Thunder Bird FIGN Nose Mods

[Dave Lindauer]

I'd assumed long ago that the LSFM would eventually return the nose section of Thunder Bird to stock, eliminaring the obvious FIGN survey modifications. Many years have past, but still Thunder Bird has that French Fortress schnoz.

So why?

(I assume that it is more than just a dollars and cents issue as the changes don't appear to be all that drastic, but maybe there's more going on there than I realize.)

[Steve S]

It has been discused but has not been high on the priority list. THe existing nose works well and while not 100% accurate does not jump out at anyone that does not frequenbt this list.

Having sat in the nose in flight I have always wished it had the correct setup but I also know that with keeping so many airplanes on flight status and more recently working through the storm damage this expenditure was never high on the priority list - from a functional standpoint if aint broke don't fix it.

[corsair166b]

Variety being the spice of life, do ALL warbirds have to be returned to stock condition? I seem to recall a Wildcat that attended an airshow recently that had seats and windows behind the pilot and a lot of folks thought it was pretty cool......certainly something I'd never seen before!

Mark

[mustangdriver]

I once talked to a crew memeber on the plane that said that they were going to leave them in as to tip the hat to it's survey time, which is how it survived.

[Fouga23]

What exactly are the differences? I only notice the nose glazing.

[Ztex]

The small windows just above the chin turret...and the glazing on the bombardiers glass.

[k5083]

Maybe it's just that in my 40s I'm finally moving out of my anal retentive stage, but that does not bother me at all!

August

[mustangdriver]

I know it is not stock, but I like it. I think it is cool to remember the other roles it was used for.

[Steve S]

What exactly are the differences? I only notice the nose glazing.

Instead of being a single formed dome of plexiglass it is made up of several individuatl pansl and as such has the framing running through it. On a G Model nose there is no framing running through the middle of it.

This is an E nose on a G airframe

This was done to allow a flatter panel on bottom portion just below the camer for better quailty photograhs.

[dred]

Not quite the same as an E nose: