CP-140 Aurora

Wild Bill Kelso

Wild Bill Kelso

Charter Member 2011
Dear friends of "Maple Leaf Aviation" :canada: !

This one is currently in my paint shack:
(Early W.I.P. status - tons of glitches...)

cp-140106_1.jpg



There's two questions I could need some help with:

1.
Does anyone know which Squadron (404, 405?) of 14 Wing (CFB Greenwood) the depicted 140 106 was delivered to? I browsed the usual sources without result...

2.
Has anyone a useful graphic of the artwork on the tailfin?
This one is taken from a photo, but it's too low-res to be used.
Probably some decal sheet would help.

Any idea?

Thanks in advance,
Markus.
 
Hello Markus - looks GREAT!

I believe 140106 (cn 285B-5706) was originally delivered to 404 Sqn based out of CFB Greenwood - now it's with 442 Sqn, in CFB Comox.

Sorry I can't help with a better picture of the crest.

dl
 
You do love a challenge don't you Marcus! The crest on the tail is for CFB Greenwood, as it was known before becoming 14 Wing. Scroll down this page a bit:
http://jfchalifoux.com/bases_stations_grande_prairie_to_moose_jaw.htm
Not sure if that crest will be any easier to work with, but it is bigger.
I was at CFB Summerside when the Aurora came to Greenwood and vaguely recall [it WAS a few years ago!] that the base 'owned' the aircraft and the Squadrons [404, 405, and later 415] signed one out of the pool when required.
Your repaint is looking good!
 
Ranger, that's a possibility but seems an odd approach for the CAF but they have done strange things in the past. I wonder if the base-ownership was just a short-term thing.
.
poor pics of the Wing and Squadrons can be found here:
https://www.dbembroidery.com/index.php?cPath=1_24&sid=32d7367807d0098d7cadb174d9476c31

and better images here:
http://www.wingsforfreedom.com/Squadrons/squadronList.php?type=Squadrons Nos 400-450

For detailed info about RCAF/CAF markings/serials look here:
http://www.puterdudes.com/~bwalker/post_int.html
-unfortunately, while it lists "106" is just says delivered to Greenwood with no Sqdn listed so Ranger may have a point.

Rob
 
Thank you for your encouraging words, gents!
I really appreciate this.

The mentioned website of R.W.R. Walker on RCAF/CF markings and serials (and aircraft's curriculum vitae as well...) is indeed quite essential - I couldn't have done any canadian repaint without it!

Strange thing about the fin's marking, isn't it?
Doesn't seem to match any of the Squadron crests - neither 404's Buffalo nor 405's Eagle. I'll have to hand-paint it...

Cheers,
Markus.
 
The Greenwood aircraft were pooled because the small number of aircraft bought were shared with the OTU and 2(?) operational squadrons. In the late '80's 3 'green' airframes were purchased with out mission equipment as CP-140A Arcturus for use as proficancy trainers/SAR, to preserve airframe life on the opperational fleet. I think all 3 are at Comox now. I love the old full color MPA scheme, that really looks great! For the KBT P-3? Now, who could talk Manfred Jahn into doing the Argus?
3/7charlie
 
3/7charlie said:
I love the old full color MPA scheme, that really looks great! For the KBT P-3?
Click to expand...

Thanks!
And yes, it's for the KBT Orion (current version V2.9).

Where do I have to subscribe for the Argus petition? :jump:
(Maybe I could help Manfred a bit with the textures... :bump: )

Cheers,
Markus.
 
p3aewguy said:
That would be SWEET!

Dave
Click to expand...

Oh, now THAT would just be awesome!!!!!

canadair-argus-cutaway.jpg




CanadairCP107.jpg



and of course, the classic shot ....


canadair-cp-107.jpg


.... and if you're been looking for a plane that can stay aloft unrefueled for say, 30 or so hours .... this may be the ticket! :)

"An Argus flown by 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron held the record of slightly over 31 hours for the longest flight by an unrefuelled aircraft. This record stood for almost 20 years until broken by the Rutan Voyager experimental aircraft which circled the globe unrefuelled."

Anyway, not to diminish from WBK's post - the WIP shots look most promising!! :ernae:

dl
 
That is great news. The full color paint for the early cp-140's is long over due, and it looks great. Wouldn't an Argus be sweet! The Duchess is one of the all time great cold warriors, and sadly overlooked. It was a sad, sad day when the last thousend eyed monster left Comox in '82 to make the cross country tour to the museum. There is still one on display in Comox. Fantastic little museum there. I grew up about 2 klicks from the flight line in Comox, back in the day. For an airplane nutter it was pure heaven. The raw, heart stopping music the Argus made on take off was amazing. I suppose it was the propellor engine combination, as the sound and sheer intensity of the sound was so different than, say a DC-7 or a Connie. Unmistakable and earth shattering. Used to rattle the crockery right out of the cupboards( along with the unmodulated single zone 'burner double kaPOW of the '101!) Night take offs were very impressive, 20 ft long blue fire trailing from glowing exhausts. Now a days its so dang quiet around there that you wouldnt even know there was an airfield there. I keep chiding myself about not getting to grips with GMAX or some such and getting at it! Perhaps some brave soul will tackle it, as the last Argus was for '98.
As a side note, an Argus had the distinction of being the only Canadian aircraft to attack Los Angeles.In '70-'72 or so the CAF wanted a stand-off ASUW capability and sent an Argus to Pt. Mugu to trial Bullpup. Off they go to shoot a Bullpup. The missile falls off the rack, lights off, and heads for LA. I think it wiped out a garage or something. If a petition starts, I'm in. Hell-I'd PAY for that one!

