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What's new: December 22, 2005 - the last update in this year

Some thoughts concerning our first year from your editor;

Well, we close to the end of the first year in the site's history. By keeping in mind, that the website's idea was to make a USS Nimitz Group Build, I think we can say now that we have passed a long and hard way, and ACB is now close to a real modeling website, with lot of fantastic jobs you have submitted, and lot of interesting reference photos, techniques you shared from all over the world. I'm really happy, that we have built a really great, and helpful community, and you guys are more and more active on the forum as well (when it's online, and not being attacked by hackers :D)

I'd really like to say a big thank you for our sponsors, HobbyLink Japan, Luckymodel, White Ensign Models, Gold Medal Models and Flattops & More! You did a great support to the site, I'm looking forward to work together with you in the next year, and I hope we can make this site improve more and more with your help!

I'd like to say thank you for all your support guys, your activity, visit, your helpful words, the inspiration you gave me, you all did a great job, and everyone added a piece to this site, you are the reason why I think it worth the hard work! You altogether are the essence of this site!

Zoltan "neu" Pocza - Editor
www.carrierbuilders.net

I Wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a really Happy New Year!

As it's Christmas time, and the next update will be in January, this time I prepared a larger update than the usual. I tried to make an update where everybody find something for himself for Christmas, whether if he's a fan of modern or WWII planes, US or non-US carriers, helicopters and so on......let's see what we have today:

Editorial:

  • WARNING

    Due to hacker attacks against our forum, I had to disable it in order to keep the site working, and avoid the carrierbuilders.net account to be suspended. I do my best to find an other way, but it seems I cannot get a forum for free. The free forum is free, because it's open source, that means the source code is public, and you are free to develop it, or modify it. These hacker attacks can be processed because of this, as it's really easy to find the weak points. In order to have a safe forum, I have to buy one, that is not open source. I'm still looking for the proper one, but the ones I've found are about $400, and I cannot afford it at the moment (starting a new life in a new country takes lot of money). So as I mentioned, I'll do my best to find a good way to get our forum back again. Don't worry about your comments, I achieved everything, and that's a key feature I'm looking for to be able to import our forum's databe to the new system.
     

  • Concerning the Final Countdown Group Build I extend the deadline to 1st of March, 2006, due the above mentioned technical problems, so you have more than 2 more months to complete your builds, or to start a new one!

     

News by Alert 5:

  • Colombia fails to find U.S. Navy helicopter
    A Colombian deep-sea search vessel has failed to locate the wreckage of a USN SH-60B from HSL-48.
    The helicopter went down Dec. 13 shortly after take off from the U.S. Navy frigate DeWert.
  • House bill would keep JFK afloat another year
    The U.S. Congress is trying to delay the Navy's plan to mothball USS John F. Kennedy.
    The House voted at 4 a.m. on Monday to keep the JFK and mandate a fleet of at least 12 carriers.
  • Ma says funding not the only problem with arms bill
    Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman said that the opposition parties have never objected to arms procurement, but they opposed to "cash-for-friendship" purchase plans.
    Ma Ying-jeou was responding to an appeal by President Chen Shui-bian to break a deadlock over a weapons package that includes 12 P-3Cs.
  • Defense bill contains money for JPATS, NIAR, McConnell projects
    The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a defense appropriations bill that includes 59 T-6A Texan II for the USAF and USN.
  • Tomcat Sunset - Last Time, Baby...!
    I seldom get to find out who are the people reading this website. Today I got a pleasant surprise from Dave Parsons. The Tomcat community is organizing a farewell ceremony and a website has been setup for the event.
  • How media jumped gun over warship
    The British media was overjoyed by the announcement for the go-ahead for the next stage of the Royal Navy carrier program that they misinterpret the announcement.
    The Defense Secretary John Reid did not actually commit himself to building anything. What he approve is only spending another £300 million developing the final Delta design of the carriers
  • Va. Beach seeks to keep jets at Oceana
    Virginia Beach will try to retain the master jet base at Oceana Naval Air Station but will not comply with BRAC orders to achieve that.
    The City Council will try to limit development in the crash zones near the runways instead.
  • Delay to MoD contract 'could sink Scottish shipbuilding'
    The U.K. Defence Committee said that work on Royal Navy's new carriers must start soon or the ship building industry in Scotland will die off.
    Their report will warn that: shipbuilders must not be kept waiting any longer than necessary for the real start of the lucrative carrier project; the work must be fairly shared around all UK yards; and the MoD must preserve the flow of work to keep the yards functioning in the meantime, in order to maintain a viable industry into the future.
  • Ronald Reagan Strike Group Returns Following Successful JTFEX
    USS Ronald Reagan has completed Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 06-2 and returned on Dec. 17.
    The nine-day exercise tested the Ronald Reagan Strike Group’s ability to operate alongside other U.S. and coalition forces in a complex, hostile war-fighting environment.
  • Taiwan leader renews call for opposition to support arms package
    Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian renewed his call for the opposition to support a proposed arms deal that includes buying 12 P-3Cs.
    Taiwan's opposition parties have blocked the package which they term illegal as Taiwanese voted against expanded arms purchase in the island's first referendum in 2004.
  • Navy pilot survived Iraq, not Colombia
    U.S. Navy pilot Christopher H. Snyder from HSL-48 had survived a six-month tour in Iraq but died off the coast of Colombia while tracking drug smugglers.
  • Aging Tomcat jet makes last runs over Iraq
    Newspapers are carrying this story on the last Tomcat cruise on Roosevelt.
  • Pilot’s pilot taught students to keep moving to stay alive
    Sam Flynn, the USN fighter pilot that coined the term 'speed is life,' has passed away on Dec. 4.
    He flew more than 250 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom and shot down a MiG-21.
  • Carriers work heads for Scotland
    The green light has been given to go ahead with designing two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy.
    The work will be carried out across Britain in four main blocks.
  • Navy F-18s And A Southwest Jet Experience A "Close Pass" Over Hampton Roads
    Two U.S. Navy reserve F-18 Hornets came nose to nose with a Southwest 737 near Norfolk International Nov. 15.
    The NTSB is investigating the incident after receiving an anonymous letter.
  • ROVER System Revolutionizes F-14's Ground Support Capability
    History was made Dec. 11 when aircraft 207 of VF-213 took off from USS Theodore Roosevelt.
    A forward air controller located on the ground near Baghdad was able to see what the aircraft is seeing in real time for the first time.
    The Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) system transmits real-time images to the controller's laptop.
  • Search for HSL-48 Air Crew Officially Terminated
    The USN has terminated search and rescue efforts for a SH-60B helicopter and its crew.
    The HSL-48 helicopter crashed while in international waters west of Colombia Dec. 13.

     

 

 

 
What's new: November 31, 2005

Editorial:

  • Tomorrow we enter the last month of the Final Countdown Group Build. It's still not too late to start one more model, or finish the current one! Keep on the good job!

     

News by Alert 5:

 

 

 
What's new: November 21, 2005

Editorial:

  • Sorry for the long delay since the last update, but I'm still having technical problems that makes the more frequent updates impossible. I'm on to resolve these problems!

News by Alert 5:

 

 

 
What's new: November 1, 2005

Editorial:

  • The Final Countdown Group Build passed the first 4 months. We're over halfway of the event. If you're not in, it's still not too late! You have 2 more months to complete your build! Don't forget, we have raffle prizes offered from LuckyModel, Afterburner Decals, and Randy L. Smith, our fellow member  offered the following decals as well as raffle prizes (all Superscale, Navy stuff)
    #32-130    F/A-18 Hornet VFA-136 Knighthawks
    #72-0209  West Coast S3A's
    #72-0128  A-6 A/E VA-32 & VA-95, VA-115,VA-65
    #72-0401  A-4F CVAN-65, A-1J CVS-11, A-1J VA-145
    it means that you have every chance to win! Thank you for the offer Randy!

