Subject: Re: 102nd Fighter Wing / Massachusetts Air National Guard Legacy Project Part 3
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Ken Middleton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:07:00 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ken Middleton 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 6:39 AM
  Subject: 102nd Fighter Wing / Massachusetts Air National Guard Legacy Project Part 3

  102nd Fighter Wing / Massachusetts Air National Guard Legacy Project 

  Part 3

  "First Responder Eagle"

  by Ken Middleton
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here 

  Here is part 3 of a 3-part article on the 102nd FW Legacy Project I recently completed. This final part focuses on the "First Responder Eagle" display which represents F-15A 77-0102 on the moment of launch on 11 September 2001. As with the rest of the models, this is 1/48th scale, and will be donated to the unit for display at Otis Air National Guard Base.

  I used the Academy F-15C kit and Two Bobs decals. The Academy kit comes with the option for dropped intakes, which is exactly what I needed for a launching display. The landing gear would be in retracting-mode, and I didn't worry too much about the look and operation within the gear wells, but how it looked from the side. A large display base was needed, and it ended up being 1 foot wide by 2 feet long. I created a blurred runway and printed it, and attached it to sheet plastic.

  The load would consist of 3 fuel tanks, 2 AIM-9s and 2 AIM-7s.

  Model Preparation for an In-Flight Display
  With the in-flight display, I needed to have brass tubing within the fuselage, and passed through the afterburner cans. After careful measuring and fiddling, I got the alignment and secured them with 5 minute epoxy. I then moved onto the nose and main gear, and extended the oleo portions with aluminum tubing.

  Click on images below to see larger images

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 02.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 02.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 05.jpg 

   

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 06.jpg here 

   

  Two of the three main gears are molded shut, so I had to make them from sheet plastic. I simply traced along the panel lines onto paper, and transferred that to the plastic. I was not about to cut out the opening for the gear bay - that was too much work. The above photo shows the mock-up.

  The Display Base
  The display base ended up being not as complicated as I had envisioned. Strolling through my local Home Depot store looking for a suitable base, I came across a stair/step used in home stairwells. It was made of hard pine, and measured one foot wide and four feet long - and cost around $10 USD. I had them cut it in half at two feet, and I had two bases. 

  I used Plastruct ½ inch acrylic rod bent with a heating gun for the clear supports.

  I measured where I needed the brass tubes to hold the acrylic rod by lining up the back of the model, and drilled the holes with wood-boring bits. To make the blurred runway, I created it in Photoshop Elements, and printed it. I used spray adhesive and attached it to sheet plastic cut to size. 

  I brushed 3 coats of Future on the wood base, with sanding in between each dried coat. 

  Once that was complete, I attached the runway to the wood base with Liquid Nails glue and placed 2 phone books to hold it down. I also added the 3 patches, and the brass plaque I had made at the local trophy shop.

  Click on images below to see larger images

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 07.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 07.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 08.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 08.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 09.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 09.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 10.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 10.jpg 

   

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 11.jpg here 

   

  The landing gear was secured with 5 minute epoxy, and the usual final decaling and assembly proceeded. 

  Working every single day for a minimum of an hour, it took about 5 weeks and around 45 hours. Though one of the most challenging projects I have ever done, it was the most gratifying.

  Click on images below to see larger images

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 12.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 12.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 13.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 13.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 15.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 15.jpg 

   

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 16.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 16.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 17.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 17.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 18.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 18.jpg

   

  Ken

  Photos and text © by Ken Middleton