Author Topic: Logan's Profiles - 8x8 Scimitar  (Read 366978 times)

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - Nakajima A9He1 Herman - Rabaul
« Reply #575 on: April 14, 2014, 01:19:31 PM »
Thanks, Matt!  Indeed, that's the idea.  While originally procured with the potential that it might work on carriers, I imagine that the IJNAF would almost immediately regard the He 100 as unsuitable for carrier operations (at least with the IJN).  As a result, I plan to only use the A9He1 with land-based squadrons.  Still, though, that allows me to replace a great many Zero, Jack, and George units as the war goes on.

I must say, I've been surprisingly productive with profiles, lately.  I JUST finished another submission for the Spies GB, but I still have to save it at its various sizes, upload it, type up the backstory, etc.  So, it won't be until tomorrow that it's posted, but then I should get another one after that done pretty quickly, actually.  It's quite possible that I may get as many as six profiles done for the Spies GB if everything comes along well.



Cheers,

Logan

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - USAF RB-51E Patricia Lynn - Vietnam
« Reply #576 on: April 15, 2014, 12:01:36 AM »
As always, click on the image below to see the picture at 100% or view it at my DeviantArt page.  I've also submitted this to the The Snoops, Sensors, Spooks, & Spies GB.



In 1963, the General Dynamics plant at Fort Worth, Texas was awarded a contract to modify two B-51Bs as all-weather reconnaissance aircraft. The forward nose section was modified to house a KA-1 36-inch forward oblique and a low panoramic KA-56 camera. Mounted inside the specially-configured bomb bay door was a KA-1 vertical camera, a K-477 split vertical day-night camera, an infrared scanner, and a KA-1 left oblique camera. The lengthened nose gave the aircraft -- redesignated RB-51E -- a distinctive appearance.

The RB-51E aircraft were assigned to a secret project known as Patricia Lynn that operated out of Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon. The lead engineer of the project was given the option of naming the program, so he chose the name of his wife. Beginning in May of 1963, the Patricia Lynn unit flew nighttime reconnaissance missions to identify VC base camps, small arms factories, and storage and training areas. In December 1964 two more B-51Bs were modified to RB-51E specifications and sent to Vietnam. The United States began Operation Steel Tiger over the Panhandle and the DMZ on April 3, 1965, to locate and destroy enemy forces and materiel being moved southward at night into South Vietnam. On a typical mission, the RB-51E was accompanied by B-51B bombers and C-130 flare ships. After a strike, the Patricia Lynn aircraft would complete a bomb damage assessment reconnaissance run over the previous attacked target area.

A fifth aircraft was received in November 1965. These five aircraft formed Detachment 1 of the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (earlier 6250th Combat Support Group and earlier still 33rd Tactical Group). Two RB-51Es were lost in combat operations. The first (55-4243) was lost as a result of a fuselage fire caused by small arms while on a low level reconnaissance mission. The crew ejected safely when near Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The second aircraft (55-4264) was lost on Oct. 15, 1968, after an engine fire started by ground fire forced the crew to eject. A sixth Patricia Lynn aircraft (55-4251) joined the team in 1968, this one equipped with terrain-following radar. There were frequent changes and updating of the equipment, including the installation of 12-inch focal length KA-82 and 24-inch focal length KA-83 cameras. The infrared equipment was useful in spotting Viet Cong river traffic at night along the Mekong delta southeast of Saigon. In 1969/70, Patricia Lynn missions were flown into Laos and into Cambodia. The aircraft were withdrawn from combat operations in mid-1971.



Here's a closeup of the new nose on the Patricia Lynn B-51.  This profile actually had a LOT of work on it, more than just the nose.  The NMF was redone to make sure that it toned down, less blue, and more worn from service.  I had to redo the engine reflection, tail light & shading, wing tank lighting & shading, weathering, and much of the other paint and markings. 

