Jaguar from Kitty Hawk 1/48

[dov]

Hallo

 

In a few days I am going to start my two Jaguars in 1/48 from Kitty Hawk.

One will be a French one, the other a British one.

I know that this kit has a lot of fitting issues.

Beside the kit, I have the Aires cockpit, wheel bays, avionic bays and air brakes.

Landing gear from SAC.

Wheels also from resin.

Now if you could call out the main fitting issues, it would be a great help.

Are there also some geometric issues?

I think to have heard about it. 

 

Happy modelling

[Wafu]

I’d suggest you look at Phil Flory’s build on YouTube.

[exdraken]

Pylons are for the French version, as are most weapons.

 

The leading edge should be straight if I remember correctly.

 

And dry-fit, dry-fit and again dry-fit before gluing!

[Shalako]

On 6/20/2021 at 2:06 PM, dov said:

Are there also some geometric issues?

I think to have heard about it. 

 

Happy modelling

I have never heard anything about the issues you're referring to but, it's worth having a look around to find out if there are any.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Julien]

The air starter unit is only fitted to the left side, the kit has on on both sides.

 

For an RAF Aircraft the vast amount of photos we have in the walkaround section is without a doubt the best set we have for a single type.

[Pappy]

G'day Dov,

 

Agree with all the above and ref the fitting issues, the problem is that KH has designed the kit to have the various bays (avionics, cannon, u/c and engine) left open. Two complete engines are included however there is no inlet ducting so you can see the various internal assemblies like the cannon and undercarriage bays when you look down the intakes. The wing leading edge slats are also too wide, their chord needs to be reduced by about half.

 

The fit  problems arise when the builder attempts to glue the various panels closed. If you want 'everything open' then you will not have too many fit issues!

 

Some panels will fit with only minor sanding e.g, the avionics and cannon bay covers whilst others are more problematic such as the engine access doors. You will not be able to glue in the engines afterwards if you add all the engine access panels first as the rear oping will be too small. Even if you don't want to display the engine bays opened, you will still need to assemble the engines as you will need to have them in place to locate the exhausts.

 

I also found that the two fuselage halves did not marry together very well. Part of the problem is that the number of holes for the various bays  naturally reduces the stiffness of the fuselage parts and as you glue in items like the main u/c bays, cannon bays etc. the fuselage halves become progressively more rigid but you will find that the seam along the belly will want to cave inwards if you don't add some form of internal stiffening rib. The centreline fuselage pylon will hide some of this seam but it will it still need filler, especially if no centreline store is used. The upper fuselage NACA inlet has a prominent seam running straight through it, most people cut it out and substitute a curved section of styrene to eliminate the seam.

 

The instructions would also have you build the nose section completely and attach this completed section to the completed rear fuselage assembly - this is insanity, don't do this.

 

I would suggest attaching the nose section to each corresponding main fuselage half before you start adding all the internal greeblies. This will let you get the best possible join to avoid/minimise the use of filler and sanding.

 

Personally I wouldn't bother with the SAC metal u/c, it isn't any more detailed than the kit items and the weight of all the extras does not place any significant strain of the kit u/c but it is your money and hence your choice ultimately, I would have spent it on RAF ordnance as the majority of the kit supplied options (in the RAF boxing) is not applicable as exdraken has already stated.

 

Calum's build (search for "ham fisted modeller jaguar") is an excellent build article that highlights the pitfalls and the work required to correct the kit

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

 

Edited June 25, 2021 by Pappy

[jenko]

Everything has to be open and I mean everything .... the kit is not designed to be on the flight line ready to go.

 

Also have a very large swear box available and unlimited funds to fill it........................... trust me ...don't ask how I know 

 

Dick

 

PS... best bit of the kit was the box it came in.

Edited June 22, 2021 by jenko

[ReccePhreak]

9 hours ago, Pappy said:

G'day Dov,

 

Calum's build (search for "ham fisted modeller") is an excellent build article that highlights the pitfalls and the work required to correct the kit

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

 

A search for that phrase turned up nothing. 

