May my wallet forgive me! (Just bought a Classic Airframes kit)

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
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Hey folks,

I just gutted my wallet at my local hobby shop this morning. It screamed, moaned, twitched… but eventually gave up the most cash I’ve ever thrown at a model in my life!

I just threw a bit over 70 dollars Canadian at Classic Airframes’ 1/48 RF-5A kit. I opened it up in the hobby shop and saw the rather spartan decal options to make a Canadian bird with and I threw another 15 dollars at a Cutting Edge decal sheet for Canadian F-5As that also included a nice resin IFR probe[:D]

Never in my life did I think I would put that sort of money out for a kit, but I love the F-5 and still think its the sexiest fighter jet to ever come off an American assembly line.

For those considering this kit, here’s my initial impressions:

The resin is beautiful, best part of the kit.

The styrene is typical limited run fare, a few missing panel lines here and there and no locating devices. The clear parts look nice but aren’t individually bagged.

No tail hook or IFR probe included in the kit (would have been nice for the price)[V]

The airbrake door is represented a single rectangular slab that spans the width of the fuselage. I’ve seen several F-5As and they’ve all got
two seperate, square airbrake doors with a small gap between them.

The kit is the basic F-5A kit with a clear part to make a camera nose, there is some cutting required of the kit’s radome section if you want to make the RF-5 variant.

The guns are a bit basic and fit onto small depressions on the nose of the model, I’ll probably bore out the depressions and try to find some brass tube for the barrels.

The Leading Edge decals I picked up are simply awesome! They represent a variety of Canadian F-5As in the tactical green and grey wraparound camoflage that was typical in the early and mid 1980s. There is extensive stenciling and unit markings for all three Canadian units that used the type at the time : 419,433 and 434 Squadrons. the afore mentioned resin IFR probe that comes with the 1/48 sheet is a real jewel and right up to standard with the resin bits in the Classic Airframes kit. For a look at the decals go to www.lemdecal.com its sheet #48.49

Hope that gives you some useful insights if you’re thinking about buying one.

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Bwahahahaha, resistance is futile!

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Im still crying over $80+ US that I threw at a Tamiya 1/48 Damnbusters version of a Lancaster. That will sit in my “to do” pile for probably more than a year till I feel I have the talent to do this kit justice. This bird has a special place in my heart as my Grandfather participated in the actual raid. I just hope I get this thing built while he has a chance to enjoy it. For what you’ve paid for your F-5 I hope it comes out great. I have to agree with you that its a beautiful plane, though Im particial to the Tiger II especially in the aggressor roles

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I like the whole line of F-5s myself, they’re all slick looking birds.

My soft spot for the F-5 comes from living not that far away from CFB Cold Lake in Alberta where the last Canadian F-5s operated from before being retired back in the 90s. They flew over Edmonton with a good degree of regularity, much more so than Hornets. The F-5 was the very first fighter jet I actually saw in real life instead of just pictures, The first high performance jet I ever reached out and touched, I was about 9 or 10 at the time.

My F-5 will be long term, I probably wont get a good start on it beyond parts clean up for about a year or two, but as its limited run, I guess I should get it now while its out there to be had.

I’ll post pictures whenever she gets done, she’s definitely one I won’t be rushing through.

I hope someone will come out with a resin gun bay for the kit, that’d make a great nose weight.

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Enjoy the build, Upnorth! The F-5 is indeed a sharp-looking aircraft. My son has a half-built one languishing in a closet. And may your wallet make a speedy recovery!!
Paul

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This whole modeling hobby is a big scam to get our hard earned cash. Eh’ beats a crack habit. [:D][:D]

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hey upnorth, sounds like we share the same interest in the F-5. i just finished the F-5E below about a month ago. it was italeri’s 1/48 and it was pitiful to say the least. after i assembled it, i was in the LHS and i went through the kit you are talking about. they had a box opened so i took a peek and i will definetly be adding that one to the “to build” pile later. i chose to hang this one from the cieling since it had practically no detail whatsoever.

ps. i just shelled out $50 US for classic airframes Westland Whirlwind and just from staring at the parts, i cant wait to get started!! it has resin cocpit, wieghted tires, nose, cannons among many other resin parts. it also has metal landing gear struts!! i’m clearing the birds on my workbench and its next in line. have fun my friend. later.

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I’d been thinking about the Italeri F-5E kit myself, then I read a review somewhere on line that it was from old Esci molds, and decided against it. There’s a review on Hyperscale about an F-5A currently on the market under the Italeri label and after seeing the pictures of whats in that box, its criminal that it got reissued at all. I think its Testors stuff from the late 60s.

Your F-5E looks like a good finish by general appearances despite its lack of detail that you pointed out. Good enough for the ceiling I’d say.

Good luck on the Wirlwind.