1/48 Hobby Boss FB-111 Aardvark Finished 30-6-2017

[Arniec]

Hi guys,

 

I will try to build the 1/48 Hobby Boss FB-111. The kit will be build almost straight out of the box. I have got one exta thing for this kit and that is a pitot tube from master.

I think I will also need some seatbelts for the ejection seats, but I hope I can score them this Sunday at the Shropshire show. 

I will try to use the decals from the kit.

 

Here are two pictures of the box and content. It is a box full of plastic.

 

Cheers,

Edited June 30, 2017 by Arniec

[modelling minion]

Nice choice Arnie.

I remember seeing FB-111's at various airshows, sometimes parked up alongside the more ususal F and EF versions.

Might even bump into you at Cosford.

 

Craig.

[trickyrich]

Welcome aboard Arnold, it wouldn't be a BG without you! 

 

Nice choice, the HB model certainly fills the box it comes in, plus you get masses of extra weapons for the spares box as well.

 

I had forgotten about the pitot tube! Something to add to my ever growing list.

 

Again nice to have you along, good luck with the build, I know you'll have fun, and look forward to seeing her in the gallery.

[Ghostbase]

Very interested to see an FB-111A in this GB, I remember that they 'replaced' the exotic B-58 Hustler and they did occasionally come over here to UK airshows in the mid to late 80's.

Michael

[exdraken]

nice one!
 

any ideas on what to do about the canopy? 

[gingerbob]

If I may butt in, I've got a Squadron (Falcon) vac canopy (and an Academy kit), but I haven't done more than the initial comparison yet.  I've got some "ideas", but will have to try them out a bit before I make any suggestions.

 

bob

[Arniec]

On ‎2‎-‎4‎-‎2017 at 11:07 PM, exdraken said:

nice one!
 

any ideas on what to do about the canopy? 

I think I leave it as it is. I haven't got to much time to build this at the moment.

 

Cheers,

[Arniec]

Hi guys,

 

I have finally made a start yesterday. I have been fiddeling around with the engines. Just like Muzz am I planning to leave the middle part of the engines out. As you can't see them and make some dead weight I am loosing them. I haven't taken any pictures jet, but I hope to put some up this weekend.

I have also seen that there is a plastic pin to put the wings in a swept position. Will still have to look if the rest of the parts are there as well.

I think it will be doable.

 

Cheers,

[Arniec]

OK, 

finally a update. I have started the kit and I have modified the engines to save weight as I want to do the wings swept backwards as well

Here are some pictures of the engines.I think the pictures speak for it self.

 

 

And I also made a few pictures of the possibility to sweep the wings back. 

The only part that will need to be modified is part D32 and D31. These are the gloves for the wings when they go into the swept stand.

I think it is a minor modification. There is a second point in the fuselage to do it. Here are the pictures.

It all is still a little bit rough, but with some fine tweaking it will be good.

 

Cheers,

. 

Edited April 8, 2017 by Arniec

[Hewy]

Arnold I'm looking at cutting a slot in my wings to make them removable, for storage and transport, have you looked into doing this,

Glynn

[trickyrich]

I'm not sure why they give you detailed engines that are never seen, unless you want the open a panel.......that's a scary though!

 

They should have used the time and effort instead one tiding up some the errors on the model!
 

3 hours ago, Hewy said:

Arnold I'm looking at cutting a slot in my wings to make them removable, for storage and transport, have you looked into doing this,

Glynn

 

That's a clever idea!!! I may have to look at that opting myself as I'm having the wings open on mine.

[Arniec]

11 hours ago, Hewy said:

Arnold I'm looking at cutting a slot in my wings to make them removable, for storage and transport, have you looked into doing this,

Glynn

I first did it on the Hasegawa F-14A and I think it is possible. But I first need to investigate it.

 

Cheers,

Edited April 9, 2017 by Arniec

[Arniec]

On 9 april 2017 at 8:37 AM, Arniec said:

I first did it on the Hasegawa F-14A and I think it is possible. But I first need to investigate it.

 

Cheers,

I have put the saw in it and it looks to be working. The parts that need to be modified are D32 &D31.

The spoilers on top of the wing are a little bit tricky to glue them close. If you do try to give it a shelf on the upper side of the wing so it sits flush with the wing. I will try to get some pictures up tomorrow. The exhaust cans I will leave as they are in the kit.  I will try to put them on that it isn't to notisable that there are only five stubs.

 

 

Cheers,

[Arniec]

Here are the promised pictures.

 

Here is the modified left wing.

 

and part D32 sawn in half and placed on both sides of the fuselage. They have already been sanded down to get the wing to fit.

 

Here is the wing fitted 

 

top:

Bottom:

 

It still needs some cleaning up.

 

Now I still need to do the right wing.

 

But it works!!!!

 

Cheers,

Edited April 12, 2017 by Arniec

[Hewy]

That's major surgery arnold, but it will look cool with the wings swept, 

Glynn

[trickyrich]

Arrr very clever!  

