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Hey all- I wasn’t originally planning on posting any of this. It’s already up on LSM.. but over here in LSP land; I’ve pressed pause on the Beaufighter while I wait for Ali to create some new transparencies, and Timmy! is working some incredible magic on my behalf for the big Smurfjet (super excited/you’ll dig it)…so this project was really just a mojo placeholder, but what the hell- here it is. How about a big IAF Eagle in its current config? I started with the Aires early F-15 cockpit. The IAF Eagles are similar to a MSIP II, with a few twists. For starters, the cockpit is black. Bay 5- a lot different. I filed off all of the side console detail from the Aries cockpit and got busy- The Quinta IP is sized to overlay the Tamiya IP; but the Red Fox IP dropped right on top of the Aires blank panel. The Red Fox IP was carefully painted black The ADI and HSI were replaced with Airscale decals. A few parts from the Quinta set were used Side consoles were 100% Quinta..again carefully painting out any grey areas with black P

Hot on the heels of the two Cobra builds, I have just finished the old Revell AH-64A in 1/32. I built it as an IAF AH-64A Peten. Let's say it is my approximation of a Peten, I certainly do not claim exact accuracy, but I tried to include the main features of the Peten: the larger sponsons with the flares dispensers, the chaff dispensers under the winglets and the droptanks which you see all the times on the IAF Helos. I used an old Verlinden detail set (where the PE was missing, bummer), the flightpath AH-64A detail set and the antenna, pitot and chain gun are from Masters. The dcals are from Sky's decals. The flightpath set is very good and worth the effort: the wheels, the hellfire and all the wire cutters (nose, wheels, underside, topside) are from the set and do make a huge difference on a kit which is a bit barren but which fits well and has great raised rivets. I am very happy with it, not perfect by any means but I hope you will enjoy it. Cheers, David

Italeri came out with their F-35 almost two weeks ago, and I have my kit already. The kit is very nice. Parts are sharp and crisp with very few errors. Most of the detail of the kit is in the exhaust pointy vanes, unlike previous aircraft turkey feathers. Due to the cockpit really not having much in the way of detail in real life, the model kit is kinda spartan...accurate but not much in the way of details at all. The real throttle, for example, looks like a blob of black plastic with a few buttons attached. It already has the nickname of "cow flop". Typical throttle design it is not. (From the photos I have seen). Kit Prices vary, and so far only European dealers have them from what I can see, which means shipping is about 1/3 to 1/4 of the overall model cost. I can take and provide photos to those that want them. Probably should anyway. The only thing that has me scratching my head is the color of the exhaust. To be truthful, they don't resemble turkey feathers in the least. They most resemble pineapple leaf tips. The color of them is a mix of metallic brown/copper so it seems like I will have to do up a custom mix for them.Oh...there is NO HUD. The computer projects the former HUD data on the inside of the darkened helmet visor so that the pilot does not need to reorient on the HUD for data. It's always in front of him, no matter where he's looking. I've got the kit prepped and have been researching the actual craft to compare with kit parts. I'm building the first two kits to be the first two F-35 for Israel, Israeli AF 901 and 902. I am wondering why the IAF birds are only various grey shades and white. Our USN F-35C have colorful unit marks and designs on the tails. My only question at the moment is, of the icons above the text window, which one/s is for uploading images? Rick