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Australian F-111 1/48 build Hobbyboss.


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So I have had this kit for a year or so and I now have the workspace to build it. I have been looking forward to building this actually, I have not made a Hobbyboss kit before but I have heard the kits are a good fit. I was tossing up.the idea of making this or the Mig 31 but I have decided to go with this as I want to do a diorama with two Mig 31 Foxhounds at a later date. So this model is big, looks to be a similar size to the Mig. It looks like it will be cloee to 40-45cm when finished. I'm going to be doing the nose closed, personally I think model aircraft look good closed up. So I'm literally at the start of this build. There's a lot of parts in this kit so it should be good to build if all the parts fit well.

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I'm using the inside of the lid as a place to paint the parts as always. The box is massive so there's plenty of space.

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Have fun with this enormous model!

A F-111 is always good! And in 48 even better!

Will it be GUNship grey or camo?

Edited by exdraken
Funship grey or gunship grey..... thx Uncunc :D
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Perhaps of interest and relevance to you Deano. the F-111s in operational RAAF service every time I ever saw them over the course of their service life (circa '73-their retirement) , and that was frequently, were always in earth green & camo. Saw them (suffix A to C conversions) frequently in the early days at the end of my student days as they were based at RAAF Amberley which I used to drive past in my way to and from gliding every weekend. They'd regularly be shooting circuits training. A couple of years later, in another early different career posting, I'd frequently see them on LJRs at low level flyby over the Southern Downs. Never ever saw them operational in grey. They might have been when upon acceptance & ferry, but repainted once delivered to the squadrons? Probably an ex driver, nav or groundie here ex 1 squadron who can elaborate definitively. It'll look fabulous in 1/48. Spent my life since age 16 to retirement for the most part in and around aircraft, rec, mil and civil, and the F-111 is particularly memorable as an imposing impressive bird in the flesh. Should be a fun build.

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@Bigglesof266 That's pretty awesome, I can imagine they were pretty big up close. If you could maybe let me.know something, were the undersides of the F-111's black for the most part, or were they ever light grey or wrap around? 

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They were either fully grey or with black undersides

This trial scheme is the exception to the rule

 

a8-132-royal-australian-air-force-genera

https://cdn.planespotters.net/photo/959000/original/a8-132-royal-australian-air-force-general-dynamics-f-111c-aardvark_PlanespottersNet_959324_659e88e8e6.jpg

 

 

One of the best pics I know:

c31a45a5748cc8f782a44ba01c598901.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c3/1a/45/c31a45a5748cc8f782a44ba01c598901.jpg

Edited by exdraken
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:blink2: Nnnnoooiiiceee...

I've still got my FB-111A kit waiting for me to figure out how to reverse the height of those flaps inside out. 

The rest ought to be fun, including the grafting of the Squadron vac-form windshield/canopy onto it.

1 hour ago, exdraken said:

funship grey

*screeching sound of tyres here* "Funship" grey, yeh; sure, Werner, mate. :bleh:

Cheers,

 

Unc2

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2 hours ago, Deano353 said:

@Bigglesof266 That's pretty awesome, I can imagine they were pretty big up close. If you could maybe let me.know something, were the undersides of the F-111's black for the most part, or were they ever light grey or wrap around? 

This is typical of fuse sides and upper surfaces I recall. Black ventral fuse section, nose cone and underside of wings & horizontal stab every time I saw them. Here's another shot which also shows the typical paint scheme better illustrating the black undersides. (click on the image once it loads for a magnified view). Whenever I saw them, they were always wearing this warpaint.

Edited by Bigglesof266
Elaboration
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Deano,

Beware of the instructions. Some parts for the kits are not located correctly. The module ejection rocket exhaust is shown to be placed in the forward part of the weapons bay. Should be placed at the rear upper floor in the nose gear well. The other is the weapons bay doors themselves. Shows using both kit parts glued together. Use as many photos for references for your project. Just some things I've run across in my journey to build kits.

 

This kits goes together well. Build quit a few for other folks and am preparing to start a large diorama of my own.

 

Ron VanDerwarker

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@f111guru Thanks for that, I will check out some walk arounds for this aircraft. The instructions have you attach the nose wheel in the early stages which is asking for trouble with this so I'll be checking out the details along the way as I think I will probably deviate from the instructions.  I have heard a few areas on the Australian version of this kit are wrong so I'll have to see whats what. Are tou going to post the diorama on here? Would be good to see if you are.

Edited by Deano353
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Here are some from my own travels, and your more than welcome to use. Have lots more as you progress. Just ask and I'll see if I have what your looking for or point you in the right direction. I plan to once I get my small building completed and get back to building. Have a number of projects before but yes I will.

IMG_7204 100_8179 100_9771 100_9776

Good luck on your build and am in for the ride.

 

Ron VanDerwarker

Edited by f111guru
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3 hours ago, Bigglesof266 said:

Perhaps of interest and relevance to you Deano. the F-111s in operational RAAF service every time I ever saw them over the course of their service life (circa '73-their retirement) , and that was frequently, were always in earth green & camo. Saw them (suffix A to C conversions) frequently in the early days at the end of my student days as they were based at RAAF Amberley which I used to drive past in my way to and from gliding every weekend. They'd regularly be shooting circuits training. A couple of years later, in another early different career posting, I'd frequently see them on LJRs at low level flyby over the Southern Downs. Never ever saw them operational in grey. They might have been when upon acceptance & ferry, but repainted once delivered to the squadrons? Probably an ex driver, nav or groundie here ex 1 squadron who can elaborate definitively. It'll look fabulous in 1/48. Spent my life since age 16 to retirement for the most part in and around aircraft, rec, mil and civil, and the F-111 is particularly memorable as an imposing impressive bird in the flesh. Should be a fun build.

