X-15

Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

X-15

Posted by Scale-Master on Friday, January 29, 2021 11:00 AM

1/72 Monogram kit.

Kind of a rescue; the tail was broken off and the rear fuselage top was mashed and broken with many spider cracks where the tail was. And the tail was oddly fractured with similar cracks on one side too.

(I didn't realize the damage until I looked at the instructions trying to figure out what part number the tail was…)

Fixed…

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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Don Stauffer

Member since
November 2009
From: Twin Cities of Minnesota

Posted by Don Stauffer on Friday, January 29, 2021 3:53 PM

Good work.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Friday, January 29, 2021 8:48 PM

Thanks Don!

It's not like the interior can be seen through the tiny window, but I just had to paint it.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Sunday, January 31, 2021 12:23 PM

I gave it a base coat of black, but it still needs more work before the final finish. The canopy section is temporarily held in place with white glue, and the window that will get a clear piece is "masked" by filling the hole with white glue.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Monday, February 1, 2021 3:39 PM

I wet-sanded the base black with 1000 and went with Tamiya TS-29 for the final paint.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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Tanker-Builder

Member since
October 2019
From: New Braunfels, Texas

Posted by Tanker-Builder on Monday, February 1, 2021 3:55 PM

Hi;

I have noticed that in photos the X-15 isn't actually black! Or, if it is, it looks like it has a slight graphite sheen to it! I believe that's a result of surface heating on the Ablative coating the bird is covered in.

I think that if I was to build another I would paint it, Alclad Gloss Black with Graphite Semi - Gloss and mostly clear over spray. This bird, like the U-, has an odd coloring for sure

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Monday, February 1, 2021 8:29 PM

Like the rest of the kit, the landing gear is pretty simple. Painted with Tamiya acylics.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 10:48 AM

The fuel tanks are two shades of silver. I used flat and gloss aluminum. It wasn’t worth the effort to create a polished "chrome" look for the shiny sections.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 2:05 PM

The decals responded well to soaking them in solvent during application. They are a little out of registration and heavy on the clear, but on par with much of the rest of the kit.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 10:32 AM

Next I dry buffed the black with a small amount of SNJ aluminum powder to soften the harshness of the black. This was followed up with a coat of Testors Metalizer Sealer to give a semi-gloss sheen and to seal it. Photos of the real plane range from nearly gloss black to multiple sheens and shades including some flat areas. As far as I'm concerned, this is fine for this project.

The fuel tanks have been added too.

The little canopy window had a crack in it that I didn't notice before so I used Krystal Kleer for it and the camera window in the belly.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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keavdog

Member since
April 2003
From: USA

Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 11:15 AM

That looks great!

Thanks,

John

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modelcrazy

Member since
July 2014

Posted by modelcrazy on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 11:55 AM

keavdog

That looks great!

I remember when those flew.

Steve

Building a kit from your stash is like cutting a head off a Hydra, two more take it's place.

http://www.spamodeler.com/forum/

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Scale-Master

Member since
October 2020

Posted by Scale-Master on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 2:36 PM

Thanks guys!

I originally put the wheels on the wrong nose gear & dolly parts, (I should have noticed earlier, but mostly working on it during late nights I missed it…). Even when I swapped them to the correct ones, the nose gear door was still longer than the wheels. So I trimmed the door so the tires would touch the ground.