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McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F-15 Eagle Plastic scale model in 1/72 scale
... continued from page 7....
modelling report
Academy from South Korea also released quite some F-15E kits in 1/72 in different kit releases. Though they are designed to "snap together" the kits are in fact well detailed and fit extremely well, one of the best fitting kits I have ever seen.
Academy kit #12550 is for 3 USAF F-15E Strike Eagles of the 333 Fighter squadron, 336 FS and 335FS tail code "SJ" based Seymour Johnson. The kit was released in 2017.
The basic schemes are all overall grey FS36118.
A lot of stencilling is also provided. The decals in this kit are printed very well by Cartograph, so "top notch".
The b/w assembly instructions with some 16 steps are OK .
The kit has about 90 parts and 40 parts for the stores that include AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN, AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN, AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER POD, small bombs, 2 missiles AIM-9X ? and two 610 gallon fuel tanks.
The clear canopy and windscreen is one part so the cockpit is to be set closed. (a modeller can set the rear canopy open but then needs to separate it with a razor saw).
The panellines are recessed and extremely fine. The big upper air brake can be set open. The air intakes have the flow ducts to lead to the (different type of) engine fans.
The lower fuselage part has the bulbous Fast Packs typical of the F-15E type moulded on both sides and the typical F-15E small stub/pylons and long pylon are separate to be "snapped into the recesses and fit".
There are even parts for the 2 General Electric GE F110 exhausts and fan intake inside as some versions use these engines, like some in South Korea and Singapore. The more common Pratt and Whitney F100 engine fans and exhausts "without turkey feathers" are also in the kit. But these parts are in fact the only weak point of the kit as the exhaust pedals actuators are roughly represented.
The cockpit though is adequately detailed with raised details on instrument panels, side consoles, and ejection seats. Decals are provided for the instrument panels if you prefer these over painting.
The landing gear is OK and correct with the typical F-15E thicker main wheels, bulbous gear doors and so on.
Several of these kits will be made.
Academy kit #12568 has the same parts as kit #12550 but was released in 2020 now with decals for quite attractive schemes for USAF Strike Eagles based at Lakenheath in United Kingdom flown around 2019:
[1] F-15E USAF, red rudder coded LN 219 with D-day stripes
[2] F-15E USAF, yellow rudder coded NL 603 with D-day stripes.
The schemes are shown on a colourful separate glossy paper.
Academy kit #12554 for F-15K Slam Eagle has the same parts as the kits shown earlier but has "multi colour" parts and was released in 2017.
Decals are for Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) F-15K with codes 001, 029, 047, 061 but these schemes are all FS36118 and rather dull.
Some F-15K jets use the GE F110 engine with a different internal intake fan and external different exhaust. Two are nicely provided in these kits. Some others have still the P&W F100, also provided in the kit.
All the kits were made in a similar way with first two as USAF F-15E Strike Eagles with F100 engines.
These are set on sheet AIPD-64 that also has another option for the Tiger seen at right as set on the model described on page 7 here... .
The smaller stencillings are to be used from the mother kit decals like NO STEPS and honeycomb warnings.
If you are interested in a decal print for your model, let me know and ook at decal page here.... (can also be printed in another scale).
Academy kit assembly was now done.
The deep inner fuselage air ducts are nicely provided and set with the correct engine fan: for the P&W F100 parts #H2 and for the GE F110 parts #H1.
The upper air brake was set closed, snug off a bit the hinge pins.
The metal areas at the rear fuselage are separate parts and will fit. It is a good idea to airbrush these prior to installing metallic as I did with Vallejo 77.701 aluminium acrylic.
But first.... I recommend removing the rear fit rings of parts #H3 and #H4 for better exhaust installation later on.
When joining the bulbous Strike Eagle fuselage #N1 with the wing-fuselage part you need to set the horizontal stabilizers. A bit pressure is needed but these will fit. Sharp engineering!
Snug fit in place after metal colours had been applied.
The rear edges were sanded flat to install the exhausts later on.
Than to the cockpit....
The ejection seats are adequate and were painted tyre black, seat cushions olive drab green and added just some seat straps from tape. I removed their lower location tabs for easier "snap fit" installment.
Do not fit the nose gear strut #G3 at this stage to avoid breaking it.
Before installing the radar nose #B18 add about 7 grams of nose weight to avoid a "tail sitter". Some nose edge sanding was needed for a smooth fit.
The forward nose gear door is to be set closed as seen on most parked Strike Eagles.
The wing and inside panels and intakes will fit without any issue.
When setting the forward fuselage section and than the rear lower large fuselage assembly I had a small step below the intakes at the forward fuselage. So try to align and glue carefully. (I needed a bit putty and sanding here).
The intake side bulges #B5 and#B6 will also snug in place. I needed a bit putty and sanding here. I was not sure if the gun barrel nozzle is missing.. can be added later on.
Do not yet install the landing gears at this stage. Same with the vertical tails and jet exhausts, leave for later.
