F-15D MSIP II cockpit

[j-basset]

Hi,

I've been collecting materials to build my Revell 1/32 F-15E as a F-15D.

Due to the limited options for decals of the F-15D in this scale, I'll be going with a D of the 48FW at Lakeneath using the Astra 1/32 F-15C/D/E sheet.

Can someone help me out with the cockpit details? I have the Parts-R-Parts F-15B/D instrument panels and rear instrument panel shrouds, but understand the instrument panels are for the B and early D.

Since the 48FW's aircraft are all late build MSIP jets, would I need the MSIP front instrument panel?

Thanks in advance.

[Ol Crew Dog]

Hi,

I've been collecting materials to build my Revell 1/32 F-15E as a F-15D.

Due to the limited options for decals of the F-15D in this scale, I'll be going with a D of the 48FW at Lakeneath using the Astra 1/32 F-15C/D/E sheet.

Can someone help me out with the cockpit details? I have the Parts-R-Parts F-15B/D instrument panels and rear instrument panel shrouds, but understand the instrument panels are for the B and early D.

Since the 48FW's aircraft are all late build MSIP jets, would I need the MSIP front instrument panel?

Thanks in advance.

I was in Recovery in the 48th 97 - 2001, but was a Crew Chief on the F-15 for 20 years.

Yes you will need a MISIP Cockpit in the front, not much of a change in the rear seaters IP so the Parts-R-Parts Ip and shrould would work just fine.

Time Frame for the Astra Sheet is for the time FRame I was there.

Not much of a change on the Revell kit, its already a D model, just change the rear IP and give ACESII seats.

[31Tiger]

The big Revell kit is not allready a "D" model, its a "B" model. Its a subttle detail but the fairing behind the speed-brake is a bit different. If you want to build a current D from LN you also need to add a lot of stiffeners and some extra antenna's

[Ol Crew Dog]

The big Revell kit is not allready a "D" model, its a "B" model. Its a subttle detail but the fairing behind the speed-brake is a bit different. If you want to build a current D from LN you also need to add a lot of stiffeners and some extra antenna's

The Revell kit is fashioned after 71-0291, McDonald Douglas Demonstrator aircraft TF-15.

It already has the C/D Wheels.

You can add the LVS and RVS Tourque box beef-ups, cut off pnl 128, rescribe all the panel lines to make them correct, change the aft speedbrake fairing to better match the C/D, fill in the NACA intakes on the Engine Bay Panels (Were the Sabre drains are)Speedbrake on the real aircraft sits on top of the fuselage not in a well as depicted on most F-15 kits,add Nipple antenae on the tail stingers, swap out the nozzles as they are not correct and lack detail, etc.....

There are a large number of things to change to make it into an accurate D model, yes it is a TF-15 but there were changes made to airframe bringing it up to F-15D status, mainly the wheels and the vertical stab beef-ups.

Then again you were asking about the cockpit only?

[31Tiger]

And also the chaff/flare boxes in front of the MLG, also remove the tailhook faring between the engines

Another thing you may want to add is a metal landing gear (SAC). The plastic ones will bend/brake over time because of the weight of the model. And those rubber wheels will crack after time, so best replace them with resin ones. Panel lines are very deep and you might want to spray af few thick coats of primer on them to make them less deep

[Ol Crew Dog]

And also the chaff/flare boxes in front of the MLG, also remove the tailhook faring between the engines

Another thing you may want to add is a metal landing gear (SAC). The plastic ones will bend/brake over time because of the weight of the model. And those rubber wheels will crack after time, so best replace them with resin ones. Panel lines are very deep and you might want to spray af few thick coats of primer on them to make them less deep

Pnl 128 is the tail hook fairing.....

Comm panel needs to moved forward as well.....

Edited February 11, 2013 by Ol Crew Dog

[Wayne S]

The big Revell kit is not allready a "D" model, its a "B" model. Its a subttle detail but the fairing behind the speed-brake is a bit different. If you want to build a current D from LN you also need to add a lot of stiffeners and some extra antenna's

LOL was thinking about that a few days ago, "Hopefully" us F-15 guys do not get as crazy as the F-16 guys do, about the worry of strengthening plates etc.

Might as well start pointing out tread patterns and tire company by that point.

[31Tiger]

Pnl 128 is the tail hook fairing.....

Comm panel needs to moved forward as well.....

Okay, thx for pointing that out... i think 99.8% on this forum have no idea what you are talking about when you speak of "panel 128"

[31Tiger]

Looking at one of these big beasts right now and comapring it to a tamiya SE, boy talk about a difference in quality...

one thing that i just noticed are the horizontal stabs, the tamiya ones have a " shape" in them and the revell ones are plain flat

[j-basset]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I know there's quite a lot to do, but the thing that was an uncertainty was the front instrument panel, since I understand there were some systems found in the F-15C that weren't present in the D.

