Rhino A-6A/E INTRUDER SEAMLESS INTAKE SET for TRUMPETER

[Luca]

thanks you all.

 

Again, the Quickboost GRU-7s with modified pull handle & cushion is all you need for an A-6E. Any other GRU-7 should work with the same modifications. 

 

was it the same seat found on the F-14A/B?

[ziggyfoos]

was it the same seat found on the F-14A/B?

In the linked thread I posted earlier this is talked about (short answer, yes, but with modifications required for A-6):

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=66847

Edited April 26, 2017 by ziggyfoos

[Luca]

thanks again.

only a question: is the True Details GRU-7 seat a simple copy of the Avionix seat? they seem absolutely identical.

Edited April 26, 2017 by Luca

[Tony T]

GRU-7

Courtesy of Martin Baker...

 

 

 

Tony

[Luca]

thanks Tony, I was referring to the comparison of both TD and BB seats...

 

True Details

 

Avionix/BB (on the right))

Edited April 26, 2017 by Luca

[Starfighter]

The Avionix seats from the A-6A cockpit set look nice but suffer from incorrect harnesses IMO - I have never seen them hanging like this on operational aircraft. They are usually pulled back by the retractors as seen on the Grumman photo and drawing. The headrest seems to be too wide as well. 

[Luca]

The Avionix seats from the A-6A cockpit set look nice but suffer from incorrect harnesses IMO - I have never seen them hanging like this on operational aircraft. They are usually pulled back by the retractors as seen on the Grumman photo and drawing. The headrest seems to be too wide as well. 

 

you're right... any possible solution? thanks.

[Starfighter]

Throw them away and use other seats! Or sand the belts away and use etched ones. I'd simply use the quickboost or Aires seats instead.

[allthumbs]

As Ben and others point out, there are problems with the Avionix/True Details Intruder seats.

 

Besides the shoulder restraints issue, the headbox is too wide as viewed from head on: 8 scale inches verses 6 on the real seat.

 

Why quibble about two scale inches on a model? It's a matter of proportions. And for small parts it matters a lot!

 

In this case, the headbox is 33% too wide. Against the rest of the seat, which is reasonably to scale, it stands out like a sore thumb giving the headbox a stout, blocky appearance.

 

Disclaimer...

A couple of years ago, after first acquiring the Avionix/TD seats, I was quick to sing their praises. The detail and casting work are superb. And to this untrained observer, they seemed like just the thing. But others here were more skeptical. And soon I joined their ranks, especially after measuring the real deal and studying photographs.

 

Having said all that, I believe the Avionix/TD seats are still a big improvement over the kit supplied parts. Despite their shortcomings, they're not as horrible as some make them out to be.

 

But the discriminating scale modeler is still left wanting...

 

What to do?

 

Short of performing a cranial lobotomy on the Av/TD offering, you could do as others suggest and go with an F-14A/B seat. But here too there are detail differences worth addressing, the most obvious being the overhead ejection pull handles. The GRU-7(A) (Tomcat seat) lacked to two diagonal strakes on the sides of the head box, a prominent feature of the -7. Also, the lower seat pan area is shaped differently, at least near the front.

 

Other detail differences exist, as you can see from studying (the plentiful) references available in books and on the web.

 

Regards,

 

Rich

Edited April 28, 2017 by allthumbs

[red Dog]

I looked at different options while researching the A7 & A6 AAR project.

 

I'm doing a KA-6D, so A6A seats are not an option. Unfortunately that choice would have been simple and I would have sent a PM to Harold to get AMS resin ones

But I need A6E seats

 

- I considered the kit seats but discarded them

- I looked what's available on the market and the Avionix resin pit availability is an issue. They are (AFAIK) only available at squadron.com

- I went into my aftermarket stash and looked up the F-14 GRU-7 (I had 2 extra) but discarded them because the heardrest is too thin and that is very visible. My perception from analysing intruder cockpit was that the A-6 heardrests are not as thin. (see below)

(it's a perecption, so I'll agree to be wrong about it

- In the end the Truedetails seat (same as the avionix cockpit seat I reckon were (to me) the only viable option and easily available from Hannants.

