WARDOG

Hi All, I'm building an Academy F-8P and want to know if anybody has a good color match for the paint. I have seen PRU Blue and Intermediate Blue (FS35164) but when I used the Model Master examples, the PRU Blue was too dark and the Intermediate Blue was too light. Perhaps I will have to mix the two equally for the right color but any help will be appreciated! Cheers, WARDOG

Ciao Maestro Giorgio, The scheme for the EF-111A is actually 36320 Dark Ghost Gray over 36492 Dawn Gray (Not an official name!). I know there are decal sheets and sites that say 36495 for the bottom color but the Air Force tech manual says 36492, which is SLIGHTLY darker than 36495. It does however, fade quite a bit! Buona Sera, WARDOG

Hi Lee, It seems there are a number of different schemes for the Russian Su-17M4s. I suggest looking for Su-17M4 decals on the net and the instruction sheets will give you some different schemes and color call-outs (especially Linden Hills). I too have the KP kit with a Pavla cockpit and intake and a Master gun and pitot set. I also have some Maker's Mark decals for a Yemini Air Force bird and while the decals are nice, there are no color call-outs given. That leaves me with matching colors to AKAN paints utilizing photos on the net. Hope this is helpful, WARDOG

Thank You very much, BlimpBoy! I saw a few of these but I havn't seen most of them! Better start looking for some Derbys! WARDOG

In my research, I have come to the conclusion that the overall color of the IN Sea Harriers was Medium Sea Grey. There were the later birds that were ceremoniously painted in the older, two-tone scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey and they also carried the earlier, full color (white middle) rounders. I wish there were more pics of the later IN Sea Harriers, especially with weapons loaded but alas, we only have a few on the net! SHOULD be building my 72nd, modified Hasegawa Sea Harrier in the later IN scheme soon with a Pavla cockpit, Master pitot tube, and Cut-then-Add decals. Cheers, WARDOG

Hi Armando, The Heller Phimats are a bit crude compared to those in other sets. The Heller Weapons Sets have some much better detailed ones plus Barax and Barracuda pods too. I do like the Heller Iraqi fuel tank because it is plastic, costs less, and is lighter than the resin ones. The only qualms I might have are the amount of detail compared to the resin ones and having to adapt the pylon to fit it to my Hasegawa F.1C(T) kit! Take Care, Old Friend, WARDOG

As much as I love Sea Harriers, I'm no expert but that looks like Extra Dark Sea Grey over White to me, especially in the picture of the camera port. In the other pictures, it appears that the E.D.S.G. has faded in the bright Indian sun! Cheers, WARDOG

I'll be using the Bilek kit and a Pavla cockpit and Mk.10 seat for a Pakistani Bird. I was able to find a set of KP resin up-date parts and decals so we'll see how it turns out. Only thing left to finish her is some AKAN paint for the cockpit! Happy Hunting, WARDOG

Man, a little LATE to this conversation! I too am building a couple of Lynxes, one Royal Marines AH.7 and one French Navy Mk.2/4 (FN). I started with the Airfix AH.1 kit and ended up buying a Mk.8 for the BERP blades and newer tail rotor to update it to a Mk.7. I just bought replacement parts from Hobby Boss for the correct "foot" windows and intake covers (which I will cut-out the screens and place some fine tea bags (it's an American thing!) over them) for realism. So after buying a NeOmega Lynx set for the engine mods to see if it fits on the Airfix kit (it doesn't!), I'll have to make a few resin copies and modify them to work on both kits! Now, that just leaves buying ANOTHER Mk.8 kit for the BERP blades and tail rotor, plus some Pavla export seats, French sponsors, AirGraphics AH.7 weapons, the correct MRP paints, and MAYBE a Pavla interior! With the additional Berna decals I purchased, this has become a VERY expensive pair of models but you should see the plans I have for my French Army and Royal Marines Gazelles! Oh well, C'est La Vie! WARDOG

Yep, Gloss White for the gear and wheel wells. It's easier to see fluid leaks on the gear struts and in the wheel wells. WARDOG

Yep, Mk. 4!

