1/48 Kittyhawk SEPECAT Jaguar Gr 1

[Max Headroom]

^^^^ spoken like a precision engineer lol.

I get the impression that I'll need a lump hammer as my Def Com 1 option when I start mine........

Trevor

[Calum]

Good work getting past those trip up areas.

"Only" the wing leading shape and slat thickness/chord to get past now!

I've sanded the leading edge of the wing a bit. But I'm not bothering to do anything else to them. I don't think I'll bother with the Slats either. Although I thought this was an issue with the Jag A and was corrected on GR 1/3 kit

i am currently bashing a T2 into submission,like most people, i started this kit and binned it after a few hours scratching my head,trying to make sence of the instructions.

came back to it a few days ago with fresh eyesand decided that i was giong to beat this kit!! it seams that almost every problem youve highlighted can be cured by hacking away at the supports/internal panel detail to make them fit.

as you highlighted ,the engines ,all the details you circled in red ,i hacked off,making the fitment of those panels less problematic ,same with the ribbed part that separates the engines,hacked the top off that till the middle panel fitted!

so in summary if it dont fit,hack it off

Yeah I should have cut more more of those off.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Calum

[Calum]

I usually leave weapons until last on a build, which means I rush them, or give up and never use them. This time I've decided to do them along the way.

I've found enough images online of camouflaged GR'1's with overwing rails to satisfy me that they could have been used in a major post gulf war conflict. But I wasn't really happy with Kittyhawk's representation of what looks like a LAU-7, so I robbed some from the junk box. I think these came from a Hasegawa Phantom or Tomcat kit.

Next was the pylons and the kit ones are totally wrong for an RAF Jag. I did consider trying to shape the Kittyhawk pylons (you cna see my quick go on the outer pylon on the image below). Getting the shape right from the side view wouldn't be that difficult but the Kittyhawk pylons are twice as thick as the Airfix ones.

So I decided that I'd bought that $15 Airfix Jag as donor kit for this build , so I may as well use it. Another bonus was that the Airfix kit has the tandom bomb adaptors whereas the Kittyhawk doesn't. The Airfix kits aren't perfect but they're close enough. I added some rows of fasteners with the Trumpeter riveting tool to add interest.

Here are all the weapons prior to paint. The BL 755 CBU's are from Wingman. The AIM-9L's are from Eduard are form Eduard and are nicely detail but a bit of pain to remove from the casting block. I wrecked on in the process as I rushed things.

I'm using the Kittyhawk Phimat Chaff/Flare pod on the Airfix Pylon which has the ballast weight (the kit doesn't have the ballast weight)

I've ordered a Flightpath ALQ-101 ECM pod from Hannants for the other outboard station as it looked nicer than the Airfix one (again Kittyhawk doesn't have it in the kit). Just waiting for it to show up

Edited June 25, 2016 by Calum

[Nick Belbin]

I have to thank you, Calum, and RMP2, for these threads!!

I have the T2 kit in my stash to do - I also have a couple of Airfix kits and all the Paragon, HiTech and Neomega aftermarket ever available. These threads are providing a valuable source of the pitfalls for which I thank you both.

Nick

[RMP2]

Calum - could you fix the weapons pic, please? Id like to see how the 755s look at least. The KH fins on theirs are daft, so I went with the KH bodies and the Airfix fins, would like to compare.

Ill be interested to see the ECM pod too when it turns up, vague memories of reading that it wasnt all that great, but as you say - the Airfix rendition isnt exactly brilliant.

Looking good so far, man!

I have to thank you, Calum, and RMP2, for these threads!!

I have the T2 kit in my stash to do - I also have a couple of Airfix kits and all the Paragon, HiTech and Neomega aftermarket ever available. These threads are providing a valuable source of the pitfalls for which I thank you both.

Nick

Ah, our pain is your gain.

In fairness to the KH and the fitment - at least the parts are too large rather than too small. A much easier fix than perhaps trying to build an Airfix Jag with its wheels up....

I also have the T2/T4 in the waiting room, my gripe regarding that is theres no dedicated PE cockpit set for it and the idea of buying two Eduard sets for it hurts a little.

[phildagreek]

Looks like you're winning!

[Phone Phixer]

Nice work with the weapons & pylons

The heavyweight adapter for the Phimat pod is often overlooked on builds.

Rob.

