Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy Posted July 30, 2022 Share Posted July 30, 2022 I've gathered that the mainwheels on the Navy "B" were different from the F-111A, but haven't yet ascertained the specifics. Thought I'd ask y'all, and what the best approach in 1/72 would be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted July 30, 2022 Share Posted July 30, 2022 There is some info here (scroll down): http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/10/grumman-f-111b.html Not all of the seven F-111Bs used the same mainwheels. I know that 970 and 972 often had F-111A mainwheels mounted. @Tailspin Turtle is the subject matter expert when it comes to the F-111B. Hopefully he will come around and give us the complete story. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy Posted July 30, 2022 Author Share Posted July 30, 2022 Thanks Bill! I guess what I'm hoping for is the direction they would have gone, as this would be for a "what-if", doing an aircraft in fleet service (had there never been an F-14). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Posted July 30, 2022 Share Posted July 30, 2022 There was a conversion I think Pete's conversion, but difficult to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted July 30, 2022 Share Posted July 30, 2022 I've created a set of documents providing errata and additional information with respect to my F-111B monograph (http://tommythomason.com/books/Grumman-navy-F-111b/). The price (free) is right. Just send me a request via message with your email address. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 21 hours ago, Linus said: There was a conversion I think Pete's conversion, but difficult to find. It's Pete's Hangar. I have one in the stash and will use it with a Hasegawa C model F-111 to do the B model. Later, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share Posted July 31, 2022 Great to know; what differences are depicted in the Pete's tires vs the kit ones? Is it size, details or both that differ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 14 hours ago, Tailspin Turtle said: my F-111B monograph This wouldn't still be available through your site, would it..? Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 8 hours ago, Hook said: This wouldn't still be available through your site, would it..? Cheers, Andre Andre, I have some but they are not for sale at the original list price, plus postage to Europe would be pretty expensive as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 22 hours ago, Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy said: Great to know; what differences are depicted in the Pete's tires vs the kit ones? Is it size, details or both that differ? If I get a chance in the next few days I'll dig it out and let you know. Later, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tempestfan Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 On 7/30/2022 at 5:00 PM, Tailspin Turtle said: I've created a set of documents providing errata and additional information with respect to my F-111B monograph (http://tommythomason.com/books/Grumman-navy-F-111b/). The price (free) is right. Just send me a request via message with your email address. I will repeat myself here, your Ginter book is top notch. I actually read it (doesn't happen that often :-)). Hope you still have my e-mail address? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 (edited) I was just about to move on to looking at another site but decided I better look for the Pete's Hangar F-111B conversion kit. For most people on this site it won't mean anything, but especially for the baseball fans who come by here it will. Just found out a little bit ago that former Dodger broadcaster Vic Scully passed away today at age 94. What a loss. I can remember listening to him call the Dodger games when I was a lot younger, and building models even then. On to the conversion kit. First thing I noticed just now is that there are no instructions! Maybe I misplaced them. The decals aren't there either, but I know where those are as I have them in a plastic bag to stay indoors so that they will last as long as possible. There are new tires, but how different they are from a regular set of F-111 tires I can't say without looking at some. Those are in the garage and I've already set the alarm so it will have to wait until tomorrow morning. The kit also comes with metal landing gear. The gear looks like it may have been made from molded brass, definitely not white metal. There is also a new set of nose tires. I've already decided that next year will be the year of conversions, to include ship and aircraft models. I have long been planning on doing this one conversion of putting a B-17G nose section onto a B-24 as was actually done during the war. I am going to try to get it started this year, but if it has to wait until next year, so be it. Later, Dave P.S. For those who might be interested, here is a link to the late Vin Scully discussing the history of beards during a game on 30 April 2016. Things were a little slow at the time so he went on to tell a story about the history of beards. RIP Vinny! Edited August 3, 2022 by e8n2 Added video link. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Huge Thanks to @Tailspin Turtle for the documents mentioned above. They will be extremely useful and are very thorough. The main gear repositioning now makes perfect sense to this fool at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 For what it's worth, here is a photo of the Pete's Hangar conversion set when I bought it several years ago (this is before the sharp boat tail was added): My recollection (which admittedly suffers sometimes) is that the resin wheels were not substantially different in size than the Hasegawa kit I used for my conversion, nor were they as nicely detailed. I didn't use any of these decals for my model of 151972 as the Phoenix Missile System logo is very inaccurate, and the font used for the tail numbers is not right. I also did not use the metal landing gear - Hasegawa's was much more sharply moulded, better detailed, and easy to convert to those used on the F-111B. I used the resin tail hook fairing, but modified it a bit, as well as the nose (which required a lot of reshaping) and the small pod that located under the nose. All in all, I was disappointed in this set, especially since I paid an arm and a leg for it as it was out of production. Anyone that wants a copy of the artwork I did for the Phoenix testing program badge and the numbers in the correct font, just drop me a PM. Here is a link to my conversion: Cheers, Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy Posted August 3, 2022 Author Share Posted August 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Navy Bird said: For what it's worth, here is a photo of the Pete's Hangar conversion set when I bought it several years ago (this is before the sharp boat tail was added): My recollection (which admittedly suffers sometimes) is that the resin wheels were not substantially different in size than the Hasegawa kit I used for my conversion, nor were they as nicely detailed. I didn't use any of these decals for my model of 151972 as the Phoenix Missile System logo is very inaccurate, and the font used for the tail numbers is not right. I also did not use the metal landing gear - Hasegawa's was much more sharply moulded, better detailed, and easy to convert to those used on the F-111B. I used the resin tail hook fairing, but modified it a bit, as well as the nose (which required a lot of reshaping) and the small pod that located under the nose. All in all, I was disappointed in this set, especially since I paid an arm and a leg for it as it was out of production. Anyone that wants a copy of the artwork I did for the Phoenix testing program badge and the numbers in the correct font, just drop me a PM. Here is a link to my conversion: Cheers, Bill Holy mackerel Bill, that's a stunning and absolutely beautiful build!! I'm actually going a different direction with mine, a what-if circa mid/late 80's.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 52 minutes ago, Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy said: I'm actually going a different direction with mine, a what-if circa mid/late 80's.... Ooh, which squadron (assuming it will still be a USN bird)? Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy Posted August 3, 2022 Author Share Posted August 3, 2022 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Navy Bird said: Ooh, which squadron (assuming it will still be a USN bird)? Cheers, Bill VF-74 in full TPS, with the lightning bolt in red. Somehow just struck me in my mind's way. Plus a few details which *might* have made its way to the bird, such as an F-14D-style chin double-pod, Tomcat (shorter) pitot etc. Maybe a few other things. Not sure whether to keep the fairing on the top of the tail or not.... Edited August 3, 2022 by Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Darn, Navy Bird beat me to it. Here is a picture of the kit contents that I took this morning except for the decals which are still in a plastic bag: Here is a comparison of the conversion kit main tires and the kit main tires from the F-111C/G kit: They may be a little fatter than the kit tires, but I couldn't tell for sure. Later, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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