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Building a Spark Vark


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So on a Facebook group there is a group build for intel/Elint/ecm etc aircraft.  Now I have already built a TR-1 but being a sucker for starting another build I dug out an EF-111A kit I got a while back.  It’s a cheap Zhengdefu kit - a repop of someone else’s mould I presume?  Anyway it looks like an EF-111 morning, or a Raven, or a Spark Vark, or whatever you prefer.  The deadline for the group build is 1st December, so short turn around!

 

The kit

 

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Had some Upper Heyford decals left from an Extradecal set I got to do my A-10 ages ago.  They are for this one

 

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The kit panel has s pretty generic F-111 so a few screen mods & a consul in front of the right hand seat

 

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And painted & car tyre weight found

 

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Nose glued up & attached to the bottom of the back fuselage.  Used a bit of balsa to iron out a slight inward warp on the back part

 

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Now judging by the comments on my post requesting info on under wing pylons there will be no tanks & I think I will only fit the inboard pylons.  Might pose it with a sidewinder on the outside of the pylon even though they never flew with them.  They did show them on the ground like that sometimes.

Edited by bar side
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Only get the image linked to F-111.net all others are blocked out with  a circled dash. Your kit is originally from Academy. Hobby Craft, Zhengdefu, and I believe Italeri have reproduced the f-111 kit in the past. I have a number of originals and the latter Zhengdefu kit. Should go together okay with a few reinforcement bits along the upper fuselage and side seams. Also may want to add some bits inside the fuselage to keep it square so the fuselage seams are aligned. May too want to consider to cut a slot in where the wing pivot pins are. This will let you fit the wings in place after the fuselage is finished. Just a thought. I don't have any images of what I'm talking about but can if needed.

 

All The Best

 

Ron VanDerwarker

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Cheers @f111guru forgot to set the album to share.  The images should start to come in.  Yes should go ok, it’s my second Zhengdefu 111 and the last one went together ok.  Shame the cockpit can’t be opened, but I may try cutting up the canopy or crash form one to cut up

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I did one a very long time ago and cut the canopy open. I built this set of wings that are not finished as the aircraft is in storage for the time being.

IMG_4485

They have the Xtra parts slat and flap kit added. The slot cut at the wing pivot is what I was alluding too. I found it much easier to work in the fuselage. I'm sure your accustom to the Academy fit. I did scratch build the cockpit on the first EF I built. It was for a going away present and presented to an EF-111A pilot upon his retirement.

 

This is the F-111F I did some 25+ years ago and still have it. I used Academy's F-111E kit as a base.

F-111F-Aardvark-6

I'll watch with interest.

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

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Looks fantastic. To bad Italeri is so up and down with their ground equipment kit. I have 4 new in my stash from some time ago and have found the same kit reproduced a while back in the AMT/ERTL A-10A with scene. Don't remember the kit number but have 3 in storage just for the F-111 ladders.

 

All in all your doing a great job on your EF-111A. Like the use of wood blocks to align the fuselage sides.

 

If you go out and purchase the Hobby Boss kit be expectantly disappointing with the kit. I have one and it does not stand up to the Academy kit. Far to many inaccuracies for the general modeller. I have a couple under construction and on hold until I complete my work shop. I'm hoping to be in it by the end of the year.

 

I'm impressed with your construction of the HAS. Are you planning similar with the EF?

This one I built for another flying officer I worked with. He flew both the F-111D and the F-111G(Ex FB-111A)

DoubleTrouble

Hasegawa 1/72nd F-111D/F and FB-111A with their ground sets. I built those in 1995

All The Best

Ron VanDerwarker

Edited by f111guru
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I built the HAS to use as a diorama to show builds.  It’s got the Hasegawa and ESCI ground crews plus some scratch or repurposed bits.  It was built to show the Wattsham Phantoms, but doubles for Lakenheath, Bentwaters, Alconbury and will no doubt try to look like Upper Heyford.  Here it is with a Revell A-10 and most of the ESCI kit trying to look like Bentwaters.

 

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So getting on with bits in the background on the build.  Wings are going to be clean - no pylons.  So no need to build the mechanism for rotating the pylons.  Tail halves are all together & extra vents added to the tail trailing edge.  Intake insides painted & ready to go together.

 

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So think I will paint the wings before closing the body.  No slats or flaps as the parked photos I have show them closed

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Bit of primer on some bits.  The tail rudder has benn attached to the body top but going to pre shade & paint the wings before closing up the top.  The canoe is ready to go underneath too, with the front fairing cut to go on to the front undercarriage doors

 

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Wings & top section pre shaded today.  Body was getting some paint over the canoe so still have that to highlight the panel lines on

 

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The wings got a quick top coat underneath.  Wasn’t going to put much more on as the shading shows through quite well & any more will Bury it

 

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Now paint.  Bit of a challenge as both sets of rattle cans have run out!  I would like to have used Humbrol 64 grey on top but my local model shop has stopped stocking Humbrol due to supply issues.  They replaced them with the smaller Revell cans but I haven’t been that impressed with them.  So it’s that or Tamiya.  Both more expensive, or rather about the same price for a smaller can.  Or order on line & add postage.  Plan is to use Tamiya US Airforce light grey underneath (that is what is on the wings) and find a stand in for the Humbrol grey, then some old Humbrol 165 for the sensors on the tail.  I’ll go & see what I can find 

Edited by bar side
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Paint on the Vark tonight plus got the wings on and body together

 

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Paint is a Tamiya US airforce light grey underneath & Humbrol 64 on top

 

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Test fit of the painted jet

 

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And with the top glued on & posing with her Lakenheath cousin.  Next is tidying up the top fit, build up the undercarriage and sort out the canopy.  The canopy under the tape is the one I cracked from the Lakenheath Vark.  Haven’t done anything with the new one yet

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Painting is coming along, but have notice a glaring problem with the fuel dumb mast. The mast its self should be on the bottom of the housing

This is an F-111F at the Air Force Museum Dayton Ohio. The F-111A, C, D, E, F and EF-111A all have this type of dump mast.

IMG_3354

 

the other style mast is this:

IMG_0884

And finally the FB-111A or late in its life the F-111G had this style dump mast:

100_9653

Please correct me if I'm seeing your last image wrong. Both models with the dump mast at the top below the rudder.

Other than that your paint looks good.

 

Ron VanDerwarker

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I don't use the Academy or Hobby Boss kit instructions. Generally find those to be less than accurate. With that being said I do go over them and write down what is wrong and pencil in the correct way. If you've done a Hobby Boss kit you will know what I'm talking about. If not and get one be ready for the ugh moment.

 

Your progressing along wonderfully.

Ron VanDerwarker

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Cheers Ron. Think I am rushing it a bit to be honest.  Undercarriage together tonight ready for painting.  Some more joins to improve still.  And the canopy still to do, but the fuel dump mast has been moved

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Got her on her wheels today.  The canopy was is the old kit failure that I replaced with a crash formed one.  The new one has been cut up

 

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And now looks like this.  Tricky to cut as it s thin & brittle

 

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So going to go on something like this

 

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nasty visible seam in front of the glass there, plus the nose / back top join is hardly great but hides quite well in this picture

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Progress today - the front canopy is painted & one, seats are in

 

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And the back end

 

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So main decals can go on

 

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That leaves the clam shell doors - need to add a few bits like gas struts and door handles.  Few more decals tooo

 

 

Edited by bar side
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