F-15 plastic scale models in 1/32 scale

VARIANTS:
kit A= F-15J   Japan Self Defence Air Force
kit B= F-15B  USAFE 
kit C= F-15I   Ra'aam Israeli Air Force
 

   ... continued from page 3...
 
[ KIT A ] Japanese ASDF F-15J  

The Japanese F-15J version of the Eagle was also seen in a spectacular Eagle bird display finish. The squadron is JASDF 204th on its 10th aniversary. This was a very attractive scheme to finish this model. I opted to select this one, a real challenge with all the complex patterns and colour that will require a lot of masking. 

For the kit I used the good old 1/32 Revell F-15C. For reference, I used a boroughed Hasegawa F-15 1/48 kit, the box seen below.

Some sections of the 1/48 decals are scanned, enlarged to 1/32 scale and printed on special Bare Metall Foil for Inktjet printers. Two sheets were needed: white and transparant. Only some markings were printed, all remainder of the paint scheme to be hand sprayed on with masking etc. Quite a job!

Some masking can be seen here...

....and some of the printed decals.... quite some effort and time to make the patterns and decals...

Some parts of the demo schema are painted, others are applied through self made decals. The self made decals were scanned from an 1/48 kit and some parts were grouped. The option to print all the scheme was not practical for a 1/32 kit and would need a lot op decals sheets and would become very expensive. I decided to only print the special themes like the bird head and tail heads, other sections were painted/sprayed with a lot of masking work.

The decals themas to be used from the scans were grouped in 3 sections:
- to be printed on white decal sheet
- to be printed on trasnparant sheet
- stencilling to be printed also on transparant sheet.

From Bare Metal Foil decals , 3 sheets were needed of the special InktJet decals, 1 white sheet and 2 transparant sheets.

Even when using some decals, you need additional painting as colour is not always very "thick" and do not cover satisfactorily. 

the result of masking and painting of the complex paint scheme can be seen here. It is quite a job and takes a lot of time, masking, painting and again masking etc. But the results are worth it.

    . 

The vertical tail fins were treated separately to ease handling and masking. 

 The detailed F-15J canopy frames with added mirrors and handles etc.

... the detailed seat of the F-15J. The Revell seat was used as a basis but modified and detailed with bits and harnass straps made from tape.

... the detailed rear avionics bay behind the seat in progress of being made. All boxes and electrical lines were made from card and stretched sprue which took quite some work. 

.. with more detail on the bulkhead behing the seat seen here.... 

Note the widened edges of the cockpit side walls made from thin card strip. 

 note the canopy actuator with red end

 a view of the canopy, note the details inside and canopy "locks" made from cut out photo negatives. 

 ....and instruments and cockpit of the Japanese F-15J. Also note the HUD that was made from cut out foil, detailed and painted to get the complex frame. The cockpit edges and locks were detailed with scrap pieces of card and foil. 

 also, the lower avionics bay on the left forward cockpit fuselage side was opened and detailed with some boxes etc.

Vertical tail fins were set in place without problems. The remaining gaps were filled with white glue and painted. Seen here are the rear F-15J exhaust pipes, without "turkey feathers". They came from the Tamiya F-15E kit (featured on page 5...) 

 

The Sidewinders were modified to represent special Japanese type AAM-3 missiles deployed on many modern JASDF fighters, including the F-15J. 

The AAM-3 missiles that can be found in the Hasegawa 1/48 F-15J kit were used as example on how to do it... Striping is from decals. 
(the light grey AMRAAM shown was not used)

a normal Sidewinder and a Sparrow

The special Japanese missiles seen on their pylons on the F-15J (Revell kit [A]). Note their stearing forward fins of a particular shape. Pylons were also detailed with card and rod at the  locking/attachment points

Sparrow in place, note the details on the lower fuselage 

Nose leg details and upper view of the F-15J

 
 
The result on the pictures of what has been achieved with masking and spraying.... 

[ click for large image ]

 

Interested in a 1/72 plastic scale model of the F-15J of JASDF 202 squadron? Look here...

JASDF 204 SQUADRON
10th aniversary 
F-15J

The parts in this F-15J kit are a bit different to the parts in the Tamiya F-15C kit. 
The ECM pod from the top of the tail was replaced with a mass balance. Some other type antenna's are added under the nose and under the intakes. Some aircraft got upgraded with ECM stuff, so check photos. 

The main fuselage parts are similar to the Tamiya F-15E. So some access panels and panellines should be a bit different for the F-15J. On the rudder, different type of small "bulges" can be found on F-15's , so check pictures. The horizontal stabilizers are of a F-15E but sometimes are fitted to F-15C aircraft so maybe also on F-15J.  

model on a real platform....