RA-5C Vigilante - scratchprinted

[brahman104]

Wow Ben!!!! I'm not sure where I've been? This is incredible! Such talent in your CAD modelling, you put my efforts to shame, yet inspire me to strive for better at the same time!

 

Really amazing and incredible work. LOVE IT!!!

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

[KiwiZac]

Just superb!!

[Starfighter]

Did I mention doing surface detail is extremely tedious? It seems to take an eternity. In addition, all available drawings seem to be inaccurate, so I have to guesstimate the location and size of most groove lines from photos - time consuming to say the least. The rivet locations are based on the wing station drawing, so they should be reasonably accurate. The LERX was reworked as well, the first version being too small.

 

 

Flaps are separate, but they will be fitted in neutral position as they were obviously never dropped on parked aircraft. 

 

 

Surface detail on the wing underside isn't ready yet but I had to do something else, so I started the wingfolds. 

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2022 by Starfighter

[Oldbaldguy]

Stupendous.  Hate to repeat myself, but this is going to be the most - maybe only - accurate Vigilante in any scale ever.

[Knightofthesky]

Wonderful construction!

[Starfighter]

Thank you guys! My aim is to make it as accurate as possible - knowing it will be far from perfect, but I
am doing my best with what I have on hand. 

 

With the surface detail ready, I have mirrored the wing - the Vigi now has two of them.

 

 

I am asking myself whether or not to do the underwing flasher pods - what do you think? They weren't typical but look pretty cool! http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2021/08/north-american-ra-5c-flasher-pod.html

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by Starfighter

[Oldbaldguy]

Ref the flasher pods:  I literally grew up with these airplanes at NAS Sanford from 1962 until 1968.  Saw them every day in the air and on the ground, then later during their final days at Key West.  Flasher pods were part of the training syllabus in the RAG and during work-ups for a cruise and you’d see them flying around at night taking pix of the swamp land in Central Florida, so it was not uncommon to see Vigis carrying flashers.  I don’t remember seeing them on airplanes that often at Key West.  Could be the mission changed a bit by then or I just missed them.  From this end of the pipe, it looks like flasher pods would be pretty easy to print, so what’s not to love?  I think the airplane is prettier without ‘em, but that’s just me.  I have no idea how many pods each squadron had or how they got them because the airplanes came from the factory with pylons and drops on all four wing stations so there was no place to hang them.  Maybe they were vendor supplied?  Parcel post?  Who knows?  This was during the height of Vietnam and HATWING 1 was losing airplanes and crews at a horrific rate.  Those pods really, really put out a lot of light in hard-edged almost tangible white cones that screamed, “Hey!  Over here.  Shoot me!”  I’m guessing there was some sort of airspeed/frame rate/altitude algorithm they had to use with the pods ‘cause they always flew fairly low, fairly slow and straight and level.  Sometimes they were so far away that I couldn’t hear the engines, but you could still see exactly where they were.  I think the flashers had to recharge after each discharge, so the pods would alternate from side to side when they were carrying two, I guess to provide constant coverage without gaps along the track.  At least, that’s how I remember it.  More than you needed to know, but there you go.  Include flashers in your build?  Sure.  Why not?

[Pete Fleischmann]

Damn I love everything about this-

 

P

[Dandiego]

Amazing  Ben. Just Amazing. 

 

Dan

[easixpedro]

3 hours ago, Oldbaldguy said:

 I’m guessing there was some sort of airspeed/frame rate/altitude algorithm they had to use with the pods ‘cause they always flew fairly low, fairly slow and straight and level. 

I had to re-read this a few times before I understood it. Think you’re right BTW. And not used often over Nam. There were other ways of getting nighttime images. But I really had to re-read it after talking with Phantom drivers that had to slick their drops and continuously tap afterburner to keep up with the Photo guys on their runs  as they were going THAT fast. I love everything about this build Ben, it’s amazing!

[Starfighter]

8 hours ago, Oldbaldguy said:

  More than you needed to know, but there you go. 

 

But certainly not more than I wanted to know - your input is more than welcome! I think they look pretty cool, so I'll give it a go. Tommy Thomason's drawings make it quite easy indeed. 

[Starfighter]

Flasher pods? Well, here you go. I'll have to browse my books to find some good photos of the surface detail; I'll have to do that later when I'm back home.

 

Even simple parts such as the flasher pods require quite a few sketches to define their shape.  

 

 

Basic shape...

 

 

Basic surface detail and flashers added. The prop blades are still missing. 

 

 

Time for some bonus shots... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[easixpedro]

1 hour ago, Starfighter said:

 

Goodness, what an elegant airplane. I can't wait for this to come together!

 

Any thoughts on squadrons and markings?  I don't want to be so bold as to give you suggestions, but have ideas if you need 'em!

[Oldbaldguy]

Squadron markings went through sooooo many iterations that you’d almost have to pick a unit then pick a time in the unit’s history.  Although this being a later block airplane will limit choices somewhat ‘cause early markings wouldn’t work.  Still, choices include several options for RVAH-1,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13, and 14.  Some obviously are more modelable than others.

[easixpedro]

21 minutes ago, Oldbaldguy said:

Squadron markings went through sooooo many iterations that you’d almost have to pick a unit then pick a time in the unit’s history.  Although this being a later block airplane will limit choices somewhat ‘cause early markings wouldn’t work.  Still, choices include several options for RVAH-1,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13, and 14.  Some obviously are more modelable than others.

The historian in me is thinking along the lines of all the amazing stories from that era.

 

The Frank Pendergast (VAH-13/USS Kitty Hawk) Navy Cross story is just spectacular.

 

Or am thinking of Emy Conrad's (RVAH-6/USS America) beard and skunk cap he wore (the 70s Navy was a different era, for certain). That would be fun to recreate--apparently a real character!