1/72 Hasegawa F111C with upgraded F model engines

[f111guru]

Coming along quite nice I must say. I can say I've never tried to use the masking putty or the pattern plates out there. Over the years I've seen differences in the sealant in the canopy glass frames. Most were the oxide red or there about. Here are a few examples.

EF-111A USAF Museum Dayton OH

F-111F USAF Museum Dayton OH

FB-111A Cannon AFB transient ramp mid 1980's.

F-111F Cannon AFB transient ramp mid 1980's Both sides of the aircraft.

Just to give you some sort of idea as to the sealant for the aardvark. There are plenty of pictures out on the internet that show a variety of views.

 

Doing a fantastic job on this.

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[Pappy]

G'day Brian,

 

Nice job. RAAF pigs (as they were known down under - never Aardvarks) had their seat cushions fitted with black sheepskin seat covers. Yours are painted green which is incorrect.

Also. the stabs should be drooped (12 degrees TE down) when the jet is unpowered. This was a pilot shut-down checklist item.  If the droop did not occur soon after shut down, the pilot would wiggle the stick which was usally sufficient,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Edited September 16, 2021 by Pappy

[RazgrizBSG27]

So, I masked and sprayed, and then masked and resprayed from some overspray, both the belly, and some of the camo on the sides that caught a little overspray, I think its solid, the sharp line looks slick, next up is painting the canopy boughs US Forrest green to match their surrounding paintwork, and I'll be doing oxide red sealant inside, since that's luckily a color I pretty much have, then on to pastels, clear coat, decals etc. and that brings me to my next note, I have plenty of spare US markings of various kinds I can use to cobble together a livery, roundels, numbers, danger arrows, etc. 

So the airframe, notably the wings, are C model, the engines are F model, so its a little Frankenstein there already, but its what we have to work with, so the plane as is, is fictional. Also, like I said above, I've got lots of spare US markings to work with, I have no Aussie ones, and all I could find readily available online with an admittedly cursory search was the fin flashes of RAAF No.1 Squadron. Further I have an old Revell kit that makes the F111B, and I'm planning to have them next to each other, so both showing US marks might look better idk. Stemming from that, If I choose to keep her as a What-if STOL F111 for WW3 or something, I'm going to probably be keeping her seats green, if not I may go in and try to apply some black to the seats without messing the dash and stuff too much.

As for her Stabs, most of my planes I have configured in what I would call 'taxiing' condition, so weapons loaded and such, panels closed, powered up etc. But having her stabs droop might add good visual interest and look slick, her wing gloves will probably be up too, so my 111 here might be depicted unpowered, I'm gonna have to make that call when I get there.

Thoughts on this are welcome folks.

Edited September 22, 2021 by RazgrizBSG27

[f111guru]

Brian, Looking good. Seems as much as we try to avoid over spray, it almost always happens. Odd you would mention Frankenstein. In the F-111 community we did have a FrankenVark. FB-111A 67-7194 crashed landed at Pease AFB either the fall of 1975 or early 1976. Was landing in the fog and hit a set of approach lights. Here is a excerpt of Joe Baughers website:

67-7192/7196 General Dynamics FB-111A

7194 (MSN B1-8) named "Necessary Evil" with 509th BW in Aug 1989. Damaged in nose gear collapse and nose section had to be rebuilt. Second landing mishap occurred when landing in fog at Pease AFB, NH and hit an approach light stanchion, causing the damaged main landing gear to separate from the fuselage at touchdown. A fire ensued, destroying the rear fuselage from main wheel well aft. Replacement wings were installed, 194's aft section was removed and replaced with the aft section of 67-0160 and the vertical stabilizer from 69-6513. Converted to F-111G. To AMARC as FV0157 Mar 15, 1993. Held as spare for RAAF F-111s until they were all scrapped. Still on AMARC inventory Jan 15, 2008. TO HVF West, Tucson, AZ Dec 12, 2011 and scrapped.

 

And there had been a few more that were called FrankenVark by the amount of replacement parts at the factory. So keep up the good work. If you need some decals for the RAAF let me know. Have lots and not a problem mailing them to you.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[Escaflowne]

Great work on this Aardvark, looks good not an easy task to have a realistic plane.

Good luck for your Orycteropus afer

[Pappy]

G'day Brian,

 

Guru has already offered you some RAAF decals (and he is closer) so it looks like you are set for decals now.

 

If you are having the slats down, the wing gloves have to be rotated downwards as well as they were mechanically linked together so they would not foul each other when theyb extended. The inner portions of the fuselage, wing glove (and the the underside glove panel) were painted gloss red. I know you mentioned you liked to have your kits in a 'taxiing' state but if you intend to add inlet covers 1SQN used yellow intake bungs and 6SQN had dark blue bungs. Exhaust bungs were not typically installed.

 

The most typical load was a single SUU-20 with 6 BDU-33s  on STN 4 with an otherwise clean jet. Tanks weere only used on long (overseas) transit flights. If you want to add bombs Mk82 x 12 or Mk84 x 2were common with GBU-12/10 variants used employed when the Pave Tack system was added. You have the modified weapons bay door part installed so I assume that you will be installing the Pave Tack pod as well. Your jet is wearing SEA camo so in that era the bombs were green ( with blue bodies for inerts) but the GBU-24s and AGM-142s were not cleared until after the  jets went grey.

 

the kit is looking good,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

[f111guru]

Brian,

I do have extra Super Scale sheets 72-132 for the F-111A/E, F-111B, FB-111A and the F-111C. Also have plenty of Super Scale sheets 72-452 F-111 Data sheets for Camouflage aircraft. If you want them PM an address.

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[RazgrizBSG27]

Yeah absolutely, I'll send that to ya right now!

[RazgrizBSG27]

9 hours ago, Pappy said:

G'day Brian,

 

Guru has already offered you some RAAF decals (and he is closer) so it looks like you are set for decals now.

 

If you are having the slats down, the wing gloves have to be rotated downwards as well as they were mechanically linked together so they would not foul each other when theyb extended. The inner portions of the fuselage, wing glove (and the the underside glove panel) were painted gloss red. I know you mentioned you liked to have your kits in a 'taxiing' state but if you intend to add inlet covers 1SQN used yellow intake bungs and 6SQN had dark blue bungs. Exhaust bungs were not typically installed.

 

The most typical load was a single SUU-20 with 6 BDU-33s  on STN 4 with an otherwise clean jet. Tanks weere only used on long (overseas) transit flights. If you want to add bombs Mk82 x 12 or Mk84 x 2were common with GBU-12/10 variants used employed when the Pave Tack system was added. You have the modified weapons bay door part installed so I assume that you will be installing the Pave Tack pod as well. Your jet is wearing SEA camo so in that era the bombs were green ( with blue bodies for inerts) but the GBU-24s and AGM-142s were not cleared until after the  jets went grey.

 

the kit is looking good,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Alright cool, so yeah her gloves will be rotated, the masking and painting of all the red will be soon, and as for bombs I have a resin set of Mk82 Snake eyes and slick Mk82s, as for Pave tack, when I got the kit, the pave tack bay was already installed, I havent put the Pave tack itself on yet because I'm painting it separate is all.

[Pappy]

G'day Brian,

 

No dramas. The wing pylons were all painted FS34079 and the BRU's were black.

 

RAAF Mk.80 series bombs in this era were transitioning from mech fuzing to elec fuzing about the same time as the PT system was being introduced. If you are adding a PT pod, elec fuzing would be more typical, so the bombs should not have the mall arming propellers on their noses, just a conical nose plug. Ditto for inerts as these obviously would not need a fuse.

 

Although originally supplied in OD, most PT pods were repainted black to match the jet underside although either colour would be correct. As the jets were repainted overall gunship grey the PT pods also underwent a re-paint to grey,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Edited September 23, 2021 by Pappy

[f111guru]

Brian,

If you decide to keep the elevons in the neutral or center position you could make a set of stab uplocks simply as two strips of plastic attached as in the below diagram.

