Udorn RTAFB Thailand Fall 1972

[f111guru]

       Hello folks, I have been on this page more than a dozen time to start this thread. Each time I've talked myself out of it because I don't have the aircraft to finish the diorama. I can however, build the base and complete the aircraft as time goes by.

      As the title says and as the months may be between September to November that year. Back ground for this is simple. After graduating technical school the USAF sent me to my first duty station Clark AFB Philippines. There I would be assigned to the 405th Munitions Maintenance Squadron. I did get a magazine of the base and when I got off the plane I didn't see any F-4 Phantoms. Seven days later after completing some training I left on a C-130 and headed to Thailand. This was June of that year and raining and humid. After being certified to load bombs the load crew I was on started loading bombs on jets to fly missions.

     This diorama is to depict the area and revetments plus aircraft I loaded during that time period. This aerial view I found off the internet and is the section I loaded almost all the bombs during the period. This is part of F or Fox section.

The circle of red is what I plan on building. Doing some calculation I came up with a 4 foot by 5 foot base footprint. Not have the area to store such a large base I thought of doing a modular 4 section base. This is similar to model railroading when they take their layouts to show. Each section is 2 foot by 2 1/2 foot. This makes it easier to store.

     Starting with the revetments and finding a lot of information on this website and the internet I proceeded to construct the walls. First I wanted to have everything square so I built a jig to make the walls. This jig I figure I can do up to and including 1/24th scale if wanting to.

I'm a left handed or southpaw person so it might look backwards to  some. I continued with the cutting pout of the long walls which would be for the revetment depth.

Then the separation wall between revetments and marked out the 10' centers for the vertical supports.

I built the jig to be able to use both sides to speed the  construction along. Here is the framework as I think is correct as per the images and revetment tech order I found.

One wall with all the framework in place.

Have not done any finalized sanding to round the edges. This next photo I used as a guide.

Once I get all the wall sections constructed I can assemble them into their completed walls. The images I have show the revetments measures 80' depth and 70' width from center to center.

Until the next update thanks for viewing.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[Slackbladder]

Great start Ron.

Don't fret about not having the models built, there's no fixed order to this here miniature madness. In fact I am in the same boat as you this time around, only my third diorama creation. I have an idea in my head and have started the base but have none of the other constituent parts at the moment. Will be posting my first steps shortly, got to have some dinner first though.

[f111guru]

To aid in the making of the revetment walls, I purchased a miter saw from Micro Marks a year or so ago. I used it quite  bit for the commission builds that were on the bench before the purchase of a pre-built shed to make a new workshop. Most of what I'm doing now are things that do not require paint at this time. By the way the workshop is progressing with the help of my wife. So at this point I cut hundreds of cross or horizontal beams and a few dozen vertical beams for the walls. At this time I have both walls curing and am working on the end supports and the mid section supports.

Those that cured quick I used and added to the wall. Below photo:

These will sit overnight and ready for the ends to be added. Hopefully late tomorrow or Saturday the other wall can be added. Until the, Thanks for watching.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[f111guru]

Having added the other side wall and the cure of the braces, this is the near completed 70' scale section of the rear revetment wall.

After a bit of curing I brought my 48th TFW F-4D out of the cabinet to see how it fairs from what I remember from years ago.

Now what is remaining is to complete the other 4 80' scale walls and cap the tops to simulate the concrete fill for the very top. Below is one of Clark AFB aircraft on the load training pad during my stay at Udorn RTAFB.

The plan is to have 4 maybe 5 F-4D Phantoms in the display in various stages of work for the combat operations which took place. From engine start to recovery and maintenance and bomb loading. At least this is the plan. Until next time Thank You for viewing.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[f111guru]

Small update as of today. All the 80' scale walls and the 70' scale section wall are assembled, cured and capped. All the revetment walls at Udorn RTAFB were concrete filled at the top and unpainted. As were the revetments up the way from our position in C or charlie section. That section housed the RF-4C's and the TDY F-4E in from the US.

All the walls lined up and ready to be sanded and painted.

Got a wild hair thought and laid out the revetment walls so I can some what figure how to set them in the modular sections once constructed. Here is a preliminary layout.

In the next two images is the scale area I intend to make. Granted they are not all D model F-4 aircraft.

And the next. From a different angle.

None of the revetments in any of the section had blast deflectors to divert the jet exhaust up. So the soot and grime that flew around the revetments I'm going to try and duplicate. In the last photo an RF-4C and the revetments were some what clutter-less. Just the crewchief flight box.

Shame on me, I forgot to add the image to the text.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

Edited April 1 by f111guru
Add Image

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Nice!  This really looks great.  It looks like the Miter box was a great investment.  

[f111guru]

13 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Nice!  This really looks great.  It looks like the Miter box was a great investment.  

It such a great tool ( https://www.micromark.com/Miter-Rite ) for me and I had 2 different lengths of strip to cut I set foam tape measured on each side and cut those lengths from there. Went quite quick. I've started another revetment for the F-111 I'm doing for the first F-111 deployment. Those walls are 100 X 100. However, the back wall is 80 foot and a 10 foot space on either side. As depicted here

I'm only going to do a single revetment for the F-111.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

Edited March 29 by f111guru

[ianBke]

it sure going to be big, but big will give a great feeling of how it was back then!!!   

[Pappy]

On 3/29/2023 at 12:35 PM, f111guru said:

It such a great tool ( https://www.micromark.com/Miter-Rite ) for me and I had 2 different lengths of strip to cut I set foam tape measured on each side and cut those lengths from there. Went quite quick. I've started another revetment for the F-111 I'm doing for the first F-111 deployment. Those walls are 100 X 100. However, the back wall is 80 foot and a 10 foot space on either side. As depicted here

I'm only going to do a single revetment for the F-111.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

 

G'day Ron,

 

Great projo and great progress!

 

The photo is very interesting and raises a few questions. 

 

1. Why are the jets all outside the revetments?

2. What is the silver or white looking segment of the inner slat sections?

3. What colour was the underside painted?

 

I have always wanted to build a model of the initial F-111A deployment and the undersides were not painted black as would later become the norm. I have conflicting info about what the underside colour should be. The decal sheet states the underside was painted Olive Drab but I have a,lso read a witness account which stated that the underside was painted in FS34079, the darker of the two greens. Apart from being there as an aircraft technician, he was also a modeller and hence 'taking note' of the details and stated the underside green was a continuation of the upper side green with no change in the tone of the colour. I favour a witness account over the decals painting directions.

 

Looking forward to seeing more,

 

Pappy

[f111guru]

6 hours ago, Pappy said:

 

G'day Ron,

 

Great projo and great progress!

 

The photo is very interesting and raises a few questions. 

 

1. Why are the jets all outside the revetments?

2. What is the silver or white looking segment of the inner slat sections?

3. What colour was the underside painted?

 

I have always wanted to build a model of the initial F-111A deployment and the undersides were not painted black as would later become the norm. I have conflicting info about what the underside colour should be. The decal sheet states the underside was painted Olive Drab but I have a,lso read a witness account which stated that the underside was painted in FS34079, the darker of the two greens. Apart from being there as an aircraft technician, he was also a modeller and hence 'taking note' of the details and stated the underside green was a continuation of the upper side green with no change in the tone of the colour. I favour a witness account over the decals painting directions.

 

Looking forward to seeing more,

 

Pappy

Hi Pappy how have you been.

 

I believe I can answer most of your question and not have to dig deep into my information.

The photo is very interesting and raises a few questions. 

 

1. Why are the jets all outside the revetments?

          Somewhere in my info I have the narrative from the page I got the photo from. Supposedly Red Horse was adding blast defectors to the rear of the revetments. As to why they were not in their stalls is a mysterious as why there was no other aerial view of the revetments latter on. What I do remember it was a USAF photo. There again, no date was assigned to the photo. So I don't have a time frame of the image. Also took a magnifying glass and my head band zoom thingy to look at the tails. I saw no hint of a tail code on those that shown the side of the tail. So I'm guessing these jets were from the first deployment.

 

2. What is the silver or white looking segment of the inner slat sections?

        I have seen both sets of inner slats not be painted. It's bare metal and not sure what type of metal. Something that is not be affected by water or moisture. Aluminum or titanium. But only one section on each wing and never different sections or both on a wing. Also have seen the leading edge completely painted as when some went gunship gray. The brightness is from the reflecting sun would be my guess. I'll have to dig into my other computer that I usually use. I should have some other photos there. I'm on a laptop and not at home.

