Ham

It's time we had a 1/72 F-86A Saber. An early E model would be nice as well. Which company to ask? Arma Hobby? They haven't done any jets yet. Clear Prop? They certainly have an eclectic offering of types now. Any others?

Wow, that is cool. Where do I sign up? Oh, wait, I already did. In any case, a neat time capsule back to 1953. I didn't know that H models were still flying then. Thanks for the link.

I have the Mach 2 release of this airplane. It is rough. Maybe I will send it to eBay. This new release by AA looks promising.

This is good news, I have been working on a conversion of the Tamiya 1/72 kit to an early D. The main differences are the cowl flaps and the flat keel. No wing pylons, either. The 348th Fighter Group on New Guinea flew D-2, 3, 4, 5 in 1943 and early 1944. Also, it would be great if they gave us the Australian (Ford) "Brisbane" tank which was used by 5th Air Force Thunderbolts. Photo below shows a D-2-RE https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p-47d/p-47d-42-8077-348th-fg-340th-fs-new-guinea-1943/

I wonder if we will get a USAF forward air controller boxing. From what I can remember, these would be O-1E, F or G. I would think it would just be different decals, possibly the ADF antenna.

I don't know if you found these websites that are dedicated to the Iwo Mustangs and the very long range escort mission. There are quite a few photos on these sites. Someone else already mentioned the excellent Carl Molesworth book Very Long Range P-51 Mustang Units of the Pacific War which also has some great photos. My opinion based on looking at a lot of different photos of Iwo Mustangs is that if they had names, it was on both sides. It may or may not have been the same name. Aircraft were handed off to different pilots and maintenance crew. Also, some aircraft were shared by two different pilots. Finally, regarding Stinger VII, if you look very carefully at the close up photos that show the landing gear doors you will notice they have the number 67 on them. This plane in squadron number was common to Iwo Mustangs. It was unique to group, squadron and aircraft. Not all aircraft had the number on the main gear doors. Seems most common in the 15th Fighter Group, which was the first unit to fly into Iwo Jima. The Japanese defenders were still there! Good luck with your models. https://7thfighter.com/45th/album/index.htm https://7thfighter.com/ http://www.506thfightergroup.org/index.asp

Has anyone seen or built the DeCarli Models resin Cirrus SR20/22? As of now it's the only known kit of the very popular Cirrus general aviation aircraft. I see Arctic Models is offering some attractive decal options for this kit. I am tempted to get this kit as I fly a Cirrus. https://www.arcticdecals.com/products.html?id=45671/734888

I think it's interesting that Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly with Me" album has a TWA Connie in the background. That album was apparently released in January 1958. Even before the jet age, it was the lovely Connie that was the queen of the skies.

You may be interested in this thread over on the 72nd Scale Aircraft site. I was asking about an early P-47D1-5 as used by the 348th Fighter Group on New Guinea. There are some good photos of early P-47D1's - 5's with the flat keel in the links. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/72nd_aircraft/weren-t-we-supposed-to-get-an-early-p-47d-t11578.html

Interesting subject. If you look at his flying experience in the F-4, he only flew the C model while in the replacement training unit at Luke AFB. His operational assignments to the 493rd TFS at Lakenheath and 428th TFS at Nellis were in the F-4D. Lakenheath switched out its F-4D Phantoms for F-111F aircraft as part of operation "Ready Switch" in 1977. The 474th TFW (including the 428th TFS) gave up it's F-111A's, which went to Mountain Home and got F-4D aircraft and crews from Lakenheath. As far as I can tell he flew the F-4D at Nellis until about 1980, when he left the Air Force to join US Airways. It appears to me that the photo of him taken in front of the Phantom numbered "455" was taken at Luke AFB. Note he is a First Lieutenant (single silver bar) and has a Tactical Air Command (TAC) badge on his flight suit. If the Photo had been taken when he was at Lakenheath he would have had a United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) badge on the front of his flight suit. He would have made captain in 1977 I think. He was a 1973 graduate of the Air Force Academy.

I like those markings too. Tasty! I also agree it would be nice to see earlier variations

Greetings, this thread has risen like the Phoenix. The link to the Ethell collection colour photo of Mrs Bonnie has been moved to Flickr. You can't download it any more. In my opinion, the area between the fuselage stripes is natural metal in the colour photo. Also, flaps and ailerons are also natural metal. It's possible this changed over time, just like there are photos of the plane with the original Aeroproducts prop. Then other photos of it with the Hamilton Standard prop. Lieutenant Colonel Dunham ended the war as a deputy group commander. That is second only to the group commander and a position with a lot of rank and privileges. As has been previously mentioned, there is overspray on the stripe from the masking tape. I think that tape was probably only one inch wide. I suspect the painters at the 5th Air Force depot were in a rush to get a lot of airplanes done and delivered to the fighting squadrons. Your mileage may vary... https://www.flickr.com/photos/143513596@N02/29968764037/

I am also pleased with this subject. The FM-2 was an important naval aircraft on escort carriers and operated in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Now let me see, what did I do with that decal sheet I have squirreled away...

Looks great, I just ordered one. These are flown by many small airlines and for air-medical transport in many nations. Thanks AModel. Now how about a TBM and Cirrus SR22?

This is exciting, I'm especially looking forward to Q400. Thanks, Eastern Express!

I have used lead wool (available from plumbing supply or hardware stores) or fishing sinkers. I usually glue them in with epoxy glue.

Omega Models does a 1/72 scale resin kit of the Cessna 182. I have not seen it but it is shown on Scalemates. Probably short run. We really need a good Cessna 182 in any scale. Are you listening Minicraft? Also need a Cirrus SR22 but I don't want to hijack this thread... https://www.scalemates.com/kits/137170-omega-models-72369-cessna-182

It will be interesting to see if this is a new tool. I have two different 1/72 MiG-21UM kits in my stash. The older one is from Bilek and the box is copyrighted 2000. They also did a MiG-21U. The other kit I have is by Eastern Express. Not sure which of the two is most accurate.

It will be interesting to see if it is new tool or uses parts from the 1980's vintage MF kit. I built the KoPro MiG-21MF back in 1984. Still have it in the case. Not a bad kit for it's day. So this year it appears we are getting new MiG-21MF from Eduard, a UM from RV, and a MiG-21bis from KoPro. So many small air force marking possibilities...I am particularly fond of Cuba and Congo camouflage and markings

I keep hoping they will do an F-15C boxing. I have other decal sheets, but the number of stencils would be hard to match.

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/339thfg.php?action=list_records&recs=50&sort_order=ASC&order_by=Squ&recs=50&next_page=8#tabletop Third line down has the fuselage code, serial number (it's a D, not a K) and status.

I did a search on the "Big H" site and found some very interesting B-24 sheets from Lifelike. This one looks like it has a 15th Air Force B-24. https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/LL72031 Also this one. https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/LL72030 It appears that Likelike has multiple B-24 sheets that have aircraft from the 5th, 7th Air Force, (Pacific theater) as well as 10th, 14th Air Force (China, Burma, India) as well as 8th and 15th Air Forces. It's nice to see some aircraft from less known theaters of the war.

Thanks for this information. After waffling a bit, I went with the badges that have the white background.

I am building the new-ish Airfix 1/72 Ju 87B-1 and was planning on using Xtradecal X72-118 Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary sheet for a 6G AT from 6./St G 1. Airfix includes the same markings in the kit. However, the staffel shield colours are different. Airfix has the background in yellow. Xtradecal has the background in light blue and "hands" the devil so it faces forward on each side. I also have in my collection the Topcolors 8 "Battle of Britain" Part I and the staffel shield on that sheet is in white! I am ready to put the decals on now but not sure which ones are closest to correct. I can't find an online photo of 6G AT but there is one in "Luftwaffe Colours Stuka, Volume One" by Peter C. Smith on page 44. In that photo, the staffel shield background appears to be a light colour, possibly white or yellow. Can anyone help, please?

I also have this one in my collection, even though I don't build 1/48. It's just too nice not to have. Limited edition Hasegawa P-39Q 1946 Thompson Trophy race winner Cobra II http://www.hasegawausa.com/product-pages/hsgs9974.html You might be able to find this gem on the secondary market. I found mine on evilBay