200 copies. It hasn't been available long and I just received #124, so you will regret dilly-dallying.</p><p>Order here: <a href="https://www.c2greyhound.com/">https://www.c2greyhound.com/</a> <br /></p><p>It is a large (8" x 12") landscape-printed soft-cover book filled with excellent, large, color images of C-2A(R)s printed on high-quality paper. Most of the 100 pages are devoted to pictures but there is text briefly describing the history of the program (some of which was new to me and that doesn't happen often now) and that of the handful of squadrons that operated the Greyhound. Of particular interest to modelers will be the walk-around section providing closeups of interior and exterior details.</p><p>I was momentarily concerned that I had missed Volume I but it turns out to be a work in progress. This one primarily covers the second production lot of C-2As (the R stands for Reprocured; one wonders why, given the number of changes and improvements, that it was not simply designate C-2B). Volume I will cover the first production lot. I look forward to it.<br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-23568307674412599512021-08-12T09:19:00.003-07:002021-08-12T10:18:36.366-07:00North American FJ-2/3 Cockpit and Landing Gear Color<div><p>For some reason, North American was allowed to deliver FJ-2 and -3 Furies with a decidedly nonstandard green cockpit color. This is a picture of the cockpit of an FJ-2 in a museum that appears to be authentic.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKs-uAWpPePZ0Z56hsW_Pot3ce-8EElyb-Z8OG9zhY1NEo1k5WHKZa_WenQhjgNIaxShpd1PPBF2Rm_5KZ6XbtqyS2Pwhy9e3ZlJxtKUYM805MEKkJaBce3ketc5XGkVNxz8uV1OGuma0/s2048/Nourse_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKs-uAWpPePZ0Z56hsW_Pot3ce-8EElyb-Z8OG9zhY1NEo1k5WHKZa_WenQhjgNIaxShpd1PPBF2Rm_5KZ6XbtqyS2Pwhy9e3ZlJxtKUYM805MEKkJaBce3ketc5XGkVNxz8uV1OGuma0/w640-h480/Nourse_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bill Nourse via Jeff Wasal<br /></div><div><p>For background, see <a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2015/04/cockpits.html">https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2015/04/cockpits.html</a></p><p>I haven't come across a specific specification for the color but in response to a question, have done some more research into how long North American continued to deliver FJ-2/3s with this cockpit color. Some have speculated that the changeover to a Dark Gull Gray interior occurred when FJ-3s began to be delivered in the gray/white scheme (note that the requirement for a DGG cockpit predated the one for a Light Gull Gray/White exterior by almost a year. However, color photos of FJ-3Ms clearly show that at least before overhaul and for the ejection seat headrest, the green persisted although I don't know for long in production.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0X_ayJHT86mYvAMW6NxWFkIR-TpIr5M55QNLNd_lhL4feh57kjOpLOkjpuxMGsxEdQBkCgieiY_fs3zI5HVEGQwVSKKjdqR9rqebUtDdJOEiBpvMSeFQ-ApBk-FcnjVS2i6a6QIlPvA/s303/FJ-3M+Cockpit+Green.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="135" data-original-width="303" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0X_ayJHT86mYvAMW6NxWFkIR-TpIr5M55QNLNd_lhL4feh57kjOpLOkjpuxMGsxEdQBkCgieiY_fs3zI5HVEGQwVSKKjdqR9rqebUtDdJOEiBpvMSeFQ-ApBk-FcnjVS2i6a6QIlPvA/w640-h285/FJ-3M+Cockpit+Green.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRjxO0w63xLcpy9lBWjruSkL6bdNCGgmNA4yDZ9o_-pgU4IhdN9ciXKbQK-mMwf700H1dwn6jeTU1rImmXoWXO8Jqo2kbHesYumlPUmZ7D1kqtxqvQ5gbLrbzXLoUf2NJ3Nd4W9PRmog/s866/FJ-3M+Cockpit+Green+2of2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="866" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRjxO0w63xLcpy9lBWjruSkL6bdNCGgmNA4yDZ9o_-pgU4IhdN9ciXKbQK-mMwf700H1dwn6jeTU1rImmXoWXO8Jqo2kbHesYumlPUmZ7D1kqtxqvQ5gbLrbzXLoUf2NJ3Nd4W9PRmog/w640-h260/FJ-3M+Cockpit+Green+2of2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Note that the FJ-3M to the left of the one pictured immediately above, same squadron, appears to have a Gull Gray ejection seat headrest.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWittxMWNqmLNJMuOvoBu_aj7IYs3oP34epzaFpAp7J3giqToovrycj3Hz-hffE9BSjRWtTeEdAxSKt9tPPKCvxNDL0l5UjSR-_yfhJStFoh8pIPTm2lw6DTzW0uesTVPwdMgKqnqX9E/s475/FJ-3M+Cockpit+Green+3of3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="475" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWittxMWNqmLNJMuOvoBu_aj7IYs3oP34epzaFpAp7J3giqToovrycj3Hz-hffE9BSjRWtTeEdAxSKt9tPPKCvxNDL0l5UjSR-_yfhJStFoh8pIPTm2lw6DTzW0uesTVPwdMgKqnqX9E/w640-h282/FJ-3M+Cockpit+Green+3of3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This could mean that it had been through overhaul or that the seat had been replaced with a spare that was gray.</div><div> </div><div>However, there's no question that FJ-3s at least eventually had DGG headrests although the cushion stayed green on at least some examples.<br /></div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGrdcNj_5S8CRQhOnBN72STQzfyNUMxhjLp3uqwtISnNxb0x8WE0UFuGrfIQXybADrMjiLCe4a6NNIFGRlKivzlJM36p7wNbi8NuqbP867JGkicclcKEC6myxxTn8x4zmJPfG_ijpUtU/s1553/FJ-3+Gray+Headrest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1553" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGrdcNj_5S8CRQhOnBN72STQzfyNUMxhjLp3uqwtISnNxb0x8WE0UFuGrfIQXybADrMjiLCe4a6NNIFGRlKivzlJM36p7wNbi8NuqbP867JGkicclcKEC6myxxTn8x4zmJPfG_ijpUtU/w640-h288/FJ-3+Gray+Headrest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div>The other anomaly recently called to my attention was "black" landing gear on some FJ-3s. The usual color was "aluminum" paint with the interior of all the landing gear doors painted red, not just the edges, although there are white examples much later on.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbQo-n_PjWKHdqb4GlZ7YcJdv0CTxtRStpLS-rYGIdYhNkv8yqPzU1KDX8T9SPKk8yTCqofWLjXEDqMZRjNwfP53P1ZRP2nrPoBUxH9x6hQtw6t5F8vQsrKYlT-D_-vT810wEUk1Uc6A/s1339/FJ-3+Landing+Gear+Color.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="1339" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbQo-n_PjWKHdqb4GlZ7YcJdv0CTxtRStpLS-rYGIdYhNkv8yqPzU1KDX8T9SPKk8yTCqofWLjXEDqMZRjNwfP53P1ZRP2nrPoBUxH9x6hQtw6t5F8vQsrKYlT-D_-vT810wEUk1Uc6A/w640-h264/FJ-3+Landing+Gear+Color.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />In the following example, it appears that the coating was extended to the inside of the gear doors and the wheel wells but this may not have always been the case. </div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk6d2UuuFE53FkYoU1cBEKu7w0kBT3hVxg1hnPgljtGQ2aw-2RObskGyXP-jtlyOHrdUDEml78Or2SSHTo6Ev-jrJ4pRTkHvlHje8Na5DLqcDLBi7xf-F2iNACplTaErYQhe8edg186c/s600/FJ-3+Black+Landing+Gear+Resized.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk6d2UuuFE53FkYoU1cBEKu7w0kBT3hVxg1hnPgljtGQ2aw-2RObskGyXP-jtlyOHrdUDEml78Or2SSHTo6Ev-jrJ4pRTkHvlHje8Na5DLqcDLBi7xf-F2iNACplTaErYQhe8edg186c/w640-h252/FJ-3+Black+Landing+Gear+Resized.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div>I first made note of it in a screen shot of an F9F-5 Panther in the movie Bridges at Toko-ri.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4Q8je9PXfSPUb3Rt2Y2uNZoNMzD6QI929f15741wkZAC-OJkMUUnfaqMJcCJnIrGrkZWefwVhkcIQInyxwpn-ZhWtwDYVBbaBFqOXXI9cssjfPyfL-zBOaD8NEP6mfvnFm9fnY7JTao/s373/Undercoating.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="373" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4Q8je9PXfSPUb3Rt2Y2uNZoNMzD6QI929f15741wkZAC-OJkMUUnfaqMJcCJnIrGrkZWefwVhkcIQInyxwpn-ZhWtwDYVBbaBFqOXXI9cssjfPyfL-zBOaD8NEP6mfvnFm9fnY7JTao/w640-h284/Undercoating.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>It was a tar-like application similar to automobile undercoating. When "unpainted" F7U-3 Cutlasses experienced unacceptable corrosion susceptibility and were repainted in the grey/white scheme, the protection was extended in some squadrons to spraying a coat of parel-keytone on the landing gear struts, wheels, inside of the landing gear doors, and wheel wells.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkRIzOtgqfVBT1cUa7_MBEJRB5tJj3f000U3pCAo52kU2DoFPWmLdux-PFUGsQOwsYdswpjYoR8fs_nt0BAr1IxO27F6s5CPLwRISk1FcIEBIkYcq6VhCTRCFhORry9lW2b5vCSTJkcE/s1365/F7U-3+Black+Landing+Gear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="1365" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkRIzOtgqfVBT1cUa7_MBEJRB5tJj3f000U3pCAo52kU2DoFPWmLdux-PFUGsQOwsYdswpjYoR8fs_nt0BAr1IxO27F6s5CPLwRISk1FcIEBIkYcq6VhCTRCFhORry9lW2b5vCSTJkcE/w640-h238/F7U-3+Black+Landing+Gear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>It proved to be a terrible idea. It not only hid the development of existing corrosion on the landing gear structure, it precluded the readability of identification on wire and tubes in the wheel well.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><p></p><p></p><div></div><p></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-57497725794317759512021-08-08T15:23:00.008-07:002021-09-15T14:45:23.093-07:00LF Models Piasecki HRP-1<p></p><p> 15 September 2021 update: Paul Boyer built the LF Models HRP-1 as one of the three operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, the original customer for it (the silver cylinders around the landing gear wheels are pop-open floats for emergency landings on the water).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbWzQHSRyQ2r_n31tXqPjsqjLeaK4tLbYjOSeqHFkTy4mdsMX7WQ2Dr52g_3j2DUCM-f_OYS59yA_IvjTBeL6KBNTuqPkmbqDyvBsv680WY9dph8PRmgZrOj04Osw76jZkuDuwE2ZxcM/s3529/Boyer+CG+HRP-1+1of2+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="3529" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbWzQHSRyQ2r_n31tXqPjsqjLeaK4tLbYjOSeqHFkTy4mdsMX7WQ2Dr52g_3j2DUCM-f_OYS59yA_IvjTBeL6KBNTuqPkmbqDyvBsv680WY9dph8PRmgZrOj04Osw76jZkuDuwE2ZxcM/w640-h162/Boyer+CG+HRP-1+1of2+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYIvwhBhJfVu1RymhfNgCaB0aYX96CdEVqlGyfdpekV-k7z-j8zv_G0PdP64hl25CK-CPmFZdrh1Ka3LrUdeTUyd6FPbkDb4TFYTVxoyaeqslQBbf0Q90_jTlyvxUcZXjeLrCRJY340c/s2048/Boyer+CG+HRP-1+2of2+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="2048" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYIvwhBhJfVu1RymhfNgCaB0aYX96CdEVqlGyfdpekV-k7z-j8zv_G0PdP64hl25CK-CPmFZdrh1Ka3LrUdeTUyd6FPbkDb4TFYTVxoyaeqslQBbf0Q90_jTlyvxUcZXjeLrCRJY340c/w640-h330/Boyer+CG+HRP-1+2of2+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>His summary of the build:</p><p>Some build difficulties - Lack of positive parts locators, weak instructions with respect to assembly process, poor fit of interior parts, no flanges on cabin or door windows (replaced with clear packaging tape slightly larger than the window and applied on the outside of the fuselage along with the addition of decals)<br /></p><p>Very fragile rotors (THT note: delicate parts at 1/72nd scale)</p><p>Good decals</p><p><br />An illustrated history of the Coast Guard's use of the HRP-1 is available <a href="https://www.history.uscg.mil/browse-by-topic/Aviation/Article/2390894/piasecki-hrp-1-rescuer-flying-banana/">HERE</a><br /></p><p> The Coast Guard decals are in LFM-PE7250; the USMC decals are in LFM-PE7251<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqsSfkc62ZbFFLdC7o-GeuBcicIYFUs-MrBIxkKQ2vyLeW2UVIkVwrzXFZaM6nQ_pgyXSXyndS5ted5NLXyy8txr1xDc6Ai-Mw-TERLGYdQKaRn14XImy36-v1aO5Pl6Vdxzz9Jx-5cY/s2048/LF+Models+HRP-1+Kit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="2048" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqsSfkc62ZbFFLdC7o-GeuBcicIYFUs-MrBIxkKQ2vyLeW2UVIkVwrzXFZaM6nQ_pgyXSXyndS5ted5NLXyy8txr1xDc6Ai-Mw-TERLGYdQKaRn14XImy36-v1aO5Pl6Vdxzz9Jx-5cY/w640-h432/LF+Models+HRP-1+Kit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p>Although only 20 HRP-1s were produced by Piasecki, it represents a major
