F-100 Questions

[Mike M]

Hi,

A couple of questions about the F-100D, specifically its time based at RAF Lakenheath.

Firstly, the Xtradecal sheet X72116 has 63000 based at RAF Lakenheath in 1957 with the 20th TFW but all my references point to it being based at RAF Wethersfield with the same unit? Was this plane ever based at RAF Lakenheath or is the Xtradecals information wrong?

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X72116

The Trumpeter 1:72 kit contains decals for a 48th TFW aircraft 52822 based at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base in May 1959. Would this aircraft have still carried the same markings when the unit moved to Lakenheath in January 1960?

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http...579&bih=694

Cheers,

Mike

[ghaynes]

Hi Mike,

It's a mistake on the instructions. The 20th TFW were based at Wethersfield, as was 63000 'Triple Zilch'.

Regards.

Graham

[Giorgio N]

F-100 56-3000, the famous "triple zilch", was indeed based at Wethersfield as part of 20th TFW. The wing had 2 squadrons at wethersfield (55th and 77th) and one at Woodbridge (79th)

48th TFW F-100D changed their markings in mid 1959. "The candy stripe" decoration on the nose proposed by the trumpter kit was replaced with a V shaped marking in the squadron colour. This would have been the type of markings carried at their arrival at Lakeneath. The markings can be done starting from the trumpeter decals, just leaving the nose stripes off and painting the V.

However, soon after the arrival a lakeneath, the markings were changed again: the V shaped marking on the nose remained while the tail stripes were removed and replaced with an alar marking and the squadron badge.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Giorgio N

[Mike M]

Thanks for clearing that up so quickly!

48th TFW F-100D changed their markings in mid 1959. "The candy stripe" decoration on the nose proposed by the trumpter kit was replaced with a V shaped marking in the squadron colour. This would have been the type of markings carried at their arrival at Lakeneath. The markings can be done starting from the trumpeter decals, just leaving the nose stripes off and painting the V.

Would the stripes on the wingtips have been removed mid '59 along with the nose ones or later with the tail ones?

When the nose markings were removed what happened to the colour along the spine of the aircraft? Did it revert to silver or stay yellow?

[Giorgio N]

Thanks for clearing that up so quickly!

Would the stripes on the wingtips have been removed mid '59 along with the nose ones or later with the tail ones?

When the nose markings were removed what happened to the colour along the spine of the aircraft? Did it revert to silver or stay yellow?

My references (mainly the Squadron Signal F-100 in Color book) mention this regarding the wingtips stripes: they remained as they were when the nose stripes were removed. When the tail stripes were removed (and replaced with the alar) in early 1960, the wing stripes were changed to a single stripe in the squadron colour. This would have been the type of markings most commonly associated to the 48th F-100 at Lakeneath.

Regarding the spine, when the nose markings changed this returned to metal. There is a picture of 493 TFS plane in exactly this scheme, that is stripes on tail and wingtips but V on the nose, in the abovementioned book.

To add a bit more information, in 1962 all the wing planes gave up squadron colour and all had the V on the nose and the alar on the tail in blue/yellow/red.

In 1965 the 3 tone SEA camouflage was introduced.

[Ben Brown]

Just an FYI, Triple Zilch was painted silver by the time it was wearing the colors depicted on the decal sheet. There was a British modeling magazine from the 1970s that had several good photos of it. It also had the straight refueling probe, and at least for a short time, a natural metal canopy frame. Also, if you want to be a it more accurate, replace the Xtradecals USAF, US AIR FORCE, and national insignia with some from another manufacturer, as Xtradecals seems to have based theirs on the incorrect style from the drawings in the Hall Park book.

HTH!

Ben

[Starfighter]

As Ben Brown said, the magazine in Question was Scale Models, and being an F-100 fan who lives not far from the 20th. TFW's old base at Wethersfield I still have the article in question. If you would care to PM me I could provide you with the pics, etc.

Also, if you have any other F-100 queries i may be able to help, as I've amassed quite a lot of info on the "Hun" and will be only too happy to help.

