iainpeden

Another difference is that the small aerial half way along the spine was black on 424 and white on 486.

You've tempted me to try a Black Arrows one - but not one with the YellowJacks!

The last ones from NMUSAF and the last of my trip. There are a number of aircraft outside – mainly some larger ones they haven’t got under cover. Apparently there are discussions about adding another building – problematic because there needs to be clearance for the runway – or extending some of the other buildings. The fourth gallery (opened in 2016) cost $48m. The historical buildings are interesting, but neither was open; the Nissan huts came from Debden; the control tower is a "reproduction" but contains artefacts, furniture etc. from England. There’s a large, wooded, area contain many memorials, which I wish I had time to photograph. The one pictured is a memorial to the Mighty 8th. IMG_6976 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6977 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6978 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6979 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6980 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6982 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6983 by Iain Peden, on Flickr This is a view across the airfield to the restoration centre; the tri-motor is a Northrop YC-125 Raider (the only other survivor being at Pima) IMG_6984 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6986 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6989 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6990 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7045 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7046 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

No reason to disbelieve you but the link I posted states she was with the Texas ANG then the CA ANG ; she flew into Dayton in the lizard scheme and the Texas markings in April '86 which the photo supports. The photo dated 20/7/95 looks as if she is back in the SEA scheme (light gray underside) 12 years before Olds' death in June 2007. @bentwaters81tfw I've just found a photo of 64-0829 in the C&M F-4C volume. The photo is dated October '83 and she is in what looks like freshly applied overall tan/Two greens; with the red Texas tailband and with letter SA above the 64-829. Suggesting repaint into lizard while with the Texas ANG.

I did notice that the formation (slime) lights on the a/c had been painted over as they would not have been fitted at her time in @Nam. However, since that time she had served in a variety of places (including with the 81st TFW) and therefore would have been repainted a few times; add to that the evidence that she arrived at Dayton in the lizard scheme (maybe one of the few Cs to wear it) so Olds' wish wouldn't really have worked out. https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=57691 Those interested in the Vietnam War will be aware of Chappie James - one of the first black senior pilots and Robin Olds wingman. Throughout the museum his story is told - Tuskagee Airman to Korea to Vietnam; tragically he died within a month of retiring and is buried at Arlington.

NMUSAF Presidential and Cold War A bit of a mixture here; the larger presidential a/c are tricky to photograph in the circumstances. However you can get into each of them and it was interesting to see how basic the earlier ones were. It was also quite poignant to be able to stand on the spot LBJ was as he was sworn in as president after the assassination of JFK. The special lift for FDR was interesting to see. The walkways between the four mega-galleries are really well used. There’s a display on the first Americans to reach the Holocaust camps artefacts, a display case with the “pyjamas” in and very clear and well worded placards, another one on the Berlin Airlift and then there’s the walk-way between 3 and 4. It’s done up as a missile silo and you stand at the base of various missiles, Minuteman, Thor etc – the photo is taken from the first floor viewing platform so you get the idea of the size. Nice to see a Tornado (ours not B-45). The F-4G was a good catch because it’s one of the few to be refitted with the single piece windscreen; noticeable that the Perspex on that Phantom ad the F-111F had discoloured so much. One more to come from Dayton 20220919_114351 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_130048 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_130124 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7021 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7022 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7023 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7024 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7089 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7090 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7091 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7092 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7097 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7101 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7104 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7105 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7109 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7108 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7107 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

The Vietnam section is the one which interested me most; Century series jets, big transports, camouflage and so on. Unfortunately I found this area the hardest to photograph as the a/c are general larger than the WW2 stuff and closely packed together so please take these as record shots. I’d also seen the transports at Dover so didn’t take the ones inside at Dayton. The C-141 is in the Presidential gallery, but it’s the famous “Hanoi Taxi” – the first one in to take the PoWs home. But just to whet the appetites here’s a list of the lower level a/c (some are up on stands). B-52, F-105G, F-105D, F-4C (Robin Olds’ Scat), F-100F, RF-101, F-111A, B-26K, C-121, A-7D, RB-66, OV-10A, HH-3E, CH-3E, C-123K, C-7A, A-1E, YA-37A, Mig-21, Mig-17 (For some reason I didn’t take pictures of the various Migs around the museum – but there was a lot of information about the secret programs (I’ll use the American spelling) they were used for. I’ll just have to go back!) 20220919_103441 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7066 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6969 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7068 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7069 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_103933 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_103954 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_105154 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_105215 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_105617 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7088 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

Apart from the a/c there’s a huge amount to see at the museum. There’s a whole space information section which I didn’t get into and the walkways between the 4 sections are well used; a display on the Berlin Airlift and another on the holocaust are both fantatically well presented. Air crew apparel through the years was another. One I wish I had a photo of was the “off-duty” flight suits by crews in Vietnam. Different squadrons dyed light cotton flight suits different colours, black, red, white, yellow etc – all with full rank markings. This set are of nose art sections taken from scrapped BUFFS. IMG_7122 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7120 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7119 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7118 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7117 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7116 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7115 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7121 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