milestone in the early history of helicopters and an amazing
achievement for a young man and his small band of helicopter enthusiasts, rivaling and paralleling that of James
McDonnell's fledgling company successfully creating a twin-engine
carrier-based jet fighter, the FD/FH Phantom. In the unlikely event that
anyone is interested, I wrote a paper on the Piasecki and the HRP for a
Vertical Flight Symposium that is available for the asking.</p><p>I never imagined that an injection-molded kit would ever be produced of the Rescuer. As a result, a few years ago I bought Unicraft's resin HRP kit, even though I was aware from experience that it would be a challenging build at best and likely of marginal accuracy. I was therefore not disappointed when I opened the box, which I have done at least once a year without doing more than considering whether it was worth the effort to build it at all, much less correct its shape and size errors.</p><p>I was therefore very surprised to learn that LF Models in the Czech Republic was to release one in early 2021 and disappointed that its projected availability came and went with no update. Nevertheless, it came to pass and was well worth the wait. It is not only injection molded with a good representation of detail including the steel-tube framework in the forward fuselage and the internally mounted engine, it includes injection molded (not vacuum formed) clear parts, canopy masks, decals, photo-etched parts, and a printed representation of the instrument panel dials. It exceeded my expectations by much more than the Unicraft kit failed them.<br /></p><p>The HRP was a huge helicopter for the time, dramatically so relative to the little two-seat Sikorskys. I regret to report that the kit is slightly huger than 1/72 but only by a 1/4" or 18 actual inches, which is only about 3 percent not to mention a bit difficult to rectify. I'm certainly going to live with it. Note that I have not built it yet so this is a preliminary review after a close look at the contents of the box.<br /></p><p>The instruction sheet is pictorial. This early inboard profile (ignore the rotor-hub fairing depiction) may be of help in understanding and orienting the drive system:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJ0En0s380SrbQClmEWdKIpnPKdq9wRrm1qnkpXW1W_P1woTGcUz-fMvAylEHA3U3dFawNeUJkw3sm4HmCJpQQike57BF6jUF_pOdHpaZrrGdzAbIG5PoJz-aw807jPdtURkHDs_PI6I/s1392/HRP-1+Inboard+Profile.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1392" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJ0En0s380SrbQClmEWdKIpnPKdq9wRrm1qnkpXW1W_P1woTGcUz-fMvAylEHA3U3dFawNeUJkw3sm4HmCJpQQike57BF6jUF_pOdHpaZrrGdzAbIG5PoJz-aw807jPdtURkHDs_PI6I/w640-h466/HRP-1+Inboard+Profile.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The pilot and copilot seats in the forward fuselage were actually offset slightly to the left side for access from the cabin:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23b4LL_7aNPEkJji7UpZE3J0ICRL2CWj4G7nhYCP3vbG2A33q6hYgWjSMlnLWZn3AWpXuwfxsqGyfV6vOY4Zfbt0x3u9TEAS4RPe_UzsXuoxLJYmM_a39DA9mAc6De2iQu-BAyanxkJc/s990/HRP-1+Cabin+Floor.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="990" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23b4LL_7aNPEkJji7UpZE3J0ICRL2CWj4G7nhYCP3vbG2A33q6hYgWjSMlnLWZn3AWpXuwfxsqGyfV6vOY4Zfbt0x3u9TEAS4RPe_UzsXuoxLJYmM_a39DA9mAc6De2iQu-BAyanxkJc/w640-h408/HRP-1+Cabin+Floor.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_ZFVHIk2HH7NcLA4JKUOEFCvcqz2SXtPzXf-NtpGHxR21VTUtskw_kQwEO2D6BFDRFOhiBaM4VWOFNxwtdlzzWm5-dXRXUQK1bkNcm5qGXixUICVj5NCD0T5W0ucTx2cc-Y4BkXHIpc/s1717/HRP-1+Interior.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1717" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_ZFVHIk2HH7NcLA4JKUOEFCvcqz2SXtPzXf-NtpGHxR21VTUtskw_kQwEO2D6BFDRFOhiBaM4VWOFNxwtdlzzWm5-dXRXUQK1bkNcm5qGXixUICVj5NCD0T5W0ucTx2cc-Y4BkXHIpc/w640-h462/HRP-1+Interior.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Note that the pilot had an instrument panel with nine instruments on it as provided in the kit but there was also an upper instrument panel visible in the picture above as a narrow black rectangle above eye level.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU5fxk-4Qnd0u1YQH09yYCCYrZJOcsQ2CuKweK54-Vh0wqyd0DaI4OA7geSSDyRc3WGxBYd-E9sveG5hoJTJc3P0UPge-DL0u54UrMh5HnNNZc1HYR0zWP7Xj3NaeAVdUz6kn2lsfDAA/s892/Screen+Shot+2021-08-08+at+6.18.01+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="892" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU5fxk-4Qnd0u1YQH09yYCCYrZJOcsQ2CuKweK54-Vh0wqyd0DaI4OA7geSSDyRc3WGxBYd-E9sveG5hoJTJc3P0UPge-DL0u54UrMh5HnNNZc1HYR0zWP7Xj3NaeAVdUz6kn2lsfDAA/w640-h298/Screen+Shot+2021-08-08+at+6.18.01+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The copilot only had a four-instrument panel in front of him.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-qx-c-XfNT1lTaZMdXVFwATIS72_kUoPej6I4ldhyh1WLI3xeXNwzP7R4E3dJnZ0Eqre_8aA0NBnPnMVT4WN9Q1O_eoCdkTgTK3MUR3vdHVj7ASzBdhy1G-UCS8EtcURZncnxYvIzeY/s445/Screen+Shot+2021-08-08+at+6.18.20+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="428" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-qx-c-XfNT1lTaZMdXVFwATIS72_kUoPej6I4ldhyh1WLI3xeXNwzP7R4E3dJnZ0Eqre_8aA0NBnPnMVT4WN9Q1O_eoCdkTgTK3MUR3vdHVj7ASzBdhy1G-UCS8EtcURZncnxYvIzeY/w385-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-08-08+at+6.18.20+PM.png" width="385" /></a></div><p>The vents on the bottom of the engine compartment are well represented but not the big air intake (it was an air-cooled engine) on the top of the fuselage:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZFC-yAXloki09eeZMymhHXpewQ7Eloy_HAZvu4MjS_ZAdJqo3EzkYi3PvrrNoRoYxze5n55B8E5HMPctRdMMDxEEDFOxtlGQIb92SDkj7zv_Fswvc1VLxwe1HmVnBxlyCiV3GiYAJ8o/s793/HRP+Crash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="793" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZFC-yAXloki09eeZMymhHXpewQ7Eloy_HAZvu4MjS_ZAdJqo3EzkYi3PvrrNoRoYxze5n55B8E5HMPctRdMMDxEEDFOxtlGQIb92SDkj7zv_Fswvc1VLxwe1HmVnBxlyCiV3GiYAJ8o/w640-h326/HRP+Crash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I'm not sure about the shape of the blade tips: the kit's are squared off but I'm sure that some, if not all, were rounded:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b9qnCCCjoX-qhxJHPF10BBG8yHHkntWLn3EYdKKEHZnzfuV51GUgGbsvIZ7LyxLcgTMxPoVvsxxv-DqkMxsfgOslPGmilBEKQyFZyzxtu4pNLCtyzwxQgVGqTNyYJhER47px7rf0TeY/s589/HRP-1+Rotor+Blade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="589" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b9qnCCCjoX-qhxJHPF10BBG8yHHkntWLn3EYdKKEHZnzfuV51GUgGbsvIZ7LyxLcgTMxPoVvsxxv-DqkMxsfgOslPGmilBEKQyFZyzxtu4pNLCtyzwxQgVGqTNyYJhER47px7rf0TeY/w640-h144/HRP-1+Rotor+Blade.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Note that the rotor diameter should be 6 13/16 inches (41 feet) when assembling it and the rotors did not in fact overlap. That was a later refinement of the tandem rotor concept.</p><p>Note that statically, the rotor blade themselves are relatively stiff but angle down from the hub attach point.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBcxHBfDtfZEISbEACOs2wB8jyGcyPMdCPTcZflW1nQWckPf47UlkUMoEGTa9LNL7sJA7SFE-2UL2uLwAEkNYhamg9pTa3V8T6LlW4J5Cjgb_-wx_yeUqJgeq45WG9XZ-lnoVIcRrd0k/s2265/Helos+12Mar51+Time.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="2265" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBcxHBfDtfZEISbEACOs2wB8jyGcyPMdCPTcZflW1nQWckPf47UlkUMoEGTa9LNL7sJA7SFE-2UL2uLwAEkNYhamg9pTa3V8T6LlW4J5Cjgb_-wx_yeUqJgeq45WG9XZ-lnoVIcRrd0k/w640-h170/Helos+12Mar51+Time.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>In the unlikely event that you see a picture of the attachment of the main landing gear to the bottom of the fuselage that is different from the kit's, that was an early configuration:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xveANytPMRzkh_A3NTLQbUEACSUZYK92uRYjhVXyvA9_zTnHt2QFONSzCY0fUpE2DRdacNTXfeoMRisGBDMfFdW-TovVNJK6OPPZM2avzcU9hLcc_5FlzG15UXrVq04d85WfULtxqw4/s2048/HRP-1+Main+Landing+Gear+Attachment+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="2048" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xveANytPMRzkh_A3NTLQbUEACSUZYK92uRYjhVXyvA9_zTnHt2QFONSzCY0fUpE2DRdacNTXfeoMRisGBDMfFdW-TovVNJK6OPPZM2avzcU9hLcc_5FlzG15UXrVq04d85WfULtxqw4/w640-h381/HRP-1+Main+Landing+Gear+Attachment+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>A couple of challenges for those wanting to add a degree or two of difficulty:</p><p>1. Folded (necessary for stowage aboard ship):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWq-9v9YZnVEIkCaKtQVQFxI7ccx1Y0sFYMA65q2mFk9ELfQqI9Ezj6-ZTUJK4K4qwGt28yqErv_aYgvjHTxj8Z2LR8cUGtcDJ0ud-QMqyb0lmYZY2zvTnP0qZcPlaf_iQ6PS2H99xBc/s1268/HRP-1+Folded.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="1268" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWq-9v9YZnVEIkCaKtQVQFxI7ccx1Y0sFYMA65q2mFk9ELfQqI9Ezj6-ZTUJK4K4qwGt28yqErv_aYgvjHTxj8Z2LR8cUGtcDJ0ud-QMqyb0lmYZY2zvTnP0qZcPlaf_iQ6PS2H99xBc/w640-h244/HRP-1+Folded.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>2. Lightened for ASW research with a dipping sonar:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6oxElp02cUnmar2FCYvk8ALZ05f5wGJb1esTTwyEWfLFR7SO6e1_xJuymENJ1CGlFCtrs7_mAO6PRId0YwqoOypcAk17BhfhPn7cGeNYrt9wagBsBf2z3IELGBtcyMFxCEYj34d4nEM/s2048/ASW+HRP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="2048" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6oxElp02cUnmar2FCYvk8ALZ05f5wGJb1esTTwyEWfLFR7SO6e1_xJuymENJ1CGlFCtrs7_mAO6PRId0YwqoOypcAk17BhfhPn7cGeNYrt9wagBsBf2z3IELGBtcyMFxCEYj34d4nEM/w640-h352/ASW+HRP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-24860633688807257632021-08-06T12:18:00.012-07:002021-08-07T22:24:35.517-07:00Things Under Wings: North American FJ-4 Inflight Refueling System<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HnnIvjCzDvvyuWGXjocjGB23ryXjPjHi3tCUI38uUTUP9DyA2u88tgOjZNWebB9suaOT6zaLtLczTDyPYBvnJx5q_sfwE36wov3ZMIPQjMQBxnPEh6IpzpifXtG-ivel_LaLjm2VQ78/s2822/FJ-4B+Tanker+Color.