Jump to content

SF-5M AE.9 Ala 23 Spanish Air Force 1/48 - finished!


Recommended Posts

SF-5M AE.9

Ala 23 Talavera aIr base, Spanish Air Force

Classic Airframes 1/48

Aztec Decals

I am a bit late with my entry, because of too many things I am working on at the moment...

nevertheless I promised to take part here as well, so here we come!

IMG_3584_1_1_zpsb5nqumfh.jpg

I'm gonna use Aztec low viz decals as when I bought them those were the only ones available for a modern Spanish F-5M ( B)

in the meantime Series-espanolas released a very comprehensive F-5 sheet...

http://series-espanolas.com/en/35-se2148-casa-northrop-sf-5a-sf-5b-srf-5a.html

the current F-5Ms are used for advanced training from Talavera airbase in the west of Span. they are modernized with glass cockpit, Hotas and very recently some got modern ejection seats.

as time flies, only one month to go, I will probably only do the most necessary updates in the cockpit and use the old ejection seats!

maybe I will add some ordnance though...

many nice pictures here: http://www.portierramaryaire.com/foro/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1603&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=75

Expal BR 250 and 500, MK82, practice bomb launcher, etc....

hope you like my idea!

regards, Werner

Edited by exdraken
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks everybody for the kind words and pre-laurels ! I hope I can live up to your expectations with this one! ;)

as the CA kits seems to be a bit forgotten over here :( , I took some more pictures, so that everybody sees how detailed these kits are, especially cockpit, nozzels, speedbrakes, etc. for sure it lacks a bit on the outside compared with Kinetic. wheels, landing gear could also be a bit more detailed imho.

highly detailed resin parts:

IMG_3596_1_1_zps2jmcioza.jpg

IP panels which i will need to alter a bit (2 MFD each)

IMG_3595_1_1_zps6lbaela0.jpg

old style seats and nozzles

IMG_3594_1_1_zpselgn6rdt.jpg

cockpit :

IMG_3593_1_1_zpsxxw81fys.jpg

I started with the air intakes, as their fit is crucial in the looks of this small plane!

IMG_3669_1_1_zpsxp7rktts.jpg

some tape, and the characteristic F-5 coke bottle shape is visible ;)

IMG_3670_1_1_zpsr5ldpmay.jpg

base colored resin parts, the white did not adhere too well...

IMG_3678_1_1_zpsnpmkcoa5.jpg

IMG_3671_1_1_zps6bel8k3d.jpg

the unconventional resin part which is fuselage shape, wing though spar and landing / airbake bay all in one. does fit quite well :)

Edited by exdraken
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Weiner, welcome aboard, glad you could join us even at this late stage, though there is still plenty of time to go.

I am surprised that there wasn't a few more of the CA models in this build! In someways the CA F-5A would have been a simpler build for me than the Wolfpack one!

Am sorry I didn't see this post earlier, but good luck with the build and I look forward to seeing her in the gallery.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

some work done on the cockpit:

MFDs are PE from Eduard, it now represents more or less a modified Spanish Airforce F-5M cockpit:

IMG_3936_1_1_zps5vace4fr.jpg

IMG_3938_1_1_zpspsr8oudg.jpg

IMG_3946_1_1_zpsqtvfasyb.jpg

tanks where modified to represent F-5A/B style tanks, pylons are a bit better detailed than the CA ones:

IMG_3953_1_1_zpsmaehzzav.jpg

cheers, Werner

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What did you have to do to the tanks?

as my CA kit did not come with wing mounted drop tanks, I noticed that the AFV F-5E had some (incl. pylons) in the correct size which I was not gonna use there at all (Swiss F-5s only used the large center tanks afiak) so....

later I noticed that the shape was slightly different although size was ok. so I rounded the front section a bit more and sharpened the blunt tip.

this superb walk around in the reference section of this GP (just found it 2 days ago!! :banghead: ) has very nice pics I am gonna use as reference :)

http://www.drivefly.it/walkaround/casa-sf-5-b.php

so, updates: fuselage closed, resin insert for wheel wells and airbrakes fits good, some general seam treating still to do

IMG_3954_1_1_zpshi2yslo5.jpg

IMG_3957_1_1_zpsndytbl5e.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

arrr ok, make sense now.

the one nice thing I like about CA models is the plastic they use. It's quite soft and easy to work with but the best bit is it can be cleaned up and polished to a mirror finish very easily....found this to be a big benefit on my Meteor and TA-4K!

With all that lovely work on the cockpit you know you'll have to leave the canopies open now!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

arrr ok, make sense now.

the one nice thing I like about CA models is the plastic they use. It's quite soft and easy to work with but the best bit is it can be cleaned up and polished to a mirror finish very easily....found this to be a big benefit on my Meteor and TA-4K!

With all that lovely work on the cockpit you know you'll have to leave the canopies open now!

yeah, I really start to like this plastic! did a silver CA Meteor just before this... ;)

about the canopy: guess you are right...

wings first though:

IMG_3999_1_1_zps37mqbkwm.jpg

IMG_4000_1_1_zpszym51xju.jpg

sawed "free" the rudder, flaps and ailerons, maybe this way the wing gets more interesting....

battling a bit with space for the HUD...

Edited by exdraken
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I think I manged to cram in all the critical cockpit parts...

IMG_4011_1_1_zpsaosifobw.jpg

looks like a (tight) fit!

IMG_4010_1_1_zpshafrgoh1.jpg

exhausts look rather nice, my rudder not so.... yet! :devil:

IMG_4027_1_1_zpsrhshtdzl.jpg

front canopy mounted, rear ones only slightly tacked

IMG_4020_1_1_zpssupizgwa.jpg

IMG_4030_1_1_zpsalluthlz.jpg

ready for pre-shading!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking good, was looking at f-5 pics and found a couple of Spanish on this Link great for adding a bit of weathering. Nice sight for some Spanish Aviation pics too

thanks!

yes, some of them are really dirty,

the newly, single color painted machines are generally much cleaner, especially on the top side!

IMG_4137_1_1_zpsisbbatw3.jpg

all the parts still to glue on ;)

IMG_4139_1_1_zpsnpcoejtc.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...