Starfighter Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 (edited) I am sadly stuck with my MH-53E at the moment - I haven't found a source selling litho plate for a reasonable price over here in Europe (buying it in the US would mean very high shipping cost), so I have to build something else. The choice fell upon the project which lost out to the MH-53E when I had to decide what to built earlier this year: an ERA-3B Skywarrior. I have a soft spot for electronic warfare aircraft and esoteric subjects, so the ERA-3B is just perfect as only 8 of them were built (converted from RA-3B). Two of them had the late CLE wing (BuNo 146446 and 146447); the idea is to build one of these 2 in the early configuration with the long canoe under the fuselage. I have printed the main components last year already. It's quite a big beast. It's basically an A-3B, so several changes are necessary to convert it into an ERA-3B. The A-3B is a "bomber" whilst the ERA-3B is based on the RA-3B, which is a so-called "version". There are several differences such as thicker canopy framing, different main wheels, no bomb bay, different APU exhausts and the entry hatch being located closer to the front landing gear bay on the versions. Here you can see the re-located opening for the entry hatch. The nose profile was modified as the nose of the CAD file was too pointed. One of the APU exhausts was already installed as well. The cockpit has to be built from scratch. I have made a cut to insert the bulkhead between the cockpit and the ECM operator compartment which is located in the former camera bay. The typical tail extension was drawn in CAD and 3D printed. There were at least three differently shaped tails, this one being the "early" version. It contained a chaff dispenser. The ERA-3B carried ALQ-76 pods which were also used by the EA-6A Intruder. Whilst externally similar to the ALQ-99 carried by the EA-6B, it is completely different in shape and overall dimensions. Luckily, Angelo Romano's excallent book on the Electronic Aggressor Squadrons provided the dimensions to enable me to draw the pod in CAD. More details will be added before it'll be printed; I'll probably use Eduard's PE parts for the heat sink radiators, just like Rich did in his excellent EA-6A conversion thread. The canoe was drawn and printed as well; it initially was too short but has been lengthened in the meantime. That's where I am at the moment; I hope this one continue to run smoothly - I'd love to finish this one until end of 2020 which would mean a new record for me. We'll see! Edited November 13, 2019 by Starfighter johncrow, blackbetty, easixpedro and 23 others 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Molitor Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 OMG. Love the efforts on these endevours. Wow. Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbetty Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 very cool subject! got a lot of the literature on this one, because i thought there was a vac - but no joy Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerculesPA_2 Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Oá meu amigo Ben! Tudo bem no seu outono europeu? Aqui tudo tranquilo no Brasil, não falemos de política kkkk. Parabéns pelo nova empreitada, gosto muito do EA-6B prowler, enho um scratch dele aqui para terminar faz uns anos, quem sabe recomeço em breve?... Estarei te acompanhando nesse seu novo trabalho! Grande abraço do se amigo aqui do Brasil. Hercules de Araujo Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony in NZ Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 You Sir......are amazing! Love your modelling skills and subjects Starfighter and Bravo52 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PROPELLER Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Hi Starfihgter! For aluminum sheets take a look at: https://ghw-modellbau.de/index.php?cPath=60_101_196 Dan. Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted November 13, 2019 Author Share Posted November 13, 2019 6 minutes ago, PROPELLER said: Hi Starfihgter! For aluminum sheets take a look at: https://ghw-modellbau.de/index.php?cPath=60_101_196 Dan. Now that's intersting, thank you very much! They sadly don't have 0,15mm sheet, but I'll try some of the sheets they offer. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grunticus Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Truly mindblowing! It's not an electronics bird, but wouldn't that look sexy like this? Starfighter, Derek B, Kagemusha and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted November 13, 2019 Author Share Posted November 13, 2019 It definitely would look great, but the choice has been made! 144840 was one of the RA-3Bs later converted to ERA-3B standard by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 (edited) Brilliant subject matter choice Ben...and you're off to a flying start! The Skywarrior is a nostalgic favorite of mine. I grew up near the Alameda Naval Air Station during the 1970s and 80s - lots of "Whale watching" to be had back then. Like all of your other projects, this one I’ll be following closely. Rich (edited for grammar) Edited November 14, 2019 by allthumbs Starfighter and daveculp 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandiego Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 Awesome build Ben. I have thought about scratch building a Whale as well. But thinking about and actually doing it are miles apart. Good luck. Dan allthumbs and Starfighter 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trak-Tor Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 Wow! Amazing! Juraj Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radders Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 That's just awesome. I would love to see all these builds in person one day... just unreal!! Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRATCH BUILDER Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbert Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Hi Ben, the ofset plates, by 100 pieces, 0.15 thickness, too much ? https://www.s2istore.com/analogique/325-plaque-top-f100-epaisseur-015.html#/250-format-370x450_100 Kagemusha, Trak-Tor and Starfighter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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