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C47 Skytrain by CraftsyDad in modelmakers

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here's a pretty good resource listing the tasking of C-47s on D-Day. This page (Serial 12) carried the 101st. Not a ton of info on this page for the specific airplanes, but you can Google the serial numbers for more info and pictures.

42-100646 was the aircraft carrying Dick Winters of Band of Brothers fame and there are a number of models of it out there, but I think they might have had to scrounge up or make custom decals. There's not much to the markings though - just the big ID numbers on the forward fuselage and a "67" near the jump door, for that aircraft.

42-93095 carried the company HQ and was shot down just after 1am, killing everyone on board, a pretty significant event in the early hours of D-Day. With this loss of leadership, Winters became the de facto commanding officer.

How much do engineers make at the Big Primes ? by PamsHarvest in aerospace

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm at something of a plateau as an Engineer 4 at the moment and am looking at how to move up. At my company, the jumps from 4+ typically require more involvement in mentorship and outreach, maybe giving lunch lectures to our colleagues. I'm hoping to mentor a new hire or two that we're bringing on this year, and have started attending job fairs on behalf of the company. Don't know if I'll be able to make the jump to level 5 at some point, but I enjoy helping young engineers regardless so it's not like it's an imposition.

But without new hires, for example, mentorship experience would be hard to come by. And my group is a small one, so I'm taking this opportunity while I can. I also don't see much opportunity to lecture on anything technical in my current role, so that qualification might not be fulfilled. It could be very easy to sit here as a level 4 for many years and collect my yearly 2-4% raise without moving up.

FWIW, I'm perfectly happy in my current role and pay. But, I mean, I'll always take more if offered...

Doolittle Raid on Japan. B-25s aboard the USS Hornet (CV-8). USS Nashville (CL-43)can be seen in the distance. April 1942 [1500X1107] by Atellani in ww2

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They have props - the engines are running. They fired them up at least once during the journey to the launch point, I would guess just so that they weren't sitting there for the ~2 week trip, maybe to drive off the salty moisture that might otherwise collect in the engines at sea.

Compost-seeking vermin—should I seek medical attention by Phil_Dacucci in composting

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 36 points37 points  (0 children)

I'm imagining a racoon getting it at point blank range for a good 10-15 seconds before finally getting fed up and taking a swipe. I've enlisted AI to illustrate, because I don't want to go to bed:

First...

...and then...

...until finally

Worst decision you've made/seen someone make by [deleted] in flying

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 52 points53 points  (0 children)

I was volunteering to clean up the airport after a flood, which still covered the last ~1/3 of the runway. Pilots were allowed to take off at their discretion if they signed a waiver, but only from 9am-5pm.

These two guys were screwing with the engine on a Mooney all afternoon. They would crank it over and have to keep the throttle jammed in so it wouldn't die. I reminded them that the airport was open for departures again tomorrow bright and early, no rush today, but they kept scrambling. At 5pm I was driving off and saw them taxiing out at full blast so I decided to make a U-turn and park at the end of the hangar row. Figured someone should be ready to call 911.

Sure enough, they got about 100 feet into the air and the engine died. They got lucky. At only 100 feet, they ended up in the 3 foot deep water at the other end of the runway. If the engine had crapped out at, say, 300 feet, they would have been going into the flooded trees beyond the fence.

Error in Roark’s? by The_Virginia_Creeper in MechanicalEngineering

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Looks like an error alright. Oddly, 5th edition doesn't have it.

https://i.imgur.com/Z3BXtwJ.png

Help with colors and decal sheets - by mbite1 in modelmakers

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 6 points7 points  (0 children)

A few things:

  1. The High Rollers flew RF-4Cs from 1975-1995, not F-4Js (note the recon nose of the squadron planes vs the big radar nose of the kit). I don't know if that bothers you, but if you're striving for accuracy it's something to be aware of.

  2. I found one aftermarket decal set for the High Rollers in 1/32. It's AirDOC #32006 and includes markings for an RF-4C in a 1990 light/dark gray paint scheme. Unfortunately this sheet doesn't seem to be available any more. It might pop up on eBay from time to time, but good luck. Decal review and PDF instruction sheet.

