Dermo245 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) Hi everyone, This is my entry for the GB, from Hobby Boss in 1/72. Some references....not all relevant to this build but good reads nonetheless. This will be a build of a VF-41 'Black Aces' Tomcat from the Gulf of Sidra incident in 1981. (Source: Wikipedia commons; public domain) It probably won't be the most colourful build on this GB (as she's mostly grey) but an eventful story and one that's worth remembering I think. Good luck with your own builds! Dermot Edited June 23, 2014 by Dermo245 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Very nice choice of kit and subject, I look forward to seeing the evolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Good choice ! And the HB kit from what I see should have the perfect configuration out of the box to build one of these aircrafts. There are a number of pictures of the Sukhoi killers on the C&M book on the Atlantic Fleet Tomcats, let me know if they can be of use ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyB Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Will be watching this one with interest! Haven't tried the HB kit yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Nice choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I was looking at the sprues yesterday with the idea of building the high vis. F-41 scheme from the box and noticed one small detail: the tails have the reinforcing plates added at some point on the Tomcats but these were not yet present in the aircrafts that fought over Sidra. Your choice if you want to remove them or leave them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 Hmmmm...thanks Giorgio. Will have a look at the sprues tonight and think about that. And since we're talking Tomcats, I'm also going to be building this ancient kit at the same time for a 'Naval' GB on another forum... All the best, Dermot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 Really nicely packaged kit this, with individually bagged sprues and foam-wrapped canopy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 Really can't believe I haven't posted in so long! Anyway, got the cockpit mostly done with decals from a Hasegawa sheet, as there aren't many in the Hobby Boss kit. The seats are from the kit just with the rings added from 5amp fusewire. And after much thinking, I decided to add a crew to this build - these are from the Hasegawa pilot set and I moved their heads for some more interest. And no, the pilot won't have those RAF-style knee boards; he 'volunteered' from another jet on the shelf of 'doom! Thanks for looking, hope to have more progress tomorrow night. Dermot 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 You have some good progress with the kit. I would not worry about what pilot is what as most people probably will not know or realise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tc2324 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Yay, another build with a set of aircrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 So almost got the aircrew finished for this - just some paint touch ups to go on their legs (where they lost a few kilos) and adding their arms once they're in the cockpit. The belts are from wine bottle foil and while I'm happy enough with them, they kinda look HUGE now that I've photographed them! The white residue is white glue that hadn't dried when I snapped 'em. I also tried to give them a 'Black Aces' badge on the back of their helmets, as they have on the 1/1 scale. (dude on the right) Will button up the 'pit tomorrow! Thanks for looking. Dermot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 (edited) Can't believe I haven't posted in so long here! Anyway, here's the latest with this one. Apologies in advance for the crappy photos.. Finished the wings recently...future, decals, wash and weathering. Then I put the wings and lower fuselage in place on the custom jig courtesy of my son's spare Lego. The jig is to stop the wing gears from slipping out of sync with each other before the top half was added. And then the top fuselage and nose added. Just a smidge of filler needed on the fuselage spine and on the nose. While you can't see them, the intakes have also been added. Hopefully get some paint on at the weekend. Thanks for looking!Dermot Edited May 15, 2014 by Dermo245 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 This is coming along nicely. A bit of a different way of construction to my own, but it is getting the job done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted May 28, 2014 Author Share Posted May 28, 2014 (edited) And finally with some paint on and the cockpit revealed. This is two coats, brush-painted of Light Gull Grey mixed according to Revell's instructions (as those are the paints I'm using). Also masked and painted the wing bladders and the gun port. The wings look different as they've been finished.....i'm assuming it will all come good in the end! Some of the fit was only ok (my ham-fisted efforts) and filling and sanding is also my least favourite part of modelling, But hopefully it will look ok once Futured, decaled and weathered. Until the next time, Tomcatters. Dermot Edited May 28, 2014 by Dermo245 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Quick update all. Paint and wash mostly finished. Still a few small touch ups here and there.. The front canopy was a total b*gger to fit - I think the top of the front instrument panel sub-assembly was slightly raised which interferes with the fit of the canopy over it. Oh, well...you live and learn. Final pic of the crew before it gets closed up. The macro lens really shows off that canopy goof and all my mistakes....... (the rear cockpit deck is hidden by another part plus the rear canopy so not too concerned on that one) Go easy please! Cheers, Dermot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Looking great - love the weathering/wash. What did you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Some good work on the painting of the fuselage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Good finish on the paintwork ! Do you think the canopy fit problem is with the kit or something just went wrong during the assembly ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I had a problem getting the canopy to fit on my Hobbyboss 1/72 F-14 as well. For me, I think it was the seats or pilots that got in the way - had to remove and adjust them more than once if I remember right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 That's looking really good Dermo. I like the grubby finish that you have acheived and the Lego jig is a neat way of supporting your build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cooper Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Few notes re. 'Fast Eagle 107': according to photos taken aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68) when that carrier called at the port of Neaples, few days after that incident, 107 has had a black 'anti-glare panel' applied in front of the cockpit. It is only unclear whether this was removed before return to NAS Oceana, or immediately after - though definitely in time before most of photos of that bird came into being. Furthermore, during that 'fateful' morning CAP, the plane was armed with 2x AIM-9Ls and 2x AIM-7Fs only, but carried empty Phoenix paletts (front only) too. The 'straight' section of the latter was painted white overall. These details were confirmed by her pilot during that incident, 'Music' Muczinsky, during the 'Tomcat Sunset' symposium, back in September 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonb13 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Looking good Dermot, and don't be worrying about the cockpit, every build I do has at least one area where I hope people won't notice something (and yet I tend to point it out to bloody everyone!). J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Few notes re. 'Fast Eagle 107': according to photos taken aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68) when that carrier called at the port of Neaples, few days after that incident, 107 has had a black 'anti-glare panel' applied in front of the cockpit. It is only unclear whether this was removed before return to NAS Oceana, or immediately after - though definitely in time before most of photos of that bird came into being. Furthermore, during that 'fateful' morning CAP, the plane was armed with 2x AIM-9Ls and 2x AIM-7Fs only, but carried empty Phoenix paletts (front only) too. The 'straight' section of the latter was painted white overall. These details were confirmed by her pilot during that incident, 'Music' Muczinsky, during the 'Tomcat Sunset' symposium, back in September 2006. Thanks for the information Tom ! The presence of features of different schemes is not surprising in a sense, those were years of changes between hi and low visibility and the presence of parts with different schemes was not uncommon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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