Synopsis Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 (edited) So I have decided the first of my builds will be the Tiger Hobbies F-5A kit in 1/48. I know theres many issues with the kit but I am going to build out of the box in the Philippines Blue Diamonds scheme. I have other kits that I intend to build for this group build but I whilst I am waiting for them to be delivered etc I figure I might as well build this. Heres the box pics etc:The sparsely decorated box:Contents:The Chosen Scheme (top):I was considering doing the other scheme in the picture above, the fifth Turkish acroteam, The Eagles; but I just cant resist that blue flash on the nose of the Diamonds scheme! Edited February 12, 2016 by Synopsis 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skids Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I am looking forward to watching this, (think you should do the camo version) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 Hi Skids, thanks for the interest. The Turkish camo scheme is nice I have to admit but I have another couple of builds planned which will be camo F-5s so I wanted something I wasn't going to have to spend an eternity masking off with this one! The price of these kits though one may end up finding its way onto the shelves in due course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 welcome aboard and an interesting model you have there! I'm not familiar with this brand at all, but from photo's I've seen it looks quite nice! Plus I do like the colour scheme choisen as well. Well good luck with the build, hope it is an enjoyable and trouble free build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 The kit is ok I guess, it was resurrected from the failed tan models project I believe, unfortunately I don't think tan got very far with the refinements and it seem tiger just carried on from where they left off and started popping the kits. This means there are a few shape issues, and the details a bit softer than some but at the end of the day its a cheap kit (£10) and it still looks nice when it's built in my opinion! Hopefully i can get a few hours at my bench this afternoon and make some progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cooper Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I was considering doing the other scheme in the picture above, the fifth Turkish acroteam, The Eagles; but I just cant resist that blue flash on the nose of the Diamonds scheme! You've got a 'like' for your decision. Looking forward for your PhAF F-5A! BTW, which of Blue Diamond's schemes have you decided to do? Namely, that team had several times re-painted their Freedom Fighters. AFAIK, their 'most gorgeous' (which is a matter of taste, of course), had the entire fin painted in dark blue, and then a big blue cobra on a white disc. Also quite 'spectacular' was the camo pattern applied on No. 6 Squadron's F-5A starting in... I think it was around 1973 or so: noses and fin-tips were in white, each aircraft had a nick-name applied in red on the forward fuselage (and repeated on fin-tip), and has got a big black cobra and big white 6 on the fin too. Now keep in mind: these colours were applied on original, silver-grey finish, with all the maintenance stencils etc. being just covered over with cardboard during application of camo colours (which consisted of tan, dark green and dark brown on top surfaces). So, result of all of this were some of most colourful F-5As ever.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted November 11, 2015 Author Share Posted November 11, 2015 Hi Tom, I am afraid I am just going with probably the most boring of the blue diamond schemes I am afraid, as seen here on 69150. There's a certain elegance to it I think, I did see one of the camo schemes the diamonds operated on the same site, and it is very impressive, but I have yet to come across an appropriate set of decals, I do have several kits however so if anyone can point me in the right direction I could be tempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cooper Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Oh, that's the enthusiasm I like! Finally found two photos of the scheme I was talking about, - here as 'originals': - and here in form of a modell (so, it seems somebody is making such decals too): Blue Diamonds seem to have changed their overall scheme quite often. The one you picked is 'quite late' one. Here a slightly earlier variant of the same topic: ...and here another 'late' one (after all aircraft were painted in light grey overall, sometimes in 1980s): Finally, here one of earliest form of quite attractive 'special markings' applied on one of PhAF F-5As (quite shortly after delivery) - though I don't know what was the reason: (Note for admins: this artwork is mine, and yes, I do own copyrights for most of the other photos here; where not, they're from Wikimedia commons. Reason for all of this is my involvement in preparation of the book Counterinsurgency in Paradise.) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted November 20, 2015 Author Share Posted November 20, 2015 I managed to get some time last night at the bench and have the cockpit mostly painted up (an interesting experience with the 'soft' nature of the detailing) and ready for assembly which should be tonight! I will add new photos once its together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted November 20, 2015 Author Share Posted November 20, 2015 So after making sense of the fag packet instruction sheet I got the cockpit together and the two main halves of the fuselage are currently waiting for the cement to dry! Heres a couple of quick photos from my phone as my main cameras battery was flat: 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 it's coming along nicely, the cockpit looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Nice choice.....I built one few years back...... Hope to see it done up soon Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 This project kind of stalled over the holidays unfortunately but I managed to get a little work done on it so I thought I would give a bit of an update here. One of the wings had a lot of sprue gates for some reason, I think it was 8 compared to the other wings 3 and whilst clipping the other gates unfortunately one of the ones still attached broke away from the wing taking a nice chunk of the wing with it So there was much cursing and some minor surgery required to fix it, but fix it I did. so this is where the project currently sits Hopefully I can find some more mojo and get back to it as there isn't actually that much left to do before paint, which is always my favourite bit of any project 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 nice progress even with the minor "chomping".......we've all done that before and some of us many times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 Finally managed to get her primed during the week and getting some paint down this afternoon, first coat of Aluminium going on just now. Do you think I should try picking out the odd panel with an alternative metallic shade? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 you could do that, it'll help break the evenness of the finish...which I must say is a nice bit of painting!! Though looking at the photo you have above of the actual aircraft, the finish there is very even......so I'd be inclined to leave it. I nice pin wash will really help breakdown the evenness of the aluminium. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 Put the Klear on her last night ready for decals.. I have to admit I am kind of disappointed I haven't got to spend more time at my bench, over the last few month. I have a fair few F-5s in my stash as I love this aircraft, never mind though, they'll get done regardless! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skids Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Cant wait to see the decals on this, looking great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I'm waiting for the decals as well, she's looking nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 There's light at the end of the tunnel, just the last few decals on the underside tomorrow night then I can get her cleaned up, touched up and varnished! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 Ok sneak peak before she's finished. I had an incident with some masking tape removing part of a decal and some paint.. note to self always go to the hobby shop and buy more tamiya tape instead of trying to use the duck brand hi tac masking tape you bought for painting the skirting in the house. I kind of recovered, has left a mark where there wasnt one before, i would normally sand down and repaint the area but time isnt going to allow it, and I butchered some other decals to patch up the damaged one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 gee she's looking really smart, well done. you're nearly there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synopsis Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 So I'm calling her done, there's one or two things I would like to have changed, for example I kind of wish I had modeled her in flight, I have decided against weathering it as granted there's not a vast amount of images of them in this scheme but those that are seem to show some pretty pristinely kept airframes, although should could probably benefit from a very light panel wash in the future I dont have the right colours so no point putting a dark one on for the sake of it as it probably wouldnt look right. All in all for a low budget kit that has risen from the ashes of the failed Tan models project I think that its a great little kit, sure it has its inaccuracies but so do a lot of kits that cost a hell of a lot more than this ones £10 price tag and it really is a fun little kit to build, the decal sheet is extensive and is great to work with, plenty of options to build but the instructions probably could do with improving to say the least. I will get some photos added to the gallery in the morning but in the mean time heres a couple of snaps I took: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 well done you made it on time with a lovely looking model. I hope you enjoyed this build and it was nice to have you along. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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