Lancer512 Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 (edited) Intrigued by some entries in the National Reserves Group Build, I started my 1/144 RoG F-16C. At first glance, this kit is not what I expected of a new tool RoG kit. There is a lot of flash on both main sprues, but this could be dealt with. Until I dealt with the inlet parts... Of the recent RoG releases, I guess this is the worst fitting kit. A real shame! I was just about to trash it while trying to get the inlet right. I realized that this kit just takes a while longer to finish it. This kit is not a shake'n bake kit. Maybe I am spoiled from the Hasegawa 1/72 F-16s, which fall together OOB, but I also have not built the RoG 1/72 F-16 yet. Still, it is the best kit around, as compared to the old LS and DML kits. I painted the cockpit and bang seat and glued the aft fuselage part to the bottom fuselage. Note the size of the model in comparison with the paint tinlets in the background. The problems started when I tried to join the three intake parts. There are no clearly defined edges. I ended up aligning the sides of the intake dry fitted with the fuselage while the glue was still wet. When that joint was safe to continue, I trimmed and attached the intake lip. As you can see, there is a really bad gap, and the fit around the gear door in not very good. The inlet was tilted badly downwards, and it was higher than the fuselage, so there was a step visible. I had to sand off the top of the intake, as well as the splitter plate to get a correct alignment of the intake. The fairing above the inlet was also sanded off to get rid of that step. The inlet finally is in line with the fuselage. Also, I applied some thin stips of filler to the upper seam on the fuselage. Most prominent is the large gap between the upper fuselage halves. This is made exactly like their 1/72 scale kit, but Revell did not think that far. In 1/144, the gap will appear twice as wide. And the amount of flash does not help to get an even and straight edge here. My favorite method if filling seams is to apply putty between two stips of masking tape. This way you don't lose too much detail. Filling the voids on the inlet. And this is the result after two evenings filling the seams and sanding them smooth. I lost some detail aft of the upper seam and on the leading edge flaps. I need to rescribe that detail later. The seam between the upper and lower fuselage is amazingly good. I did not need any putty there. Edited February 27, 2013 by Lancer512 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twhite80 Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Looks like your attention and patience will eventually pay off. I have been surprised by how bad some 1/144 kits can be. More power to you for sticking it out Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thorsten Wieking Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I did a quick dryfitting the other day and somehow the shape aft of the cockpit looks somewhat too bulged. Anyone ekse thinking the same? Cheers Thorsten Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 The curvature of the aft canopy is not quite right. Maybe that's what makes it look funny. I hope this explains it. It is difficult to make photographs of the transparency in this scale. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 You are doing a good job on this little Viper guy. From what I can see the seat and side consoles look incredibly good. Keep it up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted March 2, 2013 Author Share Posted March 2, 2013 Thanks! Some more shots of the cockpit. I am not sure if the thing on the LH side console is the throttle or the canopy latch. However, some color looks always good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 How thick is the back part of the canopy? Would it be possible to sand it down a bit to achieve a better shape? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 How thick is the back part of the canopy? Would it be possible to sand it down a bit to achieve a better shape? That is what exactly came to my mind when I noticed the wrong shape. I know I am going to spend a few hours with Micro Mesh on the aft canopy. Either that, or I'm going to build the model with an open canopy, which would require some careful cutting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 I added the two ventral fins and the vertical fin. Maybe I should have installed the engine before I attached the fin, but I will see. The wingtip launchers were a PITA to get right. And... I added a new pitot tube. Made out of .032" and .018" hypodermic needles (0.8 & 0,45 mm). Those two sizes slide into each other, and .018 was the smallest size I had. Much better than OOB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thorsten Wieking Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Same thing here - added the nose cone and the vertical fins. No matter how hard I tried - I did not manage to get them both in the same angle. Nose cone too seems not perfectly aligned.... I really would like to compare our production kits to the last test shots. Nonetheless it is still better then the Dragon kit. And the fuselage part between the two main wheel bays wasn't a fun to install either.... Cheers Thorsten Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 What glue are you using? I was exclusively using Revell Contacta Pro for everything exept the pitot tube. On my ventral fins, I placed quite a large amount of glue straight on the fuselage and pressed the fins into it. After a few minutes while still tacky, I adjusted the angles by aiming between the nose, wings and the vertical fin. Where can I find the latest test shots? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thorsten Wieking Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 I am using Faller Expert with the needle. I glued first one strake and the second the next day, using the graphic from the instructions for the angle. If Dragon would make a new tool, I would hope for a slide mold fuselage, slide mold intake and the ventral strakes as a one part dropin part. Regarding the test shots I was more thinking along the lines of doing a side by side comparision in 3D not with pictures. ;-) Cheers Thorsten Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 Regarding the test shots I was more thinking along the lines of doing a side by side comparision in 3D not with pictures. ;-) Of course! I just realized we're living just an hour by car apart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kingoalie Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Good progress! I like that pitot tube; it looks much better than the kit part. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 I made some progress this morning. Masked the cockpit with blue-tack and airbrushed everything in FS36270. I wanted to use XtraColor, but my tinlet is dried out. So I used MM enamels again. This time I will be careful with the 36118 and I'm definately going to add some white for scale factor. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted December 15, 2013 Author Share Posted December 15, 2013 I've painted the upper surfaces with lightened FS36118 and worked on the ordnance. The ring just aft of the Doughnut-Panel was masked and brush painted with Revell #91 iron. Next, I'll have to try and play with my printer to see if I can make the jet that I intended to do. I'll be a Viper of the 149th FW, but it will not be the scheme that came with the kit decals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 (edited) I was able to produce some decals on my laser printer, but the tailcode requires a white shadow. Painting templates were made the same way as with my previous project, the RoG Spitfire. Anyway, this is the smallest size I can go with my cutter, with the letter height being something around 4mm (5/32"). Everything was then masked and airbrushed white. This will serve as a white shadow under the black laser printed decals. Edited January 3, 2014 by Lancer512 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 I did some paint touch-up after the white tailcode was dry. This is starting to become just what I had in mind. By using part of the kit's decals, I can make a normal line jet. Once the decals went on satisfactory, I will continue on the radome and landing gear. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 (edited) What a great looking kit!!! Wish my Dragon F-5E had such a great cockpit!!! Instead all I got was a so-called pilot figure-ejection seat combo!!! :angry:/> Edited January 3, 2014 by SERNAK Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Ah, yes, the Dragon F-5E... Got several of the Dragon kits here, but only for decals. If you can get a hold of the Revell F-5E, it is worth it. It is much better and even easier to build than the new F-16. On the other side, Dragon's F-5F, which is as bad as the F-5E is the only F-5F available in 1/144 scale. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Very nice! Sent you a PM regarding the decals we talked about. ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) Success! The custom decals went on nicely without sealing the decals before application. The tail flash is made with modified kit decals. And a close-up of the other side. The wording at the tail base covers the flaw in the mold. Edited January 4, 2014 by Lancer512 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viper494 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I'm sure its very nice by all the comments But! where's all the pictures gone? Clive Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 Not sure what happened on your side, but the picture server is runing, and I can see all the pictures here. Try reloading the page. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 I shamelessly photocopied the nozzle decals of the 1/144 RoG F-14D and applied them to the F-16's nozzle. As I can't find my bottle with Tamiya smoke, I tried a waterbased wash to get some tint on the nozzle, but I am not sure if I leave it this way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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