[Kyrre]

I'll jump in.

I've been looking for good pictures of the 20TF-machines that were deployed on winter training to Bergen, Norway, towards the end of the 50's and I guess the beginning of the 60's. I have checked out the F-100-site and found quite a few pictures, but from the two pictures, which (erroneously?) states that the aircraft were "on a lake in Norway", it isn't really clear how the aircraft were marked at the time. Did they at one point remove the code on the fuselage over the wings?

Edited February 28, 2011 by Kyrre

[Starfighter]

I'll jump in.

I've been looking for good pictures of the 20TF-machines that were deployed on winter training to Bergen, Norway, towards the end of the 50's and I guess the beginning of the 60's. I have checked out the F-100-site and found quite a few pictures, but from the two pictures, which (erroneously?) states that the aircraft were "on a lake in Norway", it isn't really clear how the aircraft were marked at the time. Did they at one point remove the code on the fuselage over the wings?

In reply to your question regarding the fuselage codes, these were known as "Buzz Numbers" and they did indeed start removing these during 1965 - 66 in preparation for the Vietnam camouflage. I have some pics of aircraft from this period, also one which clearly shows where the fin flash was removed and re - painted silver.

If you would like a copy of these please PM me and I'll see what I can do . . .hth?

[Jennings Heilig]

FWIW, that sheet might be okay for badges and such, but just about every piece of lettering or numbering on it is useless. Whomever did the artwork apparently doesn't know there's a standard way to construct USAF 45 degree corner letters & numbers. What's on the sheet ain't it. Frankly, it looks god-awful to me.

[Kyrre]

In reply to your question regarding the fuselage codes, these were known as "Buzz Numbers" and they did indeed start removing these during 1965 - 66 in preparation for the Vietnam camouflage. I have some pics of aircraft from this period, also one which clearly shows where the fin flash was removed and re - painted silver.

If you would like a copy of these please PM me and I'll see what I can do . . .hth?

I appreciate the offer, but I understand I can really assume that any or all of 20TFW's did visit Norway at one point or another, since the practice of traveling up North must have been going on for a good 5-6-7 years? I suspect Trumpeter's decals for -668 are wrong (was the lightning blue or red?) and thought I'd just go for a simple alternative.

The kit has been a canvas for practicing bare metal anyway, and since these birds were painted silver it will never be very accurate anyway.

What I'm saying is, no need to go out of your way for a scan, but appreciate nevertheless if you have some information about the detachments up into the snow.

Regards

Kyrre

[Starfighter]

I appreciate the offer, but I understand I can really assume that any or all of 20TFW's did visit Norway at one point or another, since the practice of traveling up North must have been going on for a good 5-6-7 years? I suspect Trumpeter's decals for -668 are wrong (was the lightning blue or red?) and thought I'd just go for a simple alternative.

The kit has been a canvas for practicing bare metal anyway, and since these birds were painted silver it will never be very accurate anyway.

What I'm saying is, no need to go out of your way for a scan, but appreciate nevertheless if you have some information about the detachments up into the snow.

Regards

Kyrre

No problem, Kyre . . .As a point of interest 53668 did have a blue flash (55th. TFS ) but earlier it was the deputy wing CO's bird and wore a similar scheme to 63000, although the blue and red were reversed, as the plane was assigned to the 55th. during her time with the 20th. Also, she was bare metal when the deputy CO's plane, as I have a photo of her at an open day in 1958 or "59, and she was highly polished at that time. Hope this helps

[Kyrre]

So what you're saying is that I can build the Trumpeter F-100D with the kit decals? That'll be a first. :woot:

[Starfighter]

So what you're saying is that I can build the Trumpeter F-100D with the kit decals? That'll be a first. :woot:

Well, looking at the box illustration on a model shop website it would appear that 53668 is in the deputy CO's markings, so yes you can make a natural metal F-100, and the markings look pretty accurate too. If you go to the F-100.org website you will find a pic of 53668 , so you can compare the markings with the decal sheet.