Larry

[Ben Brown]

+1 for the swear box. I closed all of the access panels and ended up exhausting all of my normal profanity and was well into Klingon before I finally gave up on the model. I was building the T.2 and spent most of the build kicking myself for selling my Paragon conversion for the Airfix kit.

In all seriousness, installing the engine bays into the fuselage first and then moving forward to the main gear bays, while leaving off the gun bays, will save you some tears. IIRC, the instructions have you start with the gun bays and work your way aft. If anything is even a tiny bit out of place, it will make it impossible to get the engine bay parts correctly placed.

 

Phase Hangar Hobbies sells intake ducts for the KH kits. Also, the kit’s outer intake parts are too large and don’t mate well with the fuselage without first cutting them down a little. Phase Hangar sells the outer intake parts but they’re for the Airfix kit and are therefore too small for the KH kits. 
 

Ben

[RMP2]

Nice list of "issues". Looks to be well covered.

Only other things I can think of are the misnumbered main UC parts and the terrible RAF decals - much better sourcing aftermarking for the stencils at least, I think XtraDecal covered these. Ah, and there are no wing fences for the RAF version should you not wish to mount overwing sidewinders. The T2 model has them in PE though, so easily copied onto plasticard or alternatively work the overwing pylons down to shape.

 

At the risk of getting mobbed - I didn't find closing the panels and doors up too bad, just tedious sanding. On the plus side - at least they are a little too large unlike the Airfix doors and airbrakes. Oh, that's a point, aren't the KH airbrakes slightly incorrect too? I forget in what way though.

 

They are work, but can look good for it. IF you have the patience!

[dov]

Oh my friends

I will save my nerves. Stop. My Jaguar will stay in shelf.

MIG 31 in 1/48 from AMK will be my turn. The opposite quality of kit.

Thanks.

Happy modelling

[bentwaters81tfw]

I'm so glad I just bought one.........I do love a challenge.

Thankfully I have access to a real one. I understand that is a source of much profanity too.

[RMP2]

3 hours ago, dov said:

Oh my friends

I will save my nerves. Stop. My Jaguar will stay in shelf.

MIG 31 in 1/48 from AMK will be my turn. The opposite quality of kit.

Thanks.

Happy modelling

 

I forgot the KH fuel tank - incorrect shape and fins are way too large....

Best bet is to grab an Airfix or Revell Jaguar and use the spare pylons in that along with some of the decals and bombs, the later Revell boxing of it has Cartograph stickers I believe and are very nice. The Airfix/Revell also has 2 fuel tanks, so offers some options there.

The KH French Jag tank is also incorrect... use one from a Mirage F1 that has the extra tip fins or the KH Gripen as rather ironically it is not used for the Gripen but correct for the Jaguar A version.

 

Gotta love Kitty Hawk!  

[RMP2]

Ted Antonopoulos on Facebook produces resin pylon and fuel tank parts along with a few more bits that correct a lot of the KH Jaguar mistakes. Almost forgot him there. Not sure if he is on here or not, but he is a great guy to deal with. 

 

Not sure if this will work, but heres a link to his photo album of Jaguar in progress work based on the Airfix/Revell parts that we worked on a few years back.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10209022741861428&type=3

 

Also... if I can make a KH Jaguar look half reasonable, come on guys, I am more than sure you can.

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by RMP2

[Max Headroom]

Got a GR1/3 on a very slow build. As others have said, the nose panels are rather Anglo Saxon on their fit. I have the Flightpath drop tanks to replace the underfed kit ones.

 

The kit leading edge is wrong too. Inboard of the wing pylons (missing in the single seater btw - go figure) they should be a straight line and not a concave curve. Not got that far yet, but shopping off the offending area, scrap card, filler and advanced Anglo Saxon loom in my future......

 

Trevor

 

good luck btw......

[RMP2]

22 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

Got a GR1/3 on a very slow build. As others have said, the nose panels are rather Anglo Saxon on their fit. I have the Flightpath drop tanks to replace the underfed kit ones.

 

The kit leading edge is wrong too. Inboard of the wing pylons (missing in the single seater btw - go figure) they should be a straight line and not a concave curve. Not got that far yet, but shopping off the offending area, scrap card, filler and advanced Anglo Saxon loom in my future......

