Easy Build F-15E

[Enzo the Magnificent]

By build for this Blitzbuild is the Hobby Boss "Easy Build" F-15E.

 

 

There is an F-15 STGB ongoing where I have two builds (and maybe a third later on...)  So I thought why not chuck in another Eagle in the Blitzbuild? 

 

 

 

[stevej60]

Perfect for this GB Enzo goes together well and looks the part.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

So here are the sprues.

 

 

 

 

The problem here is that it doesn't really represent an F-15E.  The jetpipes have turkey feathers and are more suitable for an early F-15A.  Although the CFTs are included, there are no CFT pylons, targeting pods or ordnance - despite ordnance being shown on the box art.

 

It shouldn't be a problem...   I will simply use the jetpipes, pylons and pods from the Academy kit that I am building in the F-15 Anniversary STGB.

 

The decals represent an aircraft from thirty years ago.  I may update them to represent one of the aircraft that make a racket over my house every day.

 

Jet Noise  -  The Sound Of Freedom    

[JOCKNEY]

Great stuff Sir

I was a bit worried you had forgotten to start your own build thread 

Looks like a great subject, good luck

cheers Pat 

[Luke1199]

Looking forward to seeing this one, can't fault hobbyboss for a quick build kit. Enjoy the build!

[theplasticsurgeon]

Great choice Enzo.

Eagles go really well.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Here we go.  Hold on tight, rider! 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The main airframe is really reeeeely easy to build.  It's two parts!!!   I put some ballast in there.  I also pared away the plastic where the jet exhausts fit.  You will see why in a moment.

 

 

The Hobby Boss kit provides jet exhausts with "turkey feathers".  These are only suitable for the very early F-15As and Bs - certainly not for an F-15E.  The exhausts are very shallow as well and simply butt fit on the rear of the fuselage.  I decided to replace them with the exhausts from an Academy kit.  These exhausts have a bit of depth, hence the need to pare away the plastic.

 

 

As you can see, I have robbed some other items from the Academy kit.  The intakes are from the Hobby Boss kit but unfortunately they do not have any intake ramps. I used the parts for the uppersurfaces of the drooped intake in the Academy kit, suitably narrowed.

 

 

Cockpit and forward fuselage painted and decalled.

 

 

 

and the main fuselage assembled with the gear bays sprayed white.

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

All the main components are ready to be assembled.

 

 

Like so.  The tail fins are not cemented in place yet.

 

 

While I'm waiting for the filler to cure, it's time for something to eat.

 

These are Greggs bacon and cheese wraps.  You can get them frozen from Iceland and bake them yourself.   And of course, brown sauce...   

 

[Jinxman]

Brown sauce - yum yum! Oh, and nice progress on the Eagle.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I am planning to pose the canopy open, so I sawed the windscreen off and fitted it. 

 

 

I have also added the pylons on the CFTs from the Academy kit.

 

 

Just as I was taking these photos, the postie arrived!  

 

 

This is Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of Batman.  Oh...   it's a facsimile reprint.  They didn't have barcodes in 1939.   I have never ever seen an original copy for sale.  Mind you, I couldn't afford one. 

 

To put things in context, here is Detective Comics #1063, the latest edition.

 

 

 

...aaaand, we're back in the room!   

 

The model has been sprayed with clear lacquer and given a light coat of grey primer.  

 

[Johnson]

4 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said:

first appearance of Batman

I remember well my first Batman comic. Amazing! Why wouldn't my parents buy me these??? This was about 1963, long gone of course, it would probably be worth a couple of quid too if I still had it.

 

Oh yes, nice Eagle!

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, Enzo Matrix said:

The model has been sprayed with clear lacquer

 

What's the advantage of that move, Enzo?

[Enzo the Magnificent]

37 minutes ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

 

What's the advantage of that move, Enzo?

 

I have been using grey plastic car primer from a rattle can for some time.  However I've found that the primer can still sometimes lift from the plastic when using masking tape.   The lacquer is slightly "hotter" than the primer and so gives a nice key on the plastic.  In theory I don't really need to use the grey primer but I still do as it gives a nice even finish allowing me to see if any more sanding is required.

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 minute ago, Enzo Matrix said:

 

I have been using grey plastic car primer from a rattle can for some time.  However I've found that the primer can still sometimes lift from the plastic when using masking tape.   The lacquer is slightly "hotter" than the primer and so gives a nice key on the plastic.  In theory I don't really need to use the grey primer but I still do as it gives a nice even finish allowing me to see if any more sanding is required.

 

 

 

Hm, primer primer. interesting, thanks.

[Hockeyboy76]

Nice breakfast, nice comics, nice work.  

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I sprayed the rear fuselage with various shades of AK Xtreme Metal and then masked it off.

 

 

Then the main colour was sprayed.  This is Lifecolor UA-532 to represent FS36118 Gunship Grey.

 

 

And that's it for the day!    Now moving on to the second phase of the day's entertainment.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

2 hours ago, Johnson said:

I remember well my first Batman comic. Amazing! Why wouldn't my parents buy me these??? This was about 1963, long gone of course, it would probably be worth a couple of quid too if I still had it.

 

The earliest issue of Detective Comics that I have is #214 from December 1954.   I also have #291 published in May 1961, the month that I was born.

 

I had a lot of comic books from the late 60s through the 1970s, all carefully bagged and boarded.  I had Detective Comics from DC, and a lot of Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer from Marvel.  I even had issue #1 of Black Lightning.  Sadly, my mother hated those comic books and as soon as I joined the RAF they all went to the tip!  

[Bertie McBoatface]

42 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said:

Sadly, my mother hated those comic books and as soon as I joined the RAF they all went to the tip!

 

And I thought my mother was bad!

[Jinxman]

2 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

I had a lot of comic books from the late 60s through the 1970s, all carefully bagged and boarded.  I had Detective Comics from DC, and a lot of Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer from Marvel.  I even had issue #1 of Black Lightning.  Sadly, my mother hated those comic books and as soon as I joined the RAF they all went to the tip!  

Snap! I went to Uni, and when I got back I found my stash (only small then), started models, finished models, and most of my tools/paints had been given to a lad down the road. 😲

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Let's get started again.

 

[JeroenS]

Nice work so far Enzo. And boy, some gut wrenching stories there as well! 

[theplasticsurgeon]

Looking good Enzo - keep turnin and burnin . . .

 

[Hockeyboy76]

Hope there’s no hangover to complete with today. 

[AdrianMF]

Good old Hobbyboss! They certainly know how to keep the parts count down. Looking good, just like the four that flew really low over me when I was walking round Derwent Water in March this year.

 

What was it about mums and American comics? When I was eight or so and we were staying in a North Wales caravan site with the massed family*, my cousin was dispatched with me to the site shop to make sure I didn’t buy any “rubbishy books”. So I reluctantly avoided the DC comics stand and bought an English comic instead 🤔.

 

Regards,

Adrian
 

* That half of the family is from Liverpool and my various aunts and uncles had three or four caravans next to each other on a site just beyond Conway. You heard more Scouse than Welsh up there!