The Sea Control Continues - S-3B Viking (VS-32)

[helios16v]

Moving on from my sea patrol F-4EJ Kai onto another anti-ship/sub platform.  I've been itching to do this one for a while now...even though an A-6 would be more practical.  More recent Italeri boxing of the old ESCI molds.  This will be built as an early/mid '90s B, so all the ASW gear will still be onboard.  Resin wing & tail folds by Wolfpack.  Resin/PE engines by Metallic Details.  Resin cockpit by Black Box, donated to the project by a local club member.  Thanks Ray!  I also have a pair of Eduard AGM-84D Harpoons.  I'm undecided if I'm going to put anything in the weapon bays, though they have carried torpedos and Mk.83 bombs.  I'll save that decision for later on.  Progress on this one will be slow getting started, as my primary focus will continue to be getting the F-4 finished up...but I foresee needing some breaks in the painting and decals.  

 

Prepare for a disaster!   

 

The kit and goodies.

 

Did a "quick" dry fit last night to make sure I wasn't going to have major construction hurdles to overcome, as a lot of the original kit is going to end up as spare parts.  I didn't get around to cutting the tail off yet, so hopefully the tail fold fits as well as the wings.  It's definitely going to take a bit of work, but nothing is jumping out that is going to be a huge hurdle.  I'm not sure on the fit of the AM engine pylons...I need to do some research and also maybe try fitting up the kit pylons.

[Col.]

Cracking project Chris  The Kai is looking good in the background there as well.

[helios16v]

The 2 of them pretty much plug up the bench.  It's like a carrier deck.  

[Col.]

At least you don't have to tie them down

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Oooooh Im gonna follow this. Im a Screwbirds fan, and have a beautiful set of decals for when I can find the kit. 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Pappy]

A promising start,

 

Pappy

[desert falcon]

That’s a great subject you have choosen there !!

[helios16v]

^{Bulk of the cockpit pieces were base coated while I had the airbrush out this morning.}

[Pappy]

I like where this is going....

 

Does the italeri kit have the dark tinted canopy? I remember that the original boxing had a really dark smoked canopy part

 

Pappy

Edited February 7, 2022 by Pappy

[helios16v]

7 minutes ago, Pappy said:

I like where this is going....

 

Does the italeri kit have the dark tinted canopy? I remember that the original boxing had a really dark smoked canopy part

Thanks.  Still lots of time to screw this one up. 

 

The Italeri was clear.  One of my boxings does have a heavy smoke canopy...forget if it was the ES-3 or US-3.  I actually have vac-form canopies available for all of them if need be (the one in the ES-3 was FUBAR), but the Italeri one seems to fit reasonably well.  It will be tinted by the time I'm done with it though.  Gold tint on the windscreen, and smoke on the sides.

[Pappy]

5 minutes ago, helios16v said:

Thanks.  Still lots of time to screw this one up. 

 

The Italeri was clear.  One of my boxings does have a heavy smoke canopy...forget if it was the ES-3 or US-3.  I actually have vac-form canopies available for all of them if need be (the one in the ES-3 was FUBAR), but the Italeri one seems to fit reasonably well.  It will be tinted by the time I'm done with it though.  Gold tint on the windscreen, and smoke on the sides.

 

I have one of these and could not remember. I think the pre-tinted canopy was too dark and as you say it was not a uniform shade. I will follow along and see how yours goes together

 

Pappy

[Col.]

There's plenty of lovely detail across those cockpit parts. Hope it's still visible once installed 

[helios16v]

The more I look at it, the more it bugs me.  I'll probably put a very light 36375 coat over the top of the cockpit parts to lighten them up.  The XF-66 is just too dark.

[modelling minion]

Great choice Chris, and nice looking cockpit too.

I have had a soft spot for the Viking since building the Airfix kit as a kid many years ago, I have an ESCI boxing and some Superscale decals so that I can try and replicate it in the scheme on the Airfix box art but in 1/48 scale.

[Pappy]

14 hours ago, helios16v said:

The more I look at it, the more it bugs me.  I'll probably put a very light 36375 coat over the top of the cockpit parts to lighten them up.  The XF-66 is just too dark.

 Wouldn't FS36231 be the most suitable  colour?

 

Pappy

[Wings unlevel]

On 02/02/2022 at 02:53, helios16v said:

Resin wing & tail folds by Wolfpack.  Resin/PE engines by Metallic Details.  Resin cockpit by Black Box

You’ve hoovered up a fair swag of aftermarket there! 

[helios16v]

8 hours ago, Pappy said:

 Wouldn't FS36231 be the most suitable  colour?

 

Pappy

I'll have to see if I have that shade.  I don't intend a very heavy coat, just want to lighten it up a tad.

[Pappy]

On 2/9/2022 at 9:05 PM, Wings unlevel said:

You’ve hoovered up a fair swag of aftermarket there! 

 

I see what you did there 😊

[Bertie McBoatface]

On 2/9/2022 at 11:05 AM, Wings unlevel said:

You’ve hoovered up a fair swag of aftermarket there! 

 

You are going to need it in that huge cockpit. It will look fabulous when it's done. The cockpit is always the focus of attention.

[Pappy]

On 2/10/2022 at 12:49 AM, helios16v said:

I'll have to see if I have that shade.  I don't intend a very heavy coat, just want to lighten it up a tad.

 

I don't know what colour you used but it seems pretty close to FS36231 already. People can get themselved very excited about the right colour but in my experience once you add washes, drybrushing, filter4s and chipping etc, the final shade is a lot different from the starting point.  

I would leave it personally as I think  FS36375 looks pretty light

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

[helios16v]

24 minutes ago, Pappy said:

 

I don't know what colour you used but it seems pretty close to FS36231 already. People can get themselved very excited about the right colour but in my experience once you add washes, drybrushing, filter4s and chipping etc, the final shade is a lot different from the starting point.  

I would leave it personally as I think  FS36375 looks pretty light

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

I think I would've been fine with it if it was over a lighter base, like grey primer.  Over the black coat it feels like it darkened it up too much.  I'm not planning a heavy overcoat, just more of a light "highlighting".  It's close to what I was thinking, just a half shade too dark.  It actually looks a bit lighter in the pics than it does in person.  If I can get it to the brightness it looks in the picture I'll be happy.

[trickyrich]

haha, I'd forgotten you were doing this one too...... and you even showed me the photo earlier too! 

 

That's a goodly amount of AM & resin too....Uncle Richie approves! 

 

I like th subject, but not enough to tempt me.....which is nice for a change, good luck with her.

 

I've just been looking at the 2 colours as well. I think 36375 might be a touch on the light side, 36231 is meant to be the correct shade of grey for the interior.... or would be if the manufactures would all produce the same colour!

 

I would lean towards the 36231, I think it's much easier to lighten something up than darken it later on. What you've done so far looks great, as you start to apply effects it's lighten up perfectly.

[Col.]

8 hours ago, trickyrich said:

I like th subject, but not enough to tempt me...

..yet

[Pappy]

52 minutes ago, Col. said:

..yet

[trickyrich]

 

nup.... an A-6 or EA-6 would be more tempting but even still not quite enough!,