Hi PhantomBigStu, As mentioned, those B-1B resin accessories are a bit costly but, if you want an accurate model, you will need them! It will also require extensive amounts of effort to put everything together to achieve the final results. A Dremel grinding/cutting tool will definitely come in handy! I ended-up purchasing all the mods except for their wheels and wing gloves. It means that I now have a kit that I purchased in the 80's for less than $30.00 that is now well over $100.00! Cheers, WARDOG

Hi Phreak, I know I have some Cut then Add decals for a Thai Harrier (IF you need some!) but I'll have to check to see if I have any resin Stencil seats around. I heard that KP is supposed to be coming out with an Alpha Jet but I'm not sure if it'll be new or a re-box! I will soldier-on with my very old MPC (Airfix) kit with a Pavla cockpit, intakes and exhausts, Stencil seats, and a Master pitot. I'm also trying to modify the tail cone with the chaff/flares and E.C.M. bumps. All I need now are the correct Portuguese decals; all the ones available now have the rescue arrow in German, instead of the Portuguese over English details! Give me a buzz, (glynnj(at)swbell(dot)net WARDOG

Hi Darthspur, The YOV-10D Night Observation Gunship System version used in Vietnam had a M197 20mm gun on the belly and a F.L.I.R. detector/laser target designator under the nose. It was successful but there were no funds for it. The old Airfix kit has these features and two Hellfire missiles, (which definitely were NOT used in Nam') one for each of the wing pylons. The proposed OV-10X would have used two Hellfires on each underling pylon, but again, funding never showed up. I don't have a lot of info on the OV-10Gs used in Afghanistan except they had a laser designator in the nose and the four-bladed Hartzell props. Trying to decide if I want to build my Airfix kit but REALLY want to complete my Academy OV-10 with Philippine Air Force decals and somebody's four-bladed props (COME ON, QuickBoost!). Please post some pics, WARDOG

Sure wish that was in 72nd scale! WARDOG

Hi Daryl, The first rendition of Helo Drab in acrylic, I believe, was by Testors Model Master. I like it and it is a much better shade than their enamel so I will be using it for my Army helos. Slater, Yes, the earlier, Vietnam-era helos were in FS34087 Olive Drab. It is a more brownish-green color than the later Helo Drab color. Cheers, WARDOG

Also, For FS numbers, the lower the last three digits, the darker the shade. So -031 would be darker than -087. Take Care, WARDOG

Ciao Luigi, I appreciate the information. I did compare the Dragon stuff against the Zvezda and ICM kit and as you say, the Dragon stuff is a little "smallish". But, I don't entirely trust either manufacturer completely. I trust Zvezda a little more but I have found differences in weapon sizes in different kit also! I sure wouldn't mind having some of the beautiful resin weapons that are out there but I fear the budget for them would be higher than the real weapons budget of Uzbekistan! 🙂 Miller Grazie, WARDOG

Hello All, Anybody have an opinion on which paints are more accurate for splinter AJSH-37 and/or two-grays JA-37 Viggens; Hakata or MRP? I need to get going on building and displaying my Viggens and want to do them correctly! Cheers, WARDOG

Hi All, I have a number of Dragon air-to-air, air-to-ground, and rocket and bomb sets bought years ago to up-date my Soviet/Russian Kits. They are nice and while not quite Result quality, they do fit the bill at a (then) reasonable cost. My question is; Are their missiles a little "small" in length and diameter? Not having access to reliable drawings or dimensions, I'm just not sure! Any and all input appreciated, WARDOG

Thanks, Steve. Pretty good info there. WARDOG

Ciao, Giampiero! I sent you some drawings to your email that might be helpful. Salut, WARDOG

Please disregard, I was able to locate the correct info on a RNZN site. Answered to question: FS36440 Light Gull Gray. Thanks All, WARDOG

Hi All, Anybody know the correct overall color used on the later New Zealand SH-2Gs? I have the EXCELLENT 1/72 conversion for the Airfix kit and want do use the later, overall gray scheme. When searching on the net for decal sheet info, I only seem to find the standard, three color scheme as used on U.S. and Polish birds. All help appreciated, WARDOG

I have struggled mightly for years in trying to match modern French colors for my Armee de L'Aire interceptors and bombers, Aeronaval fighters and helicopters, and A.L.A.T. helicopters! Many of the current paint manufacturers just Don't get it right, at least to my old eyes, anyway! Allez, ma cousins Francaise, we NEED some correct paints! There is definitely a market for them! Glynn "WARDOG" Jacobs