WIP : Academy 1/48 F-16A ‘TOPGUN 51’ Pt.5 – Construction
It’s been a long WIP but it’s finally the last post for this one. The kit only comes with decals for the console details although it comes with detailed foot pedals. Very odd choice by Academy. There’s no open canopy option although I’ve always intended to keep this one closed anyway so I’ll live with...
WIP : Academy 1/48 F-16A ‘TOPGUN 51’ Pt.4 – Construction
Since I took the time to correct 1 aspect of the kit, I inevitably had to go ahead and try to correct the other more obvious ones. Unlike the Hasegawa kit, the missile rails here are separate but was designed to fit in a strange way with the connecting point being visible. The tab also …...
WIP : Academy 1/48 F-16A ‘TOPGUN 51’ Pt.3- Construction
The Aggressor F-16A usually flies clean without any pylons and stores. The kit comes with the holes for the pylons already open and will need to be filled. First I closed up the holes from the inside with plastic plates. I then inserted sprues that are trimmed to shape into the holes. I then cut …...
WIP : Hobbyboss 1/72 F-14A Tomcat ‘VF-41’ Pt.4 – Finishing
OK it’s time to finish this kit and I can call another one done. I painted the missiles on the side while everything was going on. Hobbyboss provides black missile bands for some odd reason but I’m now used to simply mask and spray them instead. Wolfpak only includes the markings relevant to the subject …...
WIP : Hobbyboss 1/72 F-14A Tomcat ‘VF-41’ Pt.3 – Painting
My painting process has been quite standard now for a while with minor variations depending on the subject at hand and how ‘beat up’ I want the end result to be. As usual I began with a stealth coat of black. For this buld, I sprayed Mr Surfacer Black thinned with Mr Levelling Thinner outdoors. …...
WIP : Academy 1/48 F-16A ‘TOPGUN 51’ Pt.2 – Construction
The gearbays on this kit are all bare. This is especially obvious when comparing them to the ones on the Tamiya kit. The intake when fitted leaves a noticeable step on the port side joint. Luckily it’s only a matter of trimming the slight mismold on the lower fuselage. Using both the Tamiya gearbay and …...
WIP : Academy 1/48 F-16A ‘TOPGUN 51’ Pt.1 – Construction
Seeing as how badly I’d done my 414th CTS F-16C and how it has fallen apart, I’ve decided to have another go at an F-16 for this year’s annual Aggressor build. Based on some research, I thought the Academy would be a simplified version of the Hasegawa kit and therefore would be a quick build. …...
WIP : Hobbyboss 1/72 F-14A Tomcat ‘VF-41’ Pt.2 – Construction
An easy detail to add is to drill out the fuel dump pipe on the beaver tail. It didn’t look right at all blanked off. This was drilled and I used an X-Acto blade to widen the hole. Hobbyboss molds the canopy correctly, in that there are prominent detonation cords for each section (if only …...
WIP : Hobbyboss 1/72 F-14A Tomcat ‘VF-41’ Pt.1 – Construction
This kit has been in the backburner for a while now, partially assembled. It’s time to get it off the Shelf of Doom. Having built a Hobbyboss F-14 before, this one went more smoothly. This kit will wear the markings of ‘Fast Eagle 107’, the F-14A from VF-41 Black Aces during the Gulf of Sidra …...
WIP : Trumpeter 1/72 Su-30MK2 TNI-AU Pt. 5 – Finishing
Time to finish this build even though I didn’t make the 17 August deadline. Finishing took more time as usual because of various unforeseen disasters that needed to be addressed. Anyway, the decals I’m using comes from Caracal Models. They were printed by Cartograf so quality looks very good. Over the usual gloss coat, the...