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Matt Wiser

  • Newly Joined - Welcome me!
Re: Logan's Profiles - USAF RB-51E Patricia Lynn - Vietnam
« Reply #577 on: April 15, 2014, 09:44:54 AM »
Even the He-100 would show its age by 1943, and the Jack and George might still get the go-ahead. The Jack was meant to be a bomber interceptor, and the George turned out to be the best land-based fighter the JNAF had. (and there was a planned carrier-based version as well)
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - Greek Heinkel He 46K-2 - Tsarouhi
« Reply #578 on: April 15, 2014, 02:29:32 PM »
Indeed, Matt.  I don't see it as a complete replacement for any of those types.  It just means I get to steal their markings for future profiles.

Just finished this one tonight.  This one was actually pretty involved.  Custom camouflage, custom roundel, custom numbering, custom Browning FN machine gun, custom bomb rack, custom "American-type" bomb, and custom "Tsarouhi" marking on the side of the aircraft.  All were made just for this profile.  Nothing was an easy drag and drop on this profile, but I REALLY like the way it all came together.  I also submitted this profile to The Snoops, Sensors, Spooks, & Spies GB.



The acquisition of Heinkel He 46s to augment and replace the obsolete Potez 25 A.2s and Breguet 19 A.2/B.2s was apparently initiated in spring 1935. The Heinkel Flugzeugwerke A.G. was advised by the Reichsverband der Deutschen Luftfahrt-Industrie (RDLI) in July 1935 that the Greek air force was interested in their "multi-role aircraft", whereupon Heinkel made preparations to meet an order for 16 to 32 He 46s. Greek officers visited the Heinkel factory in Rostock-Marienehe in November 1935, and one of them flew an He 46.

The contract finally signed on 18 April 1936, covered the purchase, for approximately three million Reichsmark, of 16 export versions of the Heinkel He 46 (type K) with five spare engines, maintenance equipment and 16 additional bomb racks. In the end, the latter were never delivered and Greece was forced to develop their own solution. The aircraft were also provided with luxurious editions of German maintenance manuals translated into Greek. The contract made provision for possible follow-up sales and license manufacturing parts and materials. The contract did not cover the mounting for the observer's gun on each He 46 or various other items of equipment, which surely included the choice of the type of machine gun the acquisition of these being left to the purchaser. A Greek acceptance commission started work at Rostock-Marienehe in June 1936, Athens having meanwhile expressed a wish to purchase further aircraft. Construction of the 16 export version He 46Ks was completed by September 1936, and Greek ferry pilots arrived in late November for delivery by air to Tatoi aerodrome at Athens.

The suffix "K" (Kampf, i.e. combat) appended to the designation of the He 46s delivered to Greece, also indicates they were neither standard He 46E-1s nor He 46G-ls, that some items of equipment were not identical with those fitted on the Luftwaffe versions and/or that modifications had been specified by the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF). It was powered by the BMW 132 and the radio equipment was downgraded compared with that used by the Luftwaffe. The armament comprised a 7.92 mm FN Browning on a flexible mounting for the observer. Locally manufactured "American-type" 50 kg and 14 kg bombs were carried on racks of RHAF design fitted under the fuselage just behind the landing gear, under the pilot's cockpit and in the bay behind the observer's cockpit.

On 28 October 1940 at 5.30am, Italian troops based in Albania attacked Greece. The Heinkels were entered service with the 3rd Army Cooperation Squadron and were ready for action. The first aircraft lost by the Greek Air Force during the Italian invasion was a He 46. Apart from extensive reconnaissance, the Greek He 46s were often used successfully against enemy troops and ground targets. One of the successful and unusual actions was flown on 21 November 1940, when three He 46s of the 3rd Squadron scattered a 6 km long column of Italian troops at Pogradec in just one attack.

