exdraken

Had to start on something new, the Hind build unfortunately got a bit stalled in the last 2 months for lack of time. now I hope for something fast and more or less simple! The have had a soft spot for the ALCA since I fist saw it displaying many years ago at Zeltweg airbase in Austria. its slightly long, out of proportion looking nose (reminds me of an anteater somehow, sorry) added to the L-39 airframe with a stronger engine makes it an astonishing sprightly performer, similar to the Italian AMX jet. additionally there was once some talk about Austria acquiring some for the advanced training and light interceptor role, replacing the old Saab 105 twin jets. (no money --> remaining Saabs will be "upgraded" now....) coming back to the model I plan to build! Planet Models released this unique jet last year as a resin model with metal landing gear and some PE for details. 2 marking options are provided, one short lived special and a standard 3 tone grey jet. It represents the single seat attack version with Maverick and Aim-9 Sidewinder capability, the one that ultimately "replaced" Czech Su-25s and Su-22s. Some of them will? be sold to Iraq if everything goes well (for Aero). The models looks very nice, layout is similar to MPM's L-39 plastic injection kit. some pictures of contents mixed with some improvable airshow photos of mine: parts are nicely packed, small PE fret, 2 vacu formed canopies, 2 clear resin tip tank lights, white metal landing gear, decals with correction sheet: ready for cleaning with war soap water: fit seems to be quite good, even 2 location pins are provided for better alignment shape looks very nice to me: cockpit detail could be more and sharper, stick and seat look very nice to me ejection seat and cockpit detail nicely cast wheels: exhaust: 6 pylons for 2 pairs of drop tanks and Sidewinder rails, 1 center line pylon for the included gun pod fast and low: looks to be a fun build! more to follow soon! nice walk around: http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/luc_colin/l-159_alca_walk.htm color instructions and cockpit placement detail could me a bit better... some pictures: http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/l159/Interesting

did some fast modelling not too much reference about color scheme, but here it goes:

Thanks everybody, 2 fast photos of the more or less finished ALCA, still without pylons and ordnance @ upnoth: a second or even third operator would be nice, so I could do a second build with different markings! Actually I don't really understand why it doesn't sell, maybe it's its US content that outweighs all other advantages? @ Johan: colors: I mainly use Revell enamels because of easy availability here in Austria bottom color is 371 light grey, main color 374 with slight tinting with darker greys, radom is painted in 43 and the "gunship grey" is 50/50 378 & 74 I think I try to do this more or less by eye.. hope this helps a bit!

color looks quite good to me, try to look at it in bright (Argentine) sunshine and take a photo! very nice model!

could easily be 1/48! was actually locking for a MENG G-91 now in 48th because of this build.... very well done! what are the circular cut-outs on the rear fuselage?

very nice! I would recommend you the AML exhaust nozzles if you can invest a little more: http://eshop.aml.cz/lang-en/pur-set-1-48/750-purexhaustnozzletailpartsheller.html best wishes, Werner

nice! somebody building the very nice Italeri Tornado! nice weelbays!

very impressive job!

thanks jcchow66, so i will change to the topic and missile name to BGM-109 ( Boosted Guided Missile) then! did not think too mch about the abriviation! so, US NAVY or ROYAL NAVY versions would be grey on top and light grey on the underside... thats what I found: http://www.letsgoseeit.com/index/county/sd/san_diego/loc11/rotunda/tomahawk/tomahawk01_large.jpg http://www.letsgoseeit.com/index/county/sd/san_diego/loc11/rotunda/tomahawk/tomahawk.htm anyone can confirm if that's what a live round would look like? no markings whatsover visible. Thanks!

Here a very old model of an italian starfighter: out of the Hasegawa boy with spare (at least partly correct , Paolo, please ignore the details ) decals hope you still like it!

I like the idea! hope the nose will be nice though! and of course, other jets would also be nice, but the XL at least has flown and in 2 versions!

Thanks for the putty tip, and I not gonna give up just yet apart from that, sanding you get to know your model better.... a lot better! looking good in black by the way! (Dassault should have painted one black.....) 2 paint it black sessions are enough...

very nice multishade aluminium scheme! very nicely executed and photographed!

oh! lots of positive! feedback! I think it is more the canopy - fuselage seam... I saw Italian Starfighters when they still operated out of Grosseto on a holiday in Tuskany many many years ago.... got a bit in love then! thanks everybody!

wow! finally busy looking starfighters! love the 4 tanker recce?!

yeah, painting it gloss black DID show some problem areas.. so back again to the sanding process! maybe I should use something else for small filling than super glue.... but I never get a smooth finish with putty.. any suggestions? hope that process will not repeat itself too many times!

very nice start, or progress already! SMDS once had some (quite expensive) resin updates in case you look for more detail! http://www.smds.ws/proddetail.php?prod=SMDS48030

Thanks LT Motta, yes a wash is definitely an option and maybe a good idea! At the moment Mr pilote is nufortunately trapped below the canopy for the time being! -so for at least the whole painting process! Thanks for your link, many good ideas! I opted some time ago for a thin spoke though the resin engine. will show it soon! ready for painting? will start with a black satin coat to check the imperfections...

well done! I think it still misses the omnipresent smoke-winders though! saw SOLO TURK in Ostrava some years ago! what a show and quite different to the well know (and very nice as well) Dutch and Belgian show!

horrible! great work! followed your in progress until I kind of got sick of pink...!

Decals are on, they consist of a main sheet and a quite large correction sheet with roundels, numbers etc again in a different, more correct size I suppose I have to say, the instruction s could be a bit better, but ok... The decals are very (VERY) thin, so they adhere very well and conform fie with panel lines after use of some softener. It seem I was quite lucky with the camouflage colors, as e decals (which are often just the opposite color) are quite visible! see yourself: it is a Czech air force plane, yess - in case you had any doubt

this scheme always looks nice and exotic! well done! great panel line! (grey?, brown?)

I am no specialist on eiher of the 2 choppers, but the CAD looks mighty impressive!

very nice! got one of these kitbeasts today... don't know yet what to do with it exactly! though! Yours definitely looks inspiring!

any updates? looking good so far!