Subject: Re: XF-2A Submission
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2012 01:10:04 -0800

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
ARC Air - Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.arcair.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [email-masked] 
  To: Aircraft Resource Center 
  Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 12:55 AM
  Subject: XF-2A Submission

  "1/48 Scale Hasegawa Mitsubishi XF-2A" 

  by "Burt Gustafson"
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  For your viewing pleasure, here are some photos of my 1/48 scale Mitsubishi XF-2A. The XF-2A was the prototype aircraft for the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-2A. In October 1987, Japan selected the F-16 as the basis of its new secondary fighter, to replace the aging Mitsubishi F-1 and supplement its main air superiority fighters, the F-15J and the F-4EJ. This involved a technology transfer from the USA to Japan, and responsibility for cost sharing was split 60% by Japan and 40% by USA.

  During the 1980s, General Dynamics (who developed the F-16) proposed its F-16 Agile Falcon (an enlarged F-16) to the USAF. The US passed over the design concept in favor of all-new types (F-22 and F-35). The enlarged F-16 found a home in Japan and became the F-2A. Four XF-2A prototype aircraft were built.

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 05.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 06.jpg 

  Construction
  Construction started with the cockpit that goes together easily and fits nicely into the lower half of the fuselage. However, there is not a lot of detail to the cockpit. There are no decals for the instrument panels, just some raised detail. With careful painting, you can make the instrument panels look realistic. To add a little more realism, I added seat belts to the ejection seat.

  When joining the upper and lower halves of the fuselage, the cockpit was a very tight fit into the upper fuselage. Because of the tight fit, I forgot to install a lead weight into the nose. As a result the XF-2A is a big time tail sitter. To eliminate the tail sitting I added a lead weight into the nose gear wheel well and flattened the nose wheel. Note that the instructions don’t call for a weight in the nose. 

  The rest of the kit went together nicely without any problems. Not much filling or sanding was required because the part fit was very good. The three clear pieces for the canopy had seam lines down the middle but were easily sanded out.

  Painting
  Since the XF-2 was a prototype aircraft, it was painted white with red trimmings and black around the cockpit and part of the nose. Hasegawa was considerate and provided all white parts. Even though assembled model was all white I airbrushed the model with two light coats of Floquil Reefer White. The cockpit and nose areas were airbrushed with Floquil Weathered Black and the canards were airbrushed with Floquil Signal Red.

          
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  Decals
  Decaling the XF-2A was a bit challenging for several reasons. One there are lot of large decals and some that were quite long. I cut some of the longer pieces into more manageable pieces. Second, some of decals did not fit well, especially around cockpit canopy. The decals themselves were fine. They performed reasonably well settling down in the panel lines. I used a bit of Solvaset on each decal to ensure it snuggled down to the model surface.

  Comments
  This was a nice kit to build, the parts fit was good and the external detail is also quite good. Despite my troubles with the decals, the decals were of excellent quality. The overall quality of this kit is excellent, typical for a Hasegawa kit. I was pleased with the finished model—a colorful model. I would recommend that only modelers with a few kits behind them tackle the Hasegawa XF-2A. 

  "Burt Gustafson"

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 07.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 07.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 08.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 08.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 09.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 09.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 10.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 10.jpg 

  Just delete any of the boxes below you don't need.....it's not important to include them.....they are there to give you an idea of the finished article.  It is best to limit your article to no more than 60 or so photos, so the finished webpage won't take too long to open.

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 11.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 11.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 12.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 12.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 13.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 13.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 15.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 15.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 16.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 16.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 17.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 17.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 18.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 18.jpg 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 19.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 19.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 20.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 20.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 21.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 21.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 22.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 22.jpg 

  Photos and text © by "Burt Gustafson"