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Tamiya 1/32 Scale McDonnell Douglas F-15E - FINISHED

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Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Tamiya 1/32 Scale McDonnell Douglas F-15E - FINISHED
Posted by Ole on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 3:11 PM

SO, the gentleman who bought my Tamiya Phantom asked me to build a F-15E for him as well. The kit arrived, and knowing especially the seats need some extra detailing, I went ahead and ordered a set of Quickboost seats. So here is the challenge:

The Quickboost seats are smaller than the kit seats. I don't know which one is out of scale, but the images shows the difference.

The second challenge is that there are two screws in the cockpit floor, which will be covered by the kit seat, but with the resin seat, that is not an option. My thought is to raise the resin seat to kit on top of the screws since it's smaller, or to scrap them and get some seatbelts for the kit seat, which btw. are hard to find. I figured Eduard made sealbelts for the ACES II seat, but they don't. They make them for the Sufa F-16, but in the wrong color.

Any suggestions to the best approach?

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 3:32 PM

Thats a big size differance in those seats. I did a quick search on scalemates and Edurad did a PE set for those deats. It is from 2007, but according to this, there are still sites selling it.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/eduard-32601-f-15e-ejection-seat--117058

 

 

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 3:53 PM

Judging by the size difference I'd almost say those are 1/48 seats.  Might contact the company and send them that pic along with the part # on the package and see what they say.....

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 4:11 PM

goldhammer

Judging by the size difference I'd almost say those are 1/48 seats.  Might contact the company and send them that pic along with the part # on the package and see what they say.....

 

Not a bad idea. They do make a 48th set. You never know.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Thursday, February 21, 2019 6:18 AM

Thanks for the suggestions and link to the PE seatbelts. I may just take that route if I can procure a set. The Quickboost seats are much larger than 1/48 scale. Not sure where they went wrong, or maybe it's Tamiya who messed up? Quickboost is part of Aires and they usually do good stuff.

Update: eBay came to the rescue. Not sure why I was not able to find it before, but once I put in Eduard 32601, they popped up. Kit seats it is.

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Thursday, February 21, 2019 9:48 AM

The only major difference I see in those seats is the risers built onto the kit seats that the QB seat does not have. If you ignor those the seats are very close in size. Raising the seat to sit above the screws with those kit risers would solve the issue and its a much more realistic looking seat too. If it were my kit I would swap over the risors and use the QB seats. But, it's not my kit. Good luck.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Monday, February 25, 2019 8:03 AM

Thanks for the input on the seats. I do agree the QB seats look better and I wonder if they actually took the screw locations into consideration when designing the seat. If you put the seat directly on top of the screws, they pretty much have same height as the kit seats.

Here's a little bit of progress and both seats as comparizon.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Monday, February 25, 2019 8:53 AM

Brandon makes a good point there. the QB seats do look better and when fitted, there doesn't seem to be much in it size wise.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    July 2008
Posted by Est.1961 on Monday, February 25, 2019 9:20 AM

If I may throw my 2 cents worth in I'm favouring the QB seats.

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Monday, February 25, 2019 1:31 PM

Est.1961

If I may throw my 2 cents worth in I'm favouring the QB seats.

 

QB seats it is!

  • Member since
    September 2014
Posted by rooster513 on Monday, February 25, 2019 1:34 PM

That pit looks really nice and I agree go with the QB seat! These thing is going to be a monster!

-Andy

  • Member since
    December 2018
Posted by Tosh on Monday, February 25, 2019 5:32 PM

You’re doing some fantastic work!

Your friend, Toshi.

Reside in Streetsboro, Ohio

 

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 10:14 AM

A small update on this project:

Started working on the intakes and afterburners. Unfortunately, there is no good way to deal with the seams on the inside, but little will be seen once it all comes together.

The cockpit in permanently installed. The access panel will be detailed later on.

 

Finally, the M61A1 was built, detailed and installed.

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 10:22 AM

That IP looks amazing. Very nice. 

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Thursday, March 7, 2019 11:16 AM

Thanks a lot Brandon!

  • Member since
    January 2015
Posted by TheMongoose on Thursday, March 7, 2019 6:39 PM

Looking really clean. Cockpit is especially nice. Are those kit decals for the IP?

In the pattern: Scale Shipyard's 1/48 Balao Class Sub! leaning out the list...NOT! Ha, added to it again - Viper MkVii, 1/32 THUD & F-15J plus a weekend madness build!

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Friday, March 8, 2019 7:35 AM

Yes, it's all included with the kit. Only AM parts at this point are the seats.

  • Member since
    August 2013
Posted by rcflyer on Friday, March 8, 2019 1:59 PM

Outstanding work! I too am in Central Va. what part you in?

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Sunday, March 10, 2019 9:02 AM

rcflyer

Outstanding work! I too am in Central Va. what part you in?

 

Thanks, I'm in Chesterfield, how about you?

  • Member since
    August 2013
Posted by rcflyer on Monday, March 11, 2019 4:37 PM

Im in Amelia...just right around the corner from you.

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Thursday, March 14, 2019 2:55 AM
Nice!...I'm late to the party but I agree with the Quickboost choice. I look forward to your progress.

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Friday, March 15, 2019 10:38 AM

Another small update - if there is anything "small" about this model. The upper and lower fuselage halves required some surgery, sanding and putty to get straight, but I think I got it. The Tamiya paint jar sets the size in perspective!

Next came the wings, and there is a "slight" gap by the root on both sides. More putty! I also started working on the metal areas that need to be masked off.

The access panel can be opened, so detailed that up a little bit. The nozzles are also under way. 

It's starting to come together and should be ready for paint soon.

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Sunday, April 7, 2019 12:33 PM

Here are some pictures of the finished model. 366th WG, 391st FS "Bold Tigers", Mountain Home AFB, ID.

It's a beast, so hard to get some good images. Thanks for looking!

  • Member since
    January 2015
Posted by TheMongoose on Sunday, April 7, 2019 1:58 PM

Ohh that looks super nice! I like the weathering up front on the radar frame. You had some nice electonics work inside at least one of the doors. Do you have it set so you can take a panel off to show electronics and the gun work you did?

In the pattern: Scale Shipyard's 1/48 Balao Class Sub! leaning out the list...NOT! Ha, added to it again - Viper MkVii, 1/32 THUD & F-15J plus a weekend madness build!

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Sunday, April 7, 2019 2:12 PM

Nicely done! Yes

Thanks for sharing.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Monday, April 8, 2019 8:49 AM

Very  nice!  I have a fond spot in my heart for that bird. I worked at Mac when that bird was being developed.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

Ole
  • Member since
    October 2018
  • From: Central VA
Posted by Ole on Monday, April 8, 2019 8:31 PM

TheMongoose

Ohh that looks super nice! I like the weathering up front on the radar frame. You had some nice electonics work inside at least one of the doors. Do you have it set so you can take a panel off to show electronics and the gun work you did?

 

 

 

Thanks all! Yes, the panels all open and shut. I didn't take a picture with the gun access panel open though. This one will be on the way to the owner soon.

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