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F-15A Air Superiority, Blue...


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This is what I've been at work on since about the time the site shut down...and I'm mostly posting this right now to just get a feel for the new format here...

 

It is the original F-15J boxing that I plan to build as an early F-15A, in the production Air Superiority Blue scheme. I'm not an expert on the F-15, but from what I gather, the things I'll need to change/modify are:

 

  • F-15A wheels: I guess there are some resin ones available out of Russia now, but apparently the old Monogram "F-15" is the only production kit with the early wheels. I obtained a set of those and they are the same diameter as Hasegawa wheels (imagine that...!?) so, I'll use the outer half glued to the Hasegawa inner half, there by avoiding having to modify the Hasegawa strut to accommodate Monogram wheels.
  • Exhaust with "Turkey Feathers": Done, available in the kit (*though I might get a set of Aires).
  • ESCAPAC ejection seat: Quickboost makes a nice one that is easily modified to the IC-7 type...by not using the upper face curtain handle.
  • Speed Brake spine "strake": scratch built.
  • Air Superiority Blue paint (FS 35450): Available from Gunze Mr. Hobby line of paints.
  • Decals for the 555th at Luke AFB: I have the TwoBobs "Candy Stripes" sheet, with the white letters/numbers that I will use...minus the candy strips.

 

So, other than those things, I don't plan on going too far off the reservation with this build...kit cockpit, no aftermarket wheel wells or intakes etc.

Construction started out with the cockpit. I painted and masked off the instrument area. I used some "Mike Grant Decals" dials for the small bank of dial on the instrument panel as well as some of those new "Airscale" cockpit placards.

The Bay 5 avionics bay was painted with "Xtra Colour" F-15 Interior Colour and I scratch built the canopy ejector ram.

 

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The intakes on these kits can be a PItA. I decided I wasn't going to go crazy with the Cheez Whiz here. Just use whats in the box, clean 'em up, make them fit.

The way the forward intake openings go together is kind of funky...no pins, no alignment tabs, hey...no problem. But I figured I'd better add some structural integrity to them or risk a seam coming apart later on while wrestling them into place or sanding them. A simple plastic shim between the two halves works great:

 

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I believe these kits were among the first to offer full intake trunking out of the box. They did a great job but there are a few things to tweak. I filled the ejector pin marks with Mr. Putty and once the two halves were glued together I sanded away the locator pin abutments so that there would be a nice smooth opening all the way through:

 

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I figured I'd try using the latex paint, "Pour and Fill" method for the intake painting. I had two nice smooth, seams sanded, intakes that I could have just painted in the normal manner but I wanted to try it. It took two pours to get the paint to cover, and even with that I still have some separation in the corners...and I think that is the problem, corners. This method works great for intakes that are generally round all the way around. F-15 intakes (and F-14) have square openings, and paint is going to come away from the corners when you pour it out. Maybe I could have messed with them more, tried different lengths of time between filling and dumping...but in the end, I got the adequate coverage I needed and they look good.

 

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At this point, it's time to get the aft fuselage section assembled and glued together with the forward fuselage section. For that, I did a write up on Zone Five in their "Jet Aircraft Tweaks List" where I've put together some gouge on how to get that done without killing the family pet...take a look over there if you want to check it out:

 

http://www.zone-five.net/showthread.php?t=30716 

 

I attached a link but I guess links to Z5 are disabled here??

 

Once that was done, I scratch built the speed brake spine strake from plastic stock and glued it in place. I'm leaving the speed brake closed, so I don't have to mess with recreating the internal structure of the original speed brakes...plus I don't want to disturb the sleek lines...

 

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So that is where I stand at this point in the game, both fuselage sections joined together. I still have some clean up to do, notably getting rid of that PItA seam inside the cannon trough :( and then attaching the wings and eliminating the seam there along the top of the fuselage...again, lots of dry fitting before committing.

 

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Cheers!