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="2822" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HnnIvjCzDvvyuWGXjocjGB23ryXjPjHi3tCUI38uUTUP9DyA2u88tgOjZNWebB9suaOT6zaLtLczTDyPYBvnJx5q_sfwE36wov3ZMIPQjMQBxnPEh6IpzpifXtG-ivel_LaLjm2VQ78/w640-h252/FJ-4B+Tanker+Color.jpg" width="640" /></a>Angelo Romano Collection<br /></div><p></p><p>For an introduction to inflight refueling, see <a href="http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2013/10/texaco.html">http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2013/10/texaco.html</a> and <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2015/06/things-under-wings-inflight-refueling.html" target="_blank">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2015/06/things-under-wings-inflight-refueling.html</a><br /></p><p>For tactical delivery of a nuclear bomb, jets were superior to the AD Skyraider in terms of survivability during both ingress and egress, as well as cruise speed but were notably inferior in range. Inflight refueling was adopted by the Navy to increase the mission radius of its carrier-based jets, first with big AJ Savages providing en route fuel to F2H-2 Banshees and then with the "buddy" concept, in which the jet carrying the bomb was refueled by one carrying a store equipped with the hose and drogue system. The "tanker" would top up the "bomber" and then turn back with enough fuel to return to the carrier while the bomber pressed on to the target. This is an example of the increase in range provided (the A2U was an attack variant of the Vought F7U-3 Cutlass).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPe484paF5_OS89Jl3I_4YcMCmCvDlpiH2tvtNDDGoWHcZ6ao-ZSz03K6fNdQalZFkkAsHWQcudsKUihNWmWinfmu8ec87TEoARpqsVdK6iLBP_i3mZiw_RzLLvAqBl9FgQuv2V84ZJ8/s2048/A2U+Buddy+fuel+plot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="2048" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPe484paF5_OS89Jl3I_4YcMCmCvDlpiH2tvtNDDGoWHcZ6ao-ZSz03K6fNdQalZFkkAsHWQcudsKUihNWmWinfmu8ec87TEoARpqsVdK6iLBP_i3mZiw_RzLLvAqBl9FgQuv2V84ZJ8/w640-h408/A2U+Buddy+fuel+plot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>During the Malvina/Falkland Islands war in 1982, the British used an extreme example of this concept to deny the use of the runway in the Falkland Islands to Argentine fighters and take out air defense radars there with a Vulcan bomber taking off from and returning to a base on Ascension Island, 3,400 nautical miles away. See <a href="https://vulcantothesky.org/articles/falklands-war-1982-operation-black-buck/">https://vulcantothesky.org/articles/falklands-war-1982-operation-black-buck/</a><br /><p>Douglas developed the D-704 refueling tank for this purpose for its A4D Skyhawk. This is a illustration of the very similar store that the Navy subsequently bought from Sargeant-Fletcher: <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouRmqrq8ALVQEjlnXH02QNnRUjoJ4yXHzwvw2B70ec7B8coDexH6zIc2mar4svMSWGe2GopEkK-SpVz27q9QIZgjwGgfccpBeSIkySt5bIgPnkcwOpZFXf67Sd2CfaIREAVpCcZXL-fE/s1181/Sargent+Fletcher+31-300-48053.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="1181" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouRmqrq8ALVQEjlnXH02QNnRUjoJ4yXHzwvw2B70ec7B8coDexH6zIc2mar4svMSWGe2GopEkK-SpVz27q9QIZgjwGgfccpBeSIkySt5bIgPnkcwOpZFXf67Sd2CfaIREAVpCcZXL-fE/w640-h202/Sargent+Fletcher+31-300-48053.png" width="640" /></a></div>The Navy, as was its practice at the time, contracted with North American for a modification of its FJ-4 Fury as a backup to the Douglas Skyhawk program. However, since it did not have the ground clearance necessary to carry the Douglas store, North American designed a "symmetrical" two-tank configuration that did, one tank containing the reel, hose, and drogue along with fuel and the other full of fuel. The hose reel was relocated to the midsection of the tank and the drogue streamed out of the bottom of its aft end.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqe8kuwk6D9uLMKQDb4fIhzL9BaNT1zYptb83bUdKjAzuaMpZi9VOAPwuisj_xEZkg9gSJ1qsU6DERPliI5OnBjyfFw0a8rk-XYd0HrC2pknEAJHrv6xWgeOFNDL5ARHGRkkfETuBkZ0/s2048/FJ-4+IFR+Pod+Illustration+Rev+A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="2048" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqe8kuwk6D9uLMKQDb4fIhzL9BaNT1zYptb83bUdKjAzuaMpZi9VOAPwuisj_xEZkg9gSJ1qsU6DERPliI5OnBjyfFw0a8rk-XYd0HrC2pknEAJHrv6xWgeOFNDL5ARHGRkkfETuBkZ0/w640-h372/FJ-4+IFR+Pod+Illustration+Rev+A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p> The bespoke FJ-4 tank didn't have much ground clearance either.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0WpIFrXziuXQ4GIf5piXGX9sylbmqScWA72ZLL07xVz6bkEnUCbD_3yLtRDwbSO-A6TiPocwkZOaKUnIS3wZ6hNUtGsHmXeLpmwj1Yycey77ib1p8GHshisgrZXaoZ5mM8mh-Tj23XI/s2048/FJ-4B+and+Pod+Sideview.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="2048" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0WpIFrXziuXQ4GIf5piXGX9sylbmqScWA72ZLL07xVz6bkEnUCbD_3yLtRDwbSO-A6TiPocwkZOaKUnIS3wZ6hNUtGsHmXeLpmwj1Yycey77ib1p8GHshisgrZXaoZ5mM8mh-Tj23XI/w640-h368/FJ-4B+and+Pod+Sideview.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Sam Morgan provided a valuable insight into the configuration of the tanks when he noted that the black stripes used to position the handling cradle were in different locations:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQhke2IKLaf52xwmPdGf_m0PjGxJinhH8YuOy-nkPYXKVKRHSYjbBMBRaJ9AipDBscbw-yQq-bD3gNlYfW4Gbx390fDlBANg5WMwmE6Oe6mbLnMMfvMltfPZMQXjQ9efd0Z2E-n6w9oA/s3138/FJ-4+IFR+Pod+Marking+Comparison.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="3138" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQhke2IKLaf52xwmPdGf_m0PjGxJinhH8YuOy-nkPYXKVKRHSYjbBMBRaJ9AipDBscbw-yQq-bD3gNlYfW4Gbx390fDlBANg5WMwmE6Oe6mbLnMMfvMltfPZMQXjQ9efd0Z2E-n6w9oA/w640-h203/FJ-4+IFR+Pod+Marking+Comparison.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Another view of the tanks:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN738OZmdj-E9-ZoKiSx6hnSny291BcNp1A9PyIMDvNU6LqB8UV8JsuEVgoOtl8qVvYKBxtkwY4S08GmJO2MzH1bjxR1v9x30ikxKXM4j_LFk9reuZHmoTawk_sTe9U1_6nnbWBXjE6tY/s508/Best+bottom+view.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="508" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN738OZmdj-E9-ZoKiSx6hnSny291BcNp1A9PyIMDvNU6LqB8UV8JsuEVgoOtl8qVvYKBxtkwY4S08GmJO2MzH1bjxR1v9x30ikxKXM4j_LFk9reuZHmoTawk_sTe9U1_6nnbWBXjE6tY/w640-h522/Best+bottom+view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>I created this drawing of the reel tank from illustrations in the maintenance manual for the system provided by Jerry Wells and photos provided by Angelo Romano. The side-view outline is based on a partially dimensioned manual drawing that was clearly approximate in detail; for the rest I relied on photo interpretation. The status light configuration is notional since I don't have a high resolution image of the aft end of the tank; there were three lights, yellow/amber, green, and red. A hose "floodlight" for night refueling is also mentioned in the manual but I have no other information as to its location or configuration. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVKZlcP6taul-lSnMegWOenlcn4gnS7lQ8kxjQFjKBDFBfoxzOYb1gSBA1ypSOPABAVWwrfrmeXulMrFARUEJ-YuO0LaKs_P0gkqEsymo9yMmFKrdZAVJBrAOFjI3mPhwcxCiB4FO8Wg/s1111/FJ-4B+IFR+Tank+Rev+A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1111" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVKZlcP6taul-lSnMegWOenlcn4gnS7lQ8kxjQFjKBDFBfoxzOYb1gSBA1ypSOPABAVWwrfrmeXulMrFARUEJ-YuO0LaKs_P0gkqEsymo9yMmFKrdZAVJBrAOFjI3mPhwcxCiB4FO8Wg/w640-h640/FJ-4B+IFR+Tank+Rev+A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Note the side-ward bulge in the midsection where the hose reel was located to provide clearance with the bottom of it. There also appear to be two different diameter propeller shrouds: the larger one accommodates the blades of the D-704 pod; my guess is that the smaller propeller proved inadequate for the power required. Or it may have been a desire to standardize the pump.</p><p>The left-hand tank was identical in size and also in shape with the exception of the midsection.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrDVniAgeJ1JYGVBJrbbo3QIJY1VSwSrwBs5Pdi-1vXqHYN8gLaixjNTG92w08Raz52uAi1tgucgFD9p9qvcFa2B6rbsyBu_lkFReWrMKaJ_zA55rJ57f8u1WHjN4uPKcCNlXPEwpNes/s1111/FJ-4B+LH+Fuel+Tank.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1111" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrDVniAgeJ1JYGVBJrbbo3QIJY1VSwSrwBs5Pdi-1vXqHYN8gLaixjNTG92w08Raz52uAi1tgucgFD9p9qvcFa2B6rbsyBu_lkFReWrMKaJ_zA55rJ57f8u1WHjN4uPKcCNlXPEwpNes/w640-h640/FJ-4B+LH+Fuel+Tank.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The FJ-4B had an unusually large number of different stores pylons (as well as external fuel tanks). The one used for the IFR tanks:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHsjKDnAisCKAXqTSmNHhFrGo21uJV7r05JNrlUdE3h-jwOpIfSpU35HdxREJnschpskTNjlQq4X9qVMsTeSAzEhG5VgZ-USAis72ngfIljjSV14Sa_CafT2twQDohzSAWVAUqJSl9eU/s2048/FJ-4B+IFR+Pylons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="2048" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHsjKDnAisCKAXqTSmNHhFrGo21uJV7r05JNrlUdE3h-jwOpIfSpU35HdxREJnschpskTNjlQq4X9qVMsTeSAzEhG5VgZ-USAis72ngfIljjSV14Sa_CafT2twQDohzSAWVAUqJSl9eU/w640-h408/FJ-4B+IFR+Pylons.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Two triangular flat plates provided lateral stiffness to the pylon (the picture was taken of two pylons upside down on the ground; the small pylon is marked with Xs and the picture has been inverted). <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmG9qlcNj-sQfduL3MEQu1OnZqvq1WyXGz-PT93ZZGNtPilcpr6XTcvv3lGhsr2Cqz_d0e6-5oX0POZGz3gKbwN0mgg6nOD3LvyCc9wHi3urXnQi2XygngySr5Ry2EZRkirafhegPBzE/s1367/FJ-4B+IFR+Pylon+Wings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1367" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmG9qlcNj-sQfduL3MEQu1OnZqvq1WyXGz-PT93ZZGNtPilcpr6XTcvv3lGhsr2Cqz_d0e6-5oX0POZGz3gKbwN0mgg6nOD3LvyCc9wHi3urXnQi2XygngySr5Ry2EZRkirafhegPBzE/w640-h288/FJ-4B+IFR+Pylon+Wings.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-58397838667030284082021-06-21T16:53:00.002-07:002021-06-22T12:58:36.850-07:00McDonnell F2H Banshee Stores Pylons Location<p>Oops - I make a mistake in scaling the side view of the AERO 14 pylon, making it too long (the bottom view length is correct). I've revised the drawing accordingly and replaced it. Here is an illustration of the AERO 14 pylon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJz_cDct_iUp6R3CsAHVB2S9wQB48OCRT_ctpp6134jkCWOXSn3ESiUcCJ1POPygDZWhCotbU_ORLRUUdcgCjukK-AXev9w0iJir7gVRFN1dskukrvtLSmryfnKg2TNbryKdfMSVD5Fg/s581/Aero+14+Pylon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="581" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJz_cDct_iUp6R3CsAHVB2S9wQB48OCRT_ctpp6134jkCWOXSn3ESiUcCJ1POPygDZWhCotbU_ORLRUUdcgCjukK-AXev9w0iJir7gVRFN1dskukrvtLSmryfnKg2TNbryKdfMSVD5Fg/w640-h244/Aero+14+Pylon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Note that the side of the pylon scales to 8 inches in height.</p><p>This is a picture of a pylon in Larry's collection that was removed from a P2V.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1DqYeGkSBxkFIEd3HGDeGKUb1hXuDFswjRrcbxidJd-llLGs1AtkNXiL7I-fhdb3aG3ny6hT6lIvqDQtjAi4WLCyRREXLiKFedr2vqn4uSPW-eXEr3pwh9LvjaRX8fe8ypXN3u-K8N4/s2713/P2V+AERO+14+Rack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="2713" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1DqYeGkSBxkFIEd3HGDeGKUb1hXuDFswjRrcbxidJd-llLGs1AtkNXiL7I-fhdb3aG3ny6hT6lIvqDQtjAi4WLCyRREXLiKFedr2vqn4uSPW-eXEr3pwh9LvjaRX8fe8ypXN3u-K8N4/w640-h198/P2V+AERO+14+Rack.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The front end (left side) is 7.5 inches deep; the aft end is 6.5 inches deep. It was 32.75 inches long.