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Weapons sets, Do you build them?


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I have purchased several different weapons sets for my aircraft models and I rarely use them.  One reason is many of the nicer kits come with their own weapons that are very good.  The biggest reason is weapons are usually the last thing I do when it comes to building a kit and I tend to rush through to the finish line.  I was thinking maybe I would just think of the weapons sets as a "kit" and put all of the pieces together and detail and paint them up just like if I was building an aircraft.  Then when I needed weapons I could just pull out all those bombs and missiles and hang them on the plane.  Have any of you ever done something like this?

 

Geoff M

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Geoff,  I think that you are onto something there.  Sort of a rainy day project where some thought and care are required, but much easier than assembling a whole kit.  One suggestions though, you might want to build your ASP before you start the weapons production line.  Make sure you get the proper zoning permits for your ASP and ensure that the NEW doesn't exceed local ordnances.  Don't want to piss off your neighbors.  Seriously though, not a bad idea.  S/f, Dutch

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Didn't start yet, but I have a similar idea of finish all the ordinances included on the model I'm working on at the time, even if I will not use it for it; in that way, I could grow a collection of missiles and bombs with variations in colors and weathering that I can mix in the following build.

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Haven't used weapons sets as a ready-built stockpile but have built weapons for sets as needed for a given project; and now for something completely different, in the 1990s used elements from both scales of Hasegawa's weapons sets as foundations for scratchbuilt sci-fi game spaceship miniatures.

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It's a good idea.  I have not done that, but I am trying to do the ordnance well ahead of the end of a build so I may be able to avoid the tendency to rush through it.    It is helpful, like on the Tamiya F-14 I'm building now each Phoenix missile has 25 decals so just doing those a few decals at a time made it less tedious.   

 

 

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I have been building ordnance first before starting a build. You will be surprised how much better they look when you don't rush through them! I was just thinking yesterday that all the Hasagawa weapons sets I purchased was a bargain. :clap2:

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There was a time long ago where ordinance (LOL) was a bother, but I've come to realize that the right loadout can really set the character of an airplane. Consider, for example, an F-4 with only a centerline tank versus one fully loaded with missiles, bombs, etc. These days, the loadout is an integral part of my selection of a model I'll build next.

 

Steven Brown

Scale Model Soup

 

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I recall buying most of Hasegawa's 1/72 weapons sets when they were released back in the early 80's, as they were next level compared what came in many kits of the time  - but subsequently, I used hardly anything out of them...

....I still have one air-to-air set in my stash, from which I appear to have used only a couple of pairs of missiles - I also still have the loading, ground support, and pilots sets - but all the other sets were disposed of some time ago...

....as I pretty much exclusively build helicopters now, I've little use for what I've still got, let alone the various bags of bombs and rockets in the spares box, a lot of which are salvaged items...

 

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I did this during the first lockdown in NZ. I hate building weapons but was more motivated when I was building 40 of them. Spent a week and built a huge stash of missiles, bombs,  facts pods etc. Its been really nice for the past 18 months to just go to the cabinet and select a load out rather than having to paint bloody weapons again. 

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5 hours ago, tomthegrom said:

I did this during the first lockdown in NZ. I hate building weapons but was more motivated when I was building 40 of them. Spent a week and built a huge stash of missiles, bombs,  facts pods etc. Its been really nice for the past 18 months to just go to the cabinet and select a load out rather than having to paint bloody weapons again. 

I think that is what I am going to do.  But I am going to start with some of the stuff that has come in the kits I have built lately.  The tamiya and amk f-14s came with a lot of nice weapons.

 

Geoff M

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Back in the late 80's, I ended up building all the ordnance from the Hasegawa 1/48 sets.  They came out OK, but my skills were rapidly advancing and they eventually looked like crap.  Most never got installed on builds. 

 

Now I only build ordnance in small batches for my current builds.  I'll do 2-4 aircraft worth at a time, especially if AIM-9/7/120 missiles will be used.  I also have become a bit of an ordnance snob and rarely use any kit ordnance unless it's well tooled stuff.  I use items from all the Hasegawa sets and a fair bit of aftermarket resin ordnance.  Biggest challenge is finding enough markings to feed my desire for a higher standard of realistic looking ordnance.

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In the past by the time I got to the bombs and missiles for a kit I maybe was burned out and just wanted to get the kit done.  Now I start with the bombs and missiles.  As I build I will give some attention to the weapons to maybe weather or touch up paint.  That way when I'm finished with the airframe all I have to do is attach the weapons.

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It kind of depends. So generally I'm cheap. I'd prefer to buy an expensive kit I'd build later if it has the weapons I need. I did it for the Litening pod in 1/32. I got an F-16I just for the pod that I put on my Hornet. Actually I got Eduards GBU-12's too, but that was when I was still trying (ie ordered) a Wolfpack Litening pod. Should've gotten the Sufa first.

So for me the resin weapons in 1/32 might be ok. In 1/48 they'd be a nice option, if I was really into nice looking or rare weapons (GBU-32's anyone? Thermally protected?).

In 1/72 they are a waste of money for my skill. I won't be able to make the detail pop anyway.

 

As for the weapon sets such as the Meng or Hasegawa sets, they are an option. Everything depends on a planned loadout for the project, stuff I have in other kits, and the price. If I will only use one weapon of the set, the cheaper option is to get some resin aftermarket, so that's an issue too.

 

For me weapons are usually the last things to get done too. However I usually do the seat and some other final details at that stage too. So I just try to keep my focus for the last few moments. If I can't I just shift my focus to the different project as I tend to have a few of them on a different stage of build. However I find I don't have really big problem with painting a few weapons. They are not too pampered, but in 1/48 I try to add a wash, some weathering, decals if I have them. In 1/72 it's just some dirtying up. There rarely are any decals involved, even if the weapon set has them.

 

It is nice to have the weapon You plan on using ready in the stash. However I would not build them as a separate project. It would take away my modelling time from other projects. I consider it similar to the exams in college. You can study alll the time and just be prepared for whatever may come, but have less time for other stuff, or just study for the exams but have more time in between. So imho it'd be a good idea if You only build one model at a time and don't want to violate that rule.

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I have built recently the SWS F-4D, Academy F-4C, and HobbyBoss FB-111A.  Each came with a pretty extensive set of weapons.  I spent the 3-4 days assembling them.  No painting just getting them all together.  I will paint them when I get them matched up with the proper aircraft.   Quite a lot of stuff.

 

Geoff M

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7 hours ago, Geoff M said:

I have built recently the SWS F-4D, Academy F-4C, and HobbyBoss FB-111A.  Each came with a pretty extensive set of weapons.  I spent the 3-4 days assembling them.  No painting just getting them all together.  I will paint them when I get them matched up with the proper aircraft.   Quite a lot of stuff.

 

Geoff M

Yeah I have noticed that kits these days contain an awful lot more weapons than they use to 

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