SB2C-5 SAC Sideview

The following are the same drawing. The first one is the way I usually do these illustrations, with a dimensioned box that can be used with a copier that scales the copy to the desired size. The other two can also be downloaded. One will probably turn out pretty close as printed out.

F-4 Stabilator

The F-4 stabilator pivoted from a point above the surface of the stabilator at its juncture with the side of the aft fuselage. The necessary opening was covered by a plate that moved with the stabilator. Note that the top of the plate was not quite parallel with the upper surface of the stabilator.

 (The Phantom in this case is a YF-4K. The colored lines are a temperature-sensitive paint that changes color at a specific temperature.)

A view from the other side, this time on an F-4A (the stabilator has the cambered leading edge modification):

A view from the side with the cover plate removed:

This picture and the one below were taken and provided by an anonymous contributor

And a view from behind and below looking up and forward showing the carry-through structure covered by the plate and the stabilator actuator.

Drawn from pretty good McDonnell data and drawings, including check of 35 degrees sweep at 1/4 chord. Does not include leading edge slat. Outline shown "true", not a top view.

 Revision A:

USAF stabilators were eventually modified with a blunt arrowhead-shaped reinforcement plate at the forward juncture of the inboard and outboard panels. This appears to have been introduced with the addition of maneuver slats on the F-4E (see http://modelingmadness.com/scott/viet/us/standf4.htm). However, there was no similar reinforcement associated with the similar maneuver slats introduced on the Navy F-4S (see http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/12/f-4s-wing.html.) There are indications that a reinforcement was added to this area on some Navy Phantoms, but it was probably a standard repair rather than a required modification at overhaul or in spares production. There are reports of Navy Phantoms with the USAF reinforcement but these may just be the use of a stabilator from USAF stock.

F8U Pylon with Mk 84 Bomb

Airfix 1/72 A4D Outline

The following, including the illustration, has been revised since first posted. Also, for a more complete discussion, see http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/11/airfix-172-a4d-2-overall-size-and-shape.html

I've been a bit suspicious of the accuracy of the Airfix A4D nose shape since I first saw pictures of it. On ARC there has recently been discussion about the scale, with speculation that the Airfix kit is undersized. So I compared the kit fuselage to the best Douglas drawings that I have. Based on this evaluation, it  looks like the overall size is okay, but the rudder extends downward a bit too far, the horizontal stabilizer is mounted a smidgen low, and the nose is in fact notably off.

 Of those, only the nose profile looks worth fixing to me by giving the lower side a little more upsweep. Canting the whole nose upward would be even better.

AD-4N APS-31 Radar Pod

For an updated and expanded version of this subject, see http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/11/things-under-wings-radar.html

VA-72 A4D-2 Picture

Note that the slats have been strapped up and the landing gear doors do not have red edges.

F4U Main Landing Gear Door Attachment

One incorrect assumption that plastic kit manufacturers make about the shape of the forward-facing main landing gear door on the F4U Corsair is that the opening is the same shape as the door or vice versa. The problem is that the opening between the top of the door and the front of the opening was closed by a piece of leather or rubber; the opening extends farther forward toward the wing leading edge than the door itself covers. Here you can see the flexible gap-filler material doubled over on a restored Corsair.

And here it is with the gear up on the XF4U: