Viper Group Build 2010-2011

The weapons look good Travis,.  I've been itching to build a viper but I'm in school right now and working on an F-18F for the Hornet's Nest GB.  I might be back when I'm done with the hornet.

Well....It is finished....sort of! I need to go back and do some touch up. Here are the pics of the Netz. I pretty happy with the finished product. I free handed the camo using Polly Scale Acrylics. The weapons, except for the drop tanks and wingtip sidewinders are from Skunk Models Isreali Weapons set (highly recommned). I would still like to get the paint toned down with a grey mist overcoat, but the Airbrush is not cooperating right now. Here are the pics. Next up is the F-16N.

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Thanks,

Travis

Great job Travis!  The camo looks quite menacing.  Especially that the plane is all loaded with weapons.  Nice build. 

Travis:  WOW looks great!!!!

Really great looking Travis. Very cool.

 Here is an update of my progress so far.  Not much done, got one piece of the engine installed and painted up.  Sorry about the photo size this is the best i can get it, not sure where im going wrong i have an awsome camera but having issues uploading it to me computer.  Dont know.

Goodness,

Great progress. You have some serious options for weapons loadout for the Viper. Can't wait to see what you go with.  I will say when you give them a full load out I wonder how they even get off the ground. Keep up the good work.

Travis

Ya i am not sure what im going to load it out with.  I usually put them all together first that way it get's rid of a bunch of sprue and makes it easier for me to find parts for the main event.

If it's not too late, I would like to build a Block 50 F-16 that was stationed at Spangdhalem "Stingers" a couple of years back. The kit is the F-16C 1:48 from Tamiya.

Been doing some work on my build.  Will have pictures to update tomarrow.

Beckyhead, Yes you are welcome. As you can see this GB is slow in go with all the other GBs in progress now. I currently have 4 builds going (1 of which I am pushing the boundries!!!!.) I look forward to seeing you work! Welcome.

Travis

Here is my latest work over the last two weeks.

The pic below i had a small issue with the nose cone.  When i put the weights in it i used super glue to secure them in place.  Well for some reason when the super glue dried it kind of ate away at the plastic on the inside causing the plastic to cave in so i had to putty her up a bit.  Gonna Prime it tomorrow.

Installed the tail wings but havnt glued down the rudder yet.

Engine installed with some pre-shading done ahead of time.

Great work Goodness!!! I really like the little work jig you have for hold the kit. Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see more.

Travis

STFD637

Great work Goodness!!! I really like the little work jig you have for hold the kit. Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see more.

Travis

Thanks.  That little Jig has been a life saver.  I've modified it as i have gone based on what stage of the build im in.

Hoookay,

Finished this beast. I started and finished the cockpit before I joined the group-build, but had to post-pone the rest until I could figure out a scheme I wanted to submit. I just started getting back into building kits last August (haven't build a kit since I was 14), so I know this is far from perfect. But, I learn something new everytime I build. I've got some things hands down, but my biggest weakness is external painting. I can never seem to get a nice-smooth coat that will take a smooth coat of Future.

http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&current=under_carriage.jpg

http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&current=cockpit_2.jpg

http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&current=cockpit_1.jpg

Eduard provided cockpit upgrades.

http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&current=F161-48.jpg

Painting: Testors' Model Master Acryl and Decals are from Astra.

Let's try this again...

<a href="http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&amp;current=F161-48.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/F161-48.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&amp;current=under_carriage.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/under_carriage.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&amp;current=under_carriage.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/under_carriage.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/?action=view&amp;current=cockpit_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/cockpit_1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/F161-48.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/cockpit_1.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/cockpit_2.jpg

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/beckyhead97/under_carriage.jpg

My web-fu is weak!

Beckyhead:  Very nice.  Love the Pre-shading.  My build for this GB will be my first attempt at the pre-shading.  Looks like you used a Dark gray for the pre-shade?  Am i right instead of black? 

The primer coat was Mr. Surfacer grey, and the pre-shading was Tamiya Flat Black acrylic. I didn't shade ALL panels lines, and after I painted the first color of the two color scheme, I highlited a few panels by addiing white to the color cup to make some panels a hair-shade lighter.

Sorry, one more thing...

