Speaking of scratch building…
One of the big things that will have to be scratch built is what I’ll call the “Talon compartment”. A little background first…
There were two of us ECM techs for the 4 C-130s and the 4 C-123s. We were officially assigned to 1st Flight Detachment but the 90th SOS inherited all the maintenance responsibilities when the 15th SOS left, so we worked for them. The 90th had its own techs for the Black Crow system, FLIR, LLLTV and special coms systems. We took care of the TRIM 7 and TRIM 9 systems plus the RHAW equipment, except the scopes on the consoles. We didn’t have a “need to know” to enter the Talon compartment. But they gave us a tour just once. I’m basing my layout of the compartment on that one quick glimpse and it’s a fuzzy recollection.
As I remember it, there were two rows of consoles inside the cargo bay just behind the flight deck. There was a bulkhead separating the Talon compartment from the rest of the cargo area with a doorway in the center. The doorway was covered by a curtain. We began our tour through this door.
As you entered, there were two consoles, one on either side. I’m pretty sure one was for the special coms operator and one was for the EWO. I don’t remember which one was which but I’m going to go with coms on the left (looking forward) and EWO on the right.
There was a walkway between the two consoles and that led to the FLIR/LLLTV and Black Crow consoles. These were situated along the forward cargo bulkhead just behind the flight deck. They were side by side to the right of the access door from the flight deck and forward hatch.
The original Talon aircraft were eventually upgraded to the Talon I. The pictures below show a Talon I aircraft with a single equipment console just behind the flight deck bulkhead. Apparently, they were able to consolidate the four original consoles into one by the time they did the upgrade. More about the consoles later.
Cheers,
Russ
Thanks for the great information Russ! You know how I just eat this stuff up! [bgr]
Ken
YW, bud [:D]. I’m on shaky ground here but I’m going with my gut feeling…ahh…memory [:)].
Russ
Hi Everyone,
I painted the mechanical up latch. I also painted the tail hook since I had the paint in the airbrush already. I used Model Master Metalizer buffing Titanium. I like to let it dry overnight before I buff it. Here they are:
So I will be buffing tomorrow. I have to work tomorrow as well, so I am not going to get as much done at the workbench as I had originally hoped.
Ken
Hi Everyone!
Great news! Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Voodoo. (You can probably tell by my avatar.) I just discovered that Kitty Hawk has announced plans to build all versions of the Voodoo in 1/48 scale!! Here is a link to a first look:
http://www.hyperscale.com/2013/reviews/kits/kittyhawkpreview_5.htm
Happy, happy!! Joy, joy!!
Ken
Man, that looks nice, Ken! And they are going to market the whole family? How many versions are there?
Great news, bud! [:D]
Russ
According to Rowan Baylis from Aeroscale, “The F-101A pictured here is set to be just one of a whole family of Voodoo kits”.
That is all the information out right now.
There were several versions made of the Voodoo but the major versions were:
F-101A / RF-101G: F-101A released 5/2/1957 and withdrawn starting 1966. It was fitted with 4 20mm M39 cannons in the nose. The F-101A was powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney J57-P-13 turbojets. A total of 77 were built. 29 survivors converted to RF-101G with a modified nose (cannons removed) to house a camera and served in the Air National Guard through 1972.
RF-101A: Entered service May 1957. Long nose variant to house up to six cameras. A total of 35 were built. Same airframe as the F-101A.
F-101C / RF-101H: Improved F-101A, had a 500 lb. heavier structure to allow 7.33-g maneuvers and revised fuel system to increase time in afterburner. Released later in 1957. A total of 47 were produced. Also withdrawn starting in 1966 with 32 being converted to RF-101H with a modified nose to house a camera and served in the Air National Guard through 1972.
