Early U-2 camera covers and Taiwanese use?

[MikeR]

Hi all,

 

I recently bought the new 1/72 Hobbyboss U-2C and I see that, like Airfix before them, they haven't attempted to give us the camera ports! As I'm going to be building it as it would have been on the ground, is there any information or images that show what the protective covers over the camera ports would look like? I'm assuming that there would have been such covers in order to protect the ports prior to take-off.

 

Also, does anyone have any info on tail numbers for the Taiwanese operated U-2C's? A long shot, I know, but the ROCAF option in the box gives the number for one of the examples the PRC shot down and now languishes in a museum. If possible I'd like to build one that didn't get downed!

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mike.

[Hook]

1 hour ago, MikeR said:

tail numbers

How's this for a starting point?:

 

http://www.taiwanairpower.org/u2/aircraft.html

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Rob de Bie]

8 hours ago, MikeR said:

Hi all,

 

I recently bought the new 1/72 Hobbyboss U-2C and I see that, like Airfix before them, they haven't attempted to give us the camera ports! As I'm going to be building it as it would have been on the ground, is there any information or images that show what the protective covers over the camera ports would look like? I'm assuming that there would have been such covers in order to protect the ports prior to take-off.

 

I too found it unbelievable that this new model came with blank Q-bay hatches! As far as I know, the A-camera and B-camera were (mostly) used for operational missions. I've yet to see a photo of the A-camera hatch, although the camera itself is out in the open. The B-camera hatch is in the public domain since maybe 2000.

 

I made a 3D CAD model of the B-camera hatch, see https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/u2-3d.htm for more details.  The first outsourced print attempt was a failure, maybe the improved (thicker) model will work the next time I will have parts printed. It won't fit on the Hobby Boss kit without modifications, since I made it for the Academy/Seminar model, that has a Q-bay hatch with a strange geometry.

 

The B-hatch had nine sheet metal covers, one for each window. They prevented the windows getting dirty during take-off. I'm pretty sure they are shown in this CIA movie:

 

https://www.laughlinheritagefoundationinc.org/the-inquisitive-angel.html

 

I won't put covers over the windows of my model - I want to show those nine windows.

 

Rob

[MikeR]

@Hook That's brilliant, thank you! It never ceases to amaze me what can turn up on the internet!

 

@Rob de Bie The camera ports covers are indeed in that video, at about the 28 minute mark. Interestingly, they're of a corrogated design. Wonder if that helped them separate cleanly when they were jettisoned? They look like they cover most of the scallop for the ports, so that's also a big help. A little less sanding is a good thing!

 

Thanks again guys,

 

Mike.

[kekelekou]

@MikeR

 

I concur : the B-camera was more or less the standard equipment by the time of RoCAF overflights.

But if you are interested in building a not-downed airplane, the two articles involved in the 1967 Tabasco missions (flights to the Lop Nor nuclear test range to drop then interrogate sensors) most probably did not carried any camera. This would make the "blank" Q bay cover fairly realistic. And if I remember correctly Chris Pocock even states the tail nummers in "The 50 Years of the U-2". Will check them later.

 

I suppose that the covers are corrogated so that they can be manufactured from thin steel plates, but still can be stiff enough to withstand aerodynamical loads.

Edited April 22, 2023 by kekelekou

[kekelekou]

@MikeR

 

C.Pocock writes p246-250 of 50 Years... that article 383 flew both Purple Flash / Tabasco missions in mid 1967 with the tail number 3517 over a black  livery. But I have no clue about the roundel size.

 

So one single U-2 was involved in these daredevil missions. I stand corrected.

Edited April 22, 2023 by kekelekou

[MikeR]

@kekelekou

 

Thank you for the info, that's very helpful! I have your PDF on the U-2 and it's an excellent modellers guide. Regarding the 3517 serial number I wonder if 35xx was the sequence used by the RoCAF? It fits the 4 digit system they use and the museum example has tail number 3512. Any mention of a RoCAF Midnight Blue example in Pocock's book? I'm inclining toward that scheme.

 

Regards,

 

Mike.

[kekelekou]

Hi @MikeR

 

Thank you for your kind words about the booklet. ☺️

 

I had never paid much attention to the tail number system used by the RoCAF, so you must be correct about the 35xx sequence.

The tail number 3512 was given to article 358 which was the third U-2 delivered to Taiwan, so the expected TN should have been 3503. Another deceiving trick from the CIA?

 

Re the Midnight Blue livery (which is my favourite too), the main issue is that the HobbyBoss kit features final, bulged air intakes which were introducted along the J75-P13B after the switch over to Black Velvet camo.

The most satisfying option for you would be to "sand the bulge out" of the intakes to create the interim version to match the configuration of article 383 / 3517 in late 1965 /early 1966.

 

By the way, HobbyBoss has it all wrong with 3512 : it was shot in Jan 1965, so the real airplane did feature neither the bulged intakes nor the long canoe. And the kit lacks a ventral antenna.

But they got the Midnight Blue livery right!

Edited April 24, 2023 by kekelekou

[MikeR]

Hi @kekelekou,

 

Yes, I noticed the configuration error with the 3512 option when I had a look at the museum photographs of its sorry remains! Mind you, we're talking about HobbyBoss here so a bit of old fashioned modelling elbow grease is a something of a given! Strangely enough, AFV Club got closer with their 1/48 scale kit.

 

Thank you for the tip about 3517, I think I'll go with that when I get the kit onto the workbench.

 

Thanks again,

 

Mike.

[kekelekou]

You are much welcome Mike.

Please tag me when you start building the kit. 👍

[UKPonchoMan]

On 4/21/2023 at 1:15 AM, Rob de Bie said:

 

I too found it unbelievable that this new model came with blank Q-bay hatches! As far as I know, the A-camera and B-camera were (mostly) used for operational missions. I've yet to see a photo of the A-camera hatch, although the camera itself is out in the open. The B-camera hatch is in the public domain since maybe 2000.

 

I made a 3D CAD model of the B-camera hatch, see https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/u2-3d.htm for more details.  The first outsourced print attempt was a failure, maybe the improved (thicker) model will work the next time I will have parts printed. It won't fit on the Hobby Boss kit without modifications, since I made it for the Academy/Seminar model, that has a Q-bay hatch with a strange geometry.

 

The B-hatch had nine sheet metal covers, one for each window. They prevented the windows getting dirty during take-off. I'm pretty sure they are shown in this CIA movie:

 

https://www.laughlinheritagefoundationinc.org/the-inquisitive-angel.html

 

I won't put covers over the windows of my model - I want to show those nine windows.

 

Rob

Looking good Rob! Are you planning to offer these for sale? Or are you willing to share the STL file so we can print our own?!

Chris

[Rob de Bie]

4 hours ago, UKPonchoMan said:

Looking good Rob! Are you planning to offer these for sale? Or are you willing to share the STL file so we can print our own?!

 

I have vague plans to produce resin parts from the 3D printed parts. But there's no planning.

 

Rob