[drizzt73]

Looking good Calum

[Calum]

Calum - could you fix the weapons pic, please? Id like to see how the 755s look at least. The KH fins on theirs are daft, so I went with the KH bodies and the Airfix fins, would like to compare.

Sorry about that. The BL755 look nice but are missing pieces on the tail sections, the light brown metal pieces in these photos (Neither are mine )

Edited June 25, 2016 by Calum

[Calum]

Wing time

There's a nasty gap on the wing join and there's not much you can do to make it better. I'm up for filling and sanding but I'm used to it now. Apart from the gap between the fuselage and wing, I did have to adjust the fit to ensure the top of the wing is level with the fuselage. I checked this before I glued the fuselage halves together placing a shim on one side.

The gap on the underside is quite large however. I used pieces of 0.005" card to fill it then CA.

This side was better , I only used card in a few places. Thick CA was used elsewhere. You can see the approximation of the fuelling bay as well.

Returning to the top wing. I'm using the Aeroguide Jaguar Book as my main reference. It's images and line drawings show where filling is needed. In the image below the area between the black lines needs filling. The blue lines need extending and the red lines need filling as they don't appear to exist on the aircraft.

I filled the gap with CA and then sanded it smooth. I didn't quite get the wings level with the fuselage so I used some Mr Surfacer 1000 and 1200 to level every thing else. The blue is whiteboard marker I'm using to see where any scratches recessed detail is.

[RMP2]

Sorry about that. The BL755 look nice but are missing pieces on the tail sections, the light brown metal pieces in these photos (Neither are mine )

Im pretty certain those pieces on the tail section are part of the radar altimeter gubbins that came as a result of low level issues with SAMs etc in the Gulf, resulting in a need for a medium level drop. If so, you dont need them.

Incidentally, the altimeter system was/is retrofit-able and the bombs with it are classed as RBL-755s.

Theres good info here on all sorts of RAF boomy stuff - http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/0186cc2a_1143_ec82_2ef2bffff37857da.pdf

Not much in the way of photos, but re the 755; Googling seems to tie in with the rear bits when you check dates/aircraft types carrying them.

Edited June 25, 2016 by RMP2

[drizzt73]

Nice idea with the whiteboard marker Calum

[Calum]

Nice idea with the whiteboard marker Calum

Can't claim it as mine, I saw a video on Spencer Pollards blog where he uses it to check for seams. I figured I could use the same principle to check for recessed detail

[Calum]

Im pretty certain those pieces on the tail section are part of the radar altimeter gubbins that came as a result of low level issues with SAMs etc in the Gulf, resulting in a need for a medium level drop. If so, you dont need them.

Incidentally, the altimeter system was/is retrofit-able and the bombs with it are classed as RBL-755s.

Theres good info here on all sorts of RAF boomy stuff - http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/0186cc2a_1143_ec82_2ef2bffff37857da.pdf

Not much in the way of photos, but re the 755; Googling seems to tie in with the rear bits when you check dates/aircraft types carrying them.

Thanks that good info, I've not added them (As I couldn't be bothered making 16 of them)

There aren't many good photos of live 755's. I guess that's because I wasn't used much (or even dropped in practice much being that that it's a quite a nasty weapon)

[hairystick]

Can't claim it as mine, I saw a video on Spencer Pollards blog where he uses it to check for seams. I figured I could use the same principle to check for recessed detail

Hi Calum. It's looking good and I'm following this with interest as I'm at the painting stage of a Revell Jag in 1:48.

The wash idea is also used a lot in 1:1 scale boatbuilding. Between coats of paint being applied this method is used. Mix a small amount of contrasting colour paint with a large quantity of turps then use a rag to "smear" this mixture around, covering the entire surface of the hull. This mixture dries very quickly due to the amount of solvent.

Then it is out with the longboards to manually sand and fair the surface. The dye sands off easily but leaves areas showing which are low and require a spot of filler.

When you look at the nice smooth hull of a yacht, there has been massive amounts of sanding work gone into it!

[Sid de Koning]

Calum, I admire your persistence in this kit! I started it a while ago and due to a lot of circumstances I have put it away.. Yours does make me want to continue mine..

Hang in there!

