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1/32 EA-18G VAQ-132 Operation Odyssey Dawn


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Hi guys,

I have started the Growler!

I really should be continuing with the F-4J I started, considering all the work already done on those rocket pods, but I need a break from Phantoms.

I generally like doing models of aircraft exactly as they were used on an actual mission. The Growler will be in the brown camo tail livery of VAQ-132, as worn during Operation Oddyssey Dawn: Pic

There are no decals available for the build so I will be custom printing these. If any of the aftermarket guys come out with these in the interim, that would be really awesome :pray:/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/> There are plenty of references and both Hasegawa and Afterburner Decals have produced sheets in 1/48.

The Trumpeter kit is generally very nice, the surface detail is a massive improvement over the Flanker, which is the only other Trumpeter kit I have built. Aircraft shape also looks very convincing to my eye, which is not to be taken for granted with Trumpeter. There has been an aftermarket spine correction kit but the spine looks fine to me.

On the other hand, the kit does require substantial finetuning here and there and many of the external lumps and bumps are missing from the kit. But hey, that's what Jake produced a wonderful reference book for.

Here are some starting pics. First off, I replaced the kit ECS vents with those from Quickboost. Notice how the ECS vent panel really is raised. However, I wil be spending a lot of time sanding these dwon so that the edges are almost flush, as is the case on the real thing. On almost all kits I see, the transition to the raised ECS panel is far too harsh when using the Quickboost part, imo.

DSC_0795_zps03eeaa49.jpg

I had to do something about these, they look absolutely horrible:

DSC_0796_zpsaf2b8c4c.jpg

Before I started working on the area, I took a trace of the serrated trailing edge to ensure I am able to reconstruct them nicely from thin plastic card later on:

DSC_0800_zps7a0c1e2f.jpg

Then, I carefully laid down Dymo tape according to the cut:

DSC_0803_zps26a834e0.jpg

And voila, the nasty trailing edge has been removed:

DSC_0809_zps9ca68683.jpg

Before gluing in the replacement thin edges as cut from thin plastic card, I built up the lower area leading edge... Jake's book is a must-have here:

DSC_0811_zpsb237cafd.jpg

That looks pretty nasty right now but will all good with some filling and sanding.

Coming soon: mesh, mesh and more mesh.

:cheers:/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>

Marcel

Edited by Marcel111
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Hi guys,

I have started the Growler!

I really should be continuing with the F-4J I started, considering all the work already done on those rocket pods, but I need a break from Phantoms.

I generally like doing models of aircraft exactly as they were used on an actual mission. The Growler will be in the brown camo tail livery of VAQ-132, as worn during Operation Oddyssey Dawn: Pic

There are no decals available for the build so I will be custom printing these. If any of the aftermarket guys come out with these in the interim, that would be really awesome :pray:/>/>/> There are plenty of references and both Hasegawa and Afterburner Decals have produced sheets in 1/48.

The Trumpeter kit is generally very nice, the surface detail is a massive improvement over the Flanker, which is the only other Trumpeter kit I have built. Aircraft shape also looks very convincing to my eye, which is not to be taken for granted with Trumpeter. There has been an aftermarket spine correction kit but the spine looks fine to me.

On the other hand, the kit does require substantial finetuning here and there and many of the external lumps and bumps are missing from the kit. But hey, that's what Jake produced a wonderful reference book for.

Here are some starting pics. First off, I replaced the kit ECS vents with those from Quickboost. Notice how the ECS vent panel really is raised. However, I wil be spending a lot of time sanding these dwon so that the edges are almost flush, as is the case on the real thing. On almost all kits I see, the transition to the raised ECS panel is far too harsh when using the Quickboost part, imo.

DSC_0795_zps03eeaa49.jpg

I had to do something about these, they look absolutely horrible:

DSC_0796_zpsaf2b8c4c.jpg

Before I started working on the area, I took a trace of the serrated trailing edge to ensure I am able to reconstruct them nicely from thin plastic card later on:

DSC_0800_zps7a0c1e2f.jpg

Then, I carefully laid down Dymo tape according to the cut:

DSC_0803_zps26a834e0.jpg

And voila, the nasty trailing edge has been removed:

DSC_0809_zps9ca68683.jpg

Before gluing in the replacement thin edges as cut from thin plastic card, I built up the lower area leading edge... Jake's book is a must-have here:

DSC_0811_zpsb237cafd.jpg

That looks pretty nasty right now but will all good with some filling and sanding.

Coming soon: mesh, mesh and more mesh.

:cheers:/>/>/>

Marcel

Hi Marcel,

Great start. I am very interested in the Growler. I look forward to your progress with this kit.