Into the 50s Loose chronological parameters this time, but you get the idea. The information boards and artefacts from the Korean War section were excellent and certainly taught me a lot. One thing that really struck home were the multiple copies of aircraft; at least four Sabres, three C-130s, two Constellations, two B-57s, three Phantoms (and an F-4B cockpit done up as a C) all fitting into the relvant historical period. I just wonder if anyone from a certain museum in north London is viewing this lot and realising you can do aircraft and people and artefacts and different variants of aircraft and meld it all together into something magnificent. (pigs might fly!) The one in this section which had really wanted to add to the tick list was the RB-45 Tornado which I have been interested in since I saw photos of them in RAF markings and read the “over the Iron Curtain” stories. Much bigger than I suspected. 20220919_102912 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_103023 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_103400 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_110144 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_110222 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_112033 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_145607 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_150331 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7065 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7070 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7071 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7073 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7074 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7112 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7006 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7018 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7020 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7025 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7036 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7037 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7039 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7042 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7044 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_145835 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

All my posts (still a few to come) are posted as a thank you to @Old Viper Tester who not only gave me some invaluable advice about visiting the museum (Don't when the USAF marathon is on!) but also spent an evening entertaining me with various stories including supersonic runs in an F-4 - thanks again "Sven". @Mike - you asked for some fancy US a/c - here are a few but keep patient for the rest! An immense museum that is not the easiest to take photos in (to say the least). Recently some of the galleries have been upgraded to include incandescent and LED lighting which tend to give ultra-bright spots to confuse the camera, at times my phone was coping better than my DSLR. I thought I’d post some unique a/c – reading the (excellent) placards one can only wonder at the bravery of the test pilots and the vision of the engineers in the 50s and 60s. IMG_7082 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7080 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7079 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7077 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7017 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7016 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7015 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7014 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7013 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7012 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7011 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7010 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7009 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7005 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7004 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7003 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7002 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_122808 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_121327 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_121304 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_115100 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_113108 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

@fightersweep I must admit I hope they don't repaint "Flakbait" - conserve it s there's no further deterioration but keep the original paintwork, much as they have done with the P-61.

The Udvar-Hazy centre at Dulles Airport, Washington DC is the “displayable storage” facility of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. The downtown museum reopens this autumn (fall) after a massive refurbishment. Just a small selection below. usa 02 300 by Iain Peden, on Flickr usa 02 265 by Iain Peden, on Flickr usa 02 250 by Iain Peden, on Flickr usa 02 249 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6766 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220922_110949 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6763 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6762 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6760 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6755 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6753 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6752 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6749 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6746 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6744 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6742 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6740 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6736 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6733 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6728 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6723 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6720 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6759 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220922_121004 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220922_120957 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220922_120528 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

The first gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force is definitely the darkest. The gallery is split into two parts, early aircraft up to the mid-30s and the 2nd World War area. Ironically (for a Duxford volunteer), the first a/c you see is the Hurricane in Eagle Squadron markings in a Battle of Britain scenario. Some of the a/c in section 1 are replicas. Although the lighting looks poor the mark one eyeball copes much better than anything electronic. All the information panels are very well done with carefully contrasting colours, none of the light grey on medium grey, and good sized and clear font; where necessary the boards are well lit. 20220919_144511 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_144439 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_143356 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_141844 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_140107 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_100021 - Copy - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_095735 - Copy (2) by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_095140 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_095052 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_094947 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7063 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7061 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7058 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7056 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7051 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7049 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7048 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_7000 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6999 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6995 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_144443 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_143324 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_141855 by Iain Peden, on Flickr 20220919_101219 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

I actually got back a couple of weeks ago - next up Dayton and the USAF museum.

The Pax River Naval Air Museum is about an hour and a half south-east of Washington D.C., straight forward to get to if you fancy it. The day before I’d visited the AMC Museum at Dover. As ever the welcome I got from the staff and volunteers was great – certainly helped by the Duxford maps I had taken with me. This included a tour inside the Osprey – by the crew chief who’d flown it. The 4 hours I spent here were enlivened by F-18s and F-35s flying around and what I think was a J-Stars high overhead . IMG_6859 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6860 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6861 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6864 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6870 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6873 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6877 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6882 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6883 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6884 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6886 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6888 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6891 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6894 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6897 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6899 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6900 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6901 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6904 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6905 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6910 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6916 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6923 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6930 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6935 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6940 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6941 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6950 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6951 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6952 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6957 by Iain Peden, on Flickr Thanks for looking.

