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A look back - Revell's 1/72 F-101B Voodoo


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Subject;         416 Sqn. CF-101B Voodoo, s/n. 101721; CFB Chatham, New Brunswick circa 1984

Kit:                 Revell's 1/72 F-101B Voodoo

Aftermarket:  True Details resin ejection seats

                      CMK navigation/anti-collision beacon lights

                      Master brass F-101 pitot 

Decal's:          Leading Edge CF-101B Voodoo (late scheme)

                      Canuck Decals CF-101B canopy seals (OOP)

Finish:            Compucolour's Voodoo/AWACS Grey  (also sold by Model Master, but now OOP) .. NOTE: This is not ADC grey!

                      Model Master Insignia Red wing panels, etc.

                      Various Polly "S" metals for the engines  and the rear fuselage.

                     

Modifications:

       - opened up the large scoops on the belly and at the same time, 'boxed' them in. Photos show there is a minute gap between the bottom of the scoop and the fuselage.
     - filled all molded 'screens/vents'. This is a personal choice, but the screens/vents on the "B" model are different than that on the kit. The LE sheet provide these as convincing decals.   If you are doing one of the 2nd batch of Voodoos delivered to Canada, the external air-conditioning scoop on the lower side of the port-side nose, needs to be replaced by a triangular flush scoop,  which is also provided as a decal on the Leading Edge sheet.

      - scratched new splitter vanes in the intakes due to both being 'short shots'. I also took the opportunity to replace the molded vanes with 'thinner' plastic sheet which looked more correct to my eye.
      - replaced molded 'underside' UHF antenna with a P/E part from an old True Details' Modern Antenna' set.
      - replaced oversized kit 'temperature probe' (near UHF antenna) with small "L-shaped" portion of a P/E 'fret'.

      - corrected location of 'Alpha probes' on the side of the nose by lowering them about 1mm, while also replacing the oversized parts with a pair of P/E Alpha probes  The need to change the probes location really isn't apparent until you look at the probes location in relation to the scheme on the nose of a CF-101B.

      - added IFF blade antenna between nose gear and the rotating weapons bay,

      - replaced kit seats with the True Details resin offerings. The Pavla set wasn't available at the time I was gathering things in preparation for the build.
      - used MV lenses for nose gear l/l (kit instructions mentioned them but the re-issued kit didn't provide the clear parts). 

FWIW: I didn't catch it until too late to safely make the change, but the staggered nose landing lights are reversed in terms of positioning on the nose gear leg.

      - drilled out the ID light on the port side, below the rear canopy and replaced it with a MV lens.
      - applied CMK coloured navigation and anti-collision beacons, plus scratched the clear cover for rear-facing position lights in fin cap. This feature is molded as part of the fin cap
      - replaced the grossly oversized kit pitot tube with the Master Brass offering. 
      

General Construction tips:

 

Overall, I found the kit to be a rather enjoyable build, but that's not to say it was perfect. The worse fit I found was for the weapons bay door/fuselage. However if you choose to do it closed, the problem is significantly reduced. If you plan to do it 'open', I suggest you replace the 'tabs' to rotate the bay door with something a bit longer. That should solve it.

Another point that greatly eased the build was actually pointed out to me by a friend building the Monogram 1/48 Voodoo and it concerned the intake/wing assembly. First. separate the "Y" of the completed intake trunk, into two halves. Those 'spacer bars' are too long and will place stress on the assembled wing, contributing to an anhedrail when viewed from the front. Another thing is to remove the location tabs for the wings. You'll find they're not really reqired and the wing-to-fuselage assembly will go much easier.

 

Finally, I relocated the MLG to a correct and more outboard position than the instructions show. They suggest the MLG be located within a flat 'football-shaped' (that's as in a North American 'football') detail molded on the roof of the wheel wells, when in fact the proper location should be at the outer end of the wheel well. Once that was done, I then thinned the thick small 'upper MLG doors' so that there is a gap between them (as per ref. photos) and the wing surface. The instructions called for them to be glued directly to the wing.

 

 

Scott

 

The 'red star' below the windscreen doesn't signify a 'kill marking', but rather a single 'intercept' (in this case a 'Bear') that was made by this aircraft, off Canada's east coast.

CF-101-B-BM1.jpg

 

The large red wing panels are applied for 'combat maneuvering' exercises. Each Voodoo squadron had the panels applied in a unique pattern, and/or colour.

CF-101-B-BM2.jpg

 

CF-101-B-BM3.jpg

 

CF-101-B-BM5.jpg

Edited by Scott Hemsley
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Very good work on this kit, and I really like those exercise markings - gives this bird a bit different look. Also great summary of changes or improvements - should guide others on the construction journey!

 

Need to finally treat my CB-101B with a photo session and put it on this site :)

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Well done Scott!!!!!  This is certainly not an easy kit to construct but yet you have turned it into a convincing replica.  My compliments on the superb results.  :goodjob:

 

Mike

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Thank you for your comments, everyone.  :)

 

Dennis:  Your comment re. 'the change summary' made me think a bit more and as a result, I've re-edited the original post to include a couple of 'Construction Tips, that are not specific to a CF-101B … but would apply in general to either the Revell 1/72 kit or the Monogram 1/48 Voodoo.

 

Scott

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Lovely Woodoo, I like it a lot. I have a soft spot for Woodoos in Canadian markings.

 

Does someone remember...? I read a comic book in the early 80s and it was all about a Canadian squadron flying F-101s in these markings. And then there were also Luftwaffe Tornadoes flying along the Canadian unit. And together they saved the World or something like that. All I can remember clearly is that the comic book had excellent pictures.

 

Cheers,

Antti

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Lovely build, and thank you for build tips - the Voodoo is on my list.

 

Although I have to say...Interior Green and red u/c bays? What was McDonnell Douglas thinking? I'd dread to think what colour they'd paint their bathroom...

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Thank you, Bangseat.

Quote

you for build tips - the Voodoo is on my list.

You're welcome. PM me if you have questions and 'll try to have an answer ready, even though the build was "a while ago".  Yon mentioned the Voodoo is on your list,.  If you want to do a CF-101B sometime in the future and need decals, Leading Edge has a reprint of the sheet I used, currently listed on their site … but don't wait.  Past experience with them has shown that when a particular run is sold out, Dave's not adverse to shelving that sheet for a indeterminate period.

Quote

Although I have to say...Interior Green and red u/c bays? What was McDonnell Douglas thinking? I'd dread to think what colour they'd paint their bathroom..

Just looking out for the welfare of all us modellers crawling around with our cameras., in search of that ultimate detail shot.  :)    My guess is that the purpose of the red l/g doors was not unlike why the USN and other services edge their l/g doors with red or some other very noticeable colour. Still, I agree … it's not a scheme I'd choose for the living room, but you got to admit … it's festive.  

 

Scott

Edited by Scott Hemsley
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  • 1 month later...

Excellent work, Scott! 👏 We love Voodoos here.

 

On 20/05/2020 at 00:40, Scott Hemsley said:

- replaced kit seats with the True Details resin offerings. The Pavla set wasn't available at the time I was gathering things in preparation for the build.

It’s not bad, because the Pavla’s Weber seats isn’t looks like a Weber seats, in my opinion.

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  • 2 years later...

Sorry for finding this build so late, but it's a beauty. Great work Scott. As a former 101 maintainer, I'm impressed you painted the "red door" on the belly.

 

Craig

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