Brews Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 (edited) I have a 1981 boxing that might as well be built OOB at this time as any other. It's not going to interfere with my other scheduled builds too much, because it's a fairly simple (though largish) kit. It's dimensions are quoted as 476mm long, with an extended-wingspan of 394mm. Not only do the wings swing, but there is a flexible flap pinned in the fuselage to cover the gap when they're at full span! It's a pity that the undercarriage doesn't retract, and that both pilot and navigator are in identical pose. The fit of the parts is very good, though fiddly in some areas (e.g. around the escape module). Gap-filling superglue will come in handy for construction - for slow-setting attachment more than gap-filling qualitiea, but I will make do as much as possible with Testor's liquid cement. Edited May 9, 2007 by Brews Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted May 9, 2007 Author Share Posted May 9, 2007 I spent 2 and a half hours on this last night, and about half an hour this morning; treating it as subassemblies to avoid painting (I was modelling while lying between my sheets). The instrument panel was glued to the upper fuselage half; The control columns were glued to the escape module floor; The flexible gap-filling flaps in the "wing-retraction space"; The wing halves were glued together; The radome halves were glued to each other; The rear under-fuselage strakes were attached; The front and rear of the burner cans were glued together (this was slightly ambiguous from the instructions - I wouldn't be surprised to see these attached back-to-front by some youngster!); The main gear wheel halves were glued together; The main undercarriage struts and linkages were attached (this spidery affair comprises two perpendicular trusses); The nose wheels were attached to the main nose wheel strut, while the spurious moulding bits were removed from its bracing strut; The intake cones were attached to the lower fuselage half; The elevons were attached to their root fairings. No filler has been used so far, and little will be necessary. Something will be required just aft of the pitot tube. I plan to paint the cockpit items (including the crew figures) tonight. The most disappointing aspect of this kit is the absence of compressor faces, ducting or intake blanking, at least. It is possible to see the crude wing-rotation mechanism from a head-on view. It's also something that would be difficult to correct post-construction, save to add FOD covers, which I personally don't like. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted May 10, 2007 Author Share Posted May 10, 2007 (edited) Here's how it looked this evening before I started painting the cockpit bits: Edited May 10, 2007 by Brews Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rampage55 Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 Brews, keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to seeing more. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DarylH Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 A very worthwhile project brews! This should be fun to watch...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SteveV22FE Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 I just finished one of these. I have three in the stash and most are pretty good. This was the first one and the wings were warped really bad. Were your wings warped???? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted May 11, 2007 Author Share Posted May 11, 2007 My wings were warp-free, but my outboard pylons were free of stores. Were your fuel tanks AM, kit-bashed or supplied in your kit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SteveV22FE Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 My wings were warp-free, but my outboard pylons were free of stores. Were your fuel tanks AM, kit-bashed or supplied in your kit? I robbed those tanks out of the Hobbycrap EF-111 kit. If you need pylons for stores, I think I have some. Remember, don't use the TER's in the kit. F-4s carried TERs, F-111s carried BRUs. I kept the TERs cause I didn't care......I may have some tanks too......Let me know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted May 11, 2007 Author Share Posted May 11, 2007 Ah, I assumed that the box art was correct! I'd happily swap the kit-supplied weapons for more appropriate (Monogram-origin) ones, I do have the four pylons, but thanks anyway. I just have no stores for the outboard pylons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted May 11, 2007 Author Share Posted May 11, 2007 (edited) Actually, a quick Google and I see that MERs were used on F-111s, but not after 1968. Maybe the box art is correct for the Vietnam version after all. Always happy to be corrected, though. :lol: Edited May 11, 2007 by Brews Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 Actually, a quick Google and I see that MERs were used on F-111s, but not after 1968. Maybe the box art is correct for the Vietnam version after all.Always happy to be corrected, though. :lol: They didn't technically use MERs either. They used BRUs (bomb release units), which were more aerodynamic MERs that were unique to the F-111. They didn't use the standard MERs like the F-4, F-105, etc. F-111s did not use TERs operationally, even in Vietnam. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SteveV22FE Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 How's your F-111 coming along?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SteveV22FE Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Were you able to finish your F-111? I'd hate to think that I was the only one that built one of these! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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