Ridley Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 (edited) Hi everyone. My real name is Mike. My username comes from flight test engineer Jack Ridley, made famous in "The Right Stuff". I'm a retired USAF Chief Master Sergeant Flight Engineer / Aircraft Mechanic. I just discovered this forum and I'm happy to be here as now I have somewhere to share my love of models. I'll be 62 in Nov and have been building on and off for the last 52 of those. Picked up the pace again two years ago, but last year I had to take a pause due to cataracts in both eyes. Thankfully, with a skilled eye doc, I have new lenses and can see like a 20 year-old again. I've never been one to build SOOTB, so I'm not a prolific builder, however, I look forward to sharing the builds I've accomplished in these past two years: a Tiger I, F-15i, F-4C, P-38G, and an A-1. I'm currently working on an F-16D (Thunderbirds). See you around the board. Edited August 29, 2022 by Ridley Typos 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 Gidday Ridley, welcome aboard. I'm a ship modeler myself but have heard of Jack Ridley, both in the film and Chuck Yeager's autobiography. If memory serves wasn't it Jack's idea to use a bit of the cleaner's/janitor's mop handle for Chuck to close the hatch of the X-1 before he broke the sound barrier? And his idea to install a fuel drain pipe in the aircraft incase the rockets didn't fire? Quite an inventive chap. I think you've chosen a very worthy role model. 🙂 Regards, Jeff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neddy Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 Welcome aboard, youngster! Having hit 70 last year and discovered I'm also growing a nice set of cataracts I will no doubt have to have a bit of a pause soon myself so I know where you're coming from. Whilst I model cars, not aircraft, I still look forward to seeing your creations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 Hello Mike … do you have a stick of Beemans ? 😉 No really from another American in Chicago, Im mostly an military aircraft builder myself. Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Welcome aboard, Mike! I hope you can put those new lenses to good use and share some awesome work with us. Nice to see one of the Polynesian islands represented on the forum. It's not just pasty Brits anymore 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Welcome aboard! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 G'day Ridley, welcome aboard, BM are a friendly bunch that can take a joke, I think you will like it here. I have a question about Guam that you may be able to answer for me, Are there any model shops in Guam? I have been there a few times and never found any, although truth be told I probably did not look very hard and although here were plenty of 'models' in the Viking bar and Club USA, these were the two legged variety! cheers, Pappy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f111guru Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Welcome Mike from one retiree to another. I retired in 93 after 22 years. All fighters except for 3 years with the B-52D 7th BW Carswell AFB. My Air Force specialty was aircraft armament systems technician. Bomb loader load toad and a few others choice nick names that are not nice. Mainly 48th scale aircraft but not limited to that genre. Again welcome to the forum and a library of information here. All The Best, Ron VanDerwarker MSGT, ret USAF F-4D/E, B-52, FB-111,F-111F, F-111E. F-111D and EF-111A 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridley Posted September 3, 2022 Author Share Posted September 3, 2022 On 8/31/2022 at 5:33 PM, Pappy said: G'day Ridley, welcome aboard, BM are a friendly bunch that can take a joke, I think you will like it here. I have a question about Guam that you may be able to answer for me, Are there any model shops in Guam? I have been there a few times and never found any, although truth be told I probably did not look very hard and although here were plenty of 'models' in the Viking bar and Club USA, these were the two legged variety! cheers, Pappy G'day Pappy, Thanks for the welcome. Sadly there are no hobby shops here. And yes, the Tumon Ballet has plenty of 'models'... LOL! For the past two years I've been relying on e-bay, Hannants, and a few other shops where shipping isn't prohibitive. Lucky me Japan is opening back up and I'll be there next week on a resupply mission. Thank you all for the warm welcome. I feel at home already. I hope to post some build pics next week. Stay tuned... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridley Posted September 3, 2022 Author Share Posted September 3, 2022 Hello all. Thanks so much for the warm welcome. I feel at home already. I hope to post some build pics next week. Kind regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 3, 2022 Share Posted September 3, 2022 aboard Mike from another one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latakia Posted September 6, 2022 Share Posted September 6, 2022 Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridley Posted September 11, 2022 Author Share Posted September 11, 2022 On 8/31/2022 at 11:55 PM, f111guru said: Welcome Mike from one retiree to another. I retired in 93 after 22 years. All fighters except for 3 years with the B-52D 7th BW Carswell AFB. My Air Force specialty was aircraft armament systems technician. Bomb loader load toad and a few others choice nick names that are not nice. Mainly 48th scale aircraft but not limited to that genre. Again welcome to the forum and a library of information here. All The Best, Ron VanDerwarker MSGT, ret USAF F-4D/E, B-52, FB-111,F-111F, F-111E. F-111D and EF-111A Hi Ron, What a small world we live in. I grew up near Plattsburgh AFB and remember the day the first FB-111A showed up. Later in life I was an F-111E crew chief at RAF Upper Heyford, '80-'83. Brings back a lot of memories. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f111guru Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 Mike, Yes what a small world Glens Falls some 90 miles south I was until the US Army wanted to draft me and enlisted USAF 1971. I was at RAF Lakenheath from 77 to 80 with the transfer of the F-111F from Mountain Home AFB. Went to Cannon AFB after that and bed down the remaining F-111's in 1993. That's when I retired. Ton s of memories All The Best, Ron VanDerwarker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGKOR Posted October 4, 2022 Share Posted October 4, 2022 Ηello Mike, welcome! A bit late to respond, I apologise! Greetings from Greece! Igkor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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