Whitey Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) Let's start this great Group Build with a big jet. My plan is to do the jet that Red Bull Air Race pilot Matt Hall flew on his first combat sortie over Iraq on 19 March 2013. Matt was an RAAF Hornet pilot and FCI, with a posting to the USAF's 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. His book, "The Sky Is Not The Limit" is a great testament to his hard work and dedication to his craft. I started this kit earlier in 2018 but shelved it while waiting to figure out the best way to modify the nose wheel leg. This Group Build is ample opportunity to sort that out and get back into the guts of this kit. So far the work completed looks like this. I've got lots of resin bits from GT Resin, most of which I won't use but it still comes in handy in places, Eduard bits and pieces, resin ejection seats and wolfpack updates including Zacto missiles. All the best to everyone and I look forward to keeping an eye out on all the other models that will be presented in this GB. Edited November 24, 2019 by Whitey Model Completed for ME Group Build 2019 spacewolf, Erwin, Dany Boy and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmo.b Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Should be a beauty Pete!! Look forward to seeing your progress! Whitey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloorwestSiR Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Nice to see one of these built. Watch out for the wing/fuselage joint as it can be a bit tricky. Carl Whitey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark31 Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 nice one looking forward to se more off the build Mark Whitey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Good to see you doing his one mate. Hope your contact with Matt progresses further. Look forward to seeing how you fix the nose gear leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Looking forward to this one - I've had a long-term plan to do a Lakenheath bird at some point - but always special when you are doing a model flown by a specific person, makes the work more meaningful IMHO. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ray Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Haven't seen a Strike Eagle build in quite awhile. Good choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Posted January 26, 2019 Author Share Posted January 26, 2019 From the last page to the front page for a little while. Work on the big jet continues. Cockpit in place and apart from some sill details which will only be added once the jet is painted - I'm sure the little bits will get in the way of masking etc. The black " smudges" on the sides are Mr Surfacer used to fill some sink holes. These are the only ones I have found so far. Hopefully not too many more. I used some Eduard photo etch enhanced with paint but the side panels are straight from the kit. The canopy locking levers are made from brass rod and a blob of putty as a knob. Out2gtcha, mark31, LSP_Kevin and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmo.b Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Looking good mate!!! Whitey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 Next effort before major construction is the intakes. Tamiya make them adjustable, to allow in-flight variations I suppose, but when the engines are not running the intakes are at the most open position, ie fully up, which is how my model will be depicted, and significant gaps are visible .Lots of careful alignment and then still lots of sanding with a file taped to the back of a sanding stick for rigidity. Some significant gaps to sand and fill between the intake trunks and the variable ramps. I've got the intake trunks pretty smooth and now have to work out the point to which they are painted in the exterior grey colour and find a way to mask that off and leave the rear bits white, with some black-hander smudges. I will do the grey paint before starting the smoothing process - at least that way I will only need to re-spray the area near the intake ramps. I've got some photo etch grills so will be able to replace all of the detail I will lose during the process. It should all be square with the fuselage top. Photo credit: MJ Aviation. She will be a big jigger when finished. A bit of surgery still to do. Back to the bench I go. LSP_Kevin, mark31, Phantom2 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Very nice work so far! Håkan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 Slowly but surely progress is being made. Sorted the intakes and have joined the fuselage halves. Photoetch grills and some plastic card to smooth it all out. Undercoat with intake trunk white and then rolled up some tape onto a brush handle and rolled it out across the intake. Blocked the hole with some foam cut to fit. Then onto making the fuselage fit the intakes. You can see the area to be filled (in white Filler) on the starboard intake trunk. Enhancing the panel lines and lots of sanding to get it level and then Tamiya White putty to fill the cavern. I masked off each side before liberally applying the putty straight from the tube. It sands pretty easily once dry and then Mr Surfacer should do finish the job. Now time to sit back and wait for it to dry. Oops can't just sit back, more bits to do. CYA next time. Fanes, Azgaron, BradG and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmo.b Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Lots of modeling skills in action there Pete! Beat that sucker into submission! Whitey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 45 minutes ago, Simmo.b said: Lots of modeling skills in action there Pete! Beat that sucker into submission! I am a little bit surprised by the amount of beating needed on a Tamiya kit. The nose section fit is not straight forward either mate. More on that next posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Nice work filling that slope! Håkan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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