<br /><p>While working on another F2H project (click <a href="http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2021/06/grumman-f9f-8p-photoflash-cartridge.html">HERE</a> for a work in progress), I finally realized that I had never seen a McDonnell document that identified the location of the F2H Banshee stores pylons by fuselage station (fore/aft location) or butt line (distance outboard from fuselage center line). A quick check also revealed that McDonnell F2H front and top view documents that show the pylons are inconsistent with respect to their location (in fairness, exactness in those particular drawings was not a requirement).<br /></p><p>Fortunately Larry Webster lives nearby and has a disassembled F2H-3 in his backyard. He and I were able to get good-enough data using a tape measure to locate them within an inch or less. This is the result:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNj7f_AtowH3TAzC_5DzFYs6_t2MR6l9Uusg3QyT2zPj0MB-eUQ_9xitWRiREvLATLUlMjjsa9xY3Lne3buhq1X3p-sn3dCoj74PHDkm5kvWhGnYfwiCEgI7Ai59KhSV3E8AoeDtVmdk/s1269/F2H+Pylon+Location+Illustration+Rev+A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1269" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNj7f_AtowH3TAzC_5DzFYs6_t2MR6l9Uusg3QyT2zPj0MB-eUQ_9xitWRiREvLATLUlMjjsa9xY3Lne3buhq1X3p-sn3dCoj74PHDkm5kvWhGnYfwiCEgI7Ai59KhSV3E8AoeDtVmdk/w640-h484/F2H+Pylon+Location+Illustration+Rev+A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Note that with the exception of the pylons and the outline of the wing (which was taken from pretty good McDonnell lines and station drawings), the location of the rest of the detail is not quite as accurate and I may have included more F2H-3/4 features than just the fairings over the wing-fold hinges.</p><p>The odd placement of the stores pylons is the result of the F2H-1 not being required to have them (neither was the F9F-2 Panther). They first appeared on the F2H-2 and the goal was almost certainly to add them with minimal changes to the structure. There are eight, numbered from left to right.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCF6sGXgVG7QWN2GXUQlQzNalk-U1exE623zgyIwr83ONDCvlX_GP_6g7paVlXvs4feZF_jeph7_K3ZkSdBCDWqb6RoHc_QCrWF5YnyaqHdfsIjT9ReGR8u53-MbswwMLBrciaPhDZcJE/s1028/F2H-2+Rockets+and+Bombs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="1028" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCF6sGXgVG7QWN2GXUQlQzNalk-U1exE623zgyIwr83ONDCvlX_GP_6g7paVlXvs4feZF_jeph7_K3ZkSdBCDWqb6RoHc_QCrWF5YnyaqHdfsIjT9ReGR8u53-MbswwMLBrciaPhDZcJE/w640-h188/F2H-2+Rockets+and+Bombs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>They are all AERO 14As, which were capable of carrying either rockets or 500-lb bombs. However, actual loads varied with the size of the bombs. For example, eight five-inch rockets or eight 100-lb bombs were two options but a total of only two 500-lb bombs could be loaded and only on the two most inboard stations, 4 and 5.</p><p>The upper side of the two-inch wide pylons differed slightly in shape to conform to the lower wing surface and were numbered by station as a result.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlUndSuUuAEqBhNoJXvqcobMJfSgFd_Va6cvSzLYjUdBAe-mLGeDABZZ6Zt7MiRnpsQMLbqDmdHCvChMCLwA7Ebc-qyo3gu_nPPCJG_E2OCUhZvA9VdZQIApmdM8p4CwxBmx7kqyfnIk/s2420/F2H-2+Bomb+Load.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="2420" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlUndSuUuAEqBhNoJXvqcobMJfSgFd_Va6cvSzLYjUdBAe-mLGeDABZZ6Zt7MiRnpsQMLbqDmdHCvChMCLwA7Ebc-qyo3gu_nPPCJG_E2OCUhZvA9VdZQIApmdM8p4CwxBmx7kqyfnIk/w640-h230/F2H-2+Bomb+Load.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Note that the two inboard stations, 4/5 and 3/6, are less that 12 inches apart, being squeezed between a large removable panel and the main landing gear. The stations on the outer wing panel, 1/8 and 2/7 are not only well outboard but staggered. Placing them outboard reduced the impact of the added weight on the wing structure. They may have been staggered because of either center of gravity or structural (including aeroelastic) considerations or both.</p><p>I previously covered the nuclear store option here: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/11/nuclear-banshees.html" rel="nofollow">Nuclear Banshees</a><br /></p><p>Another Banshee stores oddity is that the F2H-2B carried a nuke on number 4 station while the F2H-3/4 carried one on the number 3 station.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-88583189099507620032021-06-15T18:44:00.012-07:002021-09-12T10:30:47.814-07:00Sword 1/72 Grumman TBF-1 Avenger and Tarpon Mk 1<p><b> A work in progress:</b></p><p><b>For a Hyperscale review and pictures of the sprues: <a href="http://www.hyperscale.com/2021/reviews/kits/sw72136reviewjb_1.htm">http://www.hyperscale.com/2021/reviews/kits/sw72136reviewjb_1.htm</a></b></p><p>12 September 2021: For more on the difference in the oil cooler installation between the TBF-1 and TBM-3, see <a href="http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2021/09/tbf-1-versus-tbm-3-oil-cooler-location.html">http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2021/09/tbf-1-versus-tbm-3-oil-cooler-location.html</a><br /></p><p>15 August 2021: Added comparison of TBF-1 and TBM-3 power plant installation</p><p> Sword Models has continued to build on their 1/72 TBF/TBM kit range by going back to the first Avengers, the TBF-1 (SW72136) and Tarpon Mk 1 (SW72137).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmrPGgEjB_eYS-mrXzpBiSvLSJqI6t3Ovg3l_qvw_6Wwa_qjFhkkZke979cDr6L-J-OhVSXSuvq15r7FL-E_yCtZPkraWfeih_fbrIQsL4xUdpZbI-adxN0sJjP_v2wDSnBR5fAfFVs0/s432/TBF+Resized.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="432" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmrPGgEjB_eYS-mrXzpBiSvLSJqI6t3Ovg3l_qvw_6Wwa_qjFhkkZke979cDr6L-J-OhVSXSuvq15r7FL-E_yCtZPkraWfeih_fbrIQsL4xUdpZbI-adxN0sJjP_v2wDSnBR5fAfFVs0/w640-h426/TBF+Resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgqUnK5RUONoxc_5zW3pU6QF3nh51km5uaKrwKRvN8C9aACGIsKvPqWnTiIE14B1FOVyW6H419v1adbU3rpqfJ_a0gZk3RCIiD1IVkzFYtdqKQLb-cpJ1grLym-yu2GRG4TkAz8g-dWU/s432/Tarpon+Resized.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="432" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgqUnK5RUONoxc_5zW3pU6QF3nh51km5uaKrwKRvN8C9aACGIsKvPqWnTiIE14B1FOVyW6H419v1adbU3rpqfJ_a0gZk3RCIiD1IVkzFYtdqKQLb-cpJ1grLym-yu2GRG4TkAz8g-dWU/w640-h418/Tarpon+Resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The Tarpon Mk 1 was essentially identical to the earliest TBF-1 with respect to the engine installation, middle crew compartment, and with one exception, the later aft fuselage windows. The significant TBF-1 differences from the TBM-3 were the engine installation and single forward firing machine gun. These are provided for by a new fuselage sprue. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyOE2AOGWbAF2KfEahq7lISV5i1Z2Jb_Xy5yLtYKPAzWOlaEhmmO4jaDPsPRitnmkVrkkiRM4ZxESLfnJiRsuyaaiLm7D5QXRsIvXBOa6rUQfgv1zKEwY47N8zBo8fIE-epvPxhj8T4Y/s2596/TBF-1+vs+TBM-3+Powerplant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="2596" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyOE2AOGWbAF2KfEahq7lISV5i1Z2Jb_Xy5yLtYKPAzWOlaEhmmO4jaDPsPRitnmkVrkkiRM4ZxESLfnJiRsuyaaiLm7D5QXRsIvXBOa6rUQfgv1zKEwY47N8zBo8fIE-epvPxhj8T4Y/w640-h282/TBF-1+vs+TBM-3+Powerplant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Note that the TBF's four cowl flap segments have been replaced by four on each side of the TBM-3's cowling and the oil cooler door has been relocated.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSv6RTZVPywHwm8WYQi308YGfLoBbyTwGgz8wHw4AtYKBnrB8y9h4JeMmLdl-7mh7LnRsE4N_6VRwyMpY-BVDp1rkgfJAhbAza9AnxMM4E9bJtnJXLg0mjlJW6_EZW5CcmnpR7JjCrRgk/s2048/TBF-1+vs+-3+propeller.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="2048" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSv6RTZVPywHwm8WYQi308YGfLoBbyTwGgz8wHw4AtYKBnrB8y9h4JeMmLdl-7mh7LnRsE4N_6VRwyMpY-BVDp1rkgfJAhbAza9AnxMM4E9bJtnJXLg0mjlJW6_EZW5CcmnpR7JjCrRgk/w640-h340/TBF-1+vs+-3+propeller.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>In box and build reviews of the earlier TBF/TBM kits are available on line. Suffice it to say, the accuracy, detail, and quality of parts and decals are commendable, more than adequate to the purpose. Nevertheless, a few notes may be of interest.</p><p>Grumman was the winner of a 1939 competition for a new torpedo bomber to replace the relatively new TBD Devastator. Contrary to what appears to be a four-man crew in this photo of the prototype, there were only three although there were originally four crew stations.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MovY42-JeHi52kgEwfAnM3cfgLaPgzLqCp3A0TTae5LSz2iIKrQeWabo05dNyHwllfhKnlEV2j-5UKOb5035XyOB0ZFbSOTeoxihsNBAvF1fhkHe5gxciX_IHukgX7ECtsGEWnBtCIo/s1200/Four+Man+TBF+resized.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1200" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MovY42-JeHi52kgEwfAnM3cfgLaPgzLqCp3A0TTae5LSz2iIKrQeWabo05dNyHwllfhKnlEV2j-5UKOb5035XyOB0ZFbSOTeoxihsNBAvF1fhkHe5gxciX_IHukgX7ECtsGEWnBtCIo/w640-h420/Four+Man+TBF+resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The pilot sat up front, the "assistant pilot/bomber" sat immediately behind him with a rudimentary set of flight instruments and controls, and the gunner/radioman sat in the turret. However, the Bureau of Aeronautics suggested that it would be desirable for both the assistant pilot and the gunner to have access to the radio, which clearly could not be accommodated, or his parachute for that matter, in the turret along with a .50 caliber machine gun (his parachute was stored on the side of the fuselage above the cabin door; he did wear the harness). Moreover, the "bomber", more usually referred to as a bombardier, would use a Norden bomb sight located behind a window at the aft end of the bomb bay, for level-flight bomb drops.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnAOqoFDBpnMOSdCWETxFJL7JlZQ_zNPRgDK3lIkPfqI3Ql7XHWhCya6IC-Bn65qiwRPPEGmR9285Dk_25oeQUeaLQAc5T43x2SZlgut5GEL1I6odRhu91V4QRqQetVTPBG941xmuFmc/s917/TBF+Norden+Bomb+Sight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="917" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnAOqoFDBpnMOSdCWETxFJL7JlZQ_zNPRgDK3lIkPfqI3Ql7XHWhCya6IC-Bn65qiwRPPEGmR9285Dk_25oeQUeaLQAc5T43x2SZlgut5GEL1I6odRhu91V4QRqQetVTPBG941xmuFmc/w640-h308/TBF+Norden+Bomb+Sight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>In the TBD, the assistant pilot/bomber crawled under the pilot to access the bomb sight, which was located forward of the bombs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7A0ff1ZlEgf-UKlNaqYO1_uLIojgdL8lmRV5aKUE0ORDQQamfpmMnqLBVo0j8n1AHCh_c5cIz2RpRNGxqITFAVNusDB2Dr52487k9HumwCgjpX4Nms9bZmwcYCG-C0kJsrurCM7Dr5A/s284/TBD+Bombardier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="284" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7A0ff1ZlEgf-UKlNaqYO1_uLIojgdL8lmRV5aKUE0ORDQQamfpmMnqLBVo0j8n1AHCh_c5cIz2RpRNGxqITFAVNusDB2Dr52487k9HumwCgjpX4Nms9bZmwcYCG-C0kJsrurCM7Dr5A/w640-h327/TBD+Bombardier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The radios were therefore located back in what was called the tunnel underneath the turret along with a seat that could be folded down from the left side of the fuselage. An opening was provided in the right side of the bulkhead at the aft end of the middle crew compartment for the assistant pilot to move down to the tunnel position. It was certainly easier for him to get back there than for the gunner to get down there:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QdsPtjOTKmvUJLN1FcROoiPZw_-Z9_CnR2B_TwBZRRqo9b8Bn114Aq9BCGFV1FFrXXTMP5nPU6wpZmdoTyJpOKbSsKiiq21-Xe80RP7_eL5QxYaLOo1GBG5yeq5XwxqY4UEKQATFFHE/s321/Gunner+exit+downward.