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KH RF-101 Quickie


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   I just got this kit off ebay and have started tearing in to it. Basically I really like this kit. I’ve built the B save decaling and final assembly and that was overall a good experience. Of course the RF is largely the same kit as many may have seen from sprue shot images published on various sites. Everyone has anticipated the intake shape issue; not a fatal error but personally makes me whince. I’m going to attempt some reshaping to see if I can fake a more accurate appearance. The othe bug bear I’m aware of is the right fuelage bleed air vent. The larger round grill is wrong. There should be a rectangular grill in  place of the round grill. This should be remedied without too much hair pulling. Probably my greatest complaint is the cockpit. Yes it lacks finer detail and  yes the PE approach to panels isn't optimal. My beef is that the panel details are not even close for a ‘101C  and this includes the glare shield. The kit components may more closely approximate the G model. Unless you’re in to scratch building or cobbling together a cockpit based on what’s out there, one will have to wait for after market accessories. Anticipate sink marks in speed brakes and gear doors that will need your filler of choice.

   Summing it up, I think the KH ‘101s have nice surface and landing gear detail, major components fit well and there is a nice variety of marking options. This one will be a Sun Run jet and I’m tempted to do a SEA camo jet down the line.

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Nikolay has demonstrated the inlet fix.

 

New louvre type vents are needed for both the mid upper right fuselage and the pair behind the NLG bay, the one forward of the KA-1 camera bay (depicted with shut windows on the kit). Decals might be the best solution, together with one for the fwd ventral nose B2 terrain light photometer. 

 

Having perused the plastic here too and seeing an on-line test fit my greatest concern is the lack of depth to the ventral nose windows (viewfinder and downwards KA-2 apertures)

 

The cockpit can wait for Aires and Eduard fixes. Maybe Caracal can consider adding the louvres and lightmeter panel as decals?

 

Tony

 

 

 

 

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Chris, I'm hoping Quickboost will do: 

 

* a drop in, full depth clear replacement for the shallow plastic camera windows part

* on the same little clear sprue they can include the tail tip light (to replace grey part E16. There was a new clear part included in the F-101B release but this was omitted from the RF-101C boxing).

* vents, especially the two long ones behind the NLG door, but I could live with decals for these

* maybe a trigometric KA-2 or KS-72 camera arrangement to add some interior detail. Probably a CMK detail set.

* replacement nose radome with RHAWS and dragchute door ditto for a Vietnam recce jet. Could also use two more ALQ-51 DECM blisters (like the ones that go just forward of the drop tanks) for under the wingtips.

 

Tony

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1 hour ago, tony.t said:

Chris, I'm hoping Quickboost will do: 

 

* a drop in, full depth clear replacement for the shallow plastic camera windows part

* on the same little clear sprue they can include the tail tip light (to replace grey part E16. There was a new clear part included in the F-101B release but this was omitted from the RF-101C boxing).

* vents, especially the two long ones behind the NLG door, but I could live with decals for these

* maybe a trigometric KA-2 or KS-72 camera arrangement to add some interior detail. Probably a CMK detail set.

* replacement nose radome with RHAWS and dragchute door ditto for a Vietnam recce jet. Could also use two more ALQ-51 DECM blisters (like the ones that go just forward of the drop tanks) for under the wingtips.

 

Tony

Agree. An RF-101 A/C nose also needs an RFI probe doors (or the complete bay - it would be the winner).

 

Cheers! 😎

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Thanks Tony and Nikolay for calling my attention to the intake “how to” on Britmodeller. I applied this to my jet yesterday and like the way it turned out. Considering KH often has open panels to display avionics, cameras,  etc ala the Cougar and ‘101B, I’’m surprised they didn't do an open camera bay option for this kit. Still, I’m tickled to have it as is.

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Thanks Tony, that is a great list. ALso from what I have heard the kit is more an RF-101G than a RF-101C. I am leaning towards the G version as I like that black and yellow markings which I think are for the G. Still have not picked it up yet so maybe by the time I get round to getting the kit some of the detail sets will be available. The cockpit really bugs the hell out of me and is really turning me off buying the silly thing.

 

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The black & yellow markings are for an RF-101C.

 

The cockpit isn't RF-101C but more G/H which is why we need Aires & Eduard to the rescue.

 

The airframe is more RF-101C in that the ventral panel just fwd of where the drop tanks end has two offset camera windows with the (sliding) hatches depicted as shut. The RF-101C featured a pair of KA-1 cameras in that bay, which used to take fairly massive 9x9 inch super detailed negs, which is why the long nose was the longest lived of the recce variants.

For any other single seat variant - F-101A, C, G or H - these square outlines should be filled in.

 

Tony 

 

 

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5 hours ago, BillS said:

Thanks Tony and Nikolay for calling my attention to the intake “how to” on Britmodeller. I applied this to my jet yesterday and like the way it turned out.

Thanks @BillS! Anyway, it’s not a hard work - just some cutting and sculpting 😉 Is there any WIP pictures from you? I would be very interesting to see your build!

