TOMCATSKIES: F-14 TOMCAT - plastik i co jeszcze part 3

Tym razem będzie trochę o BRUDZINGU, czyli jak odwzorować "zmanifestowaną" po 8 godzinnym locie patrolowym F-14-stkę :) (CAP Mission), gdzie w grę wchodzą operacje lotnicze-wsparcia trwające przez 10 dni, i gdzie środowisko/otoczenie nie jest przyjazne (np. słona woda morska :))

Wiele razy prowadziłem dyskusje z oceniającymi modele sędziami, którzy często nie brali nawet pod uwagę modelu w ocenie, tylko dlatego, że ich zdaniem takich przebarwień, różnicy w kolorach paneli, czy też śladów eksploatacji nie mogło być...i modelarz to wymyślił, bo samolot ma być czysty.

Drodzy Koledzy i Koleżanki warto zawsze, podczas takich rozmów uzupełnić swój model o dokumentację, najlepiej zdjęciową np. taką jak poniżej (źródło fotek Internet).

A zatem od czego zależy taki a nie inny układ barw, opowiedział mi Scott Langille (VF-1/VF-301 obsługujący Tomcaty, weteran Pustynnej Burzy 1991), tekst Scotta w wersji angielskiej poniżej:

ALL Navy & Marine Corps aircraft are washed every 14 days. They are never too dirty. Black sealant around SOME removable panels (turtlebacks, walkway panels, sponson panels, etc…). This is only when the sealent (normally MIL-S-8802) has been scraped away and replaced. It isn’t even black, it’s a very dark grey.

When you see light or clean areas around the edge of panels it is from one of 2 things:

First is from corrosion repair – normally fasteners have been replaces and the heads of the new ones are bare metal, which are painted over to prevent corrosion. It is easier and faster to paint the whole edge of the panel after it is in place, than to paint each fastener – this is also covers up the MIL-S-8802 between the panels;

Second is generally from The Plane Captains doing daily inspections. VVL-800 (spray protective lubricant) is sprayed one each fastener and hinge very quickly – again, it is easier to spray a continuous strip than each individual fasteners. After spraying, the extra VVL-800 is wiped off with a rag and leaves a darker, shiny appearance around the edge of the panels, especially evident on tactical paint jobs.

Another thing you will see, are black streaks from individual fasteners. Most of the time this is from fastener which was recently lubricated as explained earlier.

As the aircraft travels through the air, residual fluid in and around the head is blown back in the same way water drops move on the outside of a moving car.

So, this is most evident at removable access panel fasteners. We also use this “visible sign” to indicate rivets that are working loose.

The Color streaks are another thing…

BLACK – Lubricant
RED – Hydraulic fluid
BROWN – Fuel
CLEAR – (on F-14) coolant oil for Phoenix missiles

(Washing !!! is a part of the maintenance cycle) Basic list of scheduled maintenance/inspections on Navy & Marine Corps aircrafts:

PREFLIGHT – before the first flight of the day (good for current flight);
TURNAROUND – between all flights within a day (good for next flight on same day);
DAILY – Intensive inspection/servicing after the last flight of the day (if the aircraft does not fly/engine is not RUN it is good for 72 hours) “Daily doors” (smaller clamshell doors just behind the main gear struts) are opened for engine servicing;
WEEKLY – More intense than a daily inspection with som access panels removed for inside inspection. More avionics checks. In addition to the “daily doors”, the “weekly doors” on an F-14 are also opened (the longer clamshell doors – with the ventral fins behind the “daily doors”;
14 DAY – Same as #4 but more panels opened, AIRCRAFT is WASHED !!! . Preferred method is water wash with PD-680 dry cleaning solvent but on the boat there may be a water ration so “scrubbing bubbles” (spray can cleaner) and rags is the alternate method;
28 DAY – can’t remember but they get more intense from here;
56 DAY – …;
90 DAY – …;
120 DAY – I think this is the one where airframes has to put the bird on jacks and do a “drop check” (cycle the landing gear, both normal and emergency blow down mode);
HOUR inspections on critical components – engines must be removed & replaced every XX-amount of hours depending on the model);
SPECIALS – one time, normally if there is a trend for failure of the particular part in the fleet;
CONDITIONAL – if a particular occurrence happens. Perfect example of this is an airframe check because of a high-G maneuver.

Scott Langille / VF-31 Modex 102 Tomcat Sunset

There are a bunch of the other types as well! So, as you can see, a lot of the maintenance that happens on the aircraft is preplanned safety inspections.

Few things you should also remember about Navy & Marine Aircraft:

Overall paint condition can be anything between spotless from the paint shop to worn but never too dirty (because of the 14 DAY WASHES !!!);
BLACK (or very DARK GREY) around panels are ONLY!!! Around REMOVABLE access panels, because of the MIL-S-8802 sealant. NOT between fixed structural sections;
Horizontal streaks are from liquids pushed from a source along the surfaces in flight. The source can be lubricant for fasteners, hinges and latches (black). Maybe fuel (brown) from fuel caps, leaking fuel cells or behind dump masts. Red from leaking hydraulic systems;
Vertical streaks are from static leaks on the ground. Generally the lubricant fluid does not flown down. Fuel stains are quite common. As are leaks on the belly from hydraulic fluid. For example, you would never see an F-14 in a hangar without a lot of drip pans underneath;
Touchup spots are common. Everything from correct color, or the correct color that is not quite right, to one of the other shades used on that bird;
For extra interest, many fleet aircraft have color mismatched panels, rudders, radomes, canopy frames, etc…. This just depends on the color of the replacement parts from supply or cannibalization from another aircraft.The aircraft will function quite well until it can be scheduled for a few days with the painters. A good example of mismatched panels is of Bu. Num 162597 from VF-1 when I was with that unit. The aircraft was overall FS 16440 (gloss gull grey) and had a tactical grey radome for a few months. There are several photos of that aircraft looking that way.

F-14 A Bu. Num 162597, źródło internet/www

Proszę zwrócić uwagę na kolejny szczegół, zdjęta osłona sondy do tankowania, otóż aby uniknąć uszkodzeń przy dużej ilości wykonywanych tankowań w powietrzu, tę osłonę zdejmowano (szczególnie podczas tur bojowych).

F-14 A VF-1 na tej maszynie S.Broce zestrzelił Mi-8 / 1991 r. Pustynna Burza, Uss Ranger

Mam nadzieję, że artykuł ten rozświetli kwestię jak stosować brudzenie i jakie są tego zależności szczególnie w przypadku maszyn takich jak F-14 Tomcat :) (oraz innych NAVY i Marines).

A jeżeli chcesz się pobawić ciekawym malowaniem, to można też pomalować Tomcat-a tak :) jak na załączonej poniżej fotce czyli, Temporary (Tactical) Paint Scheme.