Edited by 82Whitey51
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Update; Wings attached and first  couple coats of paints on. The fit of the wings is pretty nice as long as you clean up the seams along the mounting edge. The seam along the top of the fuselage is not bad, but shouldn't be there. I filled it with super glue and sanded it, then re-scribed the panel lines.

 

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I'm using Gunze Mr. Color paint. It's a gloss, and goes down like glass, which is great for decal application...F-15s have a ton of stencil data. Another good reason is that the Air Superiority Blue scheme did have areas on the underside that were gloss. I don't want those areas that shiny though. My plan is to mask those sections and shoot them with a semi gloss clear.

 

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F-15%20Air%20Superiority%20Blue%20Scheme

 

Edited by 82Whitey51
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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Update time...still plugging away on this thing. First it was on hold for paint, then on hold for decals. I should be all good to finish it up soon at this point!

I got the decals finished up last night. I used Two Bobs sheet 48-220 "Candy Cane F-15A Eagles". I obviously didn't use the red/white stripes, but used the rest of the sheet primarily. I did have to cut the national insignias from the striped wing markings. The sheet features Ser. No. 73-103...well, by the time they got to a/c 100, the Compass Gray paint scheme was in play. So, I chose to do a/c 73-088;

 

750400-F15A%2073-0088-LA555_zpsemq9chly.

 

Obviously she is quite new here in the photo, it has the dubious distinction of being the first F-15A to crash...the pilot did eject safely.  I'll go easy on the weathering, just showing a bit of typical use.

 

I obtained the "stenciled" Ser. No. numerals from a sheet of "Print Scale" decals. They turned out to be too thin and I had to double them up (which lead to me waiting again on decals, as I needed another sheet to do eight..."8"s). Here is the tail with the "0" doubled up prior to the "8"s getting done. You can see they are not quite opaque, especially next to the Two Bobs "LA". Look how nicely the tail bands went down! ;

 

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The rest of the decals went on just fine...although the Two Bobs stencil data is short by about ten or so on the "honey comb NO STEP" markings vs. what is called out for on the placement sheet. I opted to go with just one of each on the flight controls as compared to the required 3 each.

 

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When deciding on what, if any, armament to put on this bird most photos show them to have the old blue CATM 9Ms...snoooozzz. A lot of pics show them with SUU-20 dispensers so that's what I decided to go with.

 

Then I came across this photo!

 

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Yeah, I know it's from the 57th OT&E squadron of the Wing...but hey man, if you can find a reason to mount a GBU-8, especially a bright blue one...you use it! So I guess they had to borrow a 555th bird that day.

 

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I'm going to put a SUU-20 on one side, the GBU-8 on the other and a fuel tank on the center line pylon. :)

 

Hopefully I'll have it done by Christmas!

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Very nice work on the F-15.

 

I have a question about Mr Color paint. I presume it is lacquer/enamel base vs acrylic. The reason I ask is because some brands of paint come in both varieties with very similar names. What do you thin it with and where do you get it? You really know how to lay it down. Thanks.

 

I noted on your workbench a small black cylinder..is that by any chance a pulley wheel from a Nordic Track ski machine? Looks very similar and I also use one to hold various pieces for painting.

 

We have something in common....I went to B C High many years ago, so am familiar with Dorchester MA. I grew up in Brockton, so it was a train ride, get the subway at South Station and then a mile walk to the school. That place set me up for life!!!

 

Bob

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1 hour ago, Bob Beary said:

Very nice work on the F-15.

 

I have a question about Mr Color paint. I presume it is lacquer/enamel base vs acrylic. The reason I ask is because some brands of paint come in both varieties with very similar names. What do you thin it with and where do you get it? You really know how to lay it down. Thanks.

 

I noted on your workbench a small black cylinder..is that by any chance a pulley wheel from a Nordic Track ski machine? Looks very similar and I also use one to hold various pieces for painting.