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="199" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QdsPtjOTKmvUJLN1FcROoiPZw_-Z9_CnR2B_TwBZRRqo9b8Bn114Aq9BCGFV1FFrXXTMP5nPU6wpZmdoTyJpOKbSsKiiq21-Xe80RP7_eL5QxYaLOo1GBG5yeq5XwxqY4UEKQATFFHE/w248-h400/Gunner+exit+downward.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJys_E-k68vaLCrXXp8hwzrw-0RfWRrlxU_B02L028V-A7p239DZW1O-Lq0nSmicQ9TiomexPhBrkFUlCC24k4SR9EUvzaRw67HuJht_NQNrUDs5UNvEOa2WhjRgCIXB_YrGhvA0W8Zt0/s2048/Tunnel+Crew+Position.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2048" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJys_E-k68vaLCrXXp8hwzrw-0RfWRrlxU_B02L028V-A7p239DZW1O-Lq0nSmicQ9TiomexPhBrkFUlCC24k4SR9EUvzaRw67HuJht_NQNrUDs5UNvEOa2WhjRgCIXB_YrGhvA0W8Zt0/w640-h472/Tunnel+Crew+Position.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>These were the original windows in the aft fuselage (note in the illustration above of the bombardier kneeling at the Norden sight that the window on the left side of the fuselage does not line up with one in the center of the door; they differ longitudinally by about one half of the frame spacing). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8XaZRUHM6-h7kUl-8F_n33vM5uA0rEImFZgkSou2Tmp0oNPnxP1dnj2M1EUEl4LnlbGoveCtaOIKhPu_jtpczmxiFnfAwLzTHRl0GU2SaqiuNdQrXHqpC9aL2ogZDwDO1q1v8lx4w8I/s2789/Early+TBF+Windows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="2789" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8XaZRUHM6-h7kUl-8F_n33vM5uA0rEImFZgkSou2Tmp0oNPnxP1dnj2M1EUEl4LnlbGoveCtaOIKhPu_jtpczmxiFnfAwLzTHRl0GU2SaqiuNdQrXHqpC9aL2ogZDwDO1q1v8lx4w8I/w640-h240/Early+TBF+Windows.jpg" width="640" /></a>This is the best picture that I could find of the middle seat.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsl5f5Ohj5yjtaxrn6geCz4gViAK7Ml9UoCYpJF8tf0H84ln3AwVso0qtteUa6WL4dC9Ej6OJ0SMVLuFZ3tyMQ04rtbGgDjYisJjsRp1KrUJt6wQMj__EtWlWnwgs81coyTVdXyMt_Ms/s720/tbf-1rear_seat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsl5f5Ohj5yjtaxrn6geCz4gViAK7Ml9UoCYpJF8tf0H84ln3AwVso0qtteUa6WL4dC9Ej6OJ0SMVLuFZ3tyMQ04rtbGgDjYisJjsRp1KrUJt6wQMj__EtWlWnwgs81coyTVdXyMt_Ms/w478-h640/tbf-1rear_seat.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><p>No controls are evident other than foot troughs that would go to the rudder pedals and what appears to be provisions for a control stick. Also noteworthy are the arm rests and the lack of a shoulder harness requirement at that time. To access the passage back to the tunnel, the assistant pilot would climb down to his right.</p><p>In any event, the Navy decided to delete the assistant pilot requirement, permanently relocate the bombardier to the tunnel, and assign him the radioman responsibility. This was reportedly effective with the 51st TBF-1 and probably the cause for the redesign of the windows in the aft fuselage to provide more natural light at the tunnel position.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgac__ZH82JYbTWr55l7vtDZQSUaho8-em4N3IDxbe-1N8V1ZR2dlgcFQklA95YzFmJlOeXGNgQrV-DY59hEg9Moew9ERqHllv0C3VD2YOsBccGQOpUXp7qPz2gDvsSQsDDw6zVy6E-whA/s2911/Late+TBF+Windows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="2911" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgac__ZH82JYbTWr55l7vtDZQSUaho8-em4N3IDxbe-1N8V1ZR2dlgcFQklA95YzFmJlOeXGNgQrV-DY59hEg9Moew9ERqHllv0C3VD2YOsBccGQOpUXp7qPz2gDvsSQsDDw6zVy6E-whA/w640-h226/Late+TBF+Windows.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p> Part of the reason for the move was probably the need to provide a location for more radio equipment, which more or less filled the center compartment although it was still accessible from the tunnel.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKSxE7p40NImVoiQo7R-s7jTeh3VbzXg73gADcC_dcKCab_SJGM30AmQfP3eO8IrIp4B5A5HCLg7rbx1FczLX6XLeifMI-IKGWVo-1LxG2_g_nAql32VfLnqxercIxjPTK7JDmx7PglE/s2048/TBM-3+Middle+Compartment.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1739" data-original-width="2048" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKSxE7p40NImVoiQo7R-s7jTeh3VbzXg73gADcC_dcKCab_SJGM30AmQfP3eO8IrIp4B5A5HCLg7rbx1FczLX6XLeifMI-IKGWVo-1LxG2_g_nAql32VfLnqxercIxjPTK7JDmx7PglE/w640-h544/TBM-3+Middle+Compartment.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /></div><p>The Royal Navy Tarpons were delivered from Grumman with this later window configuration and probably no seat in the middle compartment but the Brits chose to reinstate the center seat (probably without flight controls) and replace the large window in the aft fuselage with a dome for better visibility downward. The gunner was assigned the radio responsibility as the "Telegraphist Air Gunner".<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3WrEh5Hn9UanQy7FEwvtSvu2xAtBbULYMVgdGithHW2cPkGO3BnRkVvwwdQNVxwHH51hirS-o5oOudJOGfOZLJfC05iMaAJ3lv8sKY8NWc18dzTaIYC6-K1QD7N6v2ccK41k5sRYRHU/s444/Observer+Window.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="444" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3WrEh5Hn9UanQy7FEwvtSvu2xAtBbULYMVgdGithHW2cPkGO3BnRkVvwwdQNVxwHH51hirS-o5oOudJOGfOZLJfC05iMaAJ3lv8sKY8NWc18dzTaIYC6-K1QD7N6v2ccK41k5sRYRHU/w400-h344/Observer+Window.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>The Royal Navy practice at the time was to require a navigator for carrier-based aircraft, the thinking being that pilot needed all the help he could get to find the carrier on his way back. U.S. Navy pilots, on the other hand, were expected to do so on their own. Chart boards were provided that slid out from the instrument panel so they could plot their position relative to the movement of the carrier in their absence and be able to find it again without benefit of radio direction finding (this is a TBM-3 illustration).<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9WeA4is_8rLk6VrQ7lHu6WbloOQ2vKN5DKvueInQtYhGWCHyC2pnEU6oVbAZtc2N9fDjHa0kGL-IzGZbyMKXZ93HHAgwwJvYI8SQYeecxvySWCZcuUhR_kYR3c7RiNnGfyOGn1iCjw0/s2048/TBM-3+Navigation+Board.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9WeA4is_8rLk6VrQ7lHu6WbloOQ2vKN5DKvueInQtYhGWCHyC2pnEU6oVbAZtc2N9fDjHa0kGL-IzGZbyMKXZ93HHAgwwJvYI8SQYeecxvySWCZcuUhR_kYR3c7RiNnGfyOGn1iCjw0/s320/TBM-3+Navigation+Board.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>According to Paul Fontenoy, the Royal Navy crewman aft of the pilot was designated as Observer, which covered. his responsibilities that included navigation, gunnery spotting, reconnaissance work, and level-bombing aiming.<br /></p><p>The Sword kits provide both the early and later fuselage windows. The instructions aren't explicit about which should be deleted by being painted over but the marking and color scheme illustrations can be used as a guide for that. The access between the middle crew compartment and the tunnel is not represented but could be by simply modifying parts 14 (the forward and middle cockpit floor) and 7 (the aft bulkhead of the middle cockpit).</p><p>Two other small details to consider adding by reference to pictures (note that their presence was short-lived) are the light on the backside of the pilot's headrest (it signaled the other bombers in a formation to drop when the lead bombardier did) and an ADF loop under the aft canopy. Note that the fairing between the canopy and the turret (part C10) was retractable (the turret could be swung around to face up and forward) and probably one of the first bits of the actual airframe to be removed and never replaced.</p><p>The retracted fairing and the signal light: <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSqhwjsCDfmUPj3p9TIk5mSzULtuzncn35WvlRXgfPgdcPc6puqoTDU_2SKOK2L_AjbeCzD0iugXtCaHs2lVTUVyRSMuTRX7F__bCZhIqoaN_StysPJqUwkhrfzgnz5Vt36uvPd627WE/s942/Turret+Fairing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="942" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSqhwjsCDfmUPj3p9TIk5mSzULtuzncn35WvlRXgfPgdcPc6puqoTDU_2SKOK2L_AjbeCzD0iugXtCaHs2lVTUVyRSMuTRX7F__bCZhIqoaN_StysPJqUwkhrfzgnz5Vt36uvPd627WE/w640-h368/Turret+Fairing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The signal light:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cUyipDOow1bRLsebc_syT_vN0aBFZci01klQil74kH5sF75BdtXG-bJV9-yKeNv9slYDGUATKGZwuHhyphenhyphenzP_JUDFcZqRNO99GYi_CZ-Rjqac3EughDhbn-j_DaHX_KTXgwfzUIZMQvGM/s486/Signal+Light.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cUyipDOow1bRLsebc_syT_vN0aBFZci01klQil74kH5sF75BdtXG-bJV9-yKeNv9slYDGUATKGZwuHhyphenhyphenzP_JUDFcZqRNO99GYi_CZ-Rjqac3EughDhbn-j_DaHX_KTXgwfzUIZMQvGM/s320/Signal+Light.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>And the ADF loop with the turret fairing slid aft:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-HONzp4GZvQUOjg3271lrM_xNPefG5rF8I5JDfKlas4jgDTtchP6Lf7Qo-Zf_zHZ1dbvRWuo8TRD1y3BOocH7bzqWP6urpEjtPpLr890lty9CuJBwdUB5ODhh-WmnQZHTlZThrUeLQI/s681/Turret+Fairing+2of2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="681" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-HONzp4GZvQUOjg3271lrM_xNPefG5rF8I5JDfKlas4jgDTtchP6Lf7Qo-Zf_zHZ1dbvRWuo8TRD1y3BOocH7bzqWP6urpEjtPpLr890lty9CuJBwdUB5ODhh-WmnQZHTlZThrUeLQI/w640-h312/Turret+Fairing+2of2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-72682921597549825642021-06-02T19:59:00.003-07:002021-06-05T19:38:20.685-07:00Douglas A2D Skyshark<p> Clear Prop is now shipping its 1/72 scale XA2D Skyshark kit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3uvRYtnthukgm00LwdZ4Q58n0quj8kEPfqeEOEHmKUI68-zrU-DpZR4A2M9_8vzTx5Mb88lYdPAL2K9cBonGEtq5gOIFVfpOvKnJ6-uaaxqhfxijejRx6xESbDb7otjXS1oeHnjJvhw/s987/XA2D+box+Art.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="987" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3uvRYtnthukgm00LwdZ4Q58n0quj8kEPfqeEOEHmKUI68-zrU-DpZR4A2M9_8vzTx5Mb88lYdPAL2K9cBonGEtq5gOIFVfpOvKnJ6-uaaxqhfxijejRx6xESbDb7otjXS1oeHnjJvhw/w640-h476/XA2D+box+Art.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Although I haven't done more than look at what's in the box, my impression is that this is a first class production, including the box. For illustrations, go to Clear Prop's website: <a href="https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_72005">https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_72005</a></p><p>Also see the Hyperscale review here: <a href="http://www.hyperscale.com/2021/reviews/kits/cp72005reviewbg_1.htm">http://www.hyperscale.com/2021/reviews/kits/cp72005reviewbg_1.htm</a></p><p>There were two XA2Ds, BuNo 122988 and 989; six A2Ds were completed and flown of the initial production order of 10. Both XA2Ds were originally painted blue but the second one was subsequently stripped of paint before its first flight. All the production A2Ds were painted blue.