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Tamiya F-15C Kicked Up A Notch- Dec 1/17: DONE!


chuck540z3

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But on closer inspection, there is a bit of a gap at the front, where the front tab does not meet the kit part.

 

 

Cockpit10.jpg

 

 

Going back to the drawing board, I made up a few of the kit cockpit parts to see how they fit.  The gap is even bigger!

 

 

Cockpit11.jpg

 

 

There is also a hole in the kit part and Avionix pit that lines up with a hole in the missing top fuselage halve, but for the life of me, I cannot find any reference to this hole in the instructions.

 

 

Cockpit12.jpg

 

 

It is possible to force the front tab down when the cockpit is enclosed in the front fuselage and glue it down, but I hate forcing things and I still want to know what the hole is for.  A screw maybe- and the instructions just forgot to mention it?

 

 

One more question.  I note that the front landing gear leg should be installed when the front fuselage halves have been glued together.  I was think of opening up the hole in the metal leg to allow a later installation- like at the very end of the build.  I HATE landing gear hanging down during a build.  I'm always worried about damaging it, as I was with my P-38L project.  Any workarounds for this?

 

 

Thanks for any tips and tricks you can provide.

 

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Edited by chuck540z3
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Guest Peterpools

Chuck

Terrific comparison between the Aires and Avionix sets. Excellent decision on going with the best of both but my vote would have been to use the more detailed Avionix seat as well.

Looking forward to settling in and being along for the entire journey.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

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That tab with a hole in it never connected to anything. You're good to let it hang not touching anything. I always installed the nose gear when prompted. Never did find a workaround for it but never did cause it damage during build. It's a very sturdy piece of white metal.

 

Don

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Looks to be an epic build - to make for an easier build as regards fitting the wings , attach the upper wing halves to the upper fuselage piece  that way the annoying step that usually results from adding the complete wings to the assembled fuselage is removed .. other than that have fun ..

 

colinR

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Cool. You gonna make it to the edmonton show this year?

 

Justin

 

Hi Justin.  The answer is not likely.  A 600 km round trip is a long way to go in one day and I did it once a few years ago.  While I enjoyed the model contest and won a few medals, the drive just wasn't worth it.

 

 

Chuck

Terrific comparison between the Aires and Avionix sets. Excellent decision on going with the best of both but my vote would have been to use the more detailed Avionix seat as well.

Looking forward to settling in and being along for the entire journey.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

 

Thanks Peter.  I have been working hard on fitting the Avionix cockpit into the front fuselage and although I'm winning so far, it is a very big job with trimming and dry fitting hundreds of times.  I remember doing the same thing with an Avionix pit in my F-4E build and I bet it took me a month to get everything tucked in there correctly without swelling the front fuselage.

 

 

That tab with a hole in it never connected to anything. You're good to let it hang not touching anything. I always installed the nose gear when prompted. Never did find a workaround for it but never did cause it damage during build. It's a very sturdy piece of white metal.

 

Don

 

Thanks Don.  I suspected as much, but it's great to hear it from a guy who has built 5 of these big pigs.  Tamiya must have had plans that changed, because the front tab sure looks like it was made for a screw.

 

As far as the front landing gear is concerned, I'm not worried about breaking it as much as damaging it once I paint and detail it.  We'll see what I can or cannot do when I get to that stage.

 

 

Looks to be an epic build - to make for an easier build as regards fitting the wings , attach the upper wing halves to the upper fuselage piece  that way the annoying step that usually results from adding the complete wings to the assembled fuselage is removed .. other than that have fun ..

 

colinR

 

 

Thanks for the tip sir!

 

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I'm beginning to regret ordering the Aires pit for my F-15C now.

 

 

Don't.  Of the two resin cockpits, it is still the best- overall.  Unlike the Avionix pit, it has a nicely molding glare shield and PE instrument panel.  The fit issues are easily fixed if you don't mind a bit of a spacer at either the front or the back (or both), which I don't.  The detail is still quite good and far superior to the kit parts.  The only reason I'm using mostly the Avionix pit is that I already own it and I'm unlikely to build another F-15C.  I will also be using a few other Aires resin parts over the Avionix ones because they are a bit better.

 

Chuck

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Chuck, GREAT to see you start this project! This is the exact F-15C subject I have been dreaming about for a while now, so I'll be following very closely (as I would do anyway). Since I have just now come across this thread for the first time, I may have glossed over a few items but here are some quick inputs from my side to add to some pointers to those you have already received:

 

1. Pay attention to the bulge over the rudder actuator (or lack thereof) on the subject you are creating vs. what the Tamiya kit gives you. There is quite some rudder bulge variation among F-15s.

2. I would personally go for the ELTA EL/L-8212 Jamming pod, which is always carried on the port forward Sparrow station, as can be seen here: http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/McDonnell-Douglas-F-15C/1486605/L/. The pod will be more visible on the finished model and is also a far more capable piece of equipment then that old dead gecko pod. Wolfpack makes a nice resin model of the pod in 1/32.

3. Regarding the reputation of Aires resin not fitting well, the fit on their newer stuff is phenomenal (the Aires cockpit and wheel wells I used on the Revell 1/32 EF-2000 fit perfectly without any sanding etc. required at all).

4. Whatever you do, don't confuse FS 35109 with FS 35190. FS35109 is the darker blue on the aggressor Eagles.

 

Cheers,

 

Marcel

Edited by Marcel111
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Chuck, GREAT to see you start this project! This is the exact F-15C subject I have been dreaming about for a while now, so I'll be following very closely (as I would do anyway). Since I have just now come across this thread for the first time, I may have glossed over a few items but here are some quick inputs from my side to add to some pointers to those you have already received:

 

1. Pay attention to the bulge over the rudder actuator (or lack thereof) on the subject you are creating vs. what the Tamiya kit gives you. There is quite some rudder bulge variation among F-15s.

