Chocksaway's Shelf Fillers of 2019

[ChocksAway]

Christmas is a time when yawning seems to be a popular past-time. Here’s an opportunity to practise whilst looking at what I managed to cobble together in 2019 from the loft-insulation. All are brush-painted in acrylics, out-of-the-box builds and 1/48th scale unless otherwise noted. 

 

Here we go then ...

 

First of the year was another Rafale was added to the small but growing collection. This is a French Air Force Dassault Rafale B from Escadrille SPA 79 (Tête de loup), Escadron de chasse 1/4 Gascogne on Operation Serval in 2013. This is the Revell Rafale B (with bomb rack) kit …

 

 

Next is a very striking Boeing CF-188A Hornet of the RCAF from the 425th Tactical Fighter Squadron in the specially designed scheme celebrating Canada’s 150 years of confederation. This is the Kinetic kit and very nice it is too. I added a PJ Productions Rafale pilot for interest – the French connection! …

 

 

An impulse purchase of a “started” (some paint on the cockpit fuselage walls) 1/72nd scale kit at a model show is the next subject, a BAE Systems Hawk Mk.128, ZK010, in its demonstration scheme colours. I decided to stage this in flight. Not one of Airfix’s greatest kits, but not too bad a result in the end.

 

 

 

Those of you who know me (probably only a few now) may have begun to wonder when you’d see the first Harrier, well wait no longer. This is a Harrier II TAV-8B with GRUPAER of the Italian Navy, using the Nick Greenall-mastered T10/T12 conversion kit and a Hasegawa Harrier II AV-8B NA kit with 65% LERX. Decals are a mixture of kit, spares and home-made. 

 

 

Continuing the Harrier theme as I would, here’s another Kinetic T-bird build, this time a T.8 with the RN SFDO (Royal Navy School of Flight Deck Operations). I’ve actually sat in this aircraft, so it was nice to have the opportunity to model it. I avoided the idea of a selfie figure sat in the rear seat! I used a mix of kit and home-made decals for the SFDO markings and vinyl-cut MDCs.

 

 

Another modern BAE Systems Hawk is next, this is the Airfix Hawk Mk.127 in RAAF markings of 76 Squadron. Not a particularly detailed kit, but I liked the scheme! The MDC is cut from vinyl.

 

 

For my second Saab Gripen build I chose to do it as 39-2, the second prototype in its all-black scheme and performing air-to-air missile weapons release trials. This is the Italeri kit. I couldn’t find many photos as reference, but I believe it was the scheme version prior to the one in which it is now preserved in a museum. Missiles from the spares box.

 

 

I returned to the Harrier collection with another Kinetic build. This is a T.4N with 899 Naval Air Squadron, sporting an unusual medium sea grey scheme (usually dark sea grey) and an even more odd not-yet-repainted replacement wing from a Harrier GR.3 fitted. Aside from the winged-fist emblems from an Airfix Sea Harrier FA.2 kit, this is all from the kit. The MDCs are cut from vinyl.

 

 

It’s been a while, but here’s my latest Hasegawa Eggplane build, this time a Mistubishi F-2 masquerading as a F-15C Block 50 with the 85th TES (Test & Evaluation Squadron) of the USAF in the latest “Dark Viper” scheme. It is a mix of kit and home-made decals and I used Hataka’s Have Glass Grey acrylic paint.

 

 

Oh dear, sorry, another Kinetic twin-seater Harrier. Here we have an Indian Navy T.4(I) which was originally a T.4 with the Royal Air Force (ZB600). Just to be different, I thought I’d pose it in flying configuration, complete with two SHAR pilot figures, I used a mix of kit and after-market sheet decals. The MDCs are cut from vinyl.

 

 

Continuing the Kinetic theme, this is their gold standard boxing of the Alenia (Leonardo) M-346 Master. Sticking with the Commonwealth air force specials theme I seem to be inadvertently loosely following this year, I chose the Republic of Singapore Air Force and a jet which celebrated 20 years of joint training with the French Air Force. This jet is based at Cazaux in France and painted up in 2018. I used a Yahu cockpit set and home-made decals for the tail scheme. A lovely kit and one that folks really ought to build. Thanks to Tim for help with the tail art.

 

 

In support of the Harrier SIG’s Scale Model World display I built a Harrier II AV-8B Plus serving with the VX-31 “Dust Devils”. This particular jet, 164129 / 88, was the first of this variant to be built and also the first to fly with a 50:50 mix of jet fuel and bio-fuel, hence the tail markings. It’s also heavily weathered now which added to the appeal, not that you see many clean Harriers in service. Kit, after-market and home-made decals used. The MDC is cut from vinyl.

 

 

One of my fellow club members gave me this next kit as his grandson did not want to build it. Although not my normal scale, who could possibly turn down building a Red Arrows Hawk? (Okay, form an orderly queue please.) This is the Revell 1/32nd scale version and I chose to make-up decals of the 50th Anniversary special tail from 2014. I decided on an in-flight staging with one of the engineers in the back doing photos on his iPhone. The MDCs are cut from vinyl.

 

 

Time for another Harrier, this time an AV-8B from VMA-311 “Tomcats”. The aircraft depicted, 163664 / WL06, was one of the first Harriers (4 in the flight) to deliver bombs in Operation Desert Storm, when they attacked an Iraqi artillery position. 16 Mk.83s were dropped and 1000 rounds of 25mm cannon were expended. Although it’s two greys again, at least they’re in a different pattern! The MDC is cut from vinyl.

 

 

And the last of the year is a return to the first of the year with the Rafale. This is my first Rafale M (Marine) build. I chose Flotille 12’s 70th anniversary display jet from 2018, serial number 5, which some folks in the UK may have seen at Yeovilton and RIAT. Many thanks to Tranquil on the MAIW forum for the generation of the art work which I then printed. The remainder of the decals are from the “& bomb rack” kit, but the kit is the original release boxing. Weathering may be a bit OTT and I may change it.

 

 

That’s all folks and my last yearbook.

 

Comments welcome as always.

 

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year.

Edited December 25, 2019 by ChocksAway
Update

[Lightningboy2000]

Fantastic collection of jets there, especially like the black Gripen. There's a new version of the Gripen known as the Aggressor seen at RIAT a couple of years ago which is all black.

 

Martin

[pacificmustang]

Do love that last harrier II

Great output for the year

Seasons Greetings

Bruce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Reini78]

love the Canadian Hornet