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View my Vark!

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Canada / Czech Republic
View my Vark!
Posted by upnorth on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 5:20 PM
Hello All!

Here's my latest completed build, its Hasegawa's 1/72 F-111G Aardvark in Australian markings. With the exception of a metal pitot tube in place of the kit's plastic one, this is all straight from the box and about two months of work, off and on.

Enjoy, hope you like itBig Smile [:D]



  • Member since
    September 2011
Posted by fightnjoe on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 5:56 PM
thanks for the peek. looks very cool. well done.

joe

Veterans,

Thank You For Your Sacrifices,

Never To Be Forgotten

Where you can find me:

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  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State
Posted by rjkplasticmod on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 6:19 PM
Very nice build. Thanks for sharing it. Keep em coming.
RICK At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 6:38 PM
Wow, nice job with painting and those amazing decals!!!
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Niagara Falls NY
Posted by Butz on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 8:14 PM
Hey upnorth,
Nice VarkWink [;)]. I really like the way the panel lines turned out!! Soft but yet effective. Know what I mean. Feathering/blending in of the colours turned out well.
Who makes the AM decals by chance? Again overall nice build. I give it Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup]
Again very nice work!!
Flaps up, Mike

  If you would listen to everybody about the inaccuracies, most of the kits on your shelf would not have been built Too Close For Guns, Switching To Finger

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Sandusky Ohio, USA
Posted by Swanny on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 8:24 PM
Now that's some top notch work. Very good looking Vark. Very nice paint job, good panel line definition, nice subtle weathering. Thought I was looking at 1/48 at first - for 1/72 I have to upgrade my comment to "Great".
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by MikeV on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 8:30 PM
A very nice build Upnorth! Thumbs Up [tup]

Mike

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 9:35 PM
A very slick bird. Thanks for the peek.
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Malaysia
Posted by obiwan on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 9:42 PM
WoW,
truly amazing work ,very realistic finish
I am inspired to buy one myself.
Two months well spent.
What baby wants baby gets
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Brooklyn
Posted by wibhi2 on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 10:08 PM
What's not to like?
Beautiful build, How did you do the panel lines BTW
3d modelling is an option a true mental excercise in frusrtation
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Tochigi, Japan
Posted by J-Hulk on Thursday, April 8, 2004 11:03 AM
Veeeery niiiiice!
~Brian
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posted by zokissima on Thursday, April 8, 2004 11:45 AM
Good stuff. I built this beast in 1/48, and it was HUGE. Very interesting aircraft.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 8, 2004 11:56 AM
I wish my 1/144 had decals like that.... lol

That's a nice job you did though!
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Winsted CT
Posted by jimz66 on Thursday, April 8, 2004 12:15 PM
Nice Vark man way to go. One of the planes that I would one day like to see in person. Nice paint scheme to.
Phantoms rule the skies!!!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 8, 2004 1:07 PM
Very nice build you have, thanks for sharing.
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: UK
Posted by gregers on Thursday, April 8, 2004 1:22 PM
thats stunning work there Upnorth. thanks for sharing.
Why torture yourself when life will do it for you?
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Back home in Blanchard
Posted by wroper11 on Thursday, April 8, 2004 2:06 PM
Good looking wings upnorth!

Wade
USAF PRIME BEEF ENGINEERING READY...ANYTIME...ANYWHERE! HOORAH!</font id="blue">
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 8, 2004 2:15 PM
Looking very good Cool [8D]Thumbs Up [tup]
I love the F-111, I got a few of them myself.
Keep 'em coming.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 8, 2004 2:21 PM
Nicely done!!
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: The Netherlands
Posted by stoomfluit on Thursday, April 8, 2004 3:12 PM
Looking good! I've built the same one, with the same decals. But I've painted mine much too dark and without the weathering, so it's not as good looking as yours.
  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Spartanburg, SC
Posted by subfixer on Thursday, April 8, 2004 6:16 PM
Outstanding job Upnorth! I am a sucker for a kangaroo in a roundel.

I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Towradgi, near the beach!
Posted by traveller on Thursday, April 8, 2004 7:00 PM
Very nice work on the pig!!!!!!!!! If you want to see one, they will be phased out within 2-3 years to make way for the f-35, which will be a waste!!!!! Try Roodecal or Gekko for decals. I will be starting a F-4E in RAAF service.Evil [}:)]
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Washington State
Posted by leemitcheltree on Thursday, April 8, 2004 7:51 PM
Very nice job on the Pig. I've seen RAAF 'Varks at various airshows and sporting events and yours looks pretty spot on.
As Traveller said, Roodecal does some really nice stuff, but also have a look at RedRoo Models at
http://www.redroomodels.com/
He does lots of decals and resin accessories for Aussie subjects and has some really great aircraft profile books, all with a distinctly Australian flavor. His products are really of a very high quality. And I say this because it's true, not because I get paid to say it (because I don't).

Cheers, LeeTree
Remember, Safety Fast!!!

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Canada / Czech Republic
Posted by upnorth on Thursday, April 8, 2004 8:13 PM
Wow! talk about being overwhelmed by response! :-)

Butz:
The special tail markings for the 6 Sqn. anniversary bird are on the kit decal sheet though the boxtop has a photo of the other kit decal option of the first RAAF "G" model called "Boneyard Wrangler"

As for the painting and panel lines: The painting guide calls for overall Gunship Grey, but I figured in the rapid fading that would occur under the bright Australian sun and used Neutral Grey instead. I used paints from the Model Master Acryl range.

Now the panel lines: I was pleasantly surprized by how well they turned out as I tried a different method than the usual wash. I emptied out the graphite dust from my drafting pencil sharpener into a plastic margarine container and found a cheap, wide and soft paintbrush (and I mean REAL soft). I held the plane over the container while I picked up liberal amounts of dust with the brush and softly fanned it onto the model. After it was dusted, I took a damp paper towel and gently swabbed the surface of the plane. The dust stuck nicely in all the panel lines and came cleanly away from the general surface area.

A couple of coats of Testors Dullcoat from a rattle can sealed it all in.

I got that idea after watching a cop dust for fingerprints on a documentary about forensic investigations on T.V. the night before. I decided to give it a go. I think it will be my standard panel line treatment from now on.

The only things I'd do different is to really give the surface a good cleaning before applying the method (I had to get rid of a couple of latent fingerprints before clearcoating) and to wear surgical gloves while doing it.

Thanks for all the great comments, keep em' coming!
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Warwick, RI
Posted by paulnchamp on Thursday, April 8, 2004 9:15 PM
Nice job, Upnorth! I have that same Hasegawa 'Vark in my "to be built" pile and it's slowly working its way to the top. I hope mine looks as good as yours.
Paul
Paul "A man's GOT to know his limitations."
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Brooklyn
Posted by wibhi2 on Friday, April 9, 2004 5:08 PM
Very interesting process to say the least. I'm gonna have to try that.
Were the panel lines raised or recessed?
3d modelling is an option a true mental excercise in frusrtation
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