Kitty Hawk 1/32 F-5E/F Tiger II / Special Interest Group (SIG) !

[SharkOwl]

Cybermodeler Online / Michael Benolkin First Look of the Kitty Hawk Models 1/32 F-5E Tiger II.

SharkOwl

 

https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/kh/kit_kh_32018.shtml

[SharkOwl]

Yes, the cockpit is located aft of the kit's gun bay/wheel well subassembly.

Below the cockpit tub there's enough room for improvement - literally.

 

 

 

Most recent detailed resin + photoetch cockpit from Aires (CZ) if for the 1/32 Kitty Hawk T-38C Trojan.

 

I bet Aires is already working on a detailed resin + photoetch cockpit for the 1/32 Kitty Hawk F-5E Tiger II with

correct floor depth and correct sized ejection seat + (lets hope) different ejection seats options.

 

An ADF fin fillet, in flight refueling probe, intake covers, ladder, etc... option parts would also be welcomed from Aires !

 

Lets wait and see !

SharkOwl

[Guest Airfixer]

Already previously addressed in this thread: http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=66843&p=1035525

 

 

Kit part E70:

(from left to right)

• starboard boarding step/panels/structures not present on actual aircraft (need to filled)
• starboard emergency entrance door/AoA vane - engraved upside down (need to be filled and rescribed)
• battery access door - yes and no/not quite (see diagrams below)

 

This is what Kitty Hawk did:

 

 

 

 

How things are supposed to be:

Original (early) access door/panel arrangement.

• second access door needs to be added further fwd

 

 

 

 

As found on F-5E a/c with production (=not retroffitted) RWR installation:

• kit access door needs to be filled, new door needs to be replicated immediately aft of the RWR fairing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exception #1 - F-5E with in-flight refueling probe (IFR) installation/capability:

(AoA vane moved to port side immediately above emergency entrance door)

 

 

 

 

Exception #2 - post-1982 USAF aggressor F-5E:

(vertical tail VOR/ILS and marker beacon retrofit plus battery upgrade)

• starboard kit access door to be retained
• new access doors need to be replicated on both port and starboard fwd fuselage (E51/E70)

 

 

 

Fwd fuselage detail:

 

 

 

 

527th TFTS F-5E 74-1535 in 1975-1982 configuration:

 

 

 

 

527th TFTS F-5E 74-1535 in post-1982 configuration (VOR/ILS, marker beacon, etc. added):

 

 

 

 

Exception #3 - AIDC-built F-5E upgraded to Module C/C-configuration standard:

(a/c still featuring pointed radome and early LERX config, RWR fairings retrofitted, in-flight refueling capabilty added,  revised AoA vane arrangement)

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

Kit part B34:

• gravity fuel filler points positioned on the wrong side of the spine (need to filled, new ones need to to be replicated on the opposite (left) side of the spine).
• dorsal VHF antenna base (on a/c without VHF antenna the moulded-on antenna base structure needs to be sanded down.
• Exception: if you're going to build a post-2008 F-5N (INS/GPS upgrade), you'll need that base to replicate the GPS dome - leave it as is.

 

 

 

A big shout out to Jean for kindly providing the original detail shots of the kit parts!!

 

Un vraiment GRAND merci à JEAN pour me "dépanner"!!

 

Erik

Edited May 11, 2018 by Airfixer

[phantom]

There is a review of the kit on cybermodeler.com.

Mike

[scjh]

The AOA vane on late C-Config ROCAF F-5Es (sharknose, RWR, etc.) moved to the port side above the emergency entrance door to accomodate refueling probe installation (though they were not installed).   Early ROCAF F-5Es are known as the K-Config (conical nose, skyspot rod antenna, etc.).  I believe F-5Es with refueling probe installed on the starboard side would also have the AOA vane on the port side.

