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Stealth Viking...Royal Danish AF F-35A+++finished+++


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Evening all, having had this drop through the letter box today I thought I'd join in with this GB! Alone among the operating nations (aside from a test Isreali F-35 I think), the Danes are applying full colour (very almost- the white of the roundel is actually a very light grey) roundels, which look very smart!

My first Danish model (I'd love decals for their Have Glass painted F-16s), I am marrying the Vingtor designed decals with the Academy kit and Eduard masks. My reading is that on balance, the Academy kit is probably the favoured option. Having built the Hasegawa, Italeri and Orange Hobby kits I'll have a chance to compare and contrast.

In the meantime  on with the modern day Holger Dansk, protector of Denmark! 🇩🇰

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Edited by Ralph
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welcome along and with something I didn't expect to see in this build, an F-35......... just keep it away from electrical storms! :D

 

As you have mentioned it is quite unusual for an F-35 to have brightish markings.

 

Good luck with the build, will be a different one to follow.

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Considering entering the f-35 myself with the RNoAF markings in the academy 7 nations kit but didn’t and ultimately got myself the Hasegawa B to do an RAF one, Hasegawa is slightly superior as the academy lacks the fully flush ram panels of the Hasegawa and the real thing though they are miles better than the ones on the Italeri kits. 

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OK...this is going to be a old school wheels up build, because the F-35 looks far better airborne, Academy supplies a great pilot figure and because I want to keep this project motoring along! I've half a mind to join the F-14 GB as well, so don't want to over commit!

This is (I think) an ICM stand, which will require me to cut a small slot in the bottom of the model...

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6 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Considering entering the f-35 myself with the RNoAF markings in the academy 7 nations kit but didn’t and ultimately got myself the Hasegawa B to do an RAF one, Hasegawa is slightly superior as the academy lacks the fully flush ram panels of the Hasegawa and the real thing though they are miles better than the ones on the Italeri kits. 

Deffo better than Italeri  but having built Hasegawa's B I think I prefer the Academy rendition. Still, yer pays yer money and all that! I was going to do a Norwegian jet too  but I need someone to do a brake chute housing first!

Edited by Ralph
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Evening  update; relaxing after dealing with covid related  staffing issues all day...anyway, am now ensconced in my study (well....modelling den really!) and having old school fun just gluing bits together. I've installed the under carriage and weapons bay doors...not quite Hasegawa fit but pretty damn close. The merest smear of filler rubbed away with a wet sponge sorted out the odd gap, and I also installed the radar reflectors that they fly with most of the time. Oh, and I also  tinted the canopy with a dip in a mix of Tamiya smoke and Future thinned with screen wash. Always anxious moments when dealing with canopies, but am v.pleased with the outcome. A quick fly around to finish off!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/8/2021 at 10:37 PM, Ralph said:

My first Danish model (I'd love decals for their Have Glass painted F-16s), .................

Ralph,

FYI, Lima November Decals will be releasing decals for the RDAF Have Glass look-a-like F-16s very shortly in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32. The owner of LND, Ruben, is taking pre-orders and should take delivery of decals this week according to a Danish modeller's forum.

 

Looking forward to seeing your progress on the F-35.

 

BR

 

Bjarne

Edited by Phantom726
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A quick update...

Haven't been able to get into the modelling den due to irritating things like work  but have managed to stick a few bits together in anticipation of breaking out the airbrush later this week. The cockpit, fins and Luneberg reflectors on the upper fuselage are all done; the external wing tip missiles rails have had a coat of ghost grey, and are temporarily in order to see how they look. I think they add to the F-35's overall lines, so I will be installing them permanently in due course. Oh, and I have been working on the pilot. Academy have tooled the original helmet pattern  which didn't work so well...I've used milliput to get to the newer, in service helmet. When sanded and polished I think it will do nicely. Anyway, more in due course!

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Edited by Ralph
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5 minutes ago, Phantom726 said:

Ralph,

FYI, Lima November Decals will be releasing decals for the RDAF Have Glass look-a-like F-16s very shortly in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32. The owner of LND, Ruben, is taking pre-orders and should take delivery of decals this week according to a Danish modeller's forum.

 

Looking forward to seeing your progress on the F-35.

 

BR

 

Bjarne

That is most cool! Think I will be there for 1/72 and 1/48 orders! Thanks for the heads up!

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Right, a quick update before I have to go on a week's camp with my school. I am very close to buttoning up the fuselage. Cockpit and pilot all done. I am pleased with the pilot' helmet; I used Mig Ammo gun metal to replicate the metallic appearance of the real thing, and the decal for the panoramic cockpit screen worked  very well. The lack of HUD in the real thing was also appreciated- I always struggle with those!

I've also finished the afterburner assembly, with Tamiya flat white for the internal ceramic, and a 50:50 mix of Tamiya Titan Gold and Metallic Grey to get that characteristic F-35 afterburner pale gold colour.  Finally (and after filling some rather prominent ejector marks) I've sprayed the intakes white. Conveniently, the design of this and other F35 kits allows you to paint the intake lips grey and the intakes white to get a very crisp demarcation with minimal effort! I hope to get this all glued together by the end of the week  and then onto painting!

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Edited by Ralph
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  • 2 weeks later...

Quick update...work's rather been in the way  so no updates for a while...I've fitted the intakes and buttoned up the fuselage...just need to add the EOTS under the nose, the pitot tubes and canopy before I start cracking open the paints.  Might need to sand and polish some of the joins...overall a good fitting kit, but the F-35's shape means that edges etc need to be particularly well defined.

The engineering of the intakes was excellent...I was able to paint the external lips grey, the internal intakes white and then butt fit them into place for incredibly sharp demarcation. I didn't use any glue in case it flooded the gaps...just wedged them into place with some blutack!

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