RidgeRunner Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Hi all, Here is the third and last (for now) AT-33A of my current series of Latin T-birds. Like my previous Uruguayan and Dominican builds she is the excellent Platz kit. As I said previously, this kit goes together perfectly with little filling or fit issues. She is built as “TF-808”, an AT-33A and operated by the Escuadron de Combate 2112, Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana (Ecuadorian Air Force) based at Taura Air Base near Guayaquil. The Ecuadorians acquired 36 T-33s from 1956 onwards. Eventually the remaining machines were camouflaged and finally retired in 1995. Like all my builds I try to research as best I can but in this case I came against blanks at every turn. In Ecuadorian style of the time the “last three” of the serial was taken from the last three of the US serial. Unfortunately there were a few ‘808s! So, no real history although I know that TF-808 still exists as a preserved airframe in Ecuador. I based the build around this image: What did I do/use? Platz T-33 1/72 Kit built out of the box Painted with Humbrol Enamels – 27001 Metalcote Aluminium overall, 33 Black wing tank halves, 153 Insignia red/154 Insignia yellow/189 Insignia blue for the tail flag, 60 Scarlet for the nose, 226 Interior green, 147 Grey and a few sundry others. Finished with Humbrol Glosscote and Mattcote. Nose guns from half-round Plastruct rod Wing pylons from plastic card Decals were a mix of: 1) wing roundels from a Xtradecal Strikemaster sheet 2) home drawn and printed nose Esc 2112 badge 3) adapted and home printed internet image of the Taura wing badge for rear fuselage 4) home printed serial and wing “FAE” 5) Spanish language stencils from a Microscale Latin T-33 sheet. 5) wing way decals and red lining from the kit. Panel lined and dirtied up a little with Flory dirt and then a few swipes of Tamiya Weathering sticks here and there. I hope you like her. Martin 44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glatisant Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Superb build,top class finish.Have just got a Hasegawa T33 and two Superscale sheets for Latin American T33's. Hope it's as good as yours,when I make up my mind on what to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 11, 2017 Author Share Posted December 11, 2017 Hi Glatisant! Thank you for that. Are those the Microscale sheets with Peru, Guatemala, etc? I have those and the good Armycast set. I will have some left overs which I'll post for sale (very small price) at some point. The latter includes Greek, Italy, France, Spain, Libya, Taiwan...... Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Great looking T-33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
replicant Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 I like your little big birdie armada!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Strasser Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Nice job!! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glatisant Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 (edited) 7 hours ago, RidgeRunner said: Hi Glatisant! Thank you for that. Are those the Microscale sheets with Peru, Guatemala, etc? I have those and the good Armycast set. I will have some left overs which I'll post for sale (very small price) at some point. The latter includes Greek, Italy, France, Spain, Libya, Taiwan...... Martin Many thanks for the kind offer Martin,which normally I would bite your arm off at the elbow for. However Multiple Sclerosis is waging war on my strength and dexterity(among other things) and my ability to build kits has virtually ended. Quite apart from that I would need at least 5 more T33's to use up my Microscale sheets!!. Aztec sheets for P47's and F4U4/5's also await,never mind a large amount of other kits in various states of construction. Again,many thanks for the offer,and I look forward to seeing more of your excellent builds. Alan. Edited December 11, 2017 by glatisant adding my name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 11, 2017 Author Share Posted December 11, 2017 (edited) Well, I am sorry to hear that. I understand completely. If you should change your mind, and I still have them, you be very welcome to have them. I, too, have Aztec sheets for Juicy Jugs and 100 hour wars Mustangs and Corsairs waiting in the pile, with Corsairs, Mustangs, Corsairs, a Mosquito, and many more kits ready to have them applied. Wishing you well, Martin Edited December 12, 2017 by RidgeRunner 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 Thanks Mark, Replicant and CF4U. I like finding colour schemes that are unusual. I hate following trends Martin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 I have to also credit Moggy, who supplied me an image of an Andean Decals set for an Ecuadorean machine. I opted not to use them, however, as the resolution produced fuzzy decals, sadly. Sorry, Moggy! Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Lovely job - a really unusual colour scheme too. I like it a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 (edited) Thanks SJ. I apologise because I didnt recognise your help with my research also. It helped me a lot in formulating my way ahead with the decalling on this build. Martin Edited December 14, 2017 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 Hi Martin! Indeed another nice build. Congratulations to your T-bird assembly line! The Platz appears to be a very good kit. Will follow soon with my good old Hasegawa. Cheers, Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini78 Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 good to see nicely done different schemes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 17, 2017 Author Share Posted December 17, 2017 Thanks Reini and Mario, the Ecuador model is actually my favourite although the Dominican actually came out looking very nice. I like building and then marking up a model that is not generally available. I am not an expert at all but I try to draw and then print my own decals when I need or I get them from other kits or sheets. The Ecuador machine meant a fair bit of preparation on the PC, especially drawing the Esc 2112 unit badge on the nose. The Wing badge can be found on the net. I just tweaked it a little. Best regards, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fau68 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Very nice, the Ecuadorian colours on the tail look great! The FAE aircraft were painted in a SEA scheme in the 1980's when they were sent to the US for a total re-build/modernization which improved servicability. Anyone interested in really wild T-33 schemes should consider some of the Bolivian camouflaged AC...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 A favourite aircraft in my favourite scale! You've done an excellent job. Would love to know your opinion of the Platz kit - I have wanted one for a while but they are a little pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Newsome Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Lovely! I was just looking at the Italeri boxing of this kit only yesterday, I think your build might just have tempted me to hit the buy now button. 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Lovely T- bird, and again a great colour scheme ! Wulfman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinpin Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 All three builds excellent.. Did you do any polishing of metalcote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted June 5, 2021 Share Posted June 5, 2021 Son of a gun, Martin- that's a killer T-Bird! You've been keeping this little project under wraps, but I like everything about it, even the Latin markings. Best build of the excellent Platz kit I have seen so far. Those antiglare panels on the inner tank surfaces remind me of the color slides my Dad took from the rear seat of a USAF T-33A he flew in from Itazuke to Johnson AB and buzzed Mt. Fuji on the way- 1955 or so; had the same antiglare treatment. Need to dig them out and scan them as jpegs one of these days! My favorite T-Bird scheme is one of the T-33A's that the 51st FIW used as a hack and to give familiarization flights to new pilots- they were marked just like the wing's Sabres. I'd rather do one of the T-33's my Dad's 8th FBG used for the same purpose, but I have yet to find any photos or serial numbers. Keep 'em coming! Mike BTW, very nice metal finish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted June 6, 2021 Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 On 6/3/2021 at 11:49 PM, Fau68 said: Anyone interested in really wild T-33 schemes should consider some of the Bolivian camouflaged AC...... Thanks mate. For me the natural metal/lacquered finish machines were very nice :). On 6/4/2021 at 3:54 AM, kapam said: A favourite aircraft in my favourite scale! You've done an excellent job. Would love to know your opinion of the Platz kit - I have wanted one for a while but they are a little pricey. Many thanks mate. The Platz kit builds well. It is a bit clunky in places but some careful sanding can rectify that. It is still the best out there in my opinion. On 6/4/2021 at 7:07 AM, Roger Newsome said: Lovely! I was just looking at the Italeri boxing of this kit only yesterday, I think your build might just have tempted me to hit the buy now button. 😁 Thanks Roger. Did you hit it? On 6/4/2021 at 7:39 PM, Wulfman said: Lovely T- bird, and again a great colour scheme ! Wulfman As always, Thanks for your kind words, mate. The scheme is one of my favourites :). On 6/4/2021 at 8:25 PM, twinpin said: All three builds excellent.. Did you do any polishing of metalcote. Thank you. Yes, I simply use and old Handkerchief. You have to be careful not to apply either too thinly or thickly, though. For me it works well, especially if mixed with 27003 Steel to get different shades. On 6/5/2021 at 3:57 AM, 72modeler said: that's a killer T-Bird! Thanks as always, Mike. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Newsome Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 16 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said: Thanks Roger. Did you hit it? I did! It's coming tomorrow. 😆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted June 6, 2021 Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 I just bought myself a Modelsvit Su-17 too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig88 Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 Smashing build and finish! Miguel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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