Biggles, In the Mid 90s, when the RAAF acquired the extra 15 F-111G aircraft the whole F-111C fleet was repainted in the Gunship grey scheme to match them. After retirement a number of aircraft, which are now on display at RAAF bases and museums, were repainted in the delivery SEA camo sheme. There are plenty of images on the net of both schemes.

34 minutes ago, Deano353 said:

Very cool, the second link shows a black tinted canopy? Anyway this is the scheme I'll be doing. Great looking bird.

No canopy tinting, this is a display aircraft. In service they had clear canopies. The site linked ADF Serials site above has plenty of in service images.

 

If you are using the kit decals for the SEA camo jet (A8-127) the lighting bolts on the tail are totally wrong in colour, they should be yellow for a 1SQN aircraft or blue for a 6SQN aircraft. There are a few aftermarket sheets around. I think I have some 1/48 fin flashes lying around the I will not use (I build mainly 1/72) if you want them.

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3 hours ago, Deano353 said:

@Bigglesof266 That's pretty awesome, I can imagine they were pretty big up close. If you could maybe let me.know something, were the undersides of the F-111's black for the most part, or were they ever light grey or wrap around? 

Interestingly, they were delivered with black undersides, but when they were initially painted they had light grey undersides (like initial USAF aircraft). These aircraft remained in storage for a few years while wing pin issues were sorted and got the black undersides before being flown to Australia. As mentioned above in the 90s they all went to the all over gunship grey scheme.

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@RomeoAlphaYankee Thanks for the info there, I did notice in the lightning bolts on photos I have seen show yellow actually, I will check on Hannants for decals.

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On 7/18/2019 at 7:48 AM, Deano353 said:

Very cool, the second link shows a black tinted canopy? Anyway this is the scheme I'll be doing. Great looking bird.

I'll back Ray on that - don't confuse the aircraft on display with the operational aircraft! It's common to coat the canopies of aircraft displayed outdoors in a black wrap to prevent deterioration from sunlight. The link to the photo of A8-138 shows it being manoeuvred into position at its current display  site at the main entrance to RAAF Amberley.

 

I love the old SE Asia scheme with black undersides (my Academy F-111C is in those colours) but, as Ray says, the later part of their life was in Gunship Grey.

 

Almost all of the F-111Cs now on display were repainted in the original colours before being placed on display in museums. A8-132 was repainted in its ARDU colours before transporting it to RAAF Edinburgh where it resided for several years until its (recent) delivery to the South Australian Aviation Museum to replace RF-111C A8-134, which was subsequently reallocated to the Australian War Memorial Museum after residing in Adelaide for several years. A8-132 is a more appropriate display for the SAAM as she spent most of her operational life at the Aircraft Research and Development Unit at Edinburgh, just down the road from her current home.

Edited by Bell209
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I made small progress today I have the kit decals.on the instrument panels. They settled down well to my eye, the photo probably does not do it justice. I have also gotten some PJ production pilots I am putting in the cockpit, they were for my Phantom however that kit had aircrew so they are getting reassigned. 

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I have not used glue on any parts yet, the fit is so good at this stage it holds itself together for the photos.

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On 7/18/2019 at 9:19 AM, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Biggles, In the Mid 90s, when the RAAF acquired the extra 15 F-111G aircraft the whole F-111C fleet was repainted in the Gunship grey scheme to match them.

Noted mate. Thanks. 

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1 hour ago, exdraken said:

looking good!

 

the headrests are in dark sheep whool and not read as most of the time if I remember correctly! on Aussi F-111 of course ;)

 

 

Ahhh, while the seats themselves had lambs wool covers the headrests retained the red leather covering. Grey jet shown but as you can see the head rests are well worn.

 

F111_JH_2_.jpg

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18 minutes ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Ahhh, while the seats themselves had lambs wool covers the headrests retained the red leather covering. Grey jet shown but as you can see the head rests are well worn.

 

 

I stand corrected!

sometimes it would be enough to look at your very own builds.... :banghead:

35560686263_9a3655ae01_b.jpg&key=06961e9

24568915098_bd69d38ec0_b.jpg&key=7628324

 

Edited by exdraken
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Ah ok so the seat itself would be wool and the headres red ok. I did look on google but only found red headrests. Those seats in yours look great, the seats in my kit look like rubbish by comparison lol.

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52 minutes ago, Deano353 said:

Ah ok so the seat itself would be wool and the headres red ok. I did look on google but only found red headrests. Those seats in yours look great, the seats in my kit look like rubbish by comparison lol.

yes... blackish seats and red headrest I think with the canopy closed you are good to go! some seatbelt imitation, can also be just stripes of painted paper will certainly help though!

I used the Eduard PE set for the belts:

https://www.eduard.com/Eduard/F-111-late-seatbelts-1-48.html

 

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