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Completed - Desert Storm Air to Air refuelling: KA-6D&A-7E


red Dog

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I think in order to save weight they took two of the pylons off, one on either side and only the inboard and outboard pylons are plumbed for fuel so they kept one of the inboard pylons one in case they needed to add a fuel tank. Most likely the range to the target meant the number of bombs loaded so 8 seems to be the maximum number. The ones on 312 and 301 are Mk-83 1,000lb bombs with Mk43 fuzes for airburst. Some a/c had all 6 pylons left on so it is best to check which a/c # you are doing to see how the pylon situation was. For a listing of what the bomb loads were for VA-46 check here:

 

http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/Display.php?irn=16019305&QueryPage=http%3A%2F%2Fcollections.naval.aviation.museum%2Femuwebdoncoms%2Fpages%2Fcollections%2FQuery.php

 

in the pages in the link where it says fuel 12.2 indicates 1 external fuel tank and 10.2 means no ext fuel.

 

Jari

Edited by Finn
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Here are some details on the KA-6D, they carried chaff/flare dispensers, note the empty housings forward of the refueling housing in the first pic during a non combat mission. What load they had during the war is unknown, probably all chaff as they most likely they remained on the friendly side of the border. Also the red lights are on which probably indicates no fuel flowing since no hook up yet:

 


 

contact, green lights, fuel flowing:

 


 

Jari
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Thank you Jari, very useful information.

 

Make sense about the wet pylons, i was wondering what kind of yaw trim such an asymetrical load would require?

 

regarding the intruder, very useful info as well, i noticed that there are red lights also on the rear outboard pylons

 

great details, thank you

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the next challenge wasn't expected :)

 

before painting i need to close the canopy.

but it seems the zacto's canopy wasn't meant to be closed, it's too long and conflicts with the glareshield.

 

A6A7_063_A7_canopy.png

 

first scary moment, but that one is usual, was to separate the canopy from the support. My usual procedure for that is to use tape to mark where i need to cut and

using a brand new blade, i make mutliple light passes until the blade go through. patience and slow motion required.

 

A6A7_064_A7_canopy.png

 

the problem gets worse when the black box glareshield is positionned. I tried the kit's part as well, it's slighly better but not perfect.

 

A6A7_065_A7_canopy.png

 

A6A7_066_A7_canopy.png

 

placing the vacformed canopy illustrates how big the step actually is without pressure,

 

A6A7_067_A7_canopy.png

 

to try to make the fit better, I modified the windscreen structure by shortening it a bit and lowering it to leave enough thickness for the vacu formed part.

I also modified the Black box glareshield to allow the front windscreen structure to be lowered into it (sorry for the blurry picture)

 

A6A7_068_A7_canopy.png

 

A6A7_069_A7_canopy.png

 

The joint between the nose and the vac canopy is now better and the canopy should be flush with the nose.

I still have the side issue to solve where the glareshield push too far outward the windscreen structure. That probably lower the top of the windscreen, creating that step between the tilting canopy and forward windscreen.

I'll need to adjust the glareshied accordingly so it doesn't touch the windscreen structure.

I also thing that i'll lower the pilot just a bit more for more clearance. because if the helmet touches the canopy, that's also a reason why the forward windscreen won't be flush.

 

I guess it's not a problem that arise when zacto's part are used for an opened canopy as in most cases.

I may have screwed up somewhere too and i'm really concerned having to bond that canopy strongly. Usually dealing with vacu formed canopy, the more natural rest, the better. If you have to pressure glue them, it's not good.

 

More to come, thanks for looking

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  • 3 weeks later...

Been travelling lately so couldn't work as much as I wanted on the A-7E.

But that gave me time to evaluate that canopy issue. I wasn't satisfied with the above tries as whatever I did, I always ended up with a gap somewhere or a heavily twisted vac form canopy that I would never succeed in gluing.

 

So in the end I decided that the best course of action was to separate the windshield from the canopy and deal with the gap where they meet rather than trying to avoid a mess on the front of the windshield where it meets the nose of the aircraft:

 

A6A7_074_A7_canopy.png

 

I have been stuck for a long time trying to address this so hopefully this will get me moving again.

 

Scratched quickly an oxygen hose and comm wires for the pilot

A6A7_070_A7_oxygen.png

 

The huge pocket on the Blackbox glareshield gave me doubts for that version so I sanded them smooth and added details as I could see on A-7E pictures. Not fully realistic but that will do

A6A7_071_A7_glareshield.png

 

 

I glued the Zacto's canopy frames together before placing them on the model, that ensure i won't have a step between the windshield & canopy frames  

A6A7_072_A7_canopy-frame.png

 

Pilot is ready, insides are all cleaned and ready to go and the usual maps and datacards have been slided against the glass

A6A7_072_A7_pilot.png

 

Frames have been added

A6A7_073_A7_pilot.png

 

Now the canopy can be cleaned and coated in future and then will ge glued on.

 

By the way, is the front center windshield part tinted in light blue? 

 

Glad to be back, thanks for looking

 

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