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Dragon 1/144 CF-18


ErikT

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Oh yeah!  Time to add a baby brother to my 1/72-scale CF-18.  Here's the box, which has been in my stash for a long, long time:

 

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Looking forward to my first group build!

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Thanks, gents!  Yes, about 10 cm is all.  Not many pieces, either, but for the scale, the old Dragon kits have decent detail.  There are a few minor fit problems and a little bit of re-shaping required, but they build up into decent little models.  Here is my current progress:

The instructions on the back of the box:

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Mostly assembled already, but it needed a little re-shaping of the nose cone, so I have a bit of work to do to re-scribe the tiny panel lines.  Cockpit is primed to check for seam lines and such.

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All the little pieces with the seam lines dealt with and ready for painting.  I use the same technique when I'm doing loads of details for ship models.  Just a small dab of CA glue and they stay there until I gently pry them off.

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Masking tiny canopies is a hobby in itself.  This entire canopy is about 23mm long.

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My biggest complaint with these little kits is with the cockpit details, which can be described as "blob-like."  So, I scratch up some details as best I can with 0.5mm styrene sheet.

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Test fitting the instrument panel.

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Instrument panel fitted and gaps filled and sanded.  Not to cut some tiny little frames to hold the HUD lens.  These are just diagonally-cut segments of 1/700 scale ladders, glued with CA.  You can also see the pilot, Captain Blobby, RCAF.

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1/144 scale has always had a special place in my heart, as has this subject, because this is actually the twin of my very first model kit.  I still have the original hanging from some fishing line in my hobby space.  I just need to learn how to make my own photo etch and buy a 3D printer, and I'll finally be able to add the details that I want to these tiny kits.  They are challenging, but a lot of fun.

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I don't know if this is of any use but CF-118s had a searchlight as in this image . I don't know if you want to go that far in this scale. 

Martin H

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  • 3 weeks later...

Whew.  Two weeks' vacation, you'd think I'd have gotten to do more on my kit, but the wife figured out that I was home and got some work out of me before we took the kids camping.  I did get the cockpit finished, though, as you can see from the following photos.  I also bit the bullet and bought a resin 3D printer (Elegoo Mars 2 Pro), and I was able to design and print some very simple cockpit details, like the screens and the side panels.  The 3 screens are only 1mm to a side, for scale reference, and after painting the details, I discovered that I need to make everything deeper so the paint will show up better:

 

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Installed:

 

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Onto the priming:

 

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Then onto a distress coat, just to give the paint job a little pre-weathering:

 

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Then, finally, the cockpit:

 

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All details painted, and the HUD glass glued on:

 

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The HUD was cut from a sheet of clear acetate film, which started life as a sheet protector for a binder:

 

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Canopy on, and ready for exterior painting!

 

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Base coat, darkened slightly:

 

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Add some water and salt for some more weathering effects:

 

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And a lighter coat applied with the salt washed off afterwards.  I think I'll do a very light dusting coat just to tone down the effect and make it more subtle.  I have only used this effect once before, and I wanted to try it again, especially with our heavily-weathered Hornets in the CAF.

 

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Until next time!

 

 

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Managed a bit more work this last weekend.  Got the undersides masked up, and then mixed and painted the upper surfaces.  I decided that I didn't care much for the salt method for weathering such a small model, so I think I'll just do my regular weathering later on.  Next to mask and paint the engine areas and some other details like the landing gear bays.  Enjoy!

 

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Thanks for the likes and replies so far!  It has definitely been a journey compared to when I started building these years ago.  I didn't accomplish much this weekend, but I did start masking the missiles for detail painting:

 

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And I got the rest of the details all painted on the model before gloss coating for the decals:

 

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Hopefully I'll have more of an update later in the week.  Cheers!

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Managed to get the decals on, and now just the slow process of numerous applications of setting solution to get them to lie down.  This weekend should give me more time, so I might get to panel lines and weathering.

 

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Managed a few minutes to myself this week, and I was able to get those decals settled before putting on the panel line stuff.  Then just a little cleanup, and it's staring to look a little weathered and in need of a good scrub.  Getting closer to being done, and it feels good!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for all the comments and the likes so far!  I took the family to the Rocky Mountains on a vacation to Banff, Alberta last week, so I am a little behind, but I got to spend a few glorious hours working on the model when I got home.  I gave the model a clear matte coat, and then I added the landing gear:

 

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Next came the filters and some weathering.  I didn't want it to look too tired, so I ended up with a pretty subtle look to it.  It was all Abteilung oils and some odourless thinner: 

 

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Just a few little spots:

 

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First pass with a dry brush and no thinner:

 

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Then a little thinner to blend it all together:

 

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Then the same with the underside.  My clumsy idiot fingers snapped off one of the main gear, so I had to repair it after finishing the filters.  One of the many hazards with working in such a small scale when you wear XXL sized gloves.

 

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Finally, the doors for the landing gear.  These were filtered in the same way off the model, and then added after.  I've learned my lesson from past models.  Nothing like sending a tiny gray panel into the carpet with a brush stroke while weathering!

 

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I expect my next post will be the last one for this model.  I just have to detail the wheels and the missiles, and then finish the little base, so I should be able to post the finished model by next week.  Cheers!

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  • 2 weeks later...

The next time I post this tiny beast, It will be the finished photos.  I just had to do the weathering on the missiles and wheels:

 

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Then the decals on the missiles:

 

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And finally, attach everything.  I lost a nose wheel to the Great Devourer (the floor), so I will have to search through my bits box for another one and add it later:

 

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Just one last blast of clear flat and put together a little piece of tarmac, and she's all done.  Thanks for the views!

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  • 3 weeks later...

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