News by Alert 5:

  •  Yokosuka expresses outrage at aircraft carrier deployment
    Residents living at Yokosuka, where the U.S. forward deploys an aircraft carrier, are angry that the Japanese government allowed a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace the USS Kitty Hawk.
    Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi said that the Washington has assured Tokyo that safety measures will be strictly enforced when the carrier docks.
  • CBI starts preliminary probe into two defence deals
    India's corruption watchdog CBI is opening a preliminary probe into the purchase of Israeli Barak anti-missile system.
    The Barak is deployed on the carrier INS Viraat.
  • AESA radar sale: US decision on Nov 21
    The Bush Administration will reveal at a meeting on Nov 21-22 at the Pentagon whether to allow India to have the APG-79 AESA radar.
    The radar will come togther with the F/A-18 Super Hornet that is being offered to the Indian Air Force.
  • U.S. Navy Announces CVN to Replace USS Kitty Hawk in 2008
    Japan has allowed the U.S. Navy to deploy one of its Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in Japan to replace the USS Kitty Hawk.
    The USS Kitty Hawk will return to the United States in 2008 to be decommissioned.
  • P-8A MMA team members honored for excellence program continues on schedule
    Two members of the P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft Program team were honored Sept. 21 for their exceptional performance in engineering.
    Lt. Cmdr. Scott Ledig was named NAVAIR's Avionics Architecture and Systems Engineering Division (AIR-4.5.1) Military Engineer of the Year for fiscal 2005.
    Mike Van Wie, P-8A software engineering manager and mission computing and display subsystem lead, was named the AIR-4.5.1 Civilian Engineer of the Year for fiscal 2005.
  • Lockheed Martin Receives $76 Million U.S. Navy Contract to Integrate Mine CounterMeasures Onto MH-60S Helicopters
    Lockheed Martin has received a U.S. Navy contract to complete the integration and flight testing of five airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) systems with the MH-60S helicopter.
  • Enterprise Crew Brings on the Ammo
    USS Enterprise (CVN 65) completed a two-day ammunition on-load Oct. 24 from USNS Arctic.
    1,173 lifts of ammunition was conducted with the help of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11.
  • Pilot says navy's aging aircraft dangerous, ineffective
    A Taiwanese S-2T pilot, Hsu Koei-jui, said in a press conference that only 16 out of the 26 S-2Ts are serviceable.
    He added that most S-2T pilots consider the aircraft dangerous to fly. Rear admiral Ma Jien-chung said the S-2T cannot fulfill its mission of detecting submarines and monitoring unknown vessels.
  • Italian Navy's air command plots flight path to renewal
    The Italian Navy's air command is beginning the renewal of its fleet with the introduction of the EH-101 to replace the Sea King.
    Other aircraft to be inducted includes the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and NFH-90 helicopter.
  • Kitty Hawk Gets Underway as Upkeep Period Ends
    USS Kitty Hawk left its forward operating base in Japan to commence its fall underway on Oct. 24.
  • USS Ronald Reagan, Carrier Strike Group 7 Begin COMPTUEX
    USS Ronald Reagan and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 departed San Diego Oct. 17 and began their Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).
    COMPTUEX is an 18-day exercise designed to train the ship, embarked air wing and other vessels that make up the carrier strike group to function as one highly effective fighting force.
  • US Navy confirms V-22 incident, denies danger (Free Registration)
    The U.S. Navy is denying a report by Project On Government Oversight watchgroup that the engines of a V-22 stalled or that the crew was in danger when it flew through clouds recently.
    A CV-22 on its way to Edwards Air Force Base when some ice was sucked into the engines as it navigate through severe thunderstorms and icing conditions.
    This cause the engine controller to cycle the engines through several recovery modes but the engines never stalled according to V-22 program office spokesman James Darcy.
  • Boeing EA-18G Modification Moves to Next Phase
    Boeing is installing the first radio frequency (RF) cables in the EA-1 aircraft as it continues production of the first two EA-18G flight test aircraft.
    RF cabling will connect the electronic attack avionics in the EA-18G. The EA-18G will have more than 2,500 feet of RF cabling, about five times the amount installed in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
  • Osprey cleared for production
    Hear what the critics have to say about the V-22 when it entered full production recently.
  • Emergency Landing at W.K. Kellogg Airport
    A U.S. Navy E-6 made an emergency landing at the W.K. Kellogg Airport on Saturday night after the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit.

 


What's new: October 21, 2005

Editorial:

  • Sorry for the long delay since the last update, but I'm still having technical problems that makes the more frequent updates impossible. I'm on to resolve these problems!

