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Supersonic Hotrods of the Wisconsin Air National Guard


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Just a little progress today, but every step forward is, well, a step forward 😉

 

The Deuce's tail and wingtips need to be painted red. I wanted to ensure the shade of red would match the red of the kit's decals (insignia, etc.) I did some paint matching with what I had on the shelf.

 

First, I took a spare decal from the Draw Decal sheet and applied it to a piece of plasticard that I had painted ADC gray. I then gave the decal a coat of clear gloss, to replicate how the plane's decals will be when I'm finished with the build.

 

Next, I selected some paint that looked like it would match, and sprayed it onto white spoons (I'll be using white primer as the base coat for the tail and wingtips). After the spoons were dry, I gave them a gloss coat just as I had done with the test decal. Here are the reds I used:

 

49401541761_91c5e93955_c.jpg 

 

Left to right, they are: Tamiya XF-7 acrylic, Model Master Insignia Red enamel, and Mr Color Nimbus Red (also an enamel). Be advised that the colors captured by my camera are not exactly how they look in reality.

 

To my eye, Mr Color's Nimbus Red is the best match to the decal. Tamiya's XF-7 is very close, but a bit darker than the Mr Color. MM's Insignia Red is much too dark.

 

Having selected my red, I masked and then sprayed the wingtips & tail with Tamiya XF-1 white. I'll let that dry overnight, and tomorrow I'll apply the Nimbus Red.

 

49401541766_c6bc74c5df_b.jpg 

 

I'm sure to have some touchup to do before I'm done, especially around the red wing fences. (I'm not even trying to paint the inner fence at this point -- I think that will be easier after the ADC gray is on.)

 

- Bill

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I was up bright and early this Saturday morning, and after my "wake up" cup of double-caffeine Joe, returned to the workroom to get the red on my Deuce. I'm really pleased with how the red turned out:

 

49403540642_317f18ceaa_b.jpg 

 

And, thus far, the paint I selected is matching well to the decals (although that might change when I put a gloss coat on):

 

49403550237_1a27a1997a_z.jpg 

 

There were a couple of spots around the tail where overspray got past my masking, but this isn't significant as it's only the primer coat.

 

49403340926_76f2397f52_z.jpg 

 

I want the red enamel to be fully cured before I mask over it for the ADC gray, so I've put my Deuce in the warming box for a few days. There's still a lot I can do -- landing gear, weapon trapezes, etc. so I won't be sitting idle waiting for paint to dry!

 

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The Deuce is still in the warming box, waiting for the red enamel to fully dry. In the meantime, I spent some time on the Dagger's weapons.

 

The AIM-4 Falcons that come in the Meng kit are a bit of a disappointment, I will be using resin replacements from Eduard-Brassen in their place:

 

49407178022_ce548bea5a_c.jpg 

 

I also have a pair of AIM-26 Falcons, to give the weapon bay some variety:

 

49407178112_241486c1a4_z.jpg 

 

Maestro's AIM-26s are composed of a resin body and PE fins, which must be glued in place. Thankfully, Maestro includes an alignment jig to make this task a bit easier:

 

49406977811_2ced08b3a9_z.jpg 

 

Here are the AIM-26 missiles completed and ready for paint:

 

49406497978_f9090311b4_z.jpg 

 

On the F-102, the missiles were mounted to a trapeze mechanism. The Eduard detail set includes PE pieces for the trapezes that look much better than the kit offerings:

 

49407178092_16289fc758_c.jpg

 

Installing the PE, however, is a challenge to say the least. More like wrestling an uncooperative octopus! I managed to build two before I ran out of steam. Here is what a trapeze looks like with the PE in place:

 

49406497963_543971e286_z.jpg 

 

Perhaps, after a good rest, I'll get up enough motivation to tackle the others.

 

That's it for my weekend update!

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Christer A said:

That etched trapeze looks very scary!

I’ve built two so far, thinking I’ll do two more so the outer bays’ AIM-4s will be extended. I’ll leave the center bay’s AIM-26s in the stowed position. 

 

49418692918_3fe646659f_w.jpg

 

Here's a pic of the actual weapon bay and its trapezes:

 

49419409592_4a1ff061af_c.jpg

 

BTW, I've got the missiles painted up, now I just need to decal them. Lots of teeny tiny decals in the Eduard-Brassin set:

 

49419161666_2565f5d547_z.jpg

 

- Bill

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6 hours ago, billn53 said:

I’ve built two so far, thinking I’ll do two more so the outer bays’ AIM-4s will be extended. I’ll leave the center bay’s AIM-26s in the stowed position. 

 

49418692918_3fe646659f_w.jpg

 

Here's a pic of the actual weapon bay and its trapezes:

 

49419409592_4a1ff061af_c.jpg

 

BTW, I've got the missiles painted up, now I just need to decal them. Lots of teeny tiny decals in the Eduard-Brassin set:

 

49419161666_2565f5d547_z.jpg

 

- Bill

Good work on the missile racks, just out of interest on the picture above what is just aft of the missile bay?

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19 minutes ago, neil5208 said:

... just out of interest on the picture above what is just aft of the missile bay?

This is the ram air turbine on a Convair F-102. It provides emergency hydraulic power in the event of an engine failure:

 

 

 

It is described on page 1-44 of the flight manual, here:

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=v9NJ33r29LUC&pg=SA1-PA44&dq=f-102+emergency+hydraulic+pump&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSwMe-t5XnAhVCRa0KHc7PATUQ6AEwAHoECAAQAg#v=onepage&q=f-102 emergency hydraulic pump&f=false

 

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I'm late to the party, but the Meng F-102 is on my shopping list, so I'm enjoying that build immensely.  I have no immediate plans for the Hasegawa F-16, but that's proving to be interesting, too.  

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41 minutes ago, Lizardman743 said:

Very cool. Happen to be a Wisconsin lad myself and well... don't see too many models of WI based stuff!

Hello Lizardman..:post1: myself am originally from Tomahawk Wi. Still have family there in Tomahawk as well as in Madison & the yoop. 
 

Dennis

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2 hours ago, Andwil said:

Can’t be many towns named after WWII fighters. 😜 

 

AW

And that fighter, in turn, was named after a town in North Carolina 😜  (Well, almost. I was thinking Kitty Hawk)

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More progress on the Deuce! The topside has been painted Air Defense Command gray, using True North enamel. The more I use the True North paints, the more impressed I am with them! They go on smoothly and cover well.

 

49426947051_c6638a0f69_b.jpg 

 

I did forget to add a couple of PE items, but no problem as I still have to paint the underside.

 

Some small panels at the elevon hinge:

 

49427171972_0c87a0039a.jpg 

 

and an attachment for the landing hook:

 

49427172037_dcdc2586e5.jpg 

 

Speaking of photoetch, I've spent many hours bending tiny bits of metal and stress-testing my elderly eyes!

 

PE details added to the landing gear:

 

49423941818_2837bc5182.jpg  49424406861_767be624ea_z.jpg 

 

Here is the real thing:

 

49424383106_602c43ebb4.jpg   49424383086_75c6a9da1c_o.jpg 

 

The nose gear door has a complex arrangement of struts around the landing light:

 

49424406871_04f1168489_z.jpg 

 

Here it is after painting:

 

49427034906_7d296f02ce.jpg   49427034916_af80800289.jpg 

 

For the landing light, I replaced the clear kit part with one of these:

 

49427316337_b97f3345f9_z.jpg 

 

That's all for today!

 

 

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Kitty Hawk, of course the most obvious one!

 

AW

 

well not named after the town but sharing the name.

Edited by Andwil
Edited for clarity
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Just curious if you’ve seen the 60th anniversary scheme from 2007 ? 

 

https://www.115fw.ang.af.mil/Media/Photos/igphoto/2000657682/

 

https://www.115fw.ang.af.mil/Media/Photos/igphoto/2000657674/

 

https://www.115fw.ang.af.mil/Media/Photos/igphoto/2000681060/

https://www.115fw.ang.af.mil/Media/Photos/igphoto/2001525109/

 

I haven't seen decals for it but if you know someone that has the ability to make them ? There wasny anything to my knowledge in 2017 for the 70th anniversary ? But very likely in 2022 for the 75th. Which will also go into my collection of ANG TO-DO list.  
 

Dennis

 

PS - If you do know or can make your own decals, id be interested in a set in either 1/48th or 1/72nd scale maybe that could offset the cost by selling them ? 

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The Deuce is back in the warming box, having painted the underside. Meanwhile, I've been working on more bits & bobs:

 

Painted up the four missile pylons:

 

49429981991_fd2ebc82ce_z.jpg 

 

Added PE to the weapon bay doors, got them painted, as well as the door actuators:

 

49430201392_ff05527f8b_c.jpg

 

Speed brake doors also done:

 

49430201372_56876fc266.jpg 

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