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"Rivet Ball" (RC-135S, #59-1491)


Blackbird

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Below is my completed 1/72 scale model of Rivet Ball (RC-135S, #59-1491). It took about a month to complete. It's not perfect but it works well for my purpose. Detail construction photos are located on page #13 of my story, "A Tale of Two Airplanes" by King Hawes @ http://www.RC135.com/. Scan down to the "2 March 2010" entry for 69 high resolution photo links.

 

Once again, thanks very much for all the advice and help.

 

Yours Truly,

Kingdon R. "King" Hawes

 

PS: I've been invited to conduct a seminar during the 2011 IPMS/USA National Convention in Omaha, NE. Hope to see you there.

 

 

rb-65b.jpg

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Very nice work! And the display base is particulaarly tasteful.

 

 

Mind if I ask what seminar you will be conducting in '11?

 

Later,

 

Lee

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Nice work - Thanks for sharing.

I really like the way it is displayed!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very nice model of a not often talked about subject! Your website is also an ocean of information, and I've read most of it. I very much look forward to hearing your seminar in Omaha next summer. Hopefully we will have a good showing of Nebraska related subjects on the tables, too.

 

Rick L.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a recent photo (July 16, 2010) of "Rivet Ball" on a lazy susan with a photo of Hangar #2, aka "The SAC Hangar", in the background. Hangar #2 is located on the remote island of Shemya in the Aleutians. Aircraft and crew lived together in Hangar #2 when on alert during the "Cold War". Her mission was to monitor and record the terminal phase of Soviet ICBM testing on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Hi Resolution: http://www.wtv-zone.com/kingdon/Aviation/r...ar-2-shemya.jpg

Full Story: http://www.RC135.com

Shemya Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=sh...mp;t=h&z=13

rivet-ball-hangar-2-shemya.jpg

Edited by Blackbird
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It took your model and lighting to make me realize that the ten circular tracking windows were all mounted on a flat plane rather than conforming to the curve of the fuselage. The photos in your story do show that detail, but I did not notice it until I saw the model and went back to look. The real aircraft on takeoff from LTV was shot from almost the same angle as you used for your model. That makes for a great comparison. Thanks for showing us the completed project.

 

Ed

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Click Here for 69 detail construction photos located on page #13 of my website story, "A Tale of Two Airplanes by King Hawes". Scan down the page until you reach the following entry:

 

"On 2 March 2010 I started building a 1/72 scale model of Rivet Ball (Modified RC-135V by AMT / ERTL). I hope to have it finished in time for the upcoming "Tales of The 55th" program on 9 April 2010. Click on the following high resolution photo links and you can watch it develop: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 (Completed on 7 April 2010)."

 

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Very, very cool to see this intriguing subject built up with such fine craftsmanship. I also look forward to seeing this model and related stuff at the Omaha Nats.

 

Note that The Force renamed Shemya as "Johnson AFB", or some such, masking the identity of the destination from inbound newbees. There is also at least one hilarious "windshield tour" of this base online.

 

A toast to the Ravens for all the fine work they've done for SAC, for the newer commands...and those other guys.

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FWIW:

"Eareckson Air Station (IATA: SYA, ICAO: PASY) is a U.S. military airbase located on the island of Shemya, in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands. It was Shemya Army Air Base during World War II.[1] Redesignated to Shemya Air Force Base on March 26, 1948, by Department of the Air Force General Order No. 10, it was later renamed Shemya Airport in 1954. It was again redesignated Shemya Air Force Station on January 1, 1959, by Department of the Air Force General Order No. 4 of January 20, 1959. The base was re-redesignated Shemya AFB in 1968.[1] On May 19, 1993, it was renamed Eareckson Air Force Station in honor of Colonel William O. Eareckson, an Army Air Forces combat commander in the Aleutian Islands. The base was redesignated to Eareckson Air Station January 24, 1994."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eareckson

 

"Johnston" Island/Atol, no relation to the Shemya Island, is located 750 nautical miles west of Hawaii. On more than one occasion "Rivet Ball" operated from Johnston Island/Atol when covering long range Soviet ICBM shots into the Pacific Ocean. These tests usually lasted no more than 2-3 weeks during the summer season. Been there, done that in 1967 with "Rivet Ball".

Click Here to learn more about Johnston Island/Atol.

Click Here for my webpage on Johnston Island/Atol.

Click Here for my story about "Rivet Ball', "Rivet Amber" and "Shemya".

Edited by Blackbird
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