Jump to content

Gulf War Tornado GR.1 'Foxy Killer'


Dansk

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

This build was planned for the Desert Group Build next year.
However I am going to have to find something else for that because I'm just too excited about this project and I want to initiate it right away.

My plan is to build RAF Tornado GR1B ZA465 which served with 16 Squadron.
It flew 44 bombing missions in Gulf War I (the highest number by any Tornado.)
Her Tail code was FK resulting in 'Foxy Killer' namesake and noseart.

 

52534381059_604a12b2b1_b.jpg

I have emersed myself in Gulf war videos and wow those crew were so brave flying those missions particularly those early JP233 missions. I have a great respect for them.

 

Initial early missions lacked noseart so i will depict her later with 1000lb bombs and a little more weathered.


The kit is Italeri's big 32 bird, it looks wonderful. (I currently have their 32 starfighter in mid-build and that's been pleasant so far.)


I'll need to adjust a few things to make a GR.4 a GR.1 enroute.

It's a big box, here's a tamiya paint pot for scale...

 

52534090961_7e1f397ff7_b.jpg

 

52534580555_7d6c8efbf1_b.jpg

I have purchased a couple of tonka books (the gulf one is still to arrive) to swat up further.
Aftermarket consists of a resin loadout, metal pitot tube, window masks, raf rbf tags,...

52534382019_c122548e0f_b.jpg

....and a first for me: Tom Anyz's switches and knobs to detail up the cockpit a touch together with his belt buckles.

52533632347_78738d1005_b.jpg

the italeri tub here, albeit plastic covered


52534102186_f4e348919b_b.jpg

There's loads of reference for gulf war tonkas and a substantial amount for ZA465.
I intend to try to replicate the patchy paint and weathered feel and chipping of the temporary desert paint. I've been reading about the different shades of paint and how it was applied.

 

Here's a whole bunch of Foxy Killer ref (and other airframes weathering reference where I can't find 465 at that angle; underside etc)

 

52534378859_97784d2ce8_b.jpg

This wonderful bomb under 465 graffiti I intend to reproduce.

52534576860_941bd483b5_b.jpg
Note the sand on the bombs above

 

52533630642_b872ed0127_b.jpg
52534577435_c145092a28_b.jpg

 

52534645183_74ebc3b0a3_b.jpg


I love the leaking (hydraulic fluid?) detail over the skyshdow pod.

52534379514_2f08443851_b.jpg

So enough waffle I need to start this thing.

Any tips and advice along the way are warmly welcomed.

I'm not an expert builder but will try my best with this.

  • Like 15
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will watch your buid with interesting, as I recently finished 1/72 "Mig Eater" Tonka. You will find here many Tonka lovers (me) and experts (not-me).  Thank you for sharing photos, some of them I did't know and they are very interesting with all leaks and paint's chipping. I think you know this page? https://www.dstorm.eu/pages/en/menu.html

 

Happy modelling,

Michal

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, socjo1 said:

I will watch your buid with interesting, as I recently finished 1/72 "Mig Eater" Tonka. You will find here many Tonka lovers (me) and experts (not-me).  Thank you for sharing photos, some of them I did't know and they are very interesting with all leaks and paint's chipping. I think you know this page? https://www.dstorm.eu/pages/en/menu.html

 

Happy modelling,

Michal

Thank you Michal theres a couple of shots on that page of 465 that i havent seen before 👍

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A first update here chaps.

I've been working on the bang seats. I think the kit seats are pretty good actually, some nice detail.

 

After building up the plastic parts, I ennealed the kit PE with a lighter to encourage easier bending.

 

52541959627_48bee60477_b.jpg

 

 

 

It still looks like metal etch but i might add some 'walkway texture' to some of the belts to help give them a little visual relief, then will prime.

 

52542902960_313db41ba0_b.jpg

 

52542966483_822e417002_b.jpg

 

52541959372_341c18dd03_b.jpg

 

 

in other news the kits world decals from jadlam racing are just terrible.

the misregistration is visible from earth orbit. they stink. i wont buy from them again.

not sure what to do. 🤨 

 the sharkmouth i could mask but the rest is tough.

 

52542714104_3d2f9a21b0_b.jpg

 

52542419591_108e133eb7_c.jpg

 

52542966003_b90d20ec94_o.jpg

 

kits world stink 💩 

 

speaking of quality, tom anyz stuff arrived and its awesome.

if i dont feel the kit PE belts work, i'll pull them off and make tamiya tape belts with tom's buckles.

 

52542966853_44a05999ca_b.jpg

 

52541959617_80839a924c_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 7
  • Thanks 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Jabba said:

Nice work on the seats.

 

As for books if you can have a look at John Nichols book Tornado. It gives a very good insight to the operations during the Gulf War.