We used these to hold the stabs up to load the ALE-28 Chaff and Flare dispenser.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[RazgrizBSG27]

I was about to ask Pappy what color did the Pave tacks usually end up being, but you answered perfectly lol, and I thank you for all this wonderful detail on her weapons too.

I may well try out stab locks, and wow those are very similar to the ones we had at the museum I volunteered at, though ours were for a C47 and they weren't hinged like that, just a wedge held in with bungee lol.

[Pappy]

2 hours ago, RazgrizBSG27 said:

I was about to ask Pappy what color did the Pave tacks usually end up being, but you answered perfectly lol, and I thank you for all this wonderful detail on her weapons too.

I may well try out stab locks, and wow those are very similar to the ones we had at the museum I volunteered at, though ours were for a C47 and they weren't hinged like that, just a wedge held in with bungee lol.

 You are most welcome

 

RAAF pigs didn't use stab locks generally unless undergoing deep maintenance, in which case the stabs and wings were usually removed anyway. USAF practices may have been different,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

[f111guru]

Well we were suppose to use stab locks for every chaff and flare loading was done. Only time we used them was in load training. On the flightline we were able to use to get to all the latch screws without the stabs up. Made things a lot easier.

 

As for bomb loads. This is an option. 12 CBU-89 gators I believe on bru's stations 3 and 6. GBU-10 series on stations 4 and 5. If opting for the AGM-130 you will have to have a data link pod on the aft fuselage station under the engines. It replaces the aft ECM pod.

Or as pappy says an AGM-142.  As below. Unknown photographer.

Pappy can confirm if the data link pod is required for the AGM-142. 

I have 2 long winged jets planned for the future. One an FB-111A with the aux flaps extended. This jet I use in most of my references. Pictures I took in the mid 80's. The other is of a F-111C painted in the ARDU scheme of the time. Hasegawa first produced the C in that paint scheme. Still have that decal sheet. The aircraft A8-132, haven't decided what to load on the stations.

 

Brian, keep up the great work your doing.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

Edited September 23, 2021 by f111guru

[Pappy]

G'day people,

 

RAAF pigs did not use cluster bombs as the Australian govt signed the non-proliferation treaty on anti-personnel  mines which includes cluster bombs. Prior to signing the UN trea the locally developed 'Karinga' was trialled but this was  not procured. The AGM-130 was also never used by the RAAF although the unpowered  TV guided GBU-15 was trialled.

 

The F-111Cs (and RAAF P-3s) also had the maritime strike role for which the AGM-84 Harpoon was employed. There video footage of SEA camo pigs doing this at a RIMPAC ex on you tube if you want to search for it, so that is another load option and the contrast of the white missile looks interesting against the black and camo jet if you choose that option.

 

Ron,

 

The data link pod did not need to be installed in order to carry the AGM-142 as another jet could be used to act as the guidance data link jet but this was not typical. The 'shooter- would typically also have the data link pod. If two AGM-142s were loaded (STN 3/6) then the DL pod would be o STN 5 and a 'ballast' (inert) MK.82 would be carried on STN 4. The 142s were cleared post AUP so only the grey era Pigs carried them. When the RAAF acquired the ex-USAF F-111Gs, these were limited to carrying only unguided munitions

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Edited September 24, 2021 by Pappy

[RazgrizBSG27]

Huge Thanks to Mr. Ron, F111guru, your decals and Nose gear strut have arrived, this is a massive boon to the project! Thanks again so very much.

 

[RazgrizBSG27]

Slats and Flaps red painted:

 

 

 

[RazgrizBSG27]

First time hand painting canopy boughs instead of masking and spraying, also first time doing sealant, which I just brushed on the inside of the glass:

 

 

[stevehnz]

Looking good indeed, the canopy painting has come up well, a nice steady hand on display.

Steve.

