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The one that lost - Yf-23


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As some of you may have notice, i have a slightly preference towards Soviet/Russian build aircrafts. But i build usually what i find a good looking/cool plane. Yf-23 happens to be one of those few american birds i think is cool/good looking. ;)

I got this kit from cpoud117 on this forum, thanks again! :thumbsup:

From what i have read, this kit is the most accurate Yf-23 out the, but it does have small, but fixable errors in terms of shape. I and Zacto have so far uncovered this small errors:

- Intake shape. Read about it here.

- Make the top and the bottom of the nose smoother. The edges seems to be a bit "hard".

- Fix the "beaver tail" at the end between the engines so it will get right angle/length. It is a bit to long at the moment.

- Make the transition between the end of the spine and fuselage smoother.

- The top of the spine behind the cockpit seems to be a bit flat. I am not going to fix that because it would need some serious surgery, which i dont have skills for.

Now, enough bla bla bla, and to the pictures. The kit is out of few parts, and it have raised panellines. So, first task to do was to sand them of, and beginning to draw the new panellines with a pencil:

Yf-23012.jpg

Here is the spine before any sanding:

Yf-23002.jpg

Yf-23003.jpg

It is a bit sharp, and ends to far behind. Here it is after some minor sanding. I am not 100 % happy, so some touch up is still needed:

Yf-23006.jpg

Yf-23007.jpg

The vents are quite ok, but on top the seems to be not aligned properly. Not sure if i am going to fix it:

Yf-23008.jpg

On top of the engines there is some weird things, that looks like sinkmarks. In reality there should be vents there.

Yf-23001.jpg

But i can somewhat understand why Italeri made round holes there, there seems to be something round on top of the engines. But in reality, those are vents too.

And last picture, top view of this beautiful aircraft:

Yf-23014.jpg

There is still some things that needs to be fixed, stay tuned next week! :woo:

Edited by Berkut
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Great hints! I´ll be looking forward to updates on this build! :D

And I have to agree on the esthetics of the YF-23, it is one of the absolutely best looking fighters ever made! It´s those flowing lines and soft shapes of the machine, almost makes me think of the curvy hips of miss Va-va-voom! Definetly feminine shapes there I think......to bad you yanks went for the F-22 :whistle: (face it, it´s ugly like sin!)

Cheers!

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And I have to agree on the esthetics of the YF-23, it is one of the absolutely best looking fighters ever made! It´s those flowing lines and soft shapes of the machine, almost makes me think of the curvy hips of miss Va-va-voom! Definetly feminine shapes there I think......to bad you yanks went for the F-22 :P (face it, it´s ugly like sin!)

Cheers!

:monkeydance:

:rofl:

"Check Six....."

Spooky.

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Great hints! I´ll be looking forward to updates on this build! :D

And I have to agree on the esthetics of the YF-23, it is one of the absolutely best looking fighters ever made! It´s those flowing lines and soft shapes of the machine, almost makes me think of the curvy hips of miss Va-va-voom! Definetly feminine shapes there I think......to bad you yanks went for the F-22 :D (face it, it´s ugly like sin!)

Cheers!

:cheers: Good one! Maaaaan, that description almost sounds like Halle Berry, but don't think she can fly... That's it, this is why F-22 won....Northrop-McDonnell Douglas brought Halle Berry to compete against F-22 but she couldn't fly.....

(Makes sense, especially if you have just returned from the bar an hour ago <_< )

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Great hints! I´ll be looking forward to updates on this build! :D

And I have to agree on the esthetics of the YF-23, it is one of the absolutely best looking fighters ever made! It´s those flowing lines and soft shapes of the machine, almost makes me think of the curvy hips of miss Va-va-voom! Definetly feminine shapes there I think......to bad you yanks went for the F-22 :P (face it, it´s ugly like sin!)

Cheers!

I think the YF with TV would have suited the AF's requirement better. And rear-clearance my *** (Naval ATF), there's definitely enough room for a high-noe-up carrier landing, it seems more so than the Kittycat. The F-22 isn't ugly, it's just a little plain sometimes.

And BTW Berkut, she's looking great! :) Going to stick some ordinance in the weapons bay perhaps? :woot.gif:

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Thank you everyone for the comments.

And rear-clearance my *** (Naval ATF), there's definitely enough room for a high-noe-up carrier landing, it seems more so than the Kittycat.

