Tim's A&A Reporter - COMPLETED.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Rejoining GB with this A&A Northrop F-15 Reporter.

 

A&A is a model manufacturer that I've never heard of previously, and certainly never built.

This kit bought at 2024 Avon show,  my interest being the only kit of the F-15 Reporter of the Northrop Black Widow.

 

Parts.  No number tags on the sprues.  Slight flash, and softtish detail.  Hallmarks of low pressure moulding.

Decals - looking great,  transparencies, etch and painting masks.  

 

Offering these 3 options.  All natural metal,  and based in Japan.

The Reporter had a short service life,  arriving at the same time as early jets. 

It was utilised in mapping the Korean peninsula - 
 

[Illusive]

And it's a new kit as well, 2024 release so should be no issues with old moulds and the like. Watching this one with interest...

[theplasticsurgeon]

Cockpit components about to be assembled.

Every edge has had to be scraped for flash, and there's precious little in the way of locating pins on this kit.

[theplasticsurgeon]

The assembled fuselage pod.

Lots of tape to hold it together.

[Milan Mynar]

It looks nice.

[theplasticsurgeon]

This afternoon I assembled the wings.

Every part requires trimming at the edges,  and the nose cone is particularly poor.

Part numbers for the wing parts so far are inaccurate - so take care.  

Every joint will need to be filled, and some restoration of panel detail.  I'm loathe to recommend this kit. 

[theplasticsurgeon]

Camera nosecone fitted,  full of lead.  Fit of parts is poor for this kit.

Then the wings,  again careful trimming of everything is necessary, to enable a good fit.

Instructions don't show a positive location for those forward bulkheads in the booms.   I located them tooo far back last night, and had to refit them earlier this morning.

They locate into the slots in the undercarriage bay, shown in the previous post.

But, they offer another space for ballast ahead of the CofG.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Dryfit of the airframe, to validate the balance.   I'll add just a little more into those engine cavities.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Canopy fitted,  and engines constructed.  Fit is dreadful.

Airframe is now fully joined, with seams fettled.

[Illusive]

@theplasticsurgeon what's the green thing on it?

[theplasticsurgeon]

Completion of the engines.  Those on the P-61C and onwards had a huge turbo-superchargers underneath,  and ducts alongside.

and getting ready for airbrushing.  Vinyl canopy masks - plus my own.

This was my airbrush facility yesterday.  Pretty unappealing!

[theplasticsurgeon]

A cold airbrush session, and covered with Humbrol 27002 Polished Aluminium.

Earlier, I'd painted the fighter-brake areas Humbrol 11 Silver, for contrast, and masked those. 

Demasked, slightly different shade on this photo.  These enabled the fighter version, to catch a target with its speed advantage.

Then extend the brakes, to slow down, avoid overshooting - and becoming their target!

 

Then demasked, anti-dazzles painted on, and tidied up.

 

[Milan Mynar]

The Humbrol Polished Aluminium looks very nice.

[JOCKNEY]

Looks a lovely kit and great progress 

 

Cheers Pat 

[theplasticsurgeon]

Decals,  well the main ones so far.

[stevehnz]

A good looking result of a good looking plane, pity about the kit. 

Steve.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Stencils all completed,  props fitted,  drop-tanks installed - and I've used Clearfix for the camera ports.

 

[Milan Mynar]

Excellent looking model you made from this kit.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Great work on one of my favorite birds, hopefully I can find a kit around Christmas when I get my budget infusion.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Undercarriage, and a crew ladder into the wheel-bay.

and up onto her wheels.

 

[Pete in Lincs]

It looks like you won this build battle. I've not seen a kit of the Reporter before and yours is a nice one. Probably easier than converting the old Monogram Black Widow too. 

[theplasticsurgeon]

57 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

It looks like you won this build battle. I've not seen a kit of the Reporter before and yours is a nice one. Probably easier than converting the old Monogram Black Widow too. 

Thanks for those nice words Pete - it's certainly been a tustle.

Monogram would be 1/48 scale,  but I've know of a fellow modellers with 1/72 conversion sets - watching this build.

 

[theplasticsurgeon]

First all the underside aerials and tanks fitted.

Which brings this build to a conclusion.