Grey Ghost 531 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) Here's my Italeri X-32 "Monica". It's as close to out-of-the-box as you'll likely see from me. The only additions are some pimping of the seat with Evergreen, wire and lead foil and some brake lines on the main gear. Decals are from the kit, paint is Model Master light ghost gray with a little "modulation". Unfortunately, that shows better on the bottom than the top. Edited April 23, 2014 by Grey Ghost 531 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 That is great looking...as ugly as it is. The actual aircraft sits just across the street from me at the NAS Pax museum...it needs some TLC. Why "Monica"? I never heard that before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 What a great model you have there. Came out sharp looking. I actually have that kit in my stash even though I don't build 1/72nd. That X-32 has the distinction of being either hated or loved and I fall in the love side. It is so ugly that it is beautiful. I really like how you got the white on the intake down the intake. Got to remember that for my build which will be a Canadian Forces build in maybe Tiger Meet markings. Now there is a kit I would love in 1/48 but it is most likely not going to happen now that it is history. Yeah, and that Monica reference I have never heard either. Is it some sort of Bill Clinton joke :)? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alvis 3.1 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 That's nice work, I've built that kit and you did a far far nicer job than I could have done. "Monica" got to be the nickname due to some activities involving a Whitehouse intern back in the 90s. Alvis 3.1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grey Ghost 531 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 What a great model you have there. Came out sharp looking. I actually have that kit in my stash even though I don't build 1/72nd. That X-32 has the distinction of being either hated or loved and I fall in the love side. It is so ugly that it is beautiful. I really like how you got the white on the intake down the intake. Got to remember that for my build which will be a Canadian Forces build in maybe Tiger Meet markings. Now there is a kit I would love in 1/48 but it is most likely not going to happen now that it is history. Yeah, and that Monica reference I have never heard either. Is it some sort of Bill Clinton joke :)/>? Thanks! I masked the intake with a technique I cooked up. I used a two part RTV putty to create a mold of the inside of the intake. After painting the intake white I sliced the RTV plug at where I wanted the demarcation and then stuffed it back into the intake to mask off the rear part that was to remain white. The RTV sealed off a nice, clean edge and after the paint dried, it was easy to pull back out. You could use the same method to make patterns for interior bulkheads. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Yeah, and that Monica reference I have never heard either. Is it some sort of Bill Clinton joke :)/>/>? Why did I think the same thing??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lyonkubb Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 (edited) That is great looking...as ugly as it is. The actual aircraft sits just across the street from me at the NAS Pax museum...it needs some TLC. Why "Monica"? I never heard that before. The Lockheed X-35 flight test crew and the Boeing X-32 flight test crew were in buildings right next to each other at EAFB during the very short flight test period. Anytime either of the aircraft was outside and moving some of the other team would of course come out to look. We Lockheed guys were always poking fun of that aircraft and one day someone said "hey- it looks like that white house intern Monica because...." and it just stuck. Kind of like the same heckling the Tomcat community gave the Hornet community. Aerospace is a big incestuous industry; it was weird competing fiercely with Boeing for the JSF, but working with them as a teammate on F-22 just a couple buildings over. @ Grey Ghost- looks very nice! I still need to build this one for my collection! Thanks for the inspiration to get moving on it! Edited April 30, 2014 by lyonkubb Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Why does that remind me of Jabba the Hut ??? Great model BTW...... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A21-29 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 top job.i have tamiyas 1/72 version..hope i can get as good a result as yours. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 We Lockheed guys were always poking fun of that aircraft and one day someone said "hey- it looks like that white house intern Monica because...." Ahhhh...I think I get where the rest of that went. Very funny. Aviation definitely has its humor. Thank you for the insight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Just a really rock solid build of one ugly airplane. Guess that puts me on the other side of the fence. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 (edited) Very nice build in all phases. however that aircraft is so awkward looking I don't know if it's smiling or preparing to gulp down 2 tons of plankton...,but it flies and that makes it worthy of notice. Edited May 10, 2014 by #1 Greywolf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike C Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Very nice work on the model! :thumbsup:/> As far as the actual aircraft goes... Well, I neither hate, nor love it. I find it... funny... comical. I can't help but think whoever designed the aircraft must not like Boeing very much for designing something so un-sexy that (I'd imagine/assume) no self-respecting fighter pilot would find him/her-self dead piloting it! Again, based on my impression of fighter pilot communities as depicted in movies and fiction novels, I can just imagine the incredulous look on the Air Force Chief of Staff (presumably) when he first saw the aircraft! "You want my pilots to pilot THAT? What the heck were your designers smokin'???" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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