Finn

Here is another photo of a seat that got used: Jari

Hi Mike, another little detail gun related, don't add part 17C, the item just behind the nose gear, it was used to expend spent casings into the air stream but they discovered early on that you couldn't have anything loaded on the c/l pylon as they got dinged up by the casings. We had them available but we never used them at least during my time, i only installed one and that was on my CF-104 Armament Course. Here are some more cockpit pics: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/chcmech/sets/72157625544670229/ scroll down past the F-5 ones, the IP is the later version with the RWR scope, there was a final version of the IP that had the LW-33 Nav system but that came into use in the early 80's. Jari

Hi Mike, i hope you didn't spoil the new addition to the family too much. Here are some details on the kit that may help, i don't have the kit but looking at the instructions online i can see what is missing: If you plan to have the gun door open there are a few items you'll need to add, the feed chute, a brace for the door, and in the early days there was a zippered canvas cover that covered the housing assembly. I did see a couple during my time on the 104 but most had been removed. One other item was the firing lead, a single wire that provided firing voltage to the gun, you can see it just above the data plate in the pic below. Only at the arming point was it plugged in, normally it was stowed to a dummy receptacle at the top. I have more info as the build progresses. Jari

Checking the F4U photos here: http://www.vought.org/photo/index.html a lot have them and others don't. Even the line drawing shows it: Jari

Yes the radhaz barriers were there until the moment of firing. I loaded LAU-3 and LAU-5003 on the CF-104 and CF-18 and we had them then. Here are a couple of pics, the first one showing just before the nose fairings are installed: Jari

Here is another pic, a couple have the mark others don't but also note the position of the 2nd rocket on the a/c with one wing folded, it is angled differently: Jari

This one has marks on both doors: http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/0b0021f72a58bae6_large looks like only one: http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/451f7163b97b82a0_large no marks: http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/b0922532a1f9030b_large Jari

Allan there is another little detail concerning the LAU-3 rocket pods, since the rockets were sensitive to electricity the pods had radhaz (radiation hazard) barriers on them. They were just foil covered covers on the back, and sometimes on the front of them, to keep any stray electrons away.You can see in the pic here of pods with the foil covers: just use some thin foil at the back end that is open. Of course it covers up the detail but if you want to be accurate, that is the way they were. Jari

I am curious what the mark on the right main gear door is for and there is one in the wheel well as well. Jari

Since there are several Corsair threads already here is a pic that shows the wear and tear they acquired while in action, it looks like it's from the Korean War, also note the different tire patterns: Jari

Hi Allan, the USN didn't use the miniguns on their A-1s, Most photos show that not all pylons were loaded as there were weight limits especially when returning to the carrier and not having dropped anything. Scroll down a bit here: http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/A-1H_and_J_Skyraider_SAC_-_1_July_1967.pdf to see what could be loaded on the pylons. Jari

Hi Allan, i went back to look at the start of your build and a couple of things to mention, first is the SUU-14 dispensers were mainly used by Air Force Skyraiders, i don't recall ever seeing a pic of a Navy A-1 carrying them. Also the LAU-10 Zuni pods were reusable so they did get weathered by rocket exhaust, you can see by the examples below, some slightly others more so after numerous firings: http://www.usscoralsea.net/images/cva43196768VA25taxi2.jpg http://www.usscoralsea.net/images/cva431966A-1fd.jpg You can find several more pics of A-1s on the USS Coral Sea here: http://www.usscoralsea.net/pics1960s4.php there are several pages that may shed some details. Keep up the great work. Jari

Some Es were converted from the A, might not be too hard to convert back to an A. edit: Trumpeter offers spare parts service, the main external difference between the A and E, aside from some vents and other small details, was the radome. The A kit radome is part N: http://part.trumpeterkit.com/part/2016-06-29/887.html Jari

The E itself did not go to Vietnam and the TRAM was later on. Just A,B C and KA-6D Intruders were in SEA. Jari

Try here: http://navysite.de/carriers.htm you can check images of the carriers or check thru the various cruise books and hopefully find a colour pic. Or here are some Life colour images of the USS Bon Homme Richard: http://images.google.com/hosted/life/56da52cfbc0088ce.html click on the thumbnails under Related images for more pics. Jari

In case you want to add an additional feature like the engine work platform: http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/a0d50290a20475a5_large or a simple beach setting: http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/OS2U_Kingfisher-col_zps7ece52b4.jpg~original Jari

Hi Mike, if you scroll down this link: http://www.skahs.com/NovPlaneTalk.pdf you'll see a pic of the actual seat the pilot used when he punched out during the gun mission and the guards were painted then. I was an armourer on the CF-104 in Baden West Germany late in service life of the Starfighter and even though it's been over 30yrs since i last loaded a 104 i still remember a few details that might be useful. Feel free to ask, i hope i can help. Jari

Nice work Mike, one detail about the CF-104 seat is the knee guards were painted a different colour as seen by these pics: http://www.canadianstarfightermuseum.ca/resources/IMG_3116.jpg.opt288x384o0%2C0s288x384.jpg in b&w but not hard to tell the stripes: http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/project/Biographies/H/Harrison_Ralph_CF-104/Ejection-Seat.jpg Also you can have the gun in a AETE 104 as their role was to test things, including armament, one AETE CF-104 was actually lost on a gun firing mission: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=187619 Jari