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA2MCqYRI6xby1BynO_IFkH4f0Xmrlqq89b2Qre2cwOKG4o_Pc7P3MCa9oGuVSI42TNcdi-UGO7toaZWluw6mxulqrdmsjhyphenhyphenza5ngpI2deo-dP7Os_3LcGrzBG3O52b-xFkc9AET7QYA/s2048/A2D+Configuration+Changes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="2048" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA2MCqYRI6xby1BynO_IFkH4f0Xmrlqq89b2Qre2cwOKG4o_Pc7P3MCa9oGuVSI42TNcdi-UGO7toaZWluw6mxulqrdmsjhyphenhyphenza5ngpI2deo-dP7Os_3LcGrzBG3O52b-xFkc9AET7QYA/w640-h376/A2D+Configuration+Changes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>While this kit provides parts and decals for the two XA2Ds, my understanding is that all the parts needed for a production A2D are included except for the very different canopy. The XA2D canopy had flat sides and top like the F4D Skyray whereas the production canopy was rounded.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHHpmnAyAfAIKaCyfpXkrrM5I-XsFqrjUZQvpFJP-ezuxP5ypZrPYtzYx81E59_I6j4eZkpZzNuOW8iDTRz_SuPU_yYOAApxadM3P2SKWSwFD6LiVY9pIH8Xdvu6GuTp9mTw2zrexgQc/s2892/A2D+Canopy+Comparison+Closed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="2892" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHHpmnAyAfAIKaCyfpXkrrM5I-XsFqrjUZQvpFJP-ezuxP5ypZrPYtzYx81E59_I6j4eZkpZzNuOW8iDTRz_SuPU_yYOAApxadM3P2SKWSwFD6LiVY9pIH8Xdvu6GuTp9mTw2zrexgQc/w640-h140/A2D+Canopy+Comparison+Closed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The XA2D sliding canopy was also large and mounted on top of the fuselage; the sliding portion of the A2D canopy was smaller and mounted on a large fixed fairing that was on top of the fuselage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocpahFDrhrSDSm8gj0T4zw-USjgD_Ldo_H2itjlvA-N2-AkbbnVPqzzSyLZq64yad2w0tWDBWAc5gkHlfbnWndBBccYv4bjhPLib3FRKbf5j_yRR7zh628R0IvlP2ixYvWxkRFkjXLA8/s2722/A2D+Canopy+Comparison+Open.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="2722" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocpahFDrhrSDSm8gj0T4zw-USjgD_Ldo_H2itjlvA-N2-AkbbnVPqzzSyLZq64yad2w0tWDBWAc5gkHlfbnWndBBccYv4bjhPLib3FRKbf5j_yRR7zh628R0IvlP2ixYvWxkRFkjXLA8/w640-h176/A2D+Canopy+Comparison+Open.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>There were variations in the exhaust fairings on the sides of the fuselage in part to resolve heating problems on the aft fuselage. Flight test began with a simple oval opening in the side of a fuselage but at least two increasing larger fairings were evaluated on the first XA2D.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04I6Hf2DZRMlGkM6w3ofkSSH8SR3r0Aeoh3YhJyNUZCI-alkFn5IStNBMV2rYiuGNTo9LYFWSPrji7OE1KkfbkAa9rhLtBzJyJOG0mH6svYo1oAiZ2q4vsRunuXd4qU3WYWG-KKtcHE0/s1526/Engine+Exhaust+122988.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1526" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04I6Hf2DZRMlGkM6w3ofkSSH8SR3r0Aeoh3YhJyNUZCI-alkFn5IStNBMV2rYiuGNTo9LYFWSPrji7OE1KkfbkAa9rhLtBzJyJOG0mH6svYo1oAiZ2q4vsRunuXd4qU3WYWG-KKtcHE0/w640-h236/Engine+Exhaust+122988.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Interestingly, when flight test finally resumed with XA2D BuNo 122989, the exhaust was once again a simple oval with no fairing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXaaDc9k1XZfRkyKt4qgETGvS4oRFrW_MWRUJo4_RIeBxbF5MDhv13Tf0YCG3pA0R6Am3itIWTvH3jNy8PV_F0PDLg-pvMj8kAbvqJvpVPk__18Is86WPTAh4aTS86BdxkOdeA14WjmI/s674/122989+No+fairing+Exhaust+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="674" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXaaDc9k1XZfRkyKt4qgETGvS4oRFrW_MWRUJo4_RIeBxbF5MDhv13Tf0YCG3pA0R6Am3itIWTvH3jNy8PV_F0PDLg-pvMj8kAbvqJvpVPk__18Is86WPTAh4aTS86BdxkOdeA14WjmI/w640-h244/122989+No+fairing+Exhaust+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>And at least the first two production A2Ds also had no fairing initially. However, one was subsequently added to the first production A2D and appears to have been the final configuration.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXgganH3klsHLHFmtUOSM38FCr2kLkJPIZYuQ0ecZQKGw2s8Qe-Gfe8OEFSHZ_e5m5kkD4VAfEl0mS6aZuBsusahFLxfCsF8FrJEmX-GYmQdrWOHvktbOx5PizwDYsJeuRWDpM4OjZEeI/s1067/Production+A2D+Exhaust+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="1067" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXgganH3klsHLHFmtUOSM38FCr2kLkJPIZYuQ0ecZQKGw2s8Qe-Gfe8OEFSHZ_e5m5kkD4VAfEl0mS6aZuBsusahFLxfCsF8FrJEmX-GYmQdrWOHvktbOx5PizwDYsJeuRWDpM4OjZEeI/w640-h324/Production+A2D+Exhaust+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Steve Ginter's A2D Monograph (Naval Fighters Number Forty-Three) is an excellent reference. Unfortunately, Steve no longer has any in his inventory. It is still available from Amazon but buyer beware that it might be a relatively low-quality print-on-demand version.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9YGOMkSpmAHv2mTApSks9i9fyR6xHOqsOOGC9E9GudnoH8_nffzLABPzGitQgl5lTYxtjH6sSQcFMgi7-9FQyta6Dlny9S8z0CN34tQlYw20v-cdSfEVK6Sb0KIGf1ux03StzpfF5BA/s499/Ginter+A2D+cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9YGOMkSpmAHv2mTApSks9i9fyR6xHOqsOOGC9E9GudnoH8_nffzLABPzGitQgl5lTYxtjH6sSQcFMgi7-9FQyta6Dlny9S8z0CN34tQlYw20v-cdSfEVK6Sb0KIGf1ux03StzpfF5BA/s320/Ginter+A2D+cover.jpg" /></a></div><br />Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-70531659036809269202021-05-29T21:33:00.011-07:002023-03-29T07:57:07.844-07:00A Kaman HU2K/H-2 Seasprite Introduction<p>7 March 2023: For a very detailed build review of the Clearprop UH-2A/B, click here: <a href="http://alexsmodelling.blogspot.com/2022/">http://alexsmodelling.blogspot.com/2022/</a><br /></p><p>Update 11 December 2022: It took longer than projected, but Clear Prop! has now released excellent 1/72 UH-2C (<a href="https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_72017">https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_72017</a>) and HH-2D(<a href="https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_72018">https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_72018</a>) kits. </p><p>For Robert Beach's detailed HH-2D walkaround photos, see <a href="http://hamptonroadsscalemodelers.com/hh-2d-seasprite-helicopter-walkaround/">http://hamptonroadsscalemodelers.com/hh-2d-seasprite-helicopter-walkaround/</a><br /></p><p>The Kaman Aircraft Corporation won a Navy competition in 1956 for a small, high-speed, all-weather utility helicopter. It was designated the HU2K but by the time it entered service it had been redesignated the UH-2. Kaman produced a total of 190 of UH-2As and-2Bs.* The only difference between the A and B was navigation avionics, the lack of a full suite in the UH-2B meant that it was restricted to VFR (Visual Flight Rules) only. Externally, they were identical: single engine, four-bladed main rotor, three-bladed tail rotor, and retractable main landing gear.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMqJNuzN7p9GWPTQwbxdu_CZmRA-m_1U2laa8LVv9q6IqHD_PC00DESBr1WY8sEG3viLwergSSblIaY4gnVbWpplkXvqAoQlV-x0j-CEVBTZt7vsJSbjmctJfyF8yn6zbrVAdr7FPN4s/s2048/HU2K-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="2048" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMqJNuzN7p9GWPTQwbxdu_CZmRA-m_1U2laa8LVv9q6IqHD_PC00DESBr1WY8sEG3viLwergSSblIaY4gnVbWpplkXvqAoQlV-x0j-CEVBTZt7vsJSbjmctJfyF8yn6zbrVAdr7FPN4s/w640-h342/HU2K-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The following were the Bureau Numbers:</p><p>147202-147205: Prototypes (short nose and small tail wheel) <br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">147972-147983; 149013-149306; 149739-149786; 150139-150186;151300-141355; 152189-152206</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One problem with identifying the subsequent UH-2 variants from photographs using the Bureau Number is that most were conversions of the original 190.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The first was the UH-2C, which was now powered by two engines:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifii4Krw_lFR8CQCtP58m-ZKyG79aADZKUljVP4mhRghaaebbp1AnF3mz7gYL9URV2f45Rg4wnyxhOYJm-ld-aW_5D5znzsjnGWMk1UK_maxGAM4TPvOojrXc-fdunsUAT6vHNLCBRRPc/s2048/UH-2C+HC-5+12TD+lightened+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="2048" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifii4Krw_lFR8CQCtP58m-ZKyG79aADZKUljVP4mhRghaaebbp1AnF3mz7gYL9URV2f45Rg4wnyxhOYJm-ld-aW_5D5znzsjnGWMk1UK_maxGAM4TPvOojrXc-fdunsUAT6vHNLCBRRPc/w640-h406/UH-2C+HC-5+12TD+lightened+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>There were 57 conversions from A/Bs. Note that the rescue hoist is no longer retractable and there is a boom that swung out to put the rescue collar in the pilot's field of view. It has a wider vertical fin below the arc of the tail rotor with an airfoil shape providing a yawing moment to the left in forward flight.</p><p>Six A/Bs were modified to the twin-engine HH-2C.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwpnmFtIVDWjIy7z6nEH8eeP7lPkCSXTg36YNa5P5AiPxaCk_pE9ixn50_pEXCuYJzH4SbfJKtqSovpbg9WH6W8BHeI-dMw45Dfc5fQUMxYEdo43J4DGvmElF_dLaSB2vB1gamdQwRAI/s592/HH-2C+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="592" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwpnmFtIVDWjIy7z6nEH8eeP7lPkCSXTg36YNa5P5AiPxaCk_pE9ixn50_pEXCuYJzH4SbfJKtqSovpbg9WH6W8BHeI-dMw45Dfc5fQUMxYEdo43J4DGvmElF_dLaSB2vB1gamdQwRAI/w640-h420/HH-2C+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>These were armed and armored for combat rescue. A four-bladed tail rotor was required and the heavier gross weight necessitated a dual-wheel main landing gear. The bubble fairing above the rescue hoist allowed for a reel with 200 feet of cable. However, even with uprated engines, these were underpowered for the hot, high conditions in southeast Asia.</p><p>The somewhat misdesignated HH-2D addressed the hover-performance issue by deleting the armor and armament. A total of 67 conversions were accomplished to what was really a UH mission capability.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8mGcLQLQTLjZMKaLZzn1tvtIvV0EY3Dd0juxCn6FNaEIJnZ6kJL-Br_sOouqCSBJT5x9P863-sDkfOx0bKo3lN7kKZsnLOzwMvVWFnPT3LxfzQh5sWfFDXfkgwIj6fQCnN7rnsHGxEg/s572/Kaman-HH-2D+American+Helicopter+Museum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="572" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8mGcLQLQTLjZMKaLZzn1tvtIvV0EY3Dd0juxCn6FNaEIJnZ6kJL-Br_sOouqCSBJT5x9P863-sDkfOx0bKo3lN7kKZsnLOzwMvVWFnPT3LxfzQh5sWfFDXfkgwIj6fQCnN7rnsHGxEg/w640-h390/Kaman-HH-2D+American+Helicopter+Museum.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This example is on display at the American Helicopter Museum (<a href="https://americanhelicopter.museum/">https://americanhelicopter.museum/</a>) at the Brandywine Municipal Airport in West Chester, Pennsylvania.<br /><p>The need for ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) helicopters that could be deployed from small non-aviation ships and capable of seeking out and destroying submarines resulted in the next variant, the SH-2D that resulted in 24 conversions; the four-bladed tail rotor and dual-wheel main landing gear of the HH-2C were utilized:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbdZXsFv88FFNLP-OHrBORLn3bWBem-Rq_VFXNmK2xx5EWxSURuBECFyqif6fNntiha1k1rYYATGgkWV7gPMunQi5O9E__SQO1NFHf4uLM8QSMraAmZG5AsUzRQBjn2LNGFqUck5RUoA/s1016/The_first_Kaman_SH-2D_Seasprite_in_flight_over_the_Connecticut_coast_c1971.