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CF-5A wheels


Wm Blecky

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I am considering picking up a few of the RES-KIT resin wheel sets.  Do we have any knowledgeable members here on the CF-5?  I am wondering if later versions (for lack of the correct word here), would have used the same wheels (tires/hubs) as the F-5E variant?  I've scoured the net but have been unable to find any really good pictures that might confirm this.  I am planning to build the ESCI kit as an Aggressor version using the Leading Edge Models decals.  I tried to contact Leading Edge, but they are unresponsive :( 

 

Thanks in advance.

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I believe all of the Canadian F-5's were all based on the F-5A, so they would all have the same wheel hubs and tires as the F-5A. The F-5E had a stronger hub with a different spoke design and larger brakes, but I don't know if the Canadians flew that version. Hopefully somebody with more F-5 references can help. I do know all of the F-5's all had wider hubs and tires than the T-38's they were derived from.

Mike

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57 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

I believe all of the Canadian F-5's were all based on the F-5A, so they would all have the same wheel hubs and tires as the F-5A. The F-5E had a stronger hub with a different spoke design and larger brakes, but I don't know if the Canadians flew that version. Hopefully somebody with more F-5 references can help. I do know all of the F-5's all had wider hubs and tires than the T-38's they were derived from.

Mike

Thanks Mike.  I was aware that they had the CF-5A (or CF-116 as the case might be).  I was just curious if they upgraded to the one used by the F-5E/F.  Interesting to learn though that the F-5s had wider hub and tires than the T-38s.  Is it difficult to convert an F-5B to a T-38? (using the ESCI/Italeri kit as a base to start from - providing you can even find one these days...)

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Most were refurbed to zero time condition in about 1990 at then Bristol Aerospace(now Magellan) here in Winnipeg shortly after they were sold to Turkey. Good deal eh? A few became gate guards. I don't know, but they may have been updated then. Don't quote me on that part. Maybe research specific Turkey F-5s. On a side note, a single seat and a dual seater were retained by Bristol Aerospace as "toys". They were shown at the odd airshow til about the mid '90s I think,  now they disappeared. My cousin used to clean in their place and used to walk past them. She was told if she took a picture, she'd be fired. At that time it was a twenty plus year old plane.

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13 hours ago, Wm Blecky said:

Is it difficult to convert an F-5B to a T-38?

In what scale? IIRC there was an article on this in either Finescale Modeler or the old Replica in Scale magazine on converting the old 1/72 Hasegawa kit, which I think was an F-5B kit that they sort of made into a T-38. Off the top of my head, here are the differences that need to be addressed if you are converting an F-5B into a T-38, along with a link to a modeling website that has discussion and some  comparison photos:

F-5B nose gear strut has a 'U' shaped fork; T-38 has a one-sided fork

F-5B has LERYX extensions at the wing root;  T-38 has a straight leading edge from tip to root

F-5B has a much larger speedbrake assembly; the T-38 has two small trapezoidal speedbrakes

F-5B has two 20mm cannon in the upper nose; T-38 has no cannon and a large landing light in the nose cone behind a curved nosecap

F-5B has fatter main wheels and tires covered by fairings over the wheel bays; T-38 has thinner wheels and tires and no fairings

F-5B has a drag chute housing between the afterburner cans; T-38 has none and a curved piece of sheet metal  between the cans

F-5B has 'D' shaped intakes with a larger opening; T-38 has sort of an oval-shaped intake with a short extension.

F-5B has wingtip missile rails; T-38 has none

There would be differences in the antenna fit, engines, and cockpit instrumentation between the two variants; in addition, T-38's underwent an upgrade that gave them glass cockpits and different ejection seats; in addition, T-38's could also carry a gun pod on the centerline for gunnery training. That's all I can remember- it's been a long time since I contemplated a T-38 from the Hasegawa kit; now we have the excellent Sword kit in the smaller scale; not sure about 1/48 scale, but I think somebody did a T-38 in that scale. Note that you can't use an F-5F for the conversion as the rear fuselage is deeper on the F-5E/F. Hope this will be useful information.

Mike

 

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/hyperscale/f-5b-question-t480701.html

 

Edited by 72modeler
corrected spelling
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4 hours ago, 72modeler said:

It's been a long time since I contemplated a T-38 from the Hasegawa kit; now we have the excellent Sword kit in the smaller scale

 

I assume since the OP welcomed this input, a bit more off the original topic is OK:

 

Although labeled as a T-38, Hasegawa's 1/72 kit is actually an F-5B (thus all the changes you outlined are necessary).  I believe similar "F-5B labeled as T-38" shenanigans were released from PM and Starfix - both of which are crude by any standard, in addition to not representing their advertised subject.

 

For anyone contemplating the conversion, the ESCI F-5B is a much better starting point, both in terms of the kit engineering and overall detail. This tooling has also been available from AMT, Italeri, and Revell Germany.

 

in actuality there are some indications Sword used the ESCI model as their starting point for their Talon, and the lower fuselage, exhaust, and nose gear of their kit are still those of the F-5B rather than the Talon. Sword's cockpit also lacks the intermal windshield between the seats, although otherwise it is a vast improvement over the base kit.

 

Not sure about any other articles but I know Paul Boyer did the ESCI F-5B to T-38 conversion for Fine Scale Modeler, although I don't recall the date (IIRC it was in the late 90s).

Edited by CT7567
Corrected typo
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