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Kitty Hawk 1/48 RF-101C VOODOO... complete build


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Hello gents,

Let me say it straight. I waited 50 years for this kit.

 

The RF-101 has been one of my favourite airplanes since, as a schoolboy, I saw one roaring over our home in Saigon like a giant lizard. So when last year Kitty Hawk released their 1/48 Voodoo, I knew the wait was over.

 

Of course, the kit is not perfect. People in forums complained about the multiple inaccuracies, the terrible fit, the bucketload of putty needed,… but then … this my chance of a lifetime to build it.

So I took the plunge and do what we, old timers, have always done: buy the kit, marvel at the box art, fondle the plastic, correct the mistakes, add some detail and voilà.

 

This is not a step-by-step WIP per se, rather some notes about problems I encountered, how I fixed them and also about the inaccuracies, how I corrected them. I hope some of you will find it helpful.

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

 

4824-B8-CE-5-FF1-4-B6-F-8-B77-90071-E5-A

 

The kit looks very nice: the light gray plastic is smooth, rather soft and easy to work with. The surface detail is delicate as are the panel lines. The parts are well moulded while being rather basic, are accurate and cry out to be detailed. The fit the main parts is very positive, no Tamiya but definitively Hasegawa. Like other new kits from China, the assembly is very precise – there is almost no tolerance. Parts have to be carefully prepared before gluing. Frequent dry fitting is a must!

 

Like with most recent kits, the instructions are drawings only – no text. I suggest you only use them to locate the parts. At any time do not follow the assembly sequence. Instead study the kit and the way the different components fit together. Make up your own assembly sequence.

 

Apart from the Eduard Interior photoetch set, I'm not using any aftermarket stuff.

Printed documentation come in two ancient magazines lent by old IPMS comrades. The main documentation comes from the internet.

 

Thank you for watching,

Cheers,

Quang

 

NEXT STEP: THE COCKPIT

Edited by quangster
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Thanks for sharing the progress with us, Quang!

 

3 hours ago, quangster said:

People in forums complained about the multiple inaccuracies, the terrible fit, the bucketload of putty needed,… but then … this my chance of a lifetime to build it.

The terrible fit is misconception. With some patience the kit parts comes together perfectly.

 

3 hours ago, quangster said:

Like with most recent kits, the instructions are drawings only – no text.

And don’t use it as a painting reference - there’s something wrong with the research.

 

The detached flaps position in the instructions is also wrong. If you’re interested, take a look at this article: https://www.themodellingnews.com/2018/08/dry-fit-review-gary-puts-together.html?m=1

 

Looking forward to see your build.

 

Cheers! 😎

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Nice to see the thread, Q.

 

3 hours ago, Liam Harrison said:

Always loved the Voodoo, I wish I'd gotten to see one fly in the metal flesh like you did! I'll be watching with interest :D

I recall the Europe based RFs at airshows in the 60s but they were always simple fly pasts. I was lucky enough to see B-models departing and arriving during two visits to the Texas ANG in the late 70s/early 80s.

:)

 

 

 

Martin

Edited by RidgeRunner
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THE COCKPIT 

is disappointing. I discarded the inaccurate IP and consoles and replaced them with good effect by Eduard printed photo etchings. I made a rubber shroud for the Instrument panel from scored tin foil.

 

AC513-F71-BF26-45-EF-A361-379-C6-D10562-
2662923-F-1-BB6-4-B4-B-A143-3404-D7-B506

 

The seat is rather good if a little bare. As it’s usually the focal point of attention, I decided to dress it up. I added a back parachute with restraints from Milliput, some wiring on the sides and the photo etched harness from the kit. 

 

03-B65773-422-E-46-DC-804-D-80-D15-C28-F

 

 

AE19-E1-DD-E9-B1-4-BCC-8-A56-1-B6168-A45

 

The works

 

18-BC9-AFC-AE84-4344-943-B-D05-B0428-BEB

 

24-DCA8-EF-A454-4-D5-B-8-D7-F-AD8-E29-C5

 

A05-FC533-906-E-474-E-A701-57219653-F018

 

Hope you like it. All your questions and comments are welcome.

Thank you for watching.

Quang

 

NEXT STEP:: THE CAMERAs

 

 

Edited by quangster
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It is because they are at rest and they thus sit slightly "reclined". It is the same for many aircraft. Look, for example, at the F-105, the F-100, etc. Having said that most do not sit with flaps down when parked, especially the Voodoo.

 

Martin

Edited by RidgeRunner
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2 hours ago, quangster said:

I discarded the inaccurate IP and consoles and replaced them with good effect by Eduard printed photo etchings.

Good work, Quang. I have this set, but using it is a bit dubious to me. I’d prefer an unpainted etched parts and the decals over it.

 

2 hours ago, quangster said:

I made a rubber shroud for the Instrument panel from scored tin foil.

Looks well! Have you tried to shape up shroud provided by Eduard? Also, notice that this IP is for later production RF-101Cs (SEA).

 

2 hours ago, quangster said:

The seat is rather good if a little bare. As it’s usually the focal point of attention, I decided to dress it up.

Yes, now it looks like a Weber seat! 👍

 

2 hours ago, quangster said:

All your questions and comments are welcome.

Forgot to tell you that the intake cones are black, and an intake trunks are aluminum for NMF and white for the SEA scheme airframes.

 

Cheers! 😎

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@Nikolay Polyakov The Eduard IP is actually a very good replica of the real thing. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the consoles but they look OK once the fuselage is buttoned up.

As for the shroud,it's easier for me to use tin foil than to try and shape up the Eduard etching.

Thanks for the tip on the intake cones.

Cheers,

Q

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Another Voodoo build is always fascinating. Personally I don't recall seeing a recce bird, but pointy nosed single seaters aplenty, screaming overhead leaving prodigious trails of black smoke. Although rarely photographed, I have seen them carry 3 drop tanks as well. On with the good work.

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@bentwaters81tfw Three drop tanks! Those were the days.

 

Back to the build. The focal point of  every recce bird is the camera window(s). What we get in the kit is a really sloppy interpretation ( the side cameras were even not facing the window!). So I decided to open up the camera windows and put in some lens behind.

 

7-C751707-2-DC6-41-D0-85-AE-1-D9678-C365

 

The cameras came from the KH 1/48 Photo Cougar, but for our purpose, some plastic tubes would do the trick. The 3 cameras were glued on a bulkhead inside the aircraft nose to make sure they are facing their respective window.

 

837-D416-F-704-A-4005-83-C9-52-E6-CD5-C2

 

A nice lens effect is achieved by a small drop of UV-cured glue.

D59-F05-A7-2530-4-E7-E-9859-1820-F6-FFF1

 

The cameras are dry-fitted to check their positions.

169-FD35-E-53-BE-48-A0-A9-B9-6-A2-DB33-B

 

49-B1-D077-8-A3-F-470-B-97-FE-23-F5-EE4-

 

47-F78-CE4-4340-418-B-B9-B6-8-E1-DB5-AB5

 

That’s all folks!. Questions and comments are welcome of course.

 

Cheers,

Quang

 

NEXT TIME: FRONT WHEEL WELLS

 

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, quangster said:

The cameras came from the KH 1/48 Photo Cougar, but for our purpose, some plastic tubes would do the trick. The 3 cameras were glued on a bulkhead inside the aircraft nose to make sure they are facing their respective window.

Great work with the cameras, Quang! 👍

 

5 hours ago, quangster said:

NEXT TIME: FRONT WHEEL WELLS

As I remembered correctly, the front wheel well top side is green (FS34102), but the walls remain aluminum/silver. @bentwaters81tfw, Frank, correct me if I’m wrong.

 

Cheers! 🙂

Edited by Nikolay Polyakov
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Thank you guys.

As for the wheel wells, I think the colouring varies depending on the period. 

NMF and earlier Voodoo had their wells painted green and aluminium like you said. But in the SEA conflit, at the introduction of camouflage, wells were painted white.

8226-EC43-945-A-4-AA8-8245-214-F9-B42-B2

 

Anyhow that's what I did. Thin wires were added to the top side to simulate the numerous tubing.

As a side note, contrary to what the instructions say, you don't need to install the undercarriage at this stage. Leave it to the very end of the build.

 

130-D9171-E10-C-40-D3-9668-46-E65-C30-B0

 

21-C6-D5-A6-8542-4-F2-F-9-A3-B-A592-FD7-

 

410-EE805-FA22-44-A4-B371-530-B06016-E57

 

The front fuselage is finished and ready to be buttoned up.

 

Questions, comments, yadda yadda ...

