tempestfan

Many thanks @Troy Smith, I will have a good look when time permits.

Perhaps it may be worthwhile to look for an Airfix wreck which includes the canopy, to serve as master for plunge moulding. But then you could possibly recycle the balsa block you need for soldering to make an alternative plunge moulding. PS: That original issue B-52 in your avatar is one I'm after - well chosen!

I can't offer any insights, but as you say, an unguided pulk breaker rocket would likely have been of little use against single bombers or fighters, even considering its considerable blast radius.

I was just thinking when walking back to my hotel that D looks very similar to the MG pod included in Airfix's Defender, in particular that angular waist belt. The time in the elevator made you beat me 😉

To return to the Baltimore - the Greek booklet is very worthwhile IMO, it was the first to clearly illustrate the four fixed rearward guns, and includes nice interior artwork. May be hard to get now, I bought mine at Holloway Rd. in 2001... The AJ looks great, but there's a pic on the early pages that I swear shows a pair of Bostons.

How do you define "avoidable"? Pilot error/action, possibly in conjunction with ambiguous communication with ATC (Tenerife is such a case, compounded by the crucial problem of radio interference when Clipper told they were not yet clear; or GOL 1907)? I'd also class Turkish 981 as "avoidable", though not by the aircrew; and it was a pretty horrific crash.

Well, in German we say "Ist der Ruf erst ruiniert, lebt sich's gänzlich ungeniert". While that cowling incident looks pretty "interesting" (but probably not dangerous), each and every fairly routine thing happening in particular to a 737, be it Legacy, NG or Max, will draw media's attention for some time (as you say). Glad I'm not a Boeing shareholder but Airbus', but then - this may happen to them too, if they get overambitious and push through their expansion programme without the required qualified resources.

I am for for taking a challenge, but one of the Frog boxings of the Hase or a Frogspawn copy would be a better starting point. The Lindberg was also boxed by Revell in the early/mid 80s, when half their catalogue consisted of Lindy kits (but mostly the crappy ones). May not actually be easier to find, though.

LOL - indeed, what can possibly go wrong when sticking LERX wings to a preseries fuselage... Not sure if the base kit is the Lindberg mould or a copy of it. I admit I have a soft spot for Eastern European 80s and 90s kits, but you have to draw a line somewhere. I steered clear of those AeroPlast creatures in the 90s without looking into one; call it Basic Instinct. About par with the Starfix Spitfire 21 [but I have two of those].

I think the Warbirds Illustrated (20?) by Paul Beaver has (a) photo(s) of an FRS.1 testing it, and IIRC it was cleared - but hardly, if ever, used operationally. I think most if not all RN ships capable of were armed with Exocet post Falkland, doing the same job as Sea Eagle but defensively. In case you are coming from the Airfix 1/48 kit, their SE is more of a Martel as it lacks the Ram-Air intake.

But from when on was it used - and by whom? I am fairly certain all my 80s Aeroguides have it "retarded" when there is a reference. Hi(gh)-drag is originally US terminology I think? I am ca. 150 pounds post-C19, and possibly retarded, but certainly not high-drag (yet [notwithstanding the C19 home office swim-ring]) - stick with "retarded" for any FAA Bucc. Hi Drag is for Snakeye Queenies.

It was my understanding that the Sparrows on all stations (inner pylons very rarely used) were pushed clear of the airframe by an articulated arm before the rocket ignited?

I am pretty certain the E-7 at least (or possibly only a portion) could and did carry drop tanks, though from when is another question. However, for a fighter the main requirement will be on the "drop" aspect - I am not completely sure the set-up on the E allowed for dropping? @SafetyDad will have more knowledge.

It would have been nice had Heller given us the gun pods (as shown on the box), but there are only fat, ugly, plain pylons (OK, I know you meant those) that will leave an ugly big hole if removed.

Thanks for that - I'm halfway through, and it sounds really well-informed.

...and it might be added (but @alt-92 did to some extent) that the USN apparently was rather keen on getting 20mm's in their fighters - -4B, -5, and about all early jets - Banshee, Demon, Crusader,Panther/Cougar, Tiger...

As far as I'm aware, explosive rounds (at least in the smaller calibres) are intended to punch large holes and/or distribute splinters, in order to ideally cause as much damage to airframe and systems around the point of impact as possible. An AP round would pierce armour plate, but only make a relatively small hole. In order to be effective, it would need to hit a vital part of the aircraft on its path, or the pilot.

There is also the original Hase B (sold as a J, but it has thin wings), which is utterly terrible. The Airfix and Revell are quite decent regarding shapes, but are - old, and show this.

A dog if there ever was one...

Thanks @72modeler Mike - the Nordholz plane indeed is the one from Willow Grove. As it was damaged when being transported to the MoNA, and the 262 apparently has also moved there, I wonder/hope at least the Cutlass and Tenzan have also moved there. It would be a shame had they been lost. --- There is a Fury at Willow Grove currently, but from the satellite pic I'd say it's a -4.

The last pic I saw of it it still stood on its floats 😉 Indeed, now you mention it, the 262 - I had a quick scan on Earth of what must have been the (former?) MCAS, but saw only US types. Remarkably including a Convair Sea Dart, if I'm not mistaken.

I think one of them actually rotted away for decades at MCAS Willow Grove, PA. It is my understanding this is the one at Nordholz - at least that's what they confirmed when I asked.

Try to find the Aerophile Extra on the AV-8, it covers B development quite nicely IIRC, with a couple of drawings. An alternative to Italeri may be the "first gen" Airfix series 5/7/9/B, I guess many people will have upgraded. The good thing is that every single seater has the same parts, so you have a broad spectrum to pick from (in theory, at least - possibly also in Heller boxes). @CT7567, it's a long time since I looked into my Italeri 137 vs. GR.5, but Italeri was prolific and also quite good in updating their moulds during the 80s - but then as you say, there were hardly drastic alterations.

Where have you been for the past 5 pages that you still believe the 2000 is more beautiful than the IIIC?

There was a thread on RAF Dark Green last week, and even though it concerned its WW II use, may contain useful information. Many people consider HU30 to be too blue, apparently, based on scientific study. HU163 is the companion for HU 164, but I can't comment whether it's a better Dark Green than HU30. Ocean Grey was a designed as a neutral grey I think, only consisting of black and white pigments, so would lack the blue cast you mentioned (if the model paint follows life ;-)).