Flush Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 (edited) Greetings All, I started this model back in 04 when I got home from Iraq. As we all know too well, life gets in the way of our passions so that's why I just finish with the labor of love. I'm still trying to work on how to take the quality of pictures that I see on here so apologiesgies in advance for my lack of skill in that area. I tried to dirty this bird up just like the she was when we took our pictures. I used chalk and Future to get the different types of dirt on her. I also built this with the cannon panels not glued in place so that is why it looks like the gun panels are not fit well. Its just because I have them laying in place for these pictures. Comments and suggestions on how to improve my modeling/picture skills are very welcomed. Thanks for looking.... Flush Edited June 19, 2012 by Flush Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmel Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Nice! Where did you get the decals? Jake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flush Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 (edited) Nice! Where did you get the decals? Jake I talked to the Paint Barn guys at our base and just had them send me their digital templates so all I had to do was adjusted them to scale. I printed out the tail flashes and the Cougars on white decal film but the darker base color of ACFT bled through and washed them out. So what I did was printed out another set and painted them white with the airbrush and placed them. Then I took the top set and just placed them on top. If I had to do it again I think what I would do is make a paper cut template and airbrush the base white directly on the model versus on a decal. If all of that makes sense. Edited June 7, 2012 by Flush Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Very nice work. Great subject! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 (edited) Hello Flush, Firstly THANK YOU for your Service in Iraq. ...and secondly , your F-16 is STUNNING And looks SUPERB to ME. EXCELLENT job Sir, HOLMES Edited June 19, 2012 by HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ghatherly Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I just will ditto what Holmes said, he expressed my feeling exactly. I would be interested in how you did that sand weathering? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flush Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the kind words Gentlemen, As for the weathering, I used pastel chalk, four colors in all. The first thing I did was use black chalk dust mixed with water and a drop of soap. Once I had all of the panel lines darken, I started with the dirt. I used a dark brown for the dirt that would be wet from the fuel cells leaking. I brushed on some future over those areas to simulate the dirt being wet. I then used a couple different lighter browns on top of the dark brown to simulate the fine sand collecting on the fuel runs. I used future mixed with green food coloring to green up the canopy. I think next time I will try some dye instead of food coloring as I have heard the food coloring fades after about a year. Edited June 9, 2012 by Flush Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmel Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Weathering is superb. It looks just like the nasty jets at Balad. Jake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flush Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 (edited) Thanks everyone for all the words of encouragement. I think I am getting the photo thing down, at least a little better anyways. Edited June 19, 2012 by Flush Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kurnass77 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Wonderful job mate! I love this heavy weathering,remember me various pics that I see in the Opsrey F-16 Figthin Falcon units of Operation Iraqi Freedom... Greetings, Gianni Quote Link to post Share on other sites
helsupspecron-5 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 great looking build, I loved watching those Vipers take off from Balad when i was there in the summer of 2004. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Flush, Additional photos are EXCELLENT....Great shots indeed ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmreed76 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Hey buddy great job on your Viper! You nailed the look of those leaky panels on top of the fuselage. You did a fantastic job with the Academy kit. Not sure, was this the 332nd deployment? Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flush Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Hey buddy great job on your Viper! You nailed the look of those leaky panels on top of the fuselage. You did a fantastic job with the Academy kit. Not sure, was this the 332nd deployment? Mike. Yeah the 120th Fighter Squadron was the first Fighter Squadron to work out of Balad AB. We got there in the summer of 2004, 8 months after our first deployment into Iraq. I was part of the FS ADVON team that set up the operations before the iron got in country. It was a very long 10 days but once the birds arrived it was all worth it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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