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Beginner mode - 1/72 Hasegawa F-16C


Ray B.

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Might as well jump right into the deep end!

 

I'm still pretty new to modeling. Like many, I'm sure, I started building models with my dad when I was a kid, maybe around 10-12 years old. And then I set it aside for over 25 years. I don't know what pushed me to get back into it, but now I've got loads of kits and supplies, and all the time in the world. What I don't quite have yet is ability, at least not enough to meet up to my high standards. So far I've started eleven kits, aborted five to disastrous mistakes, and completed two. So I'm going to try to use this thread as a form of accountability and see if I can't push another one through to completion.

 

The first completed one was the same kit I'm going to try again here: Hasegawa's 1/72 F-16C Fighting Falcon.

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This build is going to be mostly OOB. I was going to go with AIM-9X / AIM-120 / AGM-88 for the loadout, but the HARMs from the Hasegawa Weapons Sets are pretty lacking. This seems like a good chance to try out the GBU-39 SDB set I picked up from Eduard. And since I like the new scheme so much, I'll be going with the Have Glass V dark gray scheme, with markings from South Dakota ANG.

 

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It's still likely going to be a bit of a mess, but it's a learning experience. Things that burned me the first time around:

  • Filling seams. I got some ugly fits from the air intake around the nose gear bay, and around the canopy which I didn't notice until I'd pulled the masks off. Also got a poor fit from the exhaust nozzle as I had done this separate from the rest of the model and fit it on after everything was painted, without test fetting.
  • Watching where my fingers are when using thin cement. Capillary action works great with fingerprints.
  • Making sure the wings are level when cementing them. The other things were frustrating, but this one right as I put the finishing touches on the model, and it just completely killed all those good feelings of accomplishment.
  • Putting on way too much paint with the airbrush. I have to remember that it doesn't have to look like a wet coat.

 

I'll consider it a success if I finish it and cut down on some of those aforementioned mistakes. This is not a thread to follow if you're looking for a super detailed model with great weathering (or any weathering at all, for that matter.) At most, if everything goes swimmingly, I'll try panel line accenting at the end.

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Give it a go! It's great to see new members dive in and just build. We are all here to offer support, guidance, whatever, or just watch!

 

I'll stick around to see how this goes as I quite like this aircraft.

 

Terry

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Thanks, @Terry1954 and @desert falcon. I appreciate it!

 

Since this a basic flat-surfaces-and-decals cockpit, I didn't think it worth the hassle of breaking out the airbrush and fussing with primer. Time for the hairy sticks.

 

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This join hasn't been good on either of these kits. A symptom of old tooling, I suppose. It's easy enough to fill. The rest of the fuselage fit is largely good.

 

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12 hours ago, Ray B. said:

Like many, I'm sure, I started building models with my dad when I was a kid, maybe around 10-12 years old. And then I set it aside for over 25 years. I don't know what pushed me to get back into it, but now I've got loads of kits and supplies, and all the time in the world.

Welcome back to the hobby, Ray! 😉 It’s never too late.

 

9 hours ago, Ray B. said:

This join hasn't been good on either of these kits. A symptom of old tooling, I suppose. It's easy enough to fill.

Some time ago I discovered for myself that the elimination of the seams is better as a preventive step, so I started to dry fit everything and sand (or add) the plastic until the joints will gone. It’s not so fast at the first sight, but it’ll save your time later and gives you a sturdy model. It’s just my opinion.

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It’s great to see people returning to the hobby. I find part of the fun is learning techniques and solving modelling problems.

 

your build looks to be going great so far. I still brush paint interiors and small stuff but break out the airbrush or a rattle can for full paint schemes.

 

As for your issues, we all till encounter them.

 

seams: there are many different putties. I still prefer Squadron green stuff but I also use perfect plastic putty, Tamiya putty and liquid green stuff on a regular basis.

 

Fingerprints, scotch right or those nail buffing boards you get in pound shops are great at cleaning them up.

 

Geometry. I use a small engineers square and of course Lego is your friend for more complex jobs.

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Airbrushing. I’m amazed you’re airbrushing so DII , it took me a number of years to have the nerve to go there. I think cleanliness, the right paint mix and patience are the key. But I must admit that despite any difficulties. You just can’t beat a good airbrush finish.

 

Britmodellers a friendly ( sometimes whacky ) environment and people are always ready to help, I’ve even had modellers send me plans and resin parts. So again welcome.

Edited by Marklo
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35 minutes ago, Marklo said:

still prefer Squadron green stuff b

That's my favourite also but like you I do use a few others. Have to agree also on the look of a good airbrush finish.

 

Your Lego jig has reminded me to make more use of that for alignment etc.

 

Terry

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6 hours ago, Nikolay Polyakov said:

Welcome back to the hobby, Ray! 😉 It’s never too late.

 

Some time ago I discovered for myself that the elimination of the seams is better as a preventive step, so I started to dry fit everything and sand (or add) the plastic until the joints will gone. It’s not so fast at the first sight, but it’ll save your time later and gives you a sturdy model. It’s just my opinion.

Thanks, Nikolay! I do dry fit and sand/trim, but adding to the plastic is something I haven't tried. Do you mean with strips of styrene or something like that?

 

 

1 hour ago, Marklo said:

Geometry. I use a small engineers square and of course Lego is your friend for more complex jobs.

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Airbrushing. I’m amazed you’re airbrushing so DII , it took me a number of years to have the nerve to go there. I think cleanliness, the right paint mix and patience are the key. But I must admit that despite any difficulties. You just can’t beat a good airbrush finish.

That is a great idea that never would have occurred to me. Definitely picking some up today. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

An airbrush was the first thing I picked up, before any of the kits. We didn't have one when I was a kid and I always wanted one, and I find it useful for painting miniatures.

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15 minutes ago, Ray B. said:

Do you mean with strips of styrene or something like that?

Plastic strips, stretched sprues, the «sprue glue» and even the plastic chip - these things are so usable for filling existing or potential gaps. And it’s more flexible than the putty itself.

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Progress is slow but still moving. Prone to shiny object syndrome, I opened up the resin GBU-39 SDB kit I had sitting around and immediately felt like I'd bitten off more than I can chew, because in 1/72 scale, these definitely live up to the 'Small' part of their name.

 

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I shaved off the mounting points for the inboard pylons and drilled holes to accept the bomb racks, and I'm reasonably pleased with their fit. Hand brushing the bombs now with the smallest brushes I have. Here's hoping I don't make a total hash of it.

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On 9/30/2020 at 7:24 AM, Marklo said:

Geometry. I use a small engineers square and of course Lego is your friend for more complex jobs.

Lego is, in fact, my friend.

 

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Those came out much more level than the previous attempt. Thanks again for the tip!

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First off, I love that you know where your weak points are. I’ve been building models for 35 years, and I still make mistakes; I take note of them and try to avoid them next time around.

 

The best advice I can give (not that you asked for it 😉 ) is to strive for incremental improvement. You don’t have to perfect all of those weak areas at one time. As a co-worker likes to say, “Progress, not perfection.” 

 

To the subject of the WIP, the old Hasegawa F-16C is a gem of a kit. Enjoy!

 

Steve

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14 hours ago, The Good Sergeant said:

As a co-worker likes to say, “Progress, not perfection.” 

Thanks for the kind words! I like this. Putting into practice is something I definitely struggle with, but I'm working on it.

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Despite a quiet week, this is still in progress. Slow as it may be, I'm learning, and I'm making some changes to the plan.

  • I received a couple of new F-16 kits in the mail. One is the Revell F-16 MLU kit, and the other is the Hasegawa F-16CJ kit. As the CJ with the big mouth intake is more appropriate for the Have Glass scheme I was going to go with, I'm going to reserve those decals for that kit.
  • With that in mind, and also because I'm going to do a Su-35S in similar colors for the upcoming Interceptor GB, I got a new scheme and details in from Twobobs. As this is an aggressor, the SDBs are going to be omitted from this build and moved over to the future CJ build.

