jenshb

Truly excellent!  May I ask what you thought of the FFSMC-decals?
 
Magazine ordered!

An alternative way to getting that armoured glass look on the windscreen is airbrushing it with Alclad Armoured Glass paint.  Unlike the other clear Alclad paints, this doesn't attack the clear plastic (I've never had that happen yet - including Tamiya's clear plastic).  If you get orange peel when applying it, let it cure, then micromesh it back to clarity.  Here's the windshield I did for my (yet unfinished 1:32 Spitfire).
 

 
Jens

That must have cost you a fortune in cocaine:)
 
Seriously though - nice one with a bot of action.

One thing I have noticed on a lot of builds - incuding my own - is that the fit of the windshiels leaves a larger gap if it is fitted after painting and decalling so that it doesn't look as "integrated" as if you were to glue it in place before painting the model.

The first time I dryfitted the forward fuselage to the rear, I couldn't believe the precise fit.  I was grinning like an idiot while taking it apart and putting it back together just to make sure it wasn't a mistake:)

Here's the location of the drain port on the starboard wing.  This is the operational Mk. XIV at Duxford.
 

 
Closeup of the drain port.  The intervals are 1 cm (10 mm).
 

Here's the location of the drain port on the starboard wing.  This is the operational Mk. XIV at Duxford.
 

 
Closeup of the drain port.  The intervals are 1 cm (10 mm).
 

Like this!  I don't know how  far down the rabbit hole you want to go, but I an faairly certain the SAS 767s had P&W engines, whereas the Zvezda kit comes with GE engines only.  The differences are subtle however. (shorter and more rounded hot exhaust cowling).  Sergey Druz makes the correct P&Ws, but they are expensive.

Like this!  I don't know how  far down the rabbit hole you want to go, but I an faairly certain the SAS 767s had P&W engines, whereas the Zvezda kit comes with GE engines only.  The differences are subtle however. (shorter and more rounded hot exhaust cowling).  Sergey Druz makes the correct P&Ws, but they are expensive.

If anyone is interested, I am happy to sell my MDC kit. It is complete and includes the MCD late war rockets with 60kb warheads.  £100 plus postage (recorded delivery).  PM me if interested.

If anyone is interested, I am happy to sell my MDC kit. It is complete and includes the MCD late war rockets with 60kb warheads.  £100 plus postage (recorded delivery).  PM me if interested.

The Hasegawa kit is not a YF-16, but represents the F-16 Full Scale Development aircraft which is slightly larger in length and span - cue the larger nose for example.  It's a real classic kit and was outstanding when it was first released in the late 70s.  Hasegawa did make a YF-16, but that was in 1:72, and was later retooled and re-released as a YF-16/CCV with canards on the air intakes.

Well to start with they are way worse for the enviroment than a petrol powered car, expensive, catch fire, blow up, very expensive to replace battery, where do all the minerals come from to make the battery, what do you do with the battery when it wont charge no more, up to 300 barrels of oil just to make one, and just a big waste of money. I could go on all day about the electric skateboard, nothing but a scam like man made climate change, C02 and methane do not cause climate change, fact. Cheers.

Windows are a pretty decent fit, but I'll be puttying them anyway, for the window decals I've chosen. Wings and stabs glued up too.
 

My Phantom is nearing completion and I was eying what kit to start next. I chose Hasegawa's Fi-156C Storch. I got it cheap. It wasn't in the original box but all parts are there, and included in the box was an old Air International article about the Storch originally written by the man we all envy the most: Capt. Eric Brown. A nice bonus that will serve as a reference.
 

 
The contents. I already bought some Eduard PE for the cockpit, and masks.
 

 
I'm a bit tired of Luftwaffe / Axis, so I went on the web to find an interesting scheme. I found one that I thought was Lebanese, but further investigation tought me that Hungary had the exact same insignia as Lebanon for a short while. You learn something new every day.
 
So, NOT Lebanon then:
 

 
Then I found out that one can learn even more than one new thing in a day, as I came across images of Storches in Norwegian livery. I had no idea the Norwegian air force flew them. They all were surrendered by the Germans to Norway at war's end in early May of 1945. Norway it is. I will replicate the blue & yellow one.
 


 
There are not many photos to be found, but I did find a nice .PDF file about them, good reference.
 
I will start this one in a short while. I will be adding tidbits of scratch, and create my own decals with the Silhouette and laser printer.
 
Cheers!

This project certainly seems to question a lot of things we thought we knew about the Spey-Phantoms, and a larger diameter nose wheel leg for the double extendable fuction makes sense as you effectively have a hydraulic piston inside a piston, so they can't be the same diameter.  Good catch that.

Nice soldering work there.  For the price HpH are charging for the kit, a cast bronze nose gear wouldn't be too much to ask for in my opinion. 
 
Jen s

Just caught up on this, and it has been  very interesting to see the failures and successes.  This really highlightes the fact that it is not as easy as clicking "Print", and then a perfect specimen comes out.  As with any technology, it requires the willingness to learn to build experience so you know what works and what doesn't.
 
Regarding the launch tower, would it be better to make the basic structure from plasticard cut on the Silhouette rather than relying on the resin?  Alternatively, a firmer, more robust resin may be the answer?

Just caught up on this, and it has been  very interesting to see the failures and successes.  This really highlightes the fact that it is not as easy as clicking "Print", and then a perfect specimen comes out.  As with any technology, it requires the willingness to learn to build experience so you know what works and what doesn't.
 
