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Improving Hasegawa 1:48 Tomcat – 19 Wings (IV)


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On 12/31/2018 at 5:50 AM, Lucio Martino said:

 

ZPOuCq.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

mBp56q.jpg

 

So, basically we need to have the Tamiya kit in order to be able to make these modifications. 

Edited by SERNAK
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19 hours ago, SERNAK said:

So, basically we need to have the Tamiya kit in order to be able to make these modifications. 

 

Yes, you need a Tamiya Tomcat.

Edited by Lucio Martino
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Wow, I've just re-read the entire topic. When I make my Hasegawa Tomcat, I'll revisit once more. Awesome work. Didn't know about the vanes thickness issue. Now it's obvious. Great work.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Improving Hasegawa 1:48 tomcat - 18

Tails, Stabilizers, and Strakes (IV)

 

And then comes step 20 according to which the parts D14 and D30 are glued together, using part A13 as a spacer (pic 219).

 

IMG-20200614-155711.jpg

In step 21, this his sub-assembly should be glued to the upper and lower half-fuselage (pic 220).

 

IMG-20200614-155753.jpg

 

Honestly, that doesn't seem like a good idea to me, especially after taking a close look at all three of these parts (pic 221). 

 

IMG-20200614-155927.jpg

 

I really don't think that part A13 can ensure a good alignment of this sub-assembly to the fuselage. In addition, this is a quite visible area, especially the upper half-fuselage. This idea of mine was confirmed by several other threads dedicated to this kit. So, I left aside part A13 and removed any related small bits of plastic (pic 222).

 

IMG_20200614_160001.jpg

 

My choice was to glue part D14 directly to the upper half-fuselage and part D30 to the lower half-fuselage, as you can see in pics 223-228. I have to acknowledge that it was more difficult than expected, so much so as to require a lot of care, superglue as a filler, and a very gentle sanding work.

 

IMG_20200614_160040.jpg

 

IMG_20200614_160119.jpg

 

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Actually, part D30 fits to the lower fuselage better than part D14 to the lower fuselage. In the next pic (229) a dry fit of the rear ends of the parts D14 and D30, now glued to the semi-fuselages.

 

IMG_20200614_161829.jpg

 

In the last (230), the Evergreen stripes that, at the end, I used to ensure greater solidity to these joints.

 

IMG_20200614_162759.jpg

 

Once again, any feedback is welcome. 

Edited by Lucio Martino
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Hi,

Time is coming to think about seats:

- The two seats on the left are the ones included into the Aires cockpit set. They are missing of the photoetched belts.

- The one in the middle is the original Hasegawa one.

- The two seats on the rigth are Verlinden.

Which one you like the best?

I don't have any Quickboost F-14 seats. Should I get a couple of Quickboost seats instead ?

Lucio

 

IMG-20181115-000421.jpg

 

Edited by Lucio Martino
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  • 6 months later...
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  • 3 weeks later...

After another long break, time has come to resume once again this project.

 

 

____________________________________________________

 

 

Improving Hasegawa 1:48 Tomcat - 14

Tails, Stabilizers, and Strakes (III)

 

Months ago, in a private message, Thadeus noticed that the ventral strakes on the Tamiya Tomcat are glued in recess and I asked me if I accounted for that in my mod.

 

The short answer was and is yes, but now I am finally able to show you a couple of photos in which the Tamiya and the Hasegawa modified strakes are compared side by side. Pic 231 shows the Tamiya strake dry fitted into the under fuselage. The following two pics show how the Tamiya strake compare with the unmodified and modified Hasegawa strake. Looking carefully, the pencil line I traced when taking pic 231 is visible on the Tamiya strake.

 

IMG_20210201_184951.jpg

 

IMG_20210201_185028.jpg

 

IMG_20210201_185058.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 7 months later...

To those who have followed this thread, I feel the need to say that I have not given up on this project. The reason I haven't published anything new is that last spring I had to drop off my Hasegawa Tomcat in Rome, Italy on my way back here to the United States.
Unfortunately, I had other priorities in packing.
I still don't know when I'll be back, but as soon as I get this kit in my hands, I'll work on it again and keep you updated on my progress.

Cheers, Lucio

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Ciao, Lucio

Such a long spell, bambino. How are you doing? Nice to see you're still round the forums.

It's very good news to have learnt that you've not given up on this awesome build. Yours is a thread I always come to check first because it's of great interest to me.

Your work is on pair with that of @chukw, @cruiz, @wardog and those others modellers which skills leave me with a jaw-dropping admiration.

Cheers,

 

Gwen  

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Thank you, Gwen, for your kind words- I stand humbled- and for bringing my attention to this most amazing build thread. Lucio, you are a wizard-level modeler!  Observant, methodical, innovative in your approach to this rather challenging kit, you're making it into a showpiece.

 

With admiration- cheers!