 

I compared them to a few pictures of KA-6D pits and yes I can spot a few differences but I'm happy with them and I'll use them... the differences don't justify using other's for now and certainly not the kit's.

Beside if you want to solve part of the issue, just seat pilots on them  Cushion plates and harness issues will be defacto solved

You'll need to dig the cushion and make the harness from foil and PE buckles.

 

I also  sourced the seamless intakes from Rhino on ebay a few weeks ago and it was a fast service. Happy with them as well.

 

Here's the A-6 picture I based my analysis on:

 

Am I really the only one to "perceive" that the right ones are most suited for the job?

I can see the headrest seems a bit on the large side, but the tomcat's are way more on the thin side, no?

Edited April 27, 2017 by red Dog

[Luca]

I'd simply use the quickboost or Aires seats instead.

 

which seats? Tomcat GRU-7s?

 

Am I really the only one to "perceive" that the right ones are most suited for the job?

I can see the headrest seems a bit on the large side, but the tomcat's are way more on the thin side, no?

 

you're not the only one. I looked at the thing myself and it would seem less difficult to modify the TD seat (headrest and belts) rather than starting from the Tomcat seat...

Edited April 27, 2017 by Luca

[allthumbs]

To complicate matters further, a set of midlife modifications to the GRU-7 seat led to a noticeable appearance change to the headbox area.

 

The GRU-7 was an adaptation of the GRU-5 and as such shared many of the same components. Early on, these included the "spade" shaped overhead ejection handle and a soft skinned headrest liner that stretched across the front face of the head box, secured at the edges by large dome head screws.

 

But later in life (early to mid 1980s), the spade style ejection handle was replaced by a "U" shaped device.

 

And the soft skinned headrest liner was replaced with a larger formed plastic unit having a noticeable bend that altered the overall profile of the head box. The hard shell headrest used the same set of fasteners (3 per side), but a thin metal strip was clamped in between the screws and the plastic shell, not doubt to help prevent cracking (see photos below).

 

So when someone does finally release a good GRU-7 seat for the Intruder, it will be interesting to note which configuration - early or late - they decide on.

 

Tony Thornborough photo (edited)

 

(from internet)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rich

Edited April 28, 2017 by allthumbs

[allthumbs]

A couple of years ago, I attempted to improve the Avionix/True Details Intruder seats by replacing the head box with a scratch built unit. Later on, I nixed the hybrid in favor of a completely new seat.

 

While I was succeeded in fixing some of the problems, I introduced errors of my own and finally abandoned the project altogether. It left me with a newfound appreciation for the difficulties faced by pattern makers in producing such complex, Rube Goldberg-esque devices as modern ejection seats!

 

I figured it was just a matter of time anyway before someone in the industry - Aires, AMS, Eduard, or the like - would grace us with a quality replacement item.

 

But two years on and...nothing...but crickets, and thread resurrections like this (not to mention thread creep - weren't we talking intakes) lamenting the paucity of aftermarket love that Trumpeter's big A-6 has garnered, Ziggy's excellent decal offerings and Harold's exquisite resin GRU-5 seats notwithstanding.

 

I recently measured and photographed a real GRU-7 seat and, armed with this documentation, would someday like to re-attempt the project. But it would probably be later this year at the earliest, given my busy schedule (and my glacial pace).

 

 

Rich

Edited April 27, 2017 by allthumbs

[otis252]

So what is the bottom line on best aftermarket GRU-7 seats for an A-6E Intruder? Thanks.

Chuck

[allthumbs]

So what is the bottom line on best aftermarket GRU-7 seats for an A-6E Intruder? Thanks.

Chuck

I don't think you'll find a consensus winner here, Chuck. It really boils down to which compromises and shortcomings bother you the least.

 

As modelers here have shown us, either the Avionix/TD GRU-7 or the Aires/QB GRU-7(A), given a pretty paint job and adorned with AOA Decals placards, will quite look the part in the end.

 

For me, it's a toss up between the two.

 

Vacillatingly,

 

Rich

Edited April 28, 2017 by allthumbs