16 replies to this topic

[John]

All the talk about Alpha Jets over on ARC has prompted me to get on with my own model, which was started back in March as a convalescence project that stalled, mostly because I couldn't sit down for any length of time! I'll move it on while waiting for bits of my Spitfire to dry.

I know this is a kit Jonathan is keen to see back in the Airfix catalogue and I agree, particularly with DERA markings! Anyway, here's what you get in the box:











I started by painting the cockpit interior Humbrol Ocean Grey with details and seats picked out in GW Chaos Black. I'm not to bothered about the innards because it's going to have the crew on board and be stand mounted, as inspired by this photo of ZJ646:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1105987/L

You should, however, remove the part numbers from inside the nose as you can see them in the cockpit!

Today I've got most of the basic airframe built. There are a couple of points to watch for:

1 My kit had a badly warped nose and needed a clothes peg to straighten things out

2 Fit of the cockpit interior isn't particularly positive, but if you line up the rear shelf you'll be fine.

3 The underfuselage panel seems to me to be a fraction wider than the joined fuselage parts. If you know its coming you can probably spread the fuselage halves slightly.

Fit in general is pretty good with a bit of fettling and so far the only filler I've used is a touch of correction fluid at the rear of the underfuselage panel:



Fit of the splitter plates is cleverly done and very positive. I've only just attached the wings so they'll need to dry before I give the joins a bit of a rub down.



More soon.

John

[Jonathan Mock]

Looking good John.

For those who've not followed the thread on ARC, it would seem that the current boxing of the Heller Alpha Jet is actually the Airfix kit, which is all a bit bizarre given that Heller had their own tooling - "had" being the operative word as it seems it was part of a number of moulds that were sold to Mexico in the 1980s, so one would presume that Heller can't get moulding of their own kit!

[John]

Looking good John.

For those who've not followed the thread on ARC, it would seem that the current boxing of the Heller Alpha Jet is actually the Airfix kit, which is all a bit bizarre given that Heller had their own tooling - "had" being the operative word as it seems it was part of a number of moulds that were sold to Mexico in the 1980s, so one would presume that Heller can't get moulding of their own kit!

Well we can but hope for their sake that they moulded themselves a load of the Airfix kit before they had to hand the tools back to Hornby!

John

[jeffclark7]

Evening John

Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but the DERA markings for the Alpha Jet were produced a couple of months back by Model Alliance.

Cheers

Jeff

[John]

Hi Jeff.

I've seen the Model Alliance sheet but there isn't much to the markings except national markings and serials, so I think I'll be able to cover it from ModelDecal sheets.

John

[Dave Fleming]

They have recently started carrying a QinetiQ|IX logo

[John]

OK, after a busy morning spraying (several litres of Roundup on the garden!) I've had a sit-down and another look at the model.

Here's a heads-up for anyone with one of these in the stash - the underwing flap actuator fairings are moulded with the pylons, so if you are building the kit sans pylons you need to cut the actuators off and mount them separately. It isn't difficult as there is a deep panel line showing you where to cut.

Just something to beware of.

They have recently started carrying a QinetiQ|IX logo

Mine will be the legacy version!

John

Edited by John, 08 August 2007 - 12:04 PM.

[Nev]

re: Inspiration - will you be scratchbuilding the hillside?

[Dave Fleming]

Mine will be the legacy version!

I'm waiting for a black one!!

[John]

With the airframe substantially complete I gave most of the model a thinned coat of Humbrol Acrylic 86 Light Olive to highlight any areas that needed further attention. That area immediately in front of each small main undercarriage door needed a touch of Tippex but nothing much else was needed.



On the underside I trimmed the flap actuators from the pylons with my trusty Scale Aircraft Modelling razor saw, tidied up the cut edges and MekPaked them into place on the underside. This is a bit of cheek from Airfix as the Belgian version in the original boxing would have needed seperate actuators, but that isn't mentioned in the instructions!

I also superglued a length of Contrail Tube onto the wing undersurface to take the pin on a Games Workshop stand.



Since taking these photos earlier today I've attached the intakes, which fit very well, and given the whole airframe another thin coat of Light Olive.

John

[speedy]

I built a QinetiQ one last year. Again using the Airfix, care of Ebay. Will post a photo, when i can remember my Photobucket password

[speedy]

Finally found it, Here you go:



Any info you need please ask.

Not one of my best items, but looks ok from a foot away!. I sprayed it with a matt spray which whitened on me?, and i still got silvering

Edited by speedy, 17 August 2007 - 08:48 AM.

[John]

Thats nice. What colours did you use? I'm planning on Humbrol 86 for the green and 79 for the grey.

John

[speedy]

Paints used were:

Tamiya Colour -

J.A. Green XF-13
German Grey XF-63

The jets are more of a dark grey, although they look black. They weren't allowed to be photographed, when they arrived as they had the German marking still on. Only when they were painted over could the photos be taken. Recently QinetiQ have been applying their logo on the noses of the pool planes. Word has it that eventually they will be painted black as per the Hawk with QinetiQ written down the side in white (mmmmmmmmmmmm

Edited by speedy, 17 August 2007 - 12:19 PM.

[John]

Looks like DERA aren't the only ones that like ex-German Alpha Jets:

http://airliners.net/search/photo.search?f...=top+aces+alpha

John

[John]

A bit more progress.



The canopy wasn't a brilliant fit and needed a bit of filing at the windscreen end; it seems to be fractionally longer that the opening.

I've also given the model a camouflage coat of Humbrol 79 acrylic, which dried quite a bit lighter than I expected. However it has still to get its first pre-decal clear coat, which will no doubt darken it up a bit.

John

[John]

There has been an enforced hiatus in my model building because of having to deal with a bust central heating boiler, and the fact that the dining room has been rather chilly for the last couple of weeks!

The boiler is now replaced, my bank account is considerable lighter and I've finally been able to give the model a coat of Humbrol 33 Matt Black over the 79, which stayed much lighter than I expected. A final coat of 86 Light Olive will follow tomorrow.

John