Dave_R Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 (edited) Hi All, I'm joining in with Academys' new F-35B. I wasn't too sure if liked the look of the F-35 at first - but it's grown on me, way better looking than that Boeing contender for the ugliest aircraft ever designed anyway. The plan is to build it in landing configuration (it is a STOVL GB after all) with a pilot, the nose wheel unweighted at full extension, and just touching down on a carrier deck. So it'll need a bit of surgery to the nose wheel, but that's fairly straight forward and a base from Coastal Kits for the carrier deck. The pilot figure could be a bit tricky though. I haven't tried to do a pilot figure for erm... maybe 35 - 40 years and the only modern figures I have are from an Airfix Lightning or an Airfix Harrier GR9. The Harrier pilot is better, but would appear to be 8ft tall to scale and both figures will need surgery and and new helmet. When I ordered the kit I was expecting to have to sand down the RAM tape areas, but looking at them now I think they will be OK as they are. Dave. Edited July 13, 2020 by Dave_R 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 Nice to see another fixed-wing subject in the GB and like the plan you have to display it in landing configuration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 Hi All, The cockpit is done. That was painful on my eyes, working in 1/72 really highlights how bad my eyes are getting. The engine gubbins are done too so I can get it put together now. Dave. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Great start and a really smart looking kit with an eye watering amount of decals ! Best of luck with this one. Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Hi All, It all went together very nicely. So next on with the primer. Dave. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 Hi All, Primed. The next job will be to airbrush the bits that need it with white. Dave. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Tidy progress Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 Hi All, I've extended nose undercarriage by about 6mm to look unloaded. I think it'll be strong enough - but if not plan B will be to add weight (Blu-Tac) aft of the main wheels, to take the load off. Dave. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 Coming along at a lick of pace, and nicely done with the nose U/C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 Hi All, The main colour is on. The grey is supposed to be FS36170 "Have Glass" - "Have Glass" is apparently some sort of RAM paint and is slightly metallic. I've yet to see a real F-35, but I've looked at what seems like hundreds of F-35 photos and couldn't find any two that matched colourwise. The grey seems to change according ambient light conditions (no surprise there) and from batch to batch, so it's another of those "pays yer money takes yer choice" situations. I've used a homebrew of Humbrol 164 and a bit of Humbrol 53 Gunmetal enamels. After it's had plenty of time to dry I'll mask it for the various panels that need the second shade of grey. Dave. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyboy76 Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 She’s looking good Dave. Nice work on the front u/c leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hi All, Masked up and ready for the lighter grey bits. ...and painted. I think I've more or less got the finish I was after. Next, on with the decals and then I'll know if I've got the result I wanted. Dave. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Nice result so far. I managed the "have glass" look on my F-16 by rubbing some graphite powder I sanded from a pencil to the model, using a Q-tip. The result looked convincing to me, but it got lost a bit after the final layer of gloss cote. https://www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=11437&p=albums&album=40254 . It starts at image nr. 40. Alex 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 The paint looks good to me. I know that there have been discussions about this scheme and the equivalent on other forums with no clear result. I think that the end result is what the person making it is happy with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted July 27, 2020 Author Share Posted July 27, 2020 Hi All, Most of the decals are on. After spending a good three hours a day for the last six days on it the decals are done - almost, there's a couple of dozen stencils still to do. It was quite a tricky job, the decals are very thin - prone to wrinkling, curling up and sticking together. They also prefer sticking to human skin rather than plastic. On the other hand I don't fancy the idea of masking it up and painting it. The decals are very shiny so I'm going to have to airbrush it with a flat coat I was hoping to avoid that as I like the paint finish as it is. Dave. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Who said grey aircraft are boring? There's a lot going on across the skin of this one and all your efforts with paint and decals are looking great Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 On 7/27/2020 at 1:00 PM, Dave_R said: Most of the decals are on After spending a good three hours a day for the last six days on it the decals are done - almost, there's a couple of dozen stencils still to do. It was quite a tricky job, the decals are very thin - prone to wrinkling, curling up and sticking together. They also prefer sticking to human skin rather than plastic. On the other hand I don't fancy the idea of masking it up and painting it. The decals are very shiny so I'm going to have to airbrush it with a flat coat I was hoping to avoid that as I like the paint finish as it is. Watching this build with great interest now, and hoping that Academy offers an RAF version. A lot of the features from with the Italeri kit are handled in entirely different ways. Great build Dave! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 Hi All, The undercarriage is on, the rest of the decals and it now has a pilot. The modified nose wheel is the taking weight ok - but I now have a cunning plan to raise the nose wheel off the base (when it arrives). The pilot figure is a modified Airfix homunculus (yes, I had to check the spelling) with a new helmet. oxygen mask and legs amputated below the knee. So the next step will be to add the various doors - 16 of them. Dave. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert falcon Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Your F-35 is looking really good now !! Good luck with the doors ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Hi All, It's more or less done now. The main thing left to do is the canopy tint. I given the sensor thingy under the nose an amber tint using gloss varnish and yellow food dye. I may do that for the canopy, but I'm still checking the options. Dave. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyboy76 Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Looking great. Love this dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Lovely result Dave, looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_R Posted August 25, 2020 Author Share Posted August 25, 2020 Hi All, Now the base has arrived I can call this one done. I've added a slight amber tint to the canopy using Micro Gloss varnish with a bit of yellow food dye - it's not obvious, but it's there. I've raised the nose wheel a bit off the deck with a piece of thread from the jet exhaust though the deck and taped underneath. The base is an Essex class deck from Coastal Kits. Gallery photos to follow. Dave. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Nicely displayed, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert falcon Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Yes very well done! Looking great on the deck 👍 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