Friday 22 February 2013

New Project 1/72 Revell 1/72 P-51 Mustang x2


  Well I decided to start these two models as I was waiting for the filler on the ACTIVE to dry/harden.  I've joined in on the Britmodeller GB for the Battle of the Third Reich, not too sure if these two qualify, but I have posted these up anyhow.  First onto the various box shots and stuff.


  The first box shot, the plane depicted here was used in China so I can not make that one as part of the group build.  However the second decal option I can use and that is shown down below, an RAF machine!  Woohoo!


  This one I am pretty sure I can enter into the GB, that is some class artwork.  I also believe that I can do an D-Day version with the stripes on it.  That'll be cool. :)


  Boring sprue shot, nothing to see here really.


  See above, this is one fine kit tho, the moulds are great and the fit thus far is fantastic!


   This is for the P-51B (the one with the USAF one), two fuel tanks and two bazookas, gotta throw them on. :)

  
   This is for the Mustang III, the RAF name for the Mustang, with a bubble canopy which I am lead to believe the American pilots wanted badly??


  The decals for the RAF/USAF version, Sharkmouths for the win!!  Gotta love a good Sharkmout on a Mustang.  


   Decals for the Mustang III, one for the Polish squadron and the other an actual British RAF squadron.  Will be making the Polish one for this GB.


  This is the version I will be making for the GB, love that Sharkmouth.


  This version will be built on the next time I do this model (I got another 2 of each model).


  This will also be the other one I will build for the GB, looks like a cool model.  Gotta check my reference's for the invasion striped thos.


The other option for the Mustang III, like the USAF version, this one will be built when I make the model again at an later date.


  The two cockpits side by side, these two models are exactly the same, except for a different canopy which I will be having kept close anyhow so I am doubting you will see anything inside.  So detailing has been kept to a minimum for my own sanity.  These two will be made totally out of box also.


  All the bits for the fuselages, and that is where I am upto with this one.  I can see myself getting trough this one very fast, unlike the ACTIVE and ASAT.  Oh well... hopefully I will finally be able to get the Airbrush out also. :)

  Peace!

  Dazz

F-15 S/MTD ACTIVE WiP2


  Only done a little bit of work on the AVTIVE this week, naturally I was waiting for the filler to set/dry before I could progress any further with this build.  I think I have done about 3 or 4 different layers of filler just to get to this stage.  Not much else done to her this week, getting there tho.




  Finally managed to get that "gap" between the nozzles, that was the hardest part for this build believe it or not!  Let me know what you think, this is also far from complete.

  Peace!

  Dazz

Thursday 14 February 2013

New Project 1/144 F-15B ACTIVE 2D


  Well it has been a long time since I have put up anything on here.  Been busy with various other bits in my life.  All fun and games believe me!!! Anyhow... this is a project I have entered myself into for an STGB (Single Type Group Build) over on Britmodeller.  Since I love the semi-arcade game Ace Combat, I thought I would do something different from all of the various Mudhens/Ra'am's/Baz's and Eagles.  I decided to do one of my all time fav planes, the F-15B ACTIVE 2D, also known as the STOL/MTD.  At the time I wasn't too sure if I wanted to do this version...


  Which is the proper NASA version, but me being me I wanted to do the ACE Combat version which is this one.






 Turns out tho, that the host of the GB will let me do both, so I am. :) Well I being a two seater I decided to use the excellent Revell 1/144 F-15E Strike Eagle.  I am not going to post the box art as we all know what it looks like by now, if you don't, google-fu it.  Onto the parts tho.


   Just look at the detail on this bugger, it's great.  Gonna have fun trying to bring out the detail in this one, when I can figure out how to bloody do it!!!


  I just love the CFT's, just a damn shame I am not going to use them tho.  However I do have some other F-15C's that I might make into the squadron that was based in Iceland as they used them.  The actual squadron escapes me right now tho.


  Why are those cans just so hideous?!  Good job I am not going to use them eh??


   I am going to replace the pretty crappy no-decal tubs with the Retrowings set which came out about 3-4 months ago.  I expected great things from these little baby's and they didn't disappoint!! :D  I have since bought a newer kit of the F-15 and the decal sheet has been changed to include the cockpit Instrument Panels (IP's).  I will still be sticking with the Retrowings stuff tho, I just love their gear.


   This is my failed attempt of the tubs, not too bad I dont think.  Now its hard enough to find ANY decent pictures of the ACTIVE as it is, let alone the cockpit or how it would of looked.  So I am taking the wild assumption that they are going to be like the F-15E, as this actual aircraft was the test bed for the F-15E prototype.  I have a picture of this plane in "lizard one" camo loaded up with Rockeye bombs.  Very cool!


   The seats, now this is also a kinda assumption as I have found loads of different coloured seats in my hunts for info.  So in the end I went with what I had in my paint draw, so it if the colour was the wrong shade.

  
   Now here is the best result ever!  The canards on the real aircraft where spares from an legacy F-18, I just happen to have some spares from the folding wings kit, also from Retrowings.  So I gotta order another set (I got about 12 F-18's to make anyhow so it's no biggie anyhow) just to get the tailplanes.  This picture was taken so you could the general idea of what it would look like.


   Here is the canards attachment points, being that the actuators, motors and stuff was in there, they removed the gun on the left hand side.  Not a big problem for a NASA aircraft, but I am pretty sure that "Bedivere" would like to have that gun!!!


   I tried to scratch build the nozzles, now there is supposed to be a gap between the two nozzles.  I am going to have to remake these again, please be aware that the card is 0.4mm thick and the width of the nozzles paddle is only 8mm.  I don't think I done too bad for my first attempt!  Gonna do better with the second model tho.


  And finall a muck up of how the plane will look once the nose is on.  I gotta use loads of filler on her to blend in those engines, which will be fun.  I was expecting that really so I can not complain.

  More updates as and when they come!

  Peace!

  Dazz