Forum: Scale Models - F-16, F-35, F/A-22, F-2

OK this isn't really F-16 related but I just wanted to blow my own horn Very Happy

I just got my November issue of Fine Scale Modeler magazine, and they did a review of a resin kit of the A-12 Avenger II. In the article they printed a link to my website as a source for A-12 reference material!!! Very Happy

I think this link will point to the online article: http://www.finescale.com/fsm/article.aspx?aID=1220 , my website is in the next to last paragraph.

Sorry for the self-patronizing, but I don't stand a snowball's chance in h*ll of ever getting one of my models in their magazine, but I'll settle for getting my website mentioned... Razz

OK F-16 content - a lot of F-16 engineers went on to work on the A-12 program before it was cancelled. Does that count? Embarassed

GregD

F-16.net Sponsor

Heh, so it's a little OT, no biggie. Doesn't HAVE to have F-16 content in it, every time ya know. I just find it interesting that it was the second aircraft with the A-12 designation.

Gotta fly!
Skippy

Habu, my YF-12 photos: http://www.habu2.net/aeropix/yf-12/

Ahhh....my fave of the Blackbirds. Ya know I haven't had a chance to get out there yet. Closest I got was last year when I was in Columbus for the national flying competition. Never did get a chance to get to Dayton though. I will make it out there one day.

Gotta fly!
Skippy

Active Member Joined: Jan 06, 2004 - 03:22 PM Posts: 204

As long as you guys are talking about an un-viper... do either of you know if someone makes a 'Have Blue', the F-117 concept demonstrator? Seems like it mighth be a pretty interesting kit ... maybe from some place that does resin high end kits?

jus askin...

Pegasus Models makes a 1/72 injection kit. There is also a resin 1/48 kit out there, but for the life of me can't think of the name of the company.

I've seen the Pegasus kit built up - it is very very basic (and very small). I don't think it's cheap either. Haven't heard about a 1:48 Have Blue...

Salute all!

I would be very interested in the Northrop-Grumann entry.

I was hired by a small engineering firm to work with the prime contractors.

Our specialty was armament systems, and Control Data had lottsa computer expertise, but didn't know a BDU-33 from a B-61.

I briefed the airframe team a few times about the pilot-vehicle interface and the store control algorithms. Never got to actually see the bird, and was sorely peed off.

Security was awesome, and the first time I actually confirmed what we were working on and who we were working for was when the contract was cancelled by the Navy. I had my suspicions, and they were very accurate.

Maybe somebody has a pic of the Northrop design. I doubt it was a delta like the GD-MacAir design. I also think it would likely be a tough bird as Grumann had built so many times.

let's talk!

Gums

Why am I not surprised, Gums? You got your hands in a lot of jelly back in the day eh? Razz

The only pic I've seen of the N-G entry is in the new 'Black Jets' book by Airtime. VERY nice book btw...

Very little was done with this aircraft passed the brainstorming and drawing board stages. It would have been a brilliant peice of hardware had it come to be. But budgets and mismanagement along with the idea that the Navy didnt need a stealth aircraft by some morons in congress helped can the bird.

Last edited by Habu on Feb 04, 2004 - 03:17 AM; edited 1 time in total

edit: nm

Quote:

Very little was done with this aircraft passed the brainstorming and drawing board stages.

I must disagree. I can't prove you wrong (for reasons that should be obvious), but trust me, the Dorito's legacy lives on. Mr. Green

Active Member Joined: Jan 06, 2004 - 03:22 PM Posts: 204

an editor here at the mag has a company model of the 'Dorito' it's very nice. He said he actually fished it out of a trash can after the program went TU. Can't believe someone was gonna throw it away!! He cleaned it up and it's looking nice on a shelf in his office. I can't imagine how much the sucker is worth!?

There is a guy here who still has one of the A-12 company promo models on his desk - see it every day. He got it when he worked on the program.

Salute!

You guys talking about the N-G entry? A 'dorito'? GASP!

Some of our team got to see the mockup or prototype in a hangar someplace, so I am confident that work was well beyond the 'drawing board' stage.

I also knew of a 'special' building at the Hawthorne Plant ( my TDY base of ops for a few months). I can also state that the Pico site was visited several times by folks I worked with.

My briefing on the armament system was at a hotel in Dallas, and everybody used first names only (hell, they were prolly aliases). There were at least a few Navy folks there, as the haircuts and questions thay asked me provided a clue.

So I worked on the thing from fall of '85 until the program was cancelled.

There were discussions about range being a problem for the GD-MacAir entry. I also have a suspicion that the N-G entry was really stealthy, as Nortrop's experience seemed very credible.

Oh well, those were the days.......

Would really like to see that model if someone has a pic to post.