theplasticsurgeon Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Entering the combat zone with this - which is planned to be a quick build. Here are the box contents this morning: I thought through Variable Geometry, and reckon it's best to paint the wings first - so that's what I did this afternoon: And the bits that are in contact with the wings. I've got one book that saw Combat Lancer planes had White or Green undersides, but have just found a photo with Black undersides - I might make a different option now! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Colin W Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Black undersides sounds good. Just what you need to bomb the Ho Chi Minh trail at night! Colin W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 (edited) I thought it was Harvest Reaper jets with olive drab, Combat Lancer and Constant Guard V jets had black undersurfaces. SAC SIOP scheme FB-111A's had white. Can you post a picture of a SEA over white a/c ? Edited May 4, 2008 by ElectroSoldier Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 4, 2008 Author Share Posted May 4, 2008 I thought it was Harvest Reaper jets with olive drab, Combat Lancer and Constant Guard V jets had black undersurfaces.SAC SIOP scheme FB-111A's had white. Can you post a picture of a SEA over white a/c ? It's image 17 in the FotoFax book. A groupphoto from directly ahead of the plane. I've now found photos of Combat Lancer planes, and am going with black, with metal leading edges. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 4, 2008 Author Share Posted May 4, 2008 A bit more progress today - assembled the rear fuselage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 5, 2008 Author Share Posted May 5, 2008 Today's work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewS Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Great progress, Tim. That's looking very nice, and your pics are appreciated. Andrew. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 7, 2008 Author Share Posted May 7, 2008 As I don't think this model (with undercarriage) is accurate in anything other that taxying mode - I installed some drivers from my spares box. I even decorated the bonedones with offcuts of decal, just like the book cover underneath. Now for the rest of the airframe, with seams being treated. And I can't resist posting a fully swept back picture! This looks like the fastest plane in the world - I don't know why everything else doesn't copy the shape. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Colin W Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Why did you paint the fuselage and wings while still on the sprues, but not the nose or fin? Colin W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share Posted May 8, 2008 Why did you paint the fuselage and wings while still on the sprues, but not the nose or fin?Colin W I did the wings because there's always a bit concealed, and it changes with the sweep angle. I was airbrushing this Phantom that day as well http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=151928 I did the shoulders etc so that I don't have to be as careful masking when the next sprayday comes. I left the rest - so that I can treat the joins before airbrushing the centre section. With hindsight it would have been prudent to paint these with Tan at the same time - so that I can pencil on some guides for the green camo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Colin W Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Makes sense. I'll paint my wings before assembly. Ta Colin W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChristopherC Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 Hi Tim, looks like your F-111's coming along nicely. What is it about the undercarriage that gives it away as being in taxiing mode? Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 Hi Tim, looks like your F-111's coming along nicely. What is it about the undercarriage that gives it away as being in taxiing mode?Chris In all the photos that I've got (by no means definitive): Flying - gear up, wings any position, configuration according to speed, Landing pattern - gear down, flaps, slats and leading edge glove lowered, Departure - slats & glove lowered, gear raising as quickly as possible, Parked - elevator deflected, BUT I've got two photos, in my book, of Lakenheath F-111s taxiing with clean wings, and level elevators, as this model will be completed. Crew are present in both photos - cockpits closed. I did read a comment that Jaguar pilots were fined to the full price of the evening's bar bill, if they ever parked their plane with the wings unclean, obviously this tradition didn't catch on in the F-111 community. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 The wing checks do need the wings to be extended, but that was a quick check so the wings could be back at any point. It would land with the wings at full stretch flaps and slats down, spolilers and glove veins up, position of elevators vary. At the next point it will of course taxi to its "park" or from its "park". The pilot might Wings forward, flaps and slats down, glove veins up, spoilers down, elevator position dependent on what the pilot was doing i think, so could be in any position. Or the wings could be fully in full back sweep and the evevators as above, but most often deflected [F-111F would have the Pave tack rotated out of the bay but the head would be in the stowed position, doors open] After it arrived at its "park" it was usual I think to have the wings fully forward and the flaps But it could also be parked like this Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nimrod77 Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 F-111's always have there flaps & slats extended directly after a flight as the ground crew need to inspect under the wing spoilers & the vanes after (and before) flight. The only time that they would be different is was if people wanted them that way (i.e. for a picture or to save space for towing etc). So 99% of the time F-111's flaps & slats are extended on the ground - including taxing. Also, if the engines are at idle and there is weight on wheels (ie the aircraft is on the ground) the spoilers would be extended too as shown here in electo's picture.... HTH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Looking good so far and especially like seeing the crew in there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 14, 2008 Author Share Posted May 14, 2008 Thanks for all the pictures that prove I needn't have installed crew figures. However I'm leaving then in there now. Day off work, plus a trip to the dentist. Beautiful weather so I did some model work as well. Fitted the cockpit, masked it, then prepared for airbrushing. First I painted the fuselage Tan. Then I pencil shaded the green camo patterns. Finally airbrushed the camo on. My IPMS(UK) mag turned up yesterday, with an article on the F-111. I does say that Combat Lancers had Dark Green undersides - so having painted the undersides of my wings Black - I've rule that option out. The alternate is a Constant guard plane - very similar to the back cover of the mag. I painted an A-37 Dragonfly at the same time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jack-Swiss Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 Very nice camo and neat job on attaching the front fuselage! great pics too Cheers :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 15, 2008 Author Share Posted May 15, 2008 Last night I applied the decals and painted the underside black This aircraft is 67-065 of the 429TFS, 474TFW Takhli, Thailand in 1972. Constant Guard and Linebacker2 action - does anyone know the later history for this plane? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sea-monkey Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Lookimg awesome Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jack-Swiss Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Everytime better and better...I really like how is comin along!!! really nice,indeed!!! that camo is fabulous Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 After Constant Guard and Linebacker II it seems to have had a career of not a lot, it was retired and destroyed. But I guess taking part in Constant Guard and Linebacker II carries laurels not many others can even dream of. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 16, 2008 Author Share Posted May 16, 2008 I painted an A-37 Dragonfly at the same time. Decals on that Dragonfly tonight, and some detail paint on the F-111. Hopefully a quick coat of matt (for both), first thing tomorrow morning, then I can remove the canopy masking, paint the radome, and do some more photos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 17, 2008 Author Share Posted May 17, 2008 Whilst the matt varnish is drying, I took some photos of my F-111 fleet. Light isn't very good today, so I might retake these - when the sun comes out. But in build order: Airfix F-111E probably built about 1987 Swing linkage isn't very good with this - so wings aren't always aligned. Same with the elevator. Hasegawa FB-111A built in 1991ish Very fragile - but if there's one that I'd like re-do, it would be a Hasegawa F-111. Monogram EF-111A built about 1995 Finally not an F-111, but has been mentioned, and painted at the same time as the thread F-111A - Academy Dragonfly Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted May 17, 2008 Author Share Posted May 17, 2008 (edited) Radome painted gloss very dark grey At this point I noticed that the Airfix and Hasegawa models are more round that the Italeri one. Now I've framed the cockpit: Edited August 20, 2010 by theplasticsurgeon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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