dekon70 Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Looking great! Love ground pounding aircraft. I actually have three of these in the stash. Your progress is urging me to break out all three and do a mini group build with them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Greetings. I finished decaling the plane. The sheet I use Eagle Strike 48-118 does not provide stencils so I had to resort to my spare box. Research showed A7Es do not have standardized stencil system because each plane is totally different from each other. Some have small ejection seat warning signs, some larger size and some none. Some have circular red warnings on the side fuse and some don't and some in between. I was unable to locate an image of the actual plane on the Net so I did the best I could. Next will be final clear coat then weathering! Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 (edited) 18 hours ago, dekon70 said: Looking great! Love ground pounding aircraft. I actually have three of these in the stash. Your progress is urging me to break out all three and do a mini group build with them. Go and build one. I have bunch of OOP decals if you need them. If you are into 80's high vis scheme, there are not many. The current high vis Print Scale decals are impossible to work with and the company needs to do something. Once off the backing sheet, the decal is way to soft and starts to fold everywhere making it un-usable. It even folds when on the plane. The high vis scheme currently available are from CAM Pro, Zotz and Print Scale (not usable unless coated with Liquid Decal Film as advised on Hyperscale forum ). If you use OOP sheets, make sure you coat with Microscale Liquid Decal Film first. Dai PS: If you want a really good high vis scheme decal in 1/48, Ultracast in Canada has one from Aeromaster ( I think they are the best decal company but OOP) for 70 USD !!! Edited May 10, 2020 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BuNo02100 Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 Looking forward to the finished product. Very tempted to try one in the markings of one of the birds that took part in the strikes in Lebanon back in 1983 but wanting to nail down some specifics before diving in. BW Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 7 minutes ago, BuNo02100 said: Looking forward to the finished product. Very tempted to try one in the markings of one of the birds that took part in the strikes in Lebanon back in 1983 but wanting to nail down some specifics before diving in. BW I just ordered a macro lens for my Canon T6 EOS Rebel so I can take some close up detailed photos. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 11, 2020 Author Share Posted May 11, 2020 Greetings... The final gloss coat has been applied and 24 hours later will begin the wash process. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Happy Monday evening everyone... Started the wash process and next will be weathering. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Based on this series of photos, especially the last one, you have the necessary camera and lens for "close-up" photos. Other than a somewhat distracting background (and that may be part of the "build photos") there is nothing wrong with any of these!! Good work all around. Those photos are better than a lot of photos I've seen on this site. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 (edited) Greetings... Started to do some weathering... As of now I had to remove some decals and place new ones as the diagram on the Eagle Strike is inaccurate. Dai Edited May 12, 2020 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dekon70 Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Hi dai phan, quick question, how did you do the yellow sealant around the front wind screen? It looks really good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 47 minutes ago, dekon70 said: Hi dai phan, quick question, how did you do the yellow sealant around the front wind screen? It looks really good. Greetings, That is the Furball Aero Design 48-107 A7 canopy framing. Unfortunately it is way over scale, should be 1/2 as thick. I do not know if this is intentional to keep the strength of the decal but surely not accurate. I am contemplating if I need to remove it and use tape instead. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 Happy Tuesday everyone... Now the final assembly begins. I will have to order after market Sidewinders because I found it very hard to get satisfactory results when painting the fins due to poor molding. I wonder if there is anything else I can install on the missile's rails? Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 The only thing besides Sidewinders we put on the Sidewinder launchers was a TACTS Pod and we only put one on the aircraft. Here's an idea, if you're having problems with the wing's and fins cut them off, paint the missile body blue (FS 35109), seeker head metallic, exhaust plug dull silver and put them on. Inert Sidewinders back then did not have wings/fins so you would have inert Sidewinders loaded instead of live ones. Plus, VA-174 was the RAG (Replacement Air Group) A-7 squadron for the east coast so they were in charge of training new pilots/maintenance crews, they rarely ever flew live missiles so having inert Sidewinders would be more fitting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 6 hours ago, GW8345 said: The only thing besides Sidewinders we put on the Sidewinder launchers was a TACTS Pod and we only put one on the aircraft. Here's an idea, if you're having problems with the wing's and fins cut them off, paint the missile body blue (FS 35109), seeker head metallic, exhaust plug dull silver and put them on. Inert Sidewinders back then did not have wings/fins so you would have inert Sidewinders loaded instead of live ones. Plus, VA-174 was the RAG (Replacement Air Group) A-7 squadron for the east coast so they were in charge of training new pilots/maintenance crews, they rarely ever flew live missiles so having inert Sidewinders would be more fitting. Great ideas because I cannot get good results with the fins. Do you have a photo of the inert Sidewinder? I rather have the source from the master rather than on my own. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 2 hours ago, dai phan said: Great ideas because I cannot get good results with the fins. Do you have a photo of the inert Sidewinder? I rather have the source from the master rather than on my own. Dai CATM-9L/M without wings and fins https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn10.picryl.com%2Fphoto%2F1993%2F06%2F17%2Fcpl-ge-cisco-inspects-and-inventories-a-catm-9m-sidewinder-captive-air-training-c7ff73-640.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fnara.getarchive.net%2Ftopics%2Fsidewinder%3Fpage%3D10&tbnid=mwWDX02NYz036M&vet=12ahUKEwj0r4PA_LHpAhUSRDABHSHpBoQQMyhOegUIARC0AQ..i&docid=iu1lA-X_Yvhp6M&w=640&h=426&q=CATM-9 on A-7 Corsair&ved=2ahUKEwj0r4PA_LHpAhUSRDABHSHpBoQQMyhOegUIARC0AQ https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmotty.hobbyvista.com%2FArticles%2FMotty's-Hawk-A27-13-CATM-01-01.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmotty.hobbyvista.com%2FArticles%2Fpylstrs-01.html&tbnid=a9rLzeo4ko_ZoM&vet=12ahUKEwi57dn--rHpAhWyUjABHbsTCogQMygwegQIARBz..i&docid=AnQPy-J1uCNW6M&w=800&h=526&q=CATM-9&ved=2ahUKEwi57dn--rHpAhWyUjABHbsTCogQMygwegQIARBz These are exactly like the one's I use to load when I was in A-7's. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 12 minutes ago, GW8345 said: CATM-9L/M without wings and fins https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn10.picryl.com%2Fphoto%2F1993%2F06%2F17%2Fcpl-ge-cisco-inspects-and-inventories-a-catm-9m-sidewinder-captive-air-training-c7ff73-640.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fnara.getarchive.net%2Ftopics%2Fsidewinder%3Fpage%3D10&tbnid=mwWDX02NYz036M&vet=12ahUKEwj0r4PA_LHpAhUSRDABHSHpBoQQMyhOegUIARC0AQ..i&docid=iu1lA-X_Yvhp6M&w=640&h=426&q=CATM-9 on A-7 Corsair&ved=2ahUKEwj0r4PA_LHpAhUSRDABHSHpBoQQMyhOegUIARC0AQ https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmotty.hobbyvista.com%2FArticles%2FMotty's-Hawk-A27-13-CATM-01-01.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmotty.hobbyvista.com%2FArticles%2Fpylstrs-01.html&tbnid=a9rLzeo4ko_ZoM&vet=12ahUKEwi57dn--rHpAhWyUjABHbsTCogQMygwegQIARBz..i&docid=AnQPy-J1uCNW6M&w=800&h=526&q=CATM-9&ved=2ahUKEwi57dn--rHpAhWyUjABHbsTCogQMygwegQIARBz These are exactly like the one's I use to load when I was in A-7's. Thank you so much but not so attractive :). How about the TACTS pods? I have to see if I can get after market for this. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, dai phan said: Thank you so much but not so attractive :). How about the TACTS pods? I have to see if I can get after market for this. Dai TACTS Pod would work but only one pod loaded on the plane. You could put an Inert Sidewinder on one side and a TACTS Pod on the other, we did that a few times. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 19 minutes ago, GW8345 said: TACTS Pod would work but only one pod loaded on the plane. You could put an Inert Sidewinder on one side and a TACTS Pod on the other, we did that a few times. Yes that is what I will do and I will search on the Net for after market item. Thank YOU ! Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 18 hours ago, dai phan said: Yes that is what I will do and I will search on the Net for after market item. Thank YOU ! Dai Hasegawa Weapon Set D has them. https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/has36008.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 7 minutes ago, GW8345 said: Hasegawa Weapon Set D has them. https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/has36008.htm I will order it now. Thank YOU ! Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 On 5/14/2020 at 2:39 PM, dai phan said: I will order it now. Thank YOU ! Dai Just ordered the D set. Thank you very much. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 17, 2020 Author Share Posted May 17, 2020 (edited) Happy Sunday everyone... A little more progress. Next will be installing the landing gear and avionic bays cover along with other small items. Waiting for the GBU-12 and the TACTS pod to be installed on the fuselage. Dai Edited May 17, 2020 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted May 17, 2020 Author Share Posted May 17, 2020 (edited) On 5/13/2020 at 10:32 AM, GW8345 said: The only thing besides Sidewinders we put on the Sidewinder launchers was a TACTS Pod and we only put one on the aircraft. Here's an idea, if you're having problems with the wing's and fins cut them off, paint the missile body blue (FS 35109), seeker head metallic, exhaust plug dull silver and put them on. Inert Sidewinders back then did not have wings/fins so you would have inert Sidewinders loaded instead of live ones. Plus, VA-174 was the RAG (Replacement Air Group) A-7 squadron for the east coast so they were in charge of training new pilots/maintenance crews, they rarely ever flew live missiles so having inert Sidewinders would be more fitting. Which side of the fuse does the TACTS pod go to? Thanks ! Dai Edited May 17, 2020 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JackMan Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 On 5/12/2020 at 8:41 AM, dai phan said: The pilot's name wouldn't be Samurai Jack would it? 😀🤣 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 5 hours ago, dai phan said: Which side of the fuse does the TACTS pod go to? Thanks ! Dai Sidewinder on the left, TACTS Pod on the right. If you are only doing the TACTS Pod (one), the pod will be on the left. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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