HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Meteor Productions

Preview

Meteor Productions has supplied the following information for forthcoming Yellowhammer Decals. These will be available in the near future:

As most everybody knows, the Tomcat is now officially retired from Fleet service, and the Tomcat Sunset celebration went on last week at NAS Oceana. We are proud to show you the second increment of our artwork for the seven Toms we've done decals for (the artwork is at the printer now).

Our artwork covers the Tomcat final traps and launches from the USS Theodore Roosevelt the week before last, as well as the birds that were at the NAS Oceana Open House the weekend before last, as well as the birds representing the entire Tomcat community for the Tomcat Sunset celebration.

What is NOT widely known, however, is that several of the Toms had nose art applied for their final traps and launches from the TR, but "somebody" in power at Oceana made the squadron sand the artwork off before the Oceana Open House! This is absolutely true, and if you look carefully at photos of some of the birds at the open house you can easily see the areas where the markings were sanded off.

Again, most of you already know, this, but of the eight VF-31 birds at Oceana three weeks ago, six are going to museums and two to AMARC, with the last jet scheduled to leave Oceana by the end of September.

The seven birds we're doing, all from VF-31 Tomcatters, are:

• BuNo 164342, Modex 100, CAG bird (black tail)

• BuNo 164603, Modex 101, Skipper's bird (red tail)

• BuNo 163904, Modex 102, Tomcat Sunset final scheme with low-viz Tomcat Farewell logo on the fin

• BuNo 164350, Modex 103, Light Gull Gray/White with full-color Tomcat farewell logo on the fin

• BuNo 164343, Modex 106, MiG-29 nose art

• BuNo 164346, Modex 110, sitting female nose art

• BuNo 164341, Modex 112, boring scheme, but the LAST Tomcat launched from a carrier!

We're also including all the fancy/cute artwork on the drop tanks, which was of several different flavors. We're also including the VF-31 Tomcat community's final salute to the Hornet community (check out the drop tank artwork!).

I'll post the final two jets in a day or two.

This is a sad time for military aviation, but a proud time for all the members of the Tomcat community, who contributed so much to the cause of freedom for so many years.

As the Tomcat Sunset patch says, "WELL DONE...BABY!"

With great respect,
 

Thanks to Cutting Edge Modelworks for the preview information and image

This Page Created on 19 September, 2006
Last updated 24 September, 2006

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