AlphaJet in 1/72 by Heller

[Hajo L.]

A quick and dirty build to prepare myself for the upcoming Aggressor GB (OK, I needed some model to build until I can start my F-18 in aggressor-scheme and didn´t wanted to simply wait without modelling until the beginning of the year).

The Heller-kit is perfect for my cause - not too much parts and it can be build without doing too much work on the parts.

I added some weight into the nose, so that I can be sure it´s not a tail-sitter. But I have the feeling it would sit straight without it, too.

The cockpit has no details, I simply added some round gauges with a fine-liner.

Just a few days after beginning the jet is ready for painting:

And since I´m going to do it in the Aggressor-scheme of the canadian "TopAces"-company (I know they have changed name some years ago), a basic coating in white has been applied.

I will do it in the "blue" color-scheme.

HAJO

[DrGlueblob]

Hajo, -Check out ALF's Kinetic build of the 1/48 same subject on this in-progress pics page.

Chip

[Hajo L.]

I already did! But I will check it once again, just to look for those things that are important for my build now.

This is the current status, I painted the white and grey areas of the camoflage.

HAJO

[Hajo L.]

The blue color is on and I already (hand-)painted all those black leading-edge-parts:

HAJO

[ALF18]

Hajo

I'm glad I stumbled on your build. I was wondering how the Heller kit went together - looks not too bad for 1/72. I like your choice of colour for the light grey - it is a lighter one than I used, and I think it's closer to the proper colour for Top ACES. Where are you getting decals in this scale?

ALF

[Hajo L.]

As for decals, I will have to look in my spare-box and also try to print one or two which are in black color on my own. At the end the aircraft will probably miss some stencils, but I hope no one will notice... ;)

HAJO

[Hajo L.]

ALF, do you have an idea what font the markings like "C-BITA" and the big numbers are?

HAJO

[ALF18]

ALF, do you have an idea what font the markings like "C-BITA" and the big numbers are?

HAJO

HAJO

Sorry, I have no idea about the font. Your best bet is to find good pics online and try to copy the numbers and letters somehow.

ALF

[Hajo L.]

I think I will make some testruns using WORD and try the different fonts.

This is the canopy, I used a fineliner for the black parts:

HAJO

Edited December 18, 2013 by Hajo L.

[Hajo L.]

A last impression before the decals are on:

And now the finished bird with tanks and decals:

As I said, I had to use some decals of the kit, some of m spare box, and some self-made ones. The big no. "084" (I know that this number is very likely not present on a real-life Top-Aces-bird...) is actually an item-no. from an Italeri-decal-sheet (UH-1B with sharkmouth). The original numbers have white around the black, but I didn´t have anything similar.

The number on the tail, the civil registration and the "Top Aces"-logo are all self-printed. It looks good on the blue, but not soooo well on the white, but I´ll keep it this way.

In the end I´m quite happy with the result, and this small aircraft will make a nice addition to my aggressor-collection.

HAJO