This
project begins as a challenge: "can you make it as navy jet, and of
course, make it believable? After a few weeks of studing the model, I
took pieces from various models -all are 70's models-:
-
Entex
F/A-18: main gear, wheels, wheel well, vertical stabilizers;
-
Revell
A-7: nose gear and wheels
-
Revell F-16:
cockpit
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images below to see larger images
The
kit bash and scratchbuilding was simple, but required a bit of effort to
make it look correct:
-
The
nose wheel well and his doors was created from plasticard. All
were
painted in gloss white in the inner sides.
-
The
canopy was a clear PVC sheet, Vacuum form using the original one as a
mold. And to place in her position I used white glue that filled the
seams at same time.
-
In
the main gear, I
added
wire to simulate the hydraulic system, I used
the one in 1/48 from Monogram F/A-18 as a example.
All where painted in gloss white.
-
With
the vertical stabilizers, I simply put together both pieces, and cut
when
their lines matching, using the kit ones as a base. The upper
color was in both sides.
-
In
the base of the nose radome, I drill a hole and placed half of cone
to simulated a gun port. I used Gunze gunmetal, to created the effect
of the blast.
-
Finally,
I cut off the tips of the wings, and repositioned and aligned them straight to
the aileron in the inner wing, simulating a plane that was landing.
The
paint was the real goal of the project:
-
The
camouflage was a combination of a Phantom and Eagle low-viz, I
made two versions and used the best looking one to me (but I put the other
in storage to use in this same model in 1/48 scale), I used light gull gray
(36440) overall adding a 3% of white to simulated aged and dark compass
ghost gray (36320) in the shadow upper with 1% of black to simulated toasted
color.
The
decals are from my scrap box. I intend to reproduce the look of the Navy in
the middle 90’s with a combination of full color and low-viz emblems. I
exaggerated the lines with oil and skin of the aircraft, to give her more
credit as a useful plane.
I
spent about 30 hours on this model, most in the belly and the cockpit. The final
model looks good, and in certain angles they look like a ray fish: very
beautiful.
Nevertheless,
this is an old kit, but with a little effort it can be converted in a
beautiful model. After all, this is a reason for being a modeler.
Raúl
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images below to see larger images
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