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CD72087 - 1/72 F-15 Eagle "The Early Years"


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  • 3 months later...
  • 9 months later...

I am starting my 1:72 build and wanted to share a suggestion. I will create a build thread on the " In Progress" sub-forum.

I want to build the prototype F-15A Eagle which had the small air brake, straight wingtip,  straight leading edge stabilizer, and long nose pitot. I am using the Hasegawa 1:72 #JS-093 (black box) F-15 first release kit which has the small air brake and straight wingtips, but dog tooth stabs and lacks the nose probe. I purchased it about 10 years ago as a bagged kit, with only the box front panel. All pieces were off the sprues.

 

I filed off the tip of the nose radome,  drilled a small hole (#60), reamed it out a little with a new X-acto #11 blade and super glued a Master 1:72 B-58 turned metal pitot tube which fit almost perfectly.  Just a touch of super glue needed to fair it in.  I got lucky this time!  See photos #1 & 2.

F-15_01.JPG.2c92155332776d9ba024342a7db96bdd.JPG

F-15_02.JPG.2b68b5a7e8cc7d9d3e265690460a4e23.JPG

 

Third photo is of the stabs with plasticard cut to shape and super glued into the gap, puttied over and waiting for sanding and shaping. I scraped the leading edge of the inner dog tooth with my #11 blade tuthree* times to create a blunter edge for the plasticard to butt against. 

F-15_03.JPG.a13a49c6dcfbe4decb71722aca9ced9a.JPG

When done, I will share photos in Kursad's completed build thread.

K/r,

Dutch 

*("tuthree" is Southern for: "two or three.")

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Dutch -

 

Looking forward to the build - I want to do the prototype aircraft also.

 

To anyone in-the-know:   I have the early 1/72 Hasegawa, Monogram and Revell F-15s, that all have the square wing tips and small speedbrake.  Question - Does one of these kits stand out in capturing the overall shape of the very early F-15s, or are they about the same?  Thanks.

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I think the Monogram kit was the best of the original three. The early Hasegawa kit had a terrible fit between the separate wings and the fuselage, as I recall. The problem with the Monogram kit was that the raised detail was a bit strong; nothing a light sanding couldn't handle. I'm going to use the new decals on an old Monogram kit one of these days.

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Paul. I had an old Monogram #7580 F-15 kit (the second release with FF tailcodes), but sold it last year before Kursad announced the decal release.  According to D&S vol. 14, all four of the early F-15 kits, (Revell, Monogram, Hasegawa and Airfix) had issues with shapes and details, although the Monogram kit had the better details.  All four had raised panel lines and nonexistent intake ducting.  I just want to see how well I can represent the color scheme on a fairly accurate planform, even if some of the interior details are lacking. 

K/r,

Dutch 

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  • 2 weeks later...
So after checking out all my various 1/72 F-15 kits (JS-093 ver.1, #1093, #1160, #7580 ver.1, #4411) in the stash, I am discovering some interesting data points. Here is a breakdown of box contents on four main data points: wing planform, airbrake size, horizontal stabilizer leading edge, & vertical stabilizer bullets.
  F-15 Designation Wing Airbrake H.Stab V.stab bullets Configuration Notes:
Hasegawa / Minicraft            
JS-093 ver.1 @1974 F-15 Eagle [prototype] Square tips Small dogtooth 2x large F-15 (prototype or FSD)
JS-093 ver.2 @1974 F-15 Eagle [LA yellow bands] Cut away tips Lg, w/ stiffener dogtooth 2x large F-15A (early production)
JS-093 ver.3 @1975 F-15 Eagle [LA yellow bands] Cut away tips Lg, w/ stiffener dogtooth 1x large, 1x small F-15A (early production)
1093 [light box] @1979 F-15 Eagle [HO Holloman] Cut away tips Lg, w/ stiffener dogtooth 1x large, 1x small F-15A (early production)
1093 [dark box] @1984 F-15 Eagle [HO Holloman] Cut away tips Lg, w/ stiffener dogtooth 1x large, 2x small* F-15A (early production)
1160 @1980 F-15B Eagle [Bicentennial] Cut away tips Lg, no strake dogtooth 1x large, 1x small F-15B (early production)
             
Monogram            
7580 ver.1 @1974 F-15 Eagle [IA tail code] Square tips Small dogtooth 2x large F-15 (prototype or FSD)
7580 ver.2 @1974 F-15 Eagle [FF tail code] Cut away tips Small dogtooth 2x large F-15A (early production)
             
Revell            
H-257 F-15 Eagle Square tips Small dogtooth 2x large F-15 (prototype or FSD)
H-254 F-15 Eagle [JJ tail code ASB] Cut away tips Small dogtooth 2x large F-15A (early production)
4411 F-15 Eagle [LA candy cane] Cut away tips Small dogtooth 2x large F-15A (early production)
             

* [Note: Minicraft released Hasegawa JS-093 ver.3 (w/ 1x large, 1x small tail bullets) in 1979 as #1093 with Scalemaster decals for HO. In 1984 Minicraft released #1093 with the darker box and an additional sprue with 2x wing pylons, 4x AIM-9 Sidewinders, and an additional vert. stab with small bullet. However, decals remained the same.]

