African Group Build - The Official Thread

Update on the Mirage...

underside gray (ModelMaster enamels) already on & dry; masked off & upper tan sprayed on (Humbrol enamels).

Instruction sheet scanned & scaled up for masking the camo,

Masking tape in place,

Green applied (Tamiya acrylic after 4-5 days of allowing the enamels to cure), masking tape removed. I see a few spots that will need to be touched up before weathering & clear-coats, but the tape job worked pretty well. Using the acrylics & misting them on slowly probably helped avoid paint bleeding under the tape as well.

Next up in the paintshop - black nosecone, white markings on the tail, metallics on the exhaust can.

Hi Vance

F1 looking good!

Also great set of "How to" masking instructions .........

Never occurred to me the instruction sheet was to scale?

You can't find this in any book or magazine, I've been searching believe me

Not just a sense of humor, very talented as well

With this in mind I can now get stuck into my RZ this weekend with a more positive frame of mind - the body has been assembled but lots of edges & gaps to sand/fill

@ Need Beer

I see you "bragging" with your 1/72 C-130. I hope it will be in SAAF colours

Theuns

I started this some time ago - first time building Italeri

Depends whether its allowed for this build? I suspect its more than 50% built although there's still a lot to do, fair amount of sanding & filling - fuselage seams have big edges - Clear parts, props, doors, priming, painting, decals & general finishing!

Original intention was to do SAAF but did not have the decals & had no idea of the color scheme besides or this is the E or H version, SAAF is B version(1960's) - whats the difference? If its just techonology & internal stuff then I suppose its ok? I believe they've recently been upgraded - obviously pretty robust/enduring craft!

I've seen some resin kits for the engines - is there a substantial physical difference from reality on this kit?

I have been undecided on the colours - bought some RAAF decals with a nice camo scheme from LHS recently so I was going in that direction for this one 

But since getting involved with this GB have done some more research on SAAF for a 70's colour scheme which was quite easy to find on the unofficial SAAF website - have also ordered decals from MAV recently so I'm up for it?

Whats the verdict - here's a pic?

Well thank you! I can't find time to build a model-per-week like some on here, but I try to contribute what I can! More touch-up paint on the F1 this weekend, decals & landing gear etc is next up. The camo pattern on the instruction sheet was not to scale, I had to scan it & scale it up in Photoshop, then print out a few copies - one to cut up over top of the tape; one to keep in front of me while applying the masks.

The cammo on the SAAF 130 BZ's (same as the B) was dark green/dark earth wrap around for the wings,tail and fuse.The only part that was not like this was the bottom of the fuse, it was dark sea grey IIRC.

Again the 130 and 60's sometimes had no castles on them, only serial #'s. The props were silver woth yellow tips.

MAV does a set of decals for it.

These days the airframes were upgraded, internally mostly and are allover satin medium grey, almost like a compass grey.

I have some pix, will post if you need.

Theuns

I've got one of those -130s! I'm modifying it to be a RAAF -A version, lots, and lots of PSR.

If all goes to plan I have eventually managed to track down a nice project for this build.

It will be a 1/72 Denel Ceetah E. A locally very upgraded Mirage 3. I will be using a local guy's resin conversion set and the Italeri 1/72 Kfir C7 as a base kit.

Really nice to have someone local who does convertion resin work for SAAF stuff, no need to order from overseas................................unless you already are overseas LOL!

Theuns

A resin-master right in your back yard... not fair!!! Looking forward to seeing that one as well,

Yea, sometimes I do actually have a little luck :-D

I am also planing to do his convex kit for the 1/72 Italeri/esci MB 326 Impala MK 2 and the SA Navy Super lynx (as soon as I get some loot together. LOL!)

How is your F-1 coming allong? If I didn't build the F1 CZ I would have bought the resin kit for the AZ, much cooler cammo than on the CZ !

Theuns

The F1 - I made a couple of touch-ups last night & painted the undercarriage doors and air-brakes as I plan to show those deployed, just because I can! I need to add a coat of clear-coat tonight, then I'll try out the kit decals - if I can make them work, why not try it! The test decal I tried last weekend was verrrrrry thin, took awhile to soak off the backing sheet and was very matte. I may need to dull down the finish to help blend the decals. The orange stripe on the tail decals seems really pale as well, I need to compare it to some photos, may need to over-paint that portion.

I would not tone down to the decals, I would rather closs them up to the rest of the paint (which was generally gloss)

As for the stripe, orange do tend to fade fast , so I would not be to worried unless it is very translucint.

Spoke to my "resin guy" and can collect my stuff next week.....VERY exited!

Theuns

True - it probably won't take much to gloss them up anyway I suppose. And the orange I'll have a second look at that after the decals are on - if it looks right once on the model, good enough for me!

Ha! You know you're a modeler when... you have a "resin guy"!!

Yes, that is one good thing about working arround aircraft all day, you tend to meet all kinds of interesting folk!

I must admit that I have never worked with any AM resin stuff, so I am a tad in the dark. Luckely I can go visit the manufacteror and get some tutoring !LOL

Theuns

For resin, the only items I've used were wheels and a seat on a 1/48 P-38 Lightning, both were pretty straight-forward replacements. I've got a pair of replacement cockpits lined up for kits I'll be working on within the next year though, could be interesting!

The resin worx for the Cheetah is rather substantial.

New tail, engine nozle/fairing, chaff/flair dispencers, loads of areals, new undercart doors, all manner of scoops/vents ,new cannards, bang seat..............................and oh yes, I nearly forgot - a whole new nose section!

Fun to be had I tell you!!!

But atleast the SAAF has come to it's sences and started using easier cammo sceems LOL!

Theuns

That sounds like half of the styrene is being replaced with resin! Make sure you have a dust mask, or do your resin sanding & cutting in some water.

The Mirage is in the home stretch, one of my assistants is quite interested, but she is used to seeing WW2 subjects out of me:

Clear coat on, I like how the colours came out.

Then I masked & painted the "sensor areas" on the tail:

Trying to decide if I need to give it an over-spray of very very thin tan to blend the upper surfaces or not.

Nice stuff Vance!

I think you captured the cammo just right, well done. It will look good with the dark blue and gold decals on.

Looking forward to seing the final result.

I am going to go look for a 1/72 Kfir kit the weekend for my Cheetah build. (hope I can actually find one!)

Theuns

I was just informed that my resin convertion set (wich includes PE and decals) is ready, boy oh boy this is going to be good!!!

Theuns

Here it is!

He simplified the kit so that the entire nose doesn't have to be cut off as the kfir c7 already has the fuselarge plug extention behind the cockpit.

Theuns

Thanks Theuns, I'm happy with it so far! Hoping to finish is off this weekend. The resin looks good, now you just need to find the plastic to go with it!

Interesting you say that, I went to the model shop to get the kit and it was not in stock! Hope they canget me another one otherwize I am slightly screwed.

Theuns

Theuns - for the Kfir try Lucky Model (Hong Kong), good supplier, US$14 shipped to RSA. Thanks for advise, making my own inquiries for a resin kit now, will keep you posted

Vance - love the cat (and the F1), good work. Interesting you chose not to do wheels down?

Update from me - finding it hard to get inspiration with my cheap RZ kit, the gaps are so big underneath & air intakes, its going to be a challenge, hopefully some progress this weekend

Good news - my Gripen arrived last week, beautiful craft, wish I could see a real one? This will be my next build just waiting on colour PE for the cockpit due any day now

Other potential African candidates form me

- Trumpeter 1/32 F-7MG (Chinese Mig21), depends whether I can get colour schemes & decals for appropriate country

- found some 2 hand kits recently, now in the mail, Hawker Hunter & Vampire (Rhodesian), Canadair Sabre (SAAF), SU-27 (Angola?)

- C-130

I'm going to be busy!

Just check the eagles in the SAAF "coockie cutters" in the 1/72 kit they all look left. On the wings they look inward and on the fuse they must look forward.

Angola had/has MiG 21 MF's and MAV does decals for them and other African Air Forces aswell, check out the web site.

Theuns

NeedBeer

Vance - love the cat (and the F1), good work. Interesting you chose not to do wheels down

.....

Wheels will be down, I generally leave them off until I'm done decaling, I've been known to knock the occasional piece of landing gear off from time to time! It seems I'll be putting the gear on before decals on this one though:

Sat down with the Mirage & decals on Friday and...... they curled up like you would not believe. Not "curled up in the water", but after they were on & dried. I used some liquid decal film, the colours held well enough, but I'd say the adhesive is simply non-existant on these original decals. (I had also been warned about the "brown-paper-backed decals".)

So, I'm on the hunt for decals! Albatros made a massive sheet, but I'm only looking for the SAAF decals of course. I'll be searching some of the online sources for sales/trades. If I don't have any luck there I may have to go the "print your own" route. I'm certainly capable of it considering what pays my bills, I just need to find the supplies to do it right.

And in the "funny news" department - I walked into the little 2nd-hand shop that I've found several nice kits at over the past few months and found not one, but two..... 1/72 Kfirs from Italeri!! I'm guessing shipping from Canada to South Africa would be kind of crazy though!

Hey Vance, not to worry mate. I can get a kfir from my resin guy, just want to make sure I can replace it for him though!

As for SAAF decals, look no further than www.mavdecals.co.za

He doesn't generaly make big sheets, rather sets for individual planes. I hve used them before and theywork great. Just seal them with clearcoat before using them.

I didn't do that on the SAAF Hawk 120 and with all the handling I damaged them.

I think NeedBeer might also know these decals.

Theuns

Just checked their site now, 1/72 SAAF F-1 AZ full set decals sells for ZAR50-00

Not sure about shipping costs, but 1 US$ is about 8ZAR , so round 6,25 US$ for a nice set that will not curl up and seat nicely.

Here is a pic ov my 1/48 T-6 Harvard. You can see the MAV SAAF decals on it.  Nice and crisp and thin.

Theuns

PS. that big yellow side # is a single decal that seats so well.

A-ha! Thanks for that link Theuns, I'd never heard of these folks before. It looks like they have these in-stock as well. So seal these up with a liquid decal film like Microscale sells, or do you use something else?

On the T-6 Ijust gave the wholw sheet a light coat of gloss clear, but I think the other commercial decal film will do the trick.

Happy you came right :-)

Theuns