 

5 hours ago, BillS said:

Considering KH often has open panels to display avionics, cameras,  etc ala the Cougar and ‘101B, I’’m surprised they didn't do an open camera bay option for this kit. Still, I’m tickled to have it as is.

Yes, I have the same question too...

 

2 hours ago, skyhawk174 said:

Still have not picked it up yet so maybe by the time I get round to getting the kit some of the detail sets will be available. The cockpit really bugs the hell out of me and is really turning me off buying the silly thing.

Same thing Chris, and I’m still hoping for the best (lower) price... But I think it’s worth buying this kit, anyway.

 

 Thanks guys 🤝

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Just a quick note to anyone hoping to use the plan view diagrams in Detail & Scale's Voodoo book (vol 21) as reference to modify their RF-101C's intakes...........

Although the side-views seem accurate, the dorsal views all show the same profile (when there should be a difference between the single-seat and twin-seaters).

 

Even more concerning, the ventral views of all types all show the left and right intakes as having different profiles........

I don't  know whether the ventral views represent the two different intake profiles accurately, but I'm sure that the two intakes on any particular aircraft should match !

 

Can any experts on here confirm ?

Voodoo intakes.jpg

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Terry Smith did some nice drawing of the B.  Also the drawing in FAOW are pretty good.  The D& S drawings all have the same error in 1/48 and 1/72 scale plan views. 

 

xIeZQu4.gif

 

Yes you are correct since the bifurcated flow to the engine should be equal on both sides of the bypass flow to the engine....so yes same size intakes.  I think a plan view from top and bottom wont show too much of the angle differences in the intakes on the Voodoo from the sharper angled B to the more straight A/C.  I think most modelers will ahve to live with the fault sicen KH did not see fit to fix it on teh single seat kits. 

 

I find the KH kits are only worth it for the Single seaters....the Monogram B is still a great kit in 1/48 and the 1/72 Revell kit is quite a good starting point w/ engraved details to boot...Too bad the 1/48 Monogram didnt have tooling like that?  I build in in 1/72 mostly BUT do venture into larger scales for particular subjects adn this is one....But I already built the F-101A from KH a while back adn it was a real PIA adn still has a few problems.  I willstick with the Valom 1/72 kits  they seems to ahe the least amount of errors in cmparison to the KH kits.

 

Now a new tool 1/32 Voodoo would be something!!  Like from say Meng or Great WAl???


Steve,    

mcdonell_f_101_9.jpg

Edited by scorvi
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Somebody on BM highlighted the fact that corrective inlet parts are included in the later two Voodoo releases, as part of the revised wing parts.

 

I saw them in the B boxings and forgot (doh!) and can confirm that these are in the RF-101C boxing too, where they are needed.

Need to file back the existing lips a mm and a bit then add and fill the new inlet parts. Not perfect but better than a kick in the rear.

 

I'm hoping Kitty Hawk's "biggest yet" at Chattanooga is a 1/32 RF-101C and F-101B. The break down of fuselage parts in the 1/48 renditions makes the bigger scale easier to mould, hopefully with ab initio corrections.

 

 Tony 

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23 minutes ago, tony.t said:

Somebody on BM highlighted the fact that corrective inlet parts are included in the later two Voodoo releases, as part of the revised wing parts.

 

I saw them in the B boxings and forgot (doh!) and can confirm that these are in the RF-101C boxing too, where they are needed.

Need to file back the existing lips a mm and a bit then add and fill the new inlet parts. Not perfect but better than a kick in the rear.

 

I'm hoping Kitty Hawk's "biggest yet" at Chattanooga is a 1/32 RF-101C and F-101B. The break down of fuselage parts in the 1/48 renditions makes the bigger scale easier to mould, hopefully with ab initio corrections.

 

 Tony 

 

Tony, what revised wing parts are you referring to? As far as I am aware, KH has used the same wing parts on all the releases of the F-101 to date. These include the "B" version intakes. I have seen no "new inlet parts". Would it be possible to provide a link to the Britmodeler thread you are referring to above?

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6 hours ago, Mstor said:

 

Tony, what revised wing parts are you referring to? As far as I am aware, KH has used the same wing parts on all the releases of the F-101 to date. These include the "B" version intakes. I have seen no "new inlet parts". Would it be possible to provide a link to the Britmodeler thread you are referring to above?

 

Voilà

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234939263-kittyhawk-voodoo-148/&page=9

 

I can confirm these parts are in my RF-101C kit. 

 

HTH

 

Tony

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1 hour ago, tony.t said:

 

Voilà

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234939263-kittyhawk-voodoo-148/&page=9 

 

I can confirm these parts are in my RF-101C kit. 

 

HTH

 

Tony

 

Thanks man, you're right! I checked my "B" boxing and they're there. As you mentioned, it looks like one would need to cut or file back the existing intake a bit.  And they don't mention these parts in the instructions for your RF-101C kit? I would be nice if they would show how much to cut/file and where. As said, don't need them for the "B" kit, but I might go for one of the single seaters some day.