 

All of the Hasegaw/Minicraft kits are molded in the light gray plastic and have an almost glossy sheen. Monogram #7580 ver.1 is molded in a pale light blue, while #7580 ver.2 is molded in a light gray; both have a very flat plastic sheen.  The Revell #4411 kit is molded in a wierd hospital ward light pea green color, also with a flat finish.  All three manufacturers' molds have almost 100% raised panel lines, with the exception of scribed moving flight surfaces.  The 1984 Minicraft release, Revell & Monogram releases include the wing pylons and Sidewinder missiles.  Revell even molds a MER under the pylon and adds a dozen Mk.82 "shapes," I won't call them 500 # bombs. The Revell #4411 box top features photos of a finished model, however the model has the large airbrake with the reinforcing strake which is clearly not in the kit. Monogram adds non-specific black boxes behind the pilot, while the others leave an empty pit.  Monogram also provides an open nose radome with radar dish and intake plugs.  The Revell kit offers a removable F100 engine.

All kits feature the horizontal stabilizer with dogtooth leading edge.  Sources vary on how many of the F-15 prototypes were delivered with the straight horiz stab.  In any event, these were replaced within a few months with the dogtooth design.  While ship #1 & #2 retained their straight wingtips, the others received the cutback wingtips later in life. 

 

I appreciate any comments or corrections.

K/r,

Dutch

Edited by Dutch
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Adding to the survey, I have the old MPC kit #4406 which, with Heller, is a rebox of the Airfix kit. (I can’t seem to be able to duplicate your columns on my mobile device)

 

F-15A/B, clipped wings, large speedbrake, dogtooth stabs, large/small bullets, turkey feather exhaust, includes both A & B parts

 

I also have the AMT  kit #8826, a reboxed ESCI kit:

 

F-15C, clipped wings, large speedbrake, dogtooth stabs, large/small bullets, both turkey & non-feather exhausts (option), includes ASAT missile

 

   
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Thanks for the added comments habu2.  I kept mine just to the early F-15 releases, though really, only the very first Hasegawa, Monogram & Revell kits were "sorta accurate" for the prototypes.  I did include the next few releases so that everyone could see the differences and choose the correct starting point for their projects vis-a-vis Kursad's CD72087 decal sheet.

K/r, Dutch

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On 4/4/2020 at 10:18 AM, Dutch said:

I am starting my 1:72 build and wanted to share a suggestion. I will create a build thread on the " In Progress" sub-forum.

I want to build the prototype F-15A Eagle which had the small air brake, straight wingtip,  straight leading edge stabilizer, and long nose pitot. I am using the Hasegawa 1:72 #JS-097 (black box) F-15 first release kit which has the small air brake and straight wingtips, but dog tooth stabs and lacks the nose probe. I purchased it about 10 years ago as a bagged kit, with only the box front panel. All pieces were off the sprues.

 

I filed off the tip of the nose radome,  drilled a small hole (#60), reamed it out a little with a new X-acto #11 blade and super glued a Master 1:72 B-58 turned metal pitot tube which fit almost perfectly.  Just a touch of super glue needed to fair it in.  I got lucky this time!  See photos #1 & 2.

 

Third photo is of the stabs with plasticard cut to shape and super glued into the gap, puttied over and waiting for sanding and shaping. I scraped the leading edge of the inner dog tooth with my #11 blade tuthree* times to create a blunter edge for the plasticard to butt against. 

 

When done, I will share photos in Kursad's completed build thread.

K/r,

Dutch 

*("tuthree" is Southern for: "two or three.")

 

That's looking nice so far Dutch. So since I don't usually build 1/72nd I am assuming I could do the same thing in 1/48th and use a 1/48th B-58 pitot.

 

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18 minutes ago, skyhawk174 said:

 

That's looking nice so far Dutch. So since I don't usually build 1/72nd I am assuming I could do the same thing in 1/48th and use a 1/48th B-58 pitot.

 

Yes, that would be a safe assumption.  Same with the Brigade F4H-1 nose probe.

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9 minutes ago, Dutch said:

Yes, that would be a safe assumption.  Same with the Brigade F4H-1 nose probe.

 

Cool thanks. I think I already have a Hustler probe but now it looks like I will have to get another. Also never heard of the Brigade line. Great yet another thing to look for LOL.

 

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This sheet has rapidly become one of the best selling 1/72 sheets I ever made - proof that the "Early Years" series was a good idea. The 1/72 version of the F-16 and F-18 "Early Years" sheets are coming soon; and stay tuned for the F-14 Tomcat sheet to be released in June.

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  • 1 month later...

I wish I had seen this one before designing the sheet - it might have been possible to add the markings for the first F-15C. Oh well - perhaps in a reprint in a few years' time.

 

49905532146_36e237e28d_b.jpg

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Now THAT is cool!  What kind of bomb racks are those?  They do not appear to be attached to the FAST pack, because they are outside the main wheels.  It looks like they were offset & double stacked from the wing pylon.  

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