Monogram F-105G, 1/48

[pigsty]

Here’s my latest, Monogram’s old F-105G from the Revell box.  By a strange coincidence it’s almost exactly the same Caracal markings as zebra’s recent Hobby Boss job: the 128th TFS, part of the Georgia ANG at Dobbins, in the very early 1980s.  It even has the same wrap-around colour scheme and weasel teeth.  If there are any differences in camouflage layout, we can both plead that no-one knows what the underside should look like.  At least, that’s what the instructions said in the Caracal decals.  I found some of their suggestions a bit unconvincing, though, and bodged it myself.  The only other addition to the kit was a Master pitot.

 

 

 

This has been the usual Monogram experience of good detail and dodgy fit.  Of the Monogram kits I’ve done now, this had the least promising cockpit, but even through those big canopies its weaknesses don’t show too badly.  Just because I’m short of things to wind me up, I rescribed the panel lines.

 

 

 

The single trickiest area is the intakes.  The sugar-scoop section forward is deeper than the tunnel behind it, which gives you a noticeable step between the two.  I fixed that with a section of yogurt pot faired in to cover the joint - which I then cocked up by not supporting the extra plastic properly, and having to add more filling-and-sanding.  And it shows only if you look down the intakes at just the right angle.  But I know I’ve done it.  It turns out a Muller Fruit Corner has sections that are very nearly the right shape for this job.  You do feel odd, going through the supermarket, inspecting all the dairy to see what the pots are made of instead of wondering about the ingredients.

 

 

 

The other literal weak spot - on any Thunderchief kit - is the maingear legs.  I couldn’t find the brass ones I’d have much preferred.  There’s little you can do about the wibbly plastic legs, except stow the thing on its back, but you can reinforce the axles.  The little stubs are far too short for the width of the wheels, so it’s worth adding about twice their length of the thickest wire you can fit through them.

 

Master sells its usual nice pitot as fitting the Hobby Boss kit.  Can’t vouch for that, but it definitely doesn’t fit this kit.  Monogram’s pitot is a bit of a blob and the radome is shaped to match, so there was a fair bit of work to get them married up.  Even then, though, the Monogram nose is that bit better shaped.  And, by the  look of it, they got the two-seater’s broader fin right too.

 

The weapons are Hasegawa, not Monogram, because they’re slightly finer.  Even then the fuse windows on the AGM-78 were too bulbous.  The tanks are from the kit.  Paint is mainly Humbrol, applied with a brush.

 

 

 

You absolutely must add nose weight to this thing - in my case, about two square inches of roofing lead.  Revell neglect to mention it.

 

Thank you again to Abul for swapping my old F-105D for this F-105G, as well as for the big F-15 tanks.

[CaracalModels]

Wow - two Wild Weasels in the same week. Excellent build - thanks for sharing.

[RMCS]

Lovley 

[Retired Bob]

Very nice Wild Weasel, looks really good to me, at least you didn't have the same problem that I had, my Irish "Red" Setter decided I was not paying him enough attention when I was building my Monogram F-105G, so he snaffled bits, hoping I would chase him. but he did it so well I only found out after he had chewed them up. 

[Lord Riot]

I love this, not seen many of these and never a real one, were they ever based in the UK? 

 

Looks awesome in wraparound, I didn't realise the USAF ever did that, thought it was always black under the Vietnam-style brown/green - your all over camo looks way better!

 

Cracking kit.

[RidgeRunner]

36 minutes ago, Lord Riot said:

were they ever based in the UK? 

No, mate. I wish they had been!

 

Here are some I saw in the early 1980s. No wrap-arounds in sight .....

 

 

 

Martin

[Robert_]

3 hours ago, pigsty said:

Just because I’m short of things to wind me up, I rescribed the panel lines

Haha-love it. This is a wonderful Thud, thanks for sharing.

[zebra]

Very nice @pigsty - better than mine! The wraparound SEA scheme does look good on a Thud doesn’t it.

 

I’m in two minds about the Hobby Boss kit. On the one hand the Monogram kit needs rescribing (and there are a lot of panels!), on the other the HB cockpit is poor and needs an Aires pit shoehorning in. On balance I think I prefer dealing with the Aires cockpit - just!

[Vultures1]

Very nice wrap-around Thud - well done!

[pigsty]

22 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

thought it was always black under the Vietnam-style brown/green

Do you know, I don't think any Thunderchief was painted that way.  A few Phantoms, a lot of the gunships, but not these, obvious though it seems.  Might make a good what-if, that.

[F-32]

A cracking build, love it

[Graham T]

Great build & paint job.  I have fond memories of the old Monogram F-105 series.  I've got the Revell D "Thunderstick" model in the to do pile which I think is the old Monogram D with extra parts?  I'm also building the HB G at the mo!

[Gary Brantley]

Great looking Thud!  Very well done Monogram classic, good to see one so well finished!

 

I thought folks would enjoy seeing this shot of the F-105 on display at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas: