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F-100D Monogram 1/48. Back to the future!


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Hi all,

As I was moving house lately, I stumbled on a Monogram kit I all but forget I had. The box was mint and still had the cellophane wrapper on.

D1-E3-CFF9-0672-4-E0-E-A9-F4-41217-E2-CB

 

I built the kit when it was first released in 1980. I remember being astounded by the details and the precision moulding. I really enjoyed painting the cockpit and the intricate interior.


At the same period was issued a new French aviation magazine with an article entitled ‘Skarks over the Red Sea’ and dealing with French AF F-100D operations in Africa. The cover sported a brace of F-100s with a spectacular shark mouth which struck many a modeller.

6-EEE4-B42-3-F9-F-49-CF-A643-5-B5-FD81-F
 

When recently an old IPMS friend told me that he had the corresponding decals ( and accompanying resin recce pod) in double, I was in business again. The game’s afoot.

AF1-C0-EAE-4-FAD-40-E9-9446-05-E2-D739-C

 

I’ll build this kit OOB without any aftermarket help -aside the decals and resin pod of course- to try to relive the exciting moments I had.

 

Having said that, I’d also try to update the 40 year-old kit to 2020 standard with my meager skills.

 

Watch this space,

Cheers,

Quang

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Alan and John, you're right. There are quite a few of us old timers who remember that period with a wet eye!  😢

 

Here's for the young 'uns a quick preview of the Monogram kit.

The Century Series released in the 1980s is IMO the most successful Monogram had ever released. For some reasons their Navy counterparts didn't fare as well. Correct shapes, adequate and realistic details –albeit a little simplified by today's standards, these kits were a joy to build and paint.

The only negative point is Monogram's somehow 'creative' way of designing the kits resulting in complicated assemblies and unsightly joins. 'Sanding the clowns' they said 😜
83748-DC7-80-B9-426-B-85-BE-E9-DEBC9963-

 

Like I usually do, the first thing is to give the entires sprues a fine coat of Mr. Surfacer 1200 to hide the plastic blemishes and reveal the imperfections of the surface – as well as the exciting engraved details.

Above: the primed half-fuselage. Below: the naked other half.
98899-CF2-1745-4-BF5-B703-4-E35-B84-FBC8

 

The first mod will be to cover up the panels Monogram left open in order to attract the young public. IMO it only serves to detract from the beautiful lines of the aircraft. White Milliput is used to fill up the panel joins in and out.
945-DA4-E6-79-C4-4-DF3-ACC9-32-A314-E009

 

F03-B6-F8-E-26-D9-494-F-A52-B-B64-D9081-

 

The garish green Vallejo paint over the joins is an indicator of where the files and wet-and-dry went therefore keeping the sanding under control
D795-D564-9-CB7-4095-9-F91-6-F9-FBA5-CF5

 

That's it for today folks.

Until next time,

Cheers,
Quang

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As usual, the journey begins with the snake pit.

The Monogram cockpit is quite nice with correct configuration and proportions. Even the side consoles are angled accordingly.

 

The ejection seat
CFDABFA1-090-A-493-A-A7-AE-FBA3-D70-F06-

 

is mistakenly represented in the pre-ejection stage with both the armrests up right.
According to the gurus, the back parachute was rarely present without the pilot aboard the plane. Having said that, I've seen quite several photos of French F-100s with the back chute on board.

 

The seat benefits to be spruced up a bit but nothing that some bits of wire, plasticard and a motivated modeller can't do.


The bare seat back is made from curved tin foil from a wine bottle.
The Y-shaped pilot-separator strap is made from masking tape.
All other straps from tin foil.
A new correct-sized heardrest from plasticard.
New plasticard arm rests in the correct position.
Oxygen and anti-g tubes are added from thin wire wrapped around a pin..
Milliput cushion.
FFDFB2-E2-DA2-F-4-F96-BDD9-99-CBABF2-DCC

 

The infamous missing Monogram throttle is added to the left console. The T-shaped emergency canopy ejection handle s added on the right.
FEC272-D0-43-B5-4850-8817-AB7-B1-F977284

 

Additional details are added to the area behind the seat. It's mainly the in-flight control box for the cockpit pressurization.
44377-E20-4-F61-4384-B8-F7-FDD51357364-E

 

BDDF9-DB5-B794-49-D9-8149-4-B5-D0-AEF173

 

The Monogram instrument panel is the usual jewel. I just added 2 fuel gauges for the external tanks on the coaming. The added brake parachute and landing gear handles are also quite noticeable on the IP front.

 

Cockpit componants primed and ready for painting.
81073949-90-C4-4-B89-85-E3-D75-DBE370-E0

 

That's it folks.

See ya all next time

Cheers
Quang

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Nice work on the seat. Considering the moulding limitations at the time, I think Monogram had some of the best detail around but a lot  of people wanted engraved panel lines so they were looked on as ‘ second class . The extra detail behind the seat also looks good, an area neglected by most manufacturers even in 1/32 scale.

Looking forward to more.

 

John

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Great wofk so far, love the seat, it looks fantastic.   I love some of the old Monogram kits with their details.   The Texan was a cracking kit too and I used a home made  micro chisel to remove the raised panel lines keeping all the rivets 

Will be an interesting build to follow.

Chris

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@billn53 thank you Bill. Glad you like it.

@exdrakenindeed, the last French F-100s were retired in 1978. The spectacular sharkmouth scheme was initiated by one of the pilots, Cpt Croci, himself a keen modeller. Croci was killed some years later when his Jaguar was downed by a SAM.

@Biggles87 I found the detail behind the seat by sheer luck while doing my research. It isn’t mentioned in any book. The internet is the modeller’s friend!

@bigbadbadge I agree. The Monogram T-6 is another gem.

 

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Painting the cockpit.

 

The usual fare: AK lacquer Dark Gull grey overall with details picked up with Vallejo acryl.

 

4-DB32898-4-A24-4-EFD-9-C25-CEBEB2-DA004

 

4578-FA0-C-5779-4804-A8-F1-9-FA215-D1288

 

AD454-F87-3459-4360-86-A1-A6-A8-C32-CF98

 

DE6-CA2-B2-1-FBC-499-E-8308-D8869-D625-A

 

Test fit

DB1-E991-A-75-DB-448-A-A3-AD-07-AB41-F0-

 

0-E249307-099-B-4132-98-A2-EDFDFF5-B35-B

 

Quite a short episode but I'm bracing for the next one which will involve some swashbuckling and surgery.

 

Stay tuned.

Cheers,

Quang

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Hello Quang,

 

it’s to see you at the bench again! Nice subject to work, I’ll take a look look. These kits are beautiful - they was designed with some love. The IP looks superb, as always from you. 👍 Your modelling style is so noticeable, thanks for sharing the progress with us!

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I'm in awe of the work you've done on the cockpit of this build. I've built the kit and when it's done it definitely looks like a Super Sabre, except for the misshapen nose air intake.

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@bigbadbadge The engraved IP and the cockpit tub are what we, old timers regret the most in Monogram kits. The treatment is a perfect balance between accuracy, ease of assembly and moulding techniques. No need for photo etching or resin add-ons. And I won’t even mention the fashionable 3-D printings.

 

@Nikolay Polyakov Indeed. It’s the perfect remedy when you lose your modelling mojo. Just dig up an old Monogram kit and get back to basics.

 

@bar side The French camo was not exactly the SEA scheme used by the USAF. Different patterns and colours. Combined with the extreme weathering and the scorched metal on the exhaust areas ... Interesting moments in perspective!

 

@SAT69Indeed the intake can use an AM replacement. But as cheap as I am, I decided to try to correct the kit part myself. By the way, the Monogram nose may not be 100% perfect but is still the most accurate stock kit part in all scales.

 

@corsaircorp No merit, sir. Cockpit detailing is my most pleasurable step in any build.
 

Cheers,

Quang

Edited by quangster
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4 hours ago, quangster said:

@bigbadbadge The engraved IP and the cockpit tub are what we, old timers regret the most in Monogram kits. The treatment is a perfect balance between accuracy, ease of assembly and moulding techniques. No need for photo etching or resin add-ons. And I won’t even mention the fashionable 3-D printings.

 

@Nikolay Polyakov Indeed. It’s the perfect remedy when you lose your modelling mojo. Just dig up an old Monogram kit and get back to basics.

 

@bar side The French camo was not exactly the SEA scheme used by the USAF. Different patterns and colours. Combined with the extreme weathering and the scorched metal on the exhaust areas ... Interesting moments in perspective!

 

@SAT69Indeed the intake can use an AM replacement. But as cheap as I am, I decided to try to correct the kit part myself. By the way, the Monogram nose may not be 100% perfect but is still the most accurate stock kit part in all scales.

 

@corsaircorp No merit, sir. Cockpit detailing is my most pleasurable step in any build.
 

Cheers,

Quang

Can't wait to see the painting indeed...

Whatever, the Monogram nose is the best choice in the market...

I'll restart my "Oink" lunacy.... I took a mould of the Monogram nose and will put it on the Trumpy kits....

Even if it's more modern, The Trumpy HB kits are far less right in this regard... And the F-80 is even worst...

I bought one and sell it on the spot, Back to the old Monogram ones !!

Sincerely.

CC

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The Monogram F-80 is another classic. For some reason, its near-contemporary, the F9F Panther was only so-so.
Back to the F-100 kit nose, it’s not 100% correct. The lower lip is still too flat but most of all it lacks the subtle but very noticeable bulge on the upper lip covering the IFF aerial and the gun-tracking radar.

607-BBCDE-AE42-40-FE-8-B00-239-FCEFAF668


5-A3-CAFB1-C68-C-4-D2-B-9-B34-6566-FDFED

 

I tried to correct it by first, thinning the opening...

4-A9-BC26-A-8639-41-F5-8-A85-26046-B8-F1

 

... locating the radome...

87-BD6010-A24-E-4899-8-DBF-8434-E5-D3-C1


... building up the slight bulge with milliput and shaping it by sanding.

4-CE738-E0-C315-469-E-9-D17-DB5533-A329-

 

The result...

6-C388651-B727-4-CFC-B4-C8-0-B6-A7-E84-E

 

I reckon this won’t give sleepless nights to Renaissance or AMS but I’d leave it at it. 

Next time, we’ll tackle the other end.

until then...

Cheerio,

Quang


 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by quangster
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Yes, not exactly SEA, but looking forward to the scorched off paint look.  This is the nose of the Flixton example.  I knew taking a picture of it from the front would come in handy one day.

 

VkBnbL8.jpg

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Wow, great job on one of my favorite kits! I had never noticed the flat underside of the nose, before, and I've lost count of how many of these kits I've built over the years. Your treatment of the cockpit looks great!

 

For those wanting to build this kit in the future, notice how Quang has glued the upper and lower fuselage halves together without the wings. Cutting them apart and adding them later makes it much, much easier minimize the nasty seams that you get just forward and aft of the wings if you leave them in one piece per the kit instructions. Removing the stabilators helps a lot with seam cleanup, too.

 

Ben

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