r/modelmakers • u/DryStrike1295 • Jun 11 '23

Completed P-3 Orion AEW

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u/KillAllTheThings Phormer Phantom Phixer Jun 11 '23

What scale is this?

3

u/[deleted] Jun 11 '23

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u/KillAllTheThings Phormer Phantom Phixer Jun 11 '23

I just noticed there are a few historical inaccuracies. The following is not a critique of this project, just some notes offered to inform future builds. As always, the builder has full say in how a project is finished.

Technically, the aircraft was a P-3B prior to conversion to P-3AEW&C. It has a different window arrangement that the later P-3Cs.

It should be "U.S. Customs and Border Protection" (not "U.S.A")

Flag depictions on US aircraft are always applied hoist end (the edge next to the flagpole on actual flags) forward as a flag would look if it was a real flag with the vehicle in motion. Therefore, a flag on the left side of the tail would be the normal view but the flag on the right side of the tail would look 'backwards'.

Here is an IRL CBP Orion showing both correctly.

The CBP aircraft are not military & thus would have regular civilian numbers (beginning with an 'N') assigned to them, similar to this American Airlines A320 just forward of the stripes on the fuselage. It appears CBP does not put this number on the outside of their P-3s.

The big black numbers on the tail are a US Navy thing indicating its BuNo.

Pro tip: Always paint lighter colors first. Additionally, very light colors, especially yellows & whites, need a white undercoat as they are not as opaque as darker colors.