Early on April 6, 1941, Hitler launched the assault on Greece and Yugoslavia, Operation Marita, to rescue the Italian army in retreat in Albania and to prevent British forces from establishing bases in Greece from which bombers could raid the oil fields in Romania vital to the German war effort. Third squadron with its Heinkels was based at Agrinion in western Greece when, on April 22, the airfield was strafed by Messerschmitt Bf 109s with devastating effect, five of the Do 22Kgs and all but one Heinkel being destroyed. Later in the day the last serviceable Heinkel, was flown to Argos in the Peloponnese to join the surviving Potez 25s, PZL P.24s and some other aircraft, as well as RAF Hurricanes. On April 23 Argos was successively attacked by Dornier Do 17Zs, Junkers Ju 88s, Bf 109s and finally almost all the Greek aircraft had been destroyed. The German forces advancing into Greece in April 1941 found a damaged Heinkel He 46 coded Σ (Sigma) 43 on an abandoned Greek airfield. Obviously this or any other Greek Heinkel was never used by the Luftwaffe.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline lauhof52

  • Dutchie
  • The Decimator Guy!
Re: Logan's Profiles - Greek Heinkel He 46K-2 - Tsarouhi
« Reply #579 on: April 17, 2014, 01:35:37 AM »
The RB-51 looks so real!! 8)

regards
Lauhof

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop F-15A Reporter - NACA Ames
« Reply #580 on: April 18, 2014, 03:05:29 AM »
Thanks, Paul!  I was really pleased with how it turned out once I got the funky nose integrated on the aircraft.

Finished another "real world" profile today.  This one required a lot of work to do the drop test object, something there weren't great references for.  As always, click on the image below to see the picture at 100% or view it at my DeviantArt page.  I've also submitted this to the Space GB.



The last flying example of the entire P-61 line was a rare F-15A Reporter (RF-61C) (s/n 45-59300), the first production model Reporter to be built. The aircraft was completed on 15 May 1946, and served with the Army Air Corps and later the U.S. Air Force until 6 February 1948, when it was reassigned to the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory at Moffett Field in California for transonic aerodynamic research. Interest in the transonic flight regime increased markedly after the Second World War, reflecting further attempts to increase aircraft performance. However, wind tunnels of the time were inadequate for carrying out this kind of research. In one approach to acquiring transonic aerodynamic data, heavily weighted models of the configuration of interest were dropped from high altitudes. In those tests, which were conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, aerodynamic bodies that were to be evaluated in the transonic flight regime were released from an aircraft at altitudes up to 43,000 feet. The instrumented bodies would pass through the transonic speed range in free fall, during which they were oscillated through a range of angles of attack and were then decelerated and recovered by means of air brakes and parachutes. Testing at these altitudes was arduous and, although the pilots wore heavy flight suits, the model drops were made on the first run to reduce the pilots' exposure to the extreme cold.



The F-15A-1-NO aircraft, a reconnaissance model of the P-61 night fighter, was reconfigured to serve as a launch vehicle for these tests. The high-altitude capability of the F-15A made it the ideal "mother ship" for this work. An aircraft similar to this one, an ERF-61C, owned by the Smithsonian Institution, was lent to Ames to be used in this program as well. Pilots who participated in this work were George Cooper, Rudolph (Rudy) Van Dyke, Don Heinle, and Fred Drinkwater. As with the wing-flow tests, qualitative results were obtained; nevertheless, the advent of the new transonic tunnels supplanted flight testing as a means of documenting the aerodynamics of this flight regime. The air-brake and parachute systems developed for these tests were subsequently used by many agencies for rocket and satellite payload recovery. In April, 1955, the F-15A was declared surplus along with a "spare parts" F-61C (s/n 43-8357).



Here's a closeup of the nose showing the new pitot, new camera window, new rivet pattern, new panels and panel lines, and new bottom camera fairing.  In short, basically a new nose again.  I feel like a plastic surgeon on this plane, I'm doing so many nose jobs.



Cheers,

Logan

Offline Matt Wiser

  • Newly Joined - Welcome me!
Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop F-15A Reporter - NACA Ames
« Reply #581 on: April 18, 2014, 11:06:40 AM »
Great work, Logan! Too bad neither the Reporter or the F-61 "spares" bird were picked up by museums. There's only four known Black Widows on display anywhere.
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop F-15A Reporter - NACA Ames
« Reply #582 on: April 18, 2014, 02:36:27 PM »
Beautiful work as always, Logan.

I mentioned on some other topic that I'm GoldenAge/WWII freak, but there's something in those research/science aircrafts also.
... and kill me again
or take me as I am,
for I shall not change...
never...