Replicating the various strengthening plates and stiffeners is going to be a labor of love.

As for the incorrect fairing aft of the speedbrake (for a D), I've read about it but I'm short of references here. Would it be correct to just take a look at the Tamiya 1/32 F-15C (or say the Hasegawa 1/48 F-15C/D) and replicate the shape there?

So far I've got the Parts 'R' Parts F-15B & early D instrument panels and rear panel shroud, the SAC metal landing gear and the Wolfpack Design ADU-552/LAU-128 set for the project, in addition to the Astra decals.

Thanks again, guys.

[31Tiger]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

As for the incorrect fairing aft of the speedbrake (for a D), I've read about it but I'm short of references here. Would it be correct to just take a look at the Tamiya 1/32 F-15C (or say the Hasegawa 1/48 F-15C/D) and replicate the shape there?

Yes, the tamiya one is a very good guide to replicate

[Ol Crew Dog]

Yes, the tamiya one is a very good guide to replicate

Be very careful as to what you replicate from the 1/32 Tamiya F-15C/E, as the C has E model features as the moulds just eliminated the CFT's to make their C model kit.

The JSF chimney has the 3 vents on each side of the avionics panel aft of the speedbrake fairing were the actual C model has the single vent.

Panel lines are Mudhen's as well.

I have a list posted on the discrepency's found on the Tamiya C posted here and other modelling sites.

You could also check out Jakes book on the F-15, he had some very good intel on that book. :)

Cheers

Dave

[Ol Crew Dog]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I know there's quite a lot to do, but the thing that was an uncertainty was the front instrument panel, since I understand there were some systems found in the F-15C that weren't present in .

Replicating the various strengthening plates and stiffeners is going to be a labor of love.

As for the incorrect fairing aft of the speedbrake (for a D), I've read about it but I'm short of references here. Would it be correct to just take a look at the Tamiya 1/32 F-15C (or say the Hasegawa 1/48 F-15C/D) and replicate the shape there?

So far I've got the Parts 'R' Parts F-15B & early D instrument panels and rear panel shroud, the SAC metal landing gear and the Wolfpack Design ADU-552/LAU-128 set for the project, in addition to the Astra decals.

Thanks again, guys.

Hasegawa C yes Tamiya 1/32 C model see answer above

[Ol Crew Dog]

LOL was thinking about that a few days ago, "Hopefully" us F-15 guys do not get as crazy as the F-16 guys do, about the worry of strengthening plates etc.

Might as well start pointing out tread patterns and tire company by that point.

You mean when did we transition from Goodrich to Goodyear and how far down you can go on the tread for wet weather criteria?

[Ol Crew Dog]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I know there's quite a lot to do, but the thing that was an uncertainty was the front instrument panel, since I understand there were some systems found in the F-15C that weren't present in the D.

Replicating the various strengthening plates and stiffeners is going to be a labor of love.

As for the incorrect fairing aft of the speedbrake (for a D), I've read about it but I'm short of references here. Would it be correct to just take a look at the Tamiya 1/32 F-15C (or say the Hasegawa 1/48 F-15C/D) and replicate the shape there?

So far I've got the Parts 'R' Parts F-15B & early D instrument panels and rear panel shroud, the SAC metal landing gear and the Wolfpack Design ADU-552/LAU-128 set for the project, in addition to the Astra decals.

Thanks again, guys.

Tweak list for the Tamiya C model 1/32

Tamiya C modeldiscrepancies

1) Forward Door on engine hump is not on a C model, C model only has one door for the Engine forward mount.

2) JFS Chimney vents aft of the speedbrake, E model has 6 (3 per side) split on the centerline by additional avionics carried by the E model (panel in the centerline is were this avionics goes). C models only have one vent, which is offset of the centerline, and the panel is not present.

3) Fuel dump not present on panel 113l/r and oil cooler vent not present on panel 95 l/r.

4) Saber Drains on panel 117l/r removed off all F-15’s due to their redundancy (would of saved me a nasty scar on my back if they had done this earlier)

5) Airframe patches on side of the intakes are not present on all aircraft, probably just the 78 model they used at Kadena.

6) AMAD bay cooling scoops (access panel aft of main gear well) was repositioned to inboard side of panel when the chafe/flare mods were installed on the aircraft (MISIP) to prevent the chafe from clogging the vent a causing an overheat condition.

7) Left engine bay access door should only have two latches on the trailing edge, kit has four, two extra’s on the leading edge of the door should not be there.

8) Ribbing? On the forward LAU-106 fuselage stations access doors should not be there.

9) Panel lines around the pitot probes should not be there (this is from dirt on the pitot cover's cushioned pad).

