Hobby Boss 1/48 A-7E Corsair II Sidewinders - Work in progress

Nice start. Just a suggestion, but don't use the AIM-9L Sidewinders if you're doing the 1975 markings. That version of the missile hadn't been developed yet. The Navy was still using the AIM-9D/G/H versions.

stikpusher

Nice start. Just a suggestion, but don't use the AIM-9L Sidewinders if you're doing the 1975 markings. That version of the missile hadn't been developed yet. The Navy was still using the AIM-9D/G/H versions.

 

Thanks Stikpusher! Appreciated.

I know very little on the subject so any tip is valuable.

Best,

Nikola

Well, enter putty, from head to toe, top and bottom. It was a must, at least for me. I think it's of my own doing because of the resin cockpit fitting and adjustment.

And some minor play with exhaust weathering just to give it a bit of life.

Best,

Nikola

A bit of filling and levelling with Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500:

Now, here is a problem which is a bit more challenging - The inner side of the intake "ring" is much narrower than the inside of the intake tube.

I think that I can't sand it because the ring is a hollow shape so I might lose all the material of the inside part of the ring, and also make the intake much narrower.

The only feasible solution which I can think of for now is to fill in the step and make a gradual taper towards the back of the tube. 

Don't know. Any suggestions?

Best,

Nikola

Nikola, when I built HB's -A version, I had the same problem with the intake. I decided that trying to fix it might cause more problems than it would solve. I left mine as it is. Sorry that I don't have a solution to offer. Still, I'd like to build another HB A-7, so I'm curious to see if you come up with a solution that I might be able to use in the future. 

Good luck!

-O

oortiz10

Nikola, when I built HB's -A version, I had the same problem with the intake. I decided that trying to fix it might cause more problems than it would solve. I left mine as it is. Sorry that I don't have a solution to offer. Still, I'd like to build another HB A-7, so I'm curious to see if you come up with a solution that I might be able to use in the future. 

Good luck!

-O

 

Hi Oortiz,

Thanks for the reply.

Actually, I am kind of with you on that one. Especially because this is my, so to say, side build.

I'll see if I have the patience.

Best,

Nikola

oortiz10

Nikola, when I built HB's -A version, I had the same problem with the intake. I decided that trying to fix it might cause more problems than it would solve. I left mine as it is. Sorry that I don't have a solution to offer. Still, I'd like to build another HB A-7, so I'm curious to see if you come up with a solution that I might be able to use in the future. 

Good luck!

-O

 

The solution might just be something like this :)

Does anyone know the colour of the FLIR "eye"?

Hey Nikola, be sure to take a look at the rudder's outline. It was wrong on the -A boxing. 

Hobby Boss extended the rudder to the bottom of the fin cap, like this:

But the real -A has the rudder line stop below the fin cap, like this:

It might not matter for you because the -E has the fairing towards the top of the tail.

As far as the "eye" goes, in the pictures I've seen, it looks like it's a dark tinted color. Although, it might be "clear" with a dark interior.

Here are a few pictures...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESBGFt2VAAIGtnl?format=jpg&name=900x900

https://nebula.wsimg.com/980b7c20dffef80bba3127ef054ca4fc?AccessKeyId=72D92AAD40295CE2D368&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34405/the-a-7-corsair-iis-heads-up-display-was-a-revolution-in-air-combat

https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Navy/LTV-A-7E-Corsair-II/1257947/L

Cheers!

-O

oortiz10

As far as the "eye" goes, in the pictures I've seen, it looks like it's a dark tinted color. Although, it might be "clear" with a dark interior.

Here are a few pictures...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESBGFt2VAAIGtnl?format=jpg&name=900x900

https://nebula.wsimg.com/980b7c20dffef80bba3127ef054ca4fc?AccessKeyId=72D92AAD40295CE2D368&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34405/the-a-7-corsair-iis-heads-up-display-was-a-revolution-in-air-combat

https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Navy/LTV-A-7E-Corsair-II/1257947/L

Cheers!

-O

 

Thanks Oortiz! Much appreciated.

Best,

Nikola

Pre-shading done:

I know that pre shading is a great weathering technique... but man does it make a build look ugly at that point! Even if it is only temporary... 

Well, I managed to f' it up. Switched the FS numbers and instead of Light Gull Grey I used Ghost Grey for the low vis scheme. I saw that something was off but didn't do anything about it during painting. After I checked it was too late. 

Three options available - mask and paint again losing all subtle pre-shading, mask and correct with a filter or leave as it is...

Personally I'd say mask off the white and do a coat of Light Gull Gray. You could even use the Ghost Gray as something of a pre shade...

I think Stik has the right idea.  You can use it to your advantage.  Maybe spray a white marble coat then spray a thinned top coat for subtle shading.  

I agree with the previous two suggestions. If it was me, I'd mask the white and marble white and various shades of other grays over the Ghost Gray before covering with LGG.

Here it is corrected. 

I decided that the easiest thing to do is  just go over it with the correct colour to make sure I got it right this time and then later modulate with post-shading/tinting and filters.

This way I avoid having too many coats and ruining the surface detail if I don't get it correct right away which would most probably have happened.

Best,

Nikola

stikpusher

Personally I'd say mask off the white and do a coat of Light Gull Gray. You could even use the Ghost Gray as something of a pre shade...

 

wpwar11

I think Stik has the right idea.  You can use it to your advantage.  Maybe spray a white marble coat then spray a thinned top coat for subtle shading.  

 

oortiz10

I agree with the previous two suggestions. If it was me, I'd mask the white and marble white and various shades of other grays over the Ghost Gray before covering with LGG.

 

Well, didn't think of that at all. Good idea guys. Read this after I painted. 

Will have it in mind for the next f' up though. :)

Best,

Nikola

Nikola

Here it is corrected...

Nice save!

After tedious masking here are the electronics bays painted in base colours. Some cleanup and corrections are required prior to washes, dry brushing and details.

Now, this is a b%$ch! I assume that Aires just relabeled the parts to say for Hobby Boss while it is actually for Hase, Academy, Trumpy, whatever... The AM part is significantly shorter than the kit part so there is a big gap. 

I need to think of the way to remedy this.

I also started making the intake cover. Luckily, there are two intake "mouths" provided so I used the other one as a template:

Also, again after tedious masking, the cockpit base colours and a gloss coat are done:

The intake cover and cockpit look good Nikola! Keep it up!

The Corsair slowly advances... My phone sincerely apologizes for the photo quality. 

Great work on the equipment and pit details!   

Stay safe.

Jim 

Very nice work. That looks really good, even if the phone is to blame. Excellent.

Very nice work on the cockpit! Keep it up!!!