2. I would personally go for the ELTA EL/L-8212 Jamming pod, which is always carried on the port forward Sparrow station, as can be seen here: http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/McDonnell-Douglas-F-15C/1486605/L/. The pod will be more visible on the finished model and is also a far more capable piece of equipment then that old dead gecko pod. Wolfpack makes a nice resin model of the pod in 1/32.

3. Regarding the reputation of Aires resin not fitting well, the fit on their newer stuff is phenomenal (the Aires cockpit and wheel wells I used on the Revell 1/32 EF-2000 fit perfectly without any sanding etc. required at all).

4. Whatever you do, don't confuse FS 35109 with FS 35190. FS35109 is the darker blue on the aggressor Eagles, while FS 35190 is the darker blue on the aggressor F-16s, people seem to get them confused all the time which is why there are all manner of aggressor F-16's out there with an obviously too dark shade of darker blue (FS 35109 is somewhat darker than FS 35190).

 

Cheers,

 

Marcel

 

 

Thanks Buddy.  Do you have a pic of the "rudder actuator" you refer to?  I want to make sure I know what it is before I modify anything.

 

The use of the AN/ALQ-188 "dead gecko" (LOL) is purely nostalgic.  When I was at Nellis in 2007-08 time period for their air shows and took most of my pics, I saw one of these lizards on the F-15C Aggressors and was asking one of the pilots about it.  I took a pic of it (see Post #16), but I believe that was on an F-16 instead.  My guess is that they don't use them on Eagles any more, but they sure did when I took all my pics of this particular subject.

 

Thanks for the tip on the correct Blue.  For those who are interested, here is a comparison color chart I just looked up comparing the two Aggressor Blues mentioned:

 

http://colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=35109+35190+

 

I'm also glad that Aires may have changed their ways.  I have their nozzles for the Academy F/A-18 kit which are too small, the resin wheel wells for the same kit that are too short and the F-4 engine nozzles that are also too small.  For this cockpit set, the cockpit is about 3/16" too short front to back.  Not a huge deal, but it is a bit of a pain.  The good thing about Aires resin is the casting quality is always very good to excellent.

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Great start, Chuck.  I'm looking forward to seeing this come together.

 

Although I'd have chosen a jet from my upcoming Eagle sheet.   :)

 

I like the comparison of the two cockpits.  Avionix sure did a better job on the Bay 5 boxes!  I had to add quite a bit of stuff to the Aires Bay 5 to make it look right and 'busy enough.'

 

Jake

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Great start, Chuck.  I'm looking forward to seeing this come together.

 

Although I'd have chosen a jet from my upcoming Eagle sheet.   :)

 

I like the comparison of the two cockpits.  Avionix sure did a better job on the Bay 5 boxes!  I had to add quite a bit of stuff to the Aires Bay 5 to make it look right and 'busy enough.'

 

Jake

 

 

Thanks Jake.  With you and the other F-15 experts out there, I have my work cut out for me to try and replicate something half-way realistic.  I'm looking at your book right now while I'm fiddling around with the resin cockpit parts and I'm happy to see quite a few differences from Eagle to Eagle cockpit, so have a bit of leeway on what should be there or not.  As painful as it is to get the Avionix resin pit to fit, it does fit if you're careful.

 

A quick question for you or anybody else.  Just forward of the torpedo shaped canopy remover is a red bar that connects behind the seat up to the canopy.  I don't see it described in your book, but it's in at least 12 pics.  It's really banged up, so I think it must be a temporary canopy brace- hence the red color.  I that correct?

 

BTW, I'm really looking forward to receiving your new "Modern Eagle Guide Second Edition".  I really need better pics of the top of this jet!

 

Thanks,

Chuck

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Thanks Jake.  With you and the other F-15 experts out there, I have my work cut out for me to try and replicate something half-way realistic.  I'm looking at your book right now while I'm fiddling around with the resin cockpit parts and I'm happy to see quite a few differences from Eagle to Eagle cockpit, so have a bit of leeway on what should be there or not.  As painful as it is to get the Avionix resin pit to fit, it does fit if you're careful.

 

A quick question for you or anybody else.  Just forward of the torpedo shaped canopy remover is a red bar that connects behind the seat up to the canopy.  I don't see it described in your book, but it's in at least 12 pics.  It's really banged up, so I think it must be a temporary canopy brace- hence the red color.  I that correct?

 

BTW, I'm really looking forward to receiving your new "Modern Eagle Guide Second Edition".  I really need better pics of the top of this jet!

 

Thanks,

Chuck

 

Hey Chuck,

 

I'm excited to see this come together!  From what you're describing, those red braces are just that; safety locks.  Since the canopy system on the F-15 is hydraulic, if there's leak or a bleed in the system, the canopy will fall.  Those locks prevent it from doing obvious things while someone's working in the cockpit.

Edited by sax003
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Hey Chuck,

 

I'm excited to see this come together!  From what you're describing, those red braces are just that; safety locks.  Since the canopy system on the F-15 is hydraulic, if there's leak or a bleed in the system, the canopy will fall.  Those locks prevent it from doing obvious things while someone's working in the cockpit.

 

 

Thank you sir for the feedback and explanation.  I learned along time ago to not jump to conclusions, so it's always better to ask a stupid question early and be sure, than regret a wrong decision later.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

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