@canberraman Hi Mark, the AMC museum is open to the public (5 days a week) and is free to visit. The volunteers (docents) were great and as soon as I mentioned volunteering at Duxford I got some special treatment being shown into some closed a/c. They do hold open cockpit Saturdays once a month. Pax River - which is next up - also opens 5 days a week and cost $7 to get in.

My 65th birthday present to me - 10 days in the USA visiting 4 museums on the "must do" list; AMC at Dover, Udvar-Hazy at Dulles, Pax River Naval Air Museum and , the cream on the cake, NMUSAF at Dayton. More (quite a few more) to follow. The Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover is definitely worth a visit – it’s about two hours from Washington D.C. and the trip takes you over the Bay Bridge, memorable in itself but especially with one of those big American trucks tight up behind! The museum uses the hangar and pan used by the fighter squadrons when they were based there, hence the F-101 and F-106. Dover is an active base and the day was made even better by C-5, C-17 and KC-135 movements. I saw the Stars and Stripes at half-mast throughout my trip. IMG_6817 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6857 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6842 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6833 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6831 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6830 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6828 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6825 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6824 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6823 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6822 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6812 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6809 by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6806 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6804 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6799 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6795 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6790 - Copy - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6787 - Copy - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6783 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6781 - Copy by Iain Peden, on Flickr IMG_6767 by Iain Peden, on Flickr

Thanks - PM sent

While at the Udvar-Hazy centre (center?) recently I was chatting to some of their volunteers; one is coming over to the UK at the end of November and I said I’d show him around Duxford – so we’re meeting up. I got the e-mail below from him today about Alcock and Brown’s first flight across the Atlantic and the story about Brown doing a “wing walk”. Does anybody have any further information I can send back across the pond? Sorry it's not modelling, exactly Thanks Here’s some irony for you: a few of my NASM Docent colleagues have raised a question about a story that Brown had to do a wing walk on the Vickers Vimy, who, with Alcott, were the first to cross the Atlantic non-stop. It came down to one of us going to the London Science Museum to get the ground truth (bad pun), and since I already will be in the neighborhood, so to speak, I am elected. So, now instead of heading to Oxford as we planned, we’re going to South Kensington after we leave Cambridge. My wife is in favor since she wants to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum as well as the London Science Museum. South Kensington, here we come. Below are the cross-assertions that I am now charged to investigate. Any insight into this lore? Thanks, Joe Extract from Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown (aviation-history.com) “As far as Brown was concerned, the only possible way of avoiding a crash was to make a trip out onto the wings. He grabbed a knife and swung his legs out onto the nose. Seeing what he had in mind, Alcock stood up from his seat and tried to hold his companion back. Brown jerked himself free, and, in the blinding snow, he wriggled forward from strut to strut and from cable to cable, holding on with one hand. His left leg caused him difficulty, because it was still stiff from wounds he had received in the war. “The limping lieutenant gradually removed the ice from the inlet connections and cautiously cleaned the inspection window of the fuel intake. The slip-stream tugged at him, and frost nibbled at the flesh on his hands. Brown cleared the air filters of snow--then he had to go back again, back and over the nose to the other wing and the other engine.” From a NASM Docent: “In Robert Harder’s new book, “First Crossing” ha debunks this assertion – ascribed to Alcock’s brother and repeated in a 1955 book by Graham Wallace—and notes it would have been impossible for Brown to accomplish this wing walking with his WW1 injuries and states there is no such gauge on or near the Rolls Royce engines and what Brown did was chip ice off the “Fuel Overflow Gauge” located on a strut three feet above their heads, difficult enough of course and painful for him with his left leg condition

With regard to radomes being changed around. 56 painted a radome with a VF-111 sharkmouth on the FGR.2 displayed at Greenham for the Phantom Meet in 1983. Later that year (possibly '84) the same radome was on display at Finningley but on a different machine.

"I've already got aftermarket decals in the stash and it would be a waste not to use them." "Just one to complete my line up of RAF/USN/USMC Phantoms."

The finish (from ultra matt to satin) could affect the shade of the gray.

Model Junction in Bury St Edmunds had one in the window on Friday morning and they do mail order if anyone is desperate. Super shop, very well established - my only link is an occasional visit when I'm down that way.

A good 24 hours for me. Last night about 9 an RAF Herc went over followed 5 minutes later by an Atlas. 2.10 on the dot this afternoon, Red Arrows right over the house with a slight formation change over the garden and a Crowsnest Merlin this afternoon. (Great Oakley on the southern edge of Corby)

Interesting thought that it was an experimental camouflage scheme, especially as the RAF went black with their trainers to increase visibility. I'd always assumed it was to show VX-4 were special. Mind you, the idea does bring some interesting potential colour schemes to mind - VF-74 in black with red markings for instance, VF-84 and the Jolly Roger in white ......... hmmm.