One of the first major conversions I ever did was to turn a Revell F-4F into a G. Would’ve been late 90’s or early 2000’s? All scratch built parts working from photos and profiles and missiles from the Hasegawa set, which I remember cost me more than the base kit at the time. Still one of my proudest modelling achievements.
One day I’ll build that 1/32. One day.
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You know I’ve not yet managed to get there to have a look around. And I’m not too far from the place either. At some point I will have to.
I think they’ve got a Voodoo as well?
Yes they do have a Voodoo, the link below has their complete list of aircraft.
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I still remember watching the F4g’s returning after clearing the way for the F117’s. The choppers maybe right as the 101st cut the country in half several weeks later. What I’m referring to was the opening night raids when they bombed Bagdad. Yet I’m only going by what I saw on TV and what the news said
gary
Look up Task Force Normandy for the Apache mission in opening the radar line. And if you ever get the chance read “Crusade” by Rick Atkinson. It’s definitely the best overview book that I’ve yet read on the 91 Gulf War.
No photos unfortunately, but I have been quietly working on sorting out that badly fitting panel under the nose and intake.
It’s needed strip, putty and Mr Surfacer to blend it in and I think I’m happy with it now. Also worked on the undercart, drop tanks and pylons.
The project will be on hold for a week while we’re on holiday. Will get straight back on to it once I’m back.
See you all soon.
Was able to get back to work on the Hun this afternoon. Smoothed out the join on the intake and fitted the wings. It’s now starting to look like an aeroplane!
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Nice so far! I built the ESCI 1/72 F-100D Pretty Penny as it was early in Vietnam in NMF. It was actually aluminum lacquer paint as the USAF in 1958 painted all NMF planes for corrosion control. I also used Bullpups. There was an occasion where a Bullpup was fired into a cave in Vietnam that was used by enemy as a warehouse, the pilot got a lucky shot and the Bullpup exploded inside the cave setting off massive secondary explosions. John
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Thanks John, great work on yours. I’m going for the same scheme. And thanks for the tip on the paint they used.
I need to get this back onto the bench and finished. Started with a lot of enthusiasm until she got packed away before the summer holiday.
I have a few packed away also! There were some jets early in Vietnam that were NMF before they initiated that silly SEA scheme. I did a beautiful F-104C in NMF from about '64 or very early’65. The plane that destroyed the enemy cave-munitions warehouse with a Bullpup missile was actually a Navy A-4C Skyhawk off the USS Enterprise. John
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Yes story that seems to ring a bell now. Will have to look into it.
Wouldn’t mind seeing your F-104C. That’s another one on my build list I need to tick off someday.
Here’s a couple images. It’s the 1/72 Monogram F-104C with Caracal decals for 56-0892, 479th TFW in Da Nang 1965 before they were painted in SEA camo. The only after market part was a metal pitot tube for the nose, the kit’s broke off. Very glad I replaced it as it looks much better. John
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That’s nice. Really nice paint work on that.
Cammo and bombs never really looked right on the Starfighter.
Hoping to get back onto the F-100 soon. Just got to finish up a WW1 Lanchester armoured car and I’ll get back onto it.
I’ve got buddy that flew on that strike.
gary
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I could be wrong as that’s not uncommon. I used to load up on the east runway to recon hills for a possible vacation spot. The F104’s were parked on the east side of the runway, and we loaded up right in front of them (sometime in the summer of 68). Remember those guys out there reading Playboy magazines and the Stars & Stripes. Want to say they were a silver grey finish, but also remember them in camo. They had the best jobs in I-Corp!!! In all the times we hooked up there (about a dozen) I saw them fly just once! They bitched and moaned about George Bush not being there, and fail to realize the waiting list was a mile long. Reason we used DaNang was because they knew where we were going in Chu Lai.
That’s what I’d call a good job where you worked on your sun tan and read Playboy every day. By the way the next best job was the Hawk Missile batteries. I doubt they even fired a single rocket
gary
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Thanks, first 104s there were silver with white upper wing panels and gray lower wing panels. Dubya did put in for Vietnam but that was after they stopped using the 102. He was Deuce pilot in the Texas ANG. John
he was also qualified for the F104, that I remember him saying an interview. By the way you all may well be right as thinking back on the subject all I remember most was getting sand and dust in my eyes. I mean it was like a dust storm. You really didn’t get to see much of anything in the ninety seconds this all took place. I know my left hand man stole a Stars & Stripes news paper and the latest Playboy as they blew by him. They ain’t got no PX out west!
gary
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