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STEALTH PLANES GROUP BUILD

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  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 8:42 PM
Dan,
It's the Academy 1/72 SR-71A Blackbird. It's looking like a great kit to build!

Yardbird78,
That's some great info you got there! Any chance of getting some pics of the real thing?

Cheers,
John
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: 40 klicks east of the Gateway
Posted by yardbird78 on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 10:54 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by johnforster


Yardbird78,
That's some great info you got there! Any chance of getting some pics of the real thing?Cheers, John


I never took any pictures of the SR-71 because security regulations said I would go to jail if I did and I wasn't willing to jeopardize my career to get few pictures. I have to settle for what is published in one of several fine books on the Blackbird family.
Darwin, O.F. Alien [alien]

 ,,

The B-52 and me, we have grown old, gray and overweight together.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 24, 2005 3:49 AM
Yardbird, those models are awesome. That's such a smooth paint job, how did you recreate it?

A always your inside info is well received. Can you recommend any books?

Thanks John, I've just ordered mine for a future build.

Thanks,

Dan
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 24, 2005 4:38 AM
No worries, Dan. Enjoy it!
Cheers,
John
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 25, 2005 12:57 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Dan1677
Any scale and any plane as long as it was/is part of a stealth programme.

Dan, What about the flying wings? The Horten Ho 229 was not part of a stealth program but turned out to have a reduced radar profile and accidentally became the first stealth plane. I feel it is the basis of alot of the stealth we have now. Then there is also the USAF's flying wings (YB-49A).

I've been wanting to build the PM 1/72 Horten Ho 229 for a while now.

QUOTE:
If I get a good enough response then we'll go ahead with it.

Looks like you have a few now and you can include me if I can use the Horten plane. When will you be deciding if this GB is a go?
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 27, 2005 4:44 AM
My SR-71A is shelved FTM, while I finish the Hornet for the 1/72 Attack A/C GB.
Cheers,
John
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 27, 2005 10:48 AM
www.sr-71.org
And here some really cool videos
http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/srlink~1.htm
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 11:14 AM
I-beam, yeah this build is a go, go, go!!

The Horten will be great, by all accounts it's the basis for what we're all building.

My Hasegawa F117 Nighthawk arrived today. Boy it's pretty big for a 1/72 scale. I'm a little upset that the dials are a decal as there is plenty of room to have made surface detail but oh well!

May buy a detailing kit but we'll see how much they go for!

Happy building!!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Littleton,CO
Posted by caine on Thursday, March 3, 2005 7:39 PM
I guess I'll put us some pics of my Academy F-117 that I still havn't finished from the last GB. So if anyone has any questions about the kit, you can ask me. I did find out that the kit was made to attach the bomb trapees the wrong way. I should get to painting this weekend. Hopefully I'll have pics soon.
http://www.shockwavephoto.com
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Haninge, Sweden
Posted by Gilmund on Friday, March 4, 2005 7:56 AM
The strangest thing happened!!

I was struggeling with my Itareri 1/72 Raptor, and as some of you know, it´s not the best of kits. One night about two weeks ago I got so tired of it that I grabbed my Italeri X-35. Ít looked like a really easy-to-build kit, so I put the F-22 aside for awile. I´ve worked on the X-35 since then, and it´s now ready for paint. I know that some of you don´t think this is fast, but for me it´s a revolution in progress! I´m going to paint it next week.

I signed up for the F-117, but I guess I´m in for both now. (X-35 is stealthy, right??).

Speaking of the F-117, I´m planning the steps right now and will begin building parallell as I paint the X-35. What do you think is a good color for the F-117, since pictures show(like the one below) that it´s not entirely black. The intake grilles is always darker. Maybe adding a little white or blue.

- Johan Byberg -</font id="blue"> "Who´s the most foolish, the fool or the fool who follows?"</font id="size1">
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 4, 2005 11:11 AM
Hi Johan,

You're right about the F117 not being totally black, it's more like a really dark grey. What I intend to do is paint the whole thing matt black but then airbrush a few coats of Tamiya flat base. If you have anough flat base in the mixture actually makes colours look slightly grey ( or dusty as I found on my olive drab comanche), it should turn out really well. I'll let you know how i get on.

Dan
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Moooooon River!
Posted by Trigger on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 2:55 PM
Dan

I think I'd like to jump in with my 1/48 F/A-22A. Is it too late to join?
------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 11, 2005 6:53 AM
I don't think so. We never really had a starting date and the end date is the end of this year. So, yeah! Jump on in and Sign - Welcome [#welcome]
Cheers,
John
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Haninge, Sweden
Posted by Gilmund on Friday, March 11, 2005 8:03 AM
I found a thread from november last year regarding the color on the F-117, I found it most useful.

