Starfighter Posted March 10, 2020 Author Share Posted March 10, 2020 1 hour ago, Out2gtcha said: Great work Ben! I cant imaging being the weapons officer/radar op facing backwards the whole flight like that. My thoughts exactly! Now imagine occupying this seat in one of the carrier based versions and experiencing a cat shot or trap facing backwards... But then, passengers in a C-2 are facing backwards as well. Out2gtcha and HerculesPA_2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandiego Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 8 minutes ago, Starfighter said: My thoughts exactly! Now imagine occupying this seat in one of the carrier based versions and experiencing a cat shot or trap facing backwards... But then, passengers in a C-2 are facing backwards as well. Hmmmm, Cat shot in a C-2. Did that once. Strapped in, with a 5 point harness, told to keep my hands away from the release button. Feet off the floor and braced against the seat in front of me. They said that the cat shot would throw your feet up and possibly break your ankles. Full power to the engines, the entire craft is just straining and pulsing with power. And then ....whoosh. Tremendous acceleration and then .......a sense of floating as the cat stroke ends. Never forget the experience, it was over 30 years ago. Dan Starfighter, USMC Herc, Out2gtcha and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted March 10, 2020 Author Share Posted March 10, 2020 1 minute ago, Dandiego said: Hmmmm, Cat shot in a C-2. Did that once. Strapped in, with a 5 point harness, told to keep my hands away from the release button. Feet off the floor and braced against the seat in front of me. They said that the cat shot would throw your feet up and possibly break your ankles. Full power to the engines, the entire craft is just straining and pulsing with power. And then ....whoosh. Tremendous acceleration and then .......a sense of floating as the cat stroke ends. Never forget the experience, it was over 30 years ago. Dan I would literally kill to experience this, Dan... thanks for sharing this story! stusbke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandiego Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 9 minutes ago, Starfighter said: I would literally kill to experience this, Dan... thanks for sharing this story! Well Ben, it was an experience of a lifetime for me. Made possible by......modeling. Our local IPMS chapter was asked to make models for a display at NAS North Island. All of us who participated were given an opportunity to fly out to a carrier. I jumped at the chance. Kind of sobering when you are filling out the next of kin form. Safety briefing...."we will only open the rear cargo doors if we are inverted in the water". Gulp! The trap was actually no big deal. Spent the night on board the Enterprise. Was on the LSO platform at night. "Don't worry, if an aircraft buzzes the platform just jump into that net down there". Gulp! Stood in the starboard catwalk while F-14s and EA-6B's were launched. Noise so loud that the 2 bones in my arm were vibrating. When the Tomcat spread its wings for launch they were over my head. Life moves on, the aircraft, the ship, and I.....all retired. Dan Derek B, Troy Molitor, Lothar and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 GOOD stuff Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobs Buckles Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 It's the future! Nice work in the cockpit. Cheers, BvB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easixpedro Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 11 hours ago, Starfighter said: My thoughts exactly! Now imagine occupying this seat in one of the carrier based versions and experiencing a cat shot or trap facing backwards... But then, passengers in a C-2 are facing backwards as well. There’s a reason the Gallows humor referred to it as A-3D. All 3 Dead. No ejection seats. At least that rear facing enlisted crewman was closest to the escape chute and out the hatch. Have heard horror stories from old Whale drivers. Including one guy trying to climb out the upper escape hatch with broken legs from the impact after a bad cat shot on a 27C class carrier in Vietnam. All of course while the plane was sinking and trying to get out before getting run over by the ship that just failed to launch you... They had huge ones! Thanks for sharing Ben...epic as always! -Peter Starfighter and USMC Herc 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexM Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Very nice printed details Cheers Alex Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) Progress! I think I have managed to get rid of the reappearing cracks. After finishing the basic cockpit construction, the main landing gear bay was next. As usual, drawn with Inventor and printed on my Photon. My favourite task: cutting into models once the surface looks OK... 3D printed inner landing gear bay walls. The forward portion will be cut away as one can see through the entire fuselage when looking inside the MLG bay of a Skywarrior. Parts in situ. The lower fuselage skin including the interior details of the MLG bay were drawn and printed as well. Tail fin top radome and MLG bay bulkhead ready to have their supports removed. And another "favourite" task of mine: playing around with automotive putty to get things symmetric and straight. Edited May 2, 2020 by Starfighter A-10LOADER, Coneheadff, GMK and 13 others 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 Two minutes after my previous post, my wife asked me to come down. She absolutely had to move the workbench on which the Skywarrior was drying. Talk about reappearing cracks... LSP_Kevin, Anthony in NZ, Troy Molitor and 13 others 1 1 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fvdm Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Oops. Sorry to see this. I feel for you Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandiego Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Excellent work Ben. Those landing gear wells parts are incredible. I also use automotive putty to solve shape/symmetry issues. Dan Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kagemusha Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 What a roller coaster, I was marvelling at the fantastic work, mouth ajar, then trying to make sense of that last photo... hope you can put it back together. Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark64 Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 GET rid of wife now.... S.Pelletier 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpjack Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 I was intending to ask your recommendations for 3D print glues! feeling your pain. Les Starfighter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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