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Convair F-102A Delta Dagger


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Just finished it last week, having started around May 1, I took this model out to the Cameron Airport yesterday.   Working on it in fits and starts, I finally got her across the finish line.   It is the 1990 release of the 1/48 Convair F-102A from Monogram and it marks number four of of my completed Century Series fighters, alongside the Monogram F-100D and RF-101B and the Testors F-104A. I still have a Monogram F-105 and F-106 in the stash but honestly, I don't think I'll be able to crowd them all together on one shelf. Those are pretty big birds!

I based this one on a photo I found in a Century Series book. I was drawn to its rather unusual "silver dope" finish and found a set of Pro-Modeler decals for an Idaho Air Guard plane almost just like the one in that single photo, circa 1967. One of the drawbacks to that scheme was matching the lime-green color of the Idaho marking for the wing fences. That challenge turned out to be easier than expected and I got pretty close. Many photos of Delta Daggers show their brake doors painted in a different color. Since I had custom mixed enough green, I exercised a bit of artistic license and painted this one's brake doors in that same green.    "Authentic" or not, I like how it looks.

It is almost all OOB except for Eduard seatbelts, and a bit of seat plumbing I added, and an added antennae just aft of the canopy too. The drop tanks in the photo were ADC gray with polished tips and ends but I liked how the ModelMaster Chrome Silver looked and left one in all-over silver; we'll just say it's a replacement tank. 😉  The aircraft is painted with Humbrol Metal Cote matte aluminum and finish coated with a semi-gloss clear. I had a few little boo-boos in the topside silver and after it was clear-coated, I tried to touch them up. Bad idea.  They looked terrible; but I decided to mask off the areas and square them up. Then, I cut-out card-stock masks to clear-coat those squares. It looks much better and perhaps represents "touched up" spots. The insignia decals are from the 1990 kit, while the Idaho specific decals are from the 1996 Pro-Modeler sheet. I over-coated them all with MicroMark decal film and used really hot water.  They all went on without drama.

 

The kit itself is challenging in several areas.   I did more filling and sanding on this model than I've done in years.    It was also a bit awkward to move around; I had two different "jigs", one for topside work and another for the bottom.   I added a fair amount of ballast around the cockpit area to avoid any tail-sitting.    In my opinion, the hardest part of the assembly was the multi-part main landing gear.  I had fretted about those brake doors but that stage went together really well.   All said, I like how she looks and I'm glad I tackled the project.   But, I believe I will wait a while before starting another Century fighter! 

 

Thanks for stopping by and having a look!   Have a wonderful weekend everybody!

 

overhead_rear_good_copy.JPG

 

Sb_full_best_best_copy.JPG

 

port_3_4_too_bright_copy.JPG

 

exhaust_closer_copy.JPG

 

SB_3_4_close_good_copy.JPG

 

FRONT_1_copy.JPG

 

SB_front_closer_copy.JPG

 

seat_port_copy.JPG

 

bottom_better_from_sb_copy.JPG

 

overhead_port_better_copy.JPG

 

main_bay_from_port_with_wing_copy.JPG

 

canopy_right_ok_copy.JPG

 

canopy_left_good_2_copy.jpg

 

overhead_from_SB_copy.JPG

 

SB_full_better_B_W_copy.JPG

 

SB_Front_3_4_ok_SEPIA_copy.jpeg

 

front_bay_from_sb(1).JPG

 

pitot_good_close_copy.JPG

 

And here are a couple photograph of actual Idaho Air Guard F-102A fighters, one is this aircraft and the other a squadron sister:

 

Idaho_Air_Guard_F-102_1967_copy.jpg

 

best_real_bird_copy.JPG

 

 

Edited by Gary Brantley
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I've built the kit and, perhaps because I lack modeling skills, mine turned into something of a putty monster. Yours is superb and obviously didn't result in any complications.

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Hi Gary,

 

your patience really paid off in every point. First I thought the first three photographs are the references.  Your NMF finish agrees 100% in compare with your reference photographs. Fantastic research. I thought they were more shiny. And your outdoor pic’s are wonderful again! Must be a pleasure to go out to the airfield and make this photographs. Especially because it seems to be comfortable warm. I can’t wait for your next build and presentation. So all in all a 100% cracker there! I will wait at the front office, that you can pick up your 🏆🙋‍♂️
 

all the best my friend 

 

Andy

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22 hours ago, Vesa Jussila said:

Nice build and excellent finish. These old Monogram kits are really nice ones.

 

Yes, they build up quite nicely.   Thanks a lot Vesa! 🍷

 

22 hours ago, Swamp Donkey said:

Fabulous looking F102. Was lucky enough to see a few of these birds fly

 

SD

 

Thank you so much SD!    I agree that you were lucky, wish I could say the same thing!   :thumbsup:

 

21 hours ago, Abandoned Project said:

Love the second and third pictures,  very convincing. 