Edited by Mstor
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Thanks Scori,

I'm actually trying to complete my long-started C&H conversion to produce a RF-101C, as a practice run before starting on the new Kitty Hawk recce Voodoo.

Those diagrams should help cutting and filing back the Monogram kit's intakes to the correct profile for a single-seaters.

 

It seems strange that Kitty Hawk has included new intake lips in their latest kits, but not mentioned them in the instructions, so I've just opened up my Kitty Hawk RF-101A/C kit to check out at the new parts.  They're definitely on the sprue........ but I can't see how they might solve the intake shape issue.

The upper and lower halves of each new intake lip appear to glue together along their LONG edges, which would surely produce intake profiles with a reverse sweep, F-105-style ??

Is that why KH hasn't mentioned these parts, despite all the online criticism of the incorrect intake shape ?

 

Or am I completely looking at them wrong ?  

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The parts neutralise the sweep to straight. I haven't done a dry run yet and imagine a smidgen of filing and filler will be necessary.

 

Just wondering if we've missed a replacement rectangular vent hidden somewhere on the parts trees.

 

Tony 

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I've had a good look through the KH RF-101C sprues and can't see any sign of a replacement vent.

 

There's also so sign of replacement splitter plates that would be needed to work with modified inlets profiles.

 

From the plan views posted above by scorvi, it appears that the single-seater inlet lips are swept back by around 9 or 10 degrees and that this sweep continues around the outer edge and along the lower lip of the intakes (until it merges with the inner wall/splitter plate. The lower edge might be swept and a slightly lesser angle, perhaps c8.5 degrees.

 

I can't see how the  'new' intake edges provided by KH are going to be on any use to correct the incorrect inlet shape........ I'd be happy to be proved wrong though.

 

 

KH-intake-edge1.jpg

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Sand the angled wing inlet down a tad.

Move your new part up so its rear edge can be fixed to end of above part.

fill

sand

rescribe or rosie-poke with horizontal lines of rivets

 

It's an extension part.

 

Just bought a second RF, this time from the famous Chinese morning sun purveyor of produce, for £31.80 including postage. As the kit costs £19.80 it shouldn't have to "dice it" with the customs and excise flak batteries.

 

Tony 

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21 hours ago, Piker38 said:

I can't see how the  'new' intake edges provided by KH are going to be on any use to correct the incorrect inlet shape........ I'd be happy to be proved wrong though.

There’s the scribed cutting line inside an intake on a new sprues for the «B» version. Kitty Hawk invite you to cut an existing intake and glue on the «corrected»... I don’t compared these new and old parts yet, but seems like the corrected intakes from the Kitty Hawk are short.

 

Cheers!

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There seems to be a lack of clarity concerning whether the intake edges on the single-seaters should have any sweep-back.

I know the VERY early intake design had the intake at 90 degrees to the fuselage centre-line, as evidenced by published McD plans, but wasn't the design was updated very early in production ?    Surely, this image proves the production inlets on the single-seaters were slightly swept ? 

 

http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/940735/media/cGF0aDpGLTEwMSBWb29kb28vMzk2X3pwczFkMTZjMzM5LmpwZw==/?ref=1

 

The question is: can the KH kit intakes be cut/sanded back to correct the problem, or should the kit intakes be lengthened to fix the issue.

The splitter-plate will obviously have to altered either way.

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1 hour ago, Piker38 said:

Surely, this image proves the production inlets on the single-seaters were slightly swept ?

Looks like this, but it’s a bit different from plane to plane I think. The angle of the view is matters, too.

 

1 hour ago, Piker38 said:

The question is: can the KH kit intakes be cut/sanded back to correct the problem, or should the kit intakes be lengthened to fix the issue.

The splitter-plate will obviously have to altered either way.

I’m already done that:

29146846557_78a9f02be8_k.jpg

 

They should not be lengthened, they should be cutted!

 

The work in progress pictures, if you’re interested: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235037659-kitty-hawk-148-f-101-ac-«voodoo»/&page=8

 

Cheers! 😎

Edited by Nikolay Polyakov
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On 9/14/2018 at 3:24 PM, scorvi said:

I willstick with the Valom 1/72 kits  they seems to ahe the least amount of errors in cmparison to the KH kits.

The Valom kits are good engineered, but an intakes are wrong along with the fuselage. I’ve considered to build this kit but decided to buy a Kitty Hawk’s one, it’s more Voodoo-ish for me 🙂

 

Thanks! 🤝

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Stuff drawings. Half way through this review there are very revealing images looking down at the inlets...

 

https://www.scalespot.com/reviews/kits/rf101-kh/review.htm

 

If you count the lines of rivets (don't laugh!) you'll see the B type was a cut-back of the straight design.

 

It's very clear to me that what's needed is to cut at an angle parallel to the angled lip, and at a depth equal to the thinnest part of the replacement part. The replacement parts may then be glued in place.

 

The rivet lines are wrong on the replacement parts so ignore them. These need to be filled as they were perpendicular to the fuselage, not angled. 

 

The splitter plate should not need modifying much, if at all. 

 

Tony 

 

 

.

Edited by tony.t
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