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1/32 Trumpeter F-117 yet another stealth build

Palm-tree

By Palm-tree
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Palm-tree

Palm-tree

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Following on from Uilleans excellent thread , and having seen a few other impressive builds online, I thought I would splash out and have a go at the "Wobblin Goblin" myself.

 

Back in 1990 I remember watching the F-117 and the strike damage being broadcast on TV to the world, during the first Gulf War.

 

The aircraft is a source of fascination for me considering getting the unusual shape to fly as well as the technology to make it stealthy and virtually invisible to enemy radar defences.

 

So time to gather some references and decide on what after-market items to add to the kit.

 

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gTvCde6KOFo/UzMTz-4Z8SI/AAAAAAAASsc/CYc-0Pk2yWI/s1024-no/IMAGE_668.jpg

IMAGE_668.jpg

 

The Squadron/Signal Walk Around Number 26 is very good, and probably the best reference for the modeller that I have seen.

 

The Pilot's Flight Operations Instructions are less useful but of interest to anyone interested in the checklists and general operation of the aircraft. There are no photos in this volume and only a few line drawings of the cockpit and a few scrap drawings of wheel bay equipment. Half of the manual consists of performance graphs.

 

Additionally I purchased the excellent Eduard Brassin Resin wheels set, with accurate tyre treads and wheel spokes for later production aircraft.

 

I also purchased the Eduard, Weapons bay detailing set, the Cockpit interior and exterior detailing set for the various mesh grilles that cover the various exhaust ports on the fuselage.

 

I don't intend to reiterate anything that Uillean has already said on his build, but will post some progress shots, and try to mention any traps or pitfalls with the build as I go along.

Edited by LSP_Kevin
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Palm-tree

Palm-tree

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So on with the build.

 

I decided I wanted to show the intake blow in doors for the engine in the open position.

On the jet, they only open at airspeeds less than Mach 0.55 and on the ground to improve the performance of the engines.

 

There are a few pictures showing them open when the aircraft is shut down, perhaps for maintenance and access purposes?

 

Anyway it seems a shame to glue the doors shut, considering that Trumpeter have done a fine job in moulding them seperately and providing fuselage intakes in which to seat them.

 

First I assembled the engine intake halfs, cleaned up the intake seams ( not that this will be seen at all after the grilles are installed), and taped them to the inside of the fuselage with the interior former.

 

http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YjYGnOeDe1U/UzMTDF5eUNI/AAAAAAAASsE/BFOrM2_SeKU/s1024-no/IMAGE_665.jpg

IMAGE_665.jpg

 

I painted the intakes Tamiya Zinc Chromate Yellow to provide a contrast. This won't be seen once he fuselage is all closed up.

 

Next I drilled the corners of the intakes with a 0.5 mm drill, to leave a series of holes on the outside of the intake.

The holes were then connected by scribing with a ruler, and then the inside material removed with a dremel.

 

After some careful cutting with a scalpal blade and a sanding stick I was left with an intake like this:

 

http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LT0A76xN1yE/UyZ8y-kg5JI/AAAAAAAASoM/8_fIMEwLExc/s1024-no/IMAGE_639.jpg

IMAGE_639.jpg

 

This took a couple of hours of work which was then repeated for the other side.

Edited by LSP_Kevin
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LSP_Kevin

LSP_Kevin

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Nice start mate! To get your images to show inline, use the "Image" button rather than the "Link" button. This will depend somewhat on how the URL for the image is being offered by the site you're hosting them at, but should work. I've edited the ones you posted so far so that they appear as images rather than links.

 

Kev

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Uilleann

Uilleann

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WOOHOO!  Another goblin thread!  :D  :punk: :yahoo: :clap2: :bow:

(I'm not excited....just drank too much coffee this morning....or something!)