News by Alert 5:

  • Former Navy flier pilots Calspan to forefront of flight technology
    Lou Knotts, a former USN A-6 pilot, is now president of Calspan Corp., a firm that builds variable stability aircraft.
    Calspan's variability stability Learjets are used by FAA to help train pilots how to recover from so-called "loss of control" incidents.
  • Breaking barriers, sinking stereotypes
    Capt. Nora Tyson, the former commanding officer of the USS Bataan, could be the first woman to command an aircraft carrier.
  • Move of MSDF planes from Iwakuni to Atsugi eyed
    Washington and Tokyo plans to move Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force planes at the Iwakuni Air Station to the Atsugi Air Base.
    U.S. Navy aircraft the Atsugi will relocate to Iwakuni Air Station. The move will begin when a new runway being constructed in waters off the Iwakuni base is completed in 2008.
  • Navy fighters from Norfolk-based carrier make air strikes in Iraq (Free Registration)
    Tomcats onboard USS Theodore Roosevelt carried out air strikes in Iraq last week.
    F-14 successfully hit a building in Karabilah while providing ground support. Later two Tomcats performed pre-planned air strikes in the vicinity of Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
  • Russia eyeing serious chance for deal on MiG-29M : Ivanov
    Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said that Russia has a real chance to win India's order for 126 fighters.
  • Malaysia May Be Offered Updated Super Hornets
    Boeing may modify its Super Hornet offer to Malaysia. It might offer the F/A-18F Block 2 to RMAF. Boeing offer the Block 1 to Malaysia two years ago.
    Business Development Director for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' International Operations for Naval Systems David J. Schweppe said he was not sure if the updated version of the Super Hornets would cost Malaysia more.
  • VFA-106 Pilot Rescued Following Ejection
    An F/A-18C from VFA-106 crashed about 8:30 a.m. Oct. 14, 60 miles west of Key West, Florida while on a training mission.
    The pilot was rescued by a Coast Guard search and rescue boat.
  • Blue Angels Say Goodbye To A Pioneer
    The Blue Angels flew a six-plane missing man formation flyover during a memorial service for first blue, Roy M. "Butch" Voris.
  • PM’s day out, aboard INS Viraat
    India's Prime Minister will will spend a day aboard aircraft carrier INS Viraat on Oct. 15.
    Two Delhi-class guided missile destroyers, three Talwar-class figates, three Godavari-class frigates, one Betwa-class frigate and a Kilo-class submarine will provide escort to the Viraat.
  • Officials visit Brunswick Naval Air Station airfield
    Civilian officials are visiting Brunswick Naval Air Station to see if it could be transform into an airport.
    BRAC voted in August to close the base in six years time.
  • TR CSG Offers OIF Air Support
    VF-213 and VF-31 along with VFA-87 and VFA-15 flew the first combat mission for Carrier Air Wing 8 on Oct. 6.
    More than half of the air wing’s personnel participated in flight operations involving missions over the land and sea.
  • VAQ-141 Supports Troops in Al Asad
    VAQ-141 along with 13 officers and 50 enlisted men left USS Theodore Roosevelt on Sept. 24 to join Marine Electronic Attack Squadron (VMAQ) 1, based out of Al Asad, Iraq.
    They return to TR on Oct. 6 after performing 37 combat sorties with a total of 165 hours of flight time.
     



 

 


 
What's new: October 10, 2005

News by Alert 5:

  • Blue Angels to honor Voris
    The Blue Angels will conduct a flyover at the chapel memorial service for First Blue Butch Voris at Fort Ord, Calif., on Oct. 10.
    Lt. Garrett Kasper, Blue Angels team spokesman said, "It is our team’s honor to conduct a flyby, as our final salute to Capt. Voris, and the most fitting way we can pay our respects to the Voris family."
  • Marauders deactivate after 38 years of service
    VFA-82 was retired at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Sept. 30.
    Closing down VFA-82 is part of a tactical aircraft integration plan to combine Navy and Marine assets.
  • Boeing Prepared To Tweak Super Hornet's Offset Programme
    Boeing's Asia Pacific Integrated Defense Systems vice president of business development Mark E. Kronenberg said his company is willing to adjust the FA-18F Super Hornet offset program for Malaysia. The offset programme include biotechnology, health and industrial collaboration between Malaysian industries and Boeing companies. RMAF had last week indicated their continued interest for the Super Hornet jets but the only thing holding them back was lack of funds.
  • Oceana planes unwanted in Fla.
    Virginia officials are saying that Florida's aggressive campaign to move Oceana's jets to Cecil Field might be starting to unravel.
  • American, Indian Navies Demonstrate Sea Partnership
    Lt. Cmdr. Christian Kidder, Admin Officer VAW-117, said the Indian aircraft carrier operates much like the Americans. VAW-117 took part in exercises with the Indian navy during MALABAR ‘05.
  • VF-32 #101 Update (Video link)
    Swordsmen's #101 has arrived safely at Aviation Museum of Kentucky.     Jeff Dalatri and Mike Wallace flew the last fligh
  • Tomcat cleared to drop 500-pounder on last deployment
    Just days before the F-14's final fleet deployment, the Tomcat was cleared to carry the GBU-38. GBU-38 is the 500-pound version of JDAM.
    When VF-213 and VF-31 approached Program Manager Air 241 to clear the GBU-38 for the Tomcat. They program managed to get pilots from VX-23 and VF-101 to clear the weapon.
  • Mayor withdraws funding for Navy base reopening
    Jasonville Mayor, John Peyton, is withdrawing a $50 million bond package for the reopening of Cecil Field as a Navy jet base.
    This is to allow the City Council to study issues ranging from noise to encroachment to economic development.
  • Shipping ID system flies high in Hawkeye
    The USN will deploy the Universal Automatic Identification System on its E-2C.
    It is a navigation aid commonly used by commercial ships exceeding 300 tons.
  • Blue Angels homecoming announced
    The Blue Angels will close the 2005 season at Pensacola Naval Air Station on Nov. 11 and 12.
  • MAPS Air Museum
    MAPS Air Museum was lucky to get an F-14 for display as several museums in the South were damaged by Hurricane Katrina and cannot take in the aircraft.
    Brian Hodges and Ashley Augostini flew the last flight of the VF-32 #115.
  • Bell To Simulate V-22 Controlling Eagle Eye VUAV
    Bell Helicopter plans to begin conducting computer simulations in the next few months to see whether its Eagle Eye VUAV could be controlled from the V-22 Osprey.
    Bell could begin actual flights of the Osprey/Eagle Eye tiltrotor tandem as early as the end of 2006 if the simulations go well.
  • Ex-pilot helps city land shot at opening Cecil
    John Leenhouts, a former Navy F/A-18 pilot and Strike Fighter Wing commander, testified to the BRAC in August that pilots would be trained more effectively and safely at Cecil Field than at Naval Air Station Oceana.
  • Oceana base commander delays retirement plans
    Capt. Thomas F. Keeley, Oceana’s base commander for the past 2½ years, will delay retirement plans in order to save the base.
  • Florida officials wrong on homes around Cecil
    Florida officials acknowledged that as many as 925 homes around Cecil Field would be in high-risk areas should the USN use it as a fighter jet base.
    The finding raised questions about how thoroughly the BRAC Commission studied the base earlier.
  • Admiral says Navy will study value of Cecil Field, Oceana
    Adm. John B. Nathman, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said an independent contractor will be hired to assess the military value of Cecil Field and Oceana Naval Air Station.
    He said this while responding to news reports that Cecil Field had about 1,000 homes in high risk areas.
  • Army of volunteers keeps Midway museum afloat through successful first year
    In its first year of operations as an aircraft carrier museum, the USS Midway has seen 880,000 visitors.
    It is the most popular historic Navy ship museum on the U.S. continent.
  • Cecil opponents demonstrate jet noise
    Opponents of the U.S. Navy's return to Cecil Field set up speakers during a demonstration outside City Hall to show how much noise a Hornet creates.
    They played recordings of the jets at their actual sound level of 117 decibels intermittently for about 25 minutes.
  • Museum to welcome Navy F-14B Tomcat
    An F-14B Tomcat arrived at MAPS Air Museum for display yesterday.
  • Warner raises doubts about Cecil Field as Oceana fallback
    Virginia's Gov. Mark R. Warner said Florida's Cecil Field faces the same similar development challenges with several hundred homes in accident-prone areas.
  • Osprey decision celebrated at Boeing
    Boeing employees are glad that the V-22 has entered full production as it will secure their jobs for the future.

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