 

SC

[HobbyZoneUSA]

I found this thread after posting my own findings on Cybermodeler, my compliments for the sharp engineering eyes! I've noted some of the other oddities of the kit you folks have found like the off-sides dorsal fuel fillers, thanks for that. On the subject of cockpit depth, I was doing some comparisons against the Verlinden 1739 cockpit tub for the Hasegawa E-model and you can see that the KH tub is a few millimeters shallow. Since it will be a little while before Harold can develop a masterpiece replacement, I'm thinking this one is going to get the Verlinden tub, which doubles as some serious ballast in the nose. Backdating the kit to one of the 425th TFTS birds (or a 65th AGRS bird during ACEVAL/AIMVAL) will require the removal of the forward RWR blisters as all have previously noted, but what I also found is that the plastic isn't very thick there so we'll be filling holes where the blisters once resided. No biggie, but thought you'd want to know.

[HobbyZoneUSA]

So I couldn't wait to get this kit on the bench. Since I can't do much with the nose section without the cockpit installed, I initially thought about using the Verlinden cockpit, but decided to build this as much out-of-the-box as possible. The revelation that the right side console was backwards was interesting, but I flipped it around using a razor saw. 

 

Another revelation described earlier is that the cockpit tub is too shallow and as I mentioned above, I could see that comparing it to the Hasegawa kit. What's interesting is that the ejection seat is not compressed to compensate, rather the bottom portion of the seat frame was eliminated. From the seat pan to the headrest, the height is right. Look here at the kit seat compared to the seat from True Details, TAC Scale Dynamics/CAM, and Verlinden. These all align with the kit seat but they also reveal that the survival seat pan and a few other areas need some work.

 

Interesting that the resin pilot from Kitty Hawk has his legs up a bit to compensate for the lower ejection seat. Here is the figure seated in the Verlinden seat, so the proportions are good. Aside from leg position, the backpack parachute extends down too low on the figure. The chute fits into the rear of the seat atop that bolster behind the seat pan. The (whatever-it-is) in the rear of the KH seat doesn't belong there because the pilot will sit too far forward. Interesting that the (whatever-it-is) is the correct shape for the bottom seat pan with the cut-out between the legs, which would replace the seat block currently in the seat pan. Good thing I haven't glued those seat inserts into place.

Edited May 5, 2018 by HobbyZoneUSA

[kikka]

I just saw your post on FB . Xant wait to see the full build WIP ! 

 

I have to warn you . The seat and the brackets holding it hits the canopy if you try to close it . 

 

I sanded donw F15 till flat and f30 for a few MM . The pilot has a better sitting position for my taste and pictures . F14 should be removed if you have the pilot installed . 

And the canopy can only be represented open from the box . Although you can easily represent it close if you want considering that the back is invisible once closed .

 

Kikka (Jean)

Edited May 5, 2018 by kikka

[Harold]

Here is my start on the odd Martin Baker seat...it is still very crude the headbox is not quite in the correct scale yet...BUT, It can't be used in the kits shallow tub anyway. It would be WAY TOO TALL. 

Edited May 6, 2018 by Harold

[Sgt Shultz II]

So with all this info pray tell what will the Recce nose need? Are they going to do the RF-5E or will the after market guys have to step up to the plate??

Edited May 7, 2018 by Sgt Shultz II

[Menelaos]

Here is my start on the odd Martin Baker seat...it is still very crude the headbox is not quite in the correct scale yet...BUT, It can't be used in the kits shallow tub anyway. It would be WAY TOO TALL. 

 

It's going to be a winner Harold!!

 

That would be a MUST if we're going to have the A/B variants in the future....

[kikka]

the RF-5 nose is visible on the sprue info in the instructions .

[Guest Airfixer]

[deleted by user]

Edited May 14, 2018 by Airfixer

[LSP_K2]

I'm just about to wrap up my review of the kit, and I must say that overall, I'm quite happy with what I've found.

[kikka]

Airfixer , if you get it printed i might have to trouble you for a second one ! 

 

Kevin it is a good kit . The shapes are accurate , the engraving is fine and crisp , qnd it goes together quite well . Not much putty required if any .