vppelt68 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 One week now! I will build a quartet of Revell 1:72 AM and BM MLU birds from the original four European Partner Air Forces - the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Norway. They are all kingdoms, thus I named these Royal Falcons, although only the Dutch, Danes and Norwegians have Royal Air Forces. What the Belgians call their armed forces would take up a whole book, but since Charles Beaudelaire has already written a good book about Belgium, I don't need to. Just read it! I have a Hasegawa weapons set IX on the way to add some Litening and Pantera pods and JDAMs, and Vingtor and Stoppel decals for the Nordic Falcons. The BeNe-planes will use Revell kit supplied Syhart and Daco decals, though the Belgian one is still 50/50 between two options. Time to finish those MTO Spitfires before next weekend. Happy New Year, everyone! Regards, V-P EDIT #1 at Sunday evening, first day of the year 2017: As I had some problems deciding which BM should I choose instead of an AM, I decided to build just the single seaters. For that I needed to buy another kit, so there´s yet another Revell kit on its way... just for single seaters´ canopy and additional AMRAAM:s, as its the Solo Türk boxing of the F-16C. I will NOT build a B or D within this GB! I´m lucky if these four AM:s will be finished! But I can use some of the black plastic parts in the nose of the Dutch Demo bird, where they´d be painted black anyway. EDIT #2 at Monday noon, things are starting to slip out of my hands... Now there´s a DACO fuselage strengthening plate set for 3 kits on the way (I may not dare to try them under the Dutch Demo bird decals, although lack of them would be less visible under the Belgian Tiger Meet ´09 planes´ striping decisions, decisions...) 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Gosh somebody else planning to get the year off with a real bang! Four different F-16s from four different countries, that'll keep you busy! Another build project that will be very interesting to follow. Well good luck with your builds, look forward to seeing them in the gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonT Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Someone else doing 4?! Madness 😜 They'll look great on the flightline together! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Still few days left to finish older builds, buy more stuff for this STGB (and other ones too...), collect reference material and plan my builds. This here below... ...is something that has been puzzling me a bit. My Nordic Falcons need the improved TERMA PIDS+ and ECIPS+ pylons for stations #3 and #7. They appear to be based on the same looking PIDS pylon that Revell has included in the kits, but need some re-shaping and adding the MWS sensors. They don´t have internal space for more than two cassettes of flares (or chaff) so I need to fill and sand away one. I´m not good at modelling in general, far less in conversions or scratch building, or haven´t even tried that. Maybe this is suitably small detail and in a non-relevant place to try this... Oh and I found a nice piccie that I thought would be good profile picture for me during these first three months of 2017. So I changed it. Regards, V-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Arrrrrr, please don't tell me there is a "Block" update for this!!! You may have to try evilBay or do a search in these pylons, I'm sure someone does a conversion/update for it? If not send me the best details/photo's you have, I maybe able to scratch build you something! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 (edited) Thanks Rich, I believe the modification is so minor that I dare to try it myself. An bulbuous extension to forward part, three missile warning system sensors and "the nose" seem to be the visible external differences between a PIDS pylon and PIDS+ pylon. Here´s a Flyvevåbnets picture of the ECIPS+ pod (from TERMA website) that will look identical under a thick layer of brush painted enamel, except of course being a mirror image re sensor directions and lacks the dispenser module. Oh, and it´s not a "Block" update Regards, V-P Edited January 3, 2017 by vppelt68 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirageiv Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 (edited) Great idea, really look forward to this! David Edited January 3, 2017 by mirageiv 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Here´s my "what to begin with"- picture, though the Hasegawa Weapons Set IX with targeting pods and JDAM:s is still in Hamburg with the Revell Solo Türk and its bits and pieces (and an Academy F-15C MSIP II but that´s another story, and another STGB). Yes, there are four kits inside the Improved Blue Boxes (R)! These four kits, but I won´t build any dual seaters now, that´s why there´s the Revell C on its way: Lots of sprues... ...and more sprues in the other box. 3-4 of these decal sets will be used: Some older and some newer references: This is VERY good one! This is just interesting! I don´t usually spend any money on Real Aviation Magazines, but this I just had to buy. And finally some printed internet references and my own notes, we all know how that goes. One more night! Regards, V-P 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Watching along 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 WOW you are all set to go! Those decals look good from the picture, the "Solo" unit is certainly bright! It's was in my original list of possible builds and would have stood out against all my other builds that's for sure. Well not long to go now, am ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 I made a clever plan to build all these four kits! I started by painting and assembling the burner cans and jetpipes, or whatever those unpainted sooty parts are called in these airplanes that don't have a prop. That's done now. Next I will paint and assemble the spinners, or what the modern guys call them radomes or something. Then all I have left is to assemble some parts that go in between them Actually it's my first jet build since 1985... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 Still going by the plan! Jet exhausts assembled, painted and weathered; radomes assembled but not yet painted; all mlg bays assembled and attached to fuselages. Next I'll paint the intake inner sides and assemble them. But not yet tomorrow, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 you sound very excited painting all those strange and mysterious objects, just don't forget photo's....we need to make sure you haven't snuck in something with a prop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I am looking forward to seeing your Danish F-16 in particular. Jens www.amarc.dk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Thank you for your interest, Jens, I hope you don't mind if I ask you some questions during my build? V-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 nice project! all 4 of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 Ok, managed to find time to build something today this early. Took some lousy pics too but must edit them in this post later. Where am I now? 4 x this is done: - jet exhausts assembled and painted - radome and pitot assembled, radome painted (all grey so the KLu Demo plane will be postponed and I build a beautiful grey one instead (I'm a civil engineer and like the colour of concrete and aggregates)) - IFF antenna and gun "piece" attached - upper fuselage front and back joined - intake internals paint painted, rear outer halves joined - main landing gear bays assembled and their covers attached, in closed position as these will be portrayed legs up - and as last, ventral fins attached too. I've found some good and some not so good points in these kits. There's some flash here and there, but that's nothing serious. Some parts, on the other hand, look like they belong to an old short run kit more than in an high production volume kit. Some parts look like second to none in detail and finesse! Anyway, must go on now! Regards, V-P 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 On 8/1/2017 at 2:29 PM, vppelt68 said: Thank you for your interest, Jens, I hope you don't mind if I ask you some questions during my build? V-P Of course not, ask away. Jens 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 yes photos please....sounds like you have been quite busy with a real production line going! Plus I have gotten myself confused with the different schemes you're building....guess I'll have to wait for some more progress to make sense of if all. Don't mind me as I'm easily confused! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Good morning, good people! I´ll first answer Richs´ question about my paint schemes: Belgium: Here´s what natotigers.org said about my scheme back in 2009: " F-16AM (FA-87) now nicknamed 'Blackbird' has today been unveiled. It is turned out to be a low-vis tiger motive, that if needed can be used as a front line fighter without having to lose it's tiger stripes." Sounds like a good idea, btw. Norway: One of their single shade light gray AM:s with minimal decoration, from the Vingtor sheet. Haven´t decided between Op. Odyssey Dawn or Baltic Air Policing yet. Denmark: Triple gray, but lighter than the original US scheme. Haven´t decided the actual plane from the Stoppel Decals sheet yet. No fancy scheme for this either. The Netherlands: Triple gray or the simplified dual gray scheme in original US colours. Maybe the J-015 in post-demobird livery? Or J-063 from Bosnia? This decision puzzles me the most. The mail brought me a Daco Products strengthening plate set yesterday. I´ll try to apply them in others except the Blackbird first. It they go on well, I´ll buy another set for that and a future pair of kits too. Here are some pictures, be prepared to have sore eyes, but don´t be sorry because this is just plastic... That too blue ring needs some fixing with metallic colour but I like the actual exhaust. That´s black watercolour over Humbrol enamels. Main landing gear bays built and ready to be covered. Can you spot the slot for the port (here on right) ventral fin? Me neither, because there wasn´t one! That was just in one kit, though. The other three were ok. That didn´t stop me from attaching them. I think the MLG doors were meant to be portrayed open, as their fit wasn´t the best. Upper fuselage sections joined. Next, the intakes. They were one of the parts that needed more attention than I think is appropriate for a "good kit". All radomes painted with Hu106. That was my colour choice, as one similar colour with which to compare the difference in the planes other colours. I have actually joined the nose wheel bay/inside lip of the intake with its exterior piece, but there seems to be no pics of that but it´s done . As a brushpainter, I hate painting white. Especially Humbrol whites. So I use Vallejo acrylic white when possible, where acrylics and enamels don´t meet. That seems to work better. I also flirted with joining the upper and lower fuselages, and there seemed to be no fit problems. I just must remember two things: 1) add searchlights to Nordic Falcons before joining the fuselages 2) build the cockpits likewise too!!! (failing to do that would require HEAVY tinting of the canopies ) and last but not least, 3) add the "bar" in the intake before joining the "mouth" with the rest of it. Hey, that´s three things to remember... Best regards, V-P 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 wow you have been really busy, are you sure you're not related to Henry Ford?? He'd be very proud of your production line. They're a fine set of schemes you have chosen, they'll look great when done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorwegianWood Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 V-P, I'm really looking forward to your progress in this GB. Looking good so far. May I ask which norwegian falcon you are going for? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 On 13.1.2017 at 6:21 PM, NorwegianWood said: May I ask which norwegian falcon you are going for? The grey one Sorry for that and to be honest, I haven't decided the actual plane yet. None of those special scheme ones, that's quite sure. So far all the options are still available. Assembly line is indeed running and constant progress has been made, but nothing to really take pictures of. V-P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Just to prove everyone that Britmodeller really is an every modellers´ site that has no minimum level for skills, I post three pics of my builds . I painted all the upper fuselage recesses black to add some depth to them. The panel line detail here is the best part of these kits and may have misled many a inbox reviewer that has praised them. Parts that will remain visible through the intake were also painted black, and the lower fuselage recesses too. I may have the ventral fins in incorrect angle? I did attach the nose gear doors after taking this pic. They needed some trimming to fit in closed position. The intake exteriors will need some filling and sanding, so far they are the weakest point of these kits. But why are there six cockpit bays for four kits ? Btw I mixed the grey and black parts in the last two I assembled, that helped a lot in seeing what I was doing. Regards, V-P 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 you have been very busy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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