 

3. What color was the underside painted?

      According to the powers to be from many years ago the color was FS34087 OD green. I have some color and black and white clear photos of the deployment upon their return to Nellis AFB in 1968. Maybe from those I can see what color the underside was. On the second deployment the underside was black for sure. We had a vark come into Udorn RTAFB IFE and was black bottomed. I want to say October 1972 early in the month because I was on day shift and the dearm end of the runway. Can not tell you when they were painted black. Also the Two Bob's decal sets show the paint to be FS30219 Tan, FS34102Med Green, FS34079 Dk Green, FS34087 OD and FS34038 Black. The radome and the antennas behind the canopy hatches plus the ones just forward the rotating glove assemblies were black. Super Scale and early Micro Scale had the underside black according to the 1.1.4 TO for aircraft painting. So myself I'm sticking with the Two Bob's references.

 

As Always All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

Edited March 31 by f111guru
correct date

[Pappy]

G'day Ron,

 

I am pretty good and as it happens I am currently building a 1/72 RF-111C which I am enjoying immensely, , linky below if interested

 

 

Thank you for the comprehensive answer.

 

I was thinking about why the jets would be forward of the revetments while walking the dog and I was thinking perhaps that they had just arrived and shut down and need to be pushed back into the revetments, they can't reverse after all and the design is not the 'drive-through' type?

 

Very interesting info on the inboard slats, I have not seen this before. My guess would be duralium, titatnium would be used for the back end where the high temp tolerance and strength was required.

 

I also have the 2Bob's sheet but can't let go of the witness account so I am still skeptical, i guess one way would be to compare a side profile pic with the bomb colour as these would be OD (allbeit these could be in various shades due to the effects of exterior storage) or yo see if there is a transition of tone in the FS34079 areas near the lower fuselage. OD would be lighter than '079. Of ourse we a re talking the aircraft underside  which is naturally in shadow so there is that as well

 

Thanks again Ron, looking forward to seeing your projo progress,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Edited April 1 by Pappy

[f111guru]

13 hours ago, Pappy said:

G'day Ron,

 

I am pretty good and as it happens I am currently building a 1/72 RF-111C which I am enjoying immensely, , linky below if interested

 

 

Thank you for the comprehensive answer.

 

I was thinking about why the jets would be forward of the revetments while walking the dog and I was thinking perhaps that they had just arrived and shut down and need to be pushed back into the revetments, they can't reverse after all and the design is not the 'drive-through' type?

 

Very interesting info on the inboard slats, I have not seen this before. My guess would be duralium, titatnium would be used for the back end where the high temp tolerance and strength was required.

 

I also have the 2Bob's sheet but can't let go of the witness account so I am still skeptical, i guess one way would be to compare a side profile pic with the bomb colour as these would be OD (allbeit these could be in various shades due to the effects of exterior storage) or yo see if there is a transition of tone in the FS34079 areas near the lower fuselage. OD would be lighter than '079. Of ourse we a re talking the aircraft underside  which is naturally in shadow so there is that as well

 

Thanks again Ron, looking forward to seeing your projo progress,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

I have another thread going

 

so I'll address those questions there. I'm on a stand still with the Takhli RTAFB revetment walls because our weather here has gone quiet meaning no extreme winds. Have to get some more or better yet finish the floor in my workshop. So give me a few days and I'll post those in the F-111 series.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[bar side]

This all looks very nice.  I have seen a few kits & dioramas of revetments that you can buy but for the size you need & the detail you are working to these look great.  All 1/72 I assume?  Loads of Hasegawa ground equipment that works for your timeframe.  Plus the stuff from Videoaviation 

[f111guru]

17 hours ago, bar side said:

This all looks very nice.  I have seen a few kits & dioramas of revetments that you can buy but for the size you need & the detail you are working to these look great.  All 1/72 I assume?  Loads of Hasegawa ground equipment that works for your timeframe.  Plus the stuff from Videoaviation 

1/48th scale, the plan is 4 for sure and maybe a fifth recovering from a mission. I have Zoukei Mura, Monogram, Academy and ESCI F-4D models. Haven't started any of the kits as of late. Plus a ton of aftermarket stuff and other ground support thingy's.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[bar side]

1/48 - nice!  Always good to have the dio before the jets.  Going for GPU & basics per bay and then loader in one, tanker in another etc?

[bar side]

Couldn’t help thinking of Fred Shammas’s Iranian airforce in revetments. Always loved his presentation of dioramas

 

https://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal3/2601-2700/Gal2652-IranianAC-Shammas/00.shtm