 

As much as it would be easier to have the wings closed on mine I'll probably still have them open with flaps down!

[Arniec]

11 hours ago, Hewy said:

That's major surgery arnold, but it will look cool with the wings swept, 

Glynn

It is not to difficult with a microsaw. I don't know if this will work with the wings in a open configuration. But if you leave the movable glove  (Part F8) of it might work as well. What to do with part F10 I don't know.

 

Cheers,

[Hewy]

Yes I've  had a look at it arnold, it doesn't seem to be able to work without having to remove the flaps n slats every time you remove the wings, i wanted to push the wings into the slot at a slight sweep into there locating pins and then move fully forward to lock them into place, unfortunately it doesn't seem like it will work like that,

Cheers

glynn

[Arniec]

Hi guys, 

 

Here is a update of what has been done till now.

 

The second wing is done including test fitting it to the fuselage. While I was busy with them I also plugged the wholes for the weapon pillons that weren't used.  

(P.S. notice that I plugged the wholes for when you spread your wings as I am doing the folded back)

 

The second thing done was putting some extra parts on the echaust and I just noticed that I placed them the wrong way around.

I should have read the instructions better. Although they aren't to good either.But more of that later.

I also test fitted the exhaust ring to see if it fits. Luckely the fit is still ok. But I am missing the pedals in the exhausts. I am now thinking of thinning everything down so the tube fits inside the exhaust ring?! I will need to investigate that.

 

I have also been busy with the fuel tanks. As they are to short I needed to lengthen them. Luckely I still have 4 tanks from a Academy EF-111 that aren't going to be used, So I have cutted them up to get the correct length. Here are some pictures how I have done it.

I cutted them at a panelline and removed the front part. I did that with one and then glued them together so it would be easy to cut the second part.

  

Then I placed two length of sprue inside to give it some strength. While this was drying I measured and saw the second  tank to the correct length and then I placed the front to the back. This is the result.

Here is a picture of the difference between the original and the converted one.

 

I have also looked into the cockpit and did a test fit. This was done after a warning in the GB. Mine sits sood, so luckily I don't need to do anything.

I have also mated the front fuselage with the lower back fuselage. I don't know why I did it, but it looks like it gives me more control later in the build.

 

And finally I have done a test fit with the wings and top fuselage as well. And I can still remove them for storage etc.

 

 

I also had a look at the air inlets. There I found a big fault in the instructions.

They want to let you use the parts for a F-111A!!!!!  

So, don't use parts B15 and B16, but instead use B13 and B14. I also noticed on pictures that the FB doesn't use the backplates (part F16 & F17). At least not on the pictures I have seen. So I left the plates off.

 

That is it for now.

 

Cheers,

Edited April 16, 2017 by Arniec

[gingerbob]

Right, FB-111 used the "Triple Plow II", which did not have the big splitter plate.

[trickyrich]

nice work Arnold with what you've done so far, you seem to be at the same stage as I am. I have a feeling I may have to shim the join between the escape module and the fuselage to get a nice join.

 

I don't trust myself to cup tanks nice and straight so I'm just going to buy some AM ones. As Bob said don't fit the splitter plates as the Triple Plow II intakes don't have them.

 

Did you notice a gap between the rear of the engines and the exhaust units (the 5 "spoke" thingys), even with those little bit you got the wrong way around, the right way around I found there was a gap. I know i'm using AM bit for this but I had a plan to mix-n-match a few bits, but there was a nasty gap.

 

She looks so cool with her wings back!!!

[Hewy]

I like it arnold , good work on the tanks and wing fit ,,i fitted my fuselage the same way,that way you can adjust the sides to match the capsule when I've got the vac canopy on ,, well thats my plan any way, im doing the same for my inlets too as i have the "a"  kit but am doing the "e"

[Arniec]

Thanks guys,

 

 I think I will place a few shims of plastic on the cockpit module to get a nice flush joint. I noticed when I used some presure that the module was waving out. 

I know what you mean with the gap Rich. There should have been the pedals in there near the five activators. Thes were suposed to activate the pedals inwards like the exhausts on the F-14. As I see it it's the engines and exhausts are total wrong. I don't know where the did their researche, But it can't be a F-111. Or they have scraped some parts.

 

I am not doing to much about it, because if I do than I need to get all the updates for this kit. And I don't want that.

It's a difficult build. Not that I was hoping for. I wish I had done the EF-111 from Academy.

 

Cheers,

[trickyrich]

I sort of now wished I'd gone the Hasegawa way!

[Arniec]

This build has been on the backburner for some time now. I hope to get her started soon. I am now bussy with finishing a Mosquito and a Churchill AVRE tank.

After that I will have some more time (I hope).

 

O, I found a old exhaust from a Hasegawa F-104 and there are some lovely pedals inside it. I will try to get it inside the 111 exhaust. So more work.

I need to start painting the inside of the fuselage, so I can start putting it together.

 

I hope I can make it on time before the end of this GB. I think I need some

 

Cheers,

Edited May 17, 2017 by Arniec