USAAFE F-15C

[Cheetah11]

Ok I will join with this one. I will get decals for one of the USAAFE units in the 1980’s. I will do it OOB but need to finish the F- 16 and one other build first.

 

 

 

Nick

[ade rowlands]

Be joining you with an F-15C at some point. I’ll be doing a Kadena based Eagle though. Just waiting a final few bits to arrive before starting. 

[Cheetah11]

While pondering how to proceed with my F-16 decals, I did a bit of work on the F-15 intakes.

 

First fill all the depressions and smooth the intakes.

 

 

Since the older model of engine was fitted in the mid eighties, I cast copies of the Hasegawa F-16 engine and fitted them into the intakes. Once closed not much can be seen but at least I know it is there.

 

 

 

And all painted up.

 

 

Nick

 

Edited March 17, 2020 by Cheetah11

[Cheetah11]

Before finishing the F-16 I did a bit more on the F-15.

 

I shortened one of the tailpipes and used tape to cover the gaps. I then made a casting and made copies.

 

 

 

I also glued the wings to the top fuselage as I believe this is easier to work on the joints. I also still need to fill some of the panel lines.I need to get some references for this.

 

 

Pylons also done. Although this is a large kit it builds up quickly and easily.

 

 

 

[Iain]

Fitting wings to the top fuselage definitely a good plan.

 

Looking good!

 

Iain

[Cheetah11]

 

Some more small corrections before joining the main parts. There are numerous small compromises due to the common sprues with the F-15E. I will try and address the most obvious ones.

The nose gear fork is a poor representation of the real thing and to make it look better I shortened the fork by 2 mm . I also sanded the corners off the fork as the part is way too square.

A piece of plastic rod was then glued over the new hole I drilled for the screw attachment.

 

 

  

The F-15C did not have the bulges on the rudders as the F-15E did. Since Tamiya used common sprues, I had to sand these off. ( The F-15J has a new set of tailfin spues, so Tamiya could very easily have corrected this}

 

 

Nick

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Cheetah11
Spelling

[mozart]

Excellent work there Nick, especially like the engine castings! 

[Cheetah11]

Thanks for all the comments and interest gents.

 

I continued with the small improvements. The straps on the tail-planes are not present on the F-15C, so they were sanded off. 

 

 

I also assembled the weapons and primed them. I used the AIM-9L's on another project (I think the Tornado F3) so I used some leftover ones from the Academy Sufa.

 

 

A aftermarket cockpit would be nice but at this stage unavailable due to a non-functioning post system. The kit parts are not too bad but can be improved a bit. I added a few pieces I could see from photos in the Detail and Scale series.

 

 

 

 

The cockpit sills are a bit narrow, so strip was used to widen and deepen the one on the kit.

 

 

 

Now onto the tank. The Tamiya tank is well known to be undersized. I managed to get a Revell tank from the F-4 kit (donated by a modeling friend). This has the right length but the shape is not quite right. The only way I could fix this is to use the 600 Gal tank from the Academy Sufa. The shape is better and the center of the tank only needs to be sanded thinner by 1mm. This also improves the shape. Top is the Revell tank.

 

 

We are in a 21 day lock-down, so maybe I can finish this one in that time.

 

Nick

 

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Cheetah11
Additional text

[alain11]

hi Nick

excellent job , as usual , the rear electronic compartment looks nice , originally well detailed , the few wires you added bring something more sophisticated , well done 

why did you cast the tailpipe ,  ..... what's the aim ???, you won't get something better ..so ??? 

Alain

[Cheetah11]

35 minutes ago, alain11 said:

hi Nick

excellent job , as usual , the rear electronic compartment looks nice , originally well detailed , the few wires you added bring something more sophisticated , well done 

why did you cast the tailpipe ,  ..... what's the aim ???, you won't get something better ..so ??? 

Alain

 

Thanks for the complements Alain

 

The reasons for casting the tailpipes are twofold. The Tamiya tailpipes (or after burner nozzles) are about 5mm too long, so I shortened one for the casting. I still want to do a Japanese F-15 so doing a casting will save work in the future. The other reason is the detail in the inside. A couple of injection pin marks that are difficult to fill and the joints between the segments I can not fill without destroying detail. I put thin strips of tape over these joints and then cast these, saving detail and  lot of work on the second and future nozzles.

 

Cheers

 

Nick

[Cheetah11]

We are in a 21 day lock-down in South Africa and I am filling and painting and sanding!!!!

 

But not plastic models. The wife decided to put me to work fixing all the small cracks in the house.

 

I did manage to do a little on the F-15.

 

The IP needed a bit of attention as the clear inserts look like lenses. I also painted the wheels.

 

 

 

I contemplated the Eduard color IP. Our postage system id completely dysfunctional and only about a third of packages from overseas arrive. I looked at courier cost from Hannants. 38 Pounds. Out currency also went **** up and lost 30% in a few days. So .... no AM products till this thing is over. So out with the glasses and paint brush.

 

 

 

 

Happy modeling during the lock-down everyone

 

Nick

 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Cheetah11
Additional text

[blackbetty]

love the pit!

[themongoose]

Ha, you’d have wasted your money on colored IP. That cockpit trumps all. Very nice!

[Cheetah11]

 

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

 

Today I started doing the graphics for the tail codes I am considering.  Looking at photos of USAAF fighters I get the impression that every base or unit did their own stencils with a small amount of variation in the fonts. The numbers on some units are much thinner compared to the standard USAAF font.

 

I used the Sillouette  software to create a test sample and airbrush it onto the yet unpainted tail. I will now compare this to photos and adjust the spacing and position of of the fonts if needed.

 

 

 

I will see if I can join the top and bottom fuselage parts later today.

 

Nick

[Cheetah11]

 

 

 

I thought I will be able to race along with this build. but my better half decided it is a good time for spring cleaning, although for us it is autumn. I still managed to do a few things. Potentially I have a disaster coming with the undercarriage. The starboard main leg has gone missing. I took it from the workbench to the computer to check the oleo extension and the sit of the model. Somewhere on the way back I must have mislaid it. A thorough search has not yielded anything yet.

 

The wings have beautifully engraved panel lines but the fuselage ones are much thicker and deeper. I put some Tamiya primer into the panel lines on the fuselage and sanded it smooth again to get the panel lines more to scale.

 

 

 

The last thing to do before closing the fuselage was to add the oxygen hose. I wound .3mm copper around a .5mm steel rod. After removing the steel cod , I inserted the same diameter copper rod into the center. This makes bending easier and does not show gaps after bending.

 

 

Closed up.

 

 

 

I also did a bit more on the graphics. A good side photo of the subject provided the pilot name. I did the graphics in the Silouette software. I do not think it will cut a mask fine enough but fortunately the software can print on a laser printer as well, so I will see which option to use when I get there.

 

 

Happy modeling.

 

Nick