Agent G Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 I took this as inspiration. Bought this when I found it at a LHS in Antioch, Illinois. Put it all together and built this. Paint is a Floquil Rail Road color called "CSX New Image Blue". I think it matches the real deal fairly well. Interior is painted with Tamiya acrylics by airbrush, then details picked out with Vallejo acrylic. G
webestang Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 Very nice build! And different. I'm still undecided what I want to do with this kit.
Agent G Posted April 24, 2019 Author Posted April 24, 2019 Thank you all! Looking at this, reminded me I forgot this. Gotta have tunes while chasing U2's! G
Pete J. Posted April 24, 2019 Posted April 24, 2019 Very nice. One major part missing that makes it a U2 chaser. You can see it in the photos but it is easy to miss. In front of the light bar in the middle of the roof you should have a "blade" UHF antenna connected to a UHF radio in the car. In some cases it was mounted on the light bar or behind the light bar, but it was always on the roof of the mustang chase cars. This is how they talk to the U2 when it is landing.
Agent G Posted April 24, 2019 Author Posted April 24, 2019 Thank you sir! 4 hours ago, Pete J. said: Very nice. One major part missing that makes it a U2 chaser. You can see it in the photos but it is easy to miss. In front of the light bar in the middle of the roof you should have a "blade" UHF antenna connected to a UHF radio in the car. In some cases it was mounted on the light bar or behind the light bar, but it was always on the roof of the mustang chase cars. This is how they talk to the U2 when it is landing. The blade is being made as we speak. I was confused as to the shape, blade or cylinder, until I spoke to a co worker who is retired Air Force. He confirmed the blade shape. G
Simon Posted April 24, 2019 Posted April 24, 2019 Signed in for the first time in ages to say Well Done! I have always fancied making a 5.0LX chase car but didn't know if it would work. Yours is amazing. U2s were (allegedly...) based at RAF Alconbury near where I grew up, and my dad used to see the chase cars when he was working nearby, though I think they used El Caminos or something similar at that time. Would love to get my hands on a real LX chase car, what a sleeper!
Agent G Posted April 24, 2019 Author Posted April 24, 2019 (edited) El Caminos were definitely used! G Edited April 24, 2019 by Agent G
Agent G Posted April 24, 2019 Author Posted April 24, 2019 7 hours ago, Simon said: Signed in for the first time in ages to say Well Done! I have always fancied making a 5.0LX chase car but didn't know if it would work. Yours is amazing. U2s were (allegedly...) based at RAF Alconbury near where I grew up, and my dad used to see the chase cars when he was working nearby, though I think they used El Caminos or something similar at that time. Would love to get my hands on a real LX chase car, what a sleeper! Thank you sir! G
GLMFAA1 Posted April 25, 2019 Posted April 25, 2019 Nice model, I like 'working vehicles' May I suggest the antenna from the Monogram/Revell 1/24 Huey chopper greg
olschoolkid Posted April 25, 2019 Posted April 25, 2019 Nice Mustang. I've never heard of a chase car before, but this is a neat model of one.
Agent G Posted April 25, 2019 Author Posted April 25, 2019 Thank you all! Greg, thanks for the idea! I already carved a blade antenna from a .015 thick scrap of styrene. The glue is drying as we speak, so I'll post photos later. I work nights so early morning and days off are when I work on my builds. Matthew google USAF chase car sometime and read the articles. Fascinating piece of history that continues to this day. G
Pete J. Posted April 25, 2019 Posted April 25, 2019 Wound up at Beale AFB for a week when they evacuated all the aircraft from Fairchild when Mt. St. Helens blew up in 1980. Was fun watching the Dragon ladies and Habus coming and going.
Agent G Posted April 25, 2019 Author Posted April 25, 2019 Thank you! Here's the blade antenna I made, thanks for the confirmation Pete! I was building a cylindrical type based on plastic and brass tube. G
mustang1989 Posted April 27, 2019 Posted April 27, 2019 On 4/24/2019 at 6:53 PM, Agent G said: El Caminos were definitely used! G In addition to congratulating you on a great finish I was also gonna make mention of the El Caminos that used to be used. I spent a while in aviation and knew of those from the old timers that used to see them way back when. If I remember the stories correctly there were 396's in them.
Agent G Posted April 27, 2019 Author Posted April 27, 2019 Thank you Joe. I do believe you are correct about the 396's. G
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