Spang Weasel, and maybe another Phantom too

[bar side]

Thanks @CT7567 that makes sense.  I will check the panel lines in a bit.  The Hataka set includes more than a simple 3 colours, going to need to check the paint codes though

 

 

Today has been a day for putting the G model cockpit etch in.  At the start it looked like this.  Fit is ok & all in basic grey

 

 

I started with the side panels.  Seats are just dropped in to check it all fits

 

 

Before doing the instrument panels I drilled out some holes behind the instruments to let the light through.  The rest of the light will just come under the panels

 

 

 

Now going around putting extra glue around the edges of the etch to try and stop it pinging off when it gets fitted!

 

[bar side]

Looks like I am ok @CT7567 just checked the Hatak box and you get:

 

USAF Paint Set European  - 6 Paints
Standard camouflage colours of USAF planes in 1980's

Standard camouflage colours of USAF planes in 1980s

Contains the following colours (acrylic paints, water-based):

HTK-A016 – Dark Green – FS34079, used in „European” camouflage schemes of USAF F-4s and US ANG A-7Ds

HTK-A056 – European I Green – FS34092, used on TAC aircraft (A-10s, OV-10s, F-16s), MAC aircraft (C-130s, C-141s and C-5s) and USAF helicopters

HTK-A021 – Medium Green – FS34102, used on aircraft of TAC (A-10s, OV-10s, F-4s, F-16s), MAC (C-130s, C-141s and C-5s) and USAF helicopters

HTK-A030 – European I Grey – FS36081, used on aircraft of TAC (incl. A-10s, OV-10s, F-4s, F-16s), SAC (B-1Bs and FB-111As) and US ANG A-7Ds

HTK-A031 – Gunship Grey – FS36118, used on MAC and SAC aircraft, also on USAF helicopters. Used in early „Euro” schemes of A-10s and F-4s

HTK-A052 – Green Drab – FS34086, used in „European” camouflage scheme of SAC aircraft (B-1Bs and FB-111As)

 

Got the etch fitted cockpit parts back in to test the fit

 

 

There are some more parts still to do & the inside of the fuselage hasn’t seen any grey paint yet.  Buts it’s looking ok.

 

So I stuck a white led in to see if the dials would light

 

 

And I tried the led strip led

 

 

Quite like the red glow - what do you think?

[Lord Riot]

Those Hataka paints, are they applicable with a brush or available as spray cans? Or just for airbrushes?
 

Phantom cockpit looking awesome!

[bar side]

Cheers @Lord Riot the Hataka paints comes in bottles.  I was going to try airbrushing them but I assume you can brush paint too.  I haven’t googled the best ratio for spraying or if they spray straight from the bottle.  I haven’t done any airbrushing for years (still got my old badger airbrush and a newer one couple to try out) so will let you know how I get on

[binbrook87]

As has been mentioned in the earlier posts, for the Euro 1 scheme on Spang aircraft you'll need 34079 dark green and 34102 medium green, but just check which grey matches photos as it could be 36081 (dark) or 36118 (slightly lighter). There's plenty of variation anyway especially on the dark green so you may just want to match a specific airframe 😉

Edited July 18, 2022 by binbrook87

[VT Red Sox Fan]

Bar side, that’s a great diorama!  CT7567 great info on A-10 vs F-4 schemes—cheers to all, Erwin

[bar side]

On 7/18/2022 at 10:45 PM, binbrook87 said:

As has been mentioned in the earlier posts, for the Euro 1 scheme on Spang aircraft you'll need 34079 dark green and 34102 medium green, but just check which grey matches photos as it could be 36081 (dark) or 36118 (slightly lighter). There's plenty of variation anyway especially on the dark green so you may just want to match a specific airframe 😉

Thanks - will need to look at the serial options & dig up some pictures for reference 

[bar side]

18 hours ago, VT Red Sox Fan said:

Bar side, that’s a great diorama!  CT7567 great info on A-10 vs F-4 schemes—cheers to all, Erwin

Cheers - my HAS.  It’s been about for years and more than earned it’s keep as a base for displaying builds.  I have another shed that I built to display my Blackbird and that may come out when the Weasel is done

 

[bar side]

Started looking at the second Phantom cockpit today.  It fits fine like the other one

 

 

Now ESCI clearly went basic on detail.  The instrument panels are just flat, even featuring some nice injection holes.  So the etch would just sit on top of it, not at various levels like the real thing.  So out with the plasticard to build up some levels

 

 

I then need to add panels to either side of the front panel, drill out the light holes behind the dials and give them another coat of prime.  Then the etch can go on

[bar side]

Finally got back to finishing of the basic panels.  Side panels fitted to the front one & holes drilled to let the light through

 

 

Just a primer base & I will be able to start attaching the etch

 

 

Will hopefully look better than the flat panels with decals on them.

[Kenny J]

Looking good!

 

@Lord Riot there are two "lines" of Hataka paint - red line is formulated for airbrush, blue is for brush.

[bar side]

Got the etch on to the E/F model instrument panels

 

 

Then I realised the kit doesn’t include the side panels!  Argh! Now if I had switched the tubs the G model one had raised detail on the side panels.  Had to sand off to fit the etch.  I think the only option now is to use the G kit side panel decals and try to enhance things a little bit 

[bar side]

That’s both cockpits just about ready.  I wasn’t going to do the side walls of the cockpit as they won’t be seen

 

 

And they fit together & fit inside.  Always useful.  And I drill fitting points for the led strip.