 

I'm glad you liked them.   Thanks for the comments!  🍻

 

19 hours ago, Farmerboy said:

Patience is a virtue as the saying goes, and you have rewarded us with a stunner Gary, looks superb, especially atmospheric photos, well worth the wait, good job!

 

Oh my, thanks so much Peter!   I really appreciate your wonderful comment!    May the sun shine and the rain fall...just at the right time. ;) :D

 

19 hours ago, HansReggelsen said:

OK - this does it! :winkgrin: - I'm off to the attic to fetch my own Monogram F-102! :D

Your model is that inspiring! :clap2:

 

Cheers :bye:

Hans J

 

:lol:  Thanks Hans!   I am picturing plastic kits stored in my attic, here in Texas.    A harsh environment in our Texas summers, it wouldn't be pretty! ;)  Thanks for the great comments Hans!  🍺

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19 hours ago, djos said:

Clean and sharp build. lovely Dagger

regards Djordje

 

Thanks for your kind comments Djordie! :thumbsup:

 

18 hours ago, Remus389 said:

The precision of this model is outstanding. 🏅

 

So kind of you Remus!   Many thanks sir! 👍

 

17 hours ago, Ben Hartmann said:

Those Monogram F-102’s are stunning. Recently completed a Case XX, and have two Case X’s in the stash. 
 

Thats real modelling right there. Fantastic stuff!

 

Rgds

 

Ben

 

A true connoisseur!  :D   Thanks so much Ben!   Much appreciated too. 🍻

 

15 hours ago, matti64 said:

Excellent build. It's really nice to see  Century series aircraft   in the so-often overlooked "look-alike" silver  finish.

 

Thanks matti!   I'm glad you liked her! 😀

 

15 hours ago, RMCS said:

Lovley build 

 

Thanks Rich!  I'm always glad to see your comment!  🍻

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13 hours ago, SAT69 said:

I've built the kit and, perhaps because I lack modeling skills, mine turned into something of a putty monster. Yours is superb and obviously didn't result in any complications.

 

Thank you sir!  It was a bit of a challenge; I found myself offering a few choice words along the way.   I spent more time filling and sanding on this one than I have in year.  I appreciate your comments so much!  :D

 

8 hours ago, Andy Dyck said:

Hi Gary,

 

your patience really paid off in every point. First I thought the first three photographs are the references.  Your NMF finish agrees 100% in compare with your reference photographs. Fantastic research. I thought they were more shiny. And your outdoor pic’s are wonderful again! Must be a pleasure to go out to the airfield and make this photographs. Especially because it seems to be comfortable warm. I can’t wait for your next build and presentation. So all in all a 100% cracker there! I will wait at the front office, that you can pick up your 🏆🙋‍♂️
 

all the best my friend 

 

Andy

 

Hi Andy!   Those are wonderful comments dude and much appreciated for sure.   High praise indeed coming from a master modeler like you! :D The finish isn't as shiny because it represents silver lacquer paint, instead of polished metal.  I thought that would be easier than a true NMF but it came with its own challenges I guess.   Yes, I know how lucky I am to be able to access that airport whenever I want.  It's less than five minutes from my home so it is very handy!   I have another finished build, done for months now, that should get a photo session soon if all the stars line up.   Thanks again for the wonderful comments my friend!  🍺  Trophy!?!   🍻 :worthy:

 

4 hours ago, Spitfire31 said:

Great looking Dagger!

 

And again, I note that raised panel lines tend to look really good on silver painted/NMF models – at least on photos.

 

Excellent show of modelling skills!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

 

Joachim, many thanks for your kind comments!   They are so appreciated by this old modeler!  😀

 

I'd also like to thank all those were kind enough to leave their "likes" for this model!   Thank you all for your responses! :worthy:

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2 hours ago, Pete in a shed said:

Goodness thats a fabulous result Gary:clap:. NMF really suits the Dagger, a nice change from the usual grey,

Pete

 

Thanks Pete!   I knew as soon as I saw the silver doped finish in that photo, that was the one I wanted to build!   :D

 

2 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

That's a very tidy build Gary. Well done.

 

Thank you Bertie!   Very kind of you sir!  🍻

 

1 hour ago, exdraken said:

Turned out splendid!

 

Great finish!!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Many thanks exdraken!   Glad you liked her!!  🍺

 

1 hour ago, Beauslx said:

Great job on the Dagger. Very nicely done. Looking forward to a F-106 build. Which is also a bit of a challenge.

 

Thank you sir!   I appreciate that a lot!  🥃 You are no doubt correct about that F-106 (Monogram?).   I suspect the same issues and excitement with it as the 102...;)  :D

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