Sid

[Calum]

Weapons and wheels

Weapons are done. BL 755 from Wingman. Nice, but my set only had one decal sheet. However that wasn't really an issue because all the decals in the set are for exercise weapons (Why?). The only decals I needed were the white horizontal stripes (which I painted anyway)and the white stripes on the bottom (I cut some decal strips from a leftover decal sheet for the 4 extra I needed).

The AIM-9L's from Eduard. Decals from Afterburner (not sure why Edaurd didn't include decals ...)

These are the paragon wheels and I don't really like how flat they are.

From looking at images I can see the Jaguar wheels were pretty low pressure and hence flat on the bottom but these look a little over done to me. .... Not convinced I'll use them. Might get the Royale resin ones

Edited December 29, 2017 by Calum

[RMP2]

Boomy stuff looks great. One thing though - RAF RBF tags are generally red and white, but the odd plain red US/NATO type do sneak in occasionally. Its a bit annoying that Eduard only tend to supply the plain red ones in the PE sets for RAF stuff.

But regardless, theyll look the part for sure.

Re the tyres - Id go with the excuse that your Jag would be pretty heavy with all that stuff hanging off it, bound to flatten them quite a bit.

[Calum]

Boomy stuff looks great. One thing though - RAF RBF tags are generally red and white, but the odd plain red US/NATO type do sneak in occasionally. Its a bit annoying that Eduard only tend to supply the plain red ones in the PE sets for RAF stuff.

But regardless, theyll look the part for sure.

Re the tyres - Id go with the excuse that your Jag would be pretty heavy with all that stuff hanging off it, bound to flatten them quite a bit.

Yeah I agree RAF ones are usually red and white but the ones I v'e seen on images of AIM-9's and the BL 755 (on the one I posted earlier) there is a a fair amount of NATO standard ones. I've got some RAF ones for the aircraft proper

Edited June 26, 2016 by Calum

[Phone Phixer]

Yeah I agree RAF ones are usually red and white but the ones I v'e seen on images of AIM-9's and the BL 755 (on the one I posted earlier) there is a a fair amount of NATO standard ones. I've got some RAF ones for the aircraft proper

The one's on the AIM-9 noddy caps would have usually been the RAF red & white type.

Those on the CBU's are the type that came supplied with the bombs, and were left as was for use.

[DJPFlightpath]

Weapons and wheels

Weapons are done. BL 755 from Flightpath. Nice, but my set only had one decal sheet. However that wasn't really an issue because all the decals in the set are for exercise weapons (Why?).

Calum

I'm a bit confused on this!!! You were very lucky to get even one sheet of decals in a Flightpath BL.755 CBU set, since there are no decals in the set.

Regards,

David Parkins

Flightpath

www.djparkins.com

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice progress on the build.

RE: the tyres, I would be getting a framie out there post hast with a nitrogen cart to top them up. Even with a heavy weapons load I don't think the tyres would squash that much!

[Selwyn]

Weapons and wheels

Weapons are done. BL 755 from Flightpath. Nice, but my set only had one decal sheet. However that wasn't really an issue because all the decals in the set are for exercise weapons (Why?). The only decals I needed were the white horizontal stripes (which I painted anyway)and the white stripes on the bottom (I cut some decal strips from a leftover decal sheet for the 4 extra I needed).

The AIM-9L's from Eduard. Decals from Afterburner (not sure why Edaurd didn't include decals ...)

These are the paragon wheels and I don't really like how flat they are.

From looking at images I can see the Jaguar wheels were pretty low pressure and hence flat on the bottom but these look a little over done to me. .... Not convinced I'll use them. Might get the Royale resin ones

Best winders and 755's I have seen in a long while.

You are still missing a Red RBF flag from the Winders Rocket motor arming key!

Selwyn

[Blastvader]

Well, you've certainly not let it defeat you Calum and are doing a stirling job.

From what little I've looked in to it it seems that though Kitty Hawk kits appear to review well (as most reviews are not build reviews the pretty plastic is likely the cause) they aren't so well thought of in the general marketplace. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Jag and quite fancy building one in 48th but from the first post in this thread I could tell that this kit was not the one for me, lacking in patience as I am.

Looking back at Mike's thread on the A model, I see that Italeri announced one in 2012 but I can find no mention of it ever actually hitting the market. Do we know if that one's dead in the water?

[Max Headroom]

The Italeri one *may* have been a reissue of the one done by Esci back in the 80's?

Trevor