It Had to Happen, and A Jump Jet

Never Underestimate Those Internet Scoundrels, Or How I Missed Out On Speaking Spanish

Last time we were together---you remember that time, right?---I put the project's email address down in the Relief Tube section in a semi-but-not-completely cryptic manner, and encouraged folks to figure out where things went and to use that to get in touch with me here at the project. It had worked for me many many times before so it should work now as well, or so I thought.

As things happened that was a classic Bad Idea I had right there, trusting that something that had always previously functioned would do that again. It was a premise of sorts, and one that was badly flawed. I don't know whether it was just the simple evolution of time, pure bad luck, or maybe even a bit of unasked-for helpfulness from the Wonderful World of AI, that latest electronic meddler now appearing in all our lives, but whatever it was, those accursed spammers figured it out!

Yessir (or Yes'm, your pick), when I went to check the project's emails the day after posting that last missive I quickly discovered that the electronic lowlifes were out in force, and they were all camped out in the Replica in Scale In Box! There were a small handful of "real" messages in there, maybe a half-dozen or so, but most of them came from folks I wouldn't want to communicate with under any circumstances. I didn't count them all before moving the good stuff to an electronic place where they would be reasonably safe and hit my delete key for all the rest, but I thought I ought to share the madness so here's a random sampling of what I got:

Some woman, or an assortment of women, who began their messages with "Dear" appended in front of some other term of overt familiarity. There were maybe seven or eight of those but I have no idea what they wanted because they were all instantly deleted.

Then there were a half-dozen or so messages from individuals asking me if I could prepare a bid for their project, almost certainly nonexistent and most assuredly of no interest to me since I'm not a contractor of any sort. (The answer to those requests was a resounding NO, delivered amidst a cluster of something my college grammar and syntax professors once described as Colorful Epithets just before I once again hit the magic delete button.)

Finally, to my complete and utter amazement, there were at least thirty, maybe forty messages in there that were delivered in Spanish. As it happens I do speak a little Spanish, but very little, so my comprehension level for that particular communication group was and remains what we can describe as nil, since I could understand maybe one word in twenty.With that said (and there was more that I didn't waste time describing);

Strange women wanting Lord knows what: SPAM AND DELETE.

People wanting me to bid on their nonexistent projects: SPAM AND DELETE.

People wanting to bid on my own nonexistent projects: SPAM AND DELETE.

People sending messages in languages I don't understand: SPAM AND DELETE.

OK, I should've known better, but I'm a throwback to an earlier time in so many ways and I still trust in human nature. That concept didn't work out very well this time, but because I'm who I am I'll go through the emails every day or so and practice my deletion skills in order to give everyone else a chance to contact the blog should they want to do that. 

At least I didn't hear from any recently deposed royalty! Yet...

Well Ahead of Its time

A marvel of technology in every respect, the AV-8 family has served with the United States Marine Corps since 1969 and will continue to serve until June of next year when the type will finally be retired from the force. It's an event worthy of some sort of celebration so here, in an extremely limited fashion, is a quick and dirty look at a handful of B-models in service way back in the last century. That sounds really strange, right, but the simple fact of the matter is that the Corps' jump jet will have been around, on active duty, for some 56 years when that curtain finally comes down. That's worth something, I think.

With only one exception all of these shots were taken by Tom Ring, a friend of mine from the 80s who used to coordinate his business travel with opportunities to visit active-duty aviation units or attend air shows, cameras in hand. Many thanks to him for sharing those slides so many years ago and now, with no further ado...

It seems only fair that our first shot would be of a training bird, in this case BuNo 161579 from VMAT-203. She led quite a long life, being rebuilt as an AV-8B+ in the early 2000s. Originally built as an AV-8B-3-MC, she managed to survive her RAG career and last into her second century. Tom photographed her at an undisclosed location on 06 April, 1986.   Tom Ring

 

BuNo 162721 spent some quality time with VX-5 during the mid-1980s, which was who she was with when Tom shot her on 01 June, 1987. She survived until August of 1990, when she was finally struck off charge. She had been originally built as an AV-8B-6-MC and would have been assigned to China Lake during the time this image was taken, but that location isn't defined on the original slide.   Tom Ring