10) Under the left canopy hinge point is Panel 12, this should not have a beef-up patch, probably on the aircraft Tamiya used as a base had this in place.

11) Beef-up on the rudder center hinge point should not be there or as pronounced as they have on the kit rudders.

12) LVS bullet should be longer and larger in diameter then is in the kit.

13) Wing-root anti-collision lights should be larger and a bit more outboard, the ones in the kit are from the E model kit and reflect the E model.

14) C model Horizontal stabs do not have the reinforcement strips as on the E model’s, plus the hinge point just does not look correct, seems a little beefed-up there as well.

15) Struts provided are E model struts, most noticeable would be the oleo on the E which is square and the C which is round. Thus the wheels are E model though not as noticeable with the nose tire and wheel in width and height.

16) Main gear dragbrace hinge springs are the larger type found on the E model although the strut diameter is larger then a C model strut not as noticeable on the model. The main wheels and tire are the E models as well.

17) Engine compressor face is from an E model with a –229 installed.

18) There should be no Circuit Breaker panels on the wall of the fuselage section in Bay 5 (leftover from using the E model forward fuselage barrel), Both wall need to be scrapped and sanded smooth and ribbing added in its place..

19) Screw post hole on the floor in bay 5 should be eliminated and smoothed over with a new wiring conduit in its place.

20) The Augmentor nozzles (Divergent seals should be 21†) as pointed out by Bruce Radebaugh. Bruce sells corrected replacements for the nozzles.

21) The Tailstinger antennae (“nipplesâ€) are of the wrong shape, but different antennas were installed on different aircraft at one time or another or not at all so check reverences on this one.

22) They even got the chalk ropes incorrect, they should be laced, one rope per chalk and laced into the other in a slot cut into one end. The way they show you is for EOR(End of Runway or Quick check)

23) There are somemore dealing with panel line set up but would take allot more time for that as they used the E model fuselage, e Model panels lines are reflected on the surface not C model.

Hope this helps

[SR10user]

Two Mikes makes some resin exhaust nozzles in 1/32nd scale that may come in handy as well. I bought a set at the nationals for when I get around to my F-15.

Sincerely,

Dave

[31Tiger]

@ Ol Crew Dog: Great list, just dont understand point 22 , what are those chalk lines ?

The panellines on the Tamiya and the Revell Eagle kits need fixing (if you consider that important on a scale model offcourse), i consider the scale plans in the VP Lock on F-15 the best, the guy that made those plans double checked them on a Bitburg Eagle (late 80's)

[JackMan]

Old Crew Dog's list should be pinned for future references

Who knows, when I get older & my eyesight deteriorates, I may have to move on from 1/72 to 1/32 :lol:

[Ol Crew Dog]

@ Ol Crew Dog: Great list, just dont understand point 22 , what are those chalk lines ?

The panellines on the Tamiya and the Revell Eagle kits need fixing (if you consider that important on a scale model offcourse), i consider the scale plans in the VP Lock on F-15 the best, the guy that made those plans double checked them on a Bitburg Eagle (late 80's)

The Chalks (Chocks?) for the wheels, we would lace them through a slot on the other chock.

[31Tiger]

The Chalks (Chocks?) for the wheels, we would lace them through a slot on the other chock.

aha chocks, makes more sense to me :D

Another problem area on the Revell Eagle is that the front windscreen is not long (deep) enough, but it is hardly noticable

[j-basset]

Thanks for the detailed description of the work to be done.

I also noticed that the Revell F-15 did not provide the mass balancer 'shape' for the right vertical stabilizer tip, so it looks like one will need to be scratchbuilt as well.

[Ol Crew Dog]

Thanks for the detailed description of the work to be done.

I also noticed that the Revell F-15 did not provide the mass balancer 'shape' for the right vertical stabilizer tip, so it looks like one will need to be scratchbuilt as well.

Please verify that the left LVS Bullet is larger and the counter balance on the RVS is a solid rod.

As to the Revell LVS bullet being the wrong size, I haven't built the Revell kit since 1988 when I was stationed at Langley.

[Ol Crew Dog]

aha chocks, makes more sense to me :D/>

Another problem area on the Revell Eagle is that the front windscreen is not long (deep) enough, but it is hardly noticable

And how about the tinted clear pieces.....

[j-basset]

And how about the tinted clear pieces.....

Dave,

The most recent boxing of the kit (with the 366 Wing Tiger Meet of the Americas marking) has the transparent parts sprue molded clear.

I reckon I'm pretty clear on what has to be done for the F-15D now, but reading about the work required for the Tamiya F-15C is almost headache inducing.

Thanks again for your helpful input.

[Youngtiger1]

I totally agree, that Tweak list should be pinned for future reference.