The various F-15E pylons on the lower fuselage sides were set though. These are to be snug fitted and do all fit. I removed the pins to fix the small bombs though as my model wil be kept "unarmed".
The forward fuselage joints needed a bit putty and sanding but I think it was my fault to get a perfect joint.
After this general assembly, base paint work would start. Mask off the metal areas.
For the base grey airbrushed was thinned Revell Aqua 75 steingrau acrylic paint to check for any flaws. It looked OK.
The wing fuel tanks and pylons were also made and airbrushed. Only a bit sanding is needed. Same with the various LANTIRN pods provided with a choice of these provided in the kit.
The smaller parts while still in their sprues like gear door outsides', wing pylons and launch rails were not forgotten as were the wing fuel tanks. The gear door insides' were airbrushed white as were the landing gear legs and struts still in their sprues.
The P&W F100 engine exhausts were needed (without turkey feathers) and these are quite crude. I did not have spare parts so modified the kit parts # F16 and #F17. I cut off the moulded actuators and suggested these with rod.
The F100 exhausts got a mix of Vallejo metal paints including burned metal 77.703. The insides of the exhausts were painted dull white to suggest hot burned areas.
The model was glossy FS36118 (as to avoid "silvering") and was now ready to get the decals. Note that the vertical tails had not yet been set and this helps here to set the custom made decals. The smaller stencilling as per kit were also set.
All custom printed decals need to be cut out separately with fine scissors.
The decalled vertical tails have 2 decal bits and were snugged in place. Do not mix up port and starboard tails!
NOTE: if you are interested in a AIPD-64 decal print for your model, sur...let me know and look at decal page here.... (can also be printed in another scale such as 1/48 and even 1/32).
After decalling was done, the good landing gear is next. Again, this is a good kit. The gear bays were hand painted white on their insides. The gear struts are white and I painted the oleos and landing lights Vallejo Chrome 77.7097. The wheel tyres were airbrushed tyre black previously and the hubs dirty white. All was installed without any issues though I had to remove to squeeze in a bit from the forward nose gear stress bar #G3.
The main wheels were set at 80 degrees and note that the kit has the correct thicker Strike Eagle main wheels and bulbous gear doors.
The anti-collision lights are wing tips and tails were painted (red port and blue starboard). The wing tip low vis lights are decals but can also be painted light yellow.
The smaller antennas and nose side pitots were installed and are fine in the kit.
No weapon stores like bombs were set, just 2 LANTIRN pods. A bit PROMODELLER wash was added in the gaps of ailerons and flaps with a fine brush.
The kit canopy+windscreen part has a very light mid seam ridge, this was polished off using paste (no prior paper sanding/ smoothing is even needed).
I opted to set the canopy open on this model, so a razor saw was used to seperate the windscreen. A frame plate was set inside the middle and rear from plastic card.
The canopy frames were hand painted FS36188 and black inside. Inside the canopy, 2 mirrors will be set in the front frame and 1 mirror in the mid frame (not yet seen).
The model got airbrushed a semi-matt varnish coat to get an even sheen and protect the decals. In this case a coat of Johnson Future/ Pledge with 5% X-21 "flat base" with the usual technique. (mask a bit the metallic exhaust areas and obviously any clear areas).
It is a good idea to add some 10% Gunze Mr.Hobby Levelling Thinner in the varnish mix. This really helps airbrushing a nice varnish layer.
The canopy was positioned (without glue) open and the model was ready! A red painted long fixation bar was set and raising actuator made from rod.
That's it! This model took about 15 hours to complete (excl. decal design).
F-15E of the 389 FS GUNFIGHTERS of the 366th FW based at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
... in a scenery...
Another 1/72 Academy F-15E Strike Eagle kit (now #12658) was made, again in a scheme with custom designed and made decals.
On the occasion of the Celebrations of the United States Air Force 75th year, the USAFE 80th year and the USAF 48th Fighter Wing 70th “Liberty Wings” year, an F-15E Strike Eagle got a remarkable heritage paint scheme unveiled July 2022 at RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom. This USAF scheme was picked.
These are included in my own custom made decal set AIPD-65 F-15E USAF "Liberty Wings". The 1/72 set has 2 sheets: a clear sheet and a white sheet. The white sheet requires slightly "inside" cutting with fine scissors and has mostly the tip and tail base markings. (the smaller stencilling is to be used from the kit).
If you are interested in a decal laser print for your model, let my know and look at decal page here.... (can also be printed in another scale such as 1/48 and even 1/32).
For this model the general F-15E Academy kit assembly was the same as described on the earlier made kit. It all fits very well. The P&W F100 engine exhausts were required and refined as described earlier.
Set the tails first before decalling.
And decalling needed some careful cutting first for each decal.
The gears, fuel tanks were installed and LANTIRN pods.
A semi-mat varnish was airbrushed the usual way.
The canopy was set closed thus as per kit. It fits OK after the vertical rear pins were removed. White glue was used to close the tiny gaps and painted FS 36118 when dried.
That completed the model.
.... set in a scenery....
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Created this page November 21, 2024