I have heard rumors that the Naval Yf-23 were heavily redesigned compared to AF Yf-23. I recall hearing a story that someone told his friend that the Naval Yf-23 is really ugly, before the AF Yf-23 was publicly shown. (Naval Yf-23 was obviously a desk model)

Going to stick some ordinance in the weapons bay perhaps? :salute:

Obviously the bay is closed. The canopy will be closed too. I am aiming for a clean look on this one.

The cockpit will also be upgraded, with resin and photoets.

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Rather boring update. The biggest thing is that i have rescribed 60 % of the fuselage. Have i mentioned that i hate rescribing with all of my hearth? ;)

Anyway, i have also fineshed the profile of the spine.

Yf-23021.jpg

Rescribed fuselage:

Yf-23027.jpg

I dunno if it can be seen good in this picture, but the fuselage it much smoother on the underside.

Yf-23025.jpg

And one more error in the kit.

Yf-23024redigert.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

Wow, i realised it has been a month since i have updated last time! Time sure goes fast...Progress on this bird, not so fast...

I am still working on the panellines, on the top of the fuselage. I am using same method as on underside, first draw them on using rulers, and then rescribe. As usual, i get "inspiration" (read: copy) from Zactos work on his 1/32 bird. :thumbsup: The panellines on top is much more complex than on the underside, with a lot angles to look out for. Another thing is that i also have to be more symmetrical on top fuselage than on the underside. That means that each side must have panellines with equal length, and that is easier said than done...Okei, here are the pictures:

Yf-23030.jpg

Yf-23033.jpg

Yes, this is still work in progress, but i would say i am 70 % done on the top. And so pictures of the underside:

Yf-23034.jpg

Yf-23036.jpg

Those panellines on the nose is certainly small buggers to rescribe! I dunno how much i will update in May, a lot of tests and exams this month....

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am 95 % done with drawing on the panellines on the fuselage, some touch ups left, and of course rescribe it. :rolleyes:

Lately i have been working on the exhaust area, because there is lack of detail and walls there.

And as seen here, the walls are literally hovering above the bottom plate, with no ceramic plates on them:

17.jpg

(nothing against the model pictured above, had to use it as example to show what i mean)

Another thing is that Italeri provides the afterburner parts, but there are no walls between the end of "ceramic plates walls" (with no caramic plates oob... ;) ) and the afterburner. So you have to scratch build them in order to not see light through.

Yf-23039.jpg

Yeah, it doesnt look very good, i agree. But the main thing it that it stops the light, and when i test fitted, it didn't look to bad to be honest. It will be even better with paint on later tho.

Some days ago i realized i need also to scratchbuild the intakes too. :D

That is because italeri only provides engine covers, and that would look little stupid in flight....The shape is rather complex, as seen here in the zacto build. I am thinking of using this method to make them:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....48910&st=40

See post 51. Any other suggestions?

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Great stuff Berkut !

Another way of doing the trunks, if you´d extrapolate from Naza´s foam trick...

Make the trunk out of foam, cover the foam with milliput or something similar....let cure, then remove the foam by dripping cellulose thinner down the trunk...it will dissolv the foam in no time, clean out the residue and done! You won´t need much thinner at all just well placed drops :D

Cheers!

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  • 1 month later...

Righty, time for update. I have been battling with panellines around the engine. :bandhead2:

Oh well, i am almost done with panellines on the top, just a few remaining. Then i have to rescribe under the wings and around the intakes (<--- that should be fun...)

I can't only work with panellines on this plane (that will seriously affect my mental health :soapbox: ) so i have done some work on the cockpit. The original idea was to get some photo etch for F-15E in the cockpit, but i decided just to use the oob cockpit, and scratchbuild the instrument panel. I have also added a throttle and lengthened the control stick. Mind, the cockpit is not finshed yet, touch ups here and there, and the pilot needs to be painted.

Yf-23042.jpg

Yf-23047.jpg

Yf-23043.jpg

I have also begun to add rivets for some selected places.

Yf-23048.jpg

Yf-23051.jpg

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As some of you may have notice, i have a slightly preference towards Soviet/Russian build aircrafts. But i build usually what i find a good looking/cool plane. Yf-23 happens to be one of those few american birds i think is cool/good looking. :banana:

noooooooo.jpg

Nice build btw!

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  • 5 weeks later...

Been away for three weeks, finally back now, for a few hours before going to Denmark with friends. Done little bit of work on the vents on top. Pictures are selfexplaining:

Yf-23058.jpg

Yf-23053.jpg

The mesh should be waaaay more dense, but i could sadly not find any mesh that was as dense as i would like. The mesh is just primered in the pictures, it will be painted black later.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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