This is my first try to use this forum and am a new modeler of aircraft.
I am completing an F15E 1:48 1989 model from Hasegawa and come to the schematic which shows the arrangement of armaments provided. I made them all but am unsure that ALL belong on the model as when I go to the F15E website, it shows many different configurations for different engagements. My model will carry the insignias of “no. 1” with the eagle on the tails and AF 86 183 markings. Here is the schematic that was included with the kit in 1989.
As I don’t know where that fits in the different usages, do I add ALL those weapons and tanks?
OR, also can I make the carriage asymmetrical with the weapons aboard?
Hope someone with more experience than me can advise what is best. The model will be a present to my beloved Kaiser ophthalmologist. Thanks.
There’s a couple schools of thought here. Some people will only pick a load out that appears on the real aircraft. And others, like me, do what they think looks cool. Within reason of course. I approach my models with some artistic license and others are much more rigid. To me this takes some of the fun out.
MaxPower - I am beginning to take your tack as I have since gotten myself involved in the F15 Striker forum and website and I see that I am WAYYYY overmatched. These folks are serious and most are/have flown or worked with that aircraft. I am almost afraid to post a query but … [:-^]
BTW, My model is an old 1:48 Hasegawa model P21. What is yours? Your weapons are much neater than mine! Are some scratch built or did they come with your kit? Here is the full complement of weapons and mounts that came with my kit. Looks like I really won’t have that much to choose from.
Still wondering if I need to be symmetrical with the arms? Is there a weight issue in the prototype if I am not? [%-)]
Lose the AIM-7’s they were never carried by the F-15E. And if you mount MERs on the wing hardpoints the Conformal tank hardpoints and the centerline hardpoints only the centerline hardpoint has a full bombload if you are using the Rockeye CBU’s. Port and Starboard wing stations have 4 bombs per MER and the Port and Starboard Conformal stations also would have 4 bombs per MER again with CBU’s.
Mikw- WOW! I tried to post on the F15 website but was not allowed for some reason so I need to tap your expertise. [bow]
I am so stupid that I do not know the proper names for the weapons or mounts that I have shown. I will post some additional pictures to go along with the one that got moved.
I am assuming that the 610g drop tank is on top? And that the AIM-7s Sidewinder is to the right? So I have remaining the GPU Rockeyes in the center? And a AGM of some sort is on the left? But you can see that I am lost even after googling all the terms.
Also the mounts are getting me confused. What is an MER and do I have some? What stations are you talking about when you say “wing hardpoints”(1&9?). Centerline is 5? Wing stations are 2, RC, 7 &8? And conformals are 3, LC, 4 & 6?
Finally, I have taken a picture of some of the mounts. Are these the ones that form the wing stations?
Sorry to admit how stupid I am about this but I have no military or aircraft experience. I wish to learn. [%-)]
This schematic is incorrect by a longshot. The F-15E that you have is the prototype based on the F-15B and according to this schematic you have bombs going where the Air to Air missiles should be going. Hardpoint 3 should be in the same area as hardpoint 2 so Hardpoint 3 and 7 are where the bombs have to go. The Conformal stations should have 5 hardpoints each.
There is no AIM-7 Sidewinder it is the AIM-7 Sparrow and the Rockeyes are CBU’s(Cluster Bomb Units) and the missile on the right is the AIM-9 Sidewinder it is another Air to Air missile.
MER (Multiple Ejector Racks) have 6 attachment points for bombs and attach at Stations 3 4 5 6 and 7
The Wing stations have 2 launch rails each pylon for the AIM-9 or AIM-120’s
Mike - Thanks for taking the time to help. I have copied all your posts and will digest this slowly as I try to make my model look good. Already had a disaster today as one of the larger ID decals rolled up and I could not resurrect it. Now I have a “mixed” plane with the wrong markings. I will do better on the next! [sigh]
BTW - are/were you a pilot and/or a member of the F15E forum?
I’m not a pilot but my father helped with the development of the F-15E. His unit helped evaluate the FAST packs(conformal tanks). And as for decals get the Superscale set which has more accurate decals. And get Squadrons F-15 in action and F-15 Walk around those 2 books will help with any further problems.
BTW production F-15E’s were made from F-15D’s which were visually identical to the B model but much more technically advanced in respect to sensors and Avionics. Any 1/48 scale F-15E’s made by Hasegawa Revell or Academy after 1991 are more accurate than the one you have.
I was afraid that I had a too old model and now the decals have proven that point but I think I am too committed now to start over. I will save my efforts for the next jet, maybe another F15? although I have another old model of a F117A Stealth Fighter. Know anything about them?
I had figured after your responses that I had an outdated version and I did look in The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft. So I will take the “E” label off and finish the weapons load to reflect the older time period.
Well if you hadn’t started it you could have always replaced the cockpit with a Aires resin replacement cockpit to get it to a F-15E but you would have to get a Pave Tac pod and FLIR pod which is a pronounced feature of the F-15E.
Pathvet9, i had no problems with decals from afterburner. i have a question for you, which squadron are you trying to make your eagle go to? There are 5 or 6 squadrons of F-15E, AK, MO (2 squadrons), SJ, LA (3 squadrons). AK is Alaska, MO is Moutain Home, SJ is Semour Jonhson, and LA is Lakeinheth ( sorry if mispelled) . Hope this helps, Charlie
Charlie - wellllll, that’s a long story but suffice to say that my learning curve has been tremendous since buying this old “cheap” kit at a swapmeet.
The instructions and decals show both “no.1 F-15E” as well as 405th TTW with LA for Luke AFB. Both old prototypes, I am sure. I liked the eagle on the tail of No.1 (test prototype?) and was able to get it down so I thought I had a no.1 BUT its tail marking AF86 183 rolled up on me and I had to remove it and replace it with the 405th TTW. So I have a mixed F-15 and because of the weaponry available in the kit, it will remain a mixture but hope it looks cool for my ophthamologist. [:I]
I learned too late about the F-15E website by googling and now have a better appreciation of what I was into. I will research better before I start the old Stealth Fighter. BTW, when I googled 405th TTW, I got LA as Luke, one of the orginal sites for testing and training for F-15Es in the late 80s and early 90s. [%-)]
Thanks for the advice on Afterburner. It will go into the database as I am way too far along now to start over. Actually, I am READY to be finished!! [sigh]
