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Gust of Wind, French way..!

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: United Kingdom / Belgium
Gust of Wind, French way..!
Posted by djmodels1999 on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 12:59 PM
Here's my latest, Revell's 1/144 diminutive Dassault Rafale M...





It's a superb little kit, with incredible detail for the scale... Building it was rather trouble free, but care must be taken in fixing the intakes to the rest of the fuselage.

I primed it in acrylic automotive light grey, the airbrushed a blue-grey of some sorts to the whole aircraft, minus its radome. Decalling was done with Future, but a single coat of Future overal was not enough to tone down the shine of the decals... A second would have made the whole thing look too shiny so, very reluctantly, I opted for a very fine coat of flat varnish (Revell's). That did the trick..!

Next came the details inside the cockpit, the canopy itself (which I tinted in yellow), the undercarriage. Several days went by. I then used watercolours (a dark blue) as a wash, applied only in the recesses. Saliva (yuk!?) and a wide flat soft brush got rid of the excess and I then highlighted with pure white (artist oil).

It's less than 4 1/2 in in length. Now, I just need one in 1/32...
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by 72cuda on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 7:22 PM
Hey DJ;
How are you & the Wife doing those kits?, By Electron microscope?, that's an awsome job done on the lil model if you keep that up you may go blind from eye strain(Matter of fact I think I'll go blind for looking at ithings that small) and tell the better half she's doing a great job for being a beginner

84 of 795 1/72 Aircraft Competed for Lackland's Airman Heritage Museum

Was a Hawg Jet Fixer, now I'm a FRED Fixer   

 'Cuda

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Dark side of the Moon
Posted by moonwoka on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 2:07 AM
Very nice job! I have built 2 kits in 144 and can only admire Your skill. Of course, this kit looks to be better engineered than those from Airfix, that I have made. But still, You have done very nice job Thumbs Up [tup]
Join the dark side and get a free cookie! Photobucket
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 4:14 AM
WOW!!!! that thing is cool....Ive never done a 1/144 kit...I complain about 1/72nd and look at that! HolyCow! Awesome Job!
Chris
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Tochigi, Japan
Posted by J-Hulk on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 8:15 AM
Deej, that is gorgeous! You really did a great job bringing out the details of that little Rafale. What a cool plane!Cool [8D]

By the way, I went back to the LHS last week to pick up the 1/48 Rafale M, and of course, that baby was gone, Daddy, gone...Sad [:(]
That was the only time I've seen that kit in Japan, too!
I'll snap it up next time.
~Brian
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 11:53 AM
Really Nice ! Clean lines on the canopy & wheels. Did it come with a cockpit, or did you scratch that ? Looks finer than a lot of 1/72 kits I've seen. I'd go blind trying to build that. I can barely see 1/48 without a lot of magnification !
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: United Kingdom / Belgium
Posted by djmodels1999 on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 2:37 PM
Pixilater, the kit comes with a nicely detailed tub, a superb separate ejection seat and control panel. Just picked up Dragon's F-16D at the same scale and all you have to put under that long clear cockpit is a single kind of blob that incorporates 2 pilots, 2 seats, and the tub... But of course, Revell's Rafale is like 10 - 15 years older too...

It had also a fairly large number of missiles and fuel tanks but I decided against them. I like this plane 'clean'...
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 2:58 PM
NICE....now i know where will go tommorow morning.....
how i missed these gems....i will hit the berkut too.
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by ardy299 on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 3:06 PM
Beautiful job. I've got some airliners in 1/144 and I thought they were small!

Bob
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 3:16 PM
Very well done! I could never hope to build something that small without being put in an "I-Love-Me" suit!

demono69
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 30, 2003 12:31 PM
Mon deau! C'est si bon! I can't believe that's 1/144-looks like 1/48! I was thinking of doing a 1/144 P-36-you've inspired me to try!!
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Washington State
Posted by leemitcheltree on Thursday, October 30, 2003 8:20 PM
Far out.........
That's really very easy on the eyes, man. I'd never have guessed it was 1/144 scale by looking at the photos. That's a very nice model.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
LeeTree

Cheers, LeeTree
Remember, Safety Fast!!!

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: NE Georgia
Posted by Keyworth on Thursday, October 30, 2003 8:25 PM
That's a really nice build. Great detail for so small a kit!
"There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: United Kingdom / Belgium
Posted by djmodels1999 on Friday, October 31, 2003 7:09 PM
Thanks for the praises guys. It's much appreciated. Next one at that scale is likely to be the IAI Kfir...
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 4:35 PM
DJ,

That Rafale looks amazing at that scale, heck at any scale. It is hard to believe that is 1/144. Though it looks and sounds like the kit was a nice foundation for such a quality result. I have been mulling over purchasing the 1/48 version, you may have just saved me a few bucks.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 4:38 PM
Approve [^] I love 1/144 scale and thats one nice job
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Third rock from the sun.
Posted by Woody on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 9:17 PM
That's a beauty in any scale! Well done.Cool [8D]

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones
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