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  • The air intake has been painted inside and attached, and I'm working on filling gaps with putty. I'm using Vallejo Acrylic Putty and I feel like I'm being too impatient with it. I'm applying it, wetting a cotton swab, and wiping off the excess, but it tends to shrink into the gap and I end up with a recessed fill line (not the worst, depending on where it is, but not always desirable) and sometimes that line has gaps in it and needs another pass with the putty. I think I'm going to try leaving the excess on and sanding after it cures, then scribing as needed.
  • I've learned that while AK Real Colors spray well, they need plenty of time to cure before trying to mask over them. 5 minutes was not nearly enough and I had to sand and respray a spot.
  • I'm planning on painting the bare metal parts on the engine nozzle today. then masking them and attaching it to the fuselage. The above instruction sheet shows an even steel ring behind the feathers on the nozzle but the actual part has some waviness to the bottom half. I have not decided if I want to fill the existing line and rescribe an even ring, or just leave it as is. It shouldn't look -too- bad if I leave it as is.
  • This is getting pretty close to painting time. I did not enjoy my first time around where I painted the landing gear and doors off-model and attached it all with super glue. This time around, I think I'm going to attach struts and legs before painting, and only wheels and doors will be done off the model.

 

More pictures to follow, once I've finished the engine nozzle and the filling around the intake mouth.

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On 10/15/2020 at 1:26 PM, TonyOD said:

What an awesome idea!

 

And if you got enough LEGO bricks, you can always take it a bit further like my son did 🙂 

 

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On 10/14/2020 at 8:32 PM, Ray B. said:

Despite a quiet week, this is still in progress. Slow as it may be, I'm learning, and I'm making some changes to the plan.

  • I received a couple of new F-16 kits in the mail. One is the Revell F-16 MLU kit, and the other is the Hasegawa F-16CJ kit. As the CJ with the big mouth intake is more appropriate for the Have Glass scheme I was going to go with, I'm going to reserve those decals for that kit.
  • With that in mind, and also because I'm going to do a Su-35S in similar colors for the upcoming Interceptor GB, I got a new scheme and details in from Twobobs. As this is an aggressor, the SDBs are going to be omitted from this build and moved over to the future CJ build.

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  • The air intake has been painted inside and attached, and I'm working on filling gaps with putty. I'm using Vallejo Acrylic Putty and I feel like I'm being too impatient with it. I'm applying it, wetting a cotton swab, and wiping off the excess, but it tends to shrink into the gap and I end up with a recessed fill line (not the worst, depending on where it is, but not always desirable) and sometimes that line has gaps in it and needs another pass with the putty. I think I'm going to try leaving the excess on and sanding after it cures, then scribing as needed.
  • I've learned that while AK Real Colors spray well, they need plenty of time to cure before trying to mask over them. 5 minutes was not nearly enough and I had to sand and respray a spot.
  • I'm planning on painting the bare metal parts on the engine nozzle today. then masking them and attaching it to the fuselage. The above instruction sheet shows an even steel ring behind the feathers on the nozzle but the actual part has some waviness to the bottom half. I have not decided if I want to fill the existing line and rescribe an even ring, or just leave it as is. It shouldn't look -too- bad if I leave it as is.
  • This is getting pretty close to painting time. I did not enjoy my first time around where I painted the landing gear and doors off-model and attached it all with super glue. This time around, I think I'm going to attach struts and legs before painting, and only wheels and doors will be done off the model.

 

More pictures to follow, once I've finished the engine nozzle and the filling around the intake mouth.

 

Good to know you are making progress Ray. For info I posted some pictures of a Danish F-16 in have glass here. 

 

 

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35 minutes ago, desert falcon said:

 

Good to know you are making progress Ray. For info I posted some pictures of a Danish F-16 in have glass here. 

 

 

Thanks for that! My previous attempt at this model was also in Have Glass. I really love the dark gray, for some reason.

 

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Edited by Ray B.
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Struggling to find the right shade here.

 

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I think it might be okay if I can dirty it up when I'm done.

 

The outer ring is Vallejo Metal Color Steel, and the feathers are VMC Pale Burnt Metal. Both are coated with a thinned mix of Tamiya Clear Red and Clear Green, and then toned down with Tamiya Smoke. I was hoping VMC Pale Burnt Metal would look something like this out of the bottle. Unfortunately, it did not.

 

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The inside is VMC Jet Exhaust. After this cures, I'll mask off the painted areas with Parafilm and attach this piece to the fuselage. Getting closer to painting the whole thing.

 

I also might have to run out and look for some different masking tape. I typically use 3M blue painters tape to good effect, but this roll I'm using now has been pulling up paint and primer. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not giving them enough time to cure, or if I had a low-tack version before and this stuff is tackier. I prefer this to the Tamiya tape because when I used the Tamiya on the last F-16, there were places where the paint sprayed through (not under) the tape. Faint, but noticeable, and as such I don't really trust it.

 

 

 

Edited by Ray B.
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It's looking more like an airplane now.

 

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The canopy is masked with Parafilm M, as is the painted part of the engine nozzle. I like how Parafilm sticks but does not leave residue. It handled Tamiya paint just fine. I'm hoping it'll hold up to AK Real Colors as well.

 

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I got a much better fit out of the vertical stabilizer this time around. I'm sure this has something to do with the fact that I painted it off the model last time and mounted it afterwards, and I didn't want to risk ruining the paint. I'm not quite happy with the job I've done with the filler there yet, but I'll get there.

 

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Seen in this light, I feel a lot better about the engine nozzle colors. The fit of the air intake is still the weak point on this model, and it's not helped by the fact that there are no alignment aids. The joins are pretty smooth where the filler is, if a bit unsightly at the moment. I still need to tend to the gap behind the front lip of the intake. And as you can tell, I have naturally oily fingers. 😕

 

Next steps:

- Finish touching up with putty around the vertical stabilizer, elevators, and front intake lip

- Mount the landing gear leg and struts

- Wipe the bulk of the model down with rubbing alcohol

- Apply primer

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It's that time.

 

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Prime time.

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Already I see stray strands of cotton on the underside that will have to be sanded out and resurfaced, but this is usually the point in the process where I'm happiest. Primer just looks so nice.

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8 hours ago, Ray B. said:

this is usually the point in the process where I'm happiest. Primer just looks so nice.

I agree. It’s the most satisfying bit of the build, apart from finishing it! All the scruffiness disappears forever and the lines of the aircraft shine through.

 

It’s looking great!

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Layer the First - Medium Gray (FS36270)

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There are several sections that need to be masked off before the next layer goes on. I hadn't realized it on first glance, but after receiving the decals and the vinyl masks that came with it, they're visible on the references.

 

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Now is the hardest part for me: waiting. My first go-round with Real Colors found that 10 minutes is not enough time for the paint to become resistant to tape. I'm probably done for the day, and we'll move on to Layer the Second - Gunship Gray (FS36118) in the morning.

 

Question in the meantime: I'm thinking about the loadout. The underwing drop tanks are a definite. For the wings, I'm leaning towards just using the wingtip stations. Would a captive Sidewinder on one wing and an ACMI pod on the other make sense? Does it matter which side is which? It's between that or just going captive Sidewinders on both. I like me some color on my planes and I'd paint them all blue, while the ACMI pod would be orange.

Edited by Ray B.
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Layer the Second - Gunship Gray (FS36118) is all masked up and ready to go.

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The precut vinyl masks aren't cut very well. The shapes aren't sharp and that big circle behind the canopy is only vaguely circle shaped, but we're not going to pixel-peep, right? This'll be on the shelf for the vast majority of its days.

 

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I wasn't feeling great about the color while I was spraying it because it looked -super- light, but once the masks came off, it looked pretty good to me. The first shots I saw of the Su-35S were in that cool looking eggplant gray and I thought it was a lot darker with more of a purple hue than it actually is. Imagine my disappointment when I found out it's actually -really- similar to Gunship Gray. Up by the threat warning antenna there's a patch where the blue tape pulled up the primer, and I'm removing it from the rotation. Disappointed, but what can you do? I'm still needing to go out and see if there's a low-tack version.

 

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Largely, the paint laid down pretty nicely. It doesn't smell nearly as bad as Mr. Color does, and for the most part, I was happy with how this was going. It looks really nice around the masked off edges.

 

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Unfortunately, my expensive fancy-pants airbrush didn't come with a cap for the paint cup, and somewhere in the process I sloshed paint over the rim and onto the wing. The lacquer paint ate right through the primer down to the bare plastic, and though I got the excess wiped off quickly, this paint job is pretty well screwed. It isn't really noticeable unless the light shines like this on it and it's right up in your face, so... we're not going to pixel-peep, right? This'll be on the shelf for the vast majority of its days.

 

This is the kind of mistake that crushes me, probably a lot more than it should. It's on par with the droopy wing on the Toledo bird. You don't notice it unless you're looking for it.. but I know it's there, and it eats at me every time I see it.

 

I'll press on tomorrow with Layer the Third - Air Superiority Blue (FS35450).

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