bar side Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 Trying to figure out if the grey is too light. I have painted her with Humbrol green 163 which normally comes out quite olivey and mid grey 165. I don’t think the photo light is doing the colours any favours so will take a picture out in daylight. I did my Herc with 163 but used the darker 27 grey. Looking at the reference pics above the first 2 do look lighter grey and I feel like I remember them being a bit lighter than the RAF grey / green colours 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Can you track down a couple of Luftwaffe Starfighter builds and see what they used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 Yes, can have a look at that @Pete in Lincs although in the daylight she looks better. Going to finish the camo as it is & maybe a darker wash at the end will tone it down a bit believe it or not the green on those two is the same! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 More progress today. Sticking with the lighter grey and the wings are on and the camo is finished. The anti glare nose is done along with the rear lower fuselage red strip The canopy frame has a coat on the outside but needs more doing. It’s also not fixed on yet. The panels & covers are balanced in place but not painted and the seats are just sitting in place. The wheels are painted and dry fitted. Still have aerials & antenna to fit & paint plus decals & any wash over the paint & decals But that is the main shape & look 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 The Alpha Jet needs the cockpit finished off. The two panels need some work to make them look more like the real thing. Otherwise the body is ready for decals. I looked at the kit decals and there is no unit badge for the tail & a few other bits that could be improved. So a dig through the spare decals box produced some options That’s an RF-4E, Tornado and the Gina decals sets as well as the Alpha Jet set. The crosses on the kit set are a bit chunky, but the Tornado set ones look good, so may use them instead. The Gina set includes the unit shield that I need too. So some mix & match should work. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted July 17, 2020 Author Share Posted July 17, 2020 Time to sort out the cockpit & fit the panels today. The kit panels are, well, basic. With panel decals for the main instruments. Bit of adding to this with plasticard And in situ Now painted & decals added and seats in. I put a silver foil over the front section & painted it plus added the front gun sight About ready for decals 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 And with decals outside. Not finished - the canopy is blutaced on & not fully painted. The decals need a check & then a flat coat all over, then any weathering. Won’t do much of that but might add some 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shalako Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 On 7/18/2020 at 12:45 PM, bar side said: I believe this photo captures best the quality of your build lad!👍 Great idea BTW, to take the photos outside. Cheers Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 sorry for the lack of progress. currently on hols. I had hoped to finish everything before heading off, but will be back to it in a week or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Back from hols. Nice break & even saw a flight of 3 A-400s coming in low or Orleans Bricy. Now back to the Alpha Jet. Finished off the inside of the canopy and added the pylons, rbf tags and FOD covers. The canopy is glued open but the clear glue is struggling to hold it open. I have since glued it open again. I have left off the kit wing tanks as they look wrong. The nose is rounded while the real ones are pointy. I will see if I can find some old outer pylon Hunter tanks as they look nearer to the right shape. Anyway today’s progress 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHIL B Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Very nice build. I've long been put off this kit by its repuation for inaccuracies but you've really tamed it. Lovely paintwork too. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Cheers @PHIL B the paint is just rattle cans but I do like her. Some builds you can go off but she has grown on me during the build. Lots of not great bits, but for a cheap kit she has come up ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHIL B Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 As a teenager I built ESCI's 1/48 Jaguar in conjunction with a friend. Now that kit is seen as a bit of a mess but we enjoyed it. Come to think of it, that was my first model in 1/48. ESCI did produce some very nice kits at affordable prices and you have proven they still are. I'm rather partial to Hawk or 2 or 12 so a 1/48 Alpha Jet holds a lot of attraction for me. I have Kinetic's one in the Patrouille de France boxing and it just might have to be pulled to the front of the stash now! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Not tried the ESCI Jag but I have done a couple of Airfix ones. Always wondered what the ESCI one was like by comparison. I am only on 2 Hawks so far - well 2 1/48 & one 1/72. Still fancy a grey scheme with black or blue tail and I do like the red/white/blue scheme. And that is still without a Red Arrows one. Bet the Kinetics kit will be nice. Still waiting for their Buccaneer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 56 minutes ago, bar side said: Not tried the ESCI Jag but I have done a couple of Airfix ones. Always wondered what the ESCI one was like by comparison. I have one . Forget it in comprison to the Airfix one. You would definetely need new wheels and afterburner cans and a new Cockpit. Panel lines the same as on the Alpha Jet Thick positve ones. I bought mine 1991 at the time as it was the only game in town like the Alpha Jet in quarter scale. There was an 1:50 Heller one, but din't look much better in terms of details and Esci kits were kwown to be buildable in terms of fit and general accuracy If you want to build a very good old scool Esci kit then my choice would be the Mirage F-1 with finely recessed panel lines. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Looking lovely. As a kid the matchbox alphajet was always the only kit left in the newsagent on a rainy afternoon. But seeing your build makes me want to build one again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 2 hours ago, Marklo said: Looking lovely. As a kid the matchbox alphajet was always the only kit left in the newsagent on a rainy afternoon. But seeing your build makes me want to build one again. Yes remembered that Matchbox kit when I was building this! And the die cast one 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 I built the ESCI F1 @bbudde - nice enough kit but I messed up the decals & put the body roundel in the wrong place. Must fix it one day And the A-7 isn’t bad but the cockpit is odd & rather wide. Had to put in a resin seat and that was rather lost in the space. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 There's something weird about the ESCI Jaguar canopy too. Too fat, IIIRC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 So need to dig out the HAS for RFI but this is her done I think - fix the canopy droop! I did try cutting some etch to fit canopy mirrors but you can’t really see them anyway. The silver foil FOD covers seems to have worked well 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 A smart result. There's life in these old kits yet! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Just now, Pete in Lincs said: A smart result. There's life in these old kits yet! Cheers. I feel slightly cheated if a kit just fits without any real issues! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 19 hours ago, bar side said: Cheers. I feel slightly cheated if a kit just fits without any real issues! In that case, I have a Merlin Models 1/72nd Piper Enforcer in the stash you'd might be interested in. Nice Alpha Jet! Gotta love a German splinter. Cheers, Andtr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 30 minutes ago, Hook said: In that case, I have a Merlin Models 1/72nd Piper Enforcer in the stash you'd might be interested in. Nice Alpha Jet! Gotta love a German splinter. Cheers, Andtr I have a Sanger 1/48 Shackelton vacform waiting. That’s not going to fall together 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted August 10, 2020 Author Share Posted August 10, 2020 Finally got around to doing the RFI today. Would have done better but it was hot out there! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now