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Hi everyone, Finally, I’m very pleased to be rolling out my latest Voodoo for your consideration, hoping that you will like her as much as I do. She has languished on the shelf half-done for about three years and so I thought I ought to finish her. Unfortunately I cant find my notes regarding paints. I show what I can remember. Those who have seen my previous Voodoo builds will know that I was on a Valom Voodoo “fix” for a while at that time and this will be the third, and last for the foreseeable future. This model depicts RF-101A-30-MC 54-1514 which was operated, until her sad demise, by the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, based at Shaw AFB. She crashed, fatally, while operating near Franklin, North Carolina on the 16th March 1966. More specifically she is finished as she appeared as part of camouflage trials involving two Voodoos in the early to mid 1960s. Another is reported as being black overall (possibly 54-1512). The following is an extract from the Operational and Test Evaluation - Camouflage and Corrosion Control (RF-101) document issued in October 1963 (TAC-TR-63-8): “The two RF-101's were each painted differently; however, the color scheme chosen was one which provided good "cover" against a verdant terrain. One aircraft was painted a black first coat followed by a dull green mixed with a small quantity of black for the final coat. The second aircraft was painted two coats of the green and black mixture and, in an attempt to break up the silhouette and distort distinctive lines, irregular splotches of reddish-brown paint and alternate black were applied. In both cases the undersides of the aircraft ware similarly painted, as were the external fuel tanks.” Interestingly a further un-identified RF- Voodoo (at least one) was painted in a toned-down camouflage a little earlier, carrying toned-down black national insignia too. This was around the time of the Cuba Crisis and is illustrated in a couple of reference books. As shown, 54-1514 had additional green stripes around the rear end of the engine bay and on the wing tips, indicating its participation in the extensive exercise “Desert Strike” in the Spring of 1964. See her (I think) at 18 minutes 45 seconds in this video: At Ontario, Ca: I found other potiential shots of her during Desert Strike on YouTube: Some will also have seen other images of her with a strange and different mottled camouflage. A famous photograph shows her as a static air show exhibit (at St. Louis?) in that scheme. My challenge, apart from the kit itself, has been the decisions around the paint colours. The greater minds on the subject have suggested that these were a unique mix. Therefore, I have attempted to simply match what I see in the image above but using proprietary paints. They may not be 100% accurate but they are close. Later, of course, the RF-101As in SE Asia adopted a further scheme which was close to that on 54-1514. I have therefore used that in my decision-making process too. Sadly she doesn’t sit as a build I am most proud of. I made a number of mistakes along the way and now I have just been determined to get her done. Nevertheless, I think she deserves completion and illustrates well a potential alternative to the well known SEA camouflage. So, what did I do/use?. Here goes: Modifications from the kit: 1. Replaced the wing fences with Plasticard 2. Added nav lights etc behind canopy and on the wing tips with spare sprue and KristalKlear 3. Cut jet pipe housing back by c5mm and added 12.5mm stryrene tube 4. Used F-84F (Airfix) for the belly tanks (minus fins) 5. Used modified F-101B resin cockpit 6. Added under fuselage aerials/sensors Aftermarket and other materials used: 1. Kit – Valom McDonnell RF-101A Voodoo 1/72 (72092) 2. Aftermarket – a cut-up and adapted Aires F-101B cockpit, Armoury wheels 3. Paints – Colourcoats, Humbrol Sand, Black, Chrome (191), Silver (11), White, Interior Green (226), Red (60), Gull Grey (140). Finished with Humbrol Satincote. 4. Decals – Xtradecal national insignia, home drawn and printed serials, lettering etc, Xrtadecal red lining. Sadly I had some silvering of the home printed decals 5. Weathering/Wash – Flory 6. Jet pipe – 12mm styrene pipe I hope you like her Martin

A slow burn as I just found this in a box under my desk! I had built her a couple of years back and lost interest when nearly finished. As an aside I might, with encouragement, get her finished! Martin