Kurt H. Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 (edited) I started by working with the cockpit parts The first thing I noticed were lots of ejector pin marks, and lugs on the parts. I cleaned up the parts, but I could not let the ejector pin marks slide so I tried thinning acryl blue putty with Tamiya lacquer thinner to try the "wipe off" method and I proceeded to make a mess. I painted the seat and the instrument panel. I do not know if I would have been better off leaving the marks. A coat of paint does make the instrument panel detail pop At first I figured the seat ejector pin marks would be covered by some kind of cushion or parachute, but after looking at pictures of the real plane, show this is not the case. It could use a harness, but I just want to build this one out of the box. I will paint the other cockpit parts later. I also need to review the instructions and find parts which are painted common colors and batch paint. Edited September 4, 2018 by Kurt H. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Relax! Many sink marks will be not vilible later! My suggestion: add a AM seat (quickboost is nice and cheap) or from KASL Hobby there is a seat WITH a pilot sitting in. The AFV bang seat is realy basic and underdetailed! The IP is one of the best casted IP I found in a kit and a breeze to paint! And please take note later when it come to the left and right engine venting doors: they are only OPEN when the engine is RUNNING - means someone is sitting in the pit. Otherwise take the closed version. Look at the brasilian F-5E just now in ARC on display: it looks wrong there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
okthree Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 I would agree with tobiK. I have an AFV F-5E that is half built. I bought the Aires cockpit for it and I’m sorry I did. It’s not that big of an improvement over the kit’s cockpit. In fact the instrument panel out of the box is better than the Aires panel. If I had to do it again I would get the Quickboost seat and call it good. The rest of the kit so far has been a joy to build. Enjoy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 Thank you for the suggestions. I am making a list for my next sprue brothers order, The quickboost seat appears to be a vast improvement, and it is inexpensive. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Here the link to the KASL seat w pilot: http://originalundmodell.de/reviews2015_3/kasl_k48021.htm Well, I did 2 F-5E kits already. One with Aires pit and the other with kit pit, QB seat and scratch build details (copper wire, strip styrene, ...) Sure the Aires set improves the already good details of the kit and the fit is - in that case- really good. BUT Aires refuses to give you 100%, means, they left some details. I completed it again with scratch work. Menawhile I know: where Aires stopped, KASL went on and offers us the best detailed cockpit for the AFV F-5 on the market! Also quality vice it is top-notch. The real improvement are the linkage of the canopy lift and the area in the rear. But also more delicate to build. Other call it "fiddly". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 The best kit of the E in 1/48!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted September 8, 2018 Author Share Posted September 8, 2018 I had time to work on this model tonight. My quick boost seat is on the way, but the seat does not need to be installed until later, so I carried on with the cockpit. While test fitting the cockpit in the forward fuselage, it was pretty flimsy so I installed these doors I also assembled as much as the cockpit as I could to accommodate painting then I painted the parts I will pick it up again when the paint dries Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 Ohh I forgot to mention 2 chead and (meanwhile for me) important add-ons: Canopy framing decals For my next F-5 I will take the set! Before I did masking and mixing the pale light yellow color. But there are always touch ups to so, mixing other color shade, screwing up some detail near, etc. Even the lines for the framing is already on the clear parts, they are not precise. and pitot tube (unless you have a AFV box including a metal pitot tube) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 44 minutes ago, tobiK said: For my next F-5 I will take the set! Before I did masking and mixing the pale light yellow color. But there are always touch ups to so, mixing other color shade, screwing up some detail near, etc. Even the lines for the framing is already on the clear parts, they are not precise. and pitot tube (unless you have a AFV box including a metal pitot tube) I think the canopy framing was from the inside and not from the outside of the canopy. At least this is what I have noticed by observing photos of the real aircraft as well, photos from other aircrafts. Moreover, I agree that a lot of scale modelling companies have misrepresented this certain detail on their canopies. By the way, I think AFV doesn't offer a metal pitot tube with their F-5s. For me, the only negative thing that the AFV Club F-5s have is the lack of a proper intake, and by proper I mean one that goes all the way back to the start of the engine just like Kinetik has done for their F-5A/Bs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted September 9, 2018 Author Share Posted September 9, 2018 I have the furball canopy frame decals, but I do need the metal pitot. I forgot to get one for this model. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 13 hours ago, SERNAK said: I think the canopy framing was from the inside and not from the outside of the canopy. At least this is what I have noticed by observing photos of the real aircraft as well, photos from other aircrafts. Moreover, I agree that a lot of scale modelling companies have misrepresented this certain detail on their canopies. By the way, I think AFV doesn't offer a metal pitot tube with their F-5s. For me, the only negative thing that the AFV Club F-5s have is the lack of a proper intake, and by proper I mean one that goes all the way back to the start of the engine just like Kinetik has done for their F-5A/Bs. True, the yellow - almost creme white line is the sealing for the clear pexiglas to the metal frames. On some aircrafts it is also outside. But for us modellers: there is a smal visible frame to see. Due to the very thick clear plastic (thickness it is not in scale) one has to cheat a bit. Easiest way is to paint it outside or - better - use decals. When you apply them in the inside, I am not sure how it will look like. For the intake I agree. But the F-5 intakes are quite small and you have to look inside exactly from the front and using a torch, like a cave explorer. If you want to pimp your AFV kit, KASL Hobby has resin intakes for the F-5E/F! Or, take FOD covers. I took a pair from Royal Resin. To be consequent, the exhaust is also too shallow! (again KASL gives us a solution). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 @Tobik - I knew that Kasl Hobby had produced a few years ago, a set of exhausts for the E/F but I didn't know it had also produced a set of intakes. To be honest, I accidentally came across the products of Kasl Hobby while searching from an aftermarket set for my Monogram F-5E. The store that I have found most of the company's resin sets is "Hobbyeasy". I guess the most convenient (and less expensive) solution is the FOD covers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 Oh sorry, I told you nonsense: There is no intakes in resin from KASL. Seams something made me confuse yday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 Quick update I painted the side panels, and the instrument panel. I used Tamiya Nato black, which is a good color but it was hard to brush. I realized after I was finished could have made this a little easier by doing something to help break the surface tension by thinning a small amount of paint, and I remeber even putting a drop of soap into acrylic paint. Any way, there is only one spot I Really need to clean up on the IP. I will still add more colors, then washes, filters, dry brushing, etc to make it look more interesting, but that will need to wait on the new seat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
okthree Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Good work so far. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Acrylic paint like Tamiya or Gunze are not my friends for handbrushing. Prefer good old enamel (esp. for small detail) or the Revell aquacolor (can be diluted with pure water!) But your IP looks good already! Also thanks to the perfectly and sharp casted instruments. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 27 minutes ago, tobiK said: Acrylic paint like Tamiya or Gunze are not my friends for handbrushing. Prefer good old enamel (esp. for small detail) or the Revell aquacolor (can be diluted with pure water!) But your IP looks good already! Also thanks to the perfectly and sharp casted instruments. It is not my first choice either, but it is the only kind of paint I have handy in the color I wanted. The quickboost seat arrived today, so I can move forward with this model. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 I agree, the NATO black is fine for that. Similar to Revell 9 anthracite grey, my wonder weapon for IPs, tires, boots...all what is black but a bit faded. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted September 17, 2018 Author Share Posted September 17, 2018 Quick update The Quickboost seat arrived a few days ago. Last night, I painted it gray. Today I painted the headrest, and the seat cushion. This photograph was taken with the flash, so .. damn it looks pretty bad. It looks better under normal light. Any way, once this dries I will need to paint the straps and the buckles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted September 23, 2018 Author Share Posted September 23, 2018 Another quick update. I have finished painting the seat, and picking out details of the cockpit. I have clear coated these parts, and next is some light weathering Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tobiK Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 Just because we talked about it before and to put an info here: intakes for the F-5 from AFV Club are coming! Mike is working on it. PhaseHangar Resin F-5 intake prototype Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted October 20, 2018 Author Share Posted October 20, 2018 I did not forget this build! In the past few days, I painted the undercarriage, doors, and bays aluminum, but forgot to take a picture. I assembled the forward fuselage. sadly, after the glue set, I found It settled with a bit of a "stair step" off set 😖 I knew I would loose some detail sanding this so I applied a wash, and took this picture for reference to have a guide to re scribe the detail I sanded very carefully and ended up with this not bad, I will need to spot prime to assess the damage. I also attached the engine vents, and filled in the ejector pin marks in the intakes till next time ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EightyDuce Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Looking good! I was hoping you hand't abandoned this puppy. I'm also building a "sister" kit of this, an AFV "Mig-28" to go along with some Tomcats down the road. Being my first airplane model, and 4th overall build since I've come back to the hobby, I've been keeping a close eye on some current and previous F-5 builds. Keep it up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted November 5, 2018 Author Share Posted November 5, 2018 I am still working on this one. I have just been too lazy to upload pictures and update this thread. I posted a thread in the Jet Modeling forum about the intake colors. I got a lot of feedback, and decided on white. After I painted the parts, There were a few posts which made me thing silver might have been better. Oh well Next, I assembled the intakes and rear fuselage The fit of the parts is good. I am still not used to modern kits. The tolerances are much finer, and the parts must be perfectly cleaned of flash and sprue nubs to fit properly. There are several parts here, and keeping them aligned is difficult for me. I continued to work on the forward fuselage. Filler was carefully applied I have spent the past few days carefully adding parts and sanding/filling the seams. There is so much delicate surface detail, it requires great care while sanding to avoid damaging the detail. It is slow going but I want to have a nice model Now That I see this pictures on a good size screen, I see where I need to do more work. Thank you for looking ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 That cockpit looks great! Very neat work on the construction too. -co Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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