Clunkmeister

I'd say that the Lark Ute that Harv saw in Branson is a custom hot rod with no link to Down Under other thsan in style and flavour. It's done in a similar spirit as the late 50's Ford Customline Utes which were built on a car chassis. Ford used the 53-56 US Ford body for quite a few years Down Under, well past 1957 when Ford introduced new bodies in North America. Plus, it has 1957-58 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser styled full length rear fender skirts, whis definitely is a custom touch.

On a serious note, I can't even imagine the logistics of something on this scale. Like Mr. Stedman said, perhaps sourcing an demilitarized shell would be the way forward. And if one isn't available out of the USA, perha[ps a semi useable hulk COULD be sourced from Iran. The big problem is that the US Government knows that the F-14 is still a very viable and capable combat aircraft that in the wrong hands would pose a serious and credible threat to US and Allied Forces. With Iran still flying F-14A's, spare parts would have a huge demand on the black market, so as a result, they've gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure that surplus F-14s were smelted down or destroyed/ made inoperable by the most effective way possible.

And Iranian junkyards would be a good place to source any needed AM.

It's alot of work, but so is the HPH kit. What I like about the HPH kit is that after the parts are prepped and everything cleaned up, it almost falls together. What I don't like about the HPH kit is the price and having to cut out the airbrakes and hand form open ones in PE. Not impossible, or even all that difficult, just tedious. This is looking nice.

Italeri makes a decent enough Sabre but I'm not sure if it's Korean vintage. For the MiG, there's no question, HPH is by far the best of the bunch....

Watching the F6F fly is way cool as well. They zip along at a speed that seems way above what it’s stubby self should be capable of. And the B-25 is one serious cacophony of awesome noise!

Awesome pics Smitty! I’ve never seen Doc, although I’ve seen Fifi a few times, only once while in flight. That Dagon Lady is most awesome, as is the P-51A and Razorback Thunderbolt, but it’s sad not seeing a B-17 there.

Oh YESSSSSSS! He 59 in white, civil registration, and Red Cross marked.

Wellington only by someone who can do the surface detail correctly. If done right, it could be a work of art.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GmkhNoHoziw

Fairchild 71C

Agreed. Some of those 1930s German seaplanes are timeless. I’m especially fond of an earlier design, the Junkers W-34.

Drat! That parallax problem rears it’s ugly head once again.

As Mikester had already stated, this site is a scale model site, and your subject material doesn’t really mesh with the spirit and format of the forums. But I do agree with Dave’s recommendations on construction materials. However, since Mike and Dave jumped on this first, have not yet acted on any thread action, I’ll leave it open. For now.

Good GRIEF is that great!!!

Yeppers, Reichs-Ausschuß für Lieferbedingungen und Gütesicherung 6013. I always wondered what the European standard “RAL” stood for. Wikipedia is your friend. impossible to find color up till recently S-92, S-199 and others. Yum!

Great Success!! It looks like I’ll be building some Czech and early postwar Israeli stuff.....

I do hope that public rides in these aircraft continue. The various B-17s, Lancs, B-24s, 25s, and 29s have safely flown many thousands of people over the years with nary so much as a scratch. This tragedy will hurt, and maybe the FAA will look a bit closer for a bit, but I expect they’ll find first class operations at every one of these organizations. Collings is a first class operation and I expect no issues will be found. I expect that they’ll eventually replace Nine O Nine and get back in the B-17 game. In related news, one thing perked up my ears. The commercial pilot eyewitness specifically stated that Nine O Nine lost her number three engine on takeoff. That’s the starboard inner engine which he personally stated was smoking badly. The pilot of Nine O Nine specifically broadcast that he had problems with number FOUR engine. Eyewitnesses to the approach reported hearing very sick and unhealthy engine sounds which would make sense if number three was still turning. It is very, very easy to misidentify a bad engine on takeoff and shut down the wrong engine. On a twin, you’re now a glider, on the B-17 losing both on one side means you now have a very big problem. Manageable, but less so if you don’t know what you’re dealing with. That will definitely explain why he couldn’t gain altitude. You’d have to hold a boot full of rudder at that low speed and takeoff power setting. I’d say they did well just getting her around the pattern and lined up on final. It sounds like he hit the approach and threshold lights just short of the runway, then veered off onto the grass. That’s happened to more than a few folks over the years. Even with bombs gone and half empty tanks, wartime bombers had a tough time even maintaining altitude on two.

Mk.1 eyeball Ryan, and I just look at 1930s Hawker biplanes and that Hurri is development of classic 30's Hawker, I copy them without shame. After all, I am incapable of figuring this on my own. Close enough for Government work, I say.

Now they’re saying seven dead, and like Smitty said, they can’t even get to the front of the aircraft. Wumm, I agree on ex military aircraft to some extent. I flew the C-46 for a living, and it’s a totally competent freighter will few vices that can’t be mastered with in type training. The B-17 was flown for decade as an extremely reliable and capable crop sprayer and firebomber. But I also have plenty of T-6 time. That aircraft will bite the sloppy, poorly skilled, and untrained. Treat it poorly and it’ll kill you dead so fast you won’t even see it coming. I’m no jet or high performance guy, so I have no clue on those, although I’ve heard that if you master the T-6, you can fly anything. Now I DO believe that because I don’t think it’s possible for any normal human to truly master the T-6. You can just get good enough to keep it from killing you, but master it? Yeah right.

Exactly, Jeff. And even a more absurd arguement here. It's an old time airplane. That's it. It's not a weapon of war anymore. It's been demiled, all guns, armor plate, bombing wquipment, and all other war making equipment has been long since removed. It's now just an old airplane painted up in vintage colors. People who carry on like that are just looking for the next cause du jour to hang their hats on.

There's word out there that at least two have died and several others are in hospital. Thoughts and Prayers for those involved.

The “Ground them all!” Comments have started along with the “civilians have no business getting their hands on these weapons of war” outcries. It happens every time there’s even so much as a busted wingtip on the hangar door.

You could CAD that up and 3D fold that thing in a couple weeks. It’d be a great NATS entry. Much better than the 1:1 scale bacon and eggs breakfast I saw in Omaha