Thanks Jabba, I will look into that.

A little mr. surfacer primer on the seats to assess how things look (a touch up is needed on one)

and some work has started on the pit.

The details are good on the kit parts but I think the anyz switches will knock it up a touch.

52545362579_f125f19a2b_h.jpg

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/5/2022 at 7:20 AM, Jabba said:

Nice work on the seats.

 

As for books if you can have a look at John Nichols book Tornado. It gives a very good insight to the operations during the Gulf War.

Really, he only flew half a mission !!!

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice. The Tornado weathered camo is great challenge😉

Can you tell me the differences between an A team and a B team stencilled on fuselage panels?

Thank you

Ciao

F

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, tweeky said:

Really, he only flew half a mission !!!

Not him personally, but his does mention his mistake. I am talking about the the insight of the other crews that flew during that period.

 

1 hour ago, Phil1960 said:

 

Can you tell me the differences between an A team and a B team stencilled on fuselage panels?

 

 I think (I stand to be corrected) that Team A were the day shift, whilst Team B were the night shift or something like that. If you look at most Tornado nose art from that war they nearly all have 2 teams working them.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mind you will need to backdate the pilot’s and possibly the nav’s instrument panels to GR.1 spec from the GR.4 depicted in the Italeri box. 

Should be easy enough to use a set of Eduard bits for the 1/32 Revel kit to do this. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the interest and notes guys.

 

Since last time i listened to a quarter of the john nichols book.

but the narrator was so overly pompous it put me off i couldnt bare any more of it.

but i loved the documentary on him and his pilot the other john. such brave men.

 

regarding the gr.4 to gr.1 stuff; the kit comes with a few extra parts on the sprue that i think for the gr.1 ip so those will be used but i'm not going to burden myself with too much correctness, i want to enjoy the bits i enjoy without too much guilt. so some stuff might be a bit wrong.

 

since last time you saw the seats, they've been given more detail with leg harnases, and have been primed again

 

52568110378_6957f98bfb_b.jpg

 

and i've been fitting the tom anyz knobs and switches. it started trying to be accurate then it veered off a touch and i got less concerned with complete accuracy. the kit itself is great and matches references really well and has good sharp detail. the anyz stuff just lifts it a bit though i broke tons of drills doing it.

 

the kit

52567581976_73abd849c1_b.jpg

 

with anyz bits getting installed

52568110773_c06396da6e_b.jpg

 

52568110788_bc14cc326e_b.jpg

 

 

 

52568110163_700fbb1576_b.jpg

 

this is the tub and seats in their respective different base greys that seem to match my references.

 

52567581786_c3a1e9ec97_b.jpg

 

52567859194_6090ffd2e1_b.jpg

 

the kits ace but needs a bit of clean up here and there.

these ejection marks are visible in the cockpit so they need sorting.

52567859044_26fbbf7843_b.jpg

 

added some detailing to the nose bay and leg too. (just a bit - i dont want to go crazy as its not seen) italeris stuff is very similar to all the refs i see. they did well.

52568110643_8c932cfe7e_b.jpg

 

thats now been primed.

52568110708_c3cd47357b_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 11
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is going to be great 😍

I'm looking forward to the weathering, I gotta feeling you are going to give it plenty. They ran these planes long and hard, and not much time for cleaning and polishing. 

I had a go at a Gulf Buccaneer - Miss Jolly Roger - a Revell 1.72 box but it was originally a.... Matchbox? Or Frog...? 

Weathered her right up, and enjoyed the process greatly. So I'll drop in from time to time to see how you are getting on. 

Those seats look tremendous already 👍

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like those seats a lot, you've made them look very good for 'out of the box' items. I might also need to get some of those 'anyz' bits and pieces, which I've not heard of before - my bank manager/credit card will not be impressed! (Nothing new there, so.....)

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I hope everyone is having a quality christmas season.

I had chance to play with the tonka a bit so the cockpit and front wheel bay are approaching a conclusion.

 

I cut up the Pilot's IP to remove the squarer kit GR.4 display with a representative GR.1 round screen from an un-needed kit part. (It's not perfect but it kinda looks ok from a distance)

 

52587567010_765cc519c9_h.jpg

 

52586656017_445563a0dc_h.jpg

 

52586656277_59a21e6b0d_h.jpg

 

then lots of bits got painted and assembled

 

52586656417_8f01a24f92_h.jpg

 

52586656372_6d70a0ace4_h.jpg

 

52587566775_c9bb3c35fc_h.jpg

 

might leave the light lens until last thing to add.

 

52587648448_e7a5c5f60f_h.jpg

 

seats are a dry fit here

and the guages got a blob of clear glue to make them glasslike after these shots.