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=30213&REPLY_ID=302556#302556
- Johan Byberg -</font id="blue"> "Who´s the most foolish, the fool or the fool who follows?"</font id="size1">
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Haninge, Sweden
Posted by Gilmund on Friday, March 11, 2005 8:05 AM
Sorry I forgot....Sign - Welcome [#welcome] Trigger 74
- Johan Byberg -</font id="blue"> "Who´s the most foolish, the fool or the fool who follows?"</font id="size1">
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 11, 2005 4:40 PM
Hey trigger, please join in. I've been so busy with work I haven't even made a start yet!! Not to fear for the weekend is here!!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Littleton,CO
Posted by caine on Friday, March 11, 2005 7:01 PM
I intend to try using Polly-S "Scale Black" for my F-117. I should be getting to that in the next week or two. I'll let everyone know how it looks.
http://www.shockwavephoto.com
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Moooooon River!
Posted by Trigger on Friday, March 11, 2005 7:11 PM
Thanks guys! Always cool to get an international welcome from a Brit, a Swede and an Aussie!
------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Littleton,CO
Posted by caine on Saturday, March 12, 2005 2:39 PM
Just to let everyone know, I tried painting my 1/48 F-117 today using the Polly-S "Scale Black" and it looks a little too gray. Almost a gunship gray, just not dark enough. I think I'm going to make the next coat out of a 50/50 mix of the "Scale Black" and their "NATO Tri-Color Balck" and see how that looks.
http://www.shockwavephoto.com
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Littleton,CO
Posted by caine on Saturday, March 12, 2005 5:28 PM
Well, the results are in and I would definately recommed something darker than "scale black" I tried about a 50/50 mix with true black and it still seems a little too gray, but it's much closer. I would recommend using a 70% Black / 30% Gunship gray if you are trying to get that F-117 grayish hue. I'll get some pics up soon to help you see what it looks like.
http://www.shockwavephoto.com
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: 40 klicks east of the Gateway
Posted by yardbird78 on Sunday, March 13, 2005 1:04 AM
Caine,
Thanks for the paint information. I am working on an SR-71C and I don't want to do it in total black.

Darwin, O.F. Alien [alien]

 ,,

The B-52 and me, we have grown old, gray and overweight together.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Littleton,CO
Posted by caine on Sunday, March 13, 2005 1:23 PM
Here is a photo of my F-117 with the 50/50 coat I talked about. Looks pretty good, but I think it should be just a little bit darker.



I hope the picture displays properly, this is my first attempt using my own server space to store pics.

http://www.shockwavephoto.com
  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Sydney
Posted by cossack on Monday, March 14, 2005 5:20 AM
Call me a coward, but I did my SR-71 and my F-117 both in Tamiya rattle black ... gave me a great finish. And ok ... it might be a little out of scale, but I think the colour looks just fine on both my aircraft.

I will post photos later this week Smile [:)]
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 5:09 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by cossack

Call me a coward, but I did my SR-71 and my F-117 both in Tamiya rattle black ... gave me a great finish. And ok ... it might be a little out of scale, but I think the colour looks just fine on both my aircraft.

I will post photos later this week Smile [:)]



OK!!! You're a COWARD!!! Angry [:(!]
No, jokin'. Tongue [:P] Sounds okay, waitin' for pics now.
Cheers,
John
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: 40 klicks east of the Gateway
Posted by yardbird78 on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 10:44 AM
Those who are working on an SR-71 might find this of interest. These are original patches that I wore on my fatigue (utility) uniforms during my 1965-1977 assignment at Beale AFB, CA, with the titanium wonderbird.

9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing



9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron



Darwin, O.F. Alien [alien]

 ,,

The B-52 and me, we have grown old, gray and overweight together.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 11:43 PM
Question: yardbird78, what were you actually allowed to tell your family about where you worked? From what I've heard, the secrecy level was pretty intense.
Also, what was your actual position/appointment?
Thanks for the pics.
Cheers,
John
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Modeling anything with "MARINES" on the side.
Posted by AH1Wsnake on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 2:05 AM
Also, how did the wing patch pictured above come to incorporate the U.S. Coast Guard motto of "Semper Paratus"? Smile [:)]

 

"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and those who have met them in battle. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:19 PM
I got my plane in the mail yesterday. Ready to go now. The PM models kit has plenty of deficiencies but they don't bother me. Good things are no exterior ejector pin marks, only 17 total parts (I know thats not really a good thing [:0]), and nice large area to paint the camo scheme.



Note on painting the F-117A: When I painted mine I used Floquil Railroad colors engine black. It's pretty dark with a satin sheen. Then I dull coated and it lighted up by a few shades. Just my My 2 cents [2c]
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Modeling anything with "MARINES" on the side.
Posted by AH1Wsnake on Saturday, March 19, 2005 1:48 AM
Hey guys, just an update from me,
Wish I had a digital camera to show you some pics, but I am about 60% done with my F-22. I have the fuselage all assembled, sanded, and primed. The landing gears are built up, and waiting for the final paint job. I scratch-built the instrument panel (came with only a decal) with various digital displays. My only headache right now is the darn intake problem. As-is, I would have had some huge gaps in their fit, so I am currently adding on some sheet styrene to them in order to get a seamless fit. Once this last hurdle is achieved, I'm home free! Can't wait to get the camo scheme and decals on it!

As a side note seeking advice....I bought some Tamiya 'smoke' paint recently. I want to airbrush this onto my canopy in order to give it a slightly tinted look. Any recommendations on how to proceed? I'd hate to screw up this piece. Should I dip the canopy in Future first? Would a thinned-out smoke from the airbrush eat away the future? So many questions, lol. Thanks for any input.

 

"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and those who have met them in battle. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 19, 2005 9:11 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by AH1Wsnake
As a side note seeking advice....I bought some Tamiya 'smoke' paint recently. I want to airbrush this onto my canopy in order to give it a slightly tinted look. Any recommendations on how to proceed? I'd hate to screw up this piece. Should I dip the canopy in Future first? Would a thinned-out smoke from the airbrush eat away the future? So many questions, lol. Thanks for any input.


AH1Wsnake, There are alot of more experienced airplane modelers than me but I don't think that method will work. I'm not sure but it will probably fog the canopy. I've tinted a couple of canopies (READ: "couple" not "lots"). I just used a couple drops of food coloring mixed with future and dipped the canopy. The smoke color could be made by mixing red/green/yellow food coloring. Hopefully someone else will have better advice for you.
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