I do have a question for you from the above quote: Which one is "Jake's book"?

Chris

Edit: Never mind I found out which book you are referring to. The one I already have. :woot.gif:

Edited by Dadeo911
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the book he talks about is from Jake Melampy:http://www.reidairpublishing.com/

- and its an absolute must for this build

the ip coaming of the E kit is totally misshapen, the ip too narrow and the pit has lots of problems. no complete resin pit availible. i assume its the same on the G kit

i am doing a build on LSP at the moment and have tried to correct it.

Edited by karl h
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Hi Marcel,

It is a very interesting project you got going on there and I think the way you include the DYMO tape is very clever and a nice different type of use for our product.

I wish you all the best with the project and we will all follow it here in the office!

With best regards,

Jesper K

DYMOSupport

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Guys, thanks for all the encouragement coming out of the gate and Jari, thx for posting that link.

You are a VERY brave man to go ahead with this subject without decals!
Yeah, somewhat risky but creating the decals is part of the project, plus I have a few options on how to create the decals I want. Absolute worst case would be to use the kit Shadowhawks decals, which are quite nice also.
Except I have a plan for the markings ;)/>

Whoever said I don't have a plan <_</>

the ip coaming of the E kit is totally misshapen, the ip too narrow and the pit has lots of problems. no complete resin pit availible. i assume its the same on the G kit

i am doing a build on LSP at the moment and have tried to correct it

I'll have a look at what you did... but I'm not losing any sleep over the cockpit, my emphasis will be on making it look a lot more real than the kit cockpit, but things may be a little inaccurate here and there. As far as I know the Growler cockpit is still largely classified anyway.

It is a very interesting project you got going on there and I think the way you include the DYMO tape is very clever and a nice different type of use for our product.

I wish you all the best with the project and we will all follow it here in the office!

Thx Jesper... I'd say this is a fairly classic use of Dymo tape for us modellers... whatever you guys do, don't discontinue your "classic" range :D/>

Below are some pics showing all of the cut-outs I have done to accommodate the very finely done mesh provided by Eduard. Getting that mesh glued on and sanded down so that transitions are smooth, without clogging up all the tiny holes of the mesh, will be a challenge. Fortunately, the screen panels on the real deal really do seem to be slightly raised, but it's a very smooth transition to the panel.

DSC_0797_zpsfade3add.jpg

DSC_0798_zps3f08f40e.jpg

I have started work on those little intakes on the lower aft section of the fuselarge. The leading edge of these stands proud of the fuselarge, this isn't really represented on the kit. Apologies for the poor picture quality:

DSC_0801_zpsfb1389a8.jpg

:cheers:/>

Marcel

Edited by Marcel111
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the book he talks about is from Jake Melampy:http://www.reidairpublishing.com/

- and its an absolute must for this build

the ip coaming of the E kit is totally misshapen, the ip too narrow and the pit has lots of problems. no complete resin pit availible. i assume its the same on the G kit

i am doing a build on LSP at the moment and have tried to correct it.

got a link for your build sir?

:)

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The Growler features a large bump on the spine to accommodate a satellite communications antenna (unique to the Growler). Here's how far I have gotten with that:

DSC_07982_zps080a29a0.jpg

The intake bypass vent is done in a very basic way on the kit:

DSC_07962_zps5cdea2c8.jpg

I have scribed out plastic to provide the vent with depth, I'll add the inside detail when I am further along with assembly on the intakes.

DSC_08002_zps33978787.jpg

:cheers:/>

Marcel

Edited by Marcel111
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Thx Nimrod!

I wonder if anyone out there could help with the intake bypass vents. The little spacers on the trailing edge of the vent seem to have a taper on them as seen in Jake's book, which is how I started making them, but I wonder if that is just shadow and they really just go straight down? Below should clarify what I am talking about. Apologies for the poor picture quality.

DSC_0804-Kopie_zpse41e1e33.jpg

Cheers,

Marcel

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Looking great buddy. I wish I could answer the vent question. Most of the photos I have don't show that part very well, but I'm sure someone here has a pic or info of what you need. Keep up the good work :thumbsup:

Mike

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Nice work so far Marcel.

You've got a good eye questioning the vent shadow.

It looks like the vent piece you're questioning is straight down.

Here are links to a couple of photos;

http://www.vaq136.com/lacrosse4/AJ502-058b.jpg

http://www.vaq136.com/lacrosse4/AJ502-059b.jpg

These photos are part of a detailed series of walk around pic's @ http://www.vaq136.com/lacrosse4/ea18g.html

John

Edited by JohnS
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