Search the Community

Evening all, I've always liked the two seater Typhoon...looks like an old fashioned prize fighter with that thick neck! I wanted to do one as up to date as poss...I found images of ZK303 in 41sqn marks, and given I could cobble that particular serial together from various Xtradecal sheets I went with that! The kit is the excellent Hasegawa Typhoon...I just wish that they'd upscale it to 1/48! The only accurate Typhoon of any scale, I built it OOB with the exception of a PJ productions pilot for the rear seat (with an ordinary flight helmet) and stock plastic and wire to dress up the basically accuate-in-outline ejection seats. Paint was Tamiya XF19 for the Barley Grey (my go to paint for that colour) and finished with Windsor and Galleria Satin varnish. Reflective of my gradual transition back to childhood, I've done it 'in-flight!

Evening all, 2nd completion of 2024, and following on with the V-tail theme from my recent He162D. I can remember very clearly the unveiling of the F-117 after years of rumours...all very 80s Cold War style! I can equally remember Desert Storm kicking off during my first year at college...a mate came running into the common room at about midnight to say it had all kicked off;I still have the model box lids I used to write down all the initial reports thst came in for the next few electric hours. Of course, the F-117 was the media star, and despite not being the best looking of jets, it does have that iconic shape. I did attempt an Italeri kit in the mid 90s, but never finished it for some reason. Having bought the new Warpaint book on the F-117, it was a short hop to getting the Hasegawa kit(generally considered the best in 1/72), masks, and Caracal decals. A simple but imposing model(it's a big plane even in the Gentleman's scale) and I am well pleased with it. I used Tamiya xf69 Nato black for the main coat, with Xf63 German grey sprayed along the edges of the facets, which really emphasised the impression of the real thing. The Caracal decals behaved flawlessly. In any case, here she is, complete with mission marks!

Finished, not too bad, I am not sure if it's 100% accurate but then again the movie sure wasn't! LOL

Finally finished the F-16A FSD which I had problems with Tamiya laquer paint, now using Tamiya's acrylics from now on. The F-16B I had finished earlier. Decals for both are from Caracal Decals and ResKit provided the wheels and exhaust. Awaiting a new pitot tube for the F-16A from Master models as the one fitted is the later type. I can assure you that the red does not look like that on the model. Both models making an appearance at Telford on the IPMS Kent stand. Regards Robert

Afternoon all, I'm a frequent visitor to the Fighter Control website, particularly the Current Military photography section. Recently, a photographer posted some pictures fro Red Flag 23-1, where 2 squadron was participating. The pictures showed a mix of unmarked and marked up machines, with a few very handy pics of ZK333. Hopefully this link is OK...if not, will of course remove it. https://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=229067 This showed full 2 sqn markings which look very smart against the Barley Grey but crucially no crew names. These are big enough to be legible in 1/72, but too small to be made up from individual letters! I cracked open a Hasegawa Typhoon from the stash and got cracking. The load out was relatively simple; I used the kit Asraam, Freight Dog's RAF style Litening pod and modified a Hasegawa weapon set TACTs range pod into the P5 version with three antenna sprouting from the nose of the pod. These I fabricated from plastic rod into holes drilled into the front of the pod.The Typhoon needs these ballasted as well so I made these from foil straps wound around the body. Really rather pleased with it. Main camo was Tamiya XF19- my favourite Barley (or Camo Grey in modern parlance) with dielectric areas in AK interactive RAF Camo Grey for contrast. The fin was a darker mixed grey, with intakes being Tamiya xf80 for Light Aircraft Grey. Tamiya's paints are utterly predictable and consistent in my experience, tho AK's are also gaining in my estimation. Decals were a mix of kit decals for stencils and Xtradecals for the Squadron markings and serials. I had to employ some judicious cutting for the serials, but luckily had enough threes to do everything! Hasegawa's decals performed flawlessly; I know many people moan about them, but Japanese decals are designed to be used with very hot water....do that and they work very well... So...another, very contemporary RAF Typhoon for the cabinet. Really enjoyed this; a great fitting kit, and easily the most accurate Typhoon out there. Highly recommended. What I would really like is an up to date set of decals for current RAF typhoons and indeed export airforces, most especially the current Falkland 1435 Flt marks-come on Xtradecal! Also some 3d printed CFT attachment points for Tranche 3 machines; again, I'm surprised that an aftermarket company like Airgraphics hasn't done these. In any case, pics.

Afternoon all, saw this GB go live and was compelled to examine the stash! I have this Hasegawa F-15DJ aggressor, which manages to simultaneously combine my three favourite subjects; the F-15 itself, surely the most beautiful jet ever built, aggressor/adversary subjects and my interest in all things Japanese! The kit itself is the standard Hasegawa offering, with a new sprue for MSIP mods, plus an Eduard Alq131 and Finemolds AAM5. All good to go to do the airframe on the box! I might we add some resin EJ seats if I can find some in the stash! Looking forward to this- GBs are definitely an incentive to stay focused on a project!

Evening all, Not a GB that I was following but having seen it this kit seemed to leap into my hands! Have got Belcher Bits decals, Air Graphics BL755 bombs and (when Hannants comes through) a Master pitot! I'm going to do the overall green scheme as per the attached pic-this is copyrighted and attributed so I think it's OK? I've made a start. I spent a very pleasant hour or so just cutting parts away and gluing them together in the way I would have done when I was 10. Happy days, when the idea of painting a model was totally alien! Have got all the fiddly bits(the stages which often derail a project) done, so hopefully it'll zip along! Painting sub assemblies next...hope to have this done fairly quickly. A word on the kit. This must be what, 30 years old? Easily the best 1/72 F-104 out there, it shows just how far ahead Hasegawa were...it's difficult to see how it could realistically improved upon. The more I look back at some of the 'older' Hasegawa kits, the better I think they are. I am building their EA-6B, and was amazed that this accurate and very well fitting kit complete with engraved lines was tooled in 1979! Getting back to the F-104...this is the 4th I have built, and have enjoyed each one!

