KEB Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 too bad we can't get a tinted canopy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Matt Foley Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 6 hours ago, Mstor said: Well, here are two REAL photos of the single color scheme (just larger photos of the one Shane posted). Hard to see the RAM panel tape on these too but, if you look close, its there. Just goes to show you how exaggerated the RAM panels are on the kits. Same with the F-22 kits out there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RichardL Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe the RAM panel tape has those metallic speckles in it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 There was a discussion about the RAM tape with information on what was done to make it the same color as the rest of the aircraft. Something to do with a new manufacturing process. I can't find the discussion (don't even remember if it was in ARC, its a b**** getting old). Apparently it saves time (and money?) in the painting process. Whether it has the metallic sheen, well the photos above sure seem to have it in the areas that normally would have RAM tape, but I can't tell for sure. We need some "expert testimony" on this one. Certainly in the old scheme, the RAM tape does not appear to have the sheen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dmanton300 Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 It makes me chuckle that many people are saying finishing an F-35 just got easier with the matched RAM tape. Looking at it I think it just got more difficult. In almost every picture of the new scheme you can still clearly see the RAM tape, only now you have to be a lot more subtle in achieving the required look. I can see a slew of models with no representation of the tape at all because they now "match" the main color, and the resulting models looking very bland, and failing to capture the look of the F-35 completely. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Matt Foley Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 8 hours ago, Dmanton300 said: It makes me chuckle that many people are saying finishing an F-35 just got easier with the matched RAM tape. Looking at it I think it just got more difficult. In almost every picture of the new scheme you can still clearly see the RAM tape, only now you have to be a lot more subtle in achieving the required look. I can see a slew of models with no representation of the tape at all because they now "match" the main color, and the resulting models looking very bland, and failing to capture the look of the F-35 completely. Chuckling aside, what would you suggest? Maybe subtle dry brushing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 3 hours ago, Mr Matt Foley said: Chuckling aside, what would you suggest? Maybe subtle dry brushing? If you enlarge the pics I posted and look very closely, you can see that the RAM tape is still a VERY slightly different shade or is reflecting light differently (I think this is what Dmanton300 is getting at). Which it is, I don't know and how to replicate on a model would be challenging. What would be great is if we had someone who has actually seen, at a relatively close distance, what the RAM tape now looks like with the new scheme, or someone who has knowledge of what has actually changed with the RAM tape and can share, if not classified, what is actually going on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dmanton300 Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 16 hours ago, Mr Matt Foley said: Chuckling aside, what would you suggest? Maybe subtle dry brushing? Nope, that will get an uneven finish. It's matched, but very sharp - IMHO you'll still need to mask and spray it all, using a very slightly lighter grey, and then maybe even go back over and mist coats of the base colour to blend it even more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 Looking back I have to say, who really thinks this is the “final” scheme? The only constant in the F-35 paint history is change.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IAGeezer Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 Maybe stock up on Tamiya tape and Ibuprophen.... As for the color variation, I have a feeling more will be revealed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RichardL Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 You can now get the 1/48 Meng version from SB at $19.20 off the listed price. I'm currently putting one together, and everything fits great so far. Why can't kits from other manufacturers fit like this? Also, RAM decals are available for the Meng kit: 1:48 IsraDecal F-35A Lightning II RAM (MNG kit) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 3 hours ago, RichardL said: I'm currently putting one together, and everything fits great so far. Why can't kits from other manufacturers fit like this? This is good to hear. I have one waiting. I wish KASL would do its cockpit and weapons bays for it. The weapons bays they did for the KH F-35B are very nice looking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vince Maddux Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 7 hours ago, RichardL said: Also, RAM decals are available for the Meng kit: 1:48 IsraDecal F-35A Lightning II RAM (MNG kit) Out of stock. I ordered my sheet from Luckymodels Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RichardL Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 8 hours ago, Mstor said: I wish KASL would do its cockpit and weapons bays for it. The weapons bays they did for the KH F-35B are very nice looking. Below is a picture I just took of the kit weapon