African Group Build - The Official Thread

Ahhhhh - the official thread!!! I had been thinking Saab Tunnan (and may still do so) but I cracked open the box on Airfix's 1/72 Mirage F1c, in South African markings. I painted up the ejection seat before I realized I could be saving it for this GB. So - I have halted work and will do no more than think about it in the meantime.

(Thanks to Theuns for the info!)

Vance, my trumpeter 1/32 MiG 17 in Mozambique markings is just waiting for that SAAF F-1 of yours

Maybe this time the interceptor will be the interceptee LOL!

Theuns

My 1/72 target may be too small for your 1/32 radar to intercept!!

It's OK, no complicated things like radar work for to long in the African states with no maintenance anyway LOL!

Interestingly when the USAF had joint training ops with the SAAF some years ago with their F-15's they said they could pick up the SAAF's Ceethas (improved Mirage 3) on radar, but due to it's small size compared to USSR planes it was way more difficult to visually aquire them.

In a "confirm before shoot" situation this may be a problem!

Theuns

October 1st is approaching folks - who else was showing interest in this one on the feeler thread?

I guess I'm the first with pics up!!

I've started the Mirage F1c. It's a 1/72 kit Airfix kit, and will be doubling up for the Airfix Group Build.

• Raised panel lines & everything looks good shape-wise.
• There is a slight warp to the fuselage halves but nothing that some careful gluing can't fix.
• I'm going to try to use the oob decals (presently hanging in a sunny window to bleach them a little, Microscale decal film waiting!) for a South African Air Force machine.  If I can't salvage the originals I'll have to go aftermarket or print my own.
• lots of flash on the landing gear, but I think I managed to mostly clean that up, so I may not have to mount her "in-flight" as I planned.
• I will be deflecting the control surfaces slightly, including the all-flying elevators.

First pics! Only four years younger than me!

Elevator - note the long tab.

I've trimmed the tab in to the pivot point, leaving a little bit to mount with. I won't deflect them too much because I will likely still need to have some surfaces close enough together to glue. Now I need to fill in the gap in the fuselage slots. I may have to attach these before gluing the halves together...

Extended the cabin floor & attached a couple of styrene bits for the "pedals", stretched sprue for the control stick. (I still have some spares to dig through, I might find something better than what I will be scratching for this!)

The ejection seat (I could have sworn I took a before pic ). It actually had a decent shape, but needed some help! Masking tape belts and I used the loop off of a "beading needle" that I found at a local craft store. I know the actual seat has a two-loop gizmo for the "over the head ejection pulls" - I'm thinking I've got it close enough in 1/72!

The "beading needles" - 12 for $1? I can see me using these in more cockpits in the future, loop antennas etc.

Cut a little groove in the top of the seat so the loop looks like it is coming out of the headpiece rather than sitting on top.

All painted up, although I see a couple tiny spots that need a drip of paint:

That's all for now,

Great Idea for a GB. I'm posting now so I can lurk till I get a few off of the flight line now. Zero Trainer is waiting on me to find the right orange, Spitfire should wrap up very soon, and have made good progress on the HS129. So i'll be free for another very soon. Thinking of doing a Mk Vb Spit, a Me 110 or another 1/72 ww2 I'll have to see what else is in the stash.

Cant wait to see some of these commitments come together.

I was thinking of doing the 1/72 Airfix MiG15, but as it turns out, the Mozambique and Angolan AF's only had the 2 seat UTI's......RATS!

So then I might have to go with an Angolan MiG 21 MF to compliment the Mosambique AF MiG 17.

Theuns

Theuns

I was thinking of doing the 1/72 Airfix MiG15, but as it turns out, the Mozambique and Angolan AF's only had the 2 seat UTI's......RATS!

So then I might have to go with an Angolan MiG 21 MF to compliment the Mosambique AF MiG 17.

 

Theuns

Theuns, I'd love to see that Mig21, one of my favourite Soviet jets.

I know I'd originally considered an Operation Torch SBD-3, but think I'll switch that out for Bronco's 1/35 Bishop 25-pdr SPG...

DoogsATX

I know I'd originally considered an Operation Torch SBD-3, but think I'll switch that out for Bronco's 1/35 Bishop 25-pdr SPG...

Look out - he's going on an armour binge!!!

I'd like to join in...  As for what, well, I'll need to searching the stash, but a SAAF Canberra is a possibility, or a Libyan Backfire.  I'll confirm up later!

Both good options Centhot, looking forward to seeing this GB pick up some steam! There must be more people out there!

Quick update on the Mirage - reinforcing done to allow me to reposition the elevators; cockpit/seat finished up; fuselage halves joined, nose cone & exhaust cone attached; elevators attached; wings attached...

For the reinforcing, I laid a thin strip of styrene to close off the open slot, then backed that again with a thicker piece. I "drilled" a hole through this area from the outside with a thick needle that I heated over a candle, melted right through exactly where I wanted it.

