Air Combat Management Mu-2j

**GEEDUBBYA** · 10-01-2008

Howdy Guys and Gals,

Well I seem to be setting a pattern, build one, take a day off, build another etc..
So todays aircraft is the Mistsubishi MU-2J "Air Combat Management Aircraft". Actually this is a nine passenger twin engined turboprop, one of Japans most successful aircraft.
The MU-2j and other variants were manufactured in San Angelo, Texas (USA) and are currently flown under government contract at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, where they provide U.S. Air Force "Air Battle management students" with their initial experience controlling live aircraft.
Anyway, here she sits on the hood of my pick up truck:

I really need to wax my truck lol. But it aint gonna happen anytime soon.
Anyway, thanks for looking and have a good day,

Greg aka GEEDUBBYA (GW)

alan2525 · 10-01-2008

Rather than wax the hood of your truck, how about using some contact adhesive to attach some wet and dry paper? Would make for a convincing tarmac effect as it's being used as a diorama base now!

Looks like the latest build has turned out well and an unusual choice of aircraft too!

**rjwood_uk** · 11-01-2008

yes unusual but nice...as usual lol.

nice one greg, i had never heard of these before to be honest. so the USAF wack people in here to train them before they go into things like AWACs?

keep up the good work, cant wait to see saturdays build

**GEEDUBBYA** · 11-01-2008

Howdy Alan and RJ,

Thanks for the kind words.

First, the thought of a board with something like "asphalt paper" glued to it has crossed my mind, but I just havent gotten round to anything like that yet. I do have an old display base that looks like a tarmac, but, its been easier to just photograph the models as I finsih them. However, I might bring out that old display base, i was thinking about that today and even thought about photographing it and resizing it for a download that people could print out and affix to display bases of their own.
I have also been looking for some old downloads that I have seen of tarmac's and old "dirt runways" for cardmodel aircraft, they are real photos sized for displays, but i havent located them yet.

Now, as for the use of these aircraft I had typed up what i thought i knew, but here is what i have found on the web for "Air Combat/Battle Management":

Air Battle Manager is a rated flying position in the United States Air Force. Air Battle Managers (ABMs) are primarily responsible for command and control. Using either airborne or land-based radars, ABMs help combat aircraft find, identify, and destroy their targets by providing the pilots with a "big picture" that increases their situational awareness. ABMs can provide early warning for inbound enemy aircraft and direct friendly ]assets to intercept them. As their title implies, ABMs manage the battlespace. In addition to aiding the fight, they keep track of all the assets in the area of operations to ensure deconfliction and safety of flight for all friendly aircraft. Although ABMs do not -- and are not qualified to -- serve as air traffic controllers, their role in deconfliction and flight safety makes air traffic controller the closest civilian analogue to the ABM's role. ABMs are trained to control the fighting, not the traffic pattern. Additionally, ABMs plan, organize and task air combat operations. ABMs must be well versed in all combat aircraft and systems, as they may be assigned to work with any weapons system at any time. As a result, their expertise is often called upon in an advisory role by the Air Force's sister services or other allied military forces.
Air Battle Manager career paths typically place personnel on one of three platforms: AWACS, Joint STARS, or Control and Reporting Centers (CRCs). The first two involve flying positions on the E-3 Sentry or E-8 JSTARS, respectively. Both of these aircraft are highly modified Boeing 707 airframes equipped with long-range radars and other sensor systems. The E-3 supports air-to-air operations, while the E-8 JSTARS supports air-to-ground operations. CRCs are land-based mobile radar sites, part of the Ground Theater Air Control System (GTACS). ABMs may also serve in various staff positions at higher echelons.
Since 1999, Air Battle Manager has been a rated career field. This means that ABMs are career aviators who receive flight pay and must actively fly a certain number of months (called gate months) to maintain their rating. As a result, all active duty ABMs and those assigned to the Air Force Reserve unit at Tinker AFB, OK are assigned to flying duties after completion of undergraduate training. In the past a small number of graduates were initially assigned to ground assignments in the CRCs but this practice ceased in 2004. ABMs serving in the Air National Guard are not necessarily assigned to flying units, but are typically assigned to a GTACS unit. As a result, they do not receive flight pay or earn rated aviator wings. Only ABMs who have completed follow-on training for the E-3 or E-8 are awarded wings to wear on their uniforms.
Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training (UABMT) for the active US Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve is conducted by the 325th Air Control Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. From there, active duty officers are sent for additional training at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma (for the E-3) or Robins AFB, Georgia (for the E-8). A select few will be sent to Geilenkirchen AB, Germany to train on the NATOAWACS (E-3A.) Small numbers are also assigned to overseas assignments at either Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, AK, or Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan to fly on the E-3. ABMs do not receive their wings until this additional training is completed.
There are different crew duty positions an Air Battle Manager may be qualified to perform during his career. On both the E-3 and E-8 they begin as an Airborne Weapons Officer (AWO), responsible for the direct control of weapons systems in the fight. From there, ABMs may upgrade to several different positions, depending on the platform they are serving on. Two positions common to all platforms are the Senior Director (SD), who directs the Weapons Section (consisting of Air Operations Technicians and AWOs), and the Mission Crew Commander (MCC), a senior ABM who controls the entire operations crew. ABMs in charge of the surveillance section are called Air Surveillance Officers (ASOs) on the E-3, or Sensor Management Officers (SMOs) on the E-8. ABMs may also serve as instructors and evaluators in whatever crew position qualification they maintain.

Have a good day,

Greg

**rjwood_uk** · 11-01-2008

so they fly from Tyndall and Nellis just for air time? how far is that?

just to point out that they wont be flying the eagle at the moment as pretty much all of them are grounded!!! a few have been okayed for flight this last week but god knows about the rest!

**GEEDUBBYA** · 11-01-2008

Howdy RJ,

i see you caught that about the F-15's at Tyndall.
That flight is about 1500-2000 miles, its 2/3rd the way across the US.
I removed that part of the posting when i discovered this other info on the Mu-2J's though. So, for those of you who dont know what i am talking about, I vacation at Panama City, Florida, where Tyndall AFB is located as well as these MU-2j's, have seen flights of F-15's leave in the morning to go to Los Vegas and back just to get in flying time.....they usually return about 2 pm that same day.

oh and yes, the F-15 are grounded now
Have a good day,

Greg

**wonwinglo** · 11-01-2008

Very slick model of the MU-2 Gregg,well done.

**GEEDUBBYA** · 11-01-2008

Howdy Barry,

I appreciate the remarks, this was a neat little kit by Hasegawa in 1:72 scale. Like I mentioned in the Arado thread, the smaller models are getting abit harder for me to see the little parts. But, that wont stop me from building them lol.

anyway, Have a gfood day,

Greg