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="1016" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbdZXsFv88FFNLP-OHrBORLn3bWBem-Rq_VFXNmK2xx5EWxSURuBECFyqif6fNntiha1k1rYYATGgkWV7gPMunQi5O9E__SQO1NFHf4uLM8QSMraAmZG5AsUzRQBjn2LNGFqUck5RUoA/w640-h234/The_first_Kaman_SH-2D_Seasprite_in_flight_over_the_Connecticut_coast_c1971.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The added mission equipment included a surface-search radar under the forward fuselage, a Magnetic Anomaly Detection "bird" that was deployed from a outrigger on the right side of the fuselage, a sonobouy launcher on the left side of the cabin, and a smoke bomb dispenser for marking the location of MAD contacts. It could be armed with up to two homing torpedoes but each displaced an external fuel tank.</p><p>There were two YSH-2Es, conversions from BuNos 149033 and 150181. these were configured with other ASW avionics for evaluation.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9492LiI-6pZ1Xq9-Olmc86irRYHS7_MHR-9djbIqirQ8_dNPBza3dMval61OFJVjWy1DKCQBQownz5TDcszHZugkV1YtZscyzx1hL59cpg5Es1jbApy4BI9Y4-Xmu6xNz5aoL8xqyYWk/s1115/YSH-2E_Experimental_radar_installation_NHHS_Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="1115" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9492LiI-6pZ1Xq9-Olmc86irRYHS7_MHR-9djbIqirQ8_dNPBza3dMval61OFJVjWy1DKCQBQownz5TDcszHZugkV1YtZscyzx1hL59cpg5Es1jbApy4BI9Y4-Xmu6xNz5aoL8xqyYWk/w640-h254/YSH-2E_Experimental_radar_installation_NHHS_Photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Both were eventually converted to be SH-2Fs.</p><p>The SH-2Fs were initially conversions of a total of 104 of the original 190 UH-2A/Bs. They were powered by uprated T58s. Other modifications included strengthened landing gear and a new rotor hub, neither of which is notable externally. However, the tail landing gear was moved forward to provide more clearance from the deck edge, making it easy to identify this variant.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5c9XPBGzkFm_SVwV7Z_BI3udJG2HY03b20N-wlaCclYKgSsHRDtD4gY0PwfIBvzlD0rJE0CtZKuUSMSWgo8flnII6AyBh6dApPRwFoV1tGjJtfzsVFErBAhKygEHH7qVkohEHyJZgMs/s2048/SH-2F_Seasprite_landing_on_the_USS_Nicholson_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="2048" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5c9XPBGzkFm_SVwV7Z_BI3udJG2HY03b20N-wlaCclYKgSsHRDtD4gY0PwfIBvzlD0rJE0CtZKuUSMSWgo8flnII6AyBh6dApPRwFoV1tGjJtfzsVFErBAhKygEHH7qVkohEHyJZgMs/w640-h412/SH-2F_Seasprite_landing_on_the_USS_Nicholson_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>At this point, the Navy was finally running out of H-2 airframes to convert but needed more SH-2Fs so Kaman received a contract to build 54 new ones (in some cases, fabrication reportedly included building parts on the original tooling and then modifying them on the tooling created to convert the original parts). The BuNos are 161641-161658; 161898-161915; 162576-162587; and 162650-162655.</p><p>In 1986, SH-2Fs equipped with FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) systems and other non-ASW mission equipment began to be deployed into the Persian Gulf for night and mine-detection missions; they were also equipped with missile-defense systems.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8l6MlTTPpVeP5tq6ZZBKZ9_p-1eUTTuKH4FD4LB8HsoEnqQHI43Wik7ouPQo8AJfiso6O9LhsnRCsUpCXBKdaWagoB2-CuPZcPFm84-dBJDAIt24CwRB8LATPFBfqzWDgL2kSOgSvYY/s700/SH-2F+FLIR+Gulf+War+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="700" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8l6MlTTPpVeP5tq6ZZBKZ9_p-1eUTTuKH4FD4LB8HsoEnqQHI43Wik7ouPQo8AJfiso6O9LhsnRCsUpCXBKdaWagoB2-CuPZcPFm84-dBJDAIt24CwRB8LATPFBfqzWDgL2kSOgSvYY/w640-h306/SH-2F+FLIR+Gulf+War+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Last but not least, the U.S. Navy bought six more SH-2s, BuNos 163209-163214, powered by GE T700 engines and designated SH-2G, the so-called Super Seasprite. Additional SH-2Gs were created from former SH-2Fs and New Zealand procured five new SH-2Gs from Kaman. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQfdTE4v4S_tVIRDz9O_SyX_-x3wxAcUtcbqCAAJmcHBBBZMyyJUsACZkpbn6a2zUkGx7PdliGJ-p7Rkgzs4fS1ScKM5K3qTmCG29Qms3oL6hNLyZMYWL4ArcCIpAGSLGLDTvCBekk6g/s2048/US_Navy_080730-N-5384B-013_he_Royal_New_Zealand_Navy_SH-2G_Sea_Sprite_prepares_to_land_aboard_the_Nimitz-class_aircraft_carrier_USS_Abraham_Lincoln_%2528CVN_72%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="2048" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQfdTE4v4S_tVIRDz9O_SyX_-x3wxAcUtcbqCAAJmcHBBBZMyyJUsACZkpbn6a2zUkGx7PdliGJ-p7Rkgzs4fS1ScKM5K3qTmCG29Qms3oL6hNLyZMYWL4ArcCIpAGSLGLDTvCBekk6g/w640-h408/US_Navy_080730-N-5384B-013_he_Royal_New_Zealand_Navy_SH-2G_Sea_Sprite_prepares_to_land_aboard_the_Nimitz-class_aircraft_carrier_USS_Abraham_Lincoln_%2528CVN_72%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Gs were also operated by Australia (briefly and unhappily), Peru, Egypt, and Poland.</p><p>*Clear Prop Models has recently released an all-new, excellent 1/72 scale kit of the UH-2A/B:<a href="https://clearpropmodels.com/uh-2a/bseasprite"> https://clearpropmodels.com/uh-2a/bseasprite</a></p><p>A Paul Boyer summary of the kit in the October 2020 issue of Fine Scale Modeler:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU2Lrl8p1OtjZgIFF8o_pz3TBjNAjAfpCIBiD3NEpUgbBioY-l05fSjRBhWz2eJKYXV9bdDqNHiYEM22FtNX0E27RIisTl5FoM7d_Rru4bTFPYq1WYfAifd2YFoAA_-whpGmTqnMfuHs/s771/Screen+Shot+2021-05-30+at+12.30.18+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="771" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU2Lrl8p1OtjZgIFF8o_pz3TBjNAjAfpCIBiD3NEpUgbBioY-l05fSjRBhWz2eJKYXV9bdDqNHiYEM22FtNX0E27RIisTl5FoM7d_Rru4bTFPYq1WYfAifd2YFoAA_-whpGmTqnMfuHs/w640-h298/Screen+Shot+2021-05-30+at+12.30.18+AM.png" width="640" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848437078181345610.post-85381296398839290382021-03-30T09:49:00.011-07:002022-12-10T20:16:21.108-08:00North American AJ Savage Model Kits<p>A work in progress; more later:</p><p> I was surprised but pleased to see a release of excellent AJ 1/72 scale Savage decals from CTA (Cut Then Add), which is based in Moscow.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIN9hsi1wj7ld-OBl6nTh5W5WDMNa8VthERwlixt2IfuJBHvp3TI5P6AAFhjkB9Kq8FDZekUrasvo1NIWXzensRiqn8bwYFMl8PRiqgRm0E8ZTVln-DFQy-M3MDlGPNHfZ9uAsB3cb4w/s2048/CTA+Decals+1of2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1465" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIN9hsi1wj7ld-OBl6nTh5W5WDMNa8VthERwlixt2IfuJBHvp3TI5P6AAFhjkB9Kq8FDZekUrasvo1NIWXzensRiqn8bwYFMl8PRiqgRm0E8ZTVln-DFQy-M3MDlGPNHfZ9uAsB3cb4w/w286-h400/CTA+Decals+1of2.jpeg" width="286" /></a></div>For more on this company's products, see <a href="https://www.ctamodels.com/">https://www.ctamodels.com/</a><br /><p>I was surprised mainly because 1/72 kits, with one exception, are hard to come by and building any of them has a higher degree of difficulty than the average kit builder might wish to cope with.</p><p>There are also accuracy issues, in part related to the differences between the AJ-1 and AJ-2 and among the AJ-2Ps.</p><p>The AJ empennage was redesigned after a fatal accident in flight test when a structural demonstration resulted in the empennage being torn off. The original one had a very large rudder, believed necessary for an engine failure shortly after launch and one-engine-inoperative wave offs (also see <a href="https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2010/11/one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea.html">https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2010/11/one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea.html</a>). The vertical fin was enlarged in area, the rudder was reduced in area (but repositioned a bit farther aft to minimize the reduction in its control power), the dihedral was removed from the horizontal stabilizer, and the horizontal strake on each side of the fuselage above the jet engine tailpipe was removed. All surviving AJ-1s were retrofitted with this empennage and all AJ-2s were built with it.</p><p>Another change introduced with the AJ-2 (and later production AJ-2Ps) was a redesign of the flight deck. The AJ-1 had seats for two on the flight deck, the pilot on the left and the bombardier on the right. There was a third seat on the lower deck just across from the entry door. With the AJ-2, the third crewman's position was relocated to the flight deck in an aft-facing seat. This required that the canopy be raised and lengthened. The controls for the pilot were also changed from a stick to a control wheel and the throttle quadrant was moved from his left to the center console on his right.</p><p>For more details on the Savage, see <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/aj-savage-notes.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/aj-savage-notes.html</a> and <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/04/aj-2-savage-cockpit.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/04/aj-2-savage-cockpit.html</a> and <a href="https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2013/01/aj-savage-bombardier-station.html">https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2013/01/aj-savage-bombardier-station.html</a><br /></p><p>The AJ-2 also had a modified hydraulic system. The only external indication of this is a two-piece nose landing gear door in place of the AJ-1's single rectangular door.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRB6gh58ZRJtImaqmuQiaw-hzVJPFsfB47Sv-9MOq-0-9jwbGu5iKQX6OgKEApf3akgj9LZh61Rv_m3mnyARbMLmgNl8RWMkbzcRo8n89xSeKXCi9KEs0GaQyoCLor90sascXOZ6u4Z8/s2592/AJ-1+vs+-2+Illustration+Rev+A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRB6gh58ZRJtImaqmuQiaw-hzVJPFsfB47Sv-9MOq-0-9jwbGu5iKQX6OgKEApf3akgj9LZh61Rv_m3mnyARbMLmgNl8RWMkbzcRo8n89xSeKXCi9KEs0GaQyoCLor90sascXOZ6u4Z8/w640-h300/AJ-1+vs+-2+Illustration+Rev+A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVBwEZb0OHj6WCq86Rh0YsXR9IS6puVhyphenhyphenSpJ2kt92XfNvoOmnYsZjaY6aO1-d8H9TTEP4NGNeapA7gR_zvY8f7b3jz8ECQQnKXj6ev1-PbDG7gjz1DWPL8XT7piivKTOjwCVjiIsN8Sc/s2048/AJ+Top+View.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="2048" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVBwEZb0OHj6WCq86Rh0YsXR9IS6puVhyphenhyphenSpJ2kt92XfNvoOmnYsZjaY6aO1-d8H9TTEP4NGNeapA7gR_zvY8f7b3jz8ECQQnKXj6ev1-PbDG7gjz1DWPL8XT7piivKTOjwCVjiIsN8Sc/w640-h436/AJ+Top+View.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Unfortunately, these differences between the AJ-1 and -2 were not realized by kit manufacturers. There are five 1/72 kits:</p><p><b>Roden injection molded AJ-1:</b></p><p><b> </b>See <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/08/roden-172-north-american-aj-1-savage.