Ken Middleton Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Just wanted to show what I will be building. A MA ANG 102 FIW F-15A using the Bare Metal decals for the ghost grey scheme. It will be a departure for me as all of my MA ANG F-15s have been the MOD Eagle. I will be using the (gasp) Academy F-15 kit. Though it does have some shape and fit issues, and some guys equate building it to kissing your sister, the price I have gotten them at justifies it. Besides, I have built 3 of them for F-15 pilots and none of them seemed to mind. I know the first order of business is using the Monogram A wheels and gear to fit in the Academy fuselage. Need to check that out still. Hope to have pics soon. Cheers Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mungo1974 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Another jet from the 102nd huh?...i think your addicted Ken! I look forward to see your progress.. cheers, Gary..who should be working on his F-15's rather than surfing ARC.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 Another jet from the 102nd huh?...i think your addicted Ken!I look forward to see your progress.. cheers, Gary..who should be working on his F-15's rather than surfing ARC.. thanks Gary - yes - another one! But like I said, it will be ghost grey in their late 80's early 90's markings. It is part of a large history project I am doing for them http://www.102fw.aero-cafe.com/models/otis...els_project.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Moore Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Ken, You must not like fresh air, otherwise you would be building a Hasegawa F-15 instead. :D Build on bro! Cheers, Alby Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mungo1974 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 thats gonna be a nice collection once finished! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 Alby - :D thanks Gary! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Though it does have some shape and fit issues, and some guys equate building it to kissing your sister, the price I have gotten them at justifies it. so Ken, for the right price you'd kiss your sister? with the wealth of photos you have, this should be no problem... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 so Ken, for the right price you'd kiss your sister? with the wealth of photos you have, this should be no problem... those 2 sentences are unrelated, right? :worship: thanks DP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 those 2 sentences are unrelated, right? :lol: :lol:thanks DP Ken, i think the question here is... do YOU want them to be related? :blink: :lol: just pulling your leg. of course they aren't Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 (edited) finally got cranking...nothing Earth shattering...but felt good to get some done on it. A breathe of fresh air for sure that's a Monogram tank and pylon as I had robbed this kit of its tank for a prior project Edited February 11, 2006 by Ken Middleton Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 some more progress....believe it or not, this is the first time I have repositioned ailerons on a model. I simply used the backside of my Xacto blade (held at a high angle) and kept scoring the lines for it. The blade was a bit dull so that actually helped as a sharp one could easily catch the side plastic and make a new groove. It took me no more than 5 minutes or so to remove them. They need a bit of cleanup still, but I am happy with them Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 (edited) the fuselage pieces...the front piece doesn't have much to mate with, so I always add some sprue supports. I temporarily insert the cockpit assembly so I know where to place the sprue. the back portion is where I add the weight to keep it from being a tailsitter. I use lead fishing weights that are epoxied in. I prefer adding the weigh to this portion of the model as the front portion won't have the extra weight directly on the nose gear. The lighting and reflections makes the fuselage look strange, as if there is goop or cuts on the back part of it. ;) Thanks for looking. Ken Edited February 16, 2006 by Ken Middleton Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Filak Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Nice to see someone getting something done. Looking good so far, Ken, and glad to see that you're enjoying the fresh air. :( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 17, 2006 Author Share Posted February 17, 2006 Nice to see someone getting something done. Looking good so far, Ken, and glad to see that you're enjoying the fresh air. :blink: thanks a lot Steve! Yeah, the dropping of the ailerons really gave me a nice fresh breeze. <_< Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 those look like grapes in your fuselage :blink: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Justin Davenport Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Looking good so far Ken. I have the Academy 1/72nd kit....would the sprue supports be useful for that kit as well? And if it's a tail sitter that's good to know now. I've had a few kits where I discovered they were tailsitters when I finished the decals and put the kit on the shelf. (Tailsitting kits should have white metal cockpits, nosegear, or radar fittings engineered in IMO). Justin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Looks great Ken. As I'm thinking about picking up an Academy F-15 at some point I'll be interested to watch your progress. In a related note I did some recurrent training over the weekend with a UAL F/O who flies with the 102nd. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 17, 2006 Author Share Posted February 17, 2006 those look like grapes in your fuselage :D DP, , but they remind me of beer kegs Looking good so far Ken. I have the Academy 1/72nd kit....would the sprue supports be useful for that kit as well? And if it's a tail sitter that's good to know now. I've had a few kits where I discovered they were tailsitters when I finished the decals and put the kit on the shelf. (Tailsitting kits should have white metal cockpits, nosegear, or radar fittings engineered in IMO).Justin thanks Justin. I just checked my 72nd Academy kit (as I have never built one, but have 2 in the stash), and the supports would not be necessary. The bottom of the forward fuselage is part of the lower back fuselage, therefore, it is one long piece unlike the 48th version Looks great Ken. As I'm thinking about picking up an Academy F-15 at some point I'll be interested to watch your progress.In a related note I did some recurrent training over the weekend with a UAL F/O who flies with the 102nd. thanks David....PM inbound... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 17, 2006 Author Share Posted February 17, 2006 the nozzles and intakes. The nozzles require a bit of cleanup still on the tips and some of the rods have the sprue attachment leftovers. I find it easier to do final cleanup once they are attached. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stusbke Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 wow some nice sinkmarks in the intakes too :D btw did you polisch you aft area because in the picture it looked glossy greetz STB frederick jacobs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 17, 2006 Author Share Posted February 17, 2006 wow some nice sinkmarks in the intakes too btw did you polisch you aft area because in the picture it looked glossy greetz STB frederick jacobs I will fix the sinkmarks, though I am still toying with the idea of using Steel beach covers. Nope, didn't polish it - it's the angle and the bright workbench lights that make it look funky Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stusbke Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 OOH ok sorry about that it would safe you some time because then you wouldnt need to do the painting on the inside of the nozzles and intakes greetz STB frederick jacobs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 (edited) OOH ok sorry about that it would safe you some time because then you wouldnt need to do the painting on the inside of the nozzles and intakes greetz STB frederick jacobs no need to apologize! Yeah, it would save a lot of work on the insides of the intakes. Speaking of intakes, here they are attached, they need a little bit of cleanup still helps if I attach the picture..... Edited February 26, 2006 by Ken Middleton Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 and the main landing gear....I need A style wheels from the Monogram kit as the Academy comes with C style. Looking at the gear legs, the Monogram is on the top and Academy on the bottom. Not only are the attachment stubs for the wheels much different, they are very different in size and bulkiness. The wheels are also considerably different in how they attach. The backside of the Monogram wheel has a huge opening for the leg stub. Also, the Monogram wheels have tread, and Academy does not. So I was trying to decide which way to go....use the entire Monogram leg/wheel combo, and try to fit it into the fuselage (which fit fine), BUT, with its added length, I was afraid it would make the nose of the model sit too low, and back too high. I decided to mate the front of the Monogram wheel with the back of the Academy and use the supplied gear leg. I had to remove the large tube like portion, as you can see in the bottom left pic, to mate with the Academy back half. The Academy half needed a slight bit of sanding as well. I snipped one of the Monogram gear stubs to insert into the hole in the center of the Monogram wheel half. The finished product can be seen and temporarily attached to the gear leg. The wheels need a bit of sanding around the circumference, but I am happy with it. Thanks for looking, Cheers Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harv Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Ken, you've got more guts than me to take these 'less than stellar' kits, combine all their idiosyncrasies, and whip up a masterpiece! Looking good... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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