 

We have something in common....I went to B C High many years ago, so am familiar with Dorchester MA. I grew up in Brockton, so it was a train ride, get the subway at South Station and then a mile walk to the school. That place set me up for life!!!

 

Bob

 Hey Bob,

Thank you very much!

 

Cool! Yeah, I went to Don Bosco ('88)...so I took the "T" past B.C. High everyday...I would've just gone to B.C. but I wanted the trade stuff that Bosco offered. The place is gone now, sold for the property value and to pay off some "debts".

 

That cylinder is actually a chunk of machined steel I picked up when I used to work in an aircraft overhaul facility...it is a handy tool that I use mostly as a means of catching the little discs punched out when using my Waldon punches, the center area is a drilled out "cup". Also great for rolling out "Mill-I- Putt" or flattening out stuff since it is heavy and smooth all the way around, and also as a mini anvil. Handy item.

OK, Mr. Color paint is actually a solvent based acrylic, made by the same company as Gunze acrylics. I use their brand of thinner (Mr. Color Leveling Thinner), as I typically do with most all paints (use the company specific products). About the only time I stray from that is with Gunze Aqueous acrylics and Tamiya acrylics...they thin great with typical 91% isopropyl alcohol from Wal-Mart, CVS. I've heard of people using the 91% with Mr. Color, but I haven't tried it.

 

The Mr. Color paint goes down very nice...as smooth as any enamel paints I've ever used (Humbrol, Xtra Color, model Master) but less toxic, so I can shoot them in doors without killing the pets (I still always wear a respirator either way). I switched to acrylics about a year ago, solely for the purpose of being able to paint at my bench in the house, vice going to the garage for paint ops. I found I would rush through paint jobs just to get out of the cold/heat and humidity, rather than take my time and enjoy the art aspects of it all...and I use a CO2 tank for "air" so I'm not making a bunch of noise with a compressor. I thin the paint to a watery consistency and shoot at about 10-12 psi.

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Outstanding work so far Whitey and cool choice for the loadout. Looking forward to your next update.

 

Bob Beary, you can get Mr. Paint from these two suppliers here in the US,

www.HobbyWorld-USA.com located in New Hampshire or, www.redstarscalemodels.com and they are located in Cummings, Georgia.

 

Steve

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I have been watching this build in anticipation to see it move along to its final presentation 📸

'Very good work 82Whitey51 fight threw it this is one of F-15's I long to build myself , you work .... inspiring 👍

 

Keep build my friend,

 

Mr. Happy (in name only)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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34 minutes ago, Mr.Happy said:

I have been watching this build in anticipation to see it move along to its final presentation 📸

'Very good work 82Whitey51 fight threw it this is one of F-15's I long to build myself , you work .... inspiring 👍

 

Keep build my friend,

 

Mr. Happy (in name only)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you!

 

In the mean time, the other set of numeral decals showed up, so I was able to finish up the tail markings. Flat coat and weathering next!

 

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It's nice to see an Eagle with anything beside gray. Don't get wrong, I like my share of gray Eagles but nice to see it different look ;) I have been wanting to build early A with short air brake for some time, but I'm not sure I can replicate the proper look of the spine. Wish there was a out of the box kit. Anyway, you are doing great. Keep it up :thumbsup:

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Almost there...

I applied a flat coat (Testors) and weathered her up just a little bit over the weekend. Got the ordnance hung, exhaust pipes installed, and canopy details in place. Pretty much all that is left is finishing up the ejection seat, getting it in place and gluing on the canopy.

 

Up there in the "Tips and Tools" section I posted about how I went about "flattening" the tires. First time I used the method described and I liked how it went and the results. Take a look here:
 

In the meantime, here's where she stands;

 

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Edited by 82Whitey51
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  • 2 months later...
2 hours ago, mikeybudd said:

Absolutely gorgeous work Whitey! Did you by chance have this model at the Old Dominion Open in Richmond at the end of February?

 

Hey thanks. Yeah I was at the ODO a couple of weeks ago. Good show!

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