 

52587648403_bb0a2b29c9_h.jpg

 

52587566720_d05fca7bda_h.jpg

 

52587132561_4c4a7d08ac_h.jpg

 

52587392289_ca170d63ab_h.jpg

 

52586656007_6368238356_h.jpg

 

might add a few bits of oilwork before sealing the tub in the fuselage.

 

on another note i got a 'calibre' stand and figured out the perfect device to stick on the end of the sharp legs (to make them ideal and tactile to hold steady my builds without scratching them)  works really good 👍 

 

52587392979_b9c5f8e9ac_h.jpg

  • Like 13
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm just preparing the nose section for joining up.

 

The instructions call out for 60 grams to be added in the nose section.

 

That seems like a LOT.

(looks like this crew are smuggling bars of silver or something?)

 

Has anyone built this kit - is 60g up front accurate?

 

52587901626_0b149c3846_h.jpg

 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy new year everyone.

giving a bump here to the question posed above...

 

...and here's a few shots of recent work.

The cockpit is all joined up now.

I chipped the exposed valences of the fuse/cockpit with Mig Ammo chipping fluid

and I have been working on constructing, painting and making some wiring for the WSO's upper instruments. 

 

52600932084_c394cc0886_h.jpg

 

 

 

52601188803_4c02bae94e_b.jpg

 

52600178952_788594f029_h.jpg

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/27/2022 at 9:12 AM, Dansk said:

Has anyone built this kit - is 60g up front accurate?

Not this kit but I did do the 1/48 Revell kit and fixed the wings at full-forward sweep. Even with the resin exhaust, it still sat on its nose gear without weight in the nose (I'd filled the nose with shotgun pellets prior but didn't need it after all). I suspect yours will be the same.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice work!!

Shame about the decals though... especially in 1/32 this is rather unacceptable  especially for expensive aftermarket ones .. in this day and age 

Did you contact kitsworld directly? Maybe you go a faulty one...

 

Will follow your build closely! 

:thumbsup:

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/3/2023 at 2:07 AM, Bell209 said:

Not this kit but I did do the 1/48 Revell kit and fixed the wings at full-forward sweep. Even with the resin exhaust, it still sat on its nose gear without weight in the nose (I'd filled the nose with shotgun pellets prior but didn't need it after all). I suspect yours will be the same.

Thanks for the advice Rob. much appreciated. If I do another of these I might be brave and test the no weight theory. 60g was a lot i put in there.

 

On 1/3/2023 at 8:59 AM, exdraken said:

Nice work!!

Shame about the decals though... especially in 1/32 this is rather unacceptable  especially for expensive aftermarket ones .. in this day and age 

Did you contact kitsworld directly? Maybe you go a faulty one...

 

Will follow your build closely! 

:thumbsup:

 

Thanks mate. I am going to completely redesign from the ground up and print the decals from scratch and use the experience as a positive to learn. 👍

The buy from jadlam was from ebay and its so difficult to get in touch on ebay with the seller unless one wants to 'just' return them (and postage costs are the same as the decal so its a fruitless task).

 

heres a few updates;

The WSO's upper ip and screens have been weathered and installed. I did some minor touch ups on the seats and interior too.(seats are a dry fit temporarily). hud has been completed and shroud dry brushed. and everythings been given a little sandy powder (gulf bird).

52611125511_139862634d_h.jpg

52611546095_7a422b1a40_h.jpg

 

 

 

 

The canopies have been masked inside and out (some idiot lost all the masks?!🤪 They have literally disappeared into thin air. 🤨 i have no idea how this happened) so i had to do it oldschool with a cocktail stick, knife and tamiya tape (for the main canopy).

I painted the inside of the glazing with a close approximation to the outside colour first (tamiya wooden deck tan is reaaallly close to tornado desert pink refs). (followed by an overcoat of matt black and matt varnish.)

- the theory being if the masking is a touch off, then the exterior colour base will disguise it as that will be seen externally.

 

52611389034_2b7ecd651b_h.jpg

52611614483_ded57e87eb_h.jpg

 

I will do the same the other way round doing the interior colour first on the exterior.

the front glazing is now installed with contacta clear.

52611389139_457e68c62d_h.jpg

 

Main wheel bays have been constructed primed and had an initial coat of white,

engines have had initial internal paint and weathering, they have big ejector pins on the shafts but its near impossible to see once constructed so they can stay.

main wheels are done (although I think I will backtrack a touch and rescribe the tire grooves),

 

52611389214_058eb29d4f_h.jpg

 

the glazing is great and clear, one can see the anyz knobs etc clearly.

 

52611614458_e338dafb39_h.jpg

 

I will do the det cord, side walls and mirrors etc on the main canopy next, then after weathering temporarily seal it for painting.

 

I'm really enjoying the kit I think it's a solid output from Italeri. 👍

 

 

 

  • Like 13
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...