1/72 EF-105F Wild Weasel

Gallery Article by Andrew Desautels (a.k.a. "Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy") on July 30 2019

 

      

This is the second of my Wild Weasel collection, the complete series of 5 built between 2014 and 2019.

Although the pioneering work done by the first Wild Weasel crews was deemed a success, their modified F-100F mounts were never intended as long term solutions. Experience from the early missions opened the door to great improvements in the electronic equipment and tactics. Furthermore, an aircraft with greater speed and agility than the F-100's was needed, and the two-seat F-105F was selected for widespread modification to dedicated Weaseling platforms.

Completely rebuilt electronically speaking, the modified Thunderchiefs were designated "EF-105F" to differentiate them from the standard combat capable trainers. 

The new aircraft had a new weapon as well: the AGM-45 Shrike Anti Radiation Missile. This missile had the ability to follow the radar emissions of a SAM site right back to their source and destroy the center of it. Afterwards the Weasels would go in and destroy the rest of the site with CBU cluster bombs.

Now for the first time the SAM sites were being systematically hunted down by specially-trained aircrews flying capable aircraft with new capable weaponry, and in increasing numbers. The balance of air power was shifting.

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This is the Trumpeter F-105G back modified to the EF-105F configuration. Although I enjoyed the kit very much, I had no thoughts on fixing the tail, which is accurate for the single-seat versions of the Thud, but not the two-seaters. If anyone wants to complain, then please come out with a replacement part, and, by heck, I'll buy it!

The very nice Pavla resin cockpit was used; very few modifications needed to be done to make it fit, which is a welcome change from some other resin cockpit manufacturers. The wingtip RHAW blisters were removed, as were the massive AN/ALQ-105 antennae on the lower fuselage. I found out too late about removing the reinforcement plates on the bottom of the wings, but fortunately they are not easily visible. A metal pitot was installed. 

The Weasel was suitably armed with a single Shrike for its initial punch, two CBU's for the follow-up attack, and an ECM defense pod as required for aircraft heading into the North at that time of the war.

A combination of kit and Superscale decals were used for this build. Testors Model Master enamels were used, plus Alclad for the exhaust area. A note on the colors: I picked up a tip years ago that for a good Vietnam-war-zone appearance, many folks use 34052 Marine Corps Green instead of the "correct" 34079 Dark Green. I had tried it on a few Phantoms and loved the result. It looks okay on a Thud, though I think not as much as on the Phantoms.

Thanks for looking, and I hope you enjoy my Weasel series!

Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy

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Photos and text © by Andrew Desautels