 

Truly thrilled to watch your progress on this build, and thankful as always to have another to collaborate with on details.  I would highly suggest the new Aires cockpit set, as it is truly light years ahead of the kit.  The wheel bays are (as you know) so basic that adding anything to them is both relatively easy, and highly rewarding.  Love your approach to the intakes as well.  Not sure if you're interested, but Mike from Sierra Hotel Models is sending a set of their new F/A-18 stator / compressor fans which use the same general engine as the F-117.  From what I can see in the pictures, they look a far sight better than the atrocity from the kit.  :)  You may want to get in touch and see if he'd send a pair your way as well?

 

Anyway, back to working on the drag brace correction on my main gear struts for me.  Then off to the doctor later this afternoon to see if they can cure me of whatever I've got.  At this point, I'm about 94% certain it's the plague. *cough* *hack*

 

Cheers!

 

Brian~

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Palm-tree

Palm-tree

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Thank you everyone for your kind and helpful comments!

 

Kev, thanks for helping me out here with the pictures.

 

I am using an ipad so no buttons are showing up when I paste the images into the reply box.

 

The only way seems to be to copy the link to the image and paste it into the repy box.

 

I will see whether I can get a workaround by using a different browser than Safari.

 

Anyway back to the model:

 

Brian thanks for the info on the engine fan intake.

I too thought it didnt look so great but once it is installed in the intake, I cannot see it at all- even through the blow in doors....there is just not enough light getting in there with the pe grilles installed. Instead I just sprayed the kit fans metallic gray and glued them onto the front of the engines.

 

I must pick up the Aires cockpit too. The Eduard pe set is v good but a little flat. It would be absolutely perfect if you intended to have the canopy in the closed position.

 

 

 

Back to the intakes. The blow-in doors are sprayed black along with the inside of the intake ducts. I am using Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 Black which gives a perfectly smooth and quick drying paint finish.

 

I have attached the blow in doors using some high tack plumbers metal tape. This seems pretty robust and will enable the doors to be positioned open or closed if I change my mind later.

 

Photographs to follow hopefully!

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Palm-tree

Palm-tree

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IMAGE_670.jpg

 

Here is the blow in door attached with the plumbers metallic adhesive tape, and then backed up by some Tamiya tape. This is all invisible when seen from outside,

Important to make sure the blow-in doors are attached before glueing on the intake ducts as access will be tricky afterwards.

 

IMAGE_671.jpg

 

This is the spray can of black primer I am using, it dries very quickly and creates a very smooth finish with just a very slight sheen to it.

Edited by Palm-tree
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Palm-tree

Palm-tree

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IMAGE_674.jpg

The first of the Eduard Exterior brass is placed in position on the lower fuselage-wing surface.

 

The grill slots will be dremelled and then the replacement eduard grilles glued on with ca glue.

 

IMAGE_673.jpg

 

Here is the one piece upper wing fuselage structure seen with the ruddervators placed on top of the mounting tabs, and the canopy in place....all dry fitted at this stage.

 

I really like the way Trumpeter have designed this as a one piece moulding, which ensures the wings will all align correctly with no tricky join lines to fill and sand.

 

The inner and outer flaperons have also been glued together.

Some time was spent with fine wet/dry paper, eliminating any trace of seams at the join lines, as these areas are completely smooth on the real aircraft.

Edited by Palm-tree
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Palm-tree

Palm-tree

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IMAGE_675.jpg

 

Some more progress shots- the platypus exhausts were assembled, the joins removed and then primed with Tamiya gray surface primer.

 

I also airbrushed the interior black which in retrospect was completely pointless as the inside of the exhausts cannot be seen.

 

I suppose I wasn't so sure at the time, which is why I sprayed it anyway.

 

Next will be a coat of pale burnt metal Alclad

Edited by Palm-tree
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Palm-tree

Palm-tree

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IMAGE_676.jpg

 

The lower fuselage with the GE engines partially assembled , elevons in position, and most of the Eduard exterior brass in position on the underside.

Cooling slots were drilled out with a dremel and then cleaned up with a flat file before glueing on the grilles.

Edited by Palm-tree
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