 

Cheers,

Quang

 

NEXT STEP: REAR FUSELAGE

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4 hours ago, quangster said:

But in the SEA conflit, at the introduction of camouflage, wells were painted white.

Great research, thanks!

 

4 hours ago, quangster said:

As a side note, contrary to what the instructions say, you don't need to install the undercarriage at this stage. Leave it to the very end of the build.

Yes, the nose landing strut fits tight at the end of an assembly (before the doors attached).

 

Cheers! 😎

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Moving on the rear fuselage.

Discard the instruction and assemble the entire tail, keel et al.

 

There's a clear cover with two navigation lights at the rear of the vertical fin. In all its weirdness, KH gives it to us as a solid part :headbang:

We'll replace it with a piece of plexiglas, glued in position, shaped up and polished. Two tiny holes in the plexi simulate the light bulbs.

2-AB196-DD-ACBA-4739-8-FF2-9-A5-B162710-

 

64578-B88-5685-41-FD-A39-E-5-A7-E71-E43-

 

 

 

B72-B8757-63-BE-4-D35-8-D28-1-D8-A4-FC4-

 

06-ECE249-672-C-4-D00-A0-F0-CA2-E19-A6-A

 

A piece of brass tubing is inserted on the leading edge of the fin to simulate the vent which distinguished the –C from the –A variant.

464-B8-E6-F-1864-4-D3-C-8-C97-97-EAE7-A9

 

52648-FEC-A744-48-C8-BA29-15-CE0-B222-B1

 

For a typical SEA conflict bird, RHAWS bumps are added to the nose...

AC21-E592-BFF7-4-E9-E-B021-1-DBEEC54-DA9

 

0-B083-A60-8-E73-42-DE-927-E-83602-F6-C5

 

B54-E54-DE-832-E-43-AC-B291-83608506-F6-

 

...and the tail.

7-DFF563-B-F93-A-4-F5-F-8332-6010-EB3-A6

 

9054-BC2-A-18-D7-418-F-BE69-A322-A449-D1

 

While we're at it, the drag chute cover is cut off. It will be posed open like on many photos of parked 101s.

702-BD121-2-D78-4981-B418-0781-DEF7-F628

 

That's all folks.

Thank you all for looking,

 

Have a good day,

Cheers,

Quang

 

 

 

Edited by quangster
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6 hours ago, quangster said:

There's a clear cover with two navigation lights at the rear of the vertical fin. In all its weirdness, KH gives it to us as a solid part :headbang:

And as the clear additional part in a «B» boxing.

 

6 hours ago, quangster said:

We'll replace it with a piece of plexiglas, glued in position, shaped up and polished. Two tiny holes in the plexi simulate the light bulbs.

Excellent results! 👍 I did mine from the clear sprue and it was boring.

 

6 hours ago, quangster said:

While we're at it, the drag chute cover is cut off. It will be posed open like on many photos of parked 101s.

Looks great, your work is superb on this Voodoo.

 

As you’re intended to make an air brakes in closed position, there is some little gap on the air brakes aft:

47439875802_86a5077374_k.jpg

 

And some additional photos:

32551468287_3e2649cde0_h.jpg

 

Cheers! 🙂

Edited by Nikolay Polyakov
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15 hours ago, Nikolay Polyakov said:

As you’re intended to make an air brakes in closed position, there is some little gap on the air brakes aft

I’ve noticed the gap but in my obsession to obtain a seamless fit, I’m afraid the resulting gap is less apparent than I would like it to be. Like they say, better can be worse 🤢.

 

@Finn Terrific pics, Jari. They beat every other walkaround. Very useful for my build.

 

@Biggles87 Strangely the 101 makes a lasting impression on everyone who sees her. To me it was like the famous ‘Cadillac of the skies’ sequence in Spielberg’s film Empire of the Sun.

 

Thank you all for your input.

Sincerely,

Quang 

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1 hour ago, quangster said:

As you’re intended to make an air brakes in closed position

Perfect. It was rare to see parked Voodoos with brakes open. The same applies to the flaps. Remember also the parked tsilplane position.

 

M

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M, 

Brakes and flaps will be closed. It's a pity because they are well-detailed in the kit.

I have yet to decide about the tailplane position as it affects the opening on the rotation mechanism.

Tail-mecanism.jpg

 

Your opinions are welcome.

 

Cheers,

Q

 

 

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