Offline lauhof52

  • Dutchie
  • The Decimator Guy!
Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop F-15A Reporter - NACA Ames
« Reply #583 on: April 18, 2014, 03:58:47 PM »
Really excellent nose-work! :) :)

regards
Lauhof

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop F-15A Reporter - NACA Ames
« Reply #584 on: April 20, 2014, 01:11:26 PM »
Thanks, guys!  I'm really glad you liked them.  I thought the recent profile batch has turned out pretty well.  More to come soon!

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #585 on: April 21, 2014, 03:53:36 AM »
As always, click on the image below to see the picture at 100% or view it at my DeviantArt page.  I've also submitted this to The Snoops, Sensors, Spooks, & Spies GB.



When the USS Carl Vinson was launched on March 15, 1980, the honor of christening the ship was given to its sponsor, Molly Snead, a devoted friend and administrative assistant to Congressman Carl Vinson who nursed his wife (who suffered from severe arthritis) during the years that led up to Mary Vinson's death in 1950. Molly was honored further when a C-1 Trader carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft was named for her, but with the C-1's retirement from active service in 1988, VF-111 chose to adopt the scheme. Lt. Mark Conn, an artist, kept the tradition alive on VF-111's CAG bird, painting WWII style nose-art of a Navy nurse and the name "Miss Molly" on BuNo 161621 (TARPS). The unique combination of bold artwork and bright squadron markings made "Miss Molly" one of the most colorful F-14s ever flown.

The Sundowners were originally commissioned as VF-11 at NAS North Island on October 10, 1942. The name Sundowners refers to the squadron's job of shooting down Japanese "Suns", but it also refers to an old nautical term. A Sundowner was also a ship's captain who directed his crew towards hard work until the day was ended. The term originated in the days of sailing ships when grog was customarily served on ships. A strict captain might withhold the ration until dark, but others allowed the grog to be served when the sun dipped below the yardarm.

By the mid-1970s the Navy was looking for a new reconnaissance platform to replace the RA-5C Vigilantes and RF-8G Crusaders, which by this time were showing their age. Initial studies looked at a dedicated recon variant of the Vagabond, the RF-14, but by 1974 this was dropped in favor of an 'interim' solution-the TARPS (Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System).



The TARPS system began development in April of 1976, using a system originally developed for the A-7 Corsair II. Flight testing of the pod began in April 1977, using the no.5 F-14A (BuNo 157984). At this stage the pod was carried on the right hand wing pylon, in place of a drop tank and resembled a squared off version of the drop tank, including fins on the rear of the pod. During development the pod was moved to the center fuselage station and became more rounded in appearance. After successfully completing testing, procurement began in 1978 and was completed by 1984. To carry the pod F-14s had to be specially adapted to the task and as a result 65 F-14A aircraft were modified. The modified aircraft received extra electrical power and air-conditioning, as well as undergoing modification to the NFO cockpit to add a new display and operating controls for the pod. Carriage of the unit had a negligible effect on performance and handling. The unit could be fitted or removed in 30 minutes.

Designed for the low/medium altitude clear air reconnaissance role, TARPS consisted of a 17.29ft (5.27m) shell with a max width of 2.21ft (0.67m). Fully equipped weight was 1,760lb (798kg), with a standard load consisting of a KS-87M conventional frame camera in the nose, with a KA-99 low altitude panoramic camera mounted at the midpoint. Next to the KA-99 was an AN/AAD-3A infrared line scanner, for all weather/all hours reconnaissance missions. TARPS received its operational debut during the second half of 1982, when TARPS F-14s flew over Lebanon to pinpoint terrorist positions.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline lauhof52

  • Dutchie
  • The Decimator Guy!
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #586 on: April 21, 2014, 05:36:57 PM »
This is really a purchase fro the Sundowners! TOP!

regards
Lauhof

Offline Volkodav

  • Counts rivits with his abacus...
  • Much older now...but procrastinating about it
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #587 on: April 21, 2014, 05:40:23 PM »
The TARP and tanks just make an already cool looking aircraft super aggressive, top job.

Offline Slerski

  • The crazy French weapons specialist
  • Too... Much... Models... To... Rhhhaaaa !!
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #588 on: April 21, 2014, 08:26:28 PM »
Very nice plane, I like it. May I request one in French markings ? I think it might be a very plausible interceptor for the French Navy
On the bench : Fw 190D - Ta 152H - Jet Fw 190 - Modernized SPAD XIII - French Stealth plane

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #589 on: April 21, 2014, 10:39:00 PM »
Thanks, guys!  I think it is definitely looking more "real" with all the stuff hanging off it now.  Don't worry, Slerski, you'll definitely end up seeing one in Aéronavale markings.  It's a Vought product with French roots, so it only made sense.  It's something we planned from the beginning, but we need a bit more to do it.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline taiidantomcat

  • Plastic Origamist...and not too shabby with the painting either!
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Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #590 on: April 22, 2014, 06:43:42 AM »
Any planes to do a "bombcat" style like Iraq in 2003-5 or Afghanistan? Any plans for Iran?

Keep up the great profiles  :)
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher

Offline Matt Wiser

  • Newly Joined - Welcome me!
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #591 on: April 22, 2014, 09:59:32 AM »
Great job! Always nice to see the Sundowners. Now, what about the IRIAF and a MiG-25 killer from the 1980-88 unpleasantness?
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #592 on: April 22, 2014, 10:20:12 AM »
Thanks, taiidan and Matt!  We've already done one Iranian bird, but we'll be doing some IRIAF ones later.



As for a B-model, we have one planned, but it will be pretty extensive, so it won't happen for a little while.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #593 on: April 23, 2014, 07:35:39 AM »
The TARP and tanks just make an already cool looking aircraft super aggressive, top job.

Agreed. Gorgeous work, Logan!  :-*
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - V-507 TARPS - VF-111 Sundowners - Miss Molly
« Reply #594 on: April 23, 2014, 12:39:23 PM »
Thanks, apophenia!  I've got a couple more profiles almost finished and will be posting them in the next couple of days.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
  • Rivet-counting whiffer
Re: Logan's Profiles - USAF Martin RB-51A Panther - Europe
« Reply #595 on: April 24, 2014, 12:50:46 AM »
As always, click on the image below to see the picture at 100% or view it at my DeviantArt page.  I've also submitted this to The Snoops, Sensors, Spooks, & Spies GB.



The Martin RB-51A was a reconnaissance version of the B-51A bomber. The decision to develop a reconnaissance version of the B-51A was made in 1951, guided by experience in the Korean War, which had underscored some USAF reconnaissance shortcomings in the face of increasingly effective enemy air defenses. Cameras and the removal of the 20mm guns constituted the main differences between the RB-51A and the B-51A. The cameras (P-2s, K-17s, K-37s, K-38s, or T-17s) could be interchanged according to the aircraft's mission. The intended mission included day and night, high and low, and visual and photographic reconnaissance. It was painted with a high gloss black paint which was intended to minimize detection by searchlights.

The 30th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Sembach received it's first RB-51 on the 30th November 1954. The RB-51As were mission ready in early 1955 and shared the workload with the RB-26s. The latter aircraft took the lion's share of the mission responsibility in Exercise Carte Blanche, which took place in June 1955; but the RB-51s participated. This exercise was designed to test the latest concepts in dispersal, tactical air control and execution of alert plans in the event of an atomic war. The squadron completed 94 out of the 122 missions assigned to it; of which 81 were deemed successful. During the latter months of 1955 the 30th TRS, 66th TRW built up to full strength on the RB-51A. The RB-51's were ferried from the states by the squadron crews who had gone over to pick them up.

Several exercises during the period held the attention of the aircrews of all the tactical reconnaissance squadrons, not least the 'freshmen' RB-51 crews. Exercise Fox Paw from the 1st to the 4th October engaged the 30th TRS for the first time on night reconnaissance missions. Exercise Whipsaw from the 26th to the 28th September 1956 involved all the tactical reconnaissance units of USAFE. It was a major exercise 'designed to test, practice and evaluate current plans, policies and procedures promulgated by SACEUR and subordinate commanders for the employment of nuclear weapons in the defence of allied Europe.' The principle mission profile for tactical reconnaissance was to fly pre-strike, post-strike and weather reconnaissance missions. The 30th were more than satisfied with their performance. 33 bombing sorties were flown against 54 targets, all of which were hit. Total flying time was 100 hours of which 25 were at night. A total of 58 photographic sorties were flown and photo coverage of 4 targets was completed.

