From the Biggest to the Smallest XF-85 Goblin

[LorenSharp]

After finishing one he the biggest if not the biggest model I'll ever do comes the smallest, Special Hobby's 1/48 XF-85 Goblin.

Your typical limited run kit. A mixture of resin and plastic(with a lot of flash and I don't mean snazzy) So let's begin shall we?

[Shorty84]

Oh yes, please! I like these parasite fighter concepts, even though they proved unsucessful in the end. Wouldn't it be nice to build the EB-29 with it's trapeze too and hang the whole combination from the ceiling?

 

Cheers

Markus

[LorenSharp]

The resin is pretty good for once. No short shots. Same as the plastic, but there is some flash to trim.

It won't be totally out of the box because SH always has you make parts they didn't want to.

No locator pins so a little bit of plastic to keep everything even. And to secure bits that have no place to hang.

OK, first issue. A bit of a gap at the intake not at the top thats supposed to be there,but around the circumference. Card won't fix this. It's Milliput time.

A little bit around the edge and once this sets I'll sand down nice and smooth. While the intake is drying, I'll fix up the transport cart.

The nice thing about the Goblin is it has no wheels just a skid if it needed to land. Originally designed as part of the FICON(Fighter CONveyer) system for the B-36 later the RB-36. Carried in the rear Bomb bay first idea was for additional defense over enemy territory.

One look at this bug and you know that's not going to fly, pun intended. so then the military types in their infinite wisdom of the fifties said. I know how to use this! make it a recon ship. Fly on ahead scout around see if anyone's about and come back to momma. Small enough nobody's gonna see it and if they did they would laugh themselves silly that anyone would be insane enough to fly one of these things. As it was the initial testing was done launching from a B-29. Launching was a resounding success. Recovery..... welll not so much. Extereme buffeting from the mothership made it impossible to attach to the great big hook and trapeze system. First time the Goblin was thrown into the trapeze shattering the canopy and knocking the pilots helmet off. Forcing the pilot to emergency land. Second time didn't even get that far. 7 flights with only 3 successful hookups total air test time about 10 hours. to launches, no recoveries, the Goblin Cancelled. It didn't kill the FICON Program though later tests were done with a modified F-84F. Some how I thing the designers went to work for Hasagawa and designed their Egg Planes.

Anyways, the trolley for this little bird. I didn't like the Resin parts that came with the kit. Some damage from age so I built a new trolley in 3D and printed a new frame. The other parts I kept as they were in good condition.

So there we are for right now. I'll let the intake set over night and sand it down in the morning. I'm still debating on whether to use foil or Alcad II for the exterior surface. Until later. If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas, let me know.

[LorenSharp]

Just a small  update(no comments from the naughty corner) After getting the gaps filled and sanded on the intake I discovered that the compressor assembly was off centre and since there wasn't much detail I took out the front piece and made my own assembly

This will be  much easier to align properly than prying apart the fuselage and  trying to straighten it that way. And adds a little bit of detail in the process. No snickering I hear you.

All nice and trimmed and even.

As typical with Special Hobby, in addition to no alignment pins, no slots to hold the wings in place. So took my pin vise and drilled out small holes in both the fuselage and wing and cut small pieces of wire brads to attach with.

Attached with a little bit of filler at the wing root. Much less than I expected.

And drilled for the tail pieces. I'll attach those after surfacing the fuselage and wings. The panel lines are very fine and need re-scribed and the plastic polished before finishing.Since the actual aircraft was highly polished and shiney I'l going with Ultra bright chrome foil.  Lets see how well I can  cover a compound curve .

Dad says if I eat all my vegetables and sprinkle water on myself  occasionally I'll grow up to be a Sabre jet!

[LorenSharp]

Quick update, Aluminum foil added along with the tail pieces and wing fencing

Also the trapeze hook and most of the trolley. I have to print out new  wheels as these were too big and the wrong shape.

As shallow as the panel lines were my normal  weathering of thinned acrylic paint didn't work, so I used a mechanical pencil to do the high lighting.

The canopy is next to be done then add the decals.  This isn't what one would call a long build.🤔 So until later, If you have any comments or what not, please let me know.

[LorenSharp]

Having finished printing out new wheels the cart/carriage is done.

Had to  correct the side covers to the trapeze hook, had them on backwards.... ooppps. And added the landing skid,pitot tubes.

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  And finally the  decals

This has been a fun if quick build and thanks for stopping by and checking it out I doubt I will ever build any thing smaller.

Here is the RFI link

 

Now to finish off a group build and then see what other mischievous mayhem I can get myself into..... Muahhhaaaaa!

As always any comments, suggestions, or ideas are always welcome. Thanks for following along.

 

[SAT69]

I like it! A lot!

[Martian]

1 hour ago, SAT69 said:

I like it! A lot!

Me too! I fact I am struggling to avoid rushing off to evil bay to try get one.

 

Wavering of Mars 👽

[chrislowe]

Love it! What a cracking job you've done on this unusual subject.