50th Anniversary Vietnam War Group Build

Bish - as I already wrote at the beginnig of this thread (yeah, many pages ago!), the F-111 didn't use a regular MER but an other rack, so please be careful replacing what you have in the kit as for the MER. Keep up the good job - good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Johnny, you were indeed spot on. I check the kit pars again and they are better than the instructions image shows and they are ALQ-87's. But I can't believe I didn't check my Hasegawa aircraft weapons sets, they have them in one of those. And I am indeed replacing the outer TER with an MER and adding the extra bombs.

Thanks again for the help guys. I got the first lot of masking done tonight, took me to long to get the first green on, so will do that tomorrow.

Thanks guys, that's awesome. I did a search for the ALQ-87 and though the kit items ate not 100% accurate, I am sure that's what they are.

Johnny, thanks for that link. I had looked at that site but couldn't find my way around, but I didn't think of looking at that page. One thing I noted is that during Constant Guard V, they carried 6 bombs on each pylon while my outer pylon have 3. I might switch the outer TER's for MER's and add the extra bombs.

SP, thanks, I was thinking some sort of targeting device, never thought of it being a gun.

Thanks again guys, very helpful.

M & N are ECM pods. They were usually painted white. I want to say that those are ALQ-87s, but it's been a long time. Part 14D is the Vulcan port for when that weapon is fitted to be carried in the bomb bay. It will be painted the same color as the rest of the lower side of the aircraft.

During Vietnam, I believe that ground support equipment was a very dark green. But yellow is also possible.

Bish check out this site. I believe the part you are questioning is the ALQ -87 ECM pod. 

http://www.f-111.net/models/weaponsloads/index.htm

You and me both Nathan. I had not thought of jammer pods. Been doing some searches on google but can't come up with anything that's looks like them.

Ye, its a pretty quick build, but then I need to get ahead this year, especially with that big 109 to build.

Those parts look like jammer pods Bish. ECM pods maybe? I'm still learning all this jet junk myself. Your moving pretty fast with this one.

Thanks Stik. But for some reason, half the post is missing and I only just noticed. And I had a couple of questions for you guys. So here is the rest.

I got some of the filling done and here you can se how much there is to do, almost all the way round the join.

Now my first question. This is a section from the instructions. I am curious about the parts labelled M & N and part 14D. Does anyone know what they are, the first two lok a bit like flare dispensers to me, and are they right for the early 70's and the bomb load of mk 82 Snake eye's.

 On Sunday I got a coat pf primer on. Then last night I did some touch up sanding and re primed those areas. The join between the two half's is not perfect, but good enough. I really must work on that part of my modelling.

Straight after I took these I got the tan coat on. So now it will be left in the spray shed for 2 days before masking. In the mean time I can start on the ground equipment. Which leads me to my next question. I am planning on using an MJ-1 and MHU-12 from one of the hasegawa sets. Am I right in thinking these were painted yellow at this time.

Thanks in advance. 

Looking real good Bish.

Thanks Stik. Well, time for another update. My original plan was to complete the pit before fitting. But I was doing some test fitting last Tues and realised the pit was quite accessible after it was fitted so I went ahead and out it in. I then tested the front and rear sections and saw there would be quite a bit of filling and sanding to do, one part of the build process I really don't like and that often lets me down. So I went ahead and did that as well.

So, as you can see, there is still the belts to add at this point and some more painting to add more detail.

And here with the 2 sections together.

 I got some of the filling done and here you can se how much there is to do, almost all the way round the join.

Bish, your Aardvark is off to a great start! I like the sound of the idea for the tape on the wing slots.

Pawel, you too are making great progress on your Whale!

Now that my Tiffy project is winding down, I will be back on my 113 here soon and get it finished up!

Nice work Pawel.

Hello everybody!

At last I've got a small update on the Whale. I put some of my trusty Tamiya primer on the model. It still works better with a grey undercoat:

There are two small antennae in front of the triangular opening that will take the tail skid. I've built those little antennae out of thick copper wire that I've flattened with a hammer and then filed to shape and then anchored them in appropriately shaped holes. This is almost more writing than actual work, but it gives me hope to keep them babies from breaking off before getting done.

Before I put the primer on I also glued the canopy on and masked it with thin strips of Tamiya tape and Maskol. Then I sprayed a coat of black to gife the frames their inside colour. On top of the black you can now see some overspray from the subsequent painting:

That would be it for now - hope you like it! Thanks for reading and good luck with your builds, have a nice day

Paweł

It is a bit, the back section is almost as long as the complete F-16.

Great Bish..she's gonna be a big one!

As promised here's my first pics. This is the kit, I am doing the aircraft on the box, which belonged to the 429th TFS based at Takhli in 1972. One thing you can see is the yellow squadron colour on the tail. Pics of other aircraft of this Sq also have a yellow band, but the kit supplies red decals for this. So I will have to mask and paint that.

So far I have put the cockpit together, which didn't take long. I am using an Euard PE set designed for a hasegawa F-111D/F. I am not sure on how different these later versions were from the A but it certainly adds a little to what is a sparse pit. Apart from the IP, the PE set only adds and does not replace anything. The seats and IP will of course be added after painting.

I have also put together the rear part of the fuselage. I was checking some pics for the slot that the wing retracts into and found a nice close up pic. I am going to try Tamiya masking tape for that, but will add it after painting to avoid losing the texture. 

As you can see on the underside, there's a little filling to do and a bit of clean up. There is also only one hole in each wing for the pylons. As I am adding 2 on each side, I will need to check carefully to make sure the other ones are correctly located.

That's it for now, I will be getting some primer and then paint on the pit later on.

Sounds good Bish. I look forward to seeing this build of yours. The 111 is one that I really like.

Looking forward to the C-47 roger.

I made a start on the F-111 tonight, i'll get an update posted tomorrow. The pit is ready for painting already, not really much to it.

I am sure that I am not the only one here looking forward to seeing what you are going to do with your kit. No matter what company made it.

The kit from Entex is a re-boxing of the Nitto 1/100 scale DC-3/C-47 kit.Not the most accurate kit of this aircraft by any means,but I think cross breeding it with other parts will bring it up to a better standard.Looking forward to being part of this build.

R_W, you and your AA bird have been added to the roster. Nice choice! Boy I have not seen or thought of an Entex kit in ages...

My addition for this build will be a 1/100  scale Entex C-47 as an Air America machine.I'll be using some parts from a 1/100 ATP kit to improve upon certain areas of the aircraft.

stikpusher...I'm a bit late to the game,but just getting back into modelling after a tough year behind me.Not sure yet what I'll enter but I'm sure I'll find something of interest in my stash of kits.Thanks!!

Thanks Eagle!

PJ!  What an awesome build!  And even better story behind it!  True heroes!  And the use of the stones!  Brilliant!  Great work!

Eagle90

stikpusher

Eagle and PJ, your completed builds have been added to the front page. Beautiful work guys! We have eight completed so far, and several moths to go... Very nice! it has been a real privilege to host this GB.

The privilege is ours Stik!  Superb GB!  Thank you for hosting and letting us have fun in it!

Eagle90

Pawel

Eagle90 - congratulations on your Vigilante build, aint that aircraft something to look at?

plasticjunkie - your Invader is something special - congratualtions! I hope mine turns out as well as yours when I finally get to building it!

Thanks for sharing and have a nice day!

Paweł

Thank you sir!  She is a pretty one to look at!

Eagle90

Thanks Rob. Michaels carries similar stones in their custom jewelry dept.

PJ!! INVADER!!! Wicked...love it. What a friggin' cool build and subject. Yup, I echo all the comments on the lights, great idea...now, I gotta find a Hobby Lobby in Quebec...Nope, well, we have Michaels, so, I'll prowl the isles there. Great job, congrats on the big finish...

Thanks gents!