The masking tape on the nose of 162732 of VMA-231 suggests that she's on the ramp prior to an air show or some other public event ("get those darn kids off my airplane!") but it's still an effective portrait of a purposeful machine. She went to the boneyard in 1993 and was ultimately struck off charge and scrapped in January of 2003, a sad if all-too-familiar fate for a proud warrior. Tom took this photo on 11 May, 1986, at yet another unknown location. That said, a hangar with WARBUCK painted on the side in gigantic letters must surely make for an easy ID, although I personally don't have a clue, not even one, as to where that might be. If you know, drop me a line!   Tom Ring

This next shot is an easy ID, because I took it myself at the late, great Bergstrom AFB way back on 07 August 1988. The airplane is 162734, another -6-MC of VMA-231, and she's basking in the early morning sun of a South Texas Saturday morning awaiting the airshow crowds that will be arriving in another hour or two. She was a proud bird when this photo was taken but ultimately crashed and was destroyed on 10 February, 1990, while serving with VMAT-203.  Phillip Friddell

Here's yet another air show shot---that seems to be the trend around here today, doesn't it?---but it's also a fine study of AV-8B-8-MC BuNo 162943. She was with VMA-542 on 16 July 1987 when Tom took this photo, and was eventually rebuilt as an AV-8B+. Her finish but it should be considering she was less than a year old when she sat for this portrait. Once again, there's no location given for the shot.   Tom Ring

While we're speaking of new-looking airplanes, how about this girl? VMA-223's 162972 looks like she's just stepped off the factory floor and that may not be far from the truth---I think this shot may have been taken at NAS Glenview on 29 August, 1987, just a few days after her initial delivery to squadron service. Originally built as an AV-8B-9-MC, she saw combat during Desert Storm in 1990. She was struck off charge during 2003 but was disassembled and retained at MCAS Cherry Point. With any luck she ended up on display there; she certainly earned it!   Tom Ring

The Harrier isn't exactly known for its colorful markings in Marine Corps service, but VMA-311's Tomcat proudly adorns the vertical stab of 163668, caught sitting on the ramp and basking in the sun. Built as an AV-8B-12-MC, she was eventually rebuilt to -B+ standard as BuNo 166287. She was still in active service as late as 2020, with VMA-223.   Tom Ring

Is this an active ramp or yet another air show? I don't know, but it's a neat photo and a fine way to end this brief photo essay. The airplane was from VMA-331 and Tom photographed her on 06 October, 1986, but that's all we know about her history because we can't make out enough of her BuNo to draw any conclusions other than to say she's well-used. That makes her a fine poster child for this piece, we think!   Tom Ring

Just a few short months to go and she's gone from the Corps...   Angelo Romano Collection
 

As always, if you have anything to add to our efforts here you can reach the project at replicainscaleatyahoodotcom . Given the way things are going lately it's entirely likely that the spammers will beat you to it, but I promise I'll do my best to find your message as I curse my way through the ongoing nonsense presented to the project on a daily basis by people who really ought to have something better to do with their time!

Whew!

Other Stuff, and a Relief Tube

There have been some interesting goings-on around here of late including an EF-1 tornado that passed less than 50 yards from our offices and the loss of a close family member, so there's no Under the Radar or Happy Snaps entries this time around. We do, however, have a reader's comment to share, which means we actually have something for The Relief Tube today! Let's get down to it!

The Relief Tube

Steve Tobey read our last issue and had a question regarding that Thunderbirds T-38 we featured in our photo essay on The Mighty Talon:

Hello Phil,

I'm very happy to see that you're alive and well and still publishing Replica in Scale! Thank you for doing that. Just one question and I'll leave you alone; reference the recent photo of the Thunderbirds T-38 in the October 2025 edition is the date correct for this shot? April 14, 1985? T-birds transitioned to the F-16 in 1983 so I was curious if the date was correct.

Thanks again for your publication.

Steve

 

Steve, the team was still using the T-38 during its 1985 show schedule, but more for grip and grin activities and Gee-Whiz hops than anything else. The actual flight demonstrations were made using the team's relatively new F-16As but the Number 8 position was still being handled the Talon.

 

Here's the shot Steve is referencing from our previous issue:

 

Her time with the T-Birds is nearly done and she's sharing the stage with the F-16A, but here's Number 8 in all her glory on that sunny Laughlin ramp back in 1985. Long ago and far away...   Phillip Friddell

 

And that's it for today, Ya'll. We seem to be on a roll of sorts, and with any luck I can actually manage to keep things going on some sort of schedule in spite of my track record and publish again soon! However and whenever that may actually work out, be good to your neighbor until we meet again. It's the right thing to do!

 

phil

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