Following the problems that had been encountered with the RB-51s the success of Whipsaw was a boost for the 30th TRS; but, in any event, the days of the aircraft were numbered as the McDonnell RF-101A Voodoo began to go into production; arriving in the European theatre during late 1951.

Cheers,

Logan
« Last Edit: May 28, 2014, 10:36:34 PM by Logan Hartke »

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Logan's Profiles - USAF Martin RB-51A Panther - Europe
« Reply #596 on: April 24, 2014, 02:07:18 AM »
Sweet. :)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline ChernayaAkula

  • Was left standing in front when everyone else took one step back...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - USAF Martin RB-51A Panther - Europe
« Reply #597 on: April 24, 2014, 02:55:50 AM »
Absolutely gorgeous!  :-*
Cheers,
Moritz

"The appropriate response to reality is to go insane!"

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - USAAF F-15A - Shomo's Flying Undertaker
« Reply #598 on: April 24, 2014, 05:15:34 AM »
Thanks, guys!  More yellow stripes to follow.  As always, click on the image below to see the picture at 100% or view it at my DeviantArt page.  I've also submitted this to the The Snoops, Sensors, Spooks, & Spies GB.



The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to


MAJOR WILLIAM A. SHOMO
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

Quote
  Maj. Shomo was lead pilot of a flight of 2 fighter planes charged with an armed photographic and strafing mission against the Aparri and Laoag airdromes. While en route to the objective, he observed an enemy twin engine bomber, protected by 12 fighters, flying about 2,500 feet above him and in the opposite direction Although the odds were 13 to 2, Maj. Shomo immediately ordered an attack. Accompanied by his wingman he closed on the enemy formation in a climbing turn and scored hits on the leading plane of the third element, which exploded in midair. Maj. Shomo then attacked the second element from the left side of the formation and shot another fighter down in flames. When the enemy formed for Counterattack, Maj. Shomo moved to the other side of the formation and hit a third fighter which exploded and fell. Diving below the bomber he put a burst into its underside and it crashed and burned. Pulling up from this pass he encountered a fifth plane firing head on and destroyed it. He next dived upon the first element and shot down the lead plane; then diving to 300 feet in pursuit of another fighter he caught it with his initial burst and it crashed in flames. During this action his wingman had shot down 3 planes, while the 3 remaining enemy fighters had fled into a cloudbank and escaped. Maj. Shomo's extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity in attacking such a far superior force and destroying 7 enemy aircraft in one action is unparalleled in the southwest Pacific area.


After Major William Shomo achieved his stunning success on 11 January 1945, the 71st Reconnaissance Group re-equipped with Northrop F-15A Reporters. Unlike the earlier North American F-6A Mustang that retained its six .50 cals, the F-15A Reporter was unarmed as built, the 20mm cannon ports being covered. Based on experiences such as Shomo's, the Fifth Air Force refused to fly the F-15A on combat missions until they had 20mm cannons installed, just as the Black Widow had. Northrop shipped kits out to equip the rest of the aircraft, while future F-15As produced by Northrop were armed. On his previous aircraft, Shomo had "The Flying Undertaker" painted on the left side and "Snooks" painted on the right. Given the greater real estate of the F-15 Reporter, Shomo's crew chief decided to paint "The Flying Undertaker" on both sides of the fuselage and "Snooks 7th" on both engine cowlings.

And here's a closeup of some of the noseart that I made for this profile.



Cheers,

Logan

Offline lauhof52

  • Dutchie
  • The Decimator Guy!
Re: Logan's Profiles - USAAF F-15A - Shomo's Flying Undertaker
« Reply #599 on: April 24, 2014, 02:06:14 PM »
Both profiles are TOP! Logan and so are the stories! :)

regards
Lauhof