bays: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sweier Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 On 2/14/2018 at 1:41 AM, Mstor said: Well, here are two REAL photos of the single color scheme (just larger photos of the one Shane posted). Not unless they over painted the 3Sqn RAAF markings with USAF ones it's not Shane Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Matt Foley Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 15 hours ago, Mstor said: This is good to hear. I have one waiting. I wish KASL would do its cockpit and weapons bays for it. The weapons bays they did for the KH F-35B are very nice looking. Check this build out. I've had mixed luck with KASL and would rather spend the time wiring it up myself. http://www.themodellingnews.com/2018/02/construction-guide-lockheed-martin-f.html#more Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sweier Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 On 2/14/2018 at 3:37 PM, Mstor said: There was a discussion about the RAM tape with information on what was done to make it the same color as the rest of the aircraft. Something to do with a new manufacturing process. I can't find the discussion (don't even remember if it was in ARC, its a b**** getting old). Apparently it saves time (and money?) in the painting process. Whether it has the metallic sheen, well the photos above sure seem to have it in the areas that normally would have RAM tape, but I can't tell for sure. We need some "expert testimony" on this one. Certainly in the old scheme, the RAM tape does not appear to have the sheen. https://a855196877272cb14560-2a4fa819a63ddcc0c289f9457bc3ebab.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/17563/f35_weekly_update_4_13_17.pdf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Matt Foley Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 That is spot on. I would like to point out this part of the statement: "If you've seen an F-35 flying, the saw tooth paneling is visible to the eye. Through a new coating system, the team was able to give the F-35 one uniform coat that saved a significant number of hours per unit in defects and rework." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 1 hour ago, sweier said: Not unless they over painted the 3Sqn RAAF markings with USAF ones it's not Shane Ahh, you are correct Sir. I didn't look closely enough. Its just the setting that is very similar that threw me off (that and the fact that is is small photo and my eyes aren't what they used to be). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 8 minutes ago, Mr Matt Foley said: That is spot on. I would like to point out this part of the statement: "If you've seen an F-35 flying, the saw tooth paneling is visible to the eye. Through a new coating system, the team was able to give the F-35 one uniform coat that saved a significant number of hours per unit in defects and rework." Even so, it you blow up the pic in the pdf you can still see many variations in the shade of panels and some taped areas. It is subtle but still there and noticeable. Look at the main landing gear doors and the panels below the leading edge of the wing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Matt Foley Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 5 minutes ago, Mstor said: Even so, it you blow up the pic in the pdf you can still see many variations in the shade of panels and some taped areas. It is subtle but still there and noticeable. Look at the main landing gear doors and the panels below the leading edge of the wing. Looking at a photo or computer monitor is still not accurate. Lighting, monitor calibration etc come into play and it may be the result of the surface of those panels being slightly raised in comparison to the rest of the aircraft. The fact is that it is still a "one uniform coat" being used. Not wanting to create an argument, I'm just pointing out variation probability. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 1 hour ago, Mr Matt Foley said: Looking at a photo or computer monitor is still not accurate. Lighting, monitor calibration etc come into play and it may be the result of the surface of those panels being slightly raised in comparison to the rest of the aircraft. The fact is that it is still a "one uniform coat" being used. Not wanting to create an argument, I'm just pointing out variation probability. Tis true. As I said in one of the other posts, we need someone who has actually eyeballed on of these new schemes or has intimate knowledge of the actual process being used (I know, not likely and they probably wouldn't be able to talk about it anyway). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sweier Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 13 hours ago, Mstor said: Even so, it you blow up the pic in the pdf you can still see many variations in the shade of panels and some taped areas. It is subtle but still there and noticeable. Look at the main landing gear doors and the panels below the leading edge of the wing. FWIW the landing gear doors are probably parts manufactured elsewhere and not yet completed using the new coating. You will also see it on fins - made in Australia - and weapon bay doors for a while. This was also made clear in the original LM presser (which, infuriatingly, I can't find, but I'm looking!) Shane Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vince Maddux Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 The day we find out the Stealth tape is nothing but duct tape we are are going to have good laugh,,, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 It IS duct tape - but it costs $12,000 per roll....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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