 

Trevor

 

good luck btw......

 

I found the nose avionics doors fairly good. Compared to the bits like the gun shrouds etc etc.
Used bluetack behind them and Tamiya extra thin to nail them in place and it didn't turn out too bad I don't think, for my standard of work anyway.

 

 

Wing leading edge wise you can simply smooth out the kink a bit and let the leading edge slat kind of cover up the deviance  

[Max Headroom]

@RMP2 here’s my GR.1 nose (so to speak) 

 

and because sideways-on photos of RAF kitties with pylons are rare(ish) here are some from Cosford 2019

 

 

 

Note how the pylons are coded ‘COS XXX’. Now look at the Kitty Hawk transfer sheet and you’ll see that they’ve replicated these markings. It’ll be interesting to see how many diligent modellers have added these to ‘active’ examples 🤭
 

 

Trevor

 

[exdraken]

9 hours ago, dov said:

Oh my friends

I will save my nerves. Stop. My Jaguar will stay in shelf.

MIG 31 in 1/48 from AMK will be my turn. The opposite quality of kit.

Thanks.

Happy modelling

Modeller or assembler?

Do you hope for better times? Or wanna get rid of them

 

 

[tempestfan]

5 hours ago, RMP2 said:

Also... if I can make a KH Jaguar look half reasonable, come on guys, I am more than sure you can.

 

Every self-respecting Jag should sport a tin-opener and tartan zig-zag, no? 

Your build is gorgeous, but something throws me off - may the LRMTS be a tad deep?

11 minutes ago, exdraken said:

Modeller or assembler?

Do you hope for better times? Or wanna get rid of them

 

You're looking for a Wien to Wien bargain, do you? 😛

[exdraken]

2 minutes ago, tempestfan said:

 

You're looking for a Wien to Wien bargain, do you? 😛

I am in Graz....  so no

 

You can't have a stash too large, no?

[tempestfan]

33 minutes ago, exdraken said:

I am in Graz....  so no

 

You can't have a stash too large, no?

Of course size DOES matter. But two failed marriages later I am inclined to conclude that there may be some correlation between stash size and expectancy-to-succeed (or rather, fail). Even though I have bought next to no kits over the past six years. Honest!!! But then who needs women when he can have a plastic model (aircraft kit, that is). 😛

[RMP2]

18 hours ago, tempestfan said:

Every self-respecting Jag should sport a tin-opener and tartan zig-zag, no? 

Your build is gorgeous, but something throws me off - may the LRMTS be a tad deep?

You're looking for a Wien to Wien bargain, do you? 😛

 

I have a thing for II squadron markings, but number 6 are cool too, can't argue.

 

Unsure re the whole frint end and screen for the KH shape, seems maybe a tad underfed. Can't quite put my finger on it tbh but it's pretty close and thank you, it wasn't easy!

[ReccePhreak]

On 6/21/2021 at 9:28 AM, Wafu said:

I’d suggest you look at Phil Flory’s build on YouTube.

I looked all over Phil Flory's youtube channel, and couldn't find anything on the Kitty Hawk 1/48 Jaguar, much less a build.

My "Google-Fu" must be weak.

Larry

[jpk]

9 hours ago, ReccePhreak said:

I looked all over Phil Flory's youtube channel, and couldn't find anything on the Kitty Hawk 1/48 Jaguar, much less a build.

My "Google-Fu" must be weak.

Larry

I looked as well and couldn't find a You Tube build review by Flory on the KH Jag. However...

 

There are several Jaguar builds on the Kitty Hawk Fan Facebook page. I don't know that much about the Jaguar but it looks pretty buildable to me. 

Edited June 25, 2021 by jpk

[ReccePhreak]

9 minutes ago, jpk said:

I looked as well and couldn't find a You Tube build review by Flory on the KH Jag. However...

 

There are several Jaguar builds on the Kitty Hawk Fan Facebook page. I don't know that much about the Jaguar but it looks pretty buildable to me. 

Thanks, but I refuse to have anything to do with Fakebook.

I'll just build mine, using the various hints & tips in this thread.

Larry