Deanflyer Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) Having visited many aircraft museums, I feel sad that these creatures of the air are to be earthbound for evermore. It's particularly upsetting when outside exhibits are allowed to deteriorate at the mercy of the elements, rain streaked and forgotten, such as this one: They sit forlorn, engineless, the erstwhile source of their power unceremoniously plugged with crudely made covers: They squat on flat tyres, running repairs often done on these poor airframes with gaffer tape: Their cannon ports crudely sealed against small creatures with more tape: Birds, no respect for their superiors in the sky, perch on fins, and foul indiscriminately: Their clouded perspex canopies are often padlocked against unlawful entry: Dented and twisted fuel tanks are discarded nearby: Earthbound they sit, in some forgotten corner: And can only dream of their glory years, now but a distant memory, as they deteriorate beyond salvation: Sad, isn't it? Came over all emotional, there. I'd had this museum exhibit in progress when Mart (LotusArenco) went and posted his MiG 21 on the same theme, so I'm not being a copycat, honest! Still, what else can you make from the pile of poo which IS the Academy 1/72 F-104G? The canopy is woeful (and has the detail moulded on the INSIDE) the intake shock cones are rounded instead of pointed, the cockpit is non existent...this was destined to be a derelict before I ever got my hands on it. In addition to sorting out the awful kit parts, I had to scratchbuild the FOD covers, the intake splitters, gear cover actuators, pitot cover, padlock, the whole diorama base, the info board, the rope stakes and so on. There is a security fence on order to go along the base behind the airframe, but it hasn't arrived yet. Hope you like it, Dean Edited April 13, 2009 by Deanflyer 31 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 S'abit poetic, innit? Do you ever do a "straight" model anymore? Looks great, and the hazy canopy looks realistic... one critique though - if it was as weather beaten as that, it would probably be as matt as a matt thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) Superb I would have bleached the upper paint right out to make it look likes its been there a while Edited April 13, 2009 by TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Excellent! How did you do the bird poo? Just add one or two figures looking at the exhibit and you have one very effective and different aircraft diorama. Preiser do all sorts of civilian figures. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Superb I would have bleached the upper paint right out to make it look likes its been there a while With the big Trumpy Frightenening, what next? more here if you are interested http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=89240 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanflyer Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) Now that's just heartbreaking, Tony... In answer to some comments: Mike, it is pretty matt, but an uncharacteristic bit of early morning low sun gave it a sheen when the pics were taken. Either that or it's just rained, whichever excuse you prefer. Also, as for straight modelling - remember that Vulcan I bought at Cosford? Wait until you see what I've got planned for that... Tony, there is bleaching on the panels and darker around the panel lines, but doesn't show up too well on the pics. Didn't want to overdo things. Martin, I was looking at figures for it, but painting people is not my strong point especially in 1/72 scale. Plus, that would take away the element of abandonment I was hoping to portray. As for the guano...white pencil. Cheers, Dean Edited April 13, 2009 by Deanflyer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LotusArenco Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Nice one Mate! I think we’ve started a trend. I totally forgot about doing the flat tyres on mine… Only suggestion I would make, is to sit the wheels on concrete slabs of some sort, to stop it sinking into the grass. Mart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanflyer Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 Only suggestion I would make, is to sit the wheels on concrete slabs of some sort, to stop it sinking into the grass.Mart Thanks Mart, it was a parallel idea, honest! As for concrete slabs, I did think about it but decided to churn up the grass underneath a bit instead, to help give it that 'unloved' air. Same as the way the drop tank has been casually dumped, and the rope barrier looks decidedly temporary...all done deliberately. Cheers, Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) Thanks Mart, it was a parallel idea, honest! As for concrete slabs, I did think about it but decided to churn up the grass underneath a bit instead, to help give it that 'unloved' air. Same as the way the drop tank has been casually dumped, and the rope barrier looks decidedly temporary...all done deliberately.Cheers, Dean Hope you do not mind me adding another link or so, I used to skin for Pacific fighters and one of the people on there took some of a Mig 21 and an AN-2 in similar circumstances, Owned by a millionare and left in his gardens to rot..... he had some stunning ones of it covered in hawfrost too..... one of his links is now dead for the Mig-21 but the others are still up and running, I may be able to contact him if the other shots are required, see http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2...1685#4811001685 http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2...7045#4921027045 for some excellent shots of both. more and looking decidedly dodgy the way it is now sat. http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2...9816#4081039816 http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2...1876#6021021876 Edited April 13, 2009 by TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid de Koning Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Me like! Excellent gate Starfighter! Regards, Sid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 nice model! an unusual idea well executed! alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels49 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) Oh I give up, damn!!! even when he does them to look bad.......they look good.....is there no end to your mastery.......dang Dean...is there anything you don't do good!!!!. Now you are delving into new ideas for presentation. though nothing will top that exploded view idea. Edited April 13, 2009 by Angels49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
periklis_sale Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 something not usual mate! Nicely done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Wow dean, I love you slightly different approach to modelling, love this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Blackburn Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 just brill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Looks good to me, took this one today and the EDS Grey is pretty bleached out! Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Looks like the '104 over at Lasham..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanflyer Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 Looks like the '104 over at Lasham..... Well spotted...I didn't know it was at Lasham (or even that Lasham existed) but a couple of shots of this airframe turned up when I was trawling the internet for references for this project. The weathering on my example was inspired by several airframes, but this was certainly one of them. Cheers, Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizzy Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Superb model from a kit thats a pile of poo. I didn't have the imagination to finish mine,once i reallised how crap it was.I just used it for airbrush practice. It is a shame these wonderful jets are no longer in service.I remember being allowed to sit in the cockpit of a Luftwaffe example at Culdrose when i was a kid.Hopefully one day 'The Starfighters' display team will pay a visit to the UK with their 4 jets.I believe they're the only civil display team with mach 2 jets in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dswoofie Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Nice work Dean, and good use of a terrible Academy zipper! I still have one sitting around here that has been used for airbrush pratice too! I really like that, nice and creative I think. Karl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcin Wojciechowski Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 Very nice diorama. Good work with very poor Academy kit. BRAVO ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Dyck Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 Really nice. I love these abandoned planes.👍👍👍 They truly telling stories and we can dream of the glory days! Try to catch this in some dioramas too, like the Fw-190 and He-162. Cheers Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark4700 Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 You’ve done a fantastic job of this sad subject. The dirt and grime is very realistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whisky Papa Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Aye, the Academy's kit is a drag! The 23+25 sported the Luftwaffe camouflage until 1972 only, when it got the much nicer NORM 76. It entered service at MFG2 in July 1965, withdrawn from use in November 1981, and sold to Turkey in 1982, where it was in service until 1992. Full history on 916 Starfighter: KE+509 and 23+25. Work still in progress... 😁 ... needs a lot of corrections as well. Still a nice built, though! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcin Wojciechowski Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 On 1.02.2021 at 23:07, Whisky Papa said: Tak, zestaw Akademii to opór! 23 + 25 nosił kamuflaż Luftwaffe tylko do 1972 roku, kiedy to otrzymał znacznie ładniejszy NORM 76. Do służby w MFG2 wszedł w lipcu 1965 roku, wycofany z użytku w listopadzie 1981 roku i sprzedany do Turcji w 1982 roku, gdzie służył do 1992. Pełna historia 916 Starfighter: KE + 509 i 23 + 25. Prace wciąż trwają ... 😁... również wymagają wielu poprawek. Wciąż jednak ładnie zbudowany! This is my Statfighter from Axademy kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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