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Academy 1:48 F-111F Aardvark


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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

haven't done much modeling at all, just little bits here and there. Finally got a new computer so I can upload proper pictures taken with my camera.

wheels where glued on as was the Pave Tack pod. I cut the head of the pod, turned it 90%, and turned the lens into the pod to represent the look when the plane is parked.

Still doing some decals and weathering and it should be ready for flat soon.

nlu79y.jpg

Edited by Benner
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took this photo with low lighting so pardon how crappy it is.\

main gear doors on, arrestor hook, ALQ-131, skid, stabilizers, inner pylons, and some flat sprayed on.

next is the engine exhausts and putting RBF tags on the bombs and pylons. I don't know where they go exactly on the plane it self so I won't bother there.

qwwx8j.jpg

Edited by Benner
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Very nice job! Flew that jet at least a couple of times in my five years at LKH. I did a quick scan through your build and have just a couple of comments.

A lot of folks get hung up on lowering the flaps and slats on the ground. While that was apparently a common practice early on, by the early 80s when I started flying them, you could find them in a variety of positions depending on what maintenance needed. Probably the most common were 16° (full forward) with everything down (for mx inspection) or everything up (weapon loading), or 54° back (for moving the jet in and out of a HAS (the wings could be fully extended in the HAS, but we didn't want to risk dinging a wingtip while moving.

In order to fit their useless pylon wing sweep feature into the wing, the Academy pylon pins are too far aft (~9 scale inches IIRC, but that's off the top of my head).

The strake on the top of the fuselage is wrong on all the kits. If you look at photos carefully, you'll notice that it has sharp angles and is a bit taller (6" IIRC) than what you find on the kits:

100509-02F-111HBstrake.jpg

The Hobby Boss kits have a nicer aft fairing, but the fuel dump mast is still a bit off:

100513-11F-111fueldumpmast.jpg

And the tail hook/fairing isn't right:

100513-10F-111tailhook.jpg

Something like this will hopefully eliminate the seam on the top of the fuselage:

100513-15F-111Acaseambrace.jpg

Here is (more or less) what the bulge on the back side of the Pave Tack pod looks like, along with the ECM pod adapter:

100513-17F-111podbulgeECMpylon.jpg

And here is what the bay looks like with the gun and early ECM pylon installed:

100513-18F-111gunblisterECMpylon.jpg

BTW, both of the above are shown on the HB closed bay doors. EVERYTHING about the HB bay doors is WRONG!!!! Fill and describe!

Here is the ECM pod adapter on the rear fuselage:

100513-22F-111aftECMAca.jpg

This is how I modified the HB PT cradle to fit their pod. However, the new scab-on Academy pod is MUCH better, but this gives you an idea of the size of the 'box' the head of the pod fits in:

100513-12F-111PTcradletop.jpg

100513-13F-111PTcradlebottom.jpg

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Here are all the nozzles (Like the F-14A with TF30 engines, when the Vark shut down one nozzle would be open, the other closed, depending on which engine was shut down first):

130802-3F-111Nozzles_zpsc6d188c7.jpg

130802-2F-111Nozzles_zpsfd4fb744.jpg

130802-2F-111Nozzles_zpsfd4fb744.jpg

And finally a fuel tank comparison.

F-111fueltankmodelsHR_zps425112db.jpg

Sorry I didn't see your build earlier, but think you did a smashing job on it!

Edited by mrvark
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A few shots showing the intake brace and how far from the fuselage the TP I & II intakes are mounted:

Triple Plow I:

101202-245%20F111C%20TP%201%20inlet%20brace%20width_zpsnupdj4fd.jpg

101203-101%20F111C%20inlet%20brace%20location_zps2gczqg6l.jpg

Note the weapon bay safety pin door, that was always open when the weapon bay is on the ground.

Triple Plow II:

130616-123%20F-111F%20intake%20brace%20front_zpsvzvbwwcq.jpg

130616-125%20F-111F%20intake%20brace%20vert%20place_zpsl1flw2ej.jpg

130616-128%20F-111F%20vent%20air%20water%20intake%20brace_zpskfujypq1.jpg

Also a good view of the air-water heat exchanger vents found on only the F-111D/F. This is a display aircraft at Bowling Green KY. In actual service the colors were flat.

