F-15E - Operation Iraqi Freedom

[Zero77]

I've resurected this build a one or two weeks ago.

 

I've started again the cockpit as i had already painted it but was not very satisfied.

It is still not finished, but i should be able to enclose it in one or two days.

 

For the HUD projector, i've used hasegawa holographic film brown/green. You can see the color variation depending of the light direction, i find it very cool !

 

Here are the front and aft cockpit. They are not fully finished, as i still have to add a few details (a gloss varnish drop on some instruments, some details on the throttles and so on...) :

[Zero77]

The front and aft stick. I've used the kit control sticks, but have add a wire with a resin connector from True Detail, and i've replaced the kit front stick handle with the upper part of the avionix resin part, because it was more accurate. I've also had the small cover from the Eduard PE sheet :

 

The IP's. I still need to add and correct a few things (warning lights, a few buttons, a very slight wash....) :

 

The front gear leg, as i need to screw it before gluing the front fuselage :

 

 

The begining of the seats :

[LSP_Kevin]

Fantastic cockpit work Nicolas!

 

Kev

[Zero77]

Thanks Kev !

 

A little update. My cockpit is almost done, i just have to glue the 2 halves. The Strike Eagle is huge ! Only the cockpit part is almost as long as most WW1 or WW2 aircraft !

 

The screens are the kit parts. I've painted them from behind, first 2 thick coats of clear green, then a slight coat of alclad holographic blue/green paint, and then a coat of tamiya royale blue. The blue shades are not very noticeable but at least it was fun.... (i try to convince myself !)

 

Everything is hand painted, and i must say that it was not as easy as in an Aires cockpit, as the details are a bit flat and not very tridimensional.

 

Edited February 26, 2015 by Zero77

[Zero77]

[Zero77]

[Loic]

Beautifull work !!

[geedubelyer]

Nice to see this one back on the bench Zero. Quite a change of pace from the last project.

 

Your cockpit work looks great and I like the HUD projector lens very much. That is a very convincing effect.

 

It is possible to use some of the irridescent films on the actual HUD combining glass too which gives the correct emerald green reflections. I've never used the Hasegawa stuff but it looks as though it might work. (Please don't just paint the lens green without giving the irridescent film a go first.)

The combining glass on the full sized bird is actually clear with a grey edge and it's the chemical coatings that give the green (or pink from some angles) hues. Think of the new so called "HAVE glass" canopies by AFV club.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Cheers.

[Zero77]

I've now closed the fuselage. The fitting is far from the latest tamiya kits....

 

I've worked on the exhaust fans and AB fuel rings. I've mixed the fans from the Flighpath PE set and the plastic fuel rings from the kit, as the ones supplied in the Flightpath set are for the F-100-pw-229 engine and the aircraft i'm building has F-100-pw-220's. Actually only 3 squadrons are equipped with pw-229 powered F-15E.

 

I had to adapt a bit the kit part to fit on the PE fans : 

 

The paint is various alclad colors, a bit of clear blue on the AB ring, a thick flat black wash on the fans backplate (to give the illusion of depth behind the fans).

 

 

Here inside the burner cans :

[Zero77]

Now set inside the fuselage :

 

 

I've quickly painted the canon, even if it wont be really visible. But i've modify the gun cowling mesh to make it more realistic. I've cutted the plastic and sanded so you can see through to the inside :

[Zero77]

The closed fuselage... with a lot of putty ! I still have some corrections and rescribing to do. In some areas i had a step of about 1mm ! (on the inner sides of the avonic fairings on the outside of the exhaust).

 

Edited March 9, 2015 by Zero77

[Zero77]

It is REALLY a huge bird.... And there is not even the cockpit and nose part installed (which is already almost as long as a small WW2 aircrat) :

 

Here with a Curtiss P-6E on the back :

[ROM]

Hi zero!

 

Nice to see you build.

 

I recently aquired mine...

 

will follow ;^)

[Zero77]

It's taking shape ! I must be able to tackle the painting in a few days.

 

Strange assembly to have it glued in the correct alignment (no child allowed in the room until cured !) :

 

 

Here are the now standard rail launchers used on the F-15E (from Wolfpack). The parts are pretty nice, but the resin is strangely very smelly. I've made some small covers for the rear fixation holes for the former kind of rails, as in the reality (same kind of covers seen on pictures) :

Edited March 18, 2015 by Zero77

[Zero77]

Fuselage and wings fully assembled and puttied. I still have to glue a few small details but it's almost done :

 

 

A lot of seams and gap have been filled and cleaned or sanded smooth. The rear panel lines and rivets have been rescribed.