Regarding the launch tower, would it be better to make the basic structure from plasticard cut on the Silhouette rather than relying on the resin?  Alternatively, a firmer, more robust resin may be the answer?

Since I have been calling in research favors to help me with this build, I thought I'd show some quick phone-pics. Contrast of these pics is a little excessive.
 
Almost everything, including the shark eyes, has been masked and painted, and not decalled.
 

 
VF-111 F-4B's looked really weathered and worn towards the end of the '72 cruise. The yellow touch-ups are as per a period pic.

 
 

 

 
I struggled fitting the exhausts, the fit looks clean and symmetrical but the fairing/nozzle transition isn't 100% accurate, unfortunately.
One thing that did work out is the separation I scribed between the horizontal stab and the slat, the gaps are really consistent (not the case on my other F-4 builds).

 
Cheers,
 
Marcel

My Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer done up as a Marinefleiger Buccaneer. Actually an almost what was, as the Germans wanted the Bucc', but got  the F-104 instead 
 

Thanks for all the interest gents.
I have the green on and the last painting apart from a few touch ups will be the red warning stripe around the turbine. 
Tonight it will be decal time. The Techmod decals I am not too worried about since I have two sets and there are two sets of markings on each sheet. The Tamiya ones for the warning stencils are a different story. The decals are 35 years old and I only have one set, so I will be super careful with them. The instructions show full Navy stencils on the Iranian aircraft but looking at photos I could only see the warning stencils below the cockpit and no NO STEP or other markings. This is a bit of good fortune as I only have ones from a Revell Tornado which is now not needed. The ejection seat triangles I will also source from another decal sheet as the Iranian jets seem to have USAAF and not Navy style tri-angles. 
 

 
Cheers
Nick
 

I used photos as far as possible to try and get the cammo pattern right. The pattern was marked with a pencil from the photos and the profile provided by Techmod. There are some variation in the pattern on different aircraft which tends to confirm my theory that the pattern was spray painted freehand.
 

 
And the brown airbrushed freehand. I used one of the few Xtracolor tins I have left. I find the enamel splutters a bit less.  I am clearly not as steady as a few years back. I will blame it on the size of the model making it difficult to hold. That is my story and I am sticking to it.
Tomorrow green and touch ups after the gloss Xtracolor has dried. We have gotten a bit spoilt with the quick dry lacquer paints.

 
Cheers
Nick

Lets start with the cockpit frames: Mr hobby british IG for the base.

Silver highlights and chipping, oils and panel liner over.

I intended to have a go at the Tamiya stock dashboard here pictured, but the story went sideways with me trying to reduce the overall deepness of the intruments.



The excellent Barracuda resin sidewall are used, seen here before the detail painting. A great time saver for the plumbing already depicted. The decal sheet containing placards coming with the resin is also a great addition !



And then the dashboard drama. As said previously, I miserably damaged my sample trying to enhance it a bit, so back to the drawing screen. If I have to redo it, lets at least make it accurate for the mark:



Here painted, Airscale Instrument faces, Barracuda, anyz and Airscale placards. being a multi part, it was easy to add a layer of clear on the instruments top.





Lastly, I wanted to check my removal work of the "woodgrain" effect on the side cowls (a fine grit sanding session over a coat of aluminium), and could not refrain to have ago at a little more paint. Most of it will have to be redone when I mate the nose to the fuselage, but that was motivational.




 
Cheers

Mathieu
 

Hi All
 
Yes, another F-16 - I cannot help it..
 
This is the Royal Danish Airforce F-16AM E-191 - otherwise known as "The Mighty Dannebrog Viper". 
E-191 was painted like the Danish flag "Dannebrog" in 2019 to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Danish flag. It is the oldest unaltered flag in the world and something that we Danes are mighty proud of. Not every country use their flag for celebrations but in Denmark it is used in abundance to celebrate anything and everything so this paintjob turned out to be rather popular. People who have no interest in aviation at all seemed to all know of the existence of this Viper. Because of its popularity, it was decided to leave her in this livery until it was to be retired or sold as the F-35´s would make their way into service, and it has flown in this paint job ever since. Both as an airshow display Viper and on active duty on QRA. You have to wonder what the Russian pilots think when they are intercepted over the Baltic Sea by this F-16... 
 
The model is the Tamiya Thunderbird kit converted to an F-16AM. I used a few other aftermarket items to complete the build:
PWMP Tail conversion Cross Delta strengthening plates Reed Oak Pilot Quickboost Old Style stabilators Reskit Sidewinders Phase Hangar Resin JHMCS Sensor Custom Masks in cooperation with DN Models  
I reached out to DN Models @Eagle Driver to see if they could help me design a paint mask set. I cannot thank them enough for dropping everything else to make this happen. Within a week of emailing back and forth with test designs we had a complete set of masks that worked. How cool is that!!
 
It is not the easiest thing to work with bright colors like Red and White and keep some tonal variation without ending up with that "toy look", but I think it turned out ok in the end. I am super happy to have this iconic Viper on display on the shelf. I hope you like it too..
 
The Dannebrog Display Team have a facebook site if you want to see more of this aircraft and what they are up to: F16 Solo Display
 
/Niels
 
PS: The canopy is not glued into place which is why it sits a little proud in some photos