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Not necessarily. Back then the fiscal year started on 1 July, so fiscal year 1952 started on 1 July 1951. However it can also take several years for aircraft ordered in one fiscal year to actually be built and delivered. By the time that that particular F-84F was in production they may very well have started on dark gull gray for cockpit interiors. IIRC the last B-52 built was procured with fiscal 1962 funds but did not enter service until Calendar year 1964. Some aircraft types take even longer to enter service after being ordered. In 1975 the Federal Government changed the start of the fiscal year to 1 October, but many states, like California, still start the new fiscal year on 1 July. Later, Dave

Thank you. I just checked my personal spreadsheet on the Scale Aircraft Modelling magazines that I have and the Pembroke was in the July 1991 issue. Later, Dave

No that has nothing to do with it. The trademark is basically to make money off of kits of aircraft that Boeing and Lockheed-Martin may or may not have anything to do with. The aircraft you mentioned were either Douglas or North American Aviation products, and those companies have since been bought up by Boeing. Same thing with F-16s. General Dynamics was the original manufacturer and Lockheed trademarked it. Why they were allowed to make money trademarking something paid for by the American taxpayer has been a bone of contention with lots of people, mostly modelers like us, since they first started this garbage a bit over 30 years ago. Later, Dave

I did the same thing with one of mine Pembrokes to make a SeaPrince C.2. In the photos I have of Pembrokes, and what I could see in the article on the Pembroke in an old Scale Aircraft Modelling there is no dihedral. Here's how it turned out: Later, Dave

And didn't you know that there is now an F-47 in development? Another one that has torqued my jaw is the C-5M. What happened to the D through L models????? Somewhere around the house I have a promotional flyer given out by Lockheed-Martin about the virtues of the C-5D, which for some unknown reason other than dumb a$$ bureaucrats thought it would be better to call it the M because it was Modernized with new engines, just like the D model! Oh and something else I found out a month ago. The C-5Cs, which don't have a passenger compartment in the back and also have clam shell doors for loading missiles, and should logically get a new model designator because of the engine change, are still referred to as C-5Cs even with the new engines! A bunch of 1 delta 10 tangos! Later, Dave

When I first got to Beale there were only two trainer aircraft, but just before I left in `87 the third aircraft arrived. There was a debate going on as to whether the aircraft was a TR-1B or U-2RT. I did the INS acceptance on it and the aircraft forms said TR-1B. So for time that settled it. Years later the trainers were designated as U-2RTs and presumably now as U-2STs with the re-engining. It is still a misapplication of the designation. It should be either TU-2S, or U-2T is you were to follow the same pattern established long ago such as the F-100D/F, F-15A/B, C/D and so on. When will these fools learn to use the designation system as it was designed and not play games with it. Later, Dave

Looking at my 45 year old copy of Dana's book, and looking some more at the photo I posted a couple years back, it could be that the upper surfaces of the one aircraft are OD but stopping several inches short of the leading edge on all horizontal flying surfaces with Navy blue gray sides and Neutral Gray under surfaces. The OD on the fuselage would only be on the flat upper surface of the fuselage. From the sounds of it on page 23, things were in a state of flux so various different combinations could be plausible. Later, Dave

I'm not familiar with that one. I do have the Special Hobby kit which will get built one of these days. Later, Dave

My guess is that they swiveled that way as the aircraft was backed into its parking spot. Once it starts moving forward again, they'll swivel around to the correct position. Shortly after landing the pogos as we called them are put back on before taxiying back to its parking spot. The crew chiefs can turn them back around during their post flight checks. The one in the photo could possibly be a museum bird but it is hard to tell for sure from what I can see in the background. As for the OP's original question, Special Hobby is the only game in town for the TR-1A/U-2R version of the deuce. Not sure how much of a physically noticeable difference between the R and S models. Later, Dave

Steve Ginter has given up his website. Check out Tailhook Topics at: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/ Tommy says how to order books directly from Steve Ginter now. Later, Dave

I'm no expert and I don't play one on TV either (Americans of a certain age will get the reference), but logically if you don't want someone stepping on a leading edge panel then it seems to me that the black line would be placed so that the line is still on the part you can walk on, not on the edge of the panel they don't want you to walk on. Later, Dave

I did a search on BM for Wolfpak decals and something actually popped up! Seven pages worth! The results are here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/search/&q="Wolfpak decals"&quick=1&search_and_or=or&sortby=relevancy You may be able to find something out if they produced what you are looking for. Later, Dave

Fantasy Printshop is trying to sell their business and retire. The Wolfpak decals shown are for archival purposes only. They are selling sheets on E-bay. I did send them an e-mail through E-bay asking about a sheet that they still have, but I have yet to receive a response. Also bear in mind that Wolfpak decals are no longer being produced as the man making and selling the decals passed away from a heart attack several years ago. They were very good decals and had great instructions. Later, Dave

First off, AFAIK, the aqueous colors are no longer being made. At least Sprue Brothers doesn't list them. The regular Mr Color paints are still around. From the Urban Fredriksson color charts, C317 is FS 36231 and C324 is FS 36307. If you want to go with the scale effect, they 36307 would be a way to go. FS 36231 is the normal color for most cockpits on U.S. designed aircraft. FS 36307 is lighter than 36231. The last three numbers in the FS colors refers to the light reflectivity. Therefor 307 reflects more light than 231. Later, Dave Color Chart for Gunze Sangyo paints can be found at: https://www.ipmsstockholm.se/home/urbans-colour-reference-charts-part-ii/urbans-colour-reference-charts-gunze-sangyo/

One other problem the Academy B-17 has is the lack of the wingtip vent for the Tokyo Tanks. These were introduced during the production run and retrofitted to aircraft still in service, to include a few F models. The vents are clearly visible in this photo. Later, Dave