Evening, I have been developing something of a thing for Hasegawa's F-104 series in 1/72. I am gradually working my way through my favourite schemes; a Marineflieger 'G', a Norwegian Cf-104D, and now a late model Italian jet in the form of a F-104asa-m of 9 stormo, around 2004. It's OOB, with the addition of Wolfpack decals and etched ejection seat handles.This is the only decal set I have found that does the low vis scheme with the correct and unique stencils. Wolfpack do a great range of very high quality decals-I've already built a Vermont ANG F-35a using them, and have a Orange Hobby F-35C in VMFA 314 marks in the final stages using their products. They are some of the best decals I have used; sadly the the guy behind them died last year, so get them while you can. I used Lifecolour for the hazy grey Fs36280 favoured by the AMI for its recent jets, and this went very easily for a very smooth, quick drying and hardy finish. I have been trying out brands like Mig Ammo and AK but just find them really temperantal and fussy to use in comparison with Lifecolour and Tamiya. I have a Hasegawa Typhoon to do next in the marks of 37 Stormo out of Trapani. Like this F-104, this has attractive checker marks on the rudder; they should make a good pair. Anyhow, pics!

Another recent completion of a fairly well modelled subject-Blue 12. An interesting challenge to paint, given the multiplicity of colours, primers and component production. The engine exhaust is as per colour photos...it seems they got pretty dirty. Eaglecals provided excellent decals and paint notes, and from what I can divine, the Hasegawa kit is on balance the best in 1/72. German subjects aren't really my bag (excepting Battle of Britain subjects) but I really enjoyed this project. Paints mainly Tamiya.

Late finish from Gulf War GB, 73-1119 3TFS / 3TFW / 13AF, based in Turkey, so I the backdrop trees aren't authentic. A few setbacks and many errors but for me it captures the real thing at: http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/deploy91.htm. Hasegawa kit 00158 AeroMaster decal Airdoc stencils Hasegawa AIM-7 QuickBoost bang seats Eduard bombs and ALQ pod Scratch-built pylon Xtracolor hand brush paint + AK True Metal Chris Build at:

I just cracked this open and started painting the cockpit details. I am doing it as the GAG bird on the USS Midway, I think it was '71 or '72 cruise, I think a Japanese and Vietnam cruise. The scheme is what got my attention, white nose with a black outlined shark mouth and a colorful rainbow tail. Kit decals to boot!---John

Hello Everyone, I'd like to join with an Israeli Mustang with code 01.

All done.---John

Hi all, Here's my second completion for 2013: F-4B BuNo 153019 built from the 1/72nd scale Hasegawa kit using a mix of ModelDecal and CAMDecals for the markings. Unfortunately I had some major issues with the CAMDecals silvering and I had to use ModelDecals for the sunburst, sharkmouth and roundels as the CAMDecal ones wouldn't conform to the shape of the model. Next time I use them I'll have to use some serious decal solutions! Mike.

Attached are a few pictures of my recent model - the B-17G-40-DL ”Flying Fortress” A/C # 44-6117, LG-Q 'no name' from 322BS / 91BG depicted as it may have looked during its fifth and last mission on 21st June 1944. The bomber crashed on 21st June 1944 in Stolsko lake, Ger. name - Schlosssee, (near the place where I live in Szczecin, PL), where most of its wreckage remains until today. Source information about the aircraft and its crew: http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/15193 Source information about 8th Air Force activities on 21st June 1944 - very interesting!: http://www.8thafhs.com/old/get_one_mission.php… It is likely that the wreckage will be salvaged next year and displayed in a local history museum. Example site with information + pictures about the aircraft (in Polish): http://lotniczapolska.pl/B-17-Latajaca-Forteca-z-Jeziora-St… I have built this model on request of a local Internet TV portal for divers, but also because I was very much inspired by the story of the real aircraft. To detail the model I have used resin engines, propellers and main wheels, vacu glazing, brass barrels as well as bits and pieces from various Eduard PE sets. The major modification is the tail turret, which I have borrowed from the 1/72 Revell kit. The model is painted with Alclads on Tamiya gloss black base. I have retained the original raised panel lines to achieve a specific look of a new bare metal aircraft without camouflage. I also attach a compilation of the existing pictures of the real aircraft for reference. I am going to show this kit to the public at E-Day model show in September and hopefully on SMW exhibition in November this year. Thanks guys for watching!

Hello, This is my 1/72 Hasegawa kit I built OOB for the local group-build themed Desert Storm. I used Gunze FS 36375 and FS 35237 for the camouflage and supplied decal for the marking. The kit is excellent and needed very little filler. Thanks for looking.

Greetings everyone ! After a long time i decided to post my latest project . This model used to be an Israel Defence Forces plane . One day i decided to make it Greek . I added some revets along the fuselage and then started to airbrush . The first thing was the preshading , Then i started with the sea camo . All airbrushing is freehand ( i hate using masks ) . After that i put the decals and started weathering the model with artists oils . So this is my progress all this time . I hope you like it.

Some time ago I started this little kit, it is very fun to build, good fit and a good decal sheet. I allways wanted to do a german one, but a Marinefligger one, until I saw this picture: This meant two things, the first the Starfighter had to be flying and I needed to do the contrails... so how to do this? The contrails had to end somewhere... where? The runway!! Good idea!! That meant that the contrails could support the A/C and be attached to the runway, some good paperclips came to use, those big ones. The rest was was just to enjoy the build... and find a solution to the runway issue... that took more time...the result is this: