Collin

Yes....the S-3A could drop the MK-50 series mines...and depending on timeframe the DESTRUCTOR (older)/QUICKSTRIKE (newer) series of mines. And based on GW's timeline above....the MK-60. From a "dropping off the plane" perspective:...the S-3A and S-3B could drop the same stuff if they were in the inventory. The S-3B brought with it Harpoon...and in the S-3B's final years the AGM-65E/F and SLAM-ER/AAW pods. Cheers Collin

S-3B could carry all air-droppable mine types. I was the MINE SME as well....so I planned a field with 52's (1,000#) or MK-56 (2,000#) [can't remember off the top of my head] for a MINEX.....think they were old ones I sat on the deck with the Gunner while all my friends went out and dropped 😞 Mk-62/63 and the MK-65 would likely been what we dropped real world. My buddy just sent me a picture of a VS-21 S-3B loaded with a MK-65 practice mine for a MINEX before I showed up at the squadron. Never saw a MK-60 CAPTOR mine in my time in Viking's....but I guess we could have dropped those as wel

B’s hit the fleet late 80’s. Still a mixed fleet when DS1 came around. I know RANGER was still flying A’s…VS-31 might have been flying B’s by then along with some others. I know VS-21 was flying B’s when they cross decked and moved to Japan/CVW5 around the ‘92 timeframe. Harpoon in the Viking community was always hit or miss. If the bubble went up and it was war…we would have had them and used them. Less than full wartime (think ops in the Gulf around that time)…..a tight body of water with a lot of ship traffic…and senior leadership that didnt like a long range weapon like that for the sma

Yes

Testors Chevy Engine Red if you can find it. https://www.eagledist.com/testors-chevy-engine-red-te2731.html

Harpoon didn’t come online until the S-3B T/M/S. S-3A didnt have the SW or weapon control panel installed yet to launch the weapon. A few of my squadron mates (O-4/O-5’s) that flew S-3A’s either carried rockets (if allowed on the boat) or Rockeye for early SUCAP sorties. Our SUCAP loadout always included 2x MK-82 TP/low drag in one side of the bomb bay. That way you could reconfigure whatever you wanted on the wing stations (drops, TERs with weapons, or the ARS pod) and still have something that went boom loaded on the aircraft. Cheers Collin

I've got it....and it's OK. Be gentle with it for sure...but it works. Problem is a higher quality punch goes for $200-$300+ real quick. Collin

You won't find cheap kits there....so set your expectations accordingly. I was there back in March/April for work, visited The Hobby Company. Nice little store for supplies. Kit selection OK but expensive. I bought some magazines to support them. Cheers Collin

Be still my heart. I think I just saw my flight jacket un-hang itself and start strutting around. 736 in my future for sure. Thank you for producing these. Too soon to ask about part 2? Cheers Collin

Terrific build and finish....and even better, it's in-flight. Well Done. Cheers Collin

Sweet...and Oh So...Dark. Nice work. Cheers Collin

By the late 60's/early 70's...the USN A-1 Skyraider was pushed away from strike over the beach to an offshore/on call RESCAP asset....the loads got smaller. Below are some photos pulled from All Gore's internet....you can see that gone are the days of wall to wall (wingtip to wingtip) bombs to go dump over the beach....and slimmed down to some rockets and fuel tanks. Mabey a MK81 or MK81 thrown in there. And of course....there is a full load of 20MM ready to be unleashed (unless they jammed). Cheers Collin

Well since the A-7 gear (main for sure) were same design as the F-8 gear...here are some shots from the SLUF: https://airfighters.com/photo/179384/M/Greece-Air-Force/LTV-Aerospace-A-7E-Corsair-II/159639/ https://airfighters.com/photo/155471/M/Greece-Air-Force/LTV-Aerospace-TA-7C-Corsair-II/156753/ https://airfighters.com/photo/154879/M/Greece-Air-Force/LTV-Aerospace-TA-7C-Corsair-II/156753/ https://airfighters.com/photo/148316/M/Greece-Air-Force/LTV-Aerospace-TA-7C-Corsair-II/156753/ https://airfighters.com/photo/121822/M/Greece-Air-Force/LTV-Aerospace-TA-7C-Cor