 

 

And the wings - one set of outer slats is about there, one to do.  Then redo the panel lines and add the inner wing slat actuator housings and wing fences.  Then modify the wing tips.  Think I might try to use the coloured leds in the tips for port & starboard lights, if I can get them to soldier ok

 

 

Need to cut the tail leading edge and fit the flashing led before the body can go together.  I do hope the led can be covered with superglue to form a lens

[bar side]

Well that was a nice summer break.  Hot weather & absolutely no modelling!  Back to try and get going again now.  I had been contemplating using the coloured leds that I got on very fine wire.  So I dug out a red and green, soldiered on a wire to one side & a resistor on to the other.  They will be placed on the tips as per this

 

 

Now the E/G models had different wing tips with the larger lens in place of the top light location on the kit.  So the light will come out of the end and have a fairing behind it in to the wing tip

 

 

So the aim will be to finish off the lights for Phantom 2 as well, fit the lights & bring the wing halves together.  The revamped outer slats can go on and the actuator casings for the inner slats can be made & fitted.  And the wing fences.

Once the wings are together I can finish off fitting the cockpit lights & think about closing the fuselage.  All seems quite a way off, but one step at a time

[bar side]

Put the wings together on the G model today.  I made up the wing tip mods from spare sprue

 

 

Cut the tips about and relocated the port & starboard lights on to the end with a repositioned fairing,  Hinges for the outer slats are also in but need sanding back in place

 

 

 

 

Wing fences also on, just need the underwing actuators for the inner wing

 

[bar side]

Checked things out this morning and as I was tidying up the wing tip the led fell off the starboard side!  So had to open up a channel through the wing from the tip & fit a new green one.  Then solder in the wires & tidy up.  I have now put a blob of superglue over both leds to hold them in place & protect them from being knocked.  Moved on them to the wing actuators

 

 

That looked ok so moved on to do both sides.  So one done & one as it came out of the box

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been fiddly so not looking forward to repeating the process for the brown one.  The socket to connect power will find a new home eventually rather than poking out of the drop tank slot

[bar side]

I was pondering where to put the power socket on the Phantom.  Then I found this

 

 

so looks like a good spot for it!

[bar side]

We’ll time spent on them today but little progress.  I fitted the power connection in place and all was well.  Then I started looking at the seat lights.  I was planning to use an led strip but there isn’t enough clearance underneath the cockpit floor & above the wheel well to fit it.  So I looked at using a standard led or two instead.  So I connected one up to the port & starboard lights power feed.  All that seemed to be happening was that the red light was ok but the green faded out.  I feared the worse - another broken led.  So in a do or die move I put more power on the lights.  Risk of blown leds was high, but the green light came on brighter than ever.  I loosely connected the tail flashing led before the wing tip light resistors and it worked fine.  However I can’t get the cockpit led or the nose wheel light to work.  I need to wire things properly & fit matching resistors to all & see how it goes.  It’s frustrating how long this all takes when in theory there shouldn’t not be an issue.  
On the build side I have cut the outer wing slats off ready to reproduce what I have done with the first kit.  Then tips & lights to do and actuators.  When I would like to be getting the first kit fuselage together.  Oh well I will see how it progresses this week

[bar side]

Finally gave up on the red & green wing tip lights today.  They came out & have been replaced with more reliable white leds that I have used before.  The green light kept fading out & I couldn’t get them to play nicely with the other lights so this is what I now have

 

 

The cockpit has a drivers seat light behind the instrument panel 

 

 

And the back end of the fuselage has gone together.  The tail anti collision light is in place & I will build up some layers of superglue to sand down as the lense (hence the tape on either side

 

 

So some progress and some solved problems to be applied to the second build 

 

 

[bar side]

A day out from the models today to see some more modern hardware do it’s thing

 

 

[bar side]

More playing with lights & the nose today. I found a spare short nose to help keep the front together while the glue dried.  And at the same time put together the basic parts for the long nose

 

 

And switching them over

 

 

It is interesting to put them side by side

 

 

Anyway with the nose now together I got on with wiring up the top section lights & thought I should test them all together, plus add a few more bits - tail top housing on, intakes & tail fins test fitting.  Starting to look more like a jet

 

 

Cockpit lights on

 

 

Nose wheel taxi light in place and tail flashing and collision light working

 

 

To quote Churchill is this the end of the beginning?  Definitely not th3 beginning of the end!

 

[bar side]

Better light test pics

 

 

[bar side]

Getting the second one going now.  The wings have the actuators fitted underneath and the outer slats have been extended.  
 

 

I have now fitted the wing tip lights and glued the wing halves together.  The wing tips have been modified the same ways as the G model and when it’s all dry I will blend bits in.  But it will be ready to fit a matching power socket in to the underside and connecting the tip lights.  The F nose is together as well

[bar side]

Well not got much done have I?  I am afraid the builds have stayed on the shelf for a while.  Last weekend was mainly take up with going to Wembley for the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert - quite a show!

 

 

Then pesky work gets in the way.  However I have been sitting back thinking about these builds.  Should this be a double Spang build?  A USAF E and G models?  Both in Euro One?  It’s tempting.  But so is a splinter camo Luftwaffe jet.  Not sure I have the decals to do a second Spang jet even though I do have multiple sets of Spang Weasel decals.  Maybe something could be cobbled together

 

[bar side]

I have been having a look at decal options.  Not sure I can cobble anything together for a US F-4E in Euro One.  But I do have three sets of G model & two of Luftwaffe

 

 

Got a tiny bit done today with the fitting of the external power socket in the second win set

 

 

Need to sort the cockpit lights & anti collision on tail.  The G model is nearer to getting the body on to the wings

 

Been back watch jets at Lakenheath so here are a few more