Looking good, Pawel. Those are complicated intakes on the F-111, no matter which version you build.
Hello!
@jeaton01 - John, sorry for answering so late… It’s been a long time without an update, but the work has been going on…
You’re right about the intakes but somehow I managed to build them:
I’ve also built the wings after painting the flat and slot cavities red. I used a heavy metal ruler to straighten the wings a little, because they had a tendency to curve upwards slightly:
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
2 Likes
Your additions via scratch building are right on point. Nice job on the cockpit as well. Keep this fine work going!
Pawel,
I did not realize the Hasegawa Aardvark was so…typical of Hasegawa when it came to fit issues. I have a saying that Hasegawa kits feature 95% fit - the other 5% does not fit, or are off by a tiny, annoying hair. Plus, their kits from the 1990s tended to skimp on the cockpit and wheel well detail. You are doing an outstanding job bringing up the quality of the kit!
Do you have a set of markings in mind? Combat Lancer or some other notable F-111A deployment in Vietnam?
RealG - thanks a lot for your comment!
I actually like (later) Hasegawa kits a lot - while it’s true that their cockpits are sometimes a little basic, but they have beautiful surface features and their research is usually very good. On this one most things fit really well and the ones that don’t… well I’ll persuade them!
I want to build an aircraft carrying 16 CBUs - I have one photo showing such machine from the 429th TFS - NA tail code, so the second deployment to Vietnam, with black underside.
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
Hello everybody!
I haven’t written here for a long time, because this project was on hold for some time, but now I’m movin’ on again:
I’m preparing the cockpit for closing it up:
Close up on the canopy glass. I made the frames with strips of painted decal and the rescue capsule release handles were upgraded:
Here’s what the instruments look like:
And here’s the hull rear:
I’m preparing everything to start painting the SEA camouflage. I think I’ll paint the wings separately, because they are removable. I plan to paint the engines after painting the camouflage
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
4 Likes
Hello everybody!
I’ve got another, long overdue update here. I’m building the loadout of 16 SUU-30 cluster bomb dispensers + 1 spare. This is my design printed by my friend Przemek:
I have also designed the decals for them. This is how they look like:
I also have four Reskit BRU-3A racks for them and now I’m starting to hang the bombs accordingly - four bombs on each rack.
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
3 Likes
Those look great Pawel. Should be a mean looking Aardvark with that loadout.
Thanks a lot! I’m hanging the bombs on the racks right now. Will post photos when done. I still have to build those 2 jamming pods.
Have a nice day!
Paweł
Hello everybody!
I have finally managed to start painting this big baby. This is how it looked like in the beginning:
Instead of engines you can see a fancy holder professionally constructed out of pencils, bubble wrap and masking tape.
For painting I used the “orange” Hataka paints - they go on very well, I’m a big fan!
First colour (tan - C012) I have put on with wings disassembled, then, after paint dried I have dry fitted everything to have colour demarcations fit. The spots are marked with Patafix rolls and masking tape:
Dark green (C016) and medium green (C021) were attached later. After taking down the masking I have disassembled the wings and tail again:
This way (disassembled) it will be easier to mask and add the fourth colour (undersides - black).
There are some problematic spots, but I’m actually pretty happy with my paint job. Especially how the difference between the two tones of green turned out. So now I’ll make a few fixes, then I’ll mask the top and paint the underside black.
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
5 Likes
Very good, Pawel! Hard to believe it’s 1/72!
Gary
Camoflague looks wonderful, @Pawel! I really like the green tones.
I too have struggled with Hasegawa’s fit, and currently have 3 F-15As on the shelf of doom…
Looks sharp Pawel. I too use pencils up the tail pipe in airbrushing. Super handy for handling and then clamping in my vise for drying.
Hello everybody!
Thanks a lot for your comments!
@GAF - and even in 1:72 that thing is still BIG!
@Toimi_Tom - well in this case I have complicated things myself somewhat… Looking at the kit I’m still impressed by Hasegawa’s engineering - especially the panel lines are beautiful!
@keavdog - pencils have a long tradition in technic… I’ve been taught that Mr. Strowger, who invented the automatic telephone switch made the prototype for the patent office among other things, of pencils! Anyhow, when you improvise, you have to keep an open mind!
Thanks again and have a nice day!
Paweł
1 Like
Very well done with the camo.
@TigerII - thanks a lot!
And there’s more:
I masked everything for painting black:
I applied Black (C125) from Hataka with gentle highlights in dark grey. After taking the masks off, here’s what it looks like:
And the topside:
I still have the masks to be taken off the wings and there are those red parts where the flaps and slats open.
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Paweł
5 Likes
Hello everybody!
I have applied a layer of clear gloss (Gunze Top Coat) on top of the colours and applied the Caracal decals. They worked very well together with the VMS decal fluids.
Here’s what it looks like now:
I have to conclude, that the Caracal set seriosly lacks most of the stencilling, for example looking at the following photo:
one can see clearly the walkway on the elevator - and a similar, but much larger walkway is to be expected on the wing and fuselage.
That’s why I would like to ask for a favor - could anybody please post here or PM me a good scan of a decal sheet for an F-111A? Could be from the set Hasegawa, or maybe other, also in 1:48. I would like to use those scans as a base for my own design, that I would print as custom decals.
Thanks a lot in advance, have a nice day!
Paweł
1 Like