Popular Post Exterminatus Posted December 17, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 17, 2021 I finally finished something! It's Trumpeters's quarter scale TA-3B kit, converted to electronic reconnaissance EA-3B of the Desert Storm era, I used some etched details from Eduard and wonderful repair sets from Hypersonic models - new engines and correct canopy. The rest is just playing with plastic🙂 With a shark mouth, this Whale was displayed at IAT 1991 after returning from deployment in the Gulf War. Thanks for looking! Andrew 91 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low flyer Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Stunning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 That is absolutely superb! Can I ask where you go the decals from ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 That is just brilliant! Meticulous build and top quality finish 👏👏👏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntPhillips Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Wow, looks brilliant 👍 I've got a similar build in mind but set in a slightly earlier timescale of the USS Nimitz's med cruise from '77/'78, it would be part of a planned project to build a representative aircraft of all the units attached, I have the Aeromaster 1/48 CVW-8 special decal set which includes decals for the bulk of the units involved: F-14A Tomcat of VF-41 & 84, A-7E Corsair II of VA-82 & 86, A-6E & KA-6D Intruder of VA-35, EA-6B Prowler of VAQ-135, S-3 Viking of VS-24 & SH-3 Sea King of HS-9. That just leaves me three (maybe 4) units to source, the kits for these weren't available when the Aeromaster set was released, so understanably weren't included: EA-3B Skywarrior - VQ-2 (like you I'm starting with the Trumpeter TA-3B kit, the EA-3B conversion seems relatively simple, and I believe the aircraft just had the Sandeman VQ-2 tail markings similar to yours but possibly smaller and set on a yellow triangle, quite basic so I'm tempted to have a go at producing these myself, I believe that although VQ-2 was the assigned unit due to the proximity of their base in Rota, aircraft chopped in / out on a regular basis.) RA-5C Vigilante - RVAH-6 (as luck has it the Trumpeter kit includes markings for this one). E-2B Hawkeye - VAW-112 (Kinetic / Italeri kit backdated to an E-2B) not sure what to do on decal front though as I can't turn up clear photographs. The maybe unit is the COD aircraft which I believe was a C-1A Trader from VRC-40 Your build will be very handy for reference with the EA-3B conversion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Gorgeous model! I hadn't realised that they were still in service during the Gulf War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 3 hours ago, Alan P said: That is just brilliant! Meticulous build and top quality finish 👏👏👏 I most certainly agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Now, that's just super cool! And a type we don't see that often too! Great job on a terrific scale model; I would love to have one that nice in my display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autle Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I don't know the aircraft well but that's a belter. Top notch build, painting, weathering and photography. The static wicks on the tail surfaces look spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sierra Mike Sierra Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 6 hours ago, Exterminatus said: I finally finished something! It's Trumpeters's quarter scale TA-3B kit, converted to electronic reconnaissance EA-3B of the Desert Storm era, I used some etched details from Eduard and wonderful repair sets from Hypersonic models - new engines and correct canopy. The rest is just playing with plastic🙂 With a shark mouth, this Whale was displayed at IAT 1991 after returning from deployment in the Gulf War. Thanks for looking! Andrew Great job! I especially like the looks of the wing-folding mechanism. Stefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldy Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Beautiful job! Looks very nice indeed and benefits from the additions you have made. One comment - the catapult spools (Hooks?) were not fitted on this aircraft - not sure that they are likely to operate off carriers these days. Here are a couple of my pictures of the real one from Fairford in 1991.... Cheers Malcolm 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basket Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Your work on this whale is of top quality. It looks amazingly accurate. Congrats to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Fantastic finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinChipmunkfan Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Excellent high quality modelling, The detail and painting is very good indeed. Well done sir/ Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devo Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Very nice build, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Wow, fantastic work, of a really strange plane Those wing folds are great!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 That is very impressive. I remember seeing one of these at Rota many years back. Duncan B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 23 hours ago, Low flyer said: Stunning What he said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in a shed Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Love this aircraft, thats a beautiful build. It must take up a fair amount of space in 1/48th! I wish the 1/72 kit was easily available as Ive never got round to building one of these. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Yep I remember this at the IAT aswell. Fantastic build, Andrew thanks for sharing it here. Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Now that's what I call a whale! A superb job on a subject you don't see too often. In quarter scale, this must be a brute. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammy da fish Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Yes indeed a big pat on the back for you in producing such an excellent model of a neglected subject. It has certainly made my Sunday morning. Thank you again for sharing it with us. sammy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exterminatus Posted December 19, 2021 Author Share Posted December 19, 2021 Thank you all for your comments! On 12/17/2021 at 11:14 AM, Stephen said: That is absolutely superb! Can I ask where you go the decals from ? I designed and printed my own decals. Are you interested? On 12/17/2021 at 5:14 PM, Baldy said: Beautiful job! Looks very nice indeed and benefits from the additions you have made. One comment - the catapult spools (Hooks?) were not fitted on this aircraft - not sure that they are likely to operate off carriers these days. Here are a couple of my pictures of the real one from Fairford in 1991.... Cheers Malcolm You're right about the hooks, I think the Whales were operating from ground bases only since 1987. I'll probably rip them off when I get the courage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Impressive! Bravo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPMS19 Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 - Very nice, I remember having seen its stable mate B 66 Destroyer overfliyng my birth town with some Voo Doos when I was a teen..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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