WIP : Hobbyboss 1/72 Rafale Pt.2 – Painting & Finishing
I’m building a French Air Force Rafale so the color scheme is a uniform medium gray which can look somewhat monotonous. To add some variations to the finish I first added a mottling coat with white color over a base of black. There are usually staining on the hind quarters. To help the eventual oil …...
WIP : Hasegawa 1/72 F-2A Pt.1 – Construction
The first build of 2024 is Japan’s indigenous F-16 variant, the F-2 Viper Zero. Hasegawa usually makes some extra effort with Japanese subjects, let’s see how this one builds up. First impressions are mixed. This mold is from 1998 but it’s barely more detailed than the F-16 that’s from the 1980s. A plus is that...
WIP : Academy 1/72 F/A-18E Super Hornet ‘Top Gun’ Pt.1 – Construction
Like any self-professed aviation geek, I was a massive fan of Top Gun: Maverick and upon seeing that DEF Model has issued decals for the aircraft in that movie including of course, Maverick’s F/A-18E Super Hornet, I just had to build one. The kit will be the newish Academy offering that is (somewhat) snapfit. I …...
WIP : Hasegawa 1/72 F-15E Strike Eagle Pt.1 – Construction
Unlike most aviation fans, I’m not that much of a fan of the F-15. But it’s one of the more important fighter jets of the 20th/21st Century. And of course I want to have a ‘teen fighter’ collection so here we are. Likely overshadowed by newer releases, this Hasegawa offering is at one point, the …...
WIP : Hobbyboss 1/72 Rafale C Pt.1 – Construction
It’s strange that considering how popular the Rafale is (200 or so units in active service) that only Hobbyboss has kitted the subject. My experience with Hobbyboss has been hit or miss though so let’s see how this one goes. As we shall see, this build will heavily reference this Rafale on the Prime Portal …...
Completed : Fujimi 1/72 Grumman F-14A Tomcat ‘Top Gun’
Kit InfoBrand: Fujimi 28010Scale: 1/72Media: StyreneMarkings: DEF Models 72004F-14 Decal set Movie collection No.1 The SubjectThe Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft developed for the United States Navy’s Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after...
WIP : Fujimi 1/72 F-14A Tomcat ‘Top Gun’ Pt. 3 : Finishing
The edges of the gear doors were handpainted with red. This takes a bit of concentration and a steady hand of which I didn’t really have. I began with a panel wash using AK Abteilung Starship Filth. I really like the way Fujimi has done their panel lines. They are just fine enough to be …...
WIP : Fujimi 1/72 F-14A Tomcat ‘Top Gun’ Pt. 2 : Painting
Painting begins with making sure the canopy frame is in black. I then base coated the whole kit with black primer, which in this case is Mr Surfacer Black thinned with Mr Levelling Thinner, which results in a smooth and slightly glossy finish. I wanted to build up the weathered finish layer by layer so …...
Completed : AFV Club 1/48 Northrop F-5N Tiger II ‘VMFT-401 Snipers’
Kit InfoBrand: AFV Club 48101Scale: 1/48Media: StyreneMarkings: TwoBobs 48-124 F-5E VMFT-401 Snipers The SubjectThe F-5E Tiger II is an upgrade of the F-5A Tiger. Introduced in 1970, it has more powerful engines, a lengthened and enlarged fuselage, larger fuel capacity, better avionics, better aerodynamics and more crucially, a radar....
Completed : Hasegawa 1/72 Lockheed Martin F-16A Fighting Falcon ‘Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)’
Kit InfoBrand: 1/72 Hasegawa 00188Media: StyreneMarkings: Kit and Zotz Decals 72-016 ‘Vivacious Vipers #2’ The SubjectThe Lockheed Martin (originally General Dynamics) F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter. With over 4,400 aircraft built, it currently serves in 25 nations. Commonly known as the ‘Viper’, it...