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2022/08/roden-172-north-american-aj-1-savage.html</a><b> </b> <br /></p><p><b>Airmodel vacuum-formed AJ-1</b>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQvnclWw1x9lMt3TpvOcgGNwRZ7g5o4MkPTyUdwYyNZnlbzhOGZ7LYuuQSthawoRh35WKeW-MWtTpjgQGd8fSz7f6qs7qB26vsHTVJusky5CEBADsVwt8c-FjTfCroovylerKTlQZQPo/s1122/Airmodel+Kit.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="1122" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQvnclWw1x9lMt3TpvOcgGNwRZ7g5o4MkPTyUdwYyNZnlbzhOGZ7LYuuQSthawoRh35WKeW-MWtTpjgQGd8fSz7f6qs7qB26vsHTVJusky5CEBADsVwt8c-FjTfCroovylerKTlQZQPo/w640-h268/Airmodel+Kit.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>You don't get much (basic shell and canopy, no landing gear, no propellers, no decals, etc.) and what you do get is pretty crude, particularly the canopy. With a significant amount of correction to the plastic provided and scratch-building/scrounging of detail parts, a presentable model from the "kit" can be created.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7hy7doQXNTYsV2VHASZx7L21OR-iw-0GOlpL9UG0rrHYSm51G63ltdr9w2U3NN3WzAvixnuE-msuHl5c_4hnT6xS5HCRbl3iaxedFxl7TMnt9eWIJBREbuaYwWSpA0Qvdy9pSp-PlSU/s1463/AJ+and+Mk+4+Cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1463" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7hy7doQXNTYsV2VHASZx7L21OR-iw-0GOlpL9UG0rrHYSm51G63ltdr9w2U3NN3WzAvixnuE-msuHl5c_4hnT6xS5HCRbl3iaxedFxl7TMnt9eWIJBREbuaYwWSpA0Qvdy9pSp-PlSU/w640-h354/AJ+and+Mk+4+Cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The Mk 4 bomb and trailer were from 12 Squared: good luck finding that. A drawing for scratchbuilding one is here: <a href="https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-it-right.html">https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-it-right.html</a><br /><p>One interesting aspect of this model is that it looks about right even though it has major shape issues: for example, the wings are too thick but that is offset by the nacelles not being deep enough.</p><p><b>Rareplanes vacuum-formed AJ-2/2P</b>:</p><p>The late Gordon Stevens basically created the vacuum-formed kit concept, producing examples of airplanes that no injection-molded kit company would consider offering at the time. His products are also the standard for this kit type in quality and appearance. His AJ-2/2P is no exception, augmented by additions from Hannants.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lQ2EdqYCQkSsd1gSrldytixHYu678rYT_RVAuR0WysOZS61tVHre1Xsg1ZWrwsuUIypg_LzNdovicViH-MMeHFpdpJZ__d-Y6osNq28Z7yY_pYanl5JMpJO7k9o6S5_pwUyz8K_E1lw/s1114/Tony+W+Rareplanes+Kit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1114" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lQ2EdqYCQkSsd1gSrldytixHYu678rYT_RVAuR0WysOZS61tVHre1Xsg1ZWrwsuUIypg_LzNdovicViH-MMeHFpdpJZ__d-Y6osNq28Z7yY_pYanl5JMpJO7k9o6S5_pwUyz8K_E1lw/w640-h388/Tony+W+Rareplanes+Kit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It has white metal details, excellent decals, comprehensive instructions, and fuselage halves that are actually the same size. Regrettably he did not have source material equal to his intentions and expertise and may not have been involved in the sourcing of the propellers, which are the kit's most obvious error:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-kvHnD7W4X8uZx9PBCN1oGJB7f6xn5iFY9dIzDv1HC5_SSl-sZdYjdAmyvB2nRiQ-aTcqZkWEwU1sG_S7wjvwdLGmF4IqxF0vOGCkQc-kmFSgq9wo9f9-RsgQMhNMB64VF8y9oJxckw/s2048/Rareplanes+AJ+Metal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="2048" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-kvHnD7W4X8uZx9PBCN1oGJB7f6xn5iFY9dIzDv1HC5_SSl-sZdYjdAmyvB2nRiQ-aTcqZkWEwU1sG_S7wjvwdLGmF4IqxF0vOGCkQc-kmFSgq9wo9f9-RsgQMhNMB64VF8y9oJxckw/w640-h421/Rareplanes+AJ+Metal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The propeller diameter is about right (a little undersized but then so is the kit itself) but the propeller blade tips should not be quite as wide and the width of the blades should then taper in a straight line (somewhat less than it looks like from head-on because of the blade twist) to the hub.</p><p>The drawings that he relied on were also inaccurate with respect to the vertical fin (the red outline is from North American's excellent AJ-1 side view; the green detail is the AJ-2 from North American engineering drawings and almost certainly indicates the correct location for the horizontal stabilizer):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4C_eDf29SWAtym17Tp7WBhofyIBF2opEyqVjNxXUxn_OPJMVaMQwcoJA54NEAJCDGi2GEEFYBvoIui_pUWVGKGOhEsVj_CAWm0mcb-cgyiG4-2WrVVpgOROwIH5B1AwFxLHXnSm9_cw/s2823/Rareplanes+AJ+Kit+Illustration.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="2823" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4C_eDf29SWAtym17Tp7WBhofyIBF2opEyqVjNxXUxn_OPJMVaMQwcoJA54NEAJCDGi2GEEFYBvoIui_pUWVGKGOhEsVj_CAWm0mcb-cgyiG4-2WrVVpgOROwIH5B1AwFxLHXnSm9_cw/w640-h253/Rareplanes+AJ+Kit+Illustration.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>An unforced error was that he assumed the AJ-2 canopy was the same length as the AJ-1's, just with different frames. As a result, it is a bit too short.</p><p>The kit is also slightly undersized but that's not a deal breaker in my opinion. Tony W currently has a build post on Britmodeler <a href="https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235090901-rareplane-na-aj2-savage-vac-form/">HERE</a>.</p><p><b>Mach 2 injection-molded AJ-2/2P</b>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_edMYo9fqw523scDyKWnXOtKLWqVM-yyBJ_M5KQ-xlQGyGCGA7G6bsh_SQIEPMcbwlLoUf0NgfDpNN1917pItdg0ZuwjI9D6JijWkvztSTzCPephfyRldUGntroRzpe3T_CzbTsMHH8/s494/Mach+II+kit+box.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="494" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_edMYo9fqw523scDyKWnXOtKLWqVM-yyBJ_M5KQ-xlQGyGCGA7G6bsh_SQIEPMcbwlLoUf0NgfDpNN1917pItdg0ZuwjI9D6JijWkvztSTzCPephfyRldUGntroRzpe3T_CzbTsMHH8/w400-h260/Mach+II+kit+box.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Mach 2 appears to have used the Rareplanes kit as a basis. The fuselage halves are virtually identical in size and shape, as are the wings and the nacelles, so it is slightly undersized as well along with a vertical fin that is not quite long enough. However, the clearish cast canopy is that of an AJ-1 or early AJ-2P (it's also awful; I reshaped it and used it as a vacuum-form master for my Airmodel AJ-1 build).</p><p>It is possibly better than the average Mach 2 kit and certainly buildable. Replacing the canopy requires some skill but the other issues like redoing the imaginary flight deck and reshaping the top of the vertical fin are straightforward. And it is still available </p><p>This is a model from the Mach 2 kit with a replacement -2 canopy (it looks like the one in the Rareplane kit, which came with two of them) on display at Mosquitocon in 2014</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29i8y2u81uBUynpbe7nqnHJYGshW50HOx5xHiQUsSPqdu4XzH8JtzDOIZ60Dyi5Faj9frw6MxHgksdYBrbHXxUuVhY58awbe2TFe75yE99IatcfdflLKzXcodaO8K41kgzw3WzIF9Kj4/s800/Mach+2+AJ+Photo+by+Adrian+Davies+Mosquitocon2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="800" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29i8y2u81uBUynpbe7nqnHJYGshW50HOx5xHiQUsSPqdu4XzH8JtzDOIZ60Dyi5Faj9frw6MxHgksdYBrbHXxUuVhY58awbe2TFe75yE99IatcfdflLKzXcodaO8K41kgzw3WzIF9Kj4/w640-h528/Mach+2+AJ+Photo+by+Adrian+Davies+Mosquitocon2014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Photo by Adrian Davies<br /><p></p><p><b>Anigrand resin 1/72 AJ-2</b>:</p><p>Up until the mid 2022 issue of an AJ-1 by Roden, this was by far the most complete AJ kit (full disclosure: I provided drawings to Anigrand for it and reviewed photos of the first casts). Note the cast canopy. The only flaw that I remember (the box is currently in the back of warehouse behind the Ark of the Covenant crate) is the tail hook.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFhYtQZLbydN0aXaBLt4TpAOuy2jQs2xJ2bUrtUYfIMpUPJHX7jPgHtBA94E9a4BkWnwctoJfKVmeOGwwNYecTFVamhyphenhyphenFJAijob_n56x7p_Xec4hy9csozjK1tHd1nEESDTDlUO3NzMg/s640/AA2089_AJ-2_parts.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFhYtQZLbydN0aXaBLt4TpAOuy2jQs2xJ2bUrtUYfIMpUPJHX7jPgHtBA94E9a4BkWnwctoJfKVmeOGwwNYecTFVamhyphenhyphenFJAijob_n56x7p_Xec4hy9csozjK1tHd1nEESDTDlUO3NzMg/w640-h480/AA2089_AJ-2_parts.gif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This is what the AJ tail hook should look like:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWKJXZEeDEWAP6uVILEwMPGGPxlBVb3QD5q0hb8MUVpfifBNijQSU6-jDBb0v7P1S-rADXpRC2yoAyeEqNkiac0_Jup62p0tSYsjGiZcaknSSZLCs8X1me23AZ2LQ8MDGfrk8RZ4U_TU/s2048/AJ+Savage+Tailhook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2048" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWKJXZEeDEWAP6uVILEwMPGGPxlBVb3QD5q0hb8MUVpfifBNijQSU6-jDBb0v7P1S-rADXpRC2yoAyeEqNkiac0_Jup62p0tSYsjGiZcaknSSZLCs8X1me23AZ2LQ8MDGfrk8RZ4U_TU/w640-h446/AJ+Savage+Tailhook.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This is an Anigrand kit built by Brett R:<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDdixECFKXllVdiMlgKfdVI24pAkckf3ERZ76U0Om3mv3pbrqT_8w8bdpii5cHBYiTN5XZhMT2_K5n83H-CfDAkRRG51KS2Xy3sKqm57H7-ys0Dt8Eh4vAG4s9dQEC1tbhpPI3YfS3kI/s1024/Anigrand+AJ-2+by+Brett+R.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDdixECFKXllVdiMlgKfdVI24pAkckf3ERZ76U0Om3mv3pbrqT_8w8bdpii5cHBYiTN5XZhMT2_K5n83H-CfDAkRRG51KS2Xy3sKqm57H7-ys0Dt8Eh4vAG4s9dQEC1tbhpPI3YfS3kI/w640-h426/Anigrand+AJ-2+by+Brett+R.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p> And another with a review by Scott Van Aken: <a href="https://modelingmadness.com/scott/korean/us/usn/aj2.htm">https://modelingmadness.com/scott/korean/us/usn/aj2.htm</a><br /></p><p>Nostalgic Plastic was the U.S. distributor for Anigrand and included extra decals and a CD with additional information and photos on the type that I created.</p><p><b>Other notes:</b><br /></p><p>In order to minimize weight, North American provided the Savage with a cumbersome method of folding the wing and vertical fin. See <a href="https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2010/03/hell-it-wont-fit-ii.html">https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2010/03/hell-it-wont-fit-ii.html</a> and <a href="http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/10/aj-savage-wing-and-fin-fold.html">http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2022/10/aj-savage-wing-and-fin-fold.html</a><br /></p><p>Because of its size, aircraft carrier captains tended to prefer that the AJs be based ashore and only flown out to the ship (where nuclear bombs were stored for safekeeping) when the balloon was about to go up. However, after it was repurposed to be an airborne provider of jet fuel, its popularity increased significantly, particularly in the western Pacific where alternatives to landing back aboard the carrier could be few and too far between. See <a href="https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2013/12/texaco-redux.html">https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2013/12/texaco-redux.html</a><br /></p>Tailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.com1