She's shaping up now. I didn't realize how, uhh, "pointy" this Mirage is! The fit has been really good so far, the ony issue so far is the wing-to-fuselage join. Lower portion seems alright, and the tabs actually kep everything aligned at the proper angles, but leaves a noticeable gap on top. There is also a slight step on the lower fuselage joint near the tail, I'm guessing that is either "pilot error", or one fuselage half may be a little bit warped. A little putty will take care of both issues.

The verrry empty exhaust cone. I really should have done something more here... maybe I can find a picture looking inside a tailpipe, print that out on some card stock & glue it in with white glue - what does everyone think of that?!?!

Here is a link to some SAAF Canberra pix

http://www.saairforce.co.za/gallery-and-media/80/canberra-t-mk-4#viewport

Theuns

VanceCrozier

Both good options Centhot

Theuns

Here is a link to some SAAF Canberra pix

 

http://www.saairforce.co.za/gallery-and-media/80/canberra-t-mk-4#viewport

 

Theuns

Thanks for those theuns, I also see some of my Mirage F1s n there I did a little filling & sanding last night and added the stabilizers(?) on the lower tail area. More progress on the weekend,

Hi Guys

Good to see things starting to roll here.

I was in SAAF (not by choice) in mid to late 70's so keen to do some of the aircraft that were around at that time  as well as some of the present stuff.

For this GB I have in 1/48 a Mirage IIIZ, and a  Gripen 2 seater but am in the market for an Impala Mk2 and Canadair Sabre. Also have a 1/72 Herc C-130 in my stash

Looking forward to this & meeting new builders

Steve

Steve - good to have you in here, and I'm glad this assignment was your choice!! Quite a few options, looking forward to seeing them.

After my dissapointment with the Angolan/Mozambiquen Mig 15's only being 2 seaters, I have started thinking what else to build. The 1/32 Moz MiG 17 is still going on, but I want to add a "quick build" model aswel.

Maybe a 1/72 Fiesler Storch (Africa core) or if I can get my hands on one, a 1/72 New Airfix Swordfish.

The RAF/SAAF used them for fleet air arm duties here in SA.

Theuns

How about some of the fast-movers that "Thunder City" operated out of Cape Town??? Lightnings, Buccaneeers and a Swift iirc???

Hi Vance

Thanks for the welcome.

Good to see you on this build - I did enjoy your postings & humour on another subject ie "getting the wife's approval for a $200 spend"

Steve

Steve - I'm convinced that if you try to build plastic models without a sense of humour, we'd all go crazy pretty quickly! (ie, my recent discovery that Tamiya cement will literally melt the new Airfix decals, even after they've been applied to my nearly-complete Harrier! )

Looking forward to seeing everyone's contributions to this one, should be an interesting one.

My humour failed on my first GB recently - the F-4 Phantom.

Not wishing to spend $$$ I found a $5 gem ( wife happy) Turns out it was a 1960's Hasa mold, massive rivets, bad wing fit, fragile decals and serious lack of gap-filling experience on my behalf - turned very experimental!!!!

Well if it turned out experimental.... good thing it was a $5 model and not a $50. Don't worry, I'm sure you learned something, right?!?

The Thunder city planes will sure be eazy to paint! Most were gloss black. Pitty they don't operate anymore.

One of my clients owns and flies a single and two seater Hunter. Pitty that the Academy 1/48 F-6 Hunter has a bangseat in 1/72 scale

The more I look at it , the more a 1/72 "new" airfix Buceneer with SAAF decals looks to be the awnser for this GB

Theuns

SAAF Bucaneer! I was kind of surprised at the variety of aircraft types the SAAF has actually operated over the years, all kinds of options to build.

Yes SAAF were pretty active, there's quite a variety to choose from. They started running out of options when the arms embargo was enforced but then took the Israeli route by making their own eg the Cheetah using the Mirage 111 frames. I only learned recently they had Canberras but I never saw any in my time  .......

Theuns, looks like you were in the services too? Buccanner is a great option, my experience with the recent Airfix release was dodgy fuselage & wing fit

My Dad's claim to fame was he was on the elctronics design team at the Blackburn factory about the time I was born?

Here's a couple of my earlier attempts - excuse the lackof depth of field in the pics, also my building s& finishing skills 

Looking good man!

I was at Waterkloof AF base during 1990 as part of my National Service trainning where I was a load master.

Saw many Bucks, Canberras, Mirage F-1, 3's C-130 and 160's. DC-3 and 4's.

Most of the SAAF stuff was French and British while the transports were mainly French and US.The light aircraft were Italian and some own built stuff.

Helies were Pumas, Allo 2 and 3's ,Wasps and Super Frelons. We later rebuilt the Pumas into Oryx wich compares to the Super Pumas.

I have read that the airfix 1/72 Buck is a tad old, I thought it was also a new mould. :-(

So, my search for a suitable project continiues LOL!

Theuns