F-117A Nighthawk (channelling my inner scratch builder)

[Uilleann]

Mike, thanks for the heads up on the wire.  I've got a couple fly fishertype friends - maybe time to go raid their hobby box! 

 

*Edited to update photos for better quality, and add a shot as well.

 

Back end of the cockpit in its more or less completed state I believe.  Save for a few minor details here and there (like a throttle etc), and some light weathering:

 

Port details:

 

And starboard:

 

Added a handle to the manual canopy hydraulic mechanism on the side wall:

 

Fixed the paint issue on the inside top of the canopy, and added a placard:

 

Hit the canopy latches with a base of magnesium on the plates, and chrome for the latches themselves.  Gives just a hint of metallic contrast, and helps the latches to pop out just right to my eye.  I also realized the kit didn't include the bolt detail for the canopy latches, so I imitated their appearance with the red-orange paint used on them after they've been torqued down and locked up.  Haven't used a toothpick for painting before that I can recall, but it worked perfectly here:

 

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement!

 

Brian~

Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann

[Uilleann]

Have run into a bit of a bog down here.  I am trying to approach the build as a series of small kits within the larger kit, particularly as there is much that can be added to the few areas of high detail on this A/C.  I have begun preliminary work on the landing gear wells, (even found some .015" lead wire to use), but am finding it difficult to achieve the results I'm after.  At any rate, with a tiny bit of PE thrown in on the front and rear walls of the bay, and the supports mid bay from the Eduard exterior set, improvement is certainly started on the nose gear well at least.  I have punched a few holes here and there to add wire and cables through, but i am having trouble getting the lead wire to lay perfectly straight.  I'll keep plugging away and see what I can work out.

 

 

Hopefully, I'll be able to turn the above into a reasonable facsimile of this:

 

I'm looking for any and all detailed write ups on scratch built and super detailed gear and gear bays I can find.  Stay tuned.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann

[Showtime 100]

Duuuude!

 

 

Simply beautiful work you're doing there !

[Uilleann]

Thanks!  I'm just hoping I can get my fingers to agree with my mind's eye on this one. 

 

As it happens, one of my biggest impediments to some decent progress the past few days has been this - the BEAST:

 

 

Sure, she looks all sweet and innocent on the outside but, as with many Labradors, our Mosey is a complete vacuum cleaner when it comes to food.  And now it seems my pile of plastic, PE parts, and sandpaper on the desk are the new delicacy on the menu!  The sandpaper in particular seems to be of great interest.  WEIRD DOG! 

 

Thankfully, I haven't lost any work done so far to this bottomless kibble depository, but she's keeping me on my toes!  And assuming she doesn't eat the very last of my wet/dry paper, I'll still be able to plug away at this over the weekend with any luck.  I've got a few of the internal structures for the nose gear bay worked up, though I'm still finding it a complete head scratcher as to how I'm going to afix all the lead solder/wire stuff properly and keep all the runs straight, and the kinks and bends scaled properly and in the correct proportions.  I haven't got the foggiest as yet how to make the little attachment points along the walls, or any of those details yet.  We'll see what the next few days allow me to come up with.  Crossing fingers! 

Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann

[Uilleann]

Some shred of progress tonight.  Working on building up the nose gear well to a more prototypical appearance.  Added a scratched electronics box (larger black with latch), a PE box, and added the cylindrical ports to the box, wall and brace.  Pre-drilled several points as well to add some wiring later on:

 

 

I won't get everything in there, but I feel like I will be able to manage at least a fair approximation of the real thing:

Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann

[Uilleann]

A little more added to the nose gear well, and strut assembly started as well:

 

 

I've decided I may go with the plastic gear instead of the 'white metal' alternates also supplied with this kit.  The detail just isn't quite as crisp in the metal, and it's also easier to add detail to the softer styrene for me.  Obviously I have a way to go yet on the nose gear and bay, but progress is progress.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann

[Uilleann]

Alright - one dining room primed, painted, cracks fixed, old window sills scraped, cleaned and re-painted...

 

...and little time left for modeling! 

 

Small bit of progress made as I plug along with the wheels and their associated cubbyholes in the aircraft.  The nose gear bay is close to completion, and yes, I even added a wash.  Not very thrilled with the results of that truthfully, but perhaps something else will spark my imagination there before I throw it all together.

 

Most of the past few days spare minutes have been spent cleaning up the nose gear leg and working on the wheels themselves.  Below is a quick comparison of the kit wheels - vinyl and all - as compared against Eduard's Brassin resin set.   As alluded to at the beginning of this thread, there really is no comparison.  The detail, the depth and the overall accuracy of the Brassin pieces blows the kit parts clean off the sprues.  Spent some time working on the base colors, and tried to get a slightly lighter shade of flat grey on the tread, to simulate wear from the runway as it appears in photos.  Sadly, it doesn't show very well in these pics here...but I'll see if I can show it better later on:

 

Kit above, Brassin below:

 

Main wheel details.  They really got it perfect with these, right down to the ribs on the brake discs (which polish up beautifully with a coat of metalizer magnesium and aluminum to highlight the rib lines), and the brass air fill cap.  Only thing they're missing are the wire locks for the nuts on the hub:

 

I did find out that my "black" wash I used ended up actually being a dark green...so will remedy that as I go as well.  Hoping to get a little more general work done soon.  Stay tuned!

Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann

[P Stoner]

This build just keeps getting better! Super job, hard word does pay off!

 

Paul

[Uilleann]

Word! Hehehe

[Showtime 100]

Looking good!

[Guest Peterpools]

Enjoying following your progress on the Night Hawk and watching the transformation take place

Keep 'em coming

:popcorn:

[petrov27]

very nice detailing there!

[Jamme]

NIce job!

Congrats,

Jamme

[Uilleann]

Only had about 15 minutes of time to throw at things the whole day today, but was able to add a small detail to the canopy framing. I still don't know for certain what the heck they are - but I *think* the twin objects mounted high on the forward framing may be some form of map light?

 

At any rate, they were missing from the kit and all the update sets...and that just wouldn't do:

 

So with a little bit of plastic rod, some ultra fine copper wire, a little plastic strip and a dab of glue...viola! Little map light...thingies. The best part about modeling this particular jet, is that there is so little known, it's almost a free-for-all in terms of guessing and making stuff up about it. These may not be map lights...but if anyone knows different, they're either not talkin, or they might get whacked and quickly stuffed into the boot of a black car by a G-man in shades if they do! Hahaha

 

Well, here's the progress all the same:

 

Installed:

 

Should be nicely visible even with the glass installed and all:

 

Thanks again to all following along - particularly with my snail's pace I've got going on here.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann

[LSP_Kevin]

That's awesome mate!

 

Kev