T-38 kit questions

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hello all,

I’ve just received my Sword 1/48 T-38 in the mail and together with a decal set from TwoBobs Im hoping to turn this into an AT-38 from Holloman AFB.
The kit looks great with a few exceptions… recessed panel lines (if a little shallow) and amazing detail. Leaps and bounds over the old testors, fujimi kits. The flaws Ive noticed so far include the clear parts sprue is thick and unfortunatly the forward canopy has already broken off leaving a nasty break mark further than the frame line. This kit also has Polyeurathane? parts Ive never used parts like these before. They are loose (not attached to sprues) and have a large extra peice that has to be removed . Being loose in the box they have done a fair amount of scratches to the fusalage and wings of the model.
I have a few questions I was hoping to find some help on…
1st, Does any one know how to fix the chip/crack in the windshield?
2nd Ive never work with Polyeurathane parts before. Im guessing thier like the rest of the model and once Ive cut off the extra bits I can paint and glue them like I do everyother model. However Ive heard mentioned about certain types of material need diferent types of glues or paint and I wanted to make sure thats not the case here
3rd and last, while looking up reference photos for the bird I want build I came across a question that was left unawnsered “I wonder how much of a destabilizing effect the travel pod has because it’s located so far forward of the CG?” Now I think the photographer may have been wrong in refering to this as a travel pod because I think its a simulator for air to ground weapons delivery. I could be wrong and if I am please correct me, but like the man says its rather farther foward than I would have imagined… any comments? heres a link to the picture in question Thanks guys
http://airliners.net/open.file?id=303756&WxsIERv=Tm9ydGhyb3AgVC0zOA%3D%3D&WdsYXMg=VVNBIC0gQWlyIEZvcmNl&QtODMg=TWlkbGFuZCAoLyBPZGVzc2EpIC0gSW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbCAoUmVnaW9uYWwpIChNQUYgLyBLTUFGKQ%3D%3D&ERDLTkt=VVNBIC0gVGV4YXM%3D&ktODMp=MTk5Mg%3D%3D&BP=0&WNEb25u=TWFyayBDYXJsaXNsZQ%3D%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=MTA4OTE%3D&MgTUQtODMgKE=U2hhcnAtbG9va2luZyBwbGFuZS4gQ29tcGxldGluZyBwcmUtdGF4aSBjaGVja3MuIEkgd29uZGVyIGhvdyBtdWNoIG9mIGEgZGVzdGFiaWxpemluZyBlZmZlY3QgdGhlIHRyYXZlbCBwb2QgaGFzIGJlY2F1c2UgaXQncyBsb2NhdGVkIHNvIGZhciBmb3J3YXJkIG9mIHRoZSBDRy4gQW55IEEuTmV0IHZpZXdlcnMgb3V0IHRoZXJlIHdpdGggVC0zOCB0aW1lPw%3D%3D&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=MTEwOQ%3D%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMi0xMi0yMQ%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L

2

Hi there Awood. You’re about to build a pretty aircraft there. When you say polyurethane, do you mean resin (giethars in dutch, résine in french [;)])? If so, then you need to know a couple of things:
1- remove the molding chunks from the parts with a hacksaw, then sand the last bit off (laying sandpaper flat on a worksurface and moving the part over it works better than the other way round)
2- resin molds leave behind a lot of grease/release fluids. You need to wash your parts well in lukewarm (!) water with some washing-up liquid added (the stuff you use to do the dishes)
3- use superglue (cyanoacrylate). Solvent-based glues won’t work.
4-show pictures of your kit and progress[:D]
Hope this answers your questions. Have fun building!

3

AWood.
That is a travel pod. They are fabicated from old style napalm canisters. Don’t have an answer on the cg, though.

Randie [C):-)]

4

Awood23, that is infact a travel pod installed on that aircraft. The bomb and rocket pod( I can’t remember it’s designation) was much flatter, there was also a mini gun pod that could be used. The center line pylon on a T-38 is alittle forward but that was to clear the speed brakes, when the weapons pods were used,also to facillitat the electrical conectins for the pylon.You’re pic brought back some good memories. I worked 479 TTW AT-38Bs as an eng. mech. from 1978 till they went contract maintenance in 1988. I worked in the engine back shop and test stand, maintenance operations center, and finished off in the 436 TFTS (the squadron in you’re pic). As far as the cg there wre no ill effects from this installation.

5

Thanks all for the info. Bob,sounds like you and I may have walked a few of the same stretches of sand. I was only between 12 and 15 at the time but I lived on Holloman (later, Alamogordo) from 85 to 89. My father ran the Dining Facilities and Flight Kitchens for Holloman. The minigun pod you refer to, is it the same as the pods carried by F-5E?

6

Small world isn’t it.[:)] I spent alot of years at Holloman, from '78 to '80 I lived in barracks and from '80 to '88 I lived in the mobile home park near the Alamogordo airport. I’m not sure about the pod on the F-5 but I know I’d seen them on A-37s. I’m bad about remembering designations of the weapons. Guess I’ve been retired too long.