The Scientific Walt Musciano "Red Devil"? and the stepped Cox Babe Bee

rsv1cox wrote:Midway and Tora,Tora,Tora two great movies George.  But what happened to that propeller on the conversion!

Bob, some of the earlier T-6/SNJ-6 photos of the conversions to Japanese, the props were authentic 3 blades in looks when parked. But, the planes were sold not long after the movie made I guess to recoupe their costs. That photo with a prop that more resembled a Testor's model 3 blade with flattened tips, could be an after movie new owner replacement. The typical T-6 had a 2 bladed prop, and similar to our Cox and Wen-Mac experiences, used smaller diameter 3 bladed props. That's what that prop reminds me of.

Here's a few more Harvard/Texan conversion photos, one a Kate dive bomber and another:

https://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/tora-tora-tora.html/2 Article had this to say about planes used in other movies:

Warbirds News wrote:CAF Colonel Buddy Cooksey adds that, “Hollywood has turned to us on other occasions for airborne filming, such as in 1977, when two TORA TORA TORA Zeros, AI-113 and AI-114, were used for filming the TV series BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP. In 1979, four TORA TORA TORA Zeros participated in filming aerial actions in THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, a famous movie in which [F-14] Tomcats of the then VF-84 Jolly Rogers embarked on the USS NIMITZ were engaged in an improbable aerial dual with three Zero in the skies of the Pacific, as the carrier and all its air group had been “catapulted” back through time to December 1941. Other no less famous films which used our particular “air force” have been PEARL HARBOR, that saw the participation of Kates AII-356, AI-310 and AI-313 and two Vals, BI-257 and EI-231, that were shipped to Hawaii for the filming. Unfortunately during filming the movie, VAL EI—231 was lost having hit a palm tree.”

Photo by Luigino Caliaro from Warbirds News

Photo by Luigino Caliaro from Warbirds News

Excellent pictures George. My son served on the Nimitz with VA-35 in the mid 1980's.

I was reading the May issue of Air Classics this morning at breakfast and was impressed by these pictures of a Chinese made trainer. Love the black red, but for me the camo is just too much.

It's been nearly a year since I received this old Scientific model. This is the last control line model my father built. He always built large models but I think there was some nostalgia involved here upon seeing the kit.My dad's skills always amazed me. From the sanding and shaping to the finish. He has a knack that I have always strived to achieve but I can't. I can pick out any model my father built. No piece is ever unsanded. Upon receiving this model, I was unaware of what finish was used but he had a bottle of Sig orange dope with it. I assumed this was it but when I sprayed it, it wrinkled like the dickens. I sanded it all down and re cleared and sprayed again. There were spots that the wrinkles kept reappearing. I sanded it down again and tried one more time. It did it again so I ONCE AGAIN sanded it down and went to plan B. Rustoleum was used which I despise but I used it. I smoothed out the wrinkling and shot some lacquer primer on it followed by the Rustoleum. The plane amazingly turned out well.

I soldered the wheels on the other evening. I prefer to do this because I think it not only displays cleanliness it offers quality.It's not a easy task to do it, you need the correct amount of solder, flux. You have one chance to do it, anymore heat the washer is crooked or too much solder and the wheels don't work.

I found the decals which would've looked great but they fell apart upon immersion in the water. I tried a trick some suggested by spraying clear dope on old decals. That was a waste of time and material. It doesn't work. I sprayed one mist coat followed by 2 more wet coats and let it dry for a week prior to using. The second the paper curled in the water, the decal shattered.

Power will be a OK .049 A and I'm looking forward to this one. I used the pilot from the Enterprise pilot and canopy kit. George Hostler has made mention of these and I have the similar kit but mine isn't complete. I had 3 colors to work with which are water based polyurethane enamels. I mixed yellow and black to make olive drab for the flight jacket and red and yellow with a drop of white latex for the flesh and red and black for the helmet to make a maroon. It came out pretty neat. I need to shim him up in the cockpit and provide a windshield.

The model is pretty light so I'm hoping with the narrow wingspan it does ok.

"It did it again so I ONCE AGAIN sanded it down and went to plan B. Rustoleum was used which I despise but I used it. I smoothed out the wrinkling and shot some lacquer primer on it followed by the Rustoleum."

You have courage Ken, I thought of paint remover and a re-sand on this one, but no way I'm going through that process again.



Nice job, you won't lose that orange. Is it the actual recovered plane that your Dad built? Prehaps he had given it away sometime in the past. Neat job on the hubs. So much cleaner than collets or tubing.