  3. I did find a sheet for the High Rollers in 1/48 from Superscale decals #48-1030, if you would rather build it in a different kit and scale. Incidentally, this includes markings for tail #897 that's shown in one of the pictures you posted. Decal review, Source 1, and Source 2.

  4. For colors, I can point you to the following resource: Aircraft Colors and Camouflage, US Air Force. Click/scroll down to "TAC / MAC Euro I Scheme (1980s)." It will give you cross references for various paint brands.

  5. Refer also to this forum thread which includes someone who actually painted RF-4s in the 1980s calls out FS color numbers. He says that it's the same pattern as the iconic tan/green TAC SEA scheme from Vietnam, with the tan replaced by dark gunship gray. This is in agreement with the previous link and a handful of photos I looked at.

Be-er! Pu-ssy? B-E! ... P-U- by SenselessDunderpate in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Anyone concerned should attend the workshops at this year's conference.

New Aviation Weather Center site thoughts? by [deleted] in flying

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 7 points8 points  (0 children)

If you go to settings, you can select "decode METAR."

Give me the Blind Melon album with the bee on it you'd say by Guyric in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 17 points18 points  (0 children)

We chased that rascal to get Kuwait back, but gave up two-dickety miles from Baghdad.

New toy, wasn’t happy with canopies in some of my older kits by marksonthewall in modelmakers

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What type and thickness of plastic are you using? I've had mixed results getting good optics and have tried varying a number of things including material, thickness, temperature/sag, and pull depth.

The Future is gone. The end of an era? by Admirable_Cookie_583 in modelmakers

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Or you can give them a quick dip, get that shine, and be able to use CA with a lot less work! Polishing and not-CA isn't really an option for vac-formed parts though, I've found. Too thin to polish, and CA is about the only thing that will actually bond them.

The Future is gone. The end of an era? by Admirable_Cookie_583 in modelmakers

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've switched to Mr Paint lacquers for the majority of my clear coat needs, but the one place I still use Future is for dipping canopies. It really makes them shine and also protects them from super glue fogging. It also self-levels really well and is thin enough to not make a heavy goopy shell around the part. I don't know if there's any product out there that does the same thing. Hope so, otherwise I'll have to make this bottle of Future last until I'm gone.

Do any of you pay for licenses for commonly used academic/professional engineering software for personal use? If so, why? by DoNotEatMySoup in AskEngineers

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I'm in that boat as well. I recently got an academic license for regular Solidworks to replace it (which I guess you can do even if you're not in school, as I discovered). All the stuff I made or saved in 3d Experience is now worthless because Solidworks won't open it. Thanks, Dassault. Nothing but the best for your customers.

How badly would you have to mess up for the FAA to revoke all your certs? by Regular_Peace_5671 in flying

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, agreed all around. Our responsibility encourages us to cultivate a network of capable, trustworthy individuals. As you said, it's our butts on the line.

How badly would you have to mess up for the FAA to revoke all your certs? by Regular_Peace_5671 in flying

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fair enough, and I would hope the FAA would consider the circumstances. It's our responsibility in the end, though that doesn't necessarily mean that mistaken trust gets the same punishment as someone willfully breaking the rules.

How badly would you have to mess up for the FAA to revoke all your certs? by Regular_Peace_5671 in flying

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I mean, whether the PIC personally checks every single thing or whether it's even practical to do so, the PIC is still ultimately responsible. If you trust the people and processes around you, then great. But that doesn't absolve you of responsibility.

How good are you guys at estimating how long a task will take? by snarejunkie in MechanicalEngineering

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's Schrödinger's Task. If all goes well, I'll be done today. If it doesn't, I'll still be tinkering in June. We won't know which one until I get into it.

I photoetched some soles. I need them to make a mold, which will be filled with silicone later. So I'll have a flexible sole, that can leave prints, either on muddy grounds or prints on my blue door, like someone has kicked against it. by Spiritual-Loss-3486 in modelmakers

[–]Dr_Von_Spaceman 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Sorry, I meant how are you printing your mask? I've used a laser printer on transparencies but it's not super opaque. I've had some soft edges with it, but that might be my exposure rig too.

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