RF-101C: Entered service in 1958 using the same airframe as the F-101C. Long nose variant to house up to six cameras. A total of 166 were built. Nicknamed the “Long Bird”, it was the only version to see combat. Used during the Cuban Missile Crisis and entered into the Vietnam conflict in October 1961. It served in Vietnam until November 1970. Continued service in USAF through 1979.
F-101B / CF-101B: Entered service 1/5/1959. It had a 2 man cockpit, and the forward fuselage was larger and more rounded to house the Hughes MG-13 fire control radar. Instead of the 4 M39 cannons the earlier versions had, the F-101B carried 4 AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles on a rotating pallet in the fuselage weapons bay. The F-101B used a pair of more powerful engines, the Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55, which had much longer afterburners than the J57-P-13s, and they were allowed to extend out the fuselage by almost 8 ft. There were a total of 479 F-101Bs manufactured. The Canadian version of the F-101B was designated the CF-101B.
F-101F / CF-101F: Basically a F-101B with dual controls used as a trainer. A total of 79 were built. The Canadian version was designated CF-101F.
RF-101B: Twenty two CF-101Bs that were returned to the USAF and converted to RF-101Bs. The radar was removed in the nose and a camera was adapted. Also the weapons bay was removed and replaced by a camera package. In service from early 1970s through 1975.
Ken
Wow, good information, Ken! Thanks!
Russ
Hi Everyone,
Well since I worked yesterday I had to squeeze my regular weekend chores into one day today and I am just now getting done. I am wore out.
I did have a chance to score a few nice lithographs on eBay though! Here is what I got:
Pretty happy with the lot. Now I will have to buy frames for them!
Ken
Wow! Nice scores, Ken! I especially like the one with the B-52s [:D]. C5 is cool too. Does anybody make a 1/72 scale C-5 model?
Russ
Actually Russ, yes, Anigrand Craftswork makes a resin 1/72 kit of the C-5B:
http://anigrand.com/AA9001_C-5B.htm
It is a bit pricy at $328 plus $52 shipping but it is a HUGE kit. When completed it measures 41 inches long with a wingspan of 37 inches!
I do have this in my stash. When I build this the only place I could put it when finished would be suspended from my ceiling!
Ken
Looks pretty plain for that price.
Thanks for the information, Ken. I wasn’t thinking about buying one - I was just curious if there was one marketed. Man, that could easily take a year to build if you detailed it [:D].
Russ
Yes, and it would definitely fill up your workbench! [:D]
Ken
Hi Everyone,
I finally had some time to spend at the workbench tonight. I buffed the Metalizer that I had painted earlier on the mechanical up latch and tail hook. Here is how they turned out:
Not near as shiny as your F-4D Marty, but that is all I can get out of it. I think they must have used Turtle Wax on that F-4D!
Next I will start back on the front wheel bay and add the wash to bring out the detail.
Ken
Cool, Ken! Definitely looks metallic. What do you use to buff such small parts?
Russ
Hi Russ,
On the larger areas I use a Q-Tip, and for the smaller areas I use a Microbrush:
These come in three different sizes; regular, fine, and the one shown here, super fine. They are meant to be used for applying glue or paint but they work pretty good for buffing in tight places too!
You can get them in most hobby stores, Amazon.com, eBay, etc.
Ken
Striker: That is some great info and images on the Talon. I’m doing a first time scratch of an EW station in an A-3 right now, but I’m guessing my pitiful first time efforts will pale compared to yours.
Ken, I saw that announcement on the Kitty Hawk 101 a couple of weeks ago, and it convinced me to pull the trigger on some decals I ran across a month or so ago. I’m betting that you might be interested too:
http://www.canuckmodels.com/
Check out the Voodoo Special Schemes. I had purchased the Revellogram 416 Lynx One boxing and so had an interest in that version, but the others on the sheets are pretty awesome too. I’m really digging Lark One.
I need to get some shots of the EF 101B CAF # 58-0300 (All Black). I found out it is part of the museum at my local airport.(MSP) I’m there about every week, but never have taken the time to stop in and see the sights!