I have been trying to place it. Looks liked a Kingpin maybe.

Great job, Ken.

https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4051


I like what this guy did too. I'd like to make this built up wing one a CL job:
https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=6531

Good job Jim.  I have the Stunt Master, very different.  

Ken previously addressed it here and I forgot it.

https://www.coxengineforum.com/t16417-scientifc-stunt-trainer?highlight=stunt+master

Following along your project Bob…. Always like to see your save/rebuilds….They always start with character and end up with a good bit more, For the better

Ken’s attention to detail caught my interest…..As said, It’s not always easy to get the washer bonded to a spring steel wire with the nice little cone of solder…. As you mentioned, just the right amount of solder and flux… Plus plenty of heat….. Those rascal washers always want to move on me so I make my own from copper wire wrapped around the same size music wire then pounded flat with a hammer…. Then ream the hole back to size with a round file to get a good friction fit on the MW….The paint turned out excellent too… Good job Sir,

I agree Robert, so nicely done. I have tried it with varing degrees of success, usually an underheated blob of solder on a bent wire removed and replaced with a collet.

I have tried to tag the previous builder of this model, child or adult. Upgrading to adult because of the wire-wrapped tubing, don't think a child would think of that.



I'm surprised that no one has commented on this SB Jr. engines crankcase. I have sneeked pictures of it into my text. Perhaps because the modification is so obvious.

Life is complicated.

I tried to figure a way to get RED DEVIL into the arrow as in the box art and couldn't do it. Then I thought of Levents Cox Engine Forum decals but red fades into red, so just leave a white border. Tried a rectangle then remembered that Levent also made them in oval, perhaps a better fit



But, my printer is running low on color ink and leaves stripes. But then the stripes match the wing/horz stab effects..........so maybe.



Perhaps a size or two smaller.

Bob, I have been making smaller CEF decals with white Cox lettering, several sizes. Do you think to apply red devil stickers those I sent you?

Levent Suberk wrote: Bob, I have been making smaller CEF decals with white Cox lettering, several sizes. Do you think to apply red devil stickers those I sent you?

Thanks Levent, I got them.  Perfect.

I'm still thinking about those Red Devil stickers, again I'm thinking that they would just fade into the red background.  Maybe if I had made white the predominant color and the wings trim and arrow red.

When finished, I will lightly sand apply the decals and overspray with gloss clear.  

I did print some more ovals in various sizes, if not now they will come in handy in the future.




Bob

I really like the paint job Bob…. And SBJ is perfect for the plane ….Have you thought about a blue oval Cox decal?….A little splash of a different color might be attractive…. I think it would compliment the red even more…. A subjective thing though

I have blue oval Flying School decal in several size. If you want I can send.

Levent Suberk wrote:I have blue oval Flying School decal in several size. If you want I can send.

Thanks Levent, send it along.    

Red, gray, blue.......I have a blue tanked SBJ also.  Gives me options, however I have mentioned many times here that I have no creative ability, so it might turn out like a crazy quilt sewn together by some demented martians.  Maybe I shouldn't push it.  But I have to say, this effort has been fun.  Haven't had this much fun since Dad and I used to go hunting together.  





Somehow these decals that Levent sent me a while ago got lost in the shuffle.  Recovered, I think that one of these designs will work very well.

Levent says it's ok to share.  

Actually, Bob, the red tank SBJ would look cool. It compliments the red fuselage. If the arrow head fuselage trim was blue, then the blue tank would compliment.

The beige-yellow tank would go good with a brown, beige, or dirty yellow fuselage.

Or, leave as is, then has a legacy look. Just IMO my impressions.

A lot of freedom exists with these hollow log designs, as @Kim will atest to.

Decisions............white background/black background. Went both ways. Thinking I'm going to cover fuselage water slide with black. Levent supplied me with both left and right versions. Two coats of clear. More decisions, red or natural Space Bug Jr's. Could go yellow or blue. Driving me nutz...............

Finished.  Tried the red tanked Space Bug Jr. and didn't like it, not enough contrast.  Found my most evil black dacron and line spinners.  It's a Penny waiting for change.

Collection grows Very good work

Levent Suberk wrote:Collection grows  Very good work

Thanks Levent. But it has flaws, lot's of them but I'm fond of it. Flyable as is if the SB Jr. will crank.

Bob

I wouldn't doubt Bob, that with your cleanliness and meticulousness, the Space-Bug Junior comes back to life after fueling, battery and a couple flips.