I used for a building reference "The Scale Viper: A Modeler's Guide to Buidling the F-16" by Pete Fleischmann. This book came in real handy on addressing some of the finer details buidling this kit, especially the exhaust system, kit selection and FS colors to use. Some of the most fun while working this project was actually the research involved!

Beckyhead

 Some of the most fun while working this project was actually the research involved!

I have to agree! When I get the notion to start a new project, first thing to come out are all the magazines and books with ANYTHING perttaining to it. Looking great btw!! Well done!!

Magzines and books are great! I really rely on them for my WWI and II subjects. For my modern stuff I find that I rely on the "net" for images. It seems that any search you input comes up with thousands of pictures!

On another note, I rounded out my Viper colection today with Hasegawa's Limited run F-16F Block 60 in 72 scale. The deal through Sprue Bros was too good to pass up and after missing out on other limited run kits I jumped on it.

I also picked up Kinetic's 1/72 Block 52+. They should really look good next to the others I plan to build.

Keep up the work. Can't wait to see more.

Travis

This is quite possibly the most complicated 1/48 build I've ever attempted. I was going to do this baby in 1/32 but couldn't afford the USD$400+ to complete it with all of the AM. In 1/48 this is still no small plane and more affordable.

I'm going to build this as the 79th Fighter Squadron Leader, 20th Fighter Wing, Tiger Meet version.

The AM I've added are the Eduard Big Ed Set (containing the Block 50 PE Set, masks. ladder, undercarriage PE), the Brassin wheels and Aires exhaust, cockpit and wheel bays sets in resin.

I'll be starting this in between various drying stages of my Venom NF.3 build.

Cheers

Some really great details in the AM for this kit. Having a choice between resin and PE of the same stuff is great for picking the perfect representation. Some of the IP fro the Aires is far superior to the Eduard but then again some of the Eduard colour etch will look better in some places. I will mostly NOT be using colour etch as the IP are reduced to 2D surfaces missing out on 3D detail.

Some nice rudder pedals;

Little details in behind the seat in PE add to the already droolworthy resin;

Lots of nice grills for the fuselage;

First thing I did today (apart from wash everything) was to start cutting into the top of the fuselage to allow the resin tub to fit.

It's always a nerve racking moment cutting into lovely plastic. As it turns out I cut out a little too much and will have to add some card at the back in front of the grill.

Cheers

Ok so after a couple of weeks working on a 1/32 Venom I completely forgot how small 1/48 really is!

These resin parts do have some beautiful detail but the annoying thing is that a lot of the tubs and wheel bays just do not fit and some of the detail on the resin or the kit ha to be sacrificed to get them in.

Cheers

Casper that's a beautiful looking office you have there!!! The combination of resin and PE will be a benefit I think. Just to break up an otherwise 2D area with a bit of relief. WELL DONE!!

simpilot34

Casper that's a beautiful looking office you have there!!! The combination of resin and PE will be a benefit I think. Just to break up an otherwise 2D area with a bit of relief. WELL DONE!!

Thanks!

After much scraping and cutting of plastic and resin I have finally got the tub fitted into the top half of the fuselage.

The resin tub still has a miniscule fit issue, the tub ever so slightly pushes out the sides of the fuselage. It is not noticeable unless the canopy is set in the closed position. As I am displaying with the canopy open this should pose no problems. There is a very slight gap on the underside where the top and bottoms join but when painted this will not be noticable at all.

Cheers

Got the plane together. Almost 100% perfect fit. Some slight bulge issues with the internal resin pit and wheel bays. Other than that a near perfect fit. Some of the parts fit straight perfectly. A nice Tamiya kit this one!

Also it's possible to finish extraneous parts then put them onto the fuselage when painting has finished. So completed, tail fin, nose, rear wings and exhaust.

Cheers

WELL DONE!!! Looks great!! Looking forward to all sub-assemblies coming together!!!

Spent most of today building the ordinance for the F-16. There sure is a lot of it!!

Waiting for the Future to dry on the canopy on I can begin masking and painting etc. Did add the PE greeblies to the canopy roller bar and it looks pretty sweet with all of those 1/48 latches and what not. Will post pic of canopy when done.

These PE landing doors also cannot be beat. A comparison with what the kit included. Used the handle of my knife to help bend the PE to the correct shape.

Cheers