Chuck

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  • 7 months later...

Why, Chuck! How are you doing? My pleasure, mate. Very glad to have learnt that you're getting better.

I had to fetch this thread down from page 6; last progress post showed on February the 1st, 2021... :crying2:I'm getting the withdrawal symptoms already.

(Stunning how many hot build threads I've watched abandoned, sunken in the previous pages!).

Lucio, hope you're doing okay as well, in Rome or the US.

Cheers both,

 

Gwen

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When the Tamiya Tomcat hit the shelves, it quickly became clear that the Hasegawa Tomcat was obsolete. However, at least in my opinion, it wasn't such a despicable kit to send it to the trash can. No, it was time to build it, taking advantage of the two areas in which it had something more to offer than the Tamiya Tomcat: the wings deployed with flaps and slats down and the open airbrakes.

 

What surprised me much was to find how poorly detailed and difficult to assemble the deployed wings were. Furthermore, flaps are visibly of the wrong dimension, while their actuators are greatly simplified when not missing. If the Hasegawa wings in "dirty" configuration are a problem, the same cannot be said in case you choose the clean configuration, but this was not really in my plans. As a result, I lost my mojo.

 

Back in Italy from South Carolina, when I thought I would never get my hands on this kit again, my old friend Alberto Borzellino came to the rescue by offering me the "dirty" wings of the AMK Tomcat. Alberto is a great model maker, a sincere enthusiast of our hobby, whose work, mostly focused on the US Navy, can be admired on ARC and I do encourage you to look out for him.

 

I must confess that I immediately found the idea of inserting the wings of the AMK Tomcat into the fuselage of the Hasegawa Tomcat attractive. So, I took the wings and the challenge despite knowing that although a compatibility between the wings of the AMK Tomcat and the fuselage of the Tamiya Tomcat had already been shown I had no evidences that the same was true about the AMK wings and the Hasegawa Tomcat.

 

But then I lost my mojo again when dealing with the main wheel wells. The problem is that I no longer have the skill and patience to replicate that clutter of cables and hoses typical of this aircraft's gearwells, if I ever had it. Actually, I started this detailing work, but soon I got so tired to ship this kit to the shelve of doom, where it lays now.

 

One possible solution was getting the Aires wheel wells set, but given that it is famous for being almost impossible to fit, I never really considered it. Instead, I have engaged myself to few other projects, such as this Hasegawa 1/72 F-15J of which I am posting a pic of its cockpit while still under construction. However, lately I began to feel that it is a pity to drop my Hasegawa Tomcat just because I can't detail its wheel wells as I would like... and this means more from me soon !

 

IMG-20221204-190211.png

 

 
Edited by Lucio Martino
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  • Lucio Martino changed the title to Improving Hasegawa 1:48 Tomcat – 2023 Update
58 minutes ago, Lucio Martino said:

Aires wheel wells set, but given that it is famous for being almost impossible to fit

Sadly, its not restricted to just their wheel well sets. 
Bought their resin cockpit for the 1/48 Italeri Hawk Mk.1 and its trash. Detail is nice, but it requires so much removal of resin to force a fit. Now, it's thrown off the rear of the cockpit deck. So it too lands on the shelf of doom. 
I hope you find your mojo on your Tomcat, again. But we've all been there. 
 

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Hi Lucio,

 

I recently bought two Hasegawa Tomcats, and not just because the price was low (don't want to say because it might scare some people here!) but because it is one of the best Tomcats despite its several pitfalls.

 

The Aires sets are not that bad as long as you're determined to cut/trim a lot of resin to make them fit properly, whether this is a cockpit or some wheel wells. 

 

So, please, "resurrect" your Tomcat from the shelf of doom and finish it so we can all enjoy it!!!

 

@Steve (A-10 LOADER): Love it? I'm CRAZY ABOUT IT!!!! But I can only pay you the shipping cost.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Ciao Lucio! :wave:

How have you been?

Ever since October the 31st, 2021, each time I've seen your build thread resurrected on to the first page, I'd click on it to see your progress, but usually it was Chuck, Bodo, Sernak or that Gwen-sheila three times! (think she may be trying to hit on you? :hmmm:).

But finally; glad to have learnt that you still have faith in improving the Hasegawa Tomcat kit - you've come a long way with it so far it'd be such a pity to lay it down.

I've also gotten the AMK Tomcat dirty wings, courtesy of a great modeller and better person on this forum, which now I'm intrigued to see whether they can be grafted onto the Hasegawa kit.

Let's hope you get your mojo back regarding this build. I agree with Bill above that fitting resin sets is what modelling is all about.

Your Hasegawa Tomcat kit can't dwell in the shelf of doom.

Cheers,

 

Gwen

 

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  • Lucio Martino changed the title to Improving Hasegawa 1:48 Tomcat – 19 Wings (IV)

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