[RazgrizBSG27]

Landing Gears installed:

 

Pastel Weathering Stage before first gloss clear coat:

 

[RazgrizBSG27]

Update after much sidetracks, naval modelling, big expensive resin kits and the growth of my model doom pile, the Vark is back on the bench. Due to my organizational skills which can be charitably described as a mess, as accident with a bottle of Tamiya smoke during canopy tinting for other airframes has caused the loss of some of the RAAF markings we had, along with USAF f111a tail data too, so I decided to mark her as an FB111A, or I guess, an F-111G, which were FB111s converted for Tac use and put under the new Air Combat Command, so my longer wings and bigger gear, but american markings would fit an 111G at least mostly I imagine, which the instructions from the decals so graciously provided I'm not 100% clear on, so I stopped where I was and figured I'd ask you folks about decalling advice for the FB's mostly, should the SAC shield go on, and where, etc. 

 

As far as I can tell, I have already messed up the placement of the wing roundel, it should be closer to the tip, but it's not coming up now, and the yellow placard near the cockpit maybe should be a low-stencil version? hence why I stopped lol. I eagerly await you guy's reply.

 

Edited May 3, 2022 by RazgrizBSG27

[f111guru]

23 hours ago, RazgrizBSG27 said:

Update after much sidetracks, naval modelling, big expensive resin kits and the growth of my model doom pile, the Vark is back on the bench. Due to my organizational skills which can be charitably described as a mess, as accident with a bottle of Tamiya smoke during canopy tinting for other airframes has caused the loss of some of the RAAF markings we had, along with USAF f111a tail data too, so I decided to mark her as an FB111A, or I guess, an F-111G, which were FB111s converted for Tac use and put under the new Air Combat Command, so my longer wings and bigger gear, but american markings would fit an 111G at least mostly I imagine, which the instructions from the decals so graciously provided I'm not 100% clear on, so I stopped where I was and figured I'd ask you folks about decalling advice for the FB's mostly, should the SAC shield go on, and where, etc. 

 

As far as I can tell, I have already messed up the placement of the wing roundel, it should be closer to the tip, but it's not coming up now, and the yellow placard near the cockpit maybe should be a low-stencil version? hence why I stopped lol. I eagerly await you guy's reply.

 

I may have a set of decals from the very early release of Micro Scale. Brain tells me I have the later set produced by Super Scale. At any rate I'll look through my decals. Now on to your progression.

As the saying goes: been there, done that, and got the tee shirt. Can't tell you how many times I've been in your spot. It's a learning process.

Painting looks great, however. SAC used a different FS numbered and color of camouflage paint after dropping the gray and white scheme for the FB. So hold off going any further as long as possible. Your build so far is a C model. To back date to an FB-111A or F-111G many things have to change. Production FB-111A's had the triple plow intake. Having the three small aux breather doors behind the intake its self and not the translating cowl as you have at this point. SAC used the pointed weapons, tank and fixed style pylons. The fuel dump mast is different from all other F-111's. These are the biggest visual differences between the F-111 models.

 

I'll PM you when I see what I have in my decal stash. Would rather see you finish in a pre gray F-111C as you started.

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[RazgrizBSG27]

Ok! So turns out Microset alone is even better than I thought, those markings were not coming off, not with gorilla tape, microsol, alcohol, water, etc. so I lightly sanded them and re-sprayed the paint work over them, luckily they were all in or very close to the US Forrest Green sections so it wasnt a big hassle. She stands ready for RAAF Markings, Also I bought a resin A/B/C/E exhausts set since they are back in stock, so she'll get her proper engines, and at the same time I snapped up a Hasegawa 1/72 F111E, which will get the F type exhausts I already have, and as far as I know that will make it an F, at least visually scale model wise lol. Cause E and F have the same Triple Plow II intakes etc.

 

 

 

 

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Too bad about the decals, if it going to be RAAF again I have never seen those intake warning markings on a RAAF jet, you might need to break out the sanding and painting gear again and remove them.

[RazgrizBSG27]

A bit late, but got her decal'd. Assembled, and while not yet weathered, got her sitting comfy on the shelf.