nspreitler Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 My entry is a Trumpeter J-7. The first thing I noticed when the kit arrived in the mail is how small the box is, but it is packed. There are 230 parts on individually packaged sprues. Looking at the instructions a lot of the parts won't be used since there are several options for the missiles. The instructions are lacking information on the colors, there are few references to Humbrol paint for the wheel wells and a few other parts but nothing on the cockpit color. I did research and opted for a gray interior using Model Master Neutral Gray. I plan on doing the Pakistani options because I like the camouflage scheme. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grandboof Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Good choice. From what I can see it looks like an interesting scheme . Good luck . Looking to seeing more. Martin H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Making progress. Figuring out the colors has been fun, the instructions call for some Humbrol colors on some parts but looking at reference photos the instructions are wrong. I opted for dark gray (Model Master RLM 66) for the wheel wells, and a light gray for the cockpit. The engine has some parts in green that really won't be seen. The instrument panel decal settles over the detail with some Microsol then I went over it with Vallejo flat. I'll give the dials some gloss clear to bring them out. The seat has been interesting, the Pakistani F-7s use a Martin Baker seat. The kit one is close, and I'll add some tape belts give it some detail. I thought about getting a resin seat, but I can live with the kit part. Still lots of work to do in the cockpit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 Closing the fuselage today, the fit of everything is really good. The only other Trumpeter kit I've built is the MiG-3. I don't know much about the plane to speak about accuracy but I really like the kit. It has a nicel detailed avionics compartment, but I am closing it up so I just painted it black (per the instructions). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grandboof Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Good progress looking great Martin H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exhausted Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I've been thinking of adding this one to my collection as well. I love the Chinese Fishbeds, but mainly because I think they are a special brand of ugly. Yours, however, is looking fantastic! Forgive me if I'm acting like a backseat driver but: Having done a Fishbed or two in my day, I would recommend painting the nosecone and the intake before closing the fuselage. Also, the chromate behind the seat could use another coat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Nice. The cockpit and avionics bay are looking really great. The nice thing about 48th scale is that you get some detail to work with. Darwin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 I've been thinking of adding this one to my collection as well. I love the Chinese Fishbeds, but mainly because I think they are a special brand of ugly. Yours, however, is looking fantastic! Forgive me if I'm acting like a backseat driver but: Having done a Fishbed or two in my day, I would recommend painting the nosecone and the intake before closing the fuselage. Also, the chromate behind the seat could use another coat. Thanks, I did end up painting the nosecone before closing it up. With the area behind the seat it turns out none of it is visible once assembled so I didn't do anything else to it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 21, 2016 Author Share Posted March 21, 2016 I got the major assembly complete, but ran into a snag. The front canopy doesn't fit over the HUD, it is close but I have to figure it out. I'm sure it was builder error since everything else on the kit has fit very well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 (edited) .... The front canopy doesn't fit over the HUD, it is close but I have to figure it out...... That is why God invented sledge hammers. Edited March 21, 2016 by yardbird78 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 I figured out the canopy, I just had to push the HUD in a little bit and surprisingly did it without breaking anything. It still looks right and the canopy fits perfectly. I have a couple spots that I touched up with Mr Surfacer that I need to sand, but those are pretty minor. My evenings this week will be working on the missiles which is a research challenge to see which ones the Pakistani planes carry. I hope to have it in paint this weekend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 27, 2016 Author Share Posted March 27, 2016 Making progress, started with paint. The instructions reference Humbrol. Looking at pictures I opted for gunship gray for the darker gray, the parts that are still bassed coated in black will be neutral gray. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exhausted Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 The Polish MiG-29 I have been working on calls for those colors as well. btw looking good. Any problem areas? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 27, 2016 Author Share Posted March 27, 2016 The Polish MiG-29 I have been working on calls for those colors as well. btw looking good. Any problem areas? I had to adjust the HUD to get the canopy to fit. The exhaust is going to be difficult to paint, in hindsight I would have left off much of the tail and attached it after painting. Overall it is has been really good, even with a lot of pieces to fit to the fuselage. I used some Mr Surfacer in a few spots to fill so seams but that has been it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 28, 2016 Author Share Posted March 28, 2016 I redid the paint to match my references, I've looked and can't find an F-7 in the scheme depicted in the Trumpeter instructions. They all seem to have a very similar scheme with dark gay on the wings and the vey tip of the tail and light gray everywhere else. I also tried painting the light gray neutral gray and didn't like it so I went with Model Master Aircraft Gray which seems closer to the right shade. For the dark gray I ended up using Model Master RLM 75, that still seems too dark but I will tone it down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exhausted Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Since the real aircraft is located in a very sunny place, you may choose to break up the solid blocks of grey with spots of lighter shades Looking real good though Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TomCooper Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Just a soft touch of some 'weathering' here and there, and you'll be fine. BTW, the overall shape looks good too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted April 3, 2016 Author Share Posted April 3, 2016 Got the F-7 on its legs, and played around with the paint. The dark gray looked too dark so I used it as a base and went over it with Dark Ghost Gray. I also went over the light gray with just the same color tinted just slightly darker to add some variation, but it doesn't show up well in the picture. This is what I'm going for Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exhausted Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 (edited) That looks fantastic. You did well breaking up the monotony of the greys. Just noticed the fuel tanks are 2 tone as well. Edited April 3, 2016 by Exhausted Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 Neat looking aircraft. An upgraded copy of the Mig-21F-13, or am I seeing things? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted April 4, 2016 Author Share Posted April 4, 2016 Neat looking aircraft. An upgraded copy of the Mig-21F-13, or am I seeing things? It is the Chinese clone of the MiG-21F-13. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Put on the decals, the kit comes with full stencil data but it is all Chinese. My references don't show many stencils on the Pakistani versions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Looks good. Does the Pakistani AF still fly these? I think that the US gave them a bunch of F-16s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 They still fly them, but they are being replaced with the JF-17. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grandboof Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Final leg .well done. Looks great Martin H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.