cheers. 3/7charlie
 
O.K., gents - some glitches ironed out and a new question to be answered:

cp-140106_2.jpg



What about the wing's and hstab upper surfaces:
Overall blue?
Or were the heated leading edges and the ailerons/elevators left in blank metal?
I also assume no red hi-viz contrast markings at the tips?

@ 3/7charlie:
Nice story about the Argus!
This 'lost missile incident' could have gone worse.
I think whole wars were started for lower reasons... :eek:

Cheers,
Markus.
 
The wings were the same color as the fuselage. Also, the leading edges also had the protection tape applied and when it got the yellow color it was to be changed but many time would go for a while. This was the same on US P-3's and S-3's. The tape when put on was clear.
 
I myself woulod love to see old school USN full color paints. Some of the color thyey had was awesome and missed.
 
Current status:

cp-140106_3.jpg



Note the two bull-eyes above the roundel - the USN P-3 didn't seem to have them.

@SlamBam: Thanks for the details on the leading-edge protection tape. I've seen it on some photos and didn't know what it was. Seems like mine has to be changed soon...

Don't mind the size of the "CANADA" lettering - I know it's still too small. Due to some odd distorsions on the front section roof area, these letters have to be shifted a bit tailwards.

Now I have to flip all this stuff over to the port side... :running:

Regards,
Markus.
 
One more question to you Aurora specialists (and the Orion drivers too):

cp-140106_4.jpg



What's those things?

I guess #1 is some kind of (APU?) exhaust, because there always seem to be some exhaust stains visible on the photos,
whereas #2 - which I've just remodeled from a photograph - looks like a wire-netted air intake.
Item #1 is only on the starboard side, #2 on both?
Is that right?

Dangit - I thought this girl would be easy to repaint, but this spook plane is full of miracles...

Thanks in advance,
Markus.
 
Insponce to your question, the 2 things are both related and they are the air intake and exaust for the APU system.

As to the leading edge tape, it was also put on all leading edges including the tail and horizontal stabs. It is not a real wide strip either. do you hae a close up of the leading edges?
 
Wild Bill,

#1 is indeed the APU exhaust on the starboard side. #2 is the right hand air conditioning heat exchanger outlet. It is louvered, not netted. There is another heat exchanger in the identical location on the left side. They are basically a large radiator with a fan on the back blowing air out on the ground. in-flight they are cooled by ram air entering via the scoop forward of it.

The APU intake is on the bottom of the fuselage just aft of the nose wheel well. The left side of the aircraft has a round screened air inlet, in about the same location as the APU exhaust, for the air multiplier which is also part of the A/C system. It's about 3.5 inches in dia. and is marked with a red circle. The red circle is surrounded with a dashed red square. Look at the linked profile in Slam Bam's post above. Any picture of the left side of the nose area should show it.

The two "bulls-eyes" are the dinette windows on the Aurora and the P-3C's. The earlier P-3A's and B's didn't have these. They had one on the left side. The P-3C's also had the one on the left side.

When you move the markings to the left side, don't forget that the overwing hatch is further aft on the left side. The profile view linked in the post above is pretty much correct in it's placement.

As you might guess from this, I've worked on these for a while. Over 30 years to date turning wrenches on them. I'm looking forward to flying this repaint!

Heaven knows, I'd also love an Argus. I remember, fondly, the Argus for FS98. Had a few hours flying that one. For it's day it was a great flyer and a decent model.

Dave
P3aewguy
 
SlamBam said:
...As to the leading edge tape, it was also put on all leading edges including the tail and horizontal stabs. It is not a real wide strip either. do you hae a close up of the leading edges?
Click to expand...

Close enough?

cp-140106_5.jpg



Is that O.K.?
What about the wing's upper surface?
Are you sure the marked walkways were blue too?


@ Dave:
Thanks for sharing these very interesting details!
Seems like the port side APU air inlet is correctly done in the default textures, so I don't have to alter it. It's just the air condition heat exchanger (#2) whose texturing had to undergo some improvements.

Now it looks like the real thing:

cp-140111_real.jpg



But here's the bad news:
It will take some more days to roll this beauty out. Next weekend, I'll have to play with my railroad again, having some nice railcar riding north of Berlin. Wrote something about it here:
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showpost.php?p=152857&postcount=53

Think I'll get her ready at the end of next week, hope you can wait till then...

Cheers,
Markus.
 
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