Inlet differences:

Slide12_zpsdqawa3p6.jpg

Slide13_zpsnzg3l12n.jpg

Note how the TP II spikes were 18" longer than the TP I ones!

Only the TP II intakes had RAM applied:

Slide14_zpswqmzzylu.jpg

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Exhaust Nozzle differences:

Slide19_zpsda2836dc.jpg

Slide20_zps4be2774f.jpg

Slide17_zps0caqua7z.jpg

Brake differences:

Slide09_zps98x0y0mi.jpg

Pave Tack installation:

Slide21_zpslktzdzyw.jpg

Cockpit geometry. Note how far behind the glare shield the instrument panel is and that the side consoles are level--not angled as in the kits:

F-111-Cockpit_zpslamf5mnd.jpg

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Very nice looking F-111 Benner! I've always wanted to get a result like that in 1/48th and you keep managing to do it so well. I love the subtleness in your weathering too. :thumbsup:

Mrvark you've managed to convince me even further how badly this beautiful aircraft has been represented in this scale. Have you tried presenting any of this excellent knowledge to any of these newer manufacturers that actually like to take us the customer seriously? I keep hoping one day that we'll get that definitive F-111 but from what it sounds like we need more knowledgable people like yourself helping out behind the scenes.

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Have you tried presenting any of this excellent knowledge to any of these newer manufacturers that actually like to take us the customer seriously?

A couple of nibbles--the only semi-serious one seems intent on doing the F-111A, which will be extremely disappointing to me personally. After Vietnam the A models were trainers and the analog A & E models were the least capable of the breed. But, what do I know...

BTW, I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but this seems to be a pretty popular one and an opportune place to get the word out.

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BTW, I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but this seems to be a pretty popular one and an opportune place to get the word out.

That's alright, it's useful stuff. I did see most of these F-111 posts you have done previously, but I only changed things on my build to the point it's "good enough" for me.

Anychance you would have pictures of where all the RBF tags would go?

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I don't have a picture of the chaff/flare RBF, but here is a picture of the AN/ALE-28 dispenser opening by the back of the engine nozzle. As I recall, the RBF flag was attached to a clip that served as a block to both dispenser chutes. There was a 'V' shaped handle about 4-5" long that extended from the clip with one part fixed and the other movable, like a trigger. By squeezing the handles together, the clip was released and could then be removed. The RBF flag was attached to the end of one of the handle.

110303-085%20F111E%20AN-ALE-28_zps1keen8sf.jpg

I only have two pics of the hook pin; one shows the flag, the other the pin with the flag not attached, but from a better angle.

900000-06%20F111D%20tail%20hook%20pin_zpsbycvxddo.jpg

101202-207%20F111C%20tail%20hook%20pin%20location_zpsnu5szwqo.jpg

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I don't have a picture of the chaff/flare RBF, but here is a picture of the AN/ALE-28 dispenser opening by the back of the engine nozzle. As I recall, the RBF flag was attached to a clip that served as a block to both dispenser chutes. There was a 'V' shaped handle about 4-5" long that extended from the clip with one part fixed and the other movable, like a trigger. By squeezing the handles together, the clip was released and could then be removed. The RBF flag was attached to the end of one of the handle.

awesome, thanks for the help :)

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Hi,

Very interesting...

I realize two EF-111A Raven by crossing wings... Hobby boss/Academy

Good Job !!!

interesting project you got going. I built my Raven with the Paragon flap / slat set. As for my current project, if I were to do this again, I would not use the Hobbyboss wings.

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here's how it looks now after adding some RBF tags.

2zfjsao.jpg

things left to do:

-paint the refueling receptacle stencils, decal sheets have them as black but they are brown for this plane

-decals for the intake RAM

-build the bomb bay doors

-paint the fin on the GBU i broke and lost

-canopy doors, gear doors, various antenna

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