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F-15C 1:48 G.W.H. 53rd FS/ 52nd FW


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Hello

 

 

I am glad, that ARC is back and I would like to crate my first in progress topic here.

 

The kit is a 1:48 Great Wall Hobby # L4817 F-15C MSIP II, which should be finished in the Mod-Eagle scheme of 53rd Fighter Squadron/ 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base. The F-15C and -D were based there from 1994-99. Since I am living in the triangle of Spangdahlem AB and the former Bitburg and Hahn AB, my choice is obvious, that an "Eifel Eagle" should be modelled.

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Now the question is, whether it will be a Bitburg or Spangdahlem bird. Since I already finished a 1:32 F-15C in 1.32 a couple of years ago in the markings of Bitburg based 525th TFS, my selection this time has been fallen towards Spangdahlem.

 

And the model should be finished in this markings:

 

cz71rO.jpg

 

 

Edited by falcon91352
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The reason, that it will be the 84-009/SP is, that I have photographed it from both sides in Summer 1997 at Bitburg reserve base. Yes, you read correctly, Bitburg! The Eagles of 53rd FS were deployed along with the two 52nd FW F-16 squadrons (22nd and 23rd FS) from Spangdahlem AB to Bitburg from 12 June until 26 September 1997. This deployment was a nice gift for the aviation photographer´s, which resembled a lot to the opportunities at RAF Binbrook or RAF bentwaters in the golden times ... . Only the runway and main taxiwas, as well as apart of the former 53rd FS shelter area at Bitburg were hold on NATO reserve status, while all the other areas already were civilized and accessible without any problems. Nowadays, unthinkable due to security concerns!

 

Here, a second shot of the 84-009/SP during this deployemnt taken from the property of a roofer. My numerous visits to his firm have cost me several crates of beer ... .

 

PJKj7t.jpg

 

There is a little, but prominent detail of 84-009/SP in form of a highly polished steel (?) gun muzzle, which normally is painted black.

 

4N5mmj.jpg

Edited by falcon91352
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Back to the G.W.H. kit, which is looking nicely in the box. I still having two Hasegawa and the Eduard/ Academy F-15C in 1:48 in my stash but the main reason for my choice is, that it was a gift from my mother for Christmas 2014. All my mother´s present kits are built with my highest morale and special diligence to look as a show stopper when finished. I know, that there are a couple of smaller shape errors in the G.W.H. kit, but last Sunday I saw one finished G.W.H. F-15D at the excellent PMC Saar expo in Merchweiler and the model looked outstanding. After the model is finished and when it is nicely painted (as the Merchweiler one!), those inaccuraties don´t be apparent.

 

On the other side, I would like to put some additional details on and find, that the G.W.H. is the best basis to work with. Hasegawa´s one does look nice, but has a lot of areas, which suffer from bad fit and soft detail.

 

First of all, I usually start with the cockpit. I have a late F-15C resin cockpit from Aires, which is nicely detailed, but designated for the Hasegawa kit. I did some trials to put it in the G.W.H. fuselage, but it doesn´t fit well. In my opinion, it is less work to bring the detail of the nicely fitting origianal kit cockpit on par with the Aires one, than taking the risk to adapt the Aires cockpit to the G.W.H. fuselage.

 

From 0,1mm and 0,2mm plasticcard and 0,12mm wire I cut some small buttons and switches to bring the G.W.H. plastic cockpit to life. The oxygen hose is made from a plastic rod on which I wrapped a piece of 0,2mm solder wire. Some parts of the Eduard 49706 PE set are used as well.

 

 

 

MyoYPU.jpg

 

 

7WlVve.jpg

Edited by falcon91352
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My F-15C MSIP should be displayed with open aviaonic bays, which I have to build scratch. By far the best reference for this is Jake Melampy´s recently rereleased "The Modern Eagle Guide". I highly recommending this book for any F-15 model construction!

 

G.W.H. have offered the first bay already in the kit, but due to the lack of depht I am not really satisfied with it. The sidewall s of the second and third bays have to be very thin (0,2mm plastic sheet) to ensure a snug fit of the cockpit and gear well.

 

With a 0,63mm riveting tool from SBS, I put some vertical rivet lines on the fuselage, which may be clash with the modelling style from somebody. But those lines are more or less (mostly barely) visible on the real airplanes, especially when the paint is faded or weathered to some degree. For me, those rivet lines are a very nice stylistic device, for breaking the uniformity of a surface and to add life to the model. Additionally, they are a great help for tonal variation of the base colour at the painting stage.  I promise you, that I will not overdo the later washing with those rivet lines, they still should look decent.

 

CEXZoH.jpg

 

Edited by falcon91352
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Detail shot of the first avionic bay. The small positive silver rivets on the braces are done from sliced 0,2mm soldering wire. For this work, you need a steady hand, a pair of relaxed eyes and a very sharp artist knife. In my case, I use a Olfa AK-3 knife with KB-3 blades, which I highly recommend for fine work.

 

AIL3EK.jpg

 

Now I have to go to bed, My eyes must be relaxed for tomorrow ...

Edited by falcon91352
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11 hours ago, my favs are F`s said:

Hmm, when I see these complimentary doors how they loo like when open - I'm so  tempted to do it too with my 1/32nd model. It would be difficult but it's wort it... So sar the outlook is beautiful! 

 

To me, this is every time a matter of conscience. Open hatches and doors are disturbing the outline of a model, it looses the character and esthetic the original somewhat. On the other side, it is a challenge to build and show some scratchbuilt. If it is done properly, it can look very nice! A sloppy work here can rauin the whole model, so plan to invest some time in it.

 

BTW, in some Eastern Europe countries, like in Czech Republic and Hungary, more and more modelling competitions install separate classes for airplane models with openend maintenance doors and the so called "ready to fly". I avoid to call the first "superdetail class", in my opinion a ready to fly aircraft model can be superdetailed as well.

 

 

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It´s time for an update. Shown here is the front area of Bay 5. Not too much is seen here later, so I am limiting the detailing in this area a bit. Since the model will represent a FY84 MSIP F-15C, the Bay 5 area will be painted white.

 

bh0xta.jpg

Edited by falcon91352
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When ARC was down for a while, I constructed the components of the avionic bays. Shown here are those from the first bay (next to the radome). I call it Bay 1. I have cut out the faces of the boxes from the G.W.H. part and put those on small boxes built out of plasticsheet.

 

rx0CLv.jpg

Edited by falcon91352
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The parts for the other two avionics access bays (I dubbed those Bay 2 and 3) are built entirely scratch. The small rivets and screw heads, which are blinking silver on the pictures are made from sliced 0,2mm soldering wire again and gled with UHU cyano gel. Some of my favourite stuff!

 

QEjTL6.jpg


 

rx0CLv.jpg

 

Edited by falcon91352
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Further progression with the Bay 5. Shown here are the parts of ICMS (Internal Counter Measures System), which already are nicely done by G.W.H., but can be further enhanced by some and soldering wire.

 

LPdW4Z.jpg

Edited by falcon91352
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Christian!!!  Wow, that is impressive work.  Very nicely done.  I really like the attention to detail with the fasteners and bracing inside the avionics bays.

 

Jake

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