SERNAK

@Dutch Well I saw the documentary in August so, I can't really remember the date. I think Deutsche Welle does have an archive online but, it would take a lot of time to locate the specific video. Back to the photo in question. The Yugoslavs did receive F-84Gs but, from the photos that I have seen they were all in natural metal finish. Later on, these aircrafts adapted the camo scheme you're referring to. Now taking your $.02 and mine $.02, that's a lot of money!!!!😁

WOW, that's a lot of info to review and reflect on!!!! But, thanks for the help.

Just one? To quote a phrase from a very famous film "having one god I can understand but, having only one wife, it is not civilized my friend!"

Hi Fred, Are you implying that there are paint schemes we haven't seen? Because when you say that all the F-5E/Fs have served with various units AFTER the top gun school converted to Tomcats and Hornets, this is what I understand. As far as I know, VF-126 had operated only one F-5E and a T-38 during the 80s. Microscale (or is it Superscale?) in one of the 1/32 decals' sheets it had produced as an adversaries' sheet has 'mistakenly' presented the VF-126 Talon as a double-seat Tiger II the F-5F. There are only a few books that have just a few pictures of VFA-127 Tigers and almost none of the VF-45 ones from the 90s. This makes me wonder how many "E"s and "F"s do I need to build all the paint schemes used by the US NAVY adversaries???? 100, 200 model kits? Nonetheless, I do realize that most of the paint schemes were based on the same FS numbers (36375, 35237, 36231, etc.), which makes things a little bit easier on deciding which paint schemes I should be making.

Hi Fred, The photo you have posted shows an F-5F from VFA-127. This "bird" definitely had the updates I've described earlier. And I think, if not certain, that the paint scheme's pattern had some modifications when compared to the one "50" had. Ha! the only detail that I've managed to depict correctly and which I plan to apply on the rest of the "Fs" that I have (just a couple …. for now😁) is the one you're describing! I had removed both radar screens and instead placed a white 'sticker' with the various radio frequencies the crew was using. However, I can't confirm if the rest of the "F's used by other squadrons (VF-43, VF-45, VMFT-401, VFC-13, and VFC-111) had also the radar screens removed from both cockpits (including those on the F-5Es). Somehow, I have to find a way to confirm this also, because I plan in the future to do some F-5Fs for these squadrons. Do you know anything about this?

@Fred, I'll bet you've got some more interesting photos from NFWS!!!! However, mind the fact that the "F" on the photo had received the LERX and radome (also known as "shark nose")modifications around mid-80s. The first time I bought Superscale decals (1/48) I was so excited that I was going to build this "bird" with the splinter paint scheme that I did not notice these details, particularly the radome. So I build the Monogram kit (the only one available back in the good old days) only to realise after observing some photos that it was the "wrong" "F"!!!

$50/ copy sounds PERFECT!!! Even though it's not within my immediate plans to buy the kit (I have the decals for the Splinter-scheme NFWS "F") if I find it with this price I will definitely buy it. $50 the kit plus $15 for shipping can't make it more perfect!!!

With all those aftermarket accessories you've got there, the whole build must have cost you more than 100 Euros! Man, where our hobby has come to!!! It used to be: kit, glue, paints, brushes, copper wire and thin plastic sheets. Anyhow, the orange color looks spot on!!!

Nobody can resist, unfortunately!!! I have the Hasegawa "D" and I still want either the Tamiya "A" or "D". Hang in there brother!!! I feel your pain!!!

Hey Gunny, Thanks for your reply. The "boxes" I'm referring to that are part of the airframe on the Monogram kit (AFV Club offers them as a separate part) have held the aircraft's electrical equipment (at least, this is how they're described in one of the aircraft's T.O. that I managed to find online). Now, from photos I had the opportunity to find online (close-ups of that particular area) as well, from photos in several books about the aircraft, only the F-5E had them on the rear (behind the seat and the canopy's mechanism). As you can see on the photo I've got from the real aircraft, the F-5F had obviously relocated them somewhere else in the airframe. As you point out, scale modelling companies have included parts for future releases of different variants in a kit. I suppose this is what Monogram had in mind when they produced their F-5E and F. I'm not trying to reproduce on my kit every single detail of the real aircraft, however, some details are too obvious to just ignore, that is why I've tried to find a solution.

Back with an update. I had further researched the subject and it seems that the F-5E is the only version that carried these boxes, (as shown in the photos above) that hosted the aircraft's avionics. Now, I can't figure out why did Monogram and AFV Club chose to add these boxes to their kits, especially AFV since this is a new kit and therefore, better researched. I had also a look at the Hasegawa and Kitty Hawk 1/32 F-5Es. The boxes are there but, if you have a look at the Kitty Hawk F-5F, you will notice that are missing. The conclusion is that the F-5E had hosted the aircraft's avionics in those boxes and on the F, these boxes were relocated.... somewhere🙄. Hope this information will help a lot of you to fix this detail. Thank you for your attention guys. Sernak

Hello everybody, I would like your help to solve an issue I have with a certain detail from the rear cockpit of the Monogram F-5F, which nonetheless also appears on the AFV Club kit. The detail I'm referring to is a piece that seems to be something like boxes, as you can see on the attached combo of photos. Now, I presume these are there to host all the electrical equipment (circuit placards, etc.) of the aircraft however, both Aires and KASL Hobby as well as, on the real cockpit these boxes do not exist. Does anyone know if this particular detail (boxes) ever existed and what was their role? Or, I should remove them from my kit? Thank you for your attention guys. Sernak

Thanks for your reply Dekon70. I have to admit while looking on Ebay for the Hasegawa kit, the prices I saw are a bit high. On the other hand, there are some very nice aftermarket sets produced for the Tracker in 1/72. Tempting but, out of budget.

Any progress??? By the way, Have you ever build either the Hobbycraft or the Hasegawa Tracker in 1/72? I've been thinking of buying this kit (I can't buy the one you're building due to limited space) and I would like to know if